OPENING HOME GAME THIS SATURDAY NIGHT

We return to the Showgrounds this Saturday night in the much anticipated curtain raiser to the 2025 season. 

Online tickets are currently available for the game and we would encourage supporters to secure their ticket early to avoid disappointment. Ticket sales have been strong and as last year’s opening home game had a full house, we are expecting another large crowd.

This Saturday, 15th February 7:45pm v Waterford FC

HOME LEAGUE GAME ENTRY PRICE

Ticket prices for our men’s 18 home league games will be as follows:

• Adult – €20
• Concession – €15
• U12 – €10

*Please note to meet online ticket charges, there is a €1 booking fee per ticket when purchasing online.

SEASON TICKETS

Supporters are encouraged to purchase a Season Ticket which remains, both the best value, and best way to support our supporter-owned club for the year ahead.

Season Tickets ordered on or before Friday 7th February can be collected this week in the Showgrounds during normal working hours until Friday. There will also be a short collection period this Saturday from 2pm – 4pm in the Showgrounds.

For orders made after Friday 7th February, supporters can use the e-version of the Season Ticket for this Saturday night’s game, with the physical card to follow in due course. An e-version of the Season Ticket will have gone out by email on all email orders. All Season Tickets (physical or digital) will be scanned on entry to avoid duplicate entries on match night.

The full adult price for 2025 Season Tickets is €290 with concessions available detailed in the link below.

Super Reds continues to be the best value for under 12s with a season pass, which also includes a complimentary training top for only €90.

SECURE YOUR SEAT

Seating is open in the Showgrounds except for those seats reserved through Adult Gold (Secure Your Seat) initiative. 

Season Ticket holders can reserve a specific seat for all home league games for an additional cost of €60 with all funds going towards the cost of running the club.

Should you have already purchased your Season Ticket and wish to secure your seat you can arrange in the Showgrounds by this Friday 14th at 12am for it to be ready for the opening game on Saturday night.

HERITAGE NEWSLETTER

The Sligo Rovers Heritage Group matchnight newsletter proved to be a huge success in 2024 and the Heritage group will continue the popular production in 2025. The newsletter will initially expand to eight pages at a cost of €3.

Funds raised from the newsletter go toward heritage projects and running costs of the club and supporters are encouraged to purchase on match night.

WOMEN’S TEAM

The Women’s team’s season begins on Saturday 8th March at home to Bohemians in the Showgrounds at 3:00pm. There will be 11 home league games with a new regular start time of 3:00pm on a Saturday, unless otherwise advised. 

Supporters are encouraged to show their support by purchasing a Season Ticket and attending home games for 2025. The cost of a Season Ticket is €50 and helps fund the growth of our Women’s team which is in its fourth year. Season Tickets can be purchased below:

VOLUNTEERING WITH OUR CLUB

Our supporter-owned club is built on the dedication and hard work of our committed volunteers. If anyone is interested in becoming involved as match-night volunteer for 2025, they are encouraged to use our contact form on our website by selecting volunteer in the drop down menu.

Our match-nights are made possible by volunteers and we appreciate any new volunteers willing to assist for any number of our 18 men’s home league games or 11 women’s home league games.

As always volunteers are free to choose which games they are available to help. Match-night roles include security, half-time raffle, BORST clubhouse, club shop.

If anyone would like to volunteer in any capacity with the club, we would encourage you to please let us know through our website contact form or a member of the committee or club staff.

SHOWGROUNDS REDEVELOPMENT

The award of funding from the government made 2024 a historic year for the club. Work continues with the Project Team working through the detailed design stage for the redevelopment with Rhatighan Architects. The Project Team expects to give a full update to supporters on the project at the club AGM, which will take place in the coming months.

THANK YOU

Thank you again to all our supporters, volunteers, commercial partners and sponsors who keep our supporter owned club strong. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the Showgrounds for the 2025 season.

New Zealand international Oskar Van Hattum is the latest player to join Sligo Rovers, the club are excited to announce.

The 22-year-old winger joins from Australian A League side Wellington Phoenix and has signed a one year deal at the Showgrounds.

Van Hattum arrives at the Bit O’Red having spent his formative years in his homeland, featuring almost 50 times for Wellington’s first team, making his professional debut against Western United as a 19-year-old in 2021.

He has also represented New Zealand at various underage levels, making his senior debut against Solomon Islands during the 2024 OFC Men’s Nations Cup, a tournament which he and his Kiwi team mates went on to win.

Van Hattum was also part of the New Zealand U23 side which competed at last year’s Paris Olympics. He is Rovers boss John Russell’s second signing of the week following the arrival of goalkeeper Sam Sargeant.

Primarily a right sided plyer, Oskar’s versatility means he can operate on either flank and is also comfortable competing as a striker or a ten. He has also filled in at right back on occasion.

“I’m direct, I like to get in behind and drive at defenders”, he tells sligorovers.com.

“I can play in a few different positions so I’m looking forward to helping the team in any way I can. We want a European spot and we want trophies. But that’s down the line. For now, I’m just looking forward to meeting everyone and getting off to a good start against Waterford.”

Van Hattum is the latest player from the Pacific island to join the club following successful stints for compatriots Ryan De Vries, Nando Pijnaker and Max Mata in recent years. Contact with the latter was part of his research on Ireland before he made the decision to relocate half-way around the world. Oskar says fellow striker Mata played his part in convincing him that a move to Rovers was the right one.  

“The transfer is one that’s been in the works for the better part of a month really and I’m thrilled to get the deal done”, he beamed.

“I know the club has a big history, particularly in the fairly recent past and I can’t wait to get going and try and make more history here.

“The Irish league wouldn’t be too accessible from New Zealand but that just makes things more exciting for me. I spoke to Max and he only had positive things to say about the club, Sligo, the people and the people who run the club.

“I see a pathway there and I can’t wait to jump in. The A League and both the Australian and New Zealand national teams have grown the last few years and that’s why you see so many players moving from there to Europe. Max, Nando and Ryan are examples of players who have seized their chances and they’ve expanded their profiles from here. I want to do that too.”

Speaking about his latest addition, manager Russell says Van Hattum’s versatility will be a key asset for Rovers who continue preparations for the upcoming campaign.  

“Oskar is primarily a right winger but is comfortable playing across the front line where he will bring pace, power and directness to the team”, he explains.

“I feel his attributes will suit our league and it’s always vital to have players who can play in several positions. His work rate is excellent and I know he is very motivated by the challenge of playing in Europe.

“We’ve had good success bringing players in from New Zealand in recent years and we’re hoping Oskar can make a big impact at the club.”

David Goulden 

Photo credit: McIntosh/Photomac

TRANSFORMATIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR CLUB’S CENTENARY

Sligo Rovers are delighted to confirm that the club has been granted €16,400,000 under Government’s Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) for the redevelopment of the Sligo Showgrounds. This level of Government funding is unprecedented for a sporting project in the north-west. It represents one of the most significant grant awards to a League of Ireland Club and will see the delivery of a new regional multi-sport stadium, the first UEFA Category 3 Stadium outside Dublin.

The development will increase the seated capacity of the Showgrounds to 6,129 and entails major modernization of stadium facilities. This will include a new grass based hybrid pitch, which will accommodate other sports and activities, new stands on the Church Hill and Jinks’ Avenue ends, upgrades to the Treacy Avenue and Railway end stands, new hospitality areas, fan zones, meeting rooms, gymnasium, club merchandise shop, media area and a new club museum.  

New visiting supporter seating will be provided in the Jinks Avenue stand with associated food and beverage facilities. The new stadium will also meet the requirements for modern TV broadcasts.

Sligo Rovers Chairman Tommy Higgins said ‘This is a momentous day for everyone in Sligo and an exciting one for our Sligo Rovers fanbase in Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Donegal, Roscommon and indeed throughout Ireland. We have experienced nothing but full cooperation and encouragement from our own community, our local authority, local TD’s and Senior Government Ministers, and for this we are very grateful.  

Due primarily to the efforts of our late colleague Tommie Gorman, we were able to present detailed briefings in the Showgrounds to Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tanaiste Micheal Martin, Ministers Catherine Martin, Heather Humphreys and Thomas Byrne. We also briefed Minister for Finance Jack Chambers. 

We especially thank Minister Catherine Martin for her sustained and supportive interest in our project and whose Department prioritised our application and recommended the grant award.

We are deeply appreciative of the contribution made by Frank Feighan, TD, in particular his practical advice and guidance, and his representations on our behalf, as we pursue the significant investment we need to make our stadium development plan a reality.

We would like to thank the FAI for its national ranking and valued support, especially Mark Scanlon, Walter Holloran, FAI adviser Tim Tuomey and the FAI Board, who all took a deep interest in our project. Another valuable contributor is Special Olympics Ireland, who awarded us a national ranking and we thank Myra Merrick for her assistance and support. Sligo County Council agreed to act as the project sponsor and awarded the project local priority ranking – we particularly acknowledge the help given by Martin Lydon, Chief Executive and Dorothy Clarke, Director of Services.

Sligo Rovers Development Officer Mark Cummins acknowledged the contribution of the many individuals and agencies involved in the project. ‘We had an exceptional support team in place at every stage of the very detailed application process, Design Team lead Gavin Phelan of Rhatigan’s Architects, Enda Candon of First Western Consultants, and within the Club, Shona Heffernan and Jamie Murphy. Tom Kelly on our Project Team coordinated all the various elements of the detailed submission with great professionalism’. 

We have an excellent working relationship with Chair Albert Higgins and the Showgrounds Trustee Board, they have a hugely important remit in preserving the Showgrounds as a sporting and community facility, sharing our conviction that this development will be a major boost for the Club and the people of Sligo and the north-west.’ 

Sligo Rovers Secretary Brendan Lacken reaffirmed the support of the FAI (the FAI Board and David Courell, CEO) and Special Olympics Ireland (Matt English, CEO), who committed their support for the project by awarding it a priority ranking within their respective strategies for the development of their sports. It also enhanced our application to receive letters of support from those two organisations, along with Cairn National Community Games (David Hoysted, CEO), Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership (Deirdre Lavin, CEO), Sligo Business Improvement District (BID) (Gail McGibbon, CEO) and Sligo Volunteer Centre (Geraldine McCloat, ACE Officer).

SLIGO ROVERS MASTERPLAN – KEY MILESTONES 

• May 2021 Sligo Rovers publishes its Masterplan for the Showgrounds. 

• February 2023 Statutory planning for the main stadium works achieved. 

• October 2023 Design Team appointed to take forward the detailed design of the stadium.

• June 2024 Updated design and current cost plan delivered to the Club by the Design Team.

• July 2024 Grant application made to the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund. 

• September 2024 Supplementary planning approval for some amendments to the stadium secured. 

• November 2024 Government award under the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund announced. 

BENEFITS FOR SUPPORTERS AND VISITORS TO THE SHOWGROUNDS

• The project provides for the development of a multi-sport stadium to UEFA Category 3 and World Rugby standards for the hosting of soccer, rugby and other sports.

• The new stadium will deliver a seating capacity of 6,129, as follows:

• Churchill End stand                1,408
  • Jinks Avenue End stand      1,576 (up to 750 seats for away supporters)
  • Treacy Avenue End stand   1,855
  • Railway End stand              1,290

• The new hybrid grass based pitch will bring a modern playing surface to the highest international standards and on par with the best available in the country. This modern pitch will be more durable and weather resistant and will enable the club’s coaches to improve playing performance as they develop our senior and academy players.

• New Churchill End stand with food and beverage hospitality areas for supporters and visitors, club shop, modern gymnasium and facilities for the Men’s and Women’s teams and offices for team management and club management. 

• New Jinks Avenue End stand with new players and officials changing rooms, medical room, anti doping room, players tunnel and dug outs and a stadium control room. 

• Upgrades to the Treacy Avenue and Railway End stands. 

• Additional media facilities and camera positions within the new Jinks Avenue stand ensuring that the new stadium can meet UEFA standards and modern TV broadcast requirements. 

• New paved entrance plaza leading to new home turnstiles and a large fanzone adjacent to the Churchill stand.

• New away turnstiles at the Jinks Avenue stand approached via a designated pathway from a new away supporter entrance on Churchill. New food and beverage area, and toilet facilities, for away supporters in the Jinks Avenue stand.

• Two new pavilion buildings at the main stadium entrance on Churchill, which will include matchday ticketing and a new club museum.

• Sustainability measures including rainwater harvesting, solar generation, extensive landscaping and the installation of charging points for electric vehicles and e-bikes.

• New secure parking for match officials and media vehicles  along with Improvements to onsite car parking and site services

• Accessible seating will be provided in the new Churchill and Jinks Avenue stands (in both home and away sections) to supplement existing seating in the Treacy Avenue stands. 

• Accessible parking will be provided in designated areas within the Showgrounds.

• Removal of existing pre-fabricated and small buildings adjacent to the current main entrance

• Stadium amenities will be available daily throughout the week for sporting and social use, and the Showgrounds, with its new Bit O’ Red Museum complementing our existing acclaimed outdoor museum, will become an important cultural, tourist and leisure destination for the people of Sligo and attract visitors to the area.

DESIGN TEAM AND PROJECT SUPPORTS

• The club’s design team, led by accomplished Sligo based firm, Rhatigan Architects (Director – Trevor James and Lead architect – Gavin Phelan), includes the following consultants:

• AtkinsRéalis (civil and structural engineers)
• Patrick McCaul (mechanical and electrical engineers)
• ORS (fire safety and health & safety consultants)
• CQS (quantity surveyors)

• Along with Sligo County Council, the Football Association of Ireland and Special Olympics Ireland awarded our project a national priority ranking in their respective sports;

• The following organisations provided Sligo Rovers with letters of support:

• Football Association of Ireland
  • Special Olympics Ireland
  • Cairn Community Games
  • Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership
  • Sligo Business Improvement District
  • Sligo Volunteer Centre

ROVERS IN THE COMMUNITY

• Sligo Rovers has always been a welcoming club and, as part of our project, the Club has agreed advanced licensing of the new facilities for use by the local amateur soccer leagues – boys and girls, men and women, the ATU, all of the local Colleges, Sligo Community Games and the Sligo Sports and Recreation Partnership. We also see our popular summer camps for boys and girls growing in the future.

• The Showgrounds will return to its multi-sport roots with Sligo Rugby Club and Sligo College rugby teams having the opportunity to play there. 

• The Club also welcomes the potential for the future hosting of the Sligo and regional community games finals in soccer and other sports at the Showgrounds once our facilities are constructed.

• As a community based club, we also thank those local sporting organisations and schools who confirmed their support for our project and will contribute to multi-sport use of the Showgrounds when complete:

• Sligo Leitrim Schoolboys and Girls League
  • Sligo Leitrim and District Soccer League/Sligo Women’s Soccer League
  • Sligo Community Games
  • Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership
  • Sligo Rugby Club
  • Atlantic Technological University
  • Mercy College
  • Ursuline College
  • Ballinode College
  • Sligo Grammar School
  • Summerhill College

• One of the founding principles of the Showgrounds Trust Foundation is that the ground will always be available to the local community as a cultural, sporting and recreational facility and this commitment informed the club’s engagement with the Showgrounds Trustees at every stage of the application process and will be delivered on in the new Showgrounds. 

NEXT STEPS

• We are now about to enter an exciting phase of our journey to create a stadium comparable with the best in the country and one that Sligo and our region will be proud of. It is our intention to keep the stadium operating to the maximum extent possible while the works are in progress. 

The club will appoint a Project Team, reporting to the Club Management Committee, to oversee and manage all aspects of the development project including legal, financial, technical, procurement, contracts, handover/certification, co-ordination with ongoing operations and community engagement. The Project Team will be made up of club officials and external experts working in a voluntary capacity.

• During 2025 the Design Team will finalize the detailed design of the stadium and will tender the construction works. 

• The club expects to appoint a building contractor and specialist sub contractors in the fourth quarter of 2025 with works commencing in early 2026. 

• The design team estimate that the overall stadium works will take 21 months to complete.

• The laying of the new pitch will cause the most significant disruption to the continued operation of the stadium as the new grass based pitch installation cannot be done in the off season. The pitch will most likely be unavailable for 4 months mid season and the Club will need to negotiate the rescheduling of home games with the FAI and the other LoI clubs for this period. This is likely to happen in 2026.

• In the interim, the club has recently been awarded €376,000 by Government under the Community Facilities Programme to carry out further improvements at the Showgrounds, most notably the final phase of the floodlights on the Treacy Avenue side and the renewal of the astro pitch playing surface. It is intended that these works will be completed in 2025.

• And in 2028, in time for the centenary anniversary of the founding of Sligo Rovers, the new era will commence with the full opening of the new Sligo Showgrounds stadium, and we look forward to welcoming our current supporters and attracting new ones as we seek to continue the proud heritage, history and achievements of the Bit O’ Red. 

November 2024  

The 2024 Player of the Year Awards took place last night at Lola Montez. The event was organized and presented by the Bit O’ Red Supporters Trust, drawing a large crowd and featuring awards for players across both senior and academy teams.

The list of prize winners as voted by supporters was as follows:

Mark Brindley Memorial Men’s Player of the Year: Ed McGinty

Women’s Player of the Year:  Eimear Lafferty 

Men’s Young Player of The Year: Ellis Chapman

Women’s Young Player of The Year: Anna McDaniel

Men’s Under 20 Player of the Year: Daire Patton

Women’s Under 19 Player of The Year: Rachel McGoldrick

There were also presentations on the night for Player of the Year as voted by the players:

Men’s Under 20 Players’ Player of the Year: Thomas Morley

Men’s Under 17 Players’ Player of the Year: Callum Lynch

Men’s Under 15 Players’ Player of the Year: Cillian Barlow

Men’s Under 14 Players’ Player of the Year: Ryan Maloney

Women’s Under 19 Player’s Player of the Year: Lauren Devaney

Women’s Under 17 Player’s Player of the Year: Natasha Kelly

Women’s Senior Player’s Player of the Year: Keri Loughrey

Women’s Senior Player’s Young Player of the Year: Keeva Flynn

Thank you to the Bit O Red Supporters Trust for organising the night and awards. Special thanks to Richard Wehrly of Wehrly Brothers for sponsoring the trophies, Fergal Quinn of Lola Montez for hosting the event, Donal Ryan as MC, and Kevin Noone for music on the night. 

Congratulations to all the players who received awards on the night.

The Showgrounds hosts its final game of the season this Friday night as Sligo Rovers welcome St Patrick’s Athletic to the north west, kick-off 7.45pm.

With a fifth placed finish still possible for Rovers and the Saints looking to break into the top two, there’s plenty to play for in this one as the teams meet for the fourth time this year.

Rovers go into the game having been beaten just once in their last five outings, but face a tough assignment in the Saints who are in incredible form having won each of their last eight leading up to this one.

In team news, Gareth McElroy will miss the final day having picked up a knee injury in the draw with Galway United last week. Stephen Mallon and Wilson Waweru remain unavailable in the long-term.

Ollie Denham was withdrawn with a knock during that draw at Eamonn Deacy Park, but he should recover in time for Friday. While it is hoped fellow centre half Conor Reynolds will be deemed fit enough to be included in the match-day squad. 

Speaking ahead of Friday’s game, Rovers manager John Russell praised his players following what has been an enjoyable season at the Showgrounds. The boss also assured supporters that he plans to see out 2024 with a victory. 

“It’s been a really positive year from our point of view and although we’re thinking no further than Pat’s on Friday, we have plenty to build on for 2025 both on and off the pitch”, he said. 

“We proved a lot of people wrong this year. There were more than a few who predicted we’d struggle to stay in the division and we managed to end up in a race for the top with the youngest and smallest squad. We’re only eleven points off the top of the table going into the final game and we guaranteed our Premier Division status a few weeks before a few of the other teams who were fancied to finish above us.

“Our players and staff deserve plenty of credit for that. We kept any negativity at the door and focused only on ourselves on what we could do. Yes, there have been bumps along the way but even the two teams left fighting for the league title had their extended run of games where they struggled. I hope we’ll see a big crowd on Friday to see the boys off and show their appreciation for a team who does absolutely everything for the badge.   

“People may think we don’t have much to play for on Friday but we are desperate to finish the season on a high note and try and get that fifth spot. 

“Pat’s are in stunning form at the moment and can easily turn over any team in this division, but we’ll be well prepared. We want to finish things on a positive note going into the off-season and we know we have more than enough about us to pick up a win.” 

David Goulden

Sligo Rovers are on the road for the final time this season this Friday as the Bit O’Red travel to Eamonn Deacy Park to face Galway United in the fourth Connacht derby of the season, kick-off 7.45pm.

Both teams are in desperate need of the points if they are to finish in the top four, with fifth placed Galway two points ahead of Rovers in sixth. 

Both teams would require other results to go their way and Derry City to win the FAI Cup whilst also achieving a top three finish, for the final European spot to be handed to the team who finishes fourth. 

It’s still all to play for and Rovers are unbeaten against last year’s runaway First Division champions. 

The sides played out scoreless draws on either’s home patch earlier this year, while Rovers were comfortable victors at the Showgrounds in the summer. Goals from former Galway striker Wilson Waweru and Luke Pearce on his league debut, handing the points to the home side.

In team news, Waweru, Stephen Mallon and Ellis Chapman won’t make the trip down the N17 and miss out due to injury. Conor Reynolds remains unavailable, but it is hoped he will make the Pat’s game. 

Pearce returns following a one-game suspension served in last weekend’s defeat to Bohemians. 

That loss to Bohs ended Rovers’ five month unbeaten run of home league games. But John Russell is adamant that last Saturday is long forgotten about and is keen to finish the season on as high a note as possible. 

“We’re still fighting and we’re still in with a chance of finishing in a European spot”, he says. 

“I know we need results to go for us elsewhere but all we can affect is what Sligo Rovers do. Not what Pat’s or Galway or Shamrock Rovers do. It’s out of our hands but we’re doing all we can to finish the season in as high a position as we can. The aim is to finish the season with two wins and let’s see where it lands us. 

“It’s a derby against our neighbours and it’s a game we’re very much looking forward to. These are games you want to be involved in as a player and our boys are aware how big of a game it is. 

“Myself, the players and the staff all know how much these games mean to our supporters. I understand tickets have been selling really well for the away end in particular and we’re hoping for another huge  crowd of Rovers supporters to travel and roar us on. 

“There seems to be a really big interest in this match and it’s great to see as the Connacht derby is a fixture which should be associated with Sligo and Galway teams at the top end of the Premier Division. 

“John (Caulfield) and Ollie (Horgan) have done a terrific job this year regardless of where they finish. But you’d expect that with their squad and the experience both of them have at both ends of the table. It’s going to be a huge challenge for us but there’s real excitement around the squad for this one.”

David Goulden  

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce that no less than four academy graduates have agreed professional deals with the club. 

Daire Patton, Kyle McDonagh, Gareth McElroy and Conor Reynolds have each committed to pro-contracts for next year, further strengthening the Bit O’Red’s commitment to nurturing and developing players from within its own ranks. 

The news comes as a further boost to the club following the news that first team manager John Russell has signed a new two year deal. 

18-year-old Patton has been at the club since he was 13 and was a stand-out talent as he rose through the ranks at both club and schoolboy level for Summerhill. The skillful midfielder has represented the Republic of Ireland at schoolboy level and has featured twice for Rovers’ senior team, making his debut against Bohemians earlier this year. 

McDonagh has played three times for the first team and has also represented his country. The Tubbercurry native made his senior debut against Derry City at the Brandywell when he replaced Stefan Radosavljevic at just 16 back in May. 

Rovers supporters will already be familiar with Burnfoot born McElroy who has impressed since his first team debut in a win over Waterford at the Showgrounds in September. A commanding centre-half, McElroy has slotted into the heart of the Sligo defence on three occasions this term following the departure of Nando Pijkanker. The 19-year-old also played a key role in the club’s under 20s team this season.

While Reynolds, another centre half, made his debut back in 2023 against Cork City and has gone on to line out for the first team on three more occasions. An unfortunate leg injury cut short his opportunities for senior football after he sustained the knock in the win over Shelbourne at Tolka Park back in May. Although there was good news for the Westport native who continued his recovery with a brief appearance in the mid-season friendly with Celtic earlier this week. Reynolds has also been capped at international level. 

Commenting on the deals, Russell says the news is further proof of how the club’s underage structures are run. 

“Developing players through the academy system and bringing them to a level where they are ready for first team football is what the underage set-up at the club is there for”, he said. 

“Daire, Kyle, Gareth and Conor are each proof of the great work the academy coaches are doing here at Rovers. It shows that the academy structures are in good shape and it’s a huge boost for the first team when we can call on the young lads when needed. All four have reasonable first team experience at young ages and each have excelled when called upon. It’s an indication of how healthy a state the club is in when you have groups of players rising through to sign professional deals. 

“We are always keen to give youth a chance here at the Showgrounds and we will be looking to further develop and sign from our own academy as the years go on.” 

David Goulden   

Sligo Rovers are back in front of the television cameras again this Monday night as the Bit O’Red travel to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium to take on Derry City, kick-off 7.15pm.

This game was initially meant to take place on Friday, October 4th but was rescheduled due to Derry’s involvement in the FAI Cup. 

This will be Rovers’ second visit to the Brandywell this season after claiming a well deserved draw with Ruaidhiri Higgins’ side back in May. 

Rovers’ recent form against the cup finalists has been impressive, having not lost to the Candystripes in their last four meetings.

Rovers boss John Russell was handed a boost this week with the return of both John Mahon and Conor Reynolds to the match day squad for Wednesday’s mid-season friendly against Celtic. 

Both players appeared for the latter portion of the late defeat to the Scottish outfit after missing the season to date with achilles and leg injuries respectively. 

However, neither Mahon or Reynolds will be available to travel to Derry next week.

In other team news, Daire Patton, Kyle McDonagh, Wilson Waweru and Stephen Mallon will all miss out due to knocks.

“It’s another really tough game against a title-challenger, but again we embrace these sort of games and really look forward to them”, Russell says.

“These are the games you want to be involved in where you’re still in with a great chance of getting a European spot. We’ll be doing all we can in these last few games to secure as high a finish as we can.

“We were genuinely unfortunate not to take the win from Tolka against Shels, so Derry will know they can expect a game. 

“We have a very good record against them recently and we’ll be looking to maintain that. They’ll be playing in front of a sold-out, expectant home crowd and also in front of the RTE cameras so it’s a huge night for everyone. They have a vast squad to choose from and have huge experience in all areas of the pitch, so it’s no wonder they’re chasing a double.”

Wednesday’s sold-out game with Celtic was Rovers’ first outing since that Shels stalemate two weeks ago. Russell selected several first team players for that game and was happy with how it went.

“It was great to stretch the legs and keep that freshness in the boys given we had no game the weekend previous. It was a great evening for the club and I thought we performed very well, even with the chopping and changing with subs in the second half.

“It was great to see John (Mahon) back on the pitch. He’s a local lad who loves the club and you could see by the reception he received when he came on, how well regarded he is amongst our supporters. His recovery has been steady but we need to ease him back in.

“Neither he or Conor will be involved on Monday but we’re hopeful they’ll be ready for a few competitive minutes in the next few weeks.”

David Goulden

Sligo Rovers are thrilled to confirm that First Team Manager John Russell has signed a two year extension to his current contract. 

The Rovers boss has put pen to paper on a deal which extends his contract to the end of the 2026 League of Ireland season.

Russell, who won two FAI Cups with the club as a player, took over in summer 2022 having served as assistant to former manager Liam Buckley for three and a half seasons. 

Shortly after being appointed, Russell guided the club past both Welsh outfit Bala Town and Scottish Premiership side Motherwell in the Europa Conference League. This feat meant that the Galway native is the only manager to steer Rovers through two rounds of European competition in the storied 96-year history of the club.

2023 was a mixed year for the club on the pitch, but despite operating off one of the Premier Division’s tightest budgets and losing star players through long-term injury and transfers across 2024, Russell’s men currently sit just seven points off the league’s top spot with four games remaining. 

Qualification for Europe is still a possibility as things stand, while the fact that the club are mathematically still in the hunt for the league title, speaks volumes regarding Russell’s achievement this year. 

Speaking having signed the deal, Russell says he is eager to progress the club further and build on the work he and his staff have done to date. The Rovers boss also repeated his previous statement in regards to the fan-owned model the club proudly operates under. Russell is keen to keep discovering opportunities and different ways to further develop Sligo Rovers in relation to the more traditional model. 

“I’m absolutely delighted to extend my contract at the club. We have made really good progress this season”, he says.

“I feel myself and the staff have created a really good environment for our players to develop, improve and play with confidence. We want to win, but we want to win by playing an attractive, attacking brand of football, while continuing to promote from within our academy. 

“I understand our club model but that does not mean we cannot be competitive. We need to continue to be innovative in how we operate. 

“I’m excited for the challenge ahead and I am determined to bring success to this football club.”

Sligo Rovers chairperson Tommy Higgins welcomed the news, saying: “We’re over the moon to have secured terms with someone who knows this club inside out. John has proven himself as one of the top young managers in the country is someone we feel can really take this club forward. He has produced some really striking results on the pitch and has made the squad really competitive in what is the tightest season of League of Ireland football in recent memory.

“We are looking forward to seeing how far John can take us.” 

David Goulden