 The 1973–74 season saw them win promotion to the top tier of the league and they competed the double that year by winning the Clarence Cup, a knockout tournament for Amateur League sides.The club were relegated to Division 1B in 1980–81 but kept faith in long-serving manager Barry McClung who led them to immediate promotion before in 1982–83 winning the overall Amateur League title, as well as victory in the Border Cup (a knockout competition for First Division teams only) and a semi-final place in the Steel & Sons Cup.However McClung left in late 1984 with former Crusaders F.C.