Supporters Club Notes

Supporters’ Club Notes (04/09/16)

RAIN REIGNS

Despite the valiant efforts of our hard working ground staff, the rain reigned supreme last Saturday night which resulted in the game being called off. Every effort was made and the game was even put back fifteen minutes in the hope that the rain might ease. We had a similar situation just a few weeks back but then the Murray clan beat the elements. Last Saturday night, the rain won so that leaves it one all. Although, it’s a bit early to be talking about this Saturday but a quick check with what the Met Éireann people says, that there could be more testing times ahead. Be prepared. Up in Sligo, they actually started their game against Finn Harps but after 20 minutes it too, fell foul of the elements and the game was called off. And remember this is summer soccer.

BRAY THIS SATURDAY

Alan Mathews will have to wait another few days for his second coming. Last Saturday was to have been his home debut for the second time but the gods dictated otherwise. Maybe it’s a good omen because Bray have a game against Pats during the week, which hopefully will tire them a bit.
Anyway, we need a big crowd out at the CCS to get behind the team from start to finish. A win on Saturday night and anything is possible. We must believe, there’s no other option and we must support.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH/ AUGUST

Heartiest congratulations to Eddie Dsane who is the winner of the August award for allayer of the month. It’s easy to put in the work when your team is constantly winning but a real test of character when the reality is the opposite. So fair play to Eddie on his award. As usual, the presentation will be made as the players come off the pitch after their pre match warm up.

FROZEN ASSETS

It’s damn hard running a football club; money is tight or non existent, volunteers are over worked and often criticised, the sacrifices made by all involved are seldom known. The sorry state of the domestic scene though could easily be helped rather than hindered. There’s no need for over paid consultants telling us what to do. The idea of a Dublin based consultancy firm telling us about how we could be involved in the local community is outrageously ridiculous. Sadly, common sense was never known to be common. But all we need to do is look north to Iceland. Following their summer success, the Icelandic Football Association handed five million to the clubs. In Ireland €100,000 is to be divided among all clubs over five years with a consultancy firm advising on its expenditure. In recent years, the Icelandic soccer authorities have waived affiliation fees for clubs in the country’s senior league and covered the cost of paying the referees and other match officials in order to ease the burden on clubs. I bet Archie Bell, our hard pressed treasurer, would like the FAI to copy those ideas. We can only dream.

PROGRAMME REQUEST

A Derry City fan is very anxious to get his hands on the match programme from 30th October 2015, which if memory serves me correctly we won 4-2 and was the final game of last season. So anxious is he that he’s willing to pay many times the original asking price. Even though it was a relatively recent game, this programme has already become a collectors item, so well done to our editor, Seamus Leavy. If you have this gem in your collection and if you’re willing to part with it, give Martin Stapleton a ring on 086 360 2912 and he’ll act as your unpaid agent.

Supporters’ Club Notes (29/08/16)

SAME DIFFERENCE

Beaten 4-1 by Cork at home in the Cup and then 5-2 away in the league, meant that there was a three goal losing margin in each game. Not that you’d need to be a genius to work that one out. But despite the similar margin, there was a marked improvement in the performance down in Cork, especially in the second half. Our first McGlynn goal was a fantastic strike and deserves to be a goal of the month contender. Whether or not this performance can see us catch Wexford Youths remains to be seen. Just over two thousand fans paid in to see the game in Turner’s Cross. However, a more interesting statistic would be to know how many Longford people watched the game or part of it on RTE. My guess is more than would attend the CCS.

BRAY AT HOME

This Saturday night sees the arrival of Bray Wanderers to the CCS for a 7.30pm kick off. Although all sorts of strange things can happen in football, it looks like Bray are safe enough ahead of Wexford Youths, thanks to a number of recent good results. For us, we must win if we want to climb the slippery ladder. In a recent Oxford University study, they came up with the idea that relegation threat actually bonds and strengthens a club fan base. Personally, I think that’s daft but the theory will be surely be tested in Longford on Saturday night. Will we see you there ?

PLAYER OF THE MONTH

The winner of the August Player of the Month award will be announced later and then the presentation will be made on Saturday night before kick off. Keep an eye on the website.

MARATHON MEN

Congratulations to club supporters Emmett Ryan and Frank Murtagh who participated in the Longford Marathon last Sunday. Despite the intense heat, both men looked remarkable fit and in good shape following their ordeal. And while on the Marathon subject, fair play to the local organisers who worked so hard in keeping the event alive and running. This is its 15 year in existence and this year attracted over 800 participants. Sadly, there didn’t seem to be much national coverage but that’s something all local sports are used to.

HAPPY MOTORING

Happy motoring to our club chairman in his new motor. The registration may be D but, at least he managed to work in LD lettering on the boot, well done Jim and safe, happy miles ahead.

BACK TO SCHOOL

We wish all our student supporters all the best as they make their merry way back to the excitement of the classrooms this coming week. We extend the same wishes to the teachers who are supporters who probably find the return even worse. Our hearts go out to you all!

Supporters’ Club Notes (22/08/16)

CUP RUN ENDS

It took Cork City only a couple of minutes to open their scoring before adding three more to their before running out comfortable 4-1 winners. The game was played in front of a small crowd but it took a late,late pitch inspection before the game in order for the game to proceed at all. Therefore full credit to the hard working ground staff who made sure we didn’t have to turn round and go home. The small band of travelling supporters wouldn’t have been too pleased to turn for home again without stretching their legs and vocal chords. The display from the host team was in total contrast to the week before but again, it’s so easy to be a hurler on the ditch.

An aside from the game was the meeting up of a father and son . The father had travelled the long journey on a less than comfortable bus, while his son journeyed from his Athlone base on a motor bike. Both were loud in their praise of our facilities and mentioned correctly that even Turner’s Cross lacks our facilities, both social and on pitch (both teams warmed up on the new pitches while travelling supporters warmed up with great value, fresh sandwiches and soup in the Clubhouse). They also noted how well kept, tidy and clean the stadium was kept and that even the flags were spotless. The Cork father and son remarked that we must have a huge band of willing volunteers working tirelessly. Indeed.

CORK AWAY

This Friday sees us travel south to Turner’s Cross to face Cork City at home with kick off at 7.45pm. It’s hard to believe that we won the equivalent tie last season 3-2. Still though, you never know and if soccer is a funny old game, we’d certainly come home smiling if we could get anything from the tie. We lost 6-0 last time down there where the locals didn’t even bother much to turn up to support their team – it was their lowest attendance to date then. This game however will be different. It’ll be on a Friday night as opposed to a Monday night and Cork now have Dundalk in their sights. On top of that, the RTE cameras will be present to add to the glitz of the occasion. It’s a pity though that the same camera crew weren’t at Oriel to see our seven goal cracker at the Louth venue. It’ll be a tough one for sure and fair play in advance to those travelling down to support us; we already have Mick Mallon of Killoe and the Donlon family of Ardnacassa who are exiled down there and who will be flying the red and black flag with pride.

ALAN MATHEWS

Alan Mathews has returned as manager to De Town he loved so well. Gary Cronin did very well as caretaker in the match against St. Pats and then was in charge again last Saturday night. Hopefully, he’ll still be involved.

Alan Mathews was our most successful man at the helm 2002- 2007 during our golden period and if some of that sparkle can be restored, we’d all be happy. Alan is one of the most respected managers in the domestic game and his gentleman status is well documented. If he ever pens his life in football management, it should make for fascinating reading due to the amount off poor treatment in different clubs he has encountered. While with us, he was always supported and maybe this is one of the reasons he was so happy to return. He faces a massive challenge. The task before him is daunting. It goes without saying that the team itself has to improve radically and start winning games again. We are facing automatic relegation with the horrible prospect of drowning in the first division. Alan has grasped the lifebuoy and it’s up to us, the supporters to do everything in our power to save the ship and crew. No pressure!

DUNDALK’S DISPLAY

There was more written about the domestic league in the lead up to Dundalk’s clash with Legia Warsaw than there had been for many years. If bandwagon jumping was an Olympic sport, we’d be serious gold medal contenders. And yet, more attended the Celtic -Barcelona friendly game at the same venue. Anyway, Stephen Kenny’s side certainly missed the rub of the green. First they were the victims of a terrible refereeing decision (we know that feeling only too well) and then were hit by a sucker punch of last minute goal (Dundalk did it to us in the 4-3 game, so we know that feeling too). So now the Lilywhites face the daunting task of an away tie in Poland which result in their fourth loss in a row. Add to that extra games both domestically and internationally and their winning mettle will surely be fully tested.

There was a huge Legia following in the 30,000 attendance at the Aviva (they won’t be too bothered with the fines following their pyro display, if they advance). There were red and white flags dotted all over the stadium and not just among the Polish ultras behind Arkadiusz Malarz’s goals. With a minimum of 150,000 Polish people now resident in Ireland and a large proportion living locally, maybe it’s now time that they’d support the red and black as well as the red and white.

Supporters’ Club Notes (15-08-2016)

HOPES BLOWN AWAY

Our game away down in Wexford saw our hopes blown away on a breezy evening. Some said it was an eight pointer, others a six pointer but at the final whistle with no points, the sign posts seem to point to the dreaded first division. Following some fairly decent displays of late, hopes were reasonably high of the start of a fightback. But Wexford are also fighting for their top flight status and had reduced prices in an effort to boost their attendance. At least, it meant that the few travelling supporters could also benefit with a few extra euro in their pockets. But when the hosts went ahead through a sweet goal from a free kick on 34 minutes, our task looked remote and tougher still. One nil behind always provides some hope but in stoppage time things just got worse. Town keeper Coulter was shown red and the resultant spot kick made it two nil for the happy hosts and made the trip home for us considerably longer. It seems that we’ve managed to pick up more red cards than points this season, which, if accurate is a record we’d prefer not to have.
Eight points adrift at the foot of the table now, and 10 off safety, on this poor showing it looks like our hopes have been blown away.

CORK, CORK, CORK

With all due respect to Cork, we don’t really want to see too much of them but it looks like we have no choice in the matter. This Saturday at 7.30 it’s the Cup at home, then on Friday 26th we play them down in Cork (remember the score last time, 6-0). Last season we beat them down there 2-3 which saw our remarkable recovery take shape. By the way, the league game on Friday 26th is live on RTE 2 with a 7.45pm kick off. And, if perchance, we draw with Cork at home in the Cup, the replay will be in Cork on Monday 29th August. Is it any wonder it’s said that August can be a wicked month. So let’s hope we beat them at home this Saturday and repeat the dose in the league. That’d quell the rebels and raise our flagging spirits for sure.

TONY COUSINS

The day after our 2-0 defeat to Wexford, it was announced that our manager,Tony Cousins had resigned. It was an announcement that didn’t get too much attention in the national sports media because of all that was happening in Rio and even at home.

Managing a football team must be one of the most difficult jobs. Almost every step and every decision taken is under public scrutiny. And of course the most vocal of the the public are all experts with deeply held convictions. Some though have little or no experience of management. But that’s all part of the sport. Sometimes when things aren’t going your way, it must be the loneliest spot in the stadium; in front of you the players are letting you down while behind you, your own supporters are voicing their anger and frustration. It must be like being caught in no man’s land with friend and foe both firing at you.

Tony Cousins has been the longest serving manager in the league , having served 7 years with De Town. His tenure was certainly a perfect example of a roller coaster. He had us on the brink of promotion, then finally achieved the holy grail and now it looks like we’re heading back down again. We’ve had some bad days but we must always remember that there were some great days too. Sitting adrift at the bottom, it’s easy to forget the good days.

Some supporters dismiss his post match interviews as being overflowing with age old, lame excuses but a long litany of bad injuries, dreadful refereeing decisions and a wheelbarrow load of red cards didn’t help his cause. Personally, I think the loss of Stephen Rice this season was particularly significant. But there are as many reasons and opinions as there are blades of grass.

Very few people know what it’s like to be in Tony Cousins’ boots. For seven long years he has done his best for the club and despite being in the public eye, we can all be sure that he worked assiduously behind the scenes and away from the limelight. Only he and his family will ever know the sacrifices he made for the red and black.

Personally and behalf of the Supporters’ Club, I’d like to thank Tony for all his hard work, dedication and commitment, on and off the pitch, in the public eye and away from it. Management is largely a thankless and lonely job but we’d like to say a sincere THANK YOU Tony and wish you all the best in the future.