"MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN
As Chairman of Limerick Football Club, I wish to thank you for your support since I came on board here five years ago. The club has come a long way in such a short space of time, but we must keep striving to improve and grow and become bigger and better. This is not possible without more support.
I am posting this message on our Official Facebook Page which has attracted almost 10,000 ‘likes’. We understand not all of you are directly Limerick FC supporters or in a position to attend games but we feel certainly a high percentage of you are.
Unfortunately, our average attendance at Thomond Park for our seven Premier Division games to date this year is 933. This is compared to an average of 2,335 at the same stage last season. As everyone can see, this is a dramatic drop in the space of just 12 months.
For 19 years, Limerick was starved of a senior team playing at the top level of Irish football. That is far too long for a city and club of this size to suffer in the doldrums and we certainly never want to return there. Through a lot of hard work and time from many people, we ended that absence from the Premier Division in October 2012 by winning the First Division title, which was a great achievement for the club and one that we remain extremely proud of. But we must leave that behind now and grow to become one of the top clubs in the country.
Last season, we were very encouraged by the crowds that turned out to see us at Thomond Park and over the course of the league campaign we averaged 1,654 people through the gates. That included a crowd of 3,768 for the opening-day Munster Derby against Cork City. For the same fixture this year, we attracted just 836 spectators. There were certain factors, including the game being moved to a Tuesday night either side of other home matches, that affected the attendance but not by almost 3,000 people.
The above figures are plain for all to see. We are thankful to all those who have come out to support us this year, where though small in numbers there has always been a good atmosphere created, particularly at the recent game against reigning champions Saint Patrick’s Athletic where we recorded an excellent 2-0 win. But we need much more support.
I must also stress that Limerick FC is much more than just one team. We are a club that is built on the community. While a lot of investment has gone into making the first team competitive in the Premier Division, we have looked beyond that. Our Under-19 setup and what is an ever-growing Academy are among the best in the country, and our Ladies, Special Olympics and ABCs teams show our commitment to all. We have close to 30 teams in operation. We are currently developing a base for the club in Bruff and we will have an Open Day there on Sunday 6 July for people to learn more about what is perhaps the most exciting project being undertaken in Irish football and one that does not come cheaply. A monthly Development Draw for Bruff is available on our fundraising page on our official website.
To help develop all aspects of the club, we need the support of the City and County. What I am asking for are people with an interest in Limerick FC to provide the club with feedback. If you are not coming to games we want to know why, and if you are regularly attending Thomond Park, what could be done to improve the matchday experience? I have always said that this club is an open door and we welcome everybody’s help and suggestions. I want to hear from you so that we can try to pinpoint the reasons for what has been an alarming drop in attendances. Please reply below or e-mail
feedback@limerickfc.ie with your views. Also, if anyone would like to become involved in focus groups, where you can discuss issues and ideas, you can contact us at the same e-mail address and we will be in touch.
Thank you for your time and we look forward to hearing from you.
Pat O’Sullivan,
Limerick FC Chairman"
