Congratulations Sligo

[marinobohs]

Deserved winners, the best team all season. Well done and enjoy your one season of glory :)

............As opposed to your many seasons of begrudgery ? :o

[Charlie Darwin]

............As opposed to your many seasons of begrudgery ? :o
I have never known a Shamrock Rovers fan to be anything other than graceful in defeat :)

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Pats got a penalty in the last minute of the first league game that many people thought wasn't so as they say these things even themselves out over the course of the season (I thought both penalties that were given were correct to be given in the 2 games).

[Fivesilver]

*cough*

Yep, that was unfair on Cork and Bray - put it down to euphoria and a bit too much celebrating. :D

[bullit]

Congrats to Sligo Rovers.

[SkStu]

Belated Congrats Sligo. Very happy for you. Good to see it leave the Pale...

[Sam_Heggy]

Congrats Sligo, I really enjoyed the game at the weekend, fantastic game of football and if barstoolers watched it they would have seen 2 quality passing sides in front of a good crowd playing football on the deck.

Great record only 1 defeat so far this season.

[sligoman]

Great record only 1 defeat so far this season.I'd like it to end that way but don't think it will given the celebrations. Oh well.

[Sam_Heggy]

I'd like it to end that way but don't think it will given the celebrations. Oh well.

Yeah, I hear ye have a few injuries/suspensions for the Drogs game at weekend.

[marinobohs]

Yeah, I hear ye have a few injuries/suspensions for the Drogs game at weekend.

Is 'injuries/suspensions' the new 'tired and emotional' ? (as in tired and emotional as a newt) :cool:

[redobit]

Deserved winners, the best team all season. Well done and enjoy your third season of glory :)

Cheers and I fixed that for ya too. :D

[eelmonster]

Well done Sligo, played some great football this season and won the league in style.

[Trainee]

Sligo could dominate for a few years if they keep their manager and Squad together.

Pats would have to improve to challage as they most likely just fall short again, Drogs could loose some of their team and may not be as good next year. It is hard to know how good rovers will be next year

Bohs, Cork & Derry all going through a phase of rebuilding so it could be a few years before they can mount a serious chalange for the league

[Sam_Heggy]

Sligo could dominate for a few years if they keep their manager and Squad together.

Pats would have to improve to challage as they most likely just fall short again, Drogs could loose some of their team and may not be as good next year. It is hard to know how good rovers will be next year

Bohs, Cork & Derry all going through a phase of rebuilding so it could be a few years before they can mount a serious chalange for the league

Were Pat's really that far off though??
I reckon they would have won the league had they Danny North instead of him being at Sligo. He was second in the scoring chart despite missing a large chunk through injury. From what I saw of Pats this season, they were crying out for a Danny North style striker to stick away the chances they were creating.

[Charlie Darwin]

Were Pat's really that far off though??
I reckon they would have won the league had they Danny North instead of him being at Sligo. He was second in the scoring chart despite missing a large chunk through injury. From what I saw of Pats this season, they were crying out for a Danny North style striker to stick away the chances they were creating.
Perhaps in the early part of the season but Pats' season really got going when Fagan learned how to shoot. They would obviously have done better with a quality player like North but I don't think he and Fagan could play in the same team and they were arguably the two best strikers in the league this season.

[placid casual]

and they were arguably the two best strikers in the league this season.
are you takin the pi$$.

fagan is a dreafull finisher and together with forrester's ability to get injured at the drop of a hat is the reason why pats were never going to win the league.

the best strikers score the most goals, just like the best teams win the league.

1.twigg
2.north
3.take your pick.

[Sligo Hoops.]

are you takin the pi$$.



the best strikers score the most goals, just like the best teams win the league.

1.twigg
2.north
3.take your pick.

Who knows how many goals North would have ended up with had he not got injured.
As for a Twigg-less Rovers, who knows where the goals are going to come from now ... Rovers haven't seen his sort of consistency since the days of Larkin and Byrne. After all the progress since the move to Tallaght, methinks the wilderness awaits again.

[PartySaint]

Goal keeping mistakes probably cost us the league. We also dropped 5 points after games in Europe which didn't help.

[Charlie Darwin]

are you takin the pi$$.

fagan is a dreafull finisher and together with forrester's ability to get injured at the drop of a hat is the reason why pats were never going to win the league.

the best strikers score the most goals, just like the best teams win the league.

1.twigg
2.north
3.take your pick.
Twigg is probably the best finisher this league has ever seen but his all-round game is limited. Fagan is a better player.

[nigel-harps1954]

I think Twigg has shown, when it comes to European competition, and the step up in standard, that he's not able to compete at the higher standard.
He may be a quality finisher, but his all round game play is very suspect at times as C.D has stated above.

If he was a better footballer in general, he would have made it at a much higher standard in my opinion.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Goal keeping mistakes probably cost us the league. We also dropped 5 points after games in Europe which didn't help.

We certainly did better out of the Rogers / Clarke swap

[Sam_Heggy]

Twigg is probably the best finisher this league has ever seen but his all-round game is limited. Fagan is a better player.

People used to say the same about Brendan Bradley. He actually used to get abuse from Harps fans for being "lazy" and "a terrible footballer". This is the same guy who is still the record holder for the most amount of goals in League Of Ireland.

If only we had a young fit Bradley alongside Kevin McHugh for next season.

[marinobohs]

I think Twigg has shown, when it comes to European competition, and the step up in standard, that he's not able to compete at the higher standard.
He may be a quality finisher, but his all round game play is very suspect at times as C.D has stated above.

If he was a better footballer in general, he would have made it at a much higher standard in my opinion.

Twigg does have a limited game and has found his place/level at LOI but the fact is he has been the best striker in the League for the last 3/4 years. I have no doubt that had he been playing for Pats they would have (at least) run Sligo closer.

Personally I expect Pats to be a better more consistent team next season (they will have a season playing together) and with one maybe two signings I would expect them to seriously challenge next season.

Shams still probobly have the best squad in the League on paper. IF they can get a decent manager in and get the team organised they should also be there or there abouts in the title race.

Again, Sligo should be better side for having won the title and should agian compete but talk of a Sligo dynasty (as trainee suggests) is a bit premature at this stage.

[dong]

Champions.

[carrickharp]

Well done Sligo!

[CraftyToePoke]

Well done Sligo. Delighted for you.

[SkStu]

are you takin the pi$$.

fagan is a dreafull finisher and together with forrester's ability to get injured at the drop of a hat is the reason why pats were never going to win the league.

the best strikers score the most goals, just like the best teams win the league.

1.twigg
2.north
3.take your pick.

Is he Korean?

Only four pages of congrats? Must be another poorly observed boycott going on somewhere...

[Fivesilver]

Shams still probably have the best squad in the League on paper.

That's something that was being repeated all season, but I never believed it. Always thought us and Pat's were fielding a better 11 week in week out. And if there was strength in depth, what explains the almost constant presence of Gilbert as a starter, or the extensive use of Dennehy?. I'm still not convinced Kenny was the main problem either, more a group of players who had lost their hunger and had started to believe their own headlines. That's part of the reason I won't be taking anything for granted for next season - it's going to be hard to reproduce the will to succeed that 35 years without the title gives you.

I'm glad someone gave Rogers a mention too. Hardly put a foot wrong all season. Doesn't look as flashy as, for example, Sava, but makes less mistakes, dominates in the air to an extent that must demoralise wingers who see decent crosses repeatedly go to waste, and his distribution, atrocious at the start of the season, got better and better every week. I had a lot of time for Clarke, but I thought Rogers was in a different class this season and was worth a good few points to us.

[Charlie Darwin]

That's something that was being repeated all season, but I never believed it. Always thought us and Pat's were fielding a better 11 week in week out. And if there was strength in depth, what explains the almost constant presence of Gilbert as a starter, or the extensive use of Dennehy? I'm still not convinced Kenny was the main problem either, more a group of players who had lost their hunger and had started to believe their own headlines. That's part of the reason I won't be taking anything for granted for next season - it's going to be hard to reproduce the will to succeed that 35 years without the title gives you.
I think that's what was meant by 'on paper.' In terms of talent, Dennehy eclipses any winger in the league but he was woejus all year, although I still think one of our best players which is a damning indictment. Players like Oman, Powell and Brennan were the best in their positions in the league as recently as three years ago. On paper it was the strongest squad but in practice they just didn't have the desire or commitment to do it. I don't think hunger will be a problem for Sligo next year, they'll just find out that retaining a title can be more difficult than winning it.

[Fivesilver]

I know what you mean, Dennehy has loads of skill, but there's no point in having all the talent in the world if you turn up and play crap for an entire season. I always judge opposition players on the basis of whether I'd like to see them play for us. McCabe I'd take back in a heartbeat (it may be his charming personality:D), but I wouldn't want to see Billy within an ass's roar of the Showgrounds. Same way as I was disappointed we lost Daryl Horgan but happy to see the back of Aaron Green.

[Charlie Darwin]

Dennehy was super for us last season - along with Sheppard he was the one player who never looked out of place in the Europa. I remember him making an absolute mug of England full back Kyle Walker for fun. McCabe I'd put in the ridiculously talented by inconsistent category. His technical ability is outstanding - far better than you'd see from the players produced by the Sky league.

[Fivesilver]

You obviously saw your lads play more than I did, but McCabe and Finn were the only players that constantly impressed me this year. I thought McCabe was similar to when he played with us - narky dislikable little fecker, but always gave 100%.
I thought the biggest mistake you made was not adding to the squad. A lot of players thought they were better than they were, and maybe Kenny agreed. Sheppard and Sullivan would be big losses to any side.
People who haven't watched us all season tend to massively underestimate Baraclough. He handled a spate of injuries to key players by making good signings, and getting the best out of the players he did have by experimenting with positions. He wasn't afraid to drop Lynch and Quigley, ultimately our two big match-winners, to spark them into life either. He gave a lot of the lads a belief in success rather than just good football, that they lacked under Cook, and brought in a mental toughness that I honestly believe was worth at least a dozen points to us. He's under contract to the end of next season, but I'll be amazed if we can hold on to him any longer than that.

[Charlie Darwin]

I could talk all day about the mistakes that were made. Not retaining Thompson was a bad mistake but not bringing him in when it was clear Jansson was out of his depth (it would have taken a month or two for a WP because they hadn't planned ahead) was criminal. I know people around here don't rate him but he stepped up when Mannus left us in the lurch last year and was a vital part of the title-winning side.

Kenny's signings were awful. I'd have taken a punt on Brennan and possibly Kavanagh but even Yeovil fans (f*cking Yeovil) were laughing when Gilbert signed. Why he didn't sign a striker to replace Sheppard is another mystery, especially as it was clear Twigg didn't have what it takes at European level. Sligo's signings were very astute.

The preparation was just all wrong. Even though Cook dicked Sligo around and made it so the new manager had no time to put his stamp on the team, he did leave them very well-poised to hit the ground running. Kenny's reign was unconvincing from the start and from t there he Drogs game on the opening day was an air of foreboding about it all, especially when Sligo scrapped that equaliser.

[marinobohs]

That's something that was being repeated all season, but I never believed it. Always thought us and Pat's were fielding a better 11 week in week out. And if there was strength in depth, what explains the almost constant presence of Gilbert as a starter, or the extensive use of Dennehy?. I'm still not convinced Kenny was the main problem either, more a group of players who had lost their hunger and had started to believe their own headlines. That's part of the reason I won't be taking anything for granted for next season - it's going to be hard to reproduce the will to succeed that 35 years without the title gives you.

I'm glad someone gave Rogers a mention too. Hardly put a foot wrong all season. Doesn't look as flashy as, for example, Sava, but makes less mistakes, dominates in the air to an extent that must demoralise wingers who see decent crosses repeatedly go to waste, and his distribution, atrocious at the start of the season, got better and better every week. I had a lot of time for Clarke, but I thought Rogers was in a different class this season and was worth a good few points to us.

As Charlie explained I was not questioning that Sligo were the better team (and no argument about Pats either) but on paper I believe shams have a stronger squad than both.
Arguable that despite a paper thin squad Drogheda were putting out a better X1 than shams (based on results) but I doubt anyone would argue Shams squad not stronger than Drogs.

Agree with you Fivesilver RE Finn and Mccabe and had both in my Prem X1 in a seperate thread.

[Fivesilver]

I know what you're saying, but I had my doubts about Shams from the start, even on paper (can't prove it but there were plenty of preseason pub conversations ^_^). And within a very short time of the season starting I was even more convinced of it. The centre-halves seemed to have completely lost their bite, midfield was disorganised and up front it was Twigg or nothing - which became a bigger problem once he lost interest a couple of months in.

As for at full-back, I couldn't believe it when we signed Conneely rather than Shams.

I thought Pat's had a squad full of quality from day one.

Cook had signed good players for us, but left before he had signed enough of them. The upshot was a skeleton squad, repeatedly alluded to on MNS at the time. You might recall us in Dalymount having to play a teenager at centre-half who was swamped at this level. The window didn't come a moment too soon.

[Charlie Darwin]

If you read back on the threads here a few of our supporters were voicing very strong words of caution and many predicted Kenny would be a disaster.


As for at full-back, I couldn't believe it when we signed Conneely rather than Shams.
Can we have him next year? We'll even refrain from offering Gilbert a contract so you get first option :)

[Sligo Hoops.]

If you read back on the threads here a few of our supporters were voicing very strong words of caution and many predicted Kenny would be a disaster.


Can we have him next year? We'll even refrain from offering Gilbert a contract so you get first option :)

Where now for Rovers ? Did we believe our own hype ? I would still have let Kenny see out the season. Jonathan Roche & Co. will earn their salt on the new appointment. I would like to know how the board split on the decision to remove Kenny.

[Rasputin]

I think mentioning a Rovers dynasty is just not realistic.
In the end of the day it is money that wins leagues consistently.
Yes you will get aberrations now and again but overall it is the clubs revenue stream that has the final say, as players, staff etc all follow the money.
Its very possible we might take another title next season but when Shams get their act togethor and Cork eventually then we will inevitably fall down the pecking order. Because of our demographics we have very much hit the roof with regards to attendances, the fact that in the title run in we were lucky to top 3000 speaks volumes when the likes of Shams can top 5500 on their title run in and when Cork finally get their act togethor they could easily pull 5000+. With that level of interest combined with the fundraising and sponsorship spin offs plus the greater sponsorship opportunities means we are very much on borrowed time at the top of Irish football. It is basic economics.

[poster]

We were all happy as pie.

[marinobohs]

Where now for Rovers ? Did we believe our own hype ? I would still have let Kenny see out the season. Jonathan Roche & Co. will earn their salt on the new appointment. I would like to know how the board split on the decision to remove Kenny.

As I said elsewhere the timing of Kenny sacking was a punt (FAI Cup Qtr final and EA Sports Cup final imminent) which did not pay off. Next appointment will be vital for short/mid term future of shams. The Kenny experiment will prove expensive and cannot be repeated (from a shams viewpoint) it is so much easier to see crowds drift away than to get them back.

[A face]

As I said elsewhere the timing of Kenny sacking was a punt (FAI Cup Qtr final and EA Sports Cup final imminent) which did not pay off. Next appointment will be vital for short/mid term future of shams. The Kenny experiment will prove expensive and cannot be repeated (from a shams viewpoint) it is so much easier to see crowds drift away than to get them back.

Yeah, i think the honeymoon period since they've moved to Tallaght is now over. They are back to the hard graft of trying to get punters in if the next manager doesn't do it for them.

[placid casual]

Yeah, i think the honeymoon period since they've moved to Tallaght is now over. They are back to the hard graft of trying to get punters in if the next manager doesn't do it for them.

judging by your previous post's on the subject of Rovers, i'll take your concerns with the due amount of respect.

[bullit]

Fair play to John Terry for turning up at Sligos celebrations tonight....invited by Jason McGuinness i believe :tongue:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/564836_488350517866066_1589255445_n.jpg

[osarusan]

Well done Sligo. A good time to be Sligwegians.

[pineapple stu]

Damn you Sligs. So close to being the only team to beat the league champions all season. :mad:

[Fivesilver]

You can be happy enough Stu - you were the only team to beat us when it mattered at all.

[poster]

Financial investigation looms.

[A face]

Financial investigation looms.

For Sligo? Who is doing the investigating?