Healy and Mcgivern praise Blues after title is confirmed
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Healy added: “The aim at the start of the season was to end up as league winners and it’s great that this aim has been achieved.
“I’m so pleased for our players who’ve been wondering and waiting on news if we’d get back to playing and they were imagining all sorts of possible scenarios.
“Full credit goes to the players. Around a year ago we set out on a journey in pre-season and that journey has effectively ended today.
“There were a few dips in form but the players have been an absolute credit to the club.
“We were four points clear and we have earned the right to be confirmed as league winners in the circumstances that we and indeed other clubs in Europe found ourselves in.
“I would like to pay immense tribute to Coleraine. They have won the League Cup and were pushing us hard in the league. It’s so sad that we weren’t able to play out what was shaping up to be an exciting end of season and I’ve no doubt they will be serious challengers next season.
“We’ve spoken quite a lot with Oran Kearney and Colin Mckendry in recent times and they’ve been a real credit to their club. I have so much respect for the dignified way they have conducted themselves through these difficult few months.
“While the triumph has been achieved by our players and staff, I also want to give thanks to the board for their steadfast backing. I also want to thank our supporters who I know have missed their football as much as we have.”
Linfield chairman Roy Mcgivern argued that no one could question the Windsor Park side’s title credentials.
“I was delighted to receive confirmation today from NIFL of the final league placings for this season and also the award of a 54th league title to this club,” he said.
“The circumstances are very far from the normal end of season title celebrations and it is regrettable that we were unable to conclude the season on the field of play. It is a matter of record, however, that we headed the league table after 31 games played and the award of the Gibson Cup is based on merit.
“Our manager, players and staff deserve enormous credit for their achievements. We were playing catch-up in the league after our incredible European run at the start of the season but we had put ourselves in an excellent position to retain the title before the pandemic struck to halt sport and many aspects of our normal lives.
“We had established a fourpoint lead over our closest rivals Coleraine but were also 10 points ahead of Crusaders in third so I don’t think anyone can question our credentials.”
For Linfield, it is a third league title in four seasons, having won 22 of their 31 games.
The Bannsiders, who lifted the League Cup, are still to face Ballymena United in the Irish Cup semi-final in late July while Glentoran and Cliftonville contest the other final four game.