2024 Season, Arrivals and Departures

[RealJohn91]

Stephen Mallon signs for us
Some player on his day when he's not injured. Power will have some company at least.

[2 Year Contract]

Having recently returned to Shrewsbury Town after his loan back at Sligo, Max Mata has now been loaned out again. This time back home to New Zealand to play for newly founded club Auckland FC who will be playing their inaugural season in Australia's A-League

[outspoken]

Is another injury prone player really what Sligo need? The likes of Power has barely kicked a ball as most people expected would happen..

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Hopefully they can time their injuries so only one of them is out at a time

[2 Year Contract]

Dundalk have turned down a ‘bid’ from Motherwell for Archie Davies. Even calling it a bid is being kind, it was reportedly no upfront fee and all, instead just adding small performances based incentives for the club. Motherwell have previous for showing zero respect to this league, offering Pats €5k for Greg Bolger towards the end of his time at the club. Would’ve thought getting beaten home and away in Europe by a mid table Sligo side would’ve humbled them but seemingly not

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/dundalk-knock-back-motherwell-bid-32951767

[Another Bohemia]

Dundalk have turned down a ‘bid’ from Motherwell for Archie Davies. Even calling it a bid is being kind, it was reportedly no upfront fee and all, instead just adding small performances based incentives for the club. Motherwell have previous for showing zero respect to this league, offering Pats €5k for Greg Bolger towards the end of his time at the club. Would’ve thought getting beaten home and away in Europe by a mid table Sligo side would’ve humbled them but seemingly not

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/dundalk-knock-back-motherwell-bid-32951767

He's a lovely player. I think he can do better than that basket case that is Motherwell. He'll easily land a contract in an L1 or 2 club in the winter window.

[brendy_éire]

Putting this here, since he's virtually a new signing at this stage, Colm Whelan played 37 minutes in the U20s against Harps today. Scored one, assisted with one.

Delighted for him that he's back at it. He's had a horrendous few years.

[redobit]

Is another injury prone player really what Sligo need? The likes of Power has barely kicked a ball as most people expected would happen..

Apparently Mallon was misdiagnosed with pevious injury so missed a lot more time because that. Supposed to be fine now so we'll see how he does.

[Another Bohemia]

Apparently Mallon was misdiagnosed with pevious injury so missed a lot more time because that. Supposed to be fine now so we'll see how he does.

If that is true I'd still be wary with him. He didn't have just one injury at Bohs IIRC ( he had foot, hip and potentially his knee issues as well) and I believe he also had injury issues during his time at Derry.

[2 Year Contract]

Brian Gartland has joined Pats as assistant manager, to add to the LOI coaching merry go round this year

[oriel]

Looking at the fixture list, Pats away to Dundalk on 23/08, BG lives 5 min walk from Oriel, and SK lives in Blackrock LH, a home game for the 2 boys !

BG is nice fella, did so much for Dundalk, best of luck to him. Funny all the same the two of them living local.

[joey B]

Tunmise Sobowale signed for Swindon Town,left Shrewsbury at the end of the season....

[Shearer]

Stephen Healy loan with Kerry FC cut short and he has been sent back to Galway.

You'd wonder who the real manager is at Kerry though and this audio from Radio Kerry attached below only rises suspicion.

James Sugrue saying to the press that "I'm releasing Stephen" and that "I had a chat with John [Caulfield]". There isn't an assistant manager around that speaks like that.

James Sugrue seems to do 90% of the media and Conor McCarthy is only rolled out when they get a positive result. Sugrue is far more vocal in the Kerry dugout also.
Assuming this is a badges thing?

www.radiokerry.ie/sport/player-departs-kerry-fc-set-up-387591?utm_campaign=web&utm_source=messenger&utm_medium=web

[Jamesie]

Stephen Healy loan with Kerry FC cut short and he has been sent back to Galway.

You'd wonder who the real manager is at Kerry though and this audio from Radio Kerry attached below only rises suspicion.

James Sugrue saying to the press that "I'm releasing Stephen" and that "I had a chat with John [Caulfield]". There isn't an assistant manager around that speaks like that.

James Sugrue seems to do 90% of the media and Conor McCarthy is only rolled out when they get a positive result. Sugrue is far more vocal in the Kerry dugout also.
Assuming this is a badges thing?

www.radiokerry.ie/sport/player-departs-kerry-fc-set-up-387591?utm_campaign=web&utm_source=messenger&utm_medium=web

Ollie maintained that he's doing a huge chunk of what needs doing at Galway. Look at Bohs and others...its becoming a managerial team thing more than ever

[Another Bohemia]

Ollie maintained that he's doing a huge chunk of what needs doing at Galway. Look at Bohs and others...its becoming a managerial team thing more than ever

Yeah this kind of thing seems to be getting more common. When Long and Crolly were Bohs management team Crolly was frequently the one giving orders from the touchline. In the current iteration of Bohs management I've seen Detser and Reynolds give instructions and I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I see Stephen O'Donnell give some as well.

It's probably worth listening to Johnny McDonnell on the last LOI central (I think it was the last one anyway) and he talks a bit about management teams and this sort of thing. He even mentions that he would give instructions from the bench when he worked under Brian Kerr once Kerr agreed with them because it would be a clearer instruction coming from the person who noticed what needed to change rather than starting a game of whispers with the players.

[Shearer]

I think you're stretching it by applying it to First Division clubs, lads.

Just from my own experience of viewing them it would appear that Sugrue has the reins.

[Shearer]

Stephen Henderson is the new Cobh Wanderers manager.

[Martinho II]

Stephen Henderson is the new Cobh Wanderers manager.

Are they a MSL side Shearer?

[Shearer]

Are they a MSL side Shearer?
Yeah that's it.

[2 Year Contract]

Just noticed Alan Reynolds on the touchline alongside Crawford with the Ireland u21s in Croatia in this clip. Was it not stated when he got the Bohs job that he was leaving the Ireland gig? If I was a Bohs fan I know I’d want my manager fully focused on managing my club and preparing the players for their game this week. Bit of an odd one, I can’t imagine many LOI managers would be too keen on another league clubs manager having a direct relationship with their players either (only rovers have players in the most recent squad but the last few years there’s been players from loads of clubs)

https://x.com/seanocsport/status/1800556199760503119?s=46

[RealJohn91]

Just noticed Alan Reynolds on the touchline alongside Crawford with the Ireland u21s in Croatia in this clip. Was it not stated when he got the Bohs job that he was leaving the Ireland gig? If I was a Bohs fan I know I’d want my manager fully focused on managing my club and preparing the players for their game this week. Bit of an odd one, I can’t imagine many LOI managers would be too keen on another league clubs manager having a direct relationship with their players either (only rovers have players in the most recent squad but the last few years there’s been players from loads of clubs)

https://x.com/seanocsport/status/1800556199760503119?s=46
It's a terrible look for Reynolds and whoever at Bohs agreed to him still being allowed to double job too. I'm still willing to see what he can do with his own signings but he badly needs to get some positive results and avoidable situations like this won't help his cause especially if things don't improve.

[sbgawa]

According to a shelbourne itk they have two huge signings for July.....watch this space I suppose, he wouldn't be drawn

[2 Year Contract]

According to a shelbourne itk they have two huge signings for July.....watch this space I suppose, he wouldn't be drawn

Huge signing? Philly Hughes is signing back?

[Nesta99]

According to a shelbourne itk they have two huge signings for July.....watch this space I suppose, he wouldn't be drawn

Funny you mention that as Matthew Wilcock I heard name dropped, would be a great signing but mot sure it counts as huge. Greg Sloggett was also mentioned and Im sure Dundalk are tracking him too. What would people considr as 'huge' just out of interest in a realistic manner. Huge for me would be say a transfer coup within LoI eg Jack Byrne transferring to Shels....and suddenly is super fit and no longer made of glass!

[nigel-harps1954]

Jeff Hendrick and Aaron Connolly

[RealJohn91]

Can see Hendrick maybe if he'd rather come home to finish up instead of dropping down the leagues over there. Feels like Connolly is young enough to get another couple of chances over there or in Scotland though.

[TonyD]

Huge signing? Philly Hughes is signing back?

He eats what he wants !

[total hoofball]

Duff won't be rocking any boats signing the likes of Jeff Hendrick, Wes Hoolahan or Troy Parrott just some of the farcical rumours I've heard about 'big' Shels signings in this summer transfer window. If signings are made I'd expect known LOI quantities

[joey B]

Cameron McJannet departing Derry for Grimsby in the summer window ….

[brendy_éire]

Cameron McJannet departing Derry for Grimsby in the summer window ….

Disappointing, but he'd English and his contract is up at the end of the season, so understandable. Didn't actually think he'd stay for this long. He was a great signing.

[thebronze14]

Confirmed that Sean O'Donnell is leaving for America for a scholarship and his sending off will be his last act in a Harps shirt

[joey B]

Gavin Molloy left Shels for Aberdeen,as big a loss for Shels as McJannett is for Derry I think….

[2 Year Contract]

Gavin Molloy left Shels for Aberdeen,as big a loss for Shels as McJannett is for Derry I think….
Dan McDonnell reporting that there was a 75k release fee in his contract that Aberdeen have triggered. 5 months after Damien Duff stated that no player at Shelbourne has a release clause lol

[Jack B]

That's a bit of a stinker for Shels. Great player.

[2 Year Contract]

Duff won't be rocking any boats signing the likes of Jeff Hendrick, Wes Hoolahan or Troy Parrott just some of the farcical rumours I've heard about 'big' Shels signings in this summer transfer window. If signings are made I'd expect known LOI quantities

You’re probably right, Ali Coote and Harry Wood seem to be the latest rumours to be heading to shels

[Jd2793]

coote to shels a done deal. good signing for duff and co

[RealJohn91]

Weird one that he went to the States instead of just signing with Shels at the start of the season.

[Nesta99]

Maybe an attempt to carve out a career at the top end of the US game didnt work out? Or he got homesick...

[nigel-harps1954]

Maybe an attempt to carve out a career at the top end of the US game didnt work out? Or he got homesick...

Seems to have been starting every week over there. Presumably wanted to be closer to home.

[total hoofball]

Dan McDonnell reporting that there was a 75k release fee in his contract that Aberdeen have triggered. 5 months after Damien Duff stated that no player at Shelbourne has a release clause lol
Duff's comment in May 2023 wasn't explicit as to whether he was referring to new contracts for players or contract extensions, if it turns out new players signed after this date have release clauses then he could be called a liar he has now stated Molloy was the only exception to this policy

My theory with Molloy is there was a very low release clause like 20k was signed on his first original professional contract signed back in July 2022 and at the two subsequent contract renewals a release clause would not be retracted by the agent but may have been negotiated upwards to 75k on either the April 2023 or Feb 2024 extension. Still something has been badly handled on Shels end that release clause is stupidly low with a contract expiring end of 2025, we have now lost a young player who has a big part of our ascent back to Europe and to the top of table who has a potential high ceiling in the SPFL with Aberdeen based on his rapid progression at Shels after being let go by Bohs without getting near their first team

[oriel]

Bad time for Shels for Molloy to be leaving ok, with europe, league and cup (outright favs I see due to the draw) all on the horizon.

Wonder have Shels got a % sell on, as with his age you would imagine Aberdeen could sell him for decent money in a few years.

[Nesta99]

If Kilmarnock could make money on Conor Sammon Aberdeen will make money on Molloy!

[nr637]

That's a bit of a stinker for Shels. Great player.

It's the business of the game here, any player that shows potential is preyed on by the bigger clubs. It's the way our clubs respond and conduct their business is what is important. No club will stand in the way of any player who wants to achieve new opportunities. Duff is one of the new breed of manager and is always looking at replacements as the Club must continue and move on to the next phase.

It's also what makes our league so exciting and competitive!

:)

[Jack B]

It's the business of the game here, any player that shows potential is preyed on by the bigger clubs. It's the way our clubs respond and conduct their business is what is important. No club will stand in the way of any player who wants to achieve new opportunities. Duff is one of the new breed of manager and is always looking at replacements as the Club must continue and move on to the next phase.

It's also what makes our league so exciting and competitive!

:)

That's the nature of the game anywhere, doesn't change the fact that it's a desperately paltry sum for a player of his quality and importance to Shels. Equivalent players around Europe regularly go for multiples of the amount Molloy has, it's something the league has to improve on.

[Another Bohemia]

Duff's comment in May 2023 wasn't explicit as to whether he was referring to new contracts for players or contract extensions, if it turns out new players signed after this date have release clauses then he could be called a liar he has now stated Molloy was the only exception to this policy

My theory with Molloy is there was a very low release clause like 20k was signed on his first original professional contract signed back in July 2022 and at the two subsequent contract renewals a release clause would not be retracted by the agent but may have been negotiated upwards to 75k on either the April 2023 or Feb 2024 extension. Still something has been badly handled on Shels end that release clause is stupidly low with a contract expiring end of 2025, we have now lost a young player who has a big part of our ascent back to Europe and to the top of table who has a potential high ceiling in the SPFL with Aberdeen based on his rapid progression at Shels after being let go by Bohs without getting near their first team

“As long as I’m here it will be club policy,” he says, “Any agents that come in and say ‘I want a get out clause for 30 grand or 40 grand’…you can go and do one.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/do-they-think-were-fking-cavemen-over-here-damien-duff-on-respect-from-english-clubs-laying-down-the-law-with-agents-and-fighting-for-the-league-of-ireland/a157119497.html

Unless Molloys extensions were negotiated by his Ma and not an agent, Duff has egg on his face. But ultimately he's winning games so who cares? He's probably just had to become more pragmatic since that quote. Every player in the league likely has an agent and with the amount of players moving to the UK lately the majority back themselves to be up to that level so it's a case of getting the best players in that you can while trying to be realistic with them leaving because if Shels didn't give them the release fee God knows Pat's or Bohs would have or Rovers or Derry would have given multiples of Shels wages to get him in without the release clause.

[total hoofball]

“As long as I’m here it will be club policy,” he says, “Any agents that come in and say ‘I want a get out clause for 30 grand or 40 grand’…you can go and do one.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/do-they-think-were-fking-cavemen-over-here-damien-duff-on-respect-from-english-clubs-laying-down-the-law-with-agents-and-fighting-for-the-league-of-ireland/a157119497.html

Unless Molloys extensions were negotiated by his Ma and not an agent, Duff has egg on his face.
Nothing in the article from May 2023 quotes the specific question that was posed to Duff or any context behind his quote, McDonnell stated "Duff declared that no player at Shelbourne has a release clause" while the Duff talks about "club policy" and rambles on about his opinions on these clauses, I'm interested what date did this club policy start from that Duff talked about because I think it explains why Molloy had a release clause and others didn't

We also lost another young centre-back Luke Browne in this off-season to Crystal Palace who had only one LOI appearance for us with a loan spell at Wexford and Shels negotiated more money for Browne than Molloy because Browne did not have a release clause. Browne signed his first professional contract in December 2022 which was 5 months after Molloy's first pro contract in July 2022 hence why I'm thinking Molloy was possibly the last new contract issued by Shels to include a release clause because it was around this same time period in summer of 2022 when UK clubs were raiding the league triggering a number of release clauses, IIRC Devoy, Promochere, Burns, Kenny, Mandroiu transfers triggered by release clauses all gained considerable attention that year before a push across the league to blacklist release clauses gained momentum

[brendy_éire]

"Substantial fee" agreed with Grimsby for Cameron McJannet. His contract is up at the end of the season, so not sure how 'substantial' it can really be, but there is a sell-on clause and other add-ons. Good idea.
https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/football/derry-city/derry-city-and-grimsby-agree-substantial-fee-for-cameron-mcjannet-4669314

I'd say we'll be in the market for one (or two) centre halfs. Graham Garland was making the point on LoI Central too, saying we should get a pacy lad in. Agree with that.

[nigel-harps1954]

Confirmed that Sean O'Donnell is leaving for America for a scholarship and his sending off will be his last act in a Harps shirt

Joining Hofstra University, NCAA Div 1 side. So at least he's going to the top tier of American colleges.

[nigel-harps1954]

Shelbourne confirm the signings of Sam Bone and Ali Coote.

[total hoofball]

Coote and Bone were the types of known LOI quantities that Duff has been signing so no change in that strategy, also both players have been teammates with many of our squad at previous clubs so bonds already in place i.e. Barrett and Bone played in defence with each other at Pats so that's a logical signing if he is viewed as a replacement for Molloy