Former Linfield favourite Michael Gault believes Setanta Cup glory in 2005 helped inspire the Windsor Park club to make Irish League history the following season.
The Blues lifted the all-Ireland trophy 15 years ago after enduring a domestic campaign to forget, losing out to Glentoran in the title race after ‘Morgan Day’.
And the following year David Jeffrey’s men went on to win a ‘clean sweep’ of local trophies - the league title, Irish Cup, League Cup and County Antrim Shield.
Gault, who won a remarkable 20 trophies at Linfield - including seven league titles and six Irish Cups - said: “Winning the Setanta was a big part of our Clean Sweep success.
“We were gutted after surrendering the title to Glentoran on ‘Morgan Day’ and it was a quick turnaround to reach the Setanta Cup final in 2005 and win the trophy.
“That reinforced in our minds that we were a really good side and we wiped the floor with everyone else the following season.”
Gault, now 36 and managing Ballymacash Rangers in the Mid Ulster League, added: “David trusted that squad and it was just a great time to be involved with Linfield.
“If you had a bad game, the other 10 would drag you through. It was really special completing the Clean Sweep by beating Glentoran 2-1 in the 2006 Irish Cup final.
“We went 1-0 down to a Michael Halliday goal but I don’t remember panicking. That season, we just had an inner belief that we would go on to win the game.
“It was a really proud memory and I can only thank every member of the staff, my former team mates and supporters for such special memories.”
