While there is a growing national dialogue around mental health and wellbeing, people in Ireland remain hesitant to talk openly about their own mental health, and misperceptions about suicidal behaviour persist. The language relating to suicide and mental health is often stigmatising or misleading.

Irelands National Suicide Prevention strategy, Connecting for life, aims to reduce the suicide and self-harm rates in the whole population and among priority groups, including members of the Traveller community, people experiencing homelessness and LGBTQ+ people.

Connecting for life Sligo Leitrim Implementation Plan 2022-2024 was launched in December 2022 coinciding with the official opening of the Adult Mental Health Unit at Sligo University Hospital. This implementation plan sets out a “whole of society” approach whereby all aspects of our health and social care system alongside our education, statutory and community partner’s work together to empower our communities.

Sligo Rovers is one of the few fan owned community clubs in the League of Ireland today. The club has shown remarkable resilience throughout the years since it was established in 1928 for it to remain a community owned club.

Sligo Mental Health Services (SLMHS) guided by the 7 National Goals within Connecting for Life look forward to working with Sligo Rovers to empower our communities.

Sligo Rovers look forward to engaging both our fan base and community in new and innovative ways going forward.

SLMHS and SRFC will join Sligo parkrun at 09:30 am on Saturday 27^th May.

We hope to see the bit of red fans come along in their club colours to walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. We hope this could be a record breaking parkrun attendance!

Each participant will receive a free limited edition Sligo Rovers Water Bottle to keep you hydrated through the summer months! This will operate on a first come first serve basis and we would ask all participants to register with parkrun Sligo.

What is Sligo parkrun?

A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it’s up to you!

When is it?

Every Saturday at 9:30am

 Where is it?

The event takes place at Doorly Park, Cleveragh, Sligo.

What does it cost to join in? Nothing – it’s free, but please register at https://www.parkrun.ie/register/?eventName=sligo before you first come along. Only ever register with parkrun once and don’t forget to bring a scannable copy of your barcode which you’ll receive when registering.

Former Man City and Blackburn Rovers player Nicky Reid was the player / manager 25 years ago when Sligo Rovers won the League Cup defeating Shelbourne 1-0 in the two-leg final.

Last Saturday night at The Showgrounds at the Premier Division game between Sligo Rovers and Shelbourne members of that squad were guests of the club.

Conall Collier interviewed Nicky Reid for an article in the match programme.

PINTS NOT POINTS NOW THE FOCUS FOR NICKY REID:

Nicky Reid was the first manager to guide the Sligo Rovers to a League Cup final victory 25 years ago and he also took the club on a record-breaking 16-game unbeaten run in his first season at the helm, from December 1997 to March 1998.

Nicky’s first game for Sligo Rovers was a friendly at the Showgrounds against a Micky Adams-managed Fulham side on 23rd July 1997.

His final game for Sligo Rovers and the final game of his career was in March 1999, an FAI Cup tie against Bray Wanderers at the Showgrounds.

He sustained an injury in that game that effectively forced him to hand up the football boots.

In a stellar playing career that lasted 22 years, Nicky played more than 500 games for all his clubs starting with 200 appearances for Manchester City which included the memorable 1981 FA Cup final, the 100th FA Cup final, with the first game finishing 1-1 and Spurs winning the replay 3-2.

He joined Blackburn Rovers in July 1987 and helped the club win promotion to what was the new FA Premier League in the 1991/92 season, he then joined West Bromwich Albion for the 1992–93 season helping the club win promotion from Division 2.

That was followed by spells with Wycombe Wanderers and Bury before he made the short journey across the Irish Sea and landed at the airport in Strandhill ahead of trials with Sligo Rovers.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Sligo, initially I went over to play a few games for Jimmy Mullen who was the manager at the time, my previous club, Bury, didn’t offer me a new contract,” recalled Nicky as he took a break from his duties as proprietor of the Masons Arms in Chorley, a town with a population of around 100,000 some 20 miles west of Manchester.

“I ended up with the manager’s job at Sligo Rovers by accident, we had played a few friendlies but Jimmy wasn’t kept on as manager, I was asked would I do the job and I said I’d have a go at it, at least it meant I’d get picked every week.

“I’m thrilled to be going over for this 25th anniversary, I know it’s probably not a major event for Sligo Rovers, but for me it was something special, to win a trophy as a player / manager, I was really pleased to get the invite.

“I’m travelling on the same flight as Marcus (Hallows) so that should be memorable on its own, but it will be wonderful to see all the guys again and I’m really looking forward to seeing Sligo again.

“I really enjoyed my time there, lovely people, a great place and it should be a great weekend, I know that Marcus does this Elvis act, I meet him from time to time, he lives in Bolton and I’m not too far from there,” he added.

And what did Nicky Reid do when he was told all those years ago that he wouldn’t be the manager of Sligo Rovers for the 1999 / 2000 season?

“Obviously, I was disappointed with the decision, but that’s football and that’s they things go,” he reflected almost a quarter of a century later.

“I did a two-year diploma is sports injuries during the time was in Sligo and when I returned to England, I was offered a role as the reserve team physio at Burnley,” he said.

“I took on that role and was there for five years during which I also went to university to upgrade my qualifications, a degree in Chartered Physiotherapy.

“After Burnley, I was at Bury for three seasons and I was also with Macclesfield Town, Preston and a few other clubs, that kept me fit but the knees started to complain and I had to do something else.

“Myself and my partner (Cheryl) bought a public house, the Masons Arms in Chorley, it’s a small, local pub.

“Most of the customers wouldn’t exactly remember me as a footballer, but occasionally there would be a request for a photo.

“The pub, well, I suppose I had lots of practice visiting the pubs when I was in Sligo, to make sure that the players weren’t out when they shouldn’t be, that’s my line anyway.

“Occasionally I get invited back to Man City or Blackburn Rovers as a former player and that’s something I appreciate, just like this invite back to Sligo, I really appreciate it and it will be great to see the old stadium, there was so much to like about Sligo, the people of the area and the supporters, hopefully I’ll get a good welcome,” he concluded.

Some 25 years ago Sligo Rovers won the League Cup defeating Shelbourne 1-0 in the two-leg final.

Last Saturday night at the Showgrounds at the interval in the Premier game between Sligo Rovers and Shelbourne members of that panel were guests of the club.

Team captain Steve Birks spent seven years with the club and was interviewed by Conall Collier for an article in the match programme.

THE INTERVIEW

Mention the name of former player Steve Birks and many Sligo Rovers supporters will instantly describe the man from Fleetwood in England as a wholehearted and genuine footballer who gave his best for the club for almost seven years.

Apart from a brief spell with Tommy Cassidy’s Glentoran in the Irish League, as it was at the time, Steve had six seasons with Sligo Rovers and played close to 150 times for the Bit O’Red, his initial contact with the club was through Gerry Cassidy.

There would be unanimous agreement that when Steve pulled on the Sligo Rovers jersey, supporters were guaranteed 100 per cent commitment on the pitch and a battling performance.

Steve captained the Bit O’Red to that memorable League Cup final victory against Shelbourne in 1998 and it was a battling performance in the second-leg at Tolka Park that kept a 1-0 first-leg lead intact and brought some silverware to the Showgrounds.

Those battling qualities that were so evident from 1995 to 2001 will have to surface again as Steve faces into another battle now with serious illness on the radar.

Steve takes up the story:

“Initially, the prognosis from the medical people was a major shock, there was palliative care mentioned, I just couldn’t believe it and then I decided that I’m going to fight this as best I can,” he explained.

It’s just like when I was playing for Sligo Rovers, I always gave my best, did the best I could regardless of the odds.

“Now, that I have this health challenge, I’m hoping that the same attitude will help me in the battle.

“The people of Sligo accepted me and welcomed me when I joined the club and I have never forgotten that, now they are welcoming me and my family back to celebrate the 25th anniversary of what was a great night, both for the club, and for me personally, I really appreciate that.

“I’m really looking forward to visiting Sligo with my wife, Emma, our two children will be mascots at the game.

“It was always my plan to go back to Sligo and we had originally decided to go for my 50th birthday, that’s in July, but then this invitation came along and, with all that’s going on, I suppose I look on it as an early 50th birthday present.

“I spent nearly seven years in Sligo and the place really means a lot to me, I was actually very close to staying there, but it’s amazing the way things work out.

“My wife is also from Fleetwood, but we didn’t know each other beforehand, if you understand what I mean, we met at a social outing

“We have a young family, a two-year-old and a six-year-old, that alone was an incentive for me to tackle this health issue head on.

“There was some new medication suggested, which I tried, and all I can say is, so far, so good, but like all these things, nothing is certain, I’m currently in the process of retiring from the Fire Service and ready for the fight of my life,” he added.

Looking back at his time with Sligo Rovers and that magical night at Tolka Park some 25 years ago, Steve identified that success as one of the highlights of his football career.

“Winning the League Cup for the first time with Sligo Rovers, that was one highpoint for my football career, it was very important as two years earlier we had lost to Shelbourne in the final and I had a penalty saved in the shoot-out.

“Paul Tovey also missed one and it was really disappointing as a few minutes before the end of extra-time, I had a shot from about 30 yards that rattled the woodwork.

“Lawrie Sanchez was the manager when I was signed, but then he was gone and Steve Cotterill came in, at the end of that first season Steve wasn’t going to renew my contract and I ended up going to Glentoran for pre-season where Tommy Cassidy was the manager

“I missed the European games with Sligo Rovers in the Inter Toto Cup, that was really disappointing, I had an offer from Glentoran, but it wasn’t really what I wanted.

“Glentoran wanted me to fly in from England on a Friday night, play the game on a Saturday and then go home again, they had arranged that I could train with Blackpool.

“But then Steve (Cotterill) left the club and Chris (Rutherford) got in touch and asked me to come back, I had to tell Tommy (Cassidy) that I was going back to Sligo, he wasn’t too happy.

“Jimmy Mullen came in as manager of Sligo Rovers and I knew him well, he was the manager at Blackpool when I was a schoolboy there, but it didn’t work out for him and next thing I knew Nicky Reid had the role.

“That was a good sign as far as I was concerned, it showed that the club was serious about making progress with a man of that calibre.

“It was a bit of a challenge for Nicky, his first job as a manager and made more difficult as he took on the role of player / manager, he achieved a 16-game unbeaten run for the club while he was the manager.

“Nicky did a good job, but I always felt he didn’t get the credit he deserved, he got the best he could out of the players he had.

“But football can be, as they say, a funny old game, and after Nicky departed, he was replaced by Jim McInally, but that was a fairly brief tenure.

“The next manager was none other than Tommy Cassidy, he came into the dressing room and he just looked at me and we had a laugh, we became good friends,” he added.

Both Steve and Tommy Cassidy departed from the north west in 2001, but the paths of the man from Fleetwood and the former Northern Ireland international player would cross again, as Steve explains.

“When I finished with Sligo Rovers, I briefly played for Lancaster City while I was waiting for my international clearance to come through.

“Once I got that I went to Holland and played for Leonidas for three seasons, but then I came back to England and joined two of my brothers at the Lancashire Fire & Rescue, I and was based in Blackpool.

“That suited fine as I am from Fleetwood which was only 15 or 20 minutes away and I continued to play semi-professional for about another seven years.

“Tommy Cassidy was the manager at Workington and he signed me, I won the Cumbria Cup with Workington when we beat Carlisle Utd in the final.

“Then Tommy moved to Newcastle Blue Star, he signed me again, they were in the Northern Alliance League as far as I can remember and at the end of that season I went to Blyth Spartans,” he concluded.

25 YEARS AGO – 1998

STEVE BIRKS QUOTE

Sligo are often criticised for their policy of bringing in English players who don’t bother too much when they get here. I took a wage cut to come her. I want to play full-time football. I could have a job in England and play part-time in the Conference. But I wouldn’t be able to do myself justice so I’m prepared to accept less money here. Some of the supporters think we are on huge money, but we’re not.

Sligo Rovers suffered a second home defeat in the space of a week as Shelbourne won this SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division tie 3-0 at The Showgrounds on Saturday night.

John Russell was without a host of first team players through injury as Garry Buckley, Gary Boylan, Karl O’ Sullivan, Mark Byrne, Max Mata, Fabrice Hartmann, Conor Walsh, John Mahon, Eanna Clancy and James Finnerty all missed the game.

Greg Bolger returned in midfield following a recent knock and Bogdan Vastsuk filled the void for Max Mata in attack.

Shelbourne, unbeaten in their last six games were in front after just ten minutes. Matty Smith broke down the right hand side and crossed for Tyreke Wilson who cut inside on his right foot and shot toward goal. His effort was blocked but the ball bounced into the path of Jack Moylan who tapped into an empty net.

Stefan Radosavljevic went close soon after for Rovers after good build up play ended with him inside the area and his low effort was cleared away.

It was 2-0 at half-time as in the 40th minute, Moylan got his second after a corner wasn’t dealt with by the Rovers defence.

It was 3-0 on 65 minutes when Johan Brannefalk fouled a Shels attacker in the area and Moylan completed his hattrick from the penalty spot.

Kailin Barlow was introduced in place of Vastsuk and he almost pulled one back with a free-kick from 40 yards, where he saw goalkeeper Conor Kearns off his line but the ball went over.

Next up for Rovers is a trip to Turners Cross on Friday to take on Cork City.

Casey Howe’s brace of first-half goals boosted Sligo Rovers to a 2-0 victory against hosts Cork City in the Women’s Premier Division at Turner’s Cross this evening, writes Conall Collier.

This encounter opened at a cracking pace with chances at each end as both teams went in search of a first win of the season.

The Bit O’Red delivered a dynamic opening 45 minutes and then battened down the hatches in the second-half to seal a merited first win of the season that moved them off the bottom of the table.

An action-packed first-half saw Emma Doherty’s sixth minute shot scrambled away by Cork and then Casey Howe went close for Sligo Rovers.

At the other end Cork City had an Alex Mendez cross saved by Bonnie McKiernan before Ellie O’Brien looked certain to score, but her effort shaved the outside of the far post.

Thirteen minutes in an Emma Doherty header thundered against the Cork crossbar, but the Bit O’Red made the breakthrough soon after when Casey Howe finished to the net for a deserved lead.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic and Cork City created a good chance, but the offside flag rescued the visitors.

The hectic pace continued and Emma Hansberry skimmed the top of the Cork crossbar with a fine effort from about 30 metres.

Casey Howe’s 39^th minute free from 20 metres was saved by Hannah Walsh at the expense of a corner, but Howe made no mistake in the 42^ndminute when she raced into the Cork City penalty area and finished to the net for a merited 2-0 interval advantage.   

The Bit O’Red resumed smartly after the break and Casey Howe had a good early chance before the Loughrey sisters, Jodie and Kerri, combined, but were narrowly off target. 

Cork City custodian Hannah Walsh produced a smart save to deny Emma Doherty on the hour and the Sligo Rovers striker went close again soon after.

Cork City continued to probe for an opening and Christina Dring was denied as Bonnie McKiernan produced a fine finger-tip save and at the other end Howe was denied a hat-trick as Walsh saved well again.

Keela Scanlon made a crucial clearance in added time to deny the hosts a goal chance as Sligo Rovers took the points from Turner’s Cross.

Cork City – Hannah Walsh; Laura Walsh, Danielle Burke, Heidi Mackin, Eva Mangan, Alex Mendez, Jessie Mendez, Aoibhinn Donnelly, Laura Shine, Christina Dring.

 Subs – Chloe Atkinson for A Mendez 58 mins, Fina Bradley for O’Brien 60m, Nadine Seward for Dring and Niamh Cotter for Burke both 75m

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Alice Lillie, Sarah Kiernan, Keela Scanlon, Amy Roddy, Emma Hansberry, Lauren Boles, Emma Doherty, Kerri Loughrey, Casey Howe, Jodie Loughrey. 

Subs – Leah Kelly for K Loughrey and Aoife Brennan for J Loughrey both 72 mins.

Sligo Rovers host Shelbourne on Saturday night at The Showgrounds in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division.

The game will be Rovers’ second at home in the space of seven days following last weekend’s narrow 1-0 defeat against Dundalk at the same venue following former player Keith Ward’s late header which sealed the points.

The Bit O’ Red had two or three good chances in front of goal on the night and will feel hard done by to come away with nothing from a game which was fairly evenly contested throughout.

Manager John Russell is glad to be back at The Showgrounds once again this weekend:

‘’We were all disappointed not to take something from the game last weekend.

‘’We created some good chances in both halves but, unfortunately we couldn’t convert one of those and then we conceded a poor goal late on.

‘’Tonight gives us the perfect opportunity to try and bounce back. We all know we’re down a few bodies through injury at the moment, but I always look at the positives.

‘’For me, it’s an opportunity for others to grab the jersey and do well. We’ve shown that our squad is strong so it’s important we embrace the challenge ahead’’.

Supporters will be able to welcome back members of the 1997/98 League Cup winning side to The Showgrounds for the first time, 25 years on from their great win over Shelbourne over two legs.

The squad will be in attendance at the game on Saturday as they have a reunion weekend in Sligo.

Russell is keen for another large attendance to get to The Showgrounds and get behind the lads:

‘’The crowds have been building all season and we’re hoping for another big turnout tonight.

‘’We need everybody getting behind the team and hopefully the players can deliver a top performance’’.

In team news, Rovers continue to be without their long-term absentees and will now face fresh concerns over John Mahon, Fabrice Hartmann, Max Mata, Eanna Clancy, Niall Morahan and James Finnerty.

Greg Bolger could return, and Bogdan Vastsuk came through last week’s game over Dundalk with no concerns following a recent injury and is fit to start if required this weekend.

Turnstiles open at 6.30pm and with this being a Category B fixture, tickets are priced at €15 for Adults, €10 for Senior Citizens or Students/Over 12’s and €5 for Under 12’s.

Tickets can be purchased online at https://srfcdirect.com/match-tickets/ or on the night at the turnstiles.

This weekend is a quiet one for the Academy with just two games taking place, both on Sunday at The Sean Fallon Centre.

Our Under 19 Men’s team host Klub Kildare at 1pm while our Under 19 Women’s team take on DLR Waves from 4.30pm.

Admission to both games is free of charge.

We want to extend our congratulations to Keeva Flynn who was part of the Republic of Ireland Under 16 Women’s team who played Germany on Thursday in a friendly. Keeva has played four times for her country in the last few weeks and we are extremely proud.

Sligo Rovers will continue their quest for a first Women’s Premier Division (WPD) victory of the season when they make the long trip to Turner’s Cross on Saturday to tackle a Cork City side that is also on the scent of a first win, writes Conall Collier.

This is the battle of the bottom two teams in the WPD with Cork City ahead of the Bit O’Red following the point they picked up against a Treaty Utd side that defeated Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.

Looking for a positive for Sligo Rovers going into this game is fairly straightforward, while they have a goal difference of minus 15, it’s superior to the Munster women who have a tally of minus 20.

And there is the key to this encounter, the defence that performs best will take the points.

Scoring could also pose a challenge with the Bit O’Red slightly better in that department also with five goals scored compared to Cork City’s three.

Last weekend Cork City conceded five against a Shamrock Rovers side that struggled to get the better of Sligo Rovers on the opening day of the season, but this contest will come down to consistency over 90 minutes.

Speaking after last Saturday’s game against Bohemian FC, Emma Hansberry outlined the mood amongst the Sligo Rovers players.

“We were very disappointed not to  get a point, or even three points, on the board,” she stated after the narrow defeat at Dalymount Park.

“Overall, we were happy enough with our performance regardless of the score, we created some chances, but conceding from the set piece, the corner, that’s something we will to look at for the next game.

“We’re a good few games into the season now and we have no points on the board, that’s very disappointing considering that we have some very good players.

“We will keep working hard at training and hopefully we will get something from the next game.

“There are no easy games in this league and we will assess Cork, hopefully we will show up on the day and give a performance and get some points on the board,” she concluded.

Kick-off at Turner’s Cross is at 5pm and the game can be viewed on LOITV.

You can’t avoid the dulcet tones of Gerry Ryan anytime you visit the Showgrounds for a League of Ireland Premier Division game or indeed a Women’s Premier Division outing, but not too many supporters would be aware that his preferred option when asked to take over the duties of the PA was to take on the role of Benny the Bull.

However, the persuasive skill of one Robert Fitzpatrick convinced the Tipperary native to ‘give it a go for a week or two just to help out’ and, like most things that are Sligo Rovers-related, the ‘week or two’ has, so far, turned into about six years.

Not only is Gerry on announcement duty, but his son Donal could be on LOITV duty or commentating for the local radio station, OCEAN FM.

And like many supporters of Sligo Rovers, Gerry can well recall the first time he had the opportunity to see the Bit O’Red in action, and on that occasion he most definitely wasn’t cheering for the League of Ireland champions back in 1977 in the birthplace of the GAA.

Gerry takes up the story, with a certain amount of delight.

“My first Sligo Rovers encounter was actually at the Greyhound Stadium in Thurles for the opening game of the 1977 /1978 season, I went along there with a few of my friends and we were all supporting Thurles Town,” he stated emphatically as he recalled the ‘glory days’ of a team that graced the League of Ireland from that memorable first day until 1982.

“I’m from Tipperary and I can remember that game, there was great excitement locally at the time, especially with the visit of the League of Ireland champions, the mighty Sligo Rovers, it was a big game.

“It didn’t go well for Thurles that day, Sligo Rovers won 5-1, Tony Fagan and Paul McGee were amongst the goalscorers, we finished bottom of the 16 teams that season.

“We did a good bit of travelling while Thurles Town were in the League of Ireland, we’d be going to games in Dublin, Galway, Cork, Athlone, all the usual venues from that era.

“The first game Thurles won was a 1-0 victory against Bohemians at the Greyhound Stadium, we got great value out of that as Bohs had drawn a pre-season friendly with Man Utd a few weeks before they played us.

“When we analysed our win in the pub after the game, well you can imagine where the conversation went, great memories,” he added.

And Gerry ventured to Sligo occasionally as well, but it wasn’t all football-related. 

“I had never been to Sligo, never mind to the Showgrounds, but a few of us went to the Boys of Ballisodare Festival in 1980 or 1981, we were all going on the beer as well as for the music,” suggested Gerry. 

“I eventually got a bit of a liking for Sligo and used to travel there on a regular basis, I was working in Naas with the P&T (Department of Posts & Telegraphs), and it was reasonably straightforward to get there.

“The games against Cobh Ramblers in the FAI Cup in 1983, they were memorable, but with the extra-time and all that it used to put a bit of pressure on the timetable for getting the bus or train back to Naas,” he recalled.

And just explain how you were coaxed into taking on the role of stadium announcer.

“Robert Fitzpatrick used to do the public address and we do a lot of stuff together in the theatre, the Hawks Well,” explained Gerry.

“He asked if I would take over and do the announcements for the games, my first reaction was that I told him I’d prefer to do something like Benny the Bull because no one would actually know who it was.

“I eventually agreed to try it out for some of the pre-season friendlies, that would be maybe six or seven years ago.

“When I started doing it, I found that I actually enjoyed it and it sort of developed from there.

“I think the first game I did was for the Liverpool under-21s, that was in 2016 and I was an instant hit, or maybe it was because that there was no else,” he said.

All joking aside, the role of the stadium announcer is an important part of match night and the supporters need to be kept informed before, during and after the game, so with a responsibility like that, what are the main duties?

“There are a few things that have to be on the list for a match night, the first is to get there before kick-off,” said Gerry.

“I’d arrive in good time to get ready and the first item on the list that needs to be mentioned would be the match sponsor and the ball sponsor, that would be very important.

“The team sheet for the game, announcing the starting teams, substitutes, added time at the end of the first-half, second-half, that’s all relevant to the match night and it’s important to keep the spectators informed, that’s what they expect.

“The winner of the half-time raffle has to be announced and the prizemoney has to be handed over.

“Quite often supporters would come up to the press box asking for birthday announcements, that type of thing, and then the mascots and things like that have to be on the list.

“I also have to watch out for some of the ‘smart guys’ as I’ll call them, handing in a note with something that wouldn’t actually be either true or appropriate to announce,” he cautioned.

Gerry is multi-talented, not his own words, but nevertheless, credit where it’s due.

“I’m into the theatre in a big way, I have an international award for acting,” he explained.

“I won an award for best actor at an international festival in the Isle of Man, the role was Captain Boyle in Juno and the Paycock.

“I would have been doing a lot of stage work back in the day with Everyman Productions in the Hawks Well, I probably would have to rebrand that to Everyperson Productions now, just to be PC.

“I still do a lot of lighting for the stage and that type of thing, but my son Donal is also involved most match nights at the Showgrounds.

“Donal did media studies through Irish in Galway and then he did a masters in sports journalism.

“He is really into the sport and he’s with Ocean FM now, he got to go to the Viking game in Norway for Ocean FM last year, that was a great opportunity for him.

“He’s doing well with the commentating, but he does a lot of preparatory work beforehand, that’s very important, to have the facts and figures ready before the game starts.

“I have one other son, Dermot, he lives in Collinstown in Westmeath and one daughter, Sinead,” added Gerry.

There are some games that the Ryan family attended as supporters of the club that remain memorable to this day.

“We used to go to the games together and we have great memories, the usual ones like the FAI Cup final wins at the Aviva Stadium and the League success in 2012,” stated Gerry.

“However, the FAI Cup semi-final win against Bohs in 2010, that was some performance from the team, that was a very good team.

“We also had a great seat for that memorable Joey Ndo flick here in the Showgrounds, it was against UCD, you never knew what Joey might do, but it was always entertaining.

“We have a What’s App group for the Sligo Rovers games, there’s about a dozen of us in it and it’s always hopping when there is a game on.

“Looking at Sligo Rovers, I suppose the most noticeable thing is the number of managers that go through the club, I suppose that’s just football.

“One thing I was very disappointed with was the way Johnny Kenney went to Celtic, I felt he should have stayed here for another season or two, but that’s football and I sincerely hope that it all works out well for him,” said Gerry.

Getting out the old crystal ball, and Gerry has a number of items that he would like to see completed over the next three or four years.

“Looking into the future, I hope that the plans for the stadium development are completed in time for the centenary of the club, it will be a marvellous stadium and a marvellous venue for football,” he suggested.

“Less ambitious, but equally important, is the fact that we managed to get an upgrade for the PA.

“Myself and a friend, Barry McKinney, we did the best we could with some new equipment, but we also had to recognise that all this stuff will likely be changed and upgraded anyway with then new stadium.

Sometimes it’s a bit hit and miss in the away stand; we are trying to find where the problem is and once we find it we can fix it.

“Then there is the music, Donal (son) did a playlist for me and it’s on a CD, so that’s fairly simple for match nights.

“We have the Johnny Chadda / 2001 A Space Odyssey for the entrance of the teams, that’s real dramatic and it will sound so much better in the new stadium on the new PA.

“I knew Johnny well, he had a great way of selling the tickets, you’d ask on the way in “How much are the tickets Johnny” and you could be taking out a fiver and quick as a flash would come the answer – “Oh, that’ll cover it” and the fiver would disappear.

“Men like Johnny Chadda and Packie McGowan, they kept the club going when it wasn’t easy.

“I’d have to say that the Sligo Rovers supporters are the best supporters in the League, whenever there is a crisis, usually finance, they always come up with the goods.

“Look at the funds that were raised during the Covid 19 season, €85,000, and most of that would have been people handing over fivers and tenners.

“I’m very impressed with our team this year and I’d be looking at a top three finish, top four at worst, I like what I see at the moment and I think they will improve as a team as the season goes on.

“There might be a speed wobble or two, but we’ll get there, Europe is where the money is.

“A group of us went to Motherwell for the first leg of the European game, we went by car and ferry, it was the best outing ever with Sligo Rovers, it was probably bettered by the second leg, but memorable. “Donal gave me a montage of photographs for Christmas and one of the photos is the scoreboard from that first leg – MOTHERWELL 0, SLIGO ROVERS 1 – that’s a great memory, but there are more to come and plenty to look forward to,” he concluded.

Our Academy teams had a good weekend over Saturday and Sunday with all five teams picking up maximum points in their League fixtures.

Saturday afternoon saw Darren Kelly’s Under 17 Womens team defeat Longford Town 4-2 at The Sean Fallon Centre thanks to goals from Orlaith Doherty, McKenzie Reynolds, Amy Murphy and Casey Ruane in an entertaining encounter in front of the home supporters.

Anthony Elding’s Under 17 Mens team won 3-1 away to Galway United on Saturday thanks to a Niall Kenny brace as well as Callum Lynch’s first goal of the season.

Sunday afternoon saw three games take place, with two at home at The Sean Fallon Centre.

First up, at 1pm, Darryl Keaney’s Under 15 side won 4-2 at home to Athlone Town with Matteo Seccondino, Jamie O’ Malley and Darragh McKeon, who scored twice, making the difference. The side showed great fighting spirit having trailed 2-0 at one point.

Darragh Healy’s Under 19 Womens team defeated Galway United 3-0 at the same venue thanks to goals from Jessica Casey, Katie McGuire and Eimear McIntyre. The result now means the side have won five out of their last six games.

Declan Boyle took his Under 19 Mens side to Bishopsgate in Longford to take on Longford Town on Sunday morning and the lads ran out 2-0 winners with goals from Owen Elding and Rasheed Yeboah sealing the three points.