Athlone Again........Naturally

[KeepersBall]

Just read on their fans facebook page that Athlones planned pre season friendly at home to Harps was called off.
Official reason, rain waterlogged the pitch.
Fans page saying it never rained a buckin drop down there all week.
Trouble ahead ?

[NeverFeltBetter]

What's the current situation with the club? Is there still a competing bid for the license? How's the squad looking?

[Battery Rover]

Rumour mill in full flow. Talk of not being able to get a ground to play on. Apparently some big bets placed with Paddy Power Wednesday for us to win league and more rumours of an investor coming on board with it being announced Monday. Very easy get a rumour running in Athlone when it's about the club.

My reading of it is that it'd just a rumour that is like chinese whispers as some many different versions at minute. Also footie journos would be all over it if true. But then again I could be wrong

[Longfordian]

Bit late to start trying to sign players now even if there is an investor. There aren't many decent ones left without a club here.

[KeepersBall]

As far as I know Colm Fortune has a squad signed.

[Longfordian]

Well if you're talking about a potential league winning squad there's been little word on anyone of note signing for them as yet.

[Battery Rover]

Seems to be most of last year's season ending squad other than 4 local junior players signed.

Also last year's captain was on the bench.with Longford last night.

Rumour mill includes players being brought in from abroad.

[KeepersBall]

Now in case anyone gets confused, I'm not an Athlone fan, just interested in the scenario unfolding,
This is from their fans page again.

This is getting out of hand. So far I've heard the following:
1. An English business man is investing his millions in the club
2. A group of Brazilian millionaires are taking over and bringing a team of 18 Brazilian players over.
3. A Chinese consortium is taking over and tony o Donohue of rte is in Athlone tomorrow for the announcement.
4. A French business man is taking over
What a load of ******** this is https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v7/fd0/1/16/1f602.png��https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v7/fd0/1/16/1f602.png
I love this town https://www.facebook.com/images/emoji.php/v7/fd0/1/16/1f602.png

[Martinho II]

sorry BR who yer captain from last year that played the other night for us v Bray? I cant seem to place him.

[Town Legend]

Marty, Ian Fletcher was on the bench for us last night. He played for athlone for a couple of seasons. I think he came up through the youth teams.

[Battery Rover]

Marty, Ian Fletcher was on the bench for us last night. He played for athlone for a couple of seasons. I think he came up through the youth teams.

That's him. Was captain towards end of season. He is a good one.

[ATFC-1887]

The story now seems to be that a Chinese guy with millions and is involved in a Portuguese 2nd division team is investing and bringing in 10 players from that team and 1 striker from napoli. The scary thing is that this story

[NeverFeltBetter]

The story now seems to be that a Chinese guy with millions and is involved in a Portuguese 2nd division team is investing and bringing in 10 players from that team and 1 striker from napoli. The scary thing is that this story


Looks like ATFC-1887 has been silenced before he had a chance to reveal the truth about the apparent bidding war for Athlone.

[Longfordian]

Sounds perfectly plausible I'm sure it'll all work out for ye.

[nigel-harps1954]

That's a brilliant story in fairness.

[EatYerGreens]

The story now seems to be that a Chinese guy with millions and is involved in a Portuguese 2nd division team is investing and bringing in 10 players from that team and 1 striker from napoli. The scary thing is that this story....

** Insert sound of telephone line going dead **

[Battery Rover]

I believe now there is some truth in the stories but which one is anyone's guess. Mix and match would give you the correct one. It's just a wait and see at the minute.

[KeepersBall]

Am hearing this Chinese guy has three players from the 70s lined up to run the show.
Tony CURRIE. Peter WITHE and Pat RICE

[nigel-harps1954]

Am hearing this Chinese guy has three players from the 70s lined up to run the show.
Tony CURRIE. Peter WITHE and Pat RICE


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAryFIuRxmQ

[KeepersBall]

Just got this from a man who would know.
Colm Fortune is not going to be the manager, although I am not sure he knows that.
A French coach with a pro licence is coming in, he will be bringing in players from the French and Portugese second divisions, youngsters whose teams feel they need game time.
Also as they haven't paid the rent to Declan Molloy the guy who owns the stadium it is now not insured for football and they hadn't paid the insurance for the players so that's why the Harps game was off.

[Titan]

So is this a big money thing? I.E. "champions league group stage in 5 years" type of rubbish?

Or just basically a nursery for second rate European teams?

Will there be off field investment?

[total hoofball]

I would normally be totally dismissive of the Frenchman thing but not far off it we have a wealthy English businessman Lee Power burning a few quid on another struggling regional First Division club who he has had previous no connection with for reasons I only consider total money wasting lunacy - must think it's easy to do what Dundalk have done

The whole feeder club thing for French/Portuguese clubs makes no sense as the First Division standard is so appalling the respective French/Portuguese Pub Leagues would be a better place to send them off too. LOI clubs can only have max 4 loan players anyway

[KeepersBall]

The same source who gave me this also suggested that the Chinese guy behind it all is a friend and business acquaintance of the current chairman, and is doing this by way of a favour to ensure the current incumbent remains in situ behind the scenes.

[TonyD]

This thread was worth starting for the title alone, bravo.

[Longfordian]

The season starts in under four weeks. When does the transfer window close for non free agents?

[Battery Rover]

The season starts in under four weeks. When does the transfer window close for non free agents?


Depends on where they play. Once theirs is open and ours is business can be done.

[Battery Rover]

Depends on where they play. Once theirs is open and ours is business can be done.

Been a while since I was Secretary and that's how I recall it.

[Longfordian]

I always thought that as long as the registering club's window was open players with clubs could still sign. European window closes tomorrow so based on that it would have to be July before any loans could happen.

[Battery Rover]

You could be right as I said it's been a while

[outspoken]

I always thought that as long as the registering club's window was open players with clubs could still sign. European window closes tomorrow so based on that it would have to be July before any loans could happen.

Isn't the Loan window slightly longer tho or is that gone?

[outspoken]

If any of these French imports are as ''good'' as the two lads we got in last year then you may as well shut up shop now

[Longfordian]

Isn't the Loan window slightly longer tho or is that gone?

I think that was the Football League ignoring the window but that was specific to England and I don't think they do it any more


If any of these French imports are as ''good'' as the two lads we got in last year then you may as well shut up shop now
This occurred to me as well. No guarantee of getting anyone even half decent.

[Battery Rover]

If any of these French imports are as ''good'' as the two lads we got in last year then you may as well shut up shop now

It doesn't bother me anymore. I am finished attending games until Athlone Town FC becomes a club again.

[outspoken]

It doesn't bother me anymore. I am finished attending games until Athlone Town FC becomes a club again.

You expecting the vast majority to continue the boycott even for the Derby games?

[Battery Rover]

You expecting the vast majority to continue the boycott even for the Derby games?

They real hardcore will and many I know won't pass the protest like last season.

[Martinho II]

Ian Fletcher is he signed for us does anyone know?

[outspoken]

Ian Fletcher is he signed for us does anyone know?

Didn't look up to much tonight tbh. Early days tho.

[ATFC-1887]

You expecting the vast majority to continue the boycott even for the Derby games?
Away games only this year for me. And even at that I couldn't care less of the results. That's what the current board have done to the club.

[outspoken]

Away games only this year for me. And even at that I couldn't care less of the results. That's what the current board have done to the club.

Fair play sticking to it, I'd find it impossible even in a situation like that but your dead right.

[EatYerGreens]

Is there a thread or an article anywhere about what's happened at Athlone ?

One minute they fail to turn up to play Waterford in a fixture, and the next they seem to have imploded into two clubs !

[atfconline]

From local paper today.

2513

[Longfordian]

A mysterious investor, a team full of Europeans with a couple of foreign coaches imposed on the manager and no fans turning up. Got to love the LOI.

[ATFC-1887]

The Portuguese coach is a guy based in Dublin who coaches futsol 😂😂
Supposedly the investor approached 3 irish clubs in the past year and was ran from them all.
What a joke of a club Athlone Town are.

[pateen]

The Portuguese coach is a guy based in Dublin who coaches futsol ����
Supposedly the investor approached 3 irish clubs in the past year and was ran from them all.
What a joke of a club Athlone Town are.

jeesoos ... this could be interesting

[KeepersBall]

Am told one of these two could be the coach. https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniomantero?authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=Yk4f&locale=en_US&trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntit yId%3A147671390%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1486067886715%2Ctas%3AAntonio%20Manter&_mSplash=1 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jose-ferreira-794b5212a?authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=y8Z3&locale=en_US&trk=tyah&trkInfo=clickedVertical%3Amynetwork%2CclickedEntit yId%3A534350560%2CauthType%3ANAME_SEARCH%2Cidx%3A1-3-3%2CtarId%3A1486067315075%2Ctas%3AJose%20Fer&_mSplash=1

[Longfordian]

That Mantero lad looks like a proper spoofer. Hope he gets the gig.

[Sam_Heggy]

#greatestleagueintheworld

[Longfordian]

The Ferreira chap linked above and another Portuguese coach called Ricardo Gravo have joined the Athlone coaching staff it appears. I'm sure Ferreira has done wonderful things in his few months with Belmount FC u17s.

[KeepersBall]

Buck me, he's a futsol coach. Athlones keeper from last season has gone to Shels

[Battery Rover]

No one knows what's going on. Not even managers.

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football/686245/confusion-reigns-at-athlone-town-as-nobody-knows-who-is-managing-the-team/