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06 Sept 2025

Stuart Dallas launches the 2024 SuperCupNI at the Coleraine Showgrounds

Teams participating in this year's competition paraded around Coleraine town centre before being announced to the crowd in attendance. 

SuperCupNI Opening Ceremony

Pictured launching the 2024 SuperCupNI is the deputy First Minister and Northern Ireland and Leeds United legend Stuart Dallas alongside Gigi Rabielli (Surf Select) and Harry Marsh (Coleraine FC).

Stuart Dallas officially opened the SuperCupNI for 2024 on Sunday night at the Coleraine Showgrounds. 

The teams participating in this year's competition paraded around Coleraine town centre before being announced to the crowd in attendance. 

Once all the teams had been introduced, the former Northern Ireland international took to the stage to officially commence the tournament he had played in four times. 

He said: “I remember what it was like as a player—the excitement at the parade.

“I can imagine the excitement the kids are having, but I bet tonight they will have to get to bed early, and I’m sure there will be a few sleepless hours for them.

“Every kid out there is at a different stage in their career; some will be more advanced than others.

“The main thing for me is, just go and enjoy it; they will be playing in front of big crowds, in front of their families. 

“The friendships they will make this week will be incredible, and the experience of being away from their families and staying in a hotel will create a lot of memories. I’d encourage them to enjoy it the best they can; some of them will never play in a bigger tournament again, and some of them will go onto greater things.”

Dallas is one of many professional players to have featured in the SuperCupNI, formerly the Milk Cup. 

The likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Marcus Rashford, Ross Barkley, and Kobbie Mainoo represented English clubs in the competition, while the likes of Georgino Wijnaldum, Giorgi Kvilitaia, and 2024 European Championship winner Martin Zubimendi represented European clubs in the tournament. 

Dallas said: “Look at the European Championships that just finished; I think there were something like 15 players that were there that had played in what was the Milk Cup.

“Coming back so much comes back to you, especially when you are walking up through the town and then you start to remember things from years ago when I was a player. I never once thought that when I was a player that I would be opening the tournament, but here I am, and I’m delighted to be here.”

The former Leeds United player retired this summer due to injury, but his career began with notoriety in the Milk Cup, playing for County Tyrone four times. 

The 33-year-old worked his way up from the Irish League to the Premier League, starting with Coagh United before moving to Crusaders. Following a successful two years in Belfast, Dallas moved to London to play for Brentford before joining Leeds, where he would be imperative to the success of the club under Marcelo Bielsa and their return to the Premier League.

But the 2020–21 Leeds United player of the season has fond memories of his time in Northern Ireland and Coleraine, as he scored his first professional goal in the Showgrounds. 

He said: “I was talking to someone about that earlier, coming back here to the Showgrounds. I've got a lot of fond memories from the Irish League, and Coleraine are a great club, and it is fantastic to see them host this up here.

“I’m really happy to be here, and I’m honoured that SuperCupNI asked me to be here and open it.”

Now that Dallas is back for the competition, he is looking forward to watching some of the action in the hope he can spot the future stars of world football. 

He said: “I will go see County Tyrone because I played for Tyrone for four years and I have a lot of memories I have with them. I will take in a few of their games. I’m looking forward to seeing them, particularly when they play Rangers.”

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