Sligo Rovers were saddened to hear of the passing of long time supporter Father Richie Young today.

Fr. Young supported Rovers all his life and indeed very nearly played for the club as he had trials in the late 1940’s. He also played inter-county football with Sligo GAA.

He left Sligo in 1950 after he was ordained and his parish was close to the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

He also taught in schools around Dublin, including being a resident of Rathmines College, and was very involved in schoolboy and youth football in Dublin and Leinster.

His love of Rovers stayed with him and though he was often at more away games than home ones, he rarely passed up the chance to see the Bit O ‘Red in action.

In his later years Fr. Richie was a resident in Summerville Nursing Home and the highlight of his fortnight would be when his niece Tina would bring him to the Showgrounds to his usual spot down at the front of the Treacy Avenue Stand for a game.

One of his favourite players was Richard Brush and he was delighted when Brushie started working in Summerville and he enjoyed many chats with him about Rovers.

He will be missed from the Treacy Avenue Stand having supported the club all the way to his late 80s before passing away today.

Reposing at Seán Feehily’s Funeral Home, Cartron Cross, Sligo from 4.30pm on Friday.

Removal at 6.00pm to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sligo. Mass of the Resurrection at 11.30am on Saturday.

Burial follows in Sligo Cemetery. Family homes private. Donations in lieu of Flowers if desired to SHOUT (Sligo Hospital Oncology Unit Trust) c/o Seán Feehily’s Funeral Home, Cartron Cross, Sligo.

We send our condolences to all of Father Richie’s family. May he Rest in Peace.

(Image courtesy of The Sligo Weekender)

A group of former Summerhill College students who played on teams trained by the late Fr Cyril Haran have organised a tile in his memory to feature on The Bit O’ Red Wall.

It is the among the latest tiles purchased with 183 now bought to feature on the wall.

The closing date is 31st January to be posted in time for the season.

Click here to purchase your tile

One of the organisers for the tile in memory of Fr Haran is Ballymote native, Michael Rafferty, who now lives in Galway.

Fr Haran was a popular football coach for a period of his time on the Summerhill College staff.

He served in several parishes in the Elphin diocese and his last base was in Grange Co. Sligo where he had family connections.

According to Michael: “Fr Haran was such a positive influence in our lives during our times in Summerhill. Over 40 years later we still cherish the memories.

“Some of us were boarders, others with day students.

‘Cyrlie’ , as we used to know him, gave us great times. During a three-year golden period in the 70’s, he brought us to tournaments in France, Glasgow and Liverpool.

“He managed Summerhill and Sligo/Leitrim teams teams that featured in All-Ireland finals.”

“Over the years we had reunions to remember the great times had together and it is a small but great way to put our gratitude to him on the record by having a tile with his name on the Showgrounds Wall.”

“Fellas from those teams included Gerry Emmett, Kevin Murray, David O Malley, Enda Eames, Leo Harrington, Tony McGowan, Austin Jennings, Kenny Molloy, PJ Dolan, Roy Kilfeather, Martin Callaghan, John and Jim Kent, Colm Dykes, Gerry Adams, Roy Kilfeather, Paddy Cullen, Larry O’Gara, James Kerins, Kevin Gurrie, Jack Mc Groarty, Martin James, Eugene Metcalfe and John O’Doherty.”

The tile will state

Fr CYRIL HARAN
SUMMERHILL COACH
THANK YOU

It is with great sadness that Sligo Rovers today learned of the passing of Loman Gallagher, former club treasurer and highly-respected volunteer at the club.

Loman served on a number of committees, including the year 2007 when as treasurer of the club he was part of the board that appointed Paul Cook as manager – and in 2011 featured in the same role when the Bit O’ Red won the FAI Cup under Cook.

That was something he always took great pride in as among the best decisions that he was part of during a long association with Sligo Rovers.

His unassuming and calm demeanor complimented the many skills possessed to make Loman such an important volunteer at the club.

He was a vital part of our lotto sales and Annual Draw raffle sales team, with the knowledge of how important it is to the club to make ends meet each week, and the demeanor to inform supporters that every purchase was so appreciated.  

In recent years many fans would know Loman as one of our turnstile operators.

He organised the float for the start of the night and welcomed hundreds of Rovers fans to The Showgrounds in that gentle way we are all recalling today, and often with a witty exchange if you were lucky enough to know him.

He passed away this morning.

Sligo Rovers chairman Martin Heraghty: “The news came as a real shock to us all as we learned of Loman’s passing after a short illness.

“Loman commanded a huge level of respect at Sligo Rovers. He helped the club through difficult times – before our golden period – and saw it all the way through to some of our greatest ever days.

“Even when he had stepped down from the committee after such outstanding service, he sacrificed a large part of his match nights for the betterment of the club.

“We mourn the loss of a great person and a treasured servant of the club who was not just part of match nights but Sligo Rovers itself.

“Today is such a sad day for his family and the people that worked closely with Loman over many, many years. Our thoughts are with all of them today.

“We will remember Loman at the first home game of the new season – on the pitch just before kick-off – but more so when walking through the turnstile and thinking of the wonderful person who contributed so much to Sligo Rovers and will be so sorely missed.”  

Sligo Rovers will play Drogheda United this Thursday in United Park in our second pre-season friendly.

Entry to the game is €5 in Drogheda with kick-off 7:30pm.

Next Tuesday 28th January, Rovers travel again to take on Ballinmallard in Ferney Park. Kick-off is 7:45pm.

Then on Saturday 1st February, Athlone Town are the opposition in Athlone Town Stadium at 2pm.

Sligo Rovers and Avantcard are delighted to announce a significant new partnership as the Leitrim-based lender becomes the primary sponsor of the Bit O’ Red.

The two-year agreement will see the Avantcard logo appear on the men’s senior home and away jerseys, along with branded signage throughout The Showgrounds.

It has been hailed as a significant boost for Sligo Rovers as they secure consumer finance provider Avantcard as their newest commercial backer and most important overall sponsor.

The announcement was made by Sligo Rovers CEO, Colin Feehily and Avantcard CEO, Chris Paul at a media event in The Showgrounds today.

Sligo Rovers are building up to an exciting new season, with support for the club increasing year-on-year and season ticket sales at their highest level since 2013.

The deal also strengthens links in the community for Sligo Rovers and, as club chairman Martin Heraghty explained, partnering with Avantcard is a sign of the club’s growing influence not just in Sligo, but in the North West.

He said “We are simply thrilled to confirm Avantcard as our new primary sponsor.

“As a large employer in the region, they whole-heartedly share our belief in the community, which was an important consideration for us in looking for a new sponsor.

“The club would not be able to function without the support of the business community, and today we have partnered with a major player in the Financial Services sector based right on our doorstep. I want to thank Chris Paul, and all the team at Avantcard, as we look forward to the start of a successful partnership.”

Chris Paul, Avantcard’s CEO said: “Avantcard is absolutely delighted to be partnering with Sligo Rovers to become their official sponsor. It is a turbulent time for Irish soccer which makes it all the more important for businesses to support their local sports organisations, given the vital role they play in their communities.

“We are excited to show our support to Sligo Rovers and its fans, many of whom will be Avantcard customers. We feel this is a natural fit given our base as a local employer and our commitment to supporting people and projects in the region, and we are proud to be in a position where we can support the club for the next two seasons.”

The new 2020 season Sligo Rovers jersey will be launched at the end of January.

A group of Sligo Rovers fans, many of whom have been friends since the 1950’s and 1960’s plan to remember two of their deceased pals on The Bit O’ Red Wall.

It is one of the many wonderful gestures and memories we are seeing being recounted through the wall, with 165 tiles sold so far.

Buy your tile here

Vintage Reds (aka The Rednecks) have maintained friendships that sometimes began in national or secondary school, continued through their working lives and invariably involved a shared affection for Sligo Rovers.

The two friends they want to commemorate in the first set of tiles on the The Showgrounds Wall are the late Michael J Leyden and Michael Mc Nulty.

According to Barney Bree: “ Both Michaels were passionate Rovers supporters. Michael “Mick” McNulty, like many of our group, was based in Dublin for years and we had great times, travelling to grounds around the country.

“He and his family eventually came back to settle in Kevinsfort. He was always very generous to the Rovers with his accountancy and auditing skills.”

“Michael J Leydon was originally from Market Street and he later moved to Ard na Veigh. He was a very popular teacher at Sligo Grammar School and after his retirement, he continued his interest in walking, reading and theatre. It was a huge shock when he passed away while walking the Camino in Northern Spain last November, a year after Michael Mc Nulty’s death.”

The Vintage Reds have been generous backers of Rovers fund-raising campaigns in recent years, including the ‘Rally Around the Rovers’ and ‘Up the Bit O’ Red’ campaigns.  They sponsor a home game each season and plan to do so again this year.

According to Barney: “The two guys loved the Rovers. We will have our annual gathering when we sponsor a game during the season. We look forward to seeing the Wall and the permanent place Michael Mc Nulty and Michael J Leyden will have in The Showgrounds.”

Further Stories from The Wall will feature on the Sligo Rovers website in the coming weeks.

A tile featurs three line of text with 16 characters per line including spaces.

The deadline for having a tile in the first section of the wall to coincide with the new season is January 31st.

The first section of the wall holds just over 190 tiles so we advise to buy as soon as possible.

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

Sligo Rovers drew 3-3 with Galway United in our first opening pre-season friendly of the season at Solar 21 Park in Castlebar.

Garry Buckley, Ronan Coughlan and a trialist were on target for Rovers.

Stephen Christopher set up Maurice Nugent to open the scoring for Galway after a slow start by the Bit O’ Red.

Danny Kane was forced off injured, with Regan Donelon coming on and also having to come off with a knock.

Buckley leveled early in the second period but from the kick-off Timo Parthoens scored for Galway.

Ronan Coughlan crossed for a trialist to make it 2-2.

Rovers got in front from Coughlan from the penalty spot, but Timmy Molloy converted from to leave the game level.

Sligo Rovers: McGinty, Dunleavy, Callan-McFadden, Kane, Penninkangas, Morahan, Seymore, Cawley, Noone, Buckley, Coughlan

Subs used: Mahon, Trialist, Lynch, Donelon, McGrath, Byrne, McNicholas

Sligo Rovers can confirm that John Russell has signed a new contract with the club for 2020, continuing in his role as player-assistant manager.

The 34-year-old joined the club for his third spell last year, this time joining the management staff as assistant to Liam Buckley.

He made 10 appearances throughout the year.

It means both Buckley and Russell are contracted until the end of 2020.

Liam Buckley said: “John has been veru influential in the last 12 months and is a vital part of the staff.  

“He is hugely respected at the club and rightly so because of what he has achieved as a player, and now what he is bringing as an assistant manager on a daily basis.

“He understands the football club and challenges the players to become better every single day. He is a great sounding board to me, his knowledge and wealth of talent is invaluable so I’m delighted with this news.

“We also retain him as a player. At 34 I still think he has a lot to offer and we saw him step in last year and do well.

“If you could see him in pre-season now, he is as fit as you will get. It’s a no-brainer again to have him available to play.”  

As we draw closer to the new 2020 SSE Airtricity League, a new video about Sligo Rovers showcases the absolute sense of pride and ownership that the people and supporters have in their club’s past, present and future.

Made by StoryLab, the video captures the excitement, atmosphere and drama of match day at The Showgrounds.

It features cameos by fans of all ages as well as former boss Chris Rutherford, former Tánaiste and finance minister Ray MacSharry and a voiceover by club historian Aidan Mannion.

What is it about a local football club that stirs the soul? Why do communities continue to treasure hometown teams like Sligo Rovers?

It’s been an extremely turbulent period for the reputation and organisation of Irish soccer with controversy over the FAI’s finances but support for local football clubs across Ireland remains as vibrant as ever.

Sligo Rovers fans fundraise €450,000 each season for the club each season, excluding gate receipts and sponsorship, while season tickets sales are approaching the highest level since 2013.

Over 700 have been sold so far. Last season’s attendances averaged at 2,000 per game.

Sligo Rovers CEO Colin Feehily said: “This touching video shows how important Sligo Rovers is to people in our town and in the surrounding areas. 

“The passion in Aidan’s voice can be heard from start to finish and the images captured showcase the great colour and atmosphere of The Showgrounds on match night.

“We are very proud of our football club and very proud of everyone we have involved with us. From young to old, we have supporters of all ages, male and female, a real strong variety which the club means something to each of them. Every Irish club needs it’s supporters and volunteers, and they need the club. We all love The Rovers.”

Ciaran Byrne of StoryLab said: “It’s been a difficult period for Irish football but at what remains at the heart of all clubs like Sligo Rovers, are people. It’s people who keep the flame alive and give clubs like Rovers such a unique and special character. People make this club. They make the Rovers.”

The video will be showcased on all our social media channels

View more on from Storylab on Storylab.ie

Sligo Rovers can confirm matches with Athlone Town and Ballinamallard away as part of our pre-season friendly schedule.

Our match with Drogheda United behind closed doors will also be rescheduled.

Pre-season friendly fixtures:

This Saturday, kick-off 1pm: Galway United – Solar 21 Park, Castlebar

Date to be confirmed: Drogheda United – Abbotstown, Dublin

Tuesday 28th January, kick-off TBC : Ballinamallard – Ferney Park

Saturday 1st February 2pm: Athlone Town – Athlone Town Stadium