Sligo Rovers will play their final friendly of pre-season this Friday against Cabinteely behind closed doors in Dublin.
Information will be reported on our social media channels during the game on Friday night.
Rovers then begin the new season on 14th February away to Finn Harps.
The 2020 Sligo Rovers Annual General Meeting will take place on Tuesday 11th February at the Clayton Hotel, Sligo at 8pm.
The AGM will see the election of the 2020 management committee, a presentation of 12 months of club finances and the chairman and secretary’s report.
Notices have been posted to members, including nomination forms to join the committee. The meeting and nominations for the committee are only open to members.
Meanwhile the Annual Voluntary Member Contribution of €100 can be made on the night if desired or here for members or non-members.
For more, email administrator@sligorovers.com
Sligo Rovers can confirm defender John Mahon has suffered a fractured tibia.
The injury was sustained in yesterday’s friendly with Athlone Town and he will be out for the “foreseeable future“ according to his manager.
Manager Liam Buckley said: “It is a fracture of the tibia. We’ll support John over the coming weeks and months and he will be back.
“He will recover in the right manner in accordance with the medical staff. The break is being assessed at the moment.
“He’s having further scans and in time the picture will be clearer. We’ll be without John for some months but we know he will return later when the time is right.
“We’re all disappointed but setbacks are to be overcome and we will do that together with John as a group.”
Due to a surge of interest in the Bit O’ Red Wall at The Showgrounds, the deadline for purchasing a tile has been extended. Feely Stone of Boyle have agreed to accept new applications up to 6pm Wednesday next, February 5th.
Get your tile here
https://srfcdirect.com/fundraising/bit-ored-wall/
This first section of the wall will be ready to coincide with Sligo Rovers first league home game of the new season against Saint Patrick’s Athletic on Friday, February 21st.
The ‘Bit O Red’ wall project has attracted interest from Sligo Rovers fans in Australia.
It is the home from home of Ailbhe Cunningham and her husband, Frank. Ailbhe’s late father, Tommy Curran from Grattan Street, was a committee member at the Showgrounds for many years.
Eight years ago Tommy Curran’s daughter in law, Olga, presented a very special memento to Sligo Rovers. It is the League of Ireland Championship flag, given to the club after it won the title for the very first time in 1936/37. It was retained by Tommy Curran’s family after his death and they passed it on the club during the golden League and FAI Cups run eight years ago.
From Australia Ailbhe has ordered three tiles – one on behalf of her family in Australia and the others in remembrance of her late father and her brother, Liam, who died in 2011.
Another Sligo Rovers Australia-based supporter, Frank Gannon, has purchased a tile in the Showgrounds Wall. As an eminent scientist, he has worked in many countries, including the US, France and Germany. He is about to retire from his position as chief executive of a major cancer research centre in Australia.
His tile will state
FRANK GANNON
REDS FAN 4EVER
HOME AND AWAY
Three Sligo pubs, renowned for football discussions, will feature on The Wall. Foleys of Castle Street, Connollys, Markievicz Road and Cahenys of Mail Coach Road have a long, unbroken link with the Showgrounds. Foleys have been loyal sponsors of Sligo Rovers for many years. The same applies to Connollys – its owner, Gerry Nicholson served as a committee member member in The Showgrounds.
When the FAI Cup was brought home to Sligo after victory over Bohemians in Dalymount Park in 1983, the trophy had a stop-off at Cahenys and the celebrations featured in a colourful report on the RTE television programme, Ireland’s Eye.
The Cahenys tile will state
CAHENYS
MAILCOACH ROAD
UP THE LOCALS
Sligo Rovers are delighted to reveal our brand new home jersey as we return to the roots of the club.
This new jersey is a throwback to our origins and is based on feedback and research with our fans over a period of time.
The club has never been as dedicated to our work in the community – the very basis of the foundation of the club – so we feel it appropriate to make this change and stick with it.
The new home shirt is made by our kit sponsor and supplier JOMA Sport and in association with our primary sponsor Avantcard.
Jerseys are available to purchase online now and on Sunday from 1:30pm at The Showgrounds until 4pm.
Buy online here
https://srfcdirect.com/jerseys/home/
Sizes are small to XXLarge and begin at 4-6 for kids up to 12-14.
All Super Reds who have a €10 discount voucher from their membership this year from can get their shirt on Sunday at the open day.
It will also be viewable at our question and answer night on Monday in Thomas Connolly’s Bar from 8pm.
Sligo Rovers CEO Colin Feehily said: “Our last stripe jersey was five years ago, so I think it’s time to go back to our roots, as when we started back in 1928 we wore a red and white striped jersey.
“I think the fan base would see this design as the club’s traditional colours and it has meaning behind it. We hope the supporters young and old like it, and we look forward to seeing the team wear it in a couple of weeks for the new season.”
Joma brand manager Susanne McNamara: “We were delighted to launch this new 2020 jersey in conjunction with Sligo Rovers.
“We feel it takes the club back to its roots with the traditional stripes whilst embracing a new modern look. We hope the Bit O’ Red supporters like it as much as we do, and wish Rovers the very best for the season.”
Chris Paul, Avantcard’s CEO, said: “As the new main shirt sponsor for the 2020 and 2021 seasons, we were delighted to collaborate with Sligo Rovers on the design of their new home and away kits.
“I understand that the red and white stripes of the new home jersey combine great memories from the past, with powerful ambitions for the future. We have many supporters amongst our team in Carrick-on-Shannon, who were all super excited to be the first fans to try on the new jersey earlier today.”
Purchase here
https://srfcdirect.com/jerseys/home/
Sligo Rovers play our first home game of the season on Friday 21st February against St Patrick’s Athletic in The Showgrounds.
Sligo Rovers will host a question and answer night next Monday 3rd February in Thomas Connolly’s Bar on Markievicz Road at 8pm.
Manager Liam Buckley and a senior player will attend the event. Liam will be interviewed by broadcaster Austin O’Callaghan.
The new Sligo Rovers home jersey in association with Avantcard can be viewed at the event.
It will be revealed this weekend on our social media accounts and for sale on SRFC Direct online.
Liam will speak about putting his squad together, the search for the final players, pre-season so far, the opening game with Finn Harps and much more.
Following the event the usual live music on Mondays at Thomas Connolly’s will begin from 9:30pm.
The 2020 Super Reds open day will take place this coming Sunday, February 2nd in The Showgrounds.
Registration for the event itself will open from 1.15pm in our new clubhouse, with activities on the day commencing from 2pm and finishing at 4pm.
Please note this event is exclusive to our Super Red members for 2020.
Our Super Reds will receive their free training kit on the day along with their 2020 season ticket. (Providing the application was received by the club before January 24th).
Along with this, every Super Red member will get the opportunity to meet our first team players whilst also enjoying fun and games on the clubs astro pitch with them.
The club requests that all Super Reds must be accompanied by a parent on the day.
The clubs merchandise shop will be open from 1.30pm.
If your child has applied to be a Super Red for 2020 and you are unable to attend on Sunday, please contact Shane at the club on 071-9171212 or email him Shane@sligorovers.com
If you would like your child to become a Super Red for 2020 there is still time. You can apply here.
Two families with very similar tales are our Stories from the Wall this week and share a strong Sligo name.
To date, 210 tiles have been sold for the new wall with the deadline this Friday to buy one to be erected in time for the new season.
Buy your tile here
The Kearins family in New York sent a video this week telling the story of how their grandfather is part of Sligo Rovers folklore and will be remembered on the Wall.
Laura Kearins, who is based in the Bronx, has helped carry on the tradition of supporting the club from her father Tony Kearins and grandfather Michael Kearins.
Michael remortgaged his home during a difficult time for the club early in its history in order for it to survive and to celebrate their great commitment to Rovers, they have bought several tiles.
Tony, Lena, Leo, Nancy, Debra, Michael, Brenda, Tara, Oisin, Ansela, Nan, Tess, Mickey, Julia and Theresa have bought seven tiles between them.
Brenda and Alan Kearins are among our most dedicated supporters here in Sligo as part of the Bit O’ Red Supporters Trust.
As Laura said in a video recorded at her residence in the Bronx: “I’m asking for everyone to support the Bit O’Red and buy a tile at The Showgrounds as most of us Kearins’ have already done here in New York and Sligo. The Kearins family will be reunited at The Showgrounds through the Bit O’ Red Wall.”
The Kearins family are part of the history of our club.
There is another Kerins Family who have purchased three tiles and reside in New York, although no relation.
Donie Kerins made the purchase on behalf of his late brother Tom and father Tommy who supported Rovers all his life.
The family originally had connections in Grange and lived on the Mall. Donie’s mother still lives in Sligo.
The message from Donie has the family name with messages on each tile
Bit O’ Red Forever
Rovers Forever.
Sligo Rovers were 5-1 winners last night against Ballinamallard in our latest pre-season friendly.
The game was played on the astro pitch at Ferney Park due to inclement weather.
Ronan Coughlan scored a hat-trick, while a trialist also scored two.
Regan Donelon was forced off in the first-half with a suspected shoulder injury.
Next up is Athlone Town away on Saturday at 2pm.
This year Valentine’s Day falls on the opening night of the League of Ireland season – which isn’t ideal for around 600 Sligo Rovers fans planning on travelling to Finn Park for our first game.
We have many couples that follow the Bit O’ Red but also, begrudgingly, accept that partners sometimes do not bond over a night watching the Rovers.
So far two buses – including a double-decker – have been filled with fans set to travel to Donegal. More are expect to follow with over two weeks to go.
The course of true love may not run smoothly if you do not create a plan for Friday 14th February – so we have come up with a solution.
You can download your Sligo Rovers-themed Valentine’s Day Card for your loved one as you confess your undying love – with a message subtlety added that you are moving the love-filled day until Saturday so you can travel to Finn Park.
The final part even includes our new signing Will Seymore informing you that Saturday will in fact be a much more romantic day that Valentine’s Day.
Download the card below, print two pages and combine them. More importantly, see you all in Ballybofey.
