Last game in St. Mel's

[harps1954]

I don't know if it has been mentioned already, but tonight Athlone Town will play their last ever match in St. Mel's Park.

I know the place is a bit of a dump and present, but even so it's the end of an era. A new ground for us all (well 1st Division) to visit next season.

[Magicme]

Yeah tonight is special and Mons are the ones to go down in history as last team to play Athlone Town there....one for future table quizzes me thinks!

[Peadar]

Free entry tonight too, I believe.

[Magicme]

Am sure there will be a few tears shed too.

[gufct]

I used to travel to mels before there was LOI football in Galway and have some great memories the highlight being the AC Milan game sad to see the house of tin falling down but good luck to all in your new home and please get rid of your recently acquired Junior scum before ye start playing there.

[Lim till i die]

They should have played it on Saturday, would love to go

I'm gonna miss Dachau :(

[monutdfc]

Athlone Town Press Release here
http://www.monaghanunited.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=457&Itemid=1

[Magicme]

Hey monutdfc u gonna make it down? Should b a good nite on and off the pitch.

[Battery Rover]

A very special day for us down here as we say goodbye to the hallowed turf.

Its 33 years since I first started attending games there and have so many happy memories. The league wins and the Tyler Cup matches. Some great matches against the likes of Rovers and Sligo. The atmosphere was really something special down there when success was with the club and would be a pretty intimidating place for teams to come and get a result. Great players like the O'Connors, Noel Larkin, Rod DeKhors, Larry Wise, Stef Fenuick just to name a few.

Tonights match is not about the result even though it would be great sign of with a win but is about remembering the people and players that have graced us with their dedication to the club.

Farewell St Mels but I will be bringing part of you in my heart to the new ground and you will always be remembered

[Magicme]

I'm assuming Shane Brennan will be remembered at the prayer service today. One of our fans has his Monaghan United Jersey so will text her and suggest she wears it tonight in his honour.

[Battery Rover]

I'm assuming Shane Brennan will be remembered at the prayer service today. One of our fans has his Monaghan United Jersey so will text her and suggest she wears it tonight in his honour.

Yes every player, official and supporter that has graced the ground will be remembered

[BrayUnknowns]

There was a nice little piece on the RTE sports news last night, good interview as well from the new stadium whicjh is looking very nice so far. Best of luck tonight, hopefully you can give St. Mels a good send off.

[The Stars]

might go up for the laugh

[paudie]

Did ye invite anybody from AC Milan for the last game?;)

Maybe they mightn't want to remember that game.

Isn't there that story of the Milan players walking through muck in their Gucci shoes to get to the dressing room?:D

[Ash]

Yep, the bus pulled up beside the muddiest puddle near the ground.

Theres a great picture on "A History Of Athlone tOwn - The Fitst 101 Years"
of the Milan players stepping off the bus looking bemused :D

[Battery Rover]

They were let of the bus outside the gates and it was really bad with muck. The look on their faces was priceless.

When they came out onto the pitch and the huge crowd they looked terrified that we were able to stretch out our hands and virtually touch them Remember this was in a time when hooliganism was really bad in Italy and supporters were caged in

[Battery Rover]

Your too quick for me Ash. Wednesday you get the first season ticket for the new ground and now this:rolleyes:

[cheech]

I'm sure it will be a sad night for Town fans leaving St Mels but congrats on your new stadium

I've some great memories from the 70s of St Mels after we both joined the league together. The night you beat us in the playoffs there on penalties was also a special night even though we lost.

Best of luck in the future and will get to see it next season unfortunately!

[Ash]

Your too quick for me Ash. Wednesday you get the first season ticket for the new ground and now this:rolleyes:

Just in the right place at the right time :D

You would have nipped in ahead of my for the 1st ticket only you were
filling out 2 applications

Liam was busy writing the cheque when I threw cash at them :D

I hope they recognise the fact and issue me with number 1.

I was number 16 this season. Have to frame that ticket

[Dodge]

I've good memories of St. Mels. I went to my first Pats game outside of Dublin there.

[NY Hoop]

Yeah saw Rovers there for the first time outside Dublin. Memories not really good as before this season think we lost our last 4 games there.

Ground actually got worse over the years with first the shed falling down and then the gantry disappearing!

Any Athlone fan confirm what is happening to the ground? Who actually owns it?

KOH

[GuisaSaigon]

I went to my first ever away game in St Mels about 16 years ago, Larry Wise scored a cracking free kick in a 1-0 victory to United! Many other great memories of St Mels, gonna miss that place.

[Conor H]

Believe it or not Mels was my 1st away game too.About 7 years ago i'd say.Quarter final of the Cup...a drab 0-0 but some atmosphere and the largest away support i've ever seen for UTD.maybe 800-100?
Best of luck Athlone.

[Ash]

Any Athlone fan confirm what is happening to the ground? Who actually owns it?
KOH

Mels was swapped with the Council for the land where the new stadium is built.
The council have been asked to keep it for sporting purposes but who knows
how long that will last.

There was some confusion over the swapping of the land as it was generally
believed that St. Mels Park was left in trust to the people of Athlone to have
for sport in the town. Not sure if any of the official documentation on the
matter is around anymore though.

[Paddyfield]

St. Mel's was the venue for my first ever away game too...but there wasn't an Athlone Town player in the ground! It was the 1985 "Bulmers" FAI Cup semi final reply between Limerick City and Galway United (back in the days when all semi finals were played at neutral venues).
John Mannion scored the the winner in extra time for United. It was fitting that he scored as he was an Athlone native.

PS
The grafitti outside Mel's that says "LARRY BE WYSE" should be perserved.

[sligoman]

one for future table quizzes me thinks!You must be very proud!:p.

Not many great memories of Mel's, mostly cos of a couple of scummy fans Athlone had but wish them the best of luck in their new ground.

[The Sheliban]

I sprinted like mad through the old ticket gate
With my bag swinging over my back.
But up on the platform I cursed cruel fate,
As the train chuffed away down the track.
And I stood there despondently all on my own.
Now what could I do for two hours in Athlone?

I decided that maybe I’d go for a stroll,
While some light still remained in the day,
To try and work out if the town had a soul,
Or whether ‘twas lifeless and grey.
And so I stepped out without procrastination,
Away down the road from that old railway station.

My walking was random, no target I set,
And I chose every street on a whim.
The dull, faceless houses I soon would forget,
And the fact’ries lay empty and grim.
But as the bland afternoon slowly turned dark,
I found myself standing outside St. Mel’s Park.

The gate lay wide open, so I wandered in,
For I hadn’t been there for a while.
I walked round the pitch to that shed made of tin,
With my lips fondly pursed in a smile.
An old man was sitting down one of the flanks,
Alone in his thoughts on the worn, painted planks.

As I climbed up the steps and sat down by his side,
He offered a faraway greeting.
The wild, swirling wind with ferocity tried
To lift off the rusty tin sheeting.
The pitch spread before us so luscious and green,
Our mem’ries unfurled, we both drank in the scene.

‘Twas nearly ten minutes ‘ere I at last spoke,
And then ‘twas to mock this “museum”,
“Ramshackle shed,” I observed, as a joke.
“It’s a bit like that old Coliseum.
I heard that the plan is to pull it all down,
And move the whole ground to the far side of town.”

“I’m seventy six now,” he answered and smiled,
With that dewdroppy look in his eye.
“I’ve been coming down here since I was a wee child,
And it’s maybe not long till I die.
And this ramshackle stadium, battered and worn,
Saw the first light of day in the year I was born.

‘I’ve spent my whole life with the black and the blue,
I’ve shared all the highs and the lows.
I know that this club may mean nothing to you,
No reason it should, I suppose.
But for me, it’s my father, my sister, my wife,
And the only true love I have had in my life.

‘I remember one day as a middle-aged man,
A dreary wet day in September,
This stand was packed out to see A.C. Milan,
In a game I will always remember.
‘Twas proudly we hosted those footballing giants,
But they were surprised by our stubborn defiance.

‘I suppose that St. Mel’s is a piece of waste ground,
When you play mostly in the San Siro,
But our lads were impressive and knocked it around,
And every man jack was a hero.
They bravely attacked the Italian defence,
Who resorted to fouling when things became tense.

‘Albertosi, the goalie, had plenty to do,
With the Milanese backs in a panic,
And Larkin and Duffy and Dougie Wood too
Were each so composed and titanic.
I pitied the poor old Italian, Benetti,
Who spent the whole night running round getting sweaty.

‘The Italian tackling was coarse and extreme,
And some of their tactics quite sordid,
But then the whole evening turned into a dream,
As a penalty kick was awarded.
I barely could watch with the ball on the spot,
But the massive, great keeper saved Minno’s weak shot.

‘Daly and Humphries tormented their backs,
But we couldn’t convert any chances,
Wave after wave of strong Irish attacks
Were repulsed in quite cruel circumstances.
It was the most marvellous and splendid nil nil,
And there’s many round here who remember it still.

‘Of course, we were trounced when we played them away,
But somehow it just didn’t matter.
The lads gave the town such a glorious day,
Served up on a great silver platter.
And then in the eighties, we won the league twice,
Which in my old age was exceedingly nice.

‘This stand that you mock has seen many great men
Turn out for the black and the blue,
Turlough and Michael O’Connor and then
Pat Whelan and Harry McCue.
Larry Wyse, Joey Salmon and bold Denis Clarke
Have all entertained us down in St. Mel’s Park.

‘And now this old stadium’s gone to the dogs,
This tin shed will rattle no longer.
And sure, ‘twon’t be long ‘ere I pop my own clogs,
For I surely won’t get any stronger.
And here on this pitch, where my life truly mattered,
I’ve asked that my ashes be solemnly scattered.”

I glanced at my watch lying tight on my arm,
And a warning shot lanced through my brain.
“I’m afraid I must go,” I announced with alarm,
“Or else I might miss the next train.
But thank you, good fellow, for putting me right,
I’m sorry my words sounded flippant and trite.”

I left him there musing, and lost in his thoughts,
As I made my way back to the station,
But my mind was distracted and quite out of sorts,
As I pondered our long conversation.
And as I passed by a wall of graffiti-strewn brick,
I doubled in pain and was violently sick.

[oriel]

Best of luck ATFC in new ground. Special memories of Athlone for me as this was my first ever away trip, last day of the season in 81/82 we won to win the league. Athlone got revenge by winning it the following year.

Can still see the dust from the sand on the pitch as Hilary Caryle I think socred the winner, or was in Sean Byrne, 2,000 dundalk fans in the then fashionable rugby black and white tops going mental, great memories.

That tiny stand in the corner, should be preserved forever in a corner of the new ground.

Farewell St Mels

[Red4Eva]

hated the kip when we used to play there but it's still a bit sad. every game i was at there was awful apart from 2-2 in the last season of winter fotball.

farewell st. mel's

[BleusAvantTout]

We played at St. Mels on two occasions - once in the late '70s and the other in 1980. I was at the first game. I can remember the O'Connors - I think!!! :o

Best wishes to Athlone in their new ground and as I have more than a passing interest in football grounds in Ireland, can someone post a link for the new ground?

[monutdfc]

lick on the "New Stadium" link
http://www.athlonetownfc.com/

[red bellied]

I was there when Rovers clinched promotion the night before St Patricks day 1994 under the McStay era, Athlone also went up as runners up that season.
It was around this time that the shed behind the goal was blown down. The chant going round was "St Mels Park is falling down" to the tune of London Bridge. Rovers wining two nil on the night.

[Red&White Rover]

Was up there last night, and was disappointing to see the side conceding two goals like that in a match that important to the club.

Saw my first ever LOI match there, and i'm sure it'll be missed
Good luck in the new stadium.

[mypost]

Mel's is a tip, but it's also an intimate ground, where the players are just inches from the fans. Drogheda's ground is one of the few of that kind left.

[fc hammer]

St. Mel's was the venue for my first ever away game too...but there wasn't an Athlone Town player in the ground! It was the 1985 "Bulmers" FAI Cup semi final reply between Limerick City and Galway United (back in the days when all semi finals were played at neutral venues).
John Mannion scored the the winner in extra time for United. It was fitting that he scored as he was an Athlone native.

PS
The grafitti outside Mel's that says "LARRY BE WYSE" should be perserved.
Remember it well.. Best of luck Athlone.

[BohsFans]

Did the place get ripped apart last night?

[gspain]

We won the league in St. Mels in 1980. Fantastic day.

I think my first game there was circa 1974.

Sad to see it go but hopefully a new dawn and new future for Athlone.

[Larry 'da' Wyse]

In some ways it is sad to see it go but then it is also great to see a club who have struggled for the last 10ish years progress and move to a new ground. Some great memories from going to see Athlone for 3 years while in College. Mickey used to be our manager in the College too. It was great that palyers for the town were also involved at Colleges level and I really enjoyed my Sundays watching the games and back to the Shack for pints.
The likes of Denis Clarke, Mickedy, Rod, Warren etc were great to watch.

Fair play for the free admission for the last game.

Onwards!

[desaintsno.12]

does the new ground just have the one stand for now ?

[Magicme]

does the new ground just have the one stand for now ?

Yeah but its a Grandstand......

sorry.