Not a bad season, could have been a little better

We finished fifth... Not bad, but we're left wondering what it could have been if we didn't suffer a mid-season slump... The future looks bright after Adrian Murphy's goal against Rovers and the sackful he got in the U-21 competitions. A good win in the U-21 cup against Mervue...

Our first team performed alot better than I expected, given the turmoil at the start of the season... The mystery surrounding Martin Lawlor and the fact that at 5.00p.m. on the day preceeding the squad deadline we had little more than a team registered to play against Bray. it didnt deter us. We got a point in the Carisle grounds...

We signed Avery John and lost nine points... Whilst down nine points we started getting points on the board and managed to touch second place in the league (accounting for the original 9)...
We got them back and managed a draw against UCD... and when on a terrible run where we witnessed an amazing goal drought... We bought Brian Byrne and Sean Francis and both players grabed important goals whilst taking time to settle in the team... Its' hard to say who the team was built around...

A solid back five devolped... Digger, Tom Silke, Fergie, Spud and Sean Dillon with sprinklings of Avery John... These players are the backbone of our beloved team... The left-side of midfield entertained many but I think Brian Byrne has made this his own... We'll be hoping Kirbs stays on the right because he'd be hard replace right now... Vinny and Darragh played so-so in the middle whilst up-front new €10,000 man Francis and Lavine suffered drought and nearly had us ****ting it... five goals between them since and we're safe and finishing fifth... our best ever...

Cheers to Alan Matthews and Aaron O'Callaghan... You had us worried but we needn't have been...

The table doesnt tell the whole story, but its our best ever position, so cant be too picky! And it was nice going into the last game of the season, not being worried about games affecting us, thank fcuk we stayed clear of the playoffs, after last season, never again! Im actually more confident about next season, with the likes of Adrian Murphy coming through, new contracts for Kirbs and Vinny, well done on a good season, next season will be fascinating, roll on April!

I could suggest my own opinions but why do ye Town supporters think ye have progressed as a club where other Leinster teams such as Bray, Drogs etc... or teams stuck in the 1st division haven't?

Longford is by comparison to virtually every other eL town fairly small with not a very populous (is that a word/spelling?) surrounding area...

I think that without a shadow of a doubt the investment Jim Hanley brought to the club has enabled us to take a step forward. The work Stephen Kenny done has been complimented by this... Alan Matthews stuck his neck out for Francis and to a certain extent, Brian Byrne... Without doubt Pete, the next step I would be happy with is retaining this years position and the progress with the U-21's whilst increasing our gates by about 400 home supporters with 200 regular adult bums an absolute min...

Hopefully we have the bar next season and the Astro turf will start bring in the Euro's...

While i wouldn't lump ye in with those outter Pale yoyo clubs (ye seem to attract better players) Longford Town seems to give off a professional attitude to outsiders which i'm sure leads ye to attract better players that the ones that jump between Bray/Drogs/Dundalk depending oin which one is in the Premier.

Do Longford have many dub based squad members these days?

Curious pete

Quote:

---

Originally posted by pete
Do Longford have many dub based squad members these days?

---

Pretty much all of them, but I think the difference is that we don't go for the journey men/ merceneries that the other clubs do.... Perhaps this season has been a slight exception to this (step forward Sini Savic), but then given the circumstances surrounding Lawlors exit it was hardly surprising....

There is also the problem that because of the lack of 3rd level education facility in the town, the youth players ultimately go to either Dublin or Galway out of range of the club and have a tendancy to do the normal student stuff - not a problem in itself, but not exactly great for their discipline/ attitude/ fitness....

Whilst I think we do give the impression of a progressive club, I think there is much more that could've been done with suggestions that have been made - a problem with being a members club, with elected part-time officials I suppose.....

Quote:

---

Originally posted by pete
Longford Town seems to give off a professional attitude

---

thats the key to everything I think. Well done the town, see ye all in blazers nest season :)