We are thrilled to announce that Lauren Boles has agreed an extension at the club to remain at The Bit O’ Red until at least the end of the 2023 Womens National League season.

Boles was an ever-present in 2022 and finished the season voted as our Senior Womens Player of The Year, decided by the fans.

Lauren is from Sligo and had an impressive youth career locally before playing GAA for Sligo Ladies up until 2022, when she joined Steve Feeney’s squad.

Boles has become a role model to her fellow team-mates and to players in the Academy as a player to look up to and emulate. She played in every minute of every game which is a credit to her dedication and fitness levels.

Manager Steve Feeney is thrilled to have Boles on board once again:

‘’Lauren was a brilliant signing for us back in January.

‘’She was one of the first players I wanted to sign when I got the job and when she agreed to join us, me and the rest of the staff were delighted as we knew what qualities she would bring.

‘’She has been brilliant both on and off the pitch for us and showed that by playing every minute in the season.

‘’We’re excited to work with her again next season’’.

Lauren becomes the first player confirmed for 2023 with a host of re-signings to come over the next few days.

Women’s football is growing both nationally and internationally and we are excited to be part of it at The Showgrounds.

Kick off times in 2023 are expected to change to 5pm on Saturday afternoons and stand alone Womens National League season tickets will be introduced for just €50.

Boles is excited to be part of the squad for next season:

‘’I am delighted to re-sign for Sligo Rovers.

‘’Our first season showed that we are able to compete at Women’s National League level.

‘’I believe this experience will stand to us and with the young talent coming through, the future is bright at Sligo Rovers.

‘’The club and management have done a brilliant job in getting this team established and we will be looking to push on next season’’.

The Womens Senior team will return to pre-season training in January ahead of the new 2023 season which is expected to start at the end of February.

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce that goalkeeper Richard Brush will once again be part of the Bit O’ Red squad for the 2023 season.

Brush joined the Bit O’ Red in January 2021 from Cliftonville in the Northern Irish Premiership and has since made nine appearances including impressive appearances in 2022 against the likes of Drogheda United and Finn Harps in March and in our final home game of the season in a 1-0 win over St. Patrick’s Athletic at The Showgrounds.

Brush is a League winner with Rovers having been part of the squad that lifted the title back in 2012 and is in his fourth spell with the club having originally joined back in 2006, quickly becoming a fan’s favourite. The experienced net-minder also played with Shamrock Rovers, Finn Harps, Ballinamallard and the afore mentioned Cliftonville.

Manager John Russell is delighted that Brush has extended his stay:

‘’I’m delighted Richard has agreed to stay with the club next season.

‘’Brushy is a player who knows the club inside out. He brings a wealth of experience and, he is a leader within the group. He demands high standards in training and knows what it takes to win trophies and be successful. He showed his quality when called upon last season and he still has plenty more to offer.

‘’Brushy is now starting to transition from a player into a coach and I feel he will be a big influence on the young generation of goalkeepers at our club. He is full of energy and enthusiasm and is an infectious character. His knowledge and skill set will be invaluable moving forward.

‘’Sligo Rovers is his club and I know he’s determined to keep pushing and raising the levels both on and off the pitch’’.

Many of the Rovers squad now have an interest in the coaching side of the game and Brush is no different as he has started his UEFA Goalkeeping coaching badges recently and will look to develop this over time and begin to think about a career in professional football, post-playing through coaching, with the help of the club.

The English born goalkeeper is happy to have agreed to sign ahead of the 2023 season:

‘’I am really happy to be here again next season. I felt I stepped in last season and did well and it was an enjoyable season for us all with the European run during the Summer.

‘’That is where we want to be so we all know we need to get back there and that will be the aim for the club and us as players.

‘’I enjoy passing on some of my experiences to the younger lads in the squad and I’ll continue to help them as much as I can in the future’’.

Pre-season training is just a number of weeks away as John Russell and his squad report back in early January.

Pre-Season friendlies will be announced soon as well as the SSE Airtricity Premier Division fixtures for the 2023 season which are fully released next Thursday.

Excitement is building at The Showgrounds and Season Ticket sales are selling at an unprecedented level as supporters show their support once again to The Bit O’ Red.

The easiest way to get your Season Ticket is online at www.srfcdirect.com

Sligo Rovers are thrilled to announce that Women’s Senior Team Manager Steve Feeney has extended his deal with the club which will see him remain as Womens Team Manager until at least the end of the 2025 Womens National League Season.

Feeney was appointed as Womens Senior Team Manager twelve months ago and has steered his side to an 8^th place finish in our first season at Womens National League level.

At the time of his appointment, Rovers participation in the League was only just confirmed therefore, Feeney has work to do to compile his squad before the start of the season in early March.

Pre-Season began just a few weeks later and the former Bit O’ Red player quickly assembled a squad and built a strong identity and playing style and a close-knit group of players and staff which shone throughout the season.

With the Womens game growing and the introduction of professional contracts becoming an option for clubs for the first time this is an important step for the club to secure Feeney as Head of Womens football at the club as First-Team Manager.

CEO Colin Feehily:

‘’Steve has been a breath of fresh air around the place since he was appointed Womens Team Manager last year.

‘’The team was assembled quickly last season and they really were a credit to the club throughout the 2022 season both on and off the pitch.

‘’There were some memorable moments such as their first win down in Cork to their wins over Wexford and Shelbourne at The Showgrounds and I think it’s only just the start of things here at the club as we have two good Academy teams at Under 17 and 19 level and Steve has no problems introducing these players into the Senior team like he has done already.

‘’The Womens game is very important to us here and securing Steve on a long-term deal is a vital part that’’.

Feeney will bring his squad back for pre-season training in January ahead of their second Womens National League campaign.

Fixtures are due out in the next couple of weeks as excitement builds for the 2023 season.

Feeney is delighted to remain as Bit O’ Red Manager long-term:

‘’I’m delighted to commit to this club and this team long-term. I appreciated the club giving me a chance to be Manager last season and, I am very grateful that they would like me to continue to build on the work that took place last season.

‘’This is a long-term plan and it will take time to grow, but we all want to push forward and see Sligo Rovers competing with the best. 

‘’Last season was a fantastic experience for all of us involved with the team, we learned a lot, we had some really good moments and some really difficult moments throughout the season but, it was fantastic to have such wonderful support from the Rovers fans throughout all those moments.

‘’The players have become great role models for any young girl who dreams of playing football. We want to help grow women’s football in the area and anyone who has watched the National League or the national team will know the talent there is on show and I would encourage anyone who hasn’t got out to watch our team yet to do so next season’’.

Sligo Rovers will open a pop up Christmas shop inside Barton Smiths on Hyde Bridge in Sligo Town.

Club Merchandise will be available as well as other Bit O’ Red items such as Season Tickets, Bit O’ Red Wall Tiles and Club Lotto.

The store is open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 6pm and from 2pm to 6pm on Sundays.

The shop is open until close of business on Christmas Eve.

Supporters can purchase an item online and select pick up in store option which will be available at Barton Smiths to collect.

Our online service is still our easiest way to shop with us, with all orders shipped on the day you buy and our shipping partners DpD will deliver to your door.

Worldwide orders are also sent everyday via An Post registered post.

All Sligo Rovers merchandise and tickets are available at www.srfcdirect.com

Our 2023 Season Ticket sales are rising each week as we head into the last three weeks until Christmas.

Sligo Rovers season tickets have become a regular for a lot of people under the Christmas Tree and this year should be no different, with tickets available online or through a number of outlets around Sligo and the North-West.

The easiest way to get your Season Ticket is online via the link below:

https://srfcdirect.com/season-tickets-2023/

You’ll receive an email confirmation and subsequently receive your ticket in the post.

You can also visit The Showgrounds offices on Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm and pay by cash or card.

There are a number of Season Ticket outlets around the region which are listed below:

Barton Smiths, Hyde Bridge, Sligo

Centra, Gurteen

Gerry Kenny Sports Ballina

Greenan Electrical, Boyle

Collerys, Beltra

Gillespies, Tubbercurry

Tony Quinn, Cliffoney

Super Reds can avail of a free Sligo Rovers training top and access to a VIP Super Red Open Day in February with the Rovers’ squad.

Gold Season Tickets allow you to have your name on your seat for the 2023 season for just €60 on top of your season ticket which means you can arrive at games anytime you want and your seat will be there waiting for you.

Associate Sponsors are priced at €300 which allows business the opportunity to treat staff or customers to a ticket to a game in the form of a booklet with 18 match tickets. Businesses receive a place in our Matchday programme and a place on our website with a link to their company site.

Family Season tickets are also available and we are introducing a Womens Season Ticket in the new year, priced at just €50 for access to every Women’s National League game in 2023.

Supporters who buy a Men’s season ticket can buy a Women’s ticket for half price, €25.

Our Bit O’ Red Wall has over 500 tiles since it’s introduction to The Showgrounds in 2020.

The wall sees names from supporters past and present and from all over the world in a fundraiser that started by asking supporters to remember loved ones, celebrate birthday’s or simply place your name in The Showgrounds to show your support for the Bit O’ Red.

Almost three years on, we now begin Phase four which will see orders taken up to Christmas and installed in Spring 2023.

The easiest way to buy your Wall Tile is online via the below link:

https://srfcdirect.com/fundraising/bit-ored-wall/

You can also buy a Tile at The Showgrounds office from 10am to 4pm Mondays to Fridays or at our Christmas Shop at Barton Smiths from this Tuesday.

Tiles cost €100 each.

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce the signing of midfielder Lukas Browning from Dalkurd in Sweden until at least the end of the 2023 season, with an option for a further year which can see him remain at the Bit O’ Red until 2024.

Lukas was born in Drogheda and moved to Sweden, aged two.

The 23-year-old has been capped at both Swedish and Irish underage level and spent time in Holland with FC Twente before moving back to Sweden.

A ball-playing midfielder, he comes to Sligo having been high on Manager John Russell’s radar and is a player Russell is delighted to have on board:

‘’Lukas is a player I’ve been tracking for some time and, I’m delighted he’s agreed to join us.

‘’He has all the attributes of the modern midfield player.

‘’He has a fantastic passing range, good game intelligence, as well as being physically strong. Lukas will bring a different dynamic to our midfield next season.

‘’He is a very ambitious player and I know he sees this move as a really good step in his development. I’m sure the fans will enjoy watching him play’’.

Browning:

“After Sligo Rovers and John presented the plan for the club moving forward I was immediately intrigued and knew this was the place I wanted to continue my football career and development.

“I’m looking forward to joining the team and meeting the players.

“I can’t wait to play in front of the supporters at the Showgrounds.

“John is a manager who demands a lot and wants to progress and develop in every aspect of the game, this aligns well with my view on progression and development”.

The Bit O’ Red now have 18 professionals signed ahead of the 2023 season, with more signings expected in the coming days.

Lukas will wear the number 19 shirt for Rovers next season.

2023 Season Tickets are now available online at srfcdirect.com and with fixtures expected in the next couple of weeks, excitement is now building among supporters.

Sligo Rovers can confirm that a number of supporters have been issued with barring orders from attending Sligo Rovers fixtures at The Showgrounds following an investigation into recent incidents at our fixture against St. Patrick’s Athletic in October at The Showgrounds.

Trouble broke out at half-time in the fixture between both sets of supporters and following investigations in association with An Garda Siochana, we have identified a number of individuals and issued them with stadium bans.

These incidents not only tarnish the club’s good name, built by our supporters and volunteers over our 94 year history, but they also bring needless expense on the club, which it simply does not budget for an can not continue to pay for. The club were issued with fines in excess of €1,500 from this fixture, which is more disappointing knowing that other supporters raise money for the club year on year by buying lotto tickets, season tickets, draw tickets and so on.

An Garda Siochana are in dialogue with their counterparts in Dublin with regards away supporter behaviour on the night and these investigations are ongoing.

Sligo Rovers does not tolerate and will not tolerate any anti-social behaviour at The Showgrounds or at any club fixtures and will continue to endeavour to ensure that problems such as those against St Patrick’s Athletic will not happen again.

While Sligo Rovers do not wish to ban any supporters from coming to The Showgrounds, we will continue to stamp out these incidents by issuing more bans in the future should we need to.

Sligo Rovers has a proud history, with a strong name and strong values in our community, welcoming people from all walks of life and welcoming families to our club and these incidents are not welcome or accepted at The Showgrounds.

We would remind supporters that CCTV cameras are operated throughout our match nights and these cameras were extremely important in dealing with this matter in the manner we have. Cameras are located in all areas of the ground.

We wish to thank Power Right for their help in installing these cameras in support of the club in 2020.

Ends

This Monday’s Lotto jackpot stands at €16,000.

The draw takes place at 3pm at The Showgrounds.

You can enter from as little as €2 per line online via the below link:

https://sligoroversfc.clubforce.com/products/sligo-rovers-fc-lotto

We also have a Black Friday offer which offers you 2 lines in every lotto draw for a full year, which usually would cost €208. (52 weeks x €4)

We are doing a special offer of 2 lines in every draw for just €100, making a huge saving of €108.

You can get this via the link below:

https://srfcdirect.com/black-friday-lotto-offer-2-lines-for-one-year-subscription/

Best of luck to all our entrants in Monday’s draw and thanks for the ongoing support.

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce that Anthony Elding has returned to the club today to take up the position of Under 17 Men’s Head Coach.

Anthony was part of Longford Town’s Academy set up over the last couple of years and was previously Sligo Rovers’ Under 13 Assistant Manager in 2019.

Elding has a long-standing history with Sligo Rovers and 2023 will mark the tenth anniversary of signing with the club back in 2013, a season which ended with him scoring the winner in the FAI Cup final against Drogheda United.

The new Under 17 Men’s Head Coach is excited for the challenge ahead:

‘’I am delighted to be joining Sligo Rovers as a head coach of the u17s. I appreciate this opportunity that has been given to me by Conor O’Grady our Head of Youth Development, along with everyone else at the club in making this possible.

‘’Over the past years I’ve been away from the football club, looking in, it’s evident that the football club has made huge successful strides on and off the field, I am honoured to be a part of the club’s next phase.

‘’To see so many former players involved throughout the football club from the first team down to u14s is just incredible, all of which, knows exactly what it takes to achieve success at this wonderful football club’’.

Elding is a UEFA A licence holder and has impressed in his time both here and Longford Town with his professionalism and drive and will get to see some of his potential squad for the first time on December 11^th when the club hold trials at The Showgrounds.

Head of Academy Conor O’ Grady is thrilled to have Anthony back at The Showgrounds:

‘’Anthony is a top coach and will no doubt bring the lads on in their development here at the club next season.

‘’Along with our other coaches in the Academy, Anthony will look to develop players and ultimately give them the best opportunity of progressing through the system and into the first-team.

‘’He is a top professional and brings with him a real willingness to help players and maintain the most professional environment for them to work in’’.

Elding is keen to get going and continuing to develop players through the Academy and into the first-team plans:

‘’When we look at the number of underage players who have transitioned from our youth system into the first team squads, making multiple appearances in the league of Ireland and in Europe is incredible to see, the future really does looks bright! I have a burning desire to continue this excellent work as head coach of the U17s.

‘’I am extremely self-motivated with strong leadership qualities whilst applying excellent organisation skills, I am adaptable to any given challenge with a professional working attitude. At this stage of my coaching/managerial career, having managed at Longford town over the past 3 years where I finished off with an u17 league title win, gave me excellent opportunity to improve as a coach, I will always be grateful to Longford Town FC for the 3 year’s opportunity they gave me in allowing me to excel. I was interested in expanding my professional horizons in securing this challenging new role within our ambitious football club’’.

Our Under 17 team are sponsored by Ivor Parke Painters and Decorators who have been sponsors of this side since its introduction to the League.

We look forward to 2023 working with Anthony and this young squad.