Our 500 club continues as one of the club’s most important fundraisers each season. In it’s 18th year, The 500 Club is the modern day membership scheme for Sligo Rovers.

For €20 per month or €240 per year (Less than €5 per week), it is an ideal way to make a contribution to Sligo Rovers and be part in making the club a success both off the pitch and on it.

Vincent Nally and his 500 club committee recently held draws for April, May and June, with Paul Gilleece, Noel Kelly & Mary Kelly all getting themselves the €500 monthly prize. We had 27 other winners over the three month period, each taking home either €50 or €100.

Results:

April
1st	€500	Paul Gilleece	Circular Road, Sligo
2nd	€100	Eddie Gray	Cartron Heights
3rd	€100	David Rowe	Goatstown, Dublin 14
4th	€100	David Goulden	Ballymote, Co Sligo
5th	€100	Frank Ballantyne	Strandhill Rd, Sligo
6th	€100	Paul Cunningham	Ballisodare, Sligo
7th	€50	Kieran O’Dowd	Guteen, Co Sligo
8th	€50	Gerry McMunn	Dromard, Sligo
9th	€50	Michael Toolan	Ballymote, Co Sligo
10th	€50	Brian Mulvihill	Killiney, Dublin
May
1st	€500	Noel Kelly	Teeling Street, Sligo
2nd	€100	Molly Fultons	Carraroe, Sligo
3rd	€100	Michael Leonard	Blackrock, Dublin
4th	€100	Conal Collier	Navan Co Meath
5th	€100	Paddy Gilmartin	Larkhill Rd Sligo
6th	€100	Paul Waldron	Ballindine, Co Mayo
7th	€50	Kieran Murphy	Kisellagh, Calry
8th	€50	Gerry Gilbride	Ballydoogan, Co Sligo
9th	€50	Gary Morahan	Kevinsfort, Sligo
10th	€50	Raymond Shorthall	Kells, Co Meath
June
1st	€500	Mary Kelly	Cartron Village, Sligo
2nd	€100	Ronnie Dunne	Heatherview, Sligo
3rd	€100	Colm Feeney	Circular Road Sligo
4th	€100	Ian McLoughlin	Calry Sligo
5th	€100	Gerry Gormally	Ballymote Sligo
6th	€100	Joe Flynn	Celbridge Co Kildare
7th	€50	Mary Martin	Calry Co Sligo
8th	€50	Henry Burns	Rosses Point Sligo
9th	€50	John Clifford	Carraroe Sligo
10th	€50	Sean Crossan	Rathcormac Sligo

If you are interested in becoming a 500 Club member please email michaelclancy04@gmail.com with your name and contact details. If you wish to join you can make payment in a number of ways:

Online:

It is now available to join via Paypal.

You can sign up for monthly payments of €20 for 12 months or in a one off payment of €240.

Users can pay by credit/ debit card or by logging into their PayPal account. This is an ideal method of payment for exiled fans abroad. However there is a small additional charge in respect of PayPal’s processing fee.

Online Store:

https://srfcdirect.com/search.php?search_query=500+club

Through your bank:

You can also make payment in a one off bank transfer or alternatively by monthly direct debit mandate of €20. Further details are available upon request by e-mailing michaelclancy04@gmail.com

Congrats to all our prize winners and thanks to all our 500 Club members.

Sligo Rovers Women’s Under 17 team are seeking applications for the role of head coach, as we move closer to the WNL U17 season getting underway.

Due to the season’s delay as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Martin McManus, who had been appointed head coach for the season, has indicated that he will unfortunately be unable to take charge of the team for this delayed season.

We would like to thank Martin for all his hard work. The squad has already been assembled following trials earlier this year, and our players are back in training as they await fixtures for the revised season.

The Bit O’Red girls enjoyed a fantastic year in 2019 under Darragh Healy and his team of Jason Quinn, Martin McManus, Hugh Cunningham and Yvette Edwards.

Reaching the semi-finals of both the cup and the league, the Rovers girls were impressive throughout their second season in the Só Hotels Under 17 Women’s National League. There was also a number of international call-ups.

The position of Under-17 Women’s Head Coach is key to the ongoing development of our elite underage players and will play a significant role in their development. The position will be on a voluntary basis. The role will provide valuable experience for the successful candidate of working with an elite group of players.

Job Description
– Help club achieve its vision to ‘Build a brand that is associated with excellence on and off the pitch for women’s football, to be considered as an example of excellence and best practice, and one of the major developer of players within the country at underage, and eventually senior level’.
– The development and nurturing of a pool of elite players to facilitate their current and future success as individuals and as a team.
– Organise, plan and deliver a suitable player development programme in line with the FAI and Sligo Rovers coaching syllabus.
– Uphold the clubs code of conduct and implement club’s vision on and off the pitch.
– Set high standards for the players both on and off the pitch.
– Create and maintain appropriate communication with players / parents / clubs / leagues and any stakeholders relevant to the team
– To work with the media in any area regarding Sligo Rovers FC.
– Ensure the club adheres to FAI & Women’s National League rules and regulations and competition rules. . 
– To ensure that all delivery satisfies the clubs safeguarding and welfare procedures 
– The successful candidate will report to the Women’s Football committee within the club. The women’s committee includes members of the club management committee and is governed by the management committee of Sligo Rovers.

Job Specification:
The ideal candidate will have skills and experience in the following areas: 

Essential Criteria
– A current valid UEFA B Licence holder as a minimum.
– Successful candidate will be subjected to garda vetting clearance. 
– Up to date Safeguarding 1 / Child Welfare Certificate.
– An ability to produce verbal and written reports.
– Access to both email and phone.
– Experience and enthusiasm for coaching and mentoring elite young players and coaches.

Desirable Criteria
– Administrative and organisational skills.
– Previous experience of coaching in female game.
– Coach mentoring experience.

Abilities / Skills / Knowledge: 
– Has the leadership ability to inspire a team to play to their maximum potential.
– Ability to communicate and implement club’s philosophy as head coach.
– Excellent communication skills with the ability to build meaningful, strong strategic relationships with players, staff and officials.
– Understanding of learning, development and high performance with a proven ability to create optimum and challenging learning environments for players.
– Strong existing relationships within women’s football in North-West.
– Must be available for games / training at weekends and evenings.
To apply for this position please email your CV with a cover letter by Monday, July 27th at 5pm to Jane Nugent, Secretary, Women’s Football Committee, Sligo Rovers FC at sligoroverswomen@gmail.com 

Sligo Rovers are now accepting applications from season ticket holders to attend matches in August.

The games are:

Tuesday 4th August vs Waterford – 7:45pm
Saturday 8th August vs Shelbourne – 5pm
Saturday 22nd August vs Dundalk – 5pm

How to apply:

Click here to apply and submit the form with all details filled out.

Applications will close on Thursday 23rd July at 1pm. We wish to remind supporters that we will be adhering to guidelines from the HSE and FAI.

How we deal with submissions: 

Following the result of the submissions, the club will randomly allocate season ticket holders to each game. Season ticket holders can apply for multiple games but after a successful application, the queue is reordered. This will ensure as many season tickets holders as possible can benefit.

Super Reds will also be included but must tie-in with parental or family season ticket passes. 

Our online submission form will ask what type of season ticket you hold, whether Super Reds tickets are tied in with family or adult tickets, in order for us best to deal with your request.

Inevitably demand will outweigh supply as the number of season ticket holders the club has far exceeds our permitted capacity. 

We feel this is the fairest way to deal with the issue and allow greatest control on hosting safe matches in The Showgrounds. 

What do I do if I’m successful in the ballot?

Supporters will be contacted at least a week from the fixture to see if they still wish to attend. 

Safety guidelines will be published on our website in advance of the game and we will also seek contact info and be in touch on game week.

Streaming passes:

Applications for free season passes for streaming for all season ticket holders will open on Friday afternoon.

Only two players remain in this years last man standing as we head into week 9. Des Kavanagh and Patricia Cryan are the only two survivors of week 8 where 8 players were eliminated due to Leicester’s loss against AFC Bournemouth.

Des has chosen Southampton this week who host Brighton this Thursday at 8:15. Patricia has picked Everton for her selection, they to play on Thursday at the earlier time of 6pm. Everton welcome Aston Villa to Goodison park

Both players selections so far can be seen below

	Des Kavanagh	Patricia Cryan
Week 1	west ham	wolves
Week 2	liverpool	liverpool
Week 3	Chelsea	Chelsea
Week 4	Wolves	Tottenham
Week 5	Arsenal	Arsenal
Week 6	Manchester United	Leicester
Week 7	Watford	Manchester United
Week 8	Manchester city	Manchester City
Week 9	Southampton	Everton

Attending matches  – Please note all is subject to change: 

If phase 4 of the government Covid-19 roadmap proceeds as planned, a limited number of people can be in The Showgrounds for our first three league matches. 

These are:

Tuesday 4 August vs Waterford – 7:45pm

Saturday 8 August vs Shelbourne – 5pm

Saturday 22 August vs Dundalk – 5pm

It is hoped that more can attend later in the year. A decision on matches after 31 August will be taken in line with FAI and government advice.

Players, match officials, club volunteers, visiting officials and all personnel key to running a match event at The Showgrounds will be part of the number of permitted attendance.

As a result, in terms of supporters attending for our first three games, the number will be very limited. A final league wide guideline is awaited in line with HSE recommendations. 

How it is distributed: 

The club are extremely fortunate to benefit from many loyal supporters.

Following a meeting of the management committee, it was felt imperative in this scenario to prioritise all 2020 season ticket holders for the division of match tickets for games. 

Other factors will not enter into how tickets are distributed. 

From this week we will ask season ticket holders to apply online to attend our first three games. That portal will open in the next 48 hours. Again we must state there is no guarantee of supporters being allowed to attend.

Season ticket holders who do not apply will still be contacted by the club but we encourage all season tickets holders to use the online method and provide contact details in order to make the process as fast as possible for the club.

We are particularly mindful of those who do not access our media channels so please encourage fellow season tickets holders to log online. 

Only season ticket holders will be eligible to apply to attend matches. 

How we deal with submissions: 

Following the result of the submissions, the club will randomly allocate season ticket holders to each game. Season ticket holders can apply for multiple games but after a successful application, the queue is reordered. This will ensure as many season tickets holders as possible can benefit.

Super Reds will also be included but must tie-in with parental or family season ticket passes. 

Our online submission form will ask what type of season ticket you hold, whether Super Reds tickets are tied in with family or adult tickets, in order for us best to deal with your request.

Inevitably demand will outweigh supply as the number of season ticket holders the club has far exceeds our permitted capacity. 

We feel this is the fairest way to deal with the issue and allow greatest control on hosting safe matches in The Showgrounds. 

What do I do if I’m successful in the ballot?

Supporters will be contacted at least a week from the fixture to see if they still wish to attend. 

Safety guidelines will be published on our website in advance of the game and we will also seek contact info and be in touch on game week.

Streaming:

The club will purchase a streaming pass for all Sligo Rovers home and away matches for our season ticket holders in order to watch the Bit O’ Red in action. This is at a cost of thousands of euro. 

There will be no charge to our season ticket holders for this pass. They must apply for the pass, we will post on www.sligorovers.com this week on how to apply. After Tuesday 28 July, this offer will no longer be available. No exceptions will be made. Households with multiple season tickets will be asked to apply for one pass.

Non-season tickets holders will be able to purchase the pass for a fee, to be confirmed next week.  

Message from Management Committee:

We will try continue to accommodate all our fans as best we can within the current restrictions. That is not easy in the current circumstances but we hope the combination of free streaming for all our matches including away fixtures and limited home attendance will appeal to our season ticket holders.We will continue to operate within the guidelines as the situation changes and will update supporters regularly.

Finally, a huge thank you from the club for the tremendous support for the Gofundme appeal organised by the Bit O’ Red Supporters Trust, it really demonstrates what the club means to people and is a massive help in filling the big financial gap we have been left with. 

Sligo Rovers Management Committee

Sligo Rovers will play in the first game of the resumed SSE Airtricity League of Ireland on Friday 31 July against Derry City at 5:45pm in the Ryan McBride Brandywell.

In a busy opening week, Rovers then play at home on Tuesday 4 August at 7:45pm in The Showgrounds.

On Saturday 8 August, Shelbourne are the visitors to Sligo for a 5pm kick-off.

The new match times are for streaming purposes. Full fixtures are available here.

Sligo Rovers have received a bye into the second round of the Extra.ie FAI Cup.

Rovers were one of the 13 clubs to receive a bye to the second round of the competition, due to the shortened 2020 season format. 

The teams to receive a bye were drawn first. Rovers were fifth out of the draw.

St. Patrick’s Athletic will travel to Finn Harps, Cork City take on Longford Town at Turner’s Cross. 

Dundalk will face Waterford. 

Extra.ie FAI Cup – First Round Draw

Cork City v Longford Town
Dundalk v Waterford
Finn Harps v St. Patrick’s Athletic

Byes

Athlone Town
Bohemians
Bray Wanderers
Cabinteely
Cobh Ramblers
Derry City
Drogheda United
Galway United
Shamrock Rovers
Shelbourne
Sligo Rovers
UCD AFC 
Wexford

Sligo Rovers recorded a 1-0 win over Galway United last Sunday in their first friendly game ahead of the resumption of the SSE Airtricity League season.

The match was played behind closed doors in The Showgrounds.

Rovers were without nine players for the match. Teemu Penninkangas, Will Seymore, Ryan De Vries, Alex Cooper and Lewis Banks are quarantining until Wednesday, while John Mahon, Johnny Dunleavy, Danny Kane and Ronan Murray are injured.

Garry Buckley played at centre-half for the Bit O’ Red – the same role in which he played in the match before the league was shutdown against Shamrock Rovers.

Fit again Regan Donelon played at left-back, while Scott Lynch was at right-back.

Another IT Sligo student, Mark Byrne, started on the left side for Rovers.

Galway started the half the better but it was the home side that created the most chances in the first period.

In the 14^th minute Byrne played the ball down the left side for Coughlan. The striker held his run to remain onside and checked back onto his right side, but the shot was blocked. Jesse Devers took possession, beat his man and crossed for Byrne, but Galway goalkeeper Kevin Horgan was equal to the header.

Five minutes later David Cawley chipped the ball over the top for Coughlan who attempted to lob Horgan in the goal, however his effort went wide of the post as Rovers attacked the Pet Stop stand.

Cawley teed up Darragh Noone when the Mayo man picked up the loose ball from a set piece. Noone pointed to where he wanted the ball 15 yards from goal and it was a fine pass by his fellow midfielder. The shot was just over the crossbar.

The best move of the half came on 22 minutes as Callan-McFadden played a confident pass from halfway which Noone turned and ran towards goal. He found Byrne on the left side, surrounded by Galway players, with Donelon running on to support. The left-back gave it to Coughlan on the edge of the box, who spun and shot and at a second attempt sent an overhead kick just above the crossbar.

Francely Lomboto sent a ball across the Rovers six yard area on 33 minutes as Galway threatened on the break.

Farragher headed a Jesse Devers cross out for a corner when Noone and Coughlan were waiting at the back post three minutes later.

Horgan had to be alert to tip over Donelon’s free-kick which was a cross aimed towards goal.

The best opening of the half came down the right side again with Devers. He slid the ball across the area which couldn’t get a touch on. A Galway defender looked to have made contact with the Rovers striker, but the referee waved play on.

Rovers spent the half-time break on the pitch for social-distancing reasons. Galway made eight changes for the second half, including former Bit O’ Red players Michael Schlingermann and Vinny Faherty.

Darragh Noone was pushing further up the field for Rovers. Galway had the best opening of the a quiet first 15 minutes of the second period.

Carlton Ubaezuonu was causing some problems on the left side and he produced a lovely cross for Faherty to head over. The veteran striker was furious with himself as it was a glaring opening.

Rovers would then go ahead. The move start at the back as Scott Lynch sent it down the channel, Noone showed good composure to see Cawley who dinked it over the United backline for Devers in space.

The former Galway player sent in a sublime first-time cross for Mark Byrne to come rushing on to and he beat Schlingermann from close range for his first senior goal.

Darren Collins of the Under-19s and Darragh Reilly – an Under-17 player and former captain of the Republic of Ireland Under-16s, were introduced for Devers and Lynch on 62 minutes.

Reilly slotted in at right-back to make his senior debut at just 16 years of age.

There was little other incident in the second period. Garry Buckley shot from 25 yards which was comfortable for Schlingermann. Rovers were in retreat for the closing stages and had a very youthful side – as well as tiring – with Liam Buckley unable to make wholesale changes due to so many absentees.

The lively Byrne played a brilliant ball through for Coughlan, who saw his attempt to beat the final man thwarted as it was sent out for a corner which Buckley just missed out on.  

Schlingermann was injured later on, hobbling on his ankle, so striker Faherty had to go in goal for United for the closing stages as they finished with 10 men.

The teams could meet again in this pre-season, with Liam Buckley’s men set to play two more games.

Sligo Rovers team: Ed McGinty, Scott Lynch (Darragh Reilly 62), Garry Buckley (Johnny Dunleavy 75), Kyle Callan-McFadden, Regan Donelon; David Cawley (Kailin Barlow 81), Niall Morahan, Darragh Noone; Mark Byrne, Jesse Devers (Darren Collins 62); Ronan Coughlan.

10 players remain in contention to win €1000 as we go into week 8 of the last man standing. The mid-week games seen 4 players eliminated after Tottenham were held to a goalless draw away to AFC Bournemouth.

This weekend Leicester are the standout favourites for the remaining contestants with 8 players selecting them. Leicester faces off against relegation battlers AFC Bournemouth.

Manchester City is the team chosen by the remaining two players. They come up against Brighton and Hove Albion .

Name	Week 8 selection
Evan Dolan	Leicester
Therese Foley	Leicester
Sean Murphy	Leicester
Gerry Higgins	Leicester
Lewis Banks	Leicester
Des Kavanagh	Manchester city
Patricia Cryan	Manchester city
Noel Farry	Leicester
Martin Bracken	Leicester
John Lunny	Leicester

Entries for week 7 of Last man standing have closed. Week 6 seen no players eliminated with 14 still in contention for the €1000 prise.

Relegation battlers Watford are the most picked team this week with half of the remaining players beliving they will beat bottom of the table Norwich. Neither team have won a game since the restart.

Tottenham is the second favourite team this week with 4 players picking them. They travel to 2nd from bottom Afc Bournemouth.

Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool make up the remaining selections.

Name	Week 7 selection
Evan Dolan	Watford
Mark Feeney	Tottenham
Therese Foley	Watford
Sean Murphy	Chelsea
Frank McGee	Tottenham
Sean Hunt	Tottenham
Eoin McHugh	Tottenham
Gerry Higgins	Watford
Lewis Banks	Watford
Des Kavanagh	Watford
Patricia Cryan	Manchester United
Noel Farry	Watford
Martin Bracken	Watford
John Lunny	Liverpool