| I will arise now and go to The Showgrounds |
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| Wednesday, 07 June 2006 | |
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I left The Showgrounds on Saturday evening after the 3-1 victory over Longford convinced that there will have to be a dramatic change in attitude amongst the people of Co. Sligo towards Sligo Rovers. And it has nothing to do with the team, the management or even the committee. It was a good game, a good display by the team, some very hard-working and committed performances. Okay, so we were lucky not to concede three or four goals. We were unlucky not to score another three or four also, it balances out. Okay also, we need to tighten up in defence, but after one third of the season we are officially the sixth best team in the country – the League table doesn’t tell lies. Not a bad achievement after six years in the backwaters of the First Division. We escaped late last year to the promised land. More like ‘Broken Promises.’ Be serious here. Do the people of Sligo want a senior soccer team? The evidence suggests they do not. Familiarity and all that - a load of indifference, apathy, couldn’t care less – well maybe you don’t deserve a team in the top grade anymore. The paltry crowd at the game must be commended – at least you turned up. But if we don’t get more supporters through the turnstiles it will have a serious impact on the club going forward. And that would be pity. Maybe Sligo Rovers should withdraw from football for a season or two! That might sound like a drastic suggestion? Maybe it would be the dose of reality that would make you all realise what you have on your doorstep. But is it worth fighting for? Saturday’s game suggests that the players have the right attitude. It’s a long time since I saw a team in Sligo Rovers shirts work so hard on the pitch. Paul McTiernan – playing ‘head the ball’ – that was audacious, keeping the ball up with his head near the corner flag, the Longford player was fortunate to escape censure for his attempted ‘overhead kick.’ And then the other ‘overhead kick’ – Faz, never one to do it simple, but a great clearance. There’s more to this team than they get credit for, but if we don’t get bigger crowds we can forget about it. Sligo – a hotbed of soccer – now there’s a secret worthy of Da Vinci Code treatment. Maybe they’ll be back after the ‘break.’ By Conall Collier |
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