The first day of pre-season began in The Showgrounds this morning.

Liam Buckley addressed the players and put them through their paces.

View a gallery of images by James Fallon and Michael Melly.

Sligo Rovers manager Liam Buckley feels the opening day fixture against Dundalk will be a challenging encounter, and the release of the list of games will focus minds ahead of the new campaign.

Rovers have an intriguing start, with the Lilywhites visiting on 20 March in our first game.

Indeed in terms of home games, it’s Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers first up for the Bit O’Red.

Away from home Rovers will be heading for Waterford and Longford early on.

Buckley said: “I’ve no doubt it will be a very hard game. We’ve had our battles with Dundalk in the last number of years, FAI Cup semi-finals and more.

“We’ve competed well in a lot of those games and we’re certainly going to have do that again if we are to get any type of result.

“Dundalk will have their sights on honours again next season as they have done for many years now.

“I think when you look at a fixture list it focuses the minds of everyone. You have something to build towards. As regards an opening fixture, it will be difficult but also one we can look forward to.

“This game is one we can build towards over the next six weeks and the rest of the season thereafter.”

The Rovers boss was adamant that last season threw up a scenario where every league game was extremely difficult to win, and it was evident in several unpredictable results, particularly towards the end of the season.

Ahead of the 2021 campaign, he expects the task to be just as hard: “We move on to Waterford away after Dundalk as just one example. Kevin Sheedy and Mike Newell are in there this season and I think you’ll see a lot of good players coming from England and Scotland to join their squad over the next few weeks.

“That will really strengthen them so it will be difficult. There was the odd goal in both matches last season. As always we’ll be doing our homework on the rest of the sides.

“That said, we’re really just focusing on our preparations over the next six weeks, getting our lads up to speed, getting patterns of play and all of that where it should be.”

One element that was somewhat deflating in the fixture announcement yesterday was what might have been.

Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers and Finn Harps are the first three home games for Buckley’s men and in normal times, there would be bumper and likely sell-out crowds at The Showgrounds, as well as a large visiting support from Sligo in Longford in early April.

As it stands crowds are not expected to return to games in the first series of games and likely longer.

Buckley said: “We just have to hope that please God we can have some supporters later in the year.

“We do miss them, they are a big loss to us here. We know they were watching on via stream or listening on the radio last season and it is disappointing we face into that again. We want them with us.

“You just have to hope we get the go-ahead later in the year.

“For now, starting the league on the date scheduled is the next step. If we can get the league up and running with everyone healthy and following all the protocols, that will put it in the right direction.

“I’m told we’ve sold nigh-on 600 passes for when fans can return which is just brilliant in the circumstances. We’d love to be able to welcome back the supporters with us going well and some big games so that’s what we’ll be aiming for.”

Take a virtual tour of the new Showgrounds Outdoor Museum as the Sligo Rovers Heritage Group unveil their work and bring it directly to your home.

The Showgrounds Outdoor Museum is the first facility of its kind provided by an Irish football club. 

It offers a unique, accessible overview of the fascinating history of Sligo Rovers.

The museum consists of 100 panels erected at various locations throughout the ground, featuring legendary players, managers, club volunteers and famous supporters.

Given the important role played by the club in the community, it also represents a social history of Sligo over the last 90+ years.

The club’s original proposal to promote open access to the museum in recent months had to be revisited in light of public health guidelines, but as an outdoor facility, it will represent a safe and secure setting for visitors when restrictions are eased.

The aim in developing the museum is to demonstrate the diverse and inclusive history of Sligo Rovers.

The club has a rich history of attracting managers, players and volunteers from abroad, particularly England and Scotland. Sligo Rovers has always been a welcoming club, and many who came to play made Sligo their home, including Johnny Armstrong, Chris Rutherford, Tony Stenson, Paul Fielding.

The Museum also honours the many volunteers and supporters who were at the heart of this community club – including Johnny Chadda, Packie McGowan, Nancy Callaghan, Frazer Browne, Eddie and Dermot MCullagh James and Andy Tiernan.  Many of the characters will be known to Rovers supporters, others from the early days of the club will be less well known.

The museum is the latest project of Sligo Rovers Heritage Group;  Its projects to date include two club histories, a series of exhibitions and occasional events to celebrate special anniversaries or former players. Its first venture in 2012 was to host a visit of the Dean family in 2012  to visit the display hosted in Sligo Museum to honour our most famous import.

The museum brochure includes a foreword from Editor of Liverpool  Echo David Prentice, who is married to Dixie’s Granddaughter, Melanie.

The association with the Dean family is one of the key elements in our partnership with Everton

Museum Project Team

Management: Sligo Rovers Heritage Group

Funded by: EUPeace IV Programme

Panel Design: Daragh Stuart

Panel manufacture: Ballast Signs

Video: James Dennison Studio Rove

Special thanks to: Jim Gray and Derek Sweeney

Sligo Rovers Heritage Group: Aidan Mannion, Kevin Colreavy,

Noel Scott, Michael Kelly, Anthony Kilfeather, Joe Molloy, Michael

Moran

Sligo Rovers will begin the new season at home to Dundalk FC in an exciting tie to begin the SSE Airtiricty League Premier Division season.

The match will take place on Saturday 20 March in The Showgrounds, kick-off 7.45pm.

Rovers then travel to Waterford the following Friday for the first away encounter, and face another away match against Longford Town on Saturday 3 April.

The fourth match of the campaign sees Shamrock Rovers visit The Showgrounds on Saturday 10 April.

Finn Harps are next up in The Showgrounds seven days later, which is followed by a midweek game against Bohemians in Dalymount Park on Tuesday 20 April.

Derry at home, Drogheda United away and a midweek game, Monday 3 May, against St Patrick’s Athletic completes the list for the first round of games.

Several reserve dates has been included in the new season, while the mid-season break has also been stayed in the calendar, beginning on 30 May.

The season will end on Friday 19 November for Rovers at home to Bohemians.  

Richard Brush has signed for Sligo Rovers this morning, 15 years on from his first spell with the club. 

The 36-year-old goalkeeper has become a Rovers player for the fourth time, coming full circle in his career in Ireland.

Brush spent four years with the club during the early years of the Paul Cook era, including the 2010 FAI Cup winning season.

He returned for the 2012 campaign as the Bit O’ Red won the league title. 

The Birmingham-born goalkeeper, who settled in Sligo since first moving over, was back for a third occasion in 2014.

Now, after a very successful spell in Northern Ireland, Brush admits signing back in Sligo means a lot to him. 

“I really could not have predicted this from when I first signed all those years ago, never. To be honest even five years ago I didn’t see this happening. I’m chuffed, that’s how it feels.

“It’s really nice. To be back now and be here to guide some of the young players as well, it’s just a good feeling.  

“In the last spell the club was going through a tough period and that golden era we had was in the past.  

“Today it feels like the club is really on the up and the good times could be coming back. So apart from being chuffed, I’m also excited to be part of that now.

“It is huge for me to win another trophy and experience more European football. I’m coming towards the end of my career and I want as many good experiences as possible. 

“To this day I get people still coming up to me in the street in Sligo talking about this game and that or whatever it is.

“You know names, some of them are just faces you see, but you know what the club means here. I feel honoured to be wanted as well and that the gaffer and the club wanted to bring me in. 

“I am here to play. You train to play and while I know Ed has done really well, I’m signing with a view to getting into the team. I’m under no illusions. Every goalkeeper knows there’s someone else wanting to get in. I worked with Ed briefly two years ago so I know what he’s about and his charisma and ability.

“Goalkeepers tend to be close to each other because they work together every day, and 95% of the experiences I’ve had that has been the case. I know there’s also one or twovery good talented young goalkeepers too who will train with us which is great.” 

Brush described his time in Northern Ireland as memorable and that he looks back on the time in the Irish League as some of the best years of his career. 

“It’s funny that we have two leagues on the island and somehow they are so different to each other. That is not taking away one from the other, they both have their good points.

“In Northern Ireland they are a few years behind the league down here in terms of going full-time. But I really can’t speak highly enough of playing in the Irish League.

“I’m not a big football fan, what brings me coming back to football is the people around it. They are the most genuine and decent you can meet and that matters most to me. 

“I had that in Ballinamallard and Cliftonville and the people at the clubs, you just want to do well for them as much as anything. I think, at this stage of my career, coming back to Sligo Rovers is just one thing I had to say yes to because of my history with the club. 

“At Cliftonville we had some big games, won the Shield and European games. It’s a fantastic club and I’ve grateful to everyone for the last couple of years.”

Brush will begin pre-season on Thursday with his new team-mates, now as the veteran of the squad, and alongside some familiar faces such as David Cawley and John Russell.

He concluded: “It’ll be nice to walk in the gate again as a Sligo Rovers player and see everyone. Now that I’ve signed, it’s about getting through pre-season and trying to start well.

“Like I said, I’m not back for sentimentality. We’ll have a squad here who can achieve things and we’re going to give it a right go from the first day.” 

Liam Buckley said: “When it was decided for Luke to go on loan, Richard was the first name that came to mind. He’s been one of the best goalkeepers in the two leagues for many years.

“We don’t sign anyone with a view to a guaranteed starting place. It’s the drive of competing against each other which will help us succeed and that is what we want. Ed and Richard will compete for the jersey. I’ve spoken about how we rate Luke, but this is a different type of pressure for Ed now because his competition is someone who has been doing it for 15 years.

“We feel they will bring the best out of each other and push each other as well. There’ll be a respect there too of course. Overall we’re very pleased to bring in Richard. He has a great affinity with the people here too and I think he’s going to be a very good addition to the group. 

“We’re aiming to finish the squad soon, it may go into pre-season because of Covid protocols, transfer windows and whatever else. It would be our intention to try to finish the squad soon but it will take as long it takes.”

Luke McNicholas has joined Finn Harps on a half-season loan deal.

McNicholas signed a new two-year contract last week. He has been number two goalkeeper at The Showgrounds for the last 18 months.

The 21-year-old expressed a desire to play games this season, having been limited while Ed McGinty has been in the Rovers goal, and manager Liam Buckley and the club have agreed to the request.

McNicholas has been with the club for six years.

Buckley said: “Luke has pushed Ed for the number one jersey since Mitch Beeney left in mid-2019. Ed managed to get in there first and they’ve been competing for the last year and a half. They are two top-class goalkeepers.

“Luke came to us privately in the off-season about his desire to play games. He turned 21 this month and we understand his wishes. We didn’t want to lose Luke because we really rate him.  

“We’ve managed to bring in Richard and that will allow Luke to go out on loan to Finn Harps. It’s a good move for everyone.

“We know Luke will go out and show his ability. The future is not known so when Luke comes back we don’t what the landscape will be. We’re hoping he comes back with more experience and all the better for this spell with Finn Harps.”

McNicholas said: “I’m very happy and I’m looking forward to the opportunity at Finn Harps. I want to play first-team football. Harps are a Premier Division club so it was the offer that appealed most to me.

“I know Ollie as I played under him with Ireland at schools level, he is a very good manager and someone I can trust as well.  

“There will be competition at Finn Harps but I think I can show what I can do and get into the team. That’s my target.

“I’m thankful for the gaffer and the club accommodating the move, it’s gone smoothly. I’m looking forward to getting going now.”  

Our Bit O’ Red Wall campaign is ongoing as we approach the start of Pre-Season this coming week.

Since Christmas, sales have continued, with tiles being bought locally and nationally, as well as from the far side of the world.

Phase Two of the wall will be completed for the first home game of the coming season, with a new deadline set of March 1st in order for your tile to be in place.

This has proven to be a popular campaign with supporters choosing all types of messages for their tile, from Happy Birthday messages to anniversaries and local football clubs showing their support to families remembering their loved ones.

The feedback to date has shown that supporters feel this is a perfect way of becoming part of The Showgrounds with their tile on our Bit O’ Red Wall and in place for many years ahead as we continue to develop our famous ground.

To have your tile in place for The 2021 season, you can buy online at the link below:

https://srfcdirect.com/bit-o-red-wall-tile/

You can also call our office on 0719171212 and place your order over the phone, or you can contact any member of our management committee.

Luke McNicholas has signed a new contract with Sligo Rovers this afternoon, committing his future to the club for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

The Mayo man, who turned 21 earlier this month, is highly-regarded at The Showgrounds.

McNicholas has been with the club for six years. In June 2019, Luke signed a new two and a half year deal with the club to keep him.

He has made three senior appearances for the club and has been number two goalkeeper for the last 18 months.

McNicholas has penned a new contract today.

Liam Buckley said: “From my first days here I could see just how good a goalkeeper Luke is. We made a decision when Mitch Beeney left that Ed and Luke would be our goalkeepers because there was no doubt that they were good enough. Luke was 19 then and he has progressed considerably in that time.

“That is perhaps something our supporters have not seen because with the 18 game-season last year and one Cup competition, it made it harder for an opportunity to come up. He has pushed Ed extremely hard.

“I see it every day and I have to give credit to Luke because his contribution to the group has been very important to us. Luke’s game has developed in many aspects.

“The one area he has missed out on somewhat is first-team experience. Luke has spoken to me privately about his desire to play and we understand it.

“During this two-year contract Luke will play games and that may be elsewhere for a period. We want to keep him here in the long-term.

“We don’t know what can happen but what we do know is securing Luke for the next couple of years is great news for us and also shows his desire to be successful here.  We know he is going to go prove himself as a top class goalkeeper, so we’re delighted he’s signed. He has a great career ahead.”

Luke McNicholas said: “Being in the first-team environment has been fantastic for me. There are top players, coaches like Leo and Russ and the gaffer (Leo Tierney, John Russell and Liam Buckley). Working with them every day has been brilliant.

“I’ve a great relationship with Ed and he’s a top drawer goalkeeper. We bounce off each other really well and we’ve had that for a few years now. He has done really well.

“I want to go on and be the number one goalkeeper here. I think that’s what helps our relationship because we both have that hunger and respect for each other as well.

“I’m happy because I want to stay here in the long-term. The gaffer and the club have been very fair in the conversations we’ve had and I’m just really looking forward to the future and showing what I can do here.”

Sligo Rovers are thrilled to confirm the signing of Walter Figueira today for the 2021 season.

The 25-year-old moves to the Bit O’Red from Derry City and previously played for Waterford FC.

He had played in Greece and Portugal having been a product of Chelsea’s academy.

Figueira scored four goals for Derry in the half-season of 2020 and also bagged five goals in 11 for Waterford previously in all competitions.

Today he joins Rovers, as Liam Buckley adds more firepower to his attacking options for the season ahead.

Walter said: “I’m really looking forward to playing some exciting football here. The style of play here is very attractive and I feel like I can contribute a lot to the side.

“The manager reassured me he would take care of me with my family and give me the freedom to do what I do best on the pitch. I was very convinced by him and I trust the players we have in the squad. I’m looking forward to it.

“I found it very frustrating last year. The stop-start season and Covid-19 in Derry led to lots of isolating and that and it affected our fitness. It was difficult to get a good run of games. Hopefully I can find the consistency and showcase my ability in the league now.

“Hopefully we can gel as quickly as possible. For the people watching Sligo Rovers next season, we want to put on a show.”

Buckley said: “Walter is a player I have recognised going back to his youth days at Chelsea. We made our interest known quite a few months ago and I’m delighted he has signed today.

“His spells in Waterford and Derry have shown what a good technical player he is. Looking at his ability, I feel Walter can make an even greater impact and we’ve brought him here to do that.

“Being in a better team overall will bring more out of Walter and he will enjoy playing with the group we have here.

“He can play anywhere across the front four, that versatility is fantastic for us. We’ve got Romeo, Ryan De Vries, Jordan Gibson, Johnny Kenny, add in young Cillian Heaney and now Walter and between all of them we’ve got some fantastic options there.

“We’re trying to improve the squad in each window and doing it around the way we have to play here. Walter is a very good addition with that in mind. He’s a player our supporters will really appreciate.

“The final few players to the squad are so important. I can’t rule anything out at this point, we have certain areas we’re targeting. We won’t have a massive squad but we will have quality throughout the group with every player driving each other on. We’re very keen to start pre-season next week.”

The club are currently looking to recruit an academy goalkeeping coach to oversee the training and development of our Academy goalkeepers in 2021.

The successful candidate should have completed their Fundamentals of Goalkeeping course as well as their Goalkeeping D Licence.

With some exciting prospects throughout our youth academy this is an exciting prospect to work alongside the club’s talented pool of goalkeepers and alongside our academy coaching staff.

To apply for this part time position, email your CV and Cover Letter to ogrady.27@hotmail.com

Closing date for applications is next Wednesday, February 3rd 2021.