Author: Rory Houston

Tommy Hewitt set to take over as women’s manager

Tommy Hewitt will become the new manager of the Sligo Rovers women’s team next month.

Hewitt will take over from Steve Feeney following his decision to step away the role for work and family reasons  

The Athlone native was voted SSE Airtricity Manager of the Year in the Women’s Premier Division in 2022 after leading Athlone Town to second in the League and runners-up in the FAI Cup.

He has served as assistant manager with the Athlone Town men’s team and was also head coach with the Irish Defence Forces team at the Military World Games.

He spent four seasons with Athlone’s women side before opting to resign last June. 

Speaking this afternoon he said: “I’m very pleased to become manager of Sligo Rovers next month.

“I spoke to the committee and the staff at the club when the opportunity arose. The vision and plan Sligo Rovers have for the women’s area of the club was very impressive.

“First and foremost I want to commend Steve Feeney. When he took over at the formation of the team, I was immediately on the phone to him to wish him well and offer any advice that I could and have done during his time. He has done an absolutely fantastic job over the two seasons.

“The foundations that have been laid are another reason why the job is so appealing.  

“I’ve always had the hunger to return to management. I think the break has served me well. I want to build on what has been done already and try to push it on further. For me there is no reason why Sligo Rovers can’t climb the table next season.”

Hewitt retired from playing at 25 due to injury but did play against the club in the 90s to give him some experience of Sligo Rovers.

“I’ve always found The Showgrounds a special place. There’s a really family vibe to the club. You walk in and you feel the history. The club is very well organised, open and always willing to help. They want to back the manager whether it’s the men’s or women’s team. I can see that already because they’ve been very encouraging to try to be as successful as we can in 2024.”

Hewitt had a very fruitful spell with Athlone as manager, becoming their first-ever manager when the team was formed and went on challenge for the two major trophies last year

They won the President’s Cup at the start of this season.

Looking at the Women’s Premier Division overall, he said: “There has been rapid growth and it is exciting times be part of the league.

“There are 11 teams and I feel privileged to be managing a club like Sligo Rovers. It’s a real honour to lead it.

“I know the importance of building on the squad we have here and I will be doing my utmost to do that. That will be my first goal.

“I attend a lot of games in the region so I have seen some matches and I’ve been doing as much research as I can since accepting the role. I will continue to do that when the team play their final two matches, watching on from the stands.”

Steve Feeney, who chairman Tommy Higgins paid tribute to this morning as he stepped away for family reasons, will formally depart on Sunday 11 November. 

Again the club wish to thank Steve for helping in the period of transition.

Higgins added: “I’m delighted to welcome Tommy Hewitt to Sligo Rovers. Tommy’s pedigree within the league speaks for itself and we feel he is the ideal candidate for the position. 

“We will be supporting Tommy and the players as much as we can to continue to develop the women’s team. He shares our ambition for women’s team but also to develop young players through our academy and he will work with Conor O’Grady on that. I think the 2024 season has great promise with Tommy and the players.”

Anthony Connolly RIP

Sligo Rovers were extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Anthony Connolly earlier this week.

Anthony was a beloved member of the sporting community in Sligo.

His warm sense of humour, contagious laughter and sense of fun made him a popular figure at our matches, those of Sligo GAA and any sporting occasion in the area.

Anthony was also a keen photographer, capturing countless Rovers games over the years.

We extend our sympathy to his family, his friends and the hundreds of people who encountered Anthony in his life, particularly in Riverstown, an area in which he took great pride and was a huge part of.

As well as a photo of Anthony, we also attach a photo he took of Sligo Rovers supporters in Slovakia a decade ago.

We will remember him at Saturday’s home game against Drogheda United, kick-off 6pm.

May he Rest in Peace.

Feeney announces departure at end of season

Sligo Rovers can confirm that manager Steve Feeney will step down from his position at the end of the season due to work and family reasons.

Feeney became manager two years ago following the formation of the Bit O’ Red’s team in the Women’s Premier Division.

He quickly assembled a squad of players and recorded a memorable first season, accumulating 20 points and a stunning 3-2 win over the present champions Shelbourne in The Showgrounds.

This season Feeney’s side reached an FAI Cup semi-final with Athlone Town as over 1,100 fans attended a historic occasion in The Showgrounds.  

Having laid his name in the history of the club by being the first-ever manager of a Sligo Rovers women’s side in the league, he informed the club of his decision to let 2023 be his last season earlier in the year.

He said: “I spoke to the club a few months back to let them know that I would be stepping down. The role is very demanding and with a young family and a work life I had to acknowledge it would have a certain period that I could commit.

“At the time we came to an agreement to continue for the rest of the season. I wanted to give the club time to find a successor most importantly so that there would be a smooth transition.

“I’m very proud that I managed Sligo Rovers firstly. As a former player and Sligo person I know what it means and that I can say I was a player and manager of the club is very special.

“Secondly I’m very proud of the group of players. The first two years just showed how much the region needed this team. There is a very exciting future ahead for women’s football with the club.

“The players have been brilliant. There is a lot of young players and while you want to develop them as players most importantly, it was also great to see them mature as people as well and gain self-belief and realise they are good enough to compete at this level. They will go on to become better and better.”

Speaking about the influence the team has had so far, he said:

“I’ve got three young girls at home who are always asking me about the team so I know first hand the impact the players and Sligo Rovers women have had.

“We have had some tough lessons this season, at times where we let ourselves down, and it will be a learning season. The FAI Cup run was fantastic and it was a very special occasion in the semi-final. I feel the players can go on to create more big days like that.

“I want to thank my backroom team. They have given up so much of their time and brought a level of expertise that we needed. They’ve gone above and beyond at times and it was greatly appreciated.

“I also want to thank the club as well. They’ve been hugely supportive since day one.”

Sligo Rovers chairman Tommy Higgins said: “When we made the decision to join the Women’s Premier Division, we needed a manager who was not only going to lead a team but also going to lay down a marker for the future of our female division.

“Steve has done a magnificent job. He showed enormous commitment and hard work to not only build the team but also bring so many great players to the club and develop them. Together they achieved some tremendous results over the last two years.

“We owe him a debt of gratitude for creating a high-level environment that is in place for his successor and all of the players both now and in the future.

“On behalf of Sligo Rovers I want to thank him for his great contribution to the club and women’s football in the region.” 

Reflecting on his time as manager Steve Feeney concluded “I’ve loved it. Working with a good group of players and management team was hugely enjoyable. The workload was significant but we all shared it as well.

“I will take a break but I certainly hope to return to management in the future when the time is right.”

Sligo Rovers will appoint a new manager shortly.

Preview: Rovers look to bounce back in Inchicore

Sligo Rovers face St Patrick’s Athletic in a re-arranged Premier Division match in Richmond Park on Monday night.

The game was deferred due to the Saints progressing in the FAI Cup.

Kick-off will be at the earlier time of 7.30pm.

Rovers recorded their last away win at the venue and also had a 2-1 success early in the season in The Showgrounds. Pat’s won the previous meeting in Sligo.

In team news Reece Hutchinson (knee), Robbie Burton (suspended) and Greg Bolger (suspended) miss out.

Manager John Russell said: “We’re delighted to have a game first and foremost because we have to try and put things right from Friday night.

“It wasn’t acceptable. We were second best, we lacked energy and intensity.

“Maximum desire, working hard and doing the basics at every opportunity is what we look for. We didn’t see that throughout the team. We will pick a team for these final three games based on those characteristics.

“We’ve done well in games with St Pat’s this season. We’ve shown our quality in two wins we have had.

“It’s extremely important we show it in these final games.”

Match preview: Dundalk on Friday night

Sligo Rovers play their penultimate home league game of the season on Friday night as Dundalk visit The Showgrounds, kick-off 7.45pm.

After three weeks without a competitive game, Rovers return to action against the Lilywhites in what is likely to be a tight affair given results so far between the sides.

Each side has an away victory while Dundalk took the spoils in the most recent clash in which Rovers were unfortunate to slip to a 1-0 loss.

In team news Mark Byrne and Gary Boylan are the only absentees. Earlier this month Byrne had keyhole surgery to ensure a full return to fitness in 2024 following his cruciate ligament injury.

Stefan Radosavljevic (Faroe Islands), Nando Pijnaker (New Zealand) and Conor Walsh (Republic of Ireland Under-19s) return from international duty respectively.

Manager John Russell said: “It was not ideal having such a large amount of time without a game. We’ve done our best to spend the time as efficiently as we could. 

“We had two friendly games and plenty of sessions and we’re eager to play the game on Friday night.

“It’s great for me to have the options available in the squad. We had a couple of good performances in recent games and then a good half against Bohs. The second we weren’t at it and we deserved to lose the game because of it. We’re looking to be much more consistent over the 90 minutes on Friday as we were in those previous games. 

“We’ll reflect on everything and pick the starting team but we know in recent home games we’ve been able to call on our bench to good success so we have that available as well.

“We’re delighted be back at home, the Derry game had a brilliant atmosphere and we’re hoping for more of the same. Dundalk are a good side as we’ve seen and I think it’ll be another close game. 

“We want as many points as we can and there’s still four matches to go in the season. We’ve still got plenty to play and a lot of work has gone into it with this group so every game is very important.”

Battling Rovers denied point in Tolka

There was heartbreak for Sligo Rovers at a wet Tolka Park on Wednesday night as hosts Shelbourne snatched a 90th minute Women’s Premier Division winning goal from Megan Smyth-Lynch’s speculative effort for a 2-1 victory, writes Conall Collier.

The ball looped over the head of 16-year-old debut ‘keeper Amber Hardy, who had an impressive outing the Bit O’Red. Emma Hansberry was sent-off a minute earlier for a second yellow card.

All that was in contrast to a bright opening half when Hansberry gave Sligo Rovers a third minute ead after a cross from Jodie Loughrey wasn’t cleared properly by Keeve Keenan and Hansberry rifled to the net.

Sligo Rovers defended resolutely for the remainder of the half with Shelbourne going close on 15 minutes when Alex Kavanagh, making her 150th appearance for the Dublin club, tested the quality of the woodwork.

Shelbourne manager Noel King started six of the team that won the FAI Cup semi-final on Saturday, but he brought in two more for the second-half, Smyth Lynch and Hannah Hedaly.

The Dublin women were back on terms three minutes into the second-half when Christie Gray capitalised on a loose ball in the penalty area and the net bulged.

A minute later Sligo Rovers missed a gilt-edged opportunity at the other end and they also could have had a free on the edge of the penalty area, but the referee wasn’t interested.

A draw looked the most likeliest result until that late goal gave Shelbourne a hard-earned victory.

Shelbourne – Courtney Maguire; Keeva Keenan, Pearl Slattery, Leah Doyle, Alex Kavanagh, Jemma Quinn, Nadine Clare, Keri Letmon, Leah Reilly, Christie Gray, Libby Moore.

Subs – Noelle Murray for Kavanagh, Megan Smyth-Lynch for Moore both
70 mins, Hannah Healy for Quinn 71m, Morgan Rees for Clare 78.

Sligo Rovers – Amber Hardy; Alice Lillie, Sarah Kiernan, Eimear Lafferty, Amy Roddy, Emma Hansberry, Lauren Boles, Jodie Loughrey, Emma Doherty, Keri Loughrey.

Subs – Helen Monaghan for J Loughrey 74 mins, Leah Kelly for McGrory 79m, Amy Hyndman for K Loughrey and Jessica Casey for Lafferty both
86m.

Preview: Rovers return to league action on Wednesday

There is not much recovery time for Sligo Rovers with a trip to Tolka Park on Wednesday evening to tackle Shelbourne in the Women’s Premier Division (WPD) with a kick-off time scheduled for 7.45pm, writes Conall Collier.

A battling display in front of a crowd of 1,121 last Saturday in the Women’s FAI Cup semi-final against Athlone Town at the Showgrounds in a 4-0 defeat will leave the players determined to make amends when they go to the Dublin venue.

The Shelbourne players will be eager to make an impression on manager Noel King in the build up to the FAI Cup final next month following last Saturday’s 2-0 semi-final victory against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.

Shelbourne booked that FAI Cup final ticket with goals from Christie Gray and Hannah Healy and the players will be focused on getting another victory to sustain momentum with a two-week break before the next outing in the WPD.

On that basis, Sligo Rovers can expect a stern test and manager Steve Feeney will be well aware of the threat that the Dublin women will pose.

Earlier this season Shelbourne hit the Bit O’Red for six goals without reply at the Showgrounds as manager Noel King took a relaxing seat in the stand as he continued to serve a sideline suspension.

Three goals in each half paved the way to victory for Shelbourne and while Sligo Rovers were well beaten over the 90 minutes, the players demonstrated the usual character and determination as they carved out a number of good chances.

Last Saturday Sligo Rovers lost out at the semi-final stage of the FAI Cup as Athlone Town progressed to the decider where they will tackle Shelbourne in a repeat of the 2022 final.

Defensive lapses proved costly for Sligo Rovers, but if the Bit O’Red can reproduce some of the form they displayed in recent outings against Bohemian FC and Cork City, then they will be well-placed to keep the game competitive.

Entry into Tolka Park is free on the night.

Q&A: Meet CEO Andrew Feakins

Andrew Feakins was appointed the new CEO of Sligo Rovers this afternoon.

Here we ask Andrew about his career so far and becoming the new CEO of the Bit O’ Red.

You can read about his appointment here

Q&A with Andrew Feakins

Q: You’re welcome to the club, Andrew. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

A: Thank you. It’s a great honour. I’m originally from Essex and I’ve been Managing Director and owner of IPS Global Recruitment from over two decades. We’ve placed over 320 port and logistic professionals across 50 countries. The company is well-known in a niche market and very well established in the industry.

Q: How did you end up relocating to Sligo?

A: My wife is from Belgium and our children were born there. We were there for 12 years and were very much part of a European community. We had settled back in the UK after going there for family reasons. But when Brexit happened, I wanted my children to have the rights and opportunities of being in the EU. We decided that Ireland was a great choice and having made several visits, I loved the community feel and the people. Sligo became home because of a school we wanted for my son. We moved to Geevagh and it’s been a great decision for all of us. We immediately felt part of the community.

Q: When the job was advertised, did it immediately appeal?

A: My wife saw the advert and said this was something I simply had to go for. I looked at the description and spec and I knew it was too. I had already attended a number of matches and the history and story of the club is incredible. I firmly believe that the clubs potential is significant. I applied, met the committee officers and members and came through the process. I didn’t know what would transpire and to get the call from Tommy Higgins to offer me the position was like a dream. To work in football is something everyone wants. My wife and others will be taking over my recruitment firm so I can concentrate on Sligo Rovers and its future.

Q: What is your experience in the game?

As a teenager I played at Southend United as a youth player and then played non-league with Grays Athletic and Billericay Town as a semi-professional until I was about 27. My knee wouldn’t let me play beyond that unfortunately. I began to focus on my working life in business after that. It will take some time to become familiar with working in football and that will be a learning curve, but I do feel I’ll quickly pick it up. I’ve always harboured the desire to be involved in football and the passion I have for it will make it easier to get a grip on it. 

Q: So you’ve already had an experience of sport in Sligo.

Yes. I have been a coach at youth levels in a number of sports because it is a passion. I’ve been helping out coaching youth sides at Arrow Harps (football), Shamrock Gaels (Gaelic) and Sligo Rugby. I love football and to work in it is really special. My job of course requires an understanding of football but really I am responsible to support John Russell, Steve Feeney and Conor O’Grady because they lead the way in terms of football. My responsibility is to do whatever I can to make their task easier. A crucial aspect of that is having the resources to do their work. Budget is all-important of course so I know it’s up to me and indeed everyone to maximise commercial opportunities so we can to put the best teams out on the pitch.

Q: What will you do now you’ve started the role?

The first three to four months is going to be a significant learning curve to get to know everyone within the club, the day to day, how things are done, working with the FAI, other clubs and understanding, really, the  DNA of Rovers. I’ve seen the commitment of the volunteers, what they all do, so I need to plan how I can support them going forward.

And of course, just understanding where the club is looking to go. Clearly European qualification is very valuable to the club. The development plans for the stadium was also a key factor in my desire to take on the challenge. That is can create a bright future for the club.

But, ultimately, my job as I see it is to really be a support person to John Russell and all the teams that are here, the volunteers, and just try and help everyone to get their jobs done in the best possible way and provide as much help and guidance as possible.

Q: What’s something which appeals to you early on?

The opportunity! My goal is to communicate to the community and companies out there, about the incredible possibilities they have when it comes to investment and sponsorship of Sligo Rovers. There are excellent opportunities for them in getting their brand out there for local and national exposure.

And even international exposure, as we saw in beating Motherwell in 2022. There is already fantastic support and I aim to develop the commercial value to the sponsors, the community and ultimately the club itself. Needless to say, this has to sit hand in hand with the fact that we are truly a community club, in the hands of the supporters.

I’m am excited to bring my commercial acumen to the club, I’ve spent most of my life in the commercial environment.

I feel that improving our digital media output will be beneficial to the club and sponsors. That’s a massive growth area and excellent for fan engagement. As I said earlier, in the interview process, I shared some thoughts and ideas with the committee.

Q: How do you feel you’ll cope with working with a club with such a strong volunteer ethos?

It’s important to learn from those that have held the role before. Colin Feehily has an incredible reputation within the club. He’s come all the way through and was clearly, a very skilled individual when it came to knowing the club, knowing what needed to be done. I can see the club was in great hands under his stewardship.

I hope I can pick up the baton he ran with and also add my own strengths for the good of the club. I have the utmost respect for the volunteers. They are the glue that holds the club together and I hope to get even more on board with the help of the committee. It will be needed.

Q: Friday will be your first night officially in the role. Crowds have been strong all year. Are you looking forward to it?

A: Of course. From what I’ve seen, the supporters turn up, week in, week out.  That’s in the good and bad times, good and bad weather, you name it. Maintaining a committed supporter base is essential for this club.

As a community club, we need the community come out and support their local team. We also need to make it an attractive place to come. The committee have done a lot of good work with the stadium and telling the story. We have our long-term plan with the stadium redevelopment but that’s down the road.

Fans play a massive part in everything from the lotto, 500 club, programme purchases, merchandise all these elements feed into the, not just survival, but hopefully the growth of the club going forward.

Q: You have been on the ground already the last few days. How has it been?

It’s been overwhelming. You know, I have to say quite honestly, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect coming in.

I have seen the enthusiasm, clear motivation and drive from everyone involved, from the committee right through to all of the volunteers that are turning up every single day to make this club what is, it is just quite incredible how much commitment there is and a goodwill in the club.

When you’ve got that sort of support, it’s humbling to come into a place where people are putting in so much in their own time.

The staff that are employed here are also so dedicated. There’s always someone working here, first thing in the morning to last thing at night.

I’m going to be doing the same. There’s no doubt that the club deserves a great deal of success just purely based on the commitment of so many people. My job will be to make sure we’re all working in unison to try to get there.

Q: Any final message for now?

To the fans, the club needs you and thanks you for your support. I will work hard to get familiar with everything and everyone. There isn’t time to waste so I will be immersing myself in the club activities. I want to get as much knowledge as I can and just build on the fantastic football club we have here already. Up the Rovers!