el classico de midlands

[Cabs88]

longford make the short trip to athlone town stadium for the last derby game of the year, many going?!

After last weeks abject performance, hoping for much better this weekend and a win would be nice, plenty of celebrations after if we get the right result :P

[outspoken]

I'm hoping to get up there and I'd say there will be a fairly large town following but A point would be adecent result but going into a derby your always thinking how nice the 3 points would be and I just have that feeling that we could stuff them 3-0 but that's just a feeling.

[De Town]

Will be there myself, and I'm expecting a performance, especially after our shambolic effort there earlier in the season. Surely Cousins will have them fired up for this one, can't be finishing below Athlone.

[outspoken]

Normally I'd be looking got a good performance too but I honestely don't care how we play tonight because local derbys are all about getting 1 over on your rivals and if we beat athlone tonight that's all that matters CMON DE TOWN DE REAl TOWN LTFC!!!

[L.T.F.C.]

What I think is so funny about Longford Town 'supporters' and I use that term reservedly, is that they think finishing above Athlone Town equals a successful season. And by what I'm hearing, its that hand of god that I wasn't there for the Mervue match, because beatings would have been dished out to those ******* in the stand.

[Martinho II]

I for one will be at it too... I hope town got a deserved kick up the hole from last week...Unbelivably town havent won since the Finn Harps game.. I think it will be a tough game to win so I will go for a 2-2 draw. I have no confidence in this town team at all. There are too many players with big reputations that are not pulling their weight..

[De Town]

What I think is so funny about Longford Town 'supporters' and I use that term reservedly, is that they think finishing above Athlone Town equals a successful season.
It's not a successful season to just finish ahead of them, but it'd just be annoying to finish below them.

[outspoken]

Crap game , decent result as most would have taken the point going in and the away support was fairly large so all in all not a bad night and let's just enjoy the rest of the season.

[De Town]

Crap game , decent result as most would have taken the point going in and the away support was fairly large so all in all not a bad night and let's just enjoy the rest of the season.

Take a point against a team that are below us in the table? We have to be beating the likes of Athlone if we're looking to go forward.

How we didn't beat them I don't know. They barely got out of their own half, and were content with the draw from about the 60th minute on. Phil Byrne's goal should have stood as well. Sickened with the draw tbh.

[outspoken]

Phil Byrne's goal should have stood as well.

Worst linesman I have ever seen he was giving out corners like their were Christmas presents.......dose anybody know what byrnes goal was dissalowed 4 cause theirs no way in hell it was offside...... the linesmans flag was up a long time tho.....well before the cross went in so i really just cant understand the decision.

[Martinho II]

Worst linesman I have ever seen he was giving out corners like their were Christmas presents.......dose anybody know what byrnes goal was dissalowed 4 cause theirs no way in hell it was offside...... the linesmans flag was up a long time tho.....well before the cross went in so i really just cant understand the decision.

I couldnt understand it too outspoken.. linesman was shockin bad.. As for poor Don Cowan will he ever score as he hasnt got off the sheet yet.. We have 31 points now last season we got 36..if we somehow got five points from our last three games it will be progress in my book but I think it will be three draws..

[outspoken]

We only got 29 points last season marthino , as for poor old don he surley has to get 1 before he more than likley returns to rovers, he is 1 of the best ball holders I have ever seen if u get the ball within 10 yards of him he will get it and hold it up for as long as he has 2 because he is just so fast and so strong. It's frighting to think he's only in his early 20's. The one down side to his strength is the referees never seem to give him frees he was manhandeled vs mervue and got nothing and there were a few last night but what can ya do.

[De Town]

Met Cousins last night, never knew he was a taxi driver. He told me he's staying for next season and hopes to keep a base of 14 players or so. Had a good chat with him, he's a sound man. Didn't think he'd be as open and honest about things with a stranger.

[Longfordian]

We could do without having to start the season with a whole new set up again so it's good to hear that we'll hopefully be keeping the basis of a squad together. Cousins has done ok overall so let him have another crack at it next season and hopefully we can improve on this year.

[De Town]

That's basically the gist of what I said to him, about needing a bit of stability going into a new season. Whether he understood me through my slurring of words is another thing!

[Martinho II]

for the first time in five long years we have a good chance of keeping the same squad again. Ever since then we have sold majority of the squad and the replacements were never quite the same.. thats super news about cousins the shamrock rovers lads must be staying so..

[howsyourtouch]

hopefully he can get in a solid right back, maybe another centre half and not sure on the loan signings, would rovers be willing to loan them out for another season!?

[outspoken]

I can see vik staying and if cousins asks nicley they might give us Don for another year too.

[Cabs88]

Vik, freeman, philly byrne, conlon, shanahan should be let go no doubt about any of them imho

if we can hold onto the two roaches, salmon, hyland, lee, glynn (if fit) cowan, brady, oladele and bring in a goalkeeper and a few solid and fit defenders that can run id be delighted.

[Longfordian]

hopefully he can get in a solid right back, maybe another centre half and not sure on the loan signings, would rovers be willing to loan them out for another season!?

Some of them could be released anyway. Rovers may want to hold on to them to fill up their A team but can't see any of them being around their first team at the moment. We'll see I suppose.

[sorbothegreek]

I'd have no problem with our current first choice right-full staying on, i think O'Reilly's been solid enough since he came into the team. Our problems in defence have mostly come through the middle or when we've played Deans or Victor at right-fill.
I cannot see Rovers wanting to hold on to too many of our current loanees and that said the only ones that i'd like to see stay on are Jason Oladele and Craig Walsh. I haven't seen anything from Don to suggest that he's a striker at all this year. Maybe he could do a job on the wing, but a striker that hasn't scored a senior goal all season?

[Cabs88]

wouldnt be sure about o reilly at all, anytime ive seen him his been caught time and time again out of position, but then again he is much better than vik, thats not saying much

[howsyourtouch]

sorry should have made it more clear, i ment vik we need to get rid of, he needs a map to find out where he is ment to be on a pitch and every time play goes on his side the opposition gets a cross in easily, he puts ridiculous pressure on the rest of the backline when he plays back there, o'reilly has been good enough but we need an out and full back in there for competiton to o'reilly, would be the best thing for him! don i wouldnt keep either, has not shown any reason to keep him. i doubt craig walsh will be at either club next year but thats just a feeling!

[outspoken]

A new keeper or 2 and rb, maybe an extra cb and a striker that can grab 12-15 goals a season then we could have a good season but its harder than you think to find these players especially on a small budget

[Martinho II]

A new keeper or 2 and rb, maybe an extra cb and a striker that can grab 12-15 goals a season then we could have a good season but its harder than you think to find these players especially on a small budget

well hard to believe it or not we have the striker. daisy has being injured the majority of the season and I see that he is injured again which means hes unlikely to play again for the rest of the season.. If Daisy was fit all season the season could have turned out better for us..I would keep Chris Deans for his organisation skills,Mick Lee, Niall O'Reilly, Mark Sammon,John Lester,Thomas Hyland,Craig Mooney,Cathal Brady,the two roches,Derek Glynn and Jason Oladele. The rest of them I wouldnt keep.I dont know what is happening with Gary Cronin as he seems to coach than play these days..

[L.T.F.C.]

well hard to believe it or not we have the striker. daisy has being injured the majority of the season and I see that he is injured again which means hes unlikely to play again for the rest of the season.. If Daisy was fit all season the season could have turned out better for us..I would keep Chris Deans for his organisation skills,Mick Lee, Niall O'Reilly, Mark Sammon,John Lester,Thomas Hyland,Craig Mooney,Cathal Brady,the two roches,Derek Glynn and Jason Oladele. The rest of them I wouldnt keep.I dont know what is happening with Gary Cronin as he seems to coach than play these days..
I wouldn't be mad on the Roches, not doing anything for me. Who knows what a kick up the hole would do?!

[howsyourtouch]

would have to agree with marty on the roches, think they bring a bit of football to the team, they like to get it down and actually play the game and salmon is a must keep aswell! out of martys list i can see a few going to be honest, and if they go the way of tom king last year, i.e premier division team who could blame them! they are all only young players and i wouldn t think we would have enough to offer them to stay!unfortunately!

id agree on daisy aswell, i think he is crackin player, everyone who says he doesnt look bothered, well thats the way he looks doing everything, he is just laid back type of lad, think he can grab 10 - 15 goals a season when fully fit!

[outspoken]

what is happening with Gary Cronin as he seems to coach than play these days..[/QUOTE]

Your dead right marty, my mate pointed this out to me a long time back , what's the point of having him if he isn't going to play if he wants to pick up sone coaching experience that's fine but don't have him taking up space on the bench.

And just On daisy your all dead right he can bag 12-15 goals a season if fully fit but he's also a very confiedence based player if it's not going right for him he gets very down and low in confiendence and struggles but when he's on form he's one of the best about.

[De Town]

Cousins told me the other night that his 2 main priorities for next season are a goalkeeper and a goalscorer. He wasn't impressed with our keepers performances this season at all.

[Martinho II]

I was just chatting to Mick Lee just now as he got the player of the year trophy off tom king during the week for me as we have to give a new player of the year next week!. Mick is training with Mervue as hes in college up there. I was asking him that very question about Gary Cronin and he was telling me that he is studying for his A licence and has the makings of a very good coach so it seems like he will be more of a coach than player next season if he stays with us..

[outspoken]

Mick is training with Mervue as hes in college up there. I was asking him that very question about Gary Cronin and he was telling me that he is studying for his A licence and has the makings of a very good coach so it seems like he will be more of a coach than player next season if he stays with us..

You beat me to it I just found out about cronnin and his A license but I dont like the sounds of mick lee training with mervue I know its a great way to keep him fit and everything but eventually he may just get fed up of travelling and just sign for mervue.......I gave mick my vote for player of the year tonight so hopefully he will stay.

[howsyourtouch]

i dont think there is any hope in hell of him signin for mervue, it would be a backwards step and he knows this, its training for him when he is in college and keeps him fit so its a good thing! think it will be his night at the player of the year awards!

[L.T.F.C.]

Without a doubt Mick Lee has been massive for us all year. He never gives up and has a real hunger. Definitely my vote for Player of the Year.

[De Town]

I didn't vote but Mark Salmon would get my vote.

[howsyourtouch]

reason mick would just shade it for me is salmon has not been on this from for the full year, he is finishing very string and if he had of played like that all year then he would have got it without a doubt! but its for the full season and on that id give it to mick!

[Cabs88]

Realistically its between mick and sammon, and as mentioned above sammon has finished the season strong and has benefitted from hyland returning where before he wouldnt have stood out. Cathal brady another one who has finished very well and a talented player. However, Mick has been brilliant for us all season in his favoured left full role and will probably get the award, fully deserved too

[Martinho II]

its gas I was up with Mick on friday to collect last years player of the year trophy off him as he got it for me off Tom King..I jokingly said to him that it will be gas if he won it considering he saw the trophy already!!I voted for Mick himself and it cant happen to a nicer guy..

Some interesting names on the trophy of players of the year since 2000/01 that I want to share with ye:

2000/01 Stephen O'Brien
2001/02 Stephen O'Brien
2002/03 Vinny Perth
2003 Brian McGovern
2004 Sean Prunty
2005 Sean Dillon
2006 Alan Kirby
2007 Dave Mooney
2008 Darren McKenna
2009 Tom King

goal of the season for me was peter hynes effort followed by hylos effort.young player of the year for me would be Mick Lee again followed by Cathal Brady..

[The Insider]

its gas I was up with Mick on friday to collect last years player of the year trophy off him as he got it for me off Tom King..I jokingly said to him that it will be gas if he won it considering he saw the trophy already!!I voted for Mick himself and it cant happen to a nicer guy..

Some interesting names on the trophy of players of the year since 2000/01 that I want to share with ye:

2000/01 Stephen O'Brien
2001/02 Stephen O'Brien
2002/03 Vinny Perth
2003 Brian McGovern
2004 Sean Prunty
2005 Sean Dillon
2006 Alan Kirby
2007 Dave Mooney
2008 Darren McKenna
2009 Tom King

goal of the season for me was peter hynes effort followed by hylos effort.young player of the year for me would be Mick Lee again followed by Cathal Brady..

Is Brady not overage for a young player award? He's 25..

[Martinho II]

Is Brady not overage for a young player award? He's 25..

I was chatting to massop10 about this the other night and he suggested Cathal Brady for young player so by his interpretation its anyone 25 or under...

[The Insider]

It's normally under 23. Well that's what a lot of junior and senior clubs have as their age limit..

[The Insider]

If Lee gets player of the year, my vote would go to Mark Salmon for young player. He is young and has been impressive.

[Longfordian]

Isn't the young player award given to one of the under 20s? Justin Perrin last year was it?

[outspoken]

I reckon Lee should win that prize too

[Martinho II]

Isn't the young player award given to one of the under 20s? Justin Perrin last year was it?
you are dead right longfordian... I actually forgot that Justin won it last season... Who in the know would reckon will win the under 20 player of the season??

[howsyourtouch]

mick should prob get both! just my thoughts

[Martinho II]

theres three players strongly in the running for player of the year.. I wont give away names but I am sure ye have a fair idea who they are!