Town 2026

So seems like at least 99% of the squad is there now thanks to sportsfile once again getting word out ahead of the club https://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/776453902

Surprised at Campbell and Walsh, was sure they'd be let go. I really hope this is their year, but that's 3 years of saying that now.
Williams returns, he's been on a dry run since he left Drogs or Bohs but I remember him banging them in for Athlone and us years ago. And then some new names I don't recognise at all, guessing they're from other clubs academies.
No Manny to be seen there, bit concerning

Checked out a few names in FAI Connect, one lad appears to have come from Edenderry Town, another from Baliymun United and another from Bohs underage set up. Got bored scrolling photos after that.

It's the most lowkey build up to a season I can ever remember.

It's gonna be the same sh1te as a year ago. We're 1 week out from our sesson starting and there's gonna be a flood of revealing players we already know. I really don't get this at all. Such a bad look in 2026

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Originally Posted by MoydowMonty

It's gonna be the same sh1te as a year ago. We're 1 week out from our sesson starting and there's gonna be a flood of revealing players we already know. I really don't get this at all. Such a bad look in 2026

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Funny enough I heard Johnny Ward giving out about Galway not having a squad list on their website, while I also found it hard to get signing information for some other clubs as well. I'd imagine a lack of human resources plays a part at clubs like ours, but should be no excuse for full time PD clubs. Some sort of minimum communications standard should be enforced across the league if we want it to continue to grow and look as professional as possible

I've had a go at putting the squad list together based on Sportsfile & FAI Connect.

Few positions I'm not 100% sure on, but that's the bones of it there I think.

Looks like a nailed on league winning squad to me.



Goalkeepers
Lee Axworthy signed from Athlone
Edvinas Jakas signed from Bray u-20's
Kian Moore re-signed from 2025

Defenders
Jamie Egan re-signed from 2025
Conor Errity signed from Bohs u-20's
Jake Hough signed from Bohs u-20's
Osaze Irhue re-signed from 2025
Taylor McCarthy signed from Shels u-20's
Kobichidi Ndebumadu signed from Ballymun United
Luke O'Brien signed from Carrick Rangers
Cole Omorehiomwan signed from Athlone
Aaron Walsh re-signed from 2025

Midfielders
Sultan Adenekan signed from Edenderry Town
Mark Canavan signed from Klub Kildare u-20's
Aaron Doran re-signed from 2025
Pharrell Manuel re-signed from 2025
Daniel McKenna signed from Athlone
Sean Moore re-signed from 2025
Alex O'Brien re-signed from 2025
Andy Paraschiv signed from Dundalk

Forwards
Francis Campbell re-signed from 2025
Dean George re-signed from 2025
Daragh Murtagh re-signed from 2025
Kyle Robinson re-signed from 2025
Ossie Tambe signed from Bohs u-20's
Stefan Ugbesia re-signed from 2025
Dean Williams signed from Athlone

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Originally Posted by outspoken

Some sort of minimum communications standard should be enforced across the league if we want it to continue to grow and look as professional as possible

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Would completely agree with this.

Lack of human resources can be fairly blamed for a lot of things when it comes to running a LOI club, particularly one as small as ours, but online communication about the squad for the up-coming season is hardly one that's too time consuming in the grand scheme of things.

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Originally Posted by De Town

but online communication about the squad for the up-coming season is hardly one that's too time consuming in the grand scheme of things.

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That's it. It takes 30 seconds to write a tweet saying X person has signed. It's not like we're expecting those poxy announcement videos with flashy graphics and poses (thank god), we just want to be kept in the loop.

I was told mid December by someone in the know that Kian Moore was staying on. That was nearly 2 months ago now and the club still haven't said it themselves. I thought it was bad enough when they weren't telling us when a player has left but now we're doing well if we've heard someone has joined.

Great stuff. I couldn't find Ossie Tambe in FAI connect.

Of the new young lads, I was impressed with Jake Hough, Taylor and Errity against Drogheda.

It's going to be an interesting year. Bones of last year's squad is there. Plus a lot of young academy players - but you have to say that Wayne has an eye for a young player (Alex, Moore, Stefan etc...).

Most non Town fans have written us off already.....

First couple of matches are tough....but I'm looking forward to see what happens.

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Originally Posted by De Town

I've had a go at putting the squad list together based on Sportsfile & FAI Connect.

Few positions I'm not 100% sure on, but that's the bones of it there I think.

Looks like a nailed on league winning squad to me.



Goalkeepers
Lee Axworthy signed from Athlone
Edvinas Jakas signed from Bray u-20's
Kian Moore re-signed from 2025

Defenders
Jamie Egan re-signed from 2025
Conor Errity signed from Bohs u-20's
Jake Hough signed from Bohs u-20's
Osaze Irhue re-signed from 2025
Taylor McCarthy signed from Shels u-20's
Kobichidi Ndebumadu signed from Ballymun United
Luke O'Brien signed from Carrick Rangers
Cole Omorehiomwan signed from Athlone
Aaron Walsh re-signed from 2025

Midfielders
Sultan Adenekan signed from Edenderry Town
Mark Canavan signed from Klub Kildare u-20's
Aaron Doran re-signed from 2025
Pharrell Manuel re-signed from 2025
Daniel McKenna signed from Athlone
Sean Moore re-signed from 2025
Alex O'Brien re-signed from 2025
Andy Paraschiv signed from Dundalk

Forwards
Francis Campbell re-signed from 2025
Dean George re-signed from 2025
Daragh Murtagh re-signed from 2025
Kyle Robinson re-signed from 2025
Ossie Tambe signed from Bohs u-20's
Stefan Ugbesia re-signed from 2025
Dean Williams signed from Athlone

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I have a feeling Dean Williams played with us before around a decade ago?

He was on loan from Rovers. It was probably six or seven years ago at this stage.

Himself and Darragh Nugent came on loan for the second half of our ill fated premier division season in 2021.

Williams actually scored a few goals for us from memory, not that we had much to shout about that year.

Forgot nugget was with us. Williams scored 5 in 15 premier Division games, most memorable a goal against Waterford which essentially dragged them down with us, we were long dead and buried but he celebrated right in front of their fans, he absolutely loves winding up opposition supporters which is great.

I'd still be worried about us defensively, but I think O'Brien will start the season at RB, Egan will be first choice CB if he can stay fit, after that not sure who makes up the rest of the back 4.

CM is our strongest area by far with Doran, Moore and now Paraschiv and if Williams stays fit we've got a clincal finished while Murtagh will also have a big season imo.

As long as the arse doesn't fall out of the back four and we aren't ruined by injuries again we should be pushing top 5

Good work on the squad list De Town, bad it's come to that

Orhue, Taylor and Jack Haugh maybe? I wouldn't be surprised if the new young lads end up surprising us like Alex O Brien did - might even be an upgrade on what we lost....

Presume it would be either McCarthy or Cole beside Egan. Thought A O'Brien did better at RB than swazzy in the Montpellier game. And it was L O'Brien at LB.Midfield and out wide we're sorted I think. Williams has some proving to do imo. He has been quiet the last 2 or 3 years. Went from technically winning the league with Shels to bottom of the first division with Athlone, that's some drop. Him and Robinson have some amount of work to do to dislodge Murtagh. I guess Manny isn't coming back, that is very sad, both as a fan but also from the point of view of the club that we have a local lad who knows where the net is but can't get a shoe in for his LOI club

Apparently we played yesterday

There was a good interview with Wayne on the LTFC socials.

But I was surprised that Wayne mentioned high turnover this year. I thought of all years ~5 players leaving was pretty low! Especially considering two of them were on the bench a lot last year!!!

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Originally Posted by drelihan

There was a good interview with Wayne on the LTFC socials. But I was surprised that Wayne mentioned high turnover this year. I thought of all years ~5 players leaving was pretty low! Especially considering two of them were on the bench a lot last year!!!

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More than 5 are gone anyway. Manny is sadly gone and that's the biggest heartbreaker. And I don't see any sign of Slater, Norris or Spain plus a couple others. So there's technically a high-ish amount of turnover, but I'd argue only 3 or 4 of them are a real loss. Not like going into Hendo's first season when we lost an entire squad

Oh yeah, Andy Spain is gone to Wayside Celtic FC.

Is Manny definitely confirmed as gone???

https://x.com/i/status/2021235982842937755 someone who I semi trust told me he wasn't coming back and I didn't want to believe it, but that pretty much confirms it. Such a bad look on the club in my opinion that that's how it's gone for him

That's an awful pity. It just goes how hard it was for a player to be in the LOI. The commitment required both on and off the pitch for very little return is massive.

If Manny is not going to train, then he should not get game time ahead of someone who is training. It doesn't set a good example to the rest of the squad if that is the case. They'd be like, 'well if he isn't bothered to show up to training and get playing, then why should I train?' He has the talent and knows where the goal is but the lad has to train!

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Originally Posted by Town Legend

If Manny is not going to train, then he should not get game time ahead of someone who is training. It doesn't set a good example to the rest of the squad if that is the case.

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Yeah obviously. I'm saying it's a joke that we're setup in such a way that we have someone who is local and came through our academy and clearly good enough for the senior team, yet training is so far away that he can't get the clean shot he deserves and has ultimately killed his Town chances. What chance has the next lad from Longford got in that case? In an ideal world Manny should be starting or at least featuring in majority of games (not 5min cameos). But now he's more than likely done with the LOI now you'd have to imagine. It's such a shame

Yeah, it is a pity that we cannot train more locally, but that's what happens when our coach and most of the team are from Dublin or surrounding areas.

Positive result tonight. Hung on in the end but probably worth a draw overall. Hopefully a decent crowd out next weekend.

Good result. I'd say it was a positive start all round. New signings look good. Cole was excellent.

Only slight negative was that when Doran and George came off we were not very creative.

Thought it was a fair result all in all, although we were hanging on the last 15 or so.

Both teams substitutions changed the game. We were well on top until the subs came, making us worse and Bray better.

Cole at the back had a great game but thought Pharrell Manuel was the man of the match. He has some engine on him.

Decent point on the road.

Happy with that. Heads didn't drop after conceding early. And we stood up to the wave after wave of their attacks the last 20 mins. Might be a good time to play Cobh next after their 3-0 loss

I don't like being that guy but it's a bad look when the club can't spell the manager's name correctly on social media. "Wayne Gross".

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Originally Posted by Longfordian

I don't like being that guy but it's a bad look when the club can't spell the manager's name correctly on social media. "Wayne Gross".

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Just **** poor isn't it.

Met a few players in town today - not sure what had them around the place but good to see all the same. Must have been doing medicals or something?

You'd imagine they'd have to do that before they're registered but maybe not.

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Originally Posted by Longfordian

You'd imagine they'd have to do that before they're registered but maybe not.

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Was thinking that too but then also couldn't think of any other reason to have them around!

It was my first visit to the Carlisle in must be 9 years. We didnt make best of starts but started 2nd half very strong. It was some clearance off the line from Alex OBrien in 2nd half. Think Bray shaded it but glad to get out with a point. We missed some sitter in the first half from I think Dean George. Some impressive performances.

Decent start. Didn't make much of bray tbh. Poor goal to concede but we shouldn't have been behind at HT. Good to strike early in second but didn't create anything after we scored. Fair point on bench, that would be a major concern.

Echo comments on Pharrel and Cole. The two big chances bray had to win it came from individual mistakes, I would worry that we look like a team who might make a lot of those this season.

Darragh murtaghs hold up play was fantastic. Not really sure Paraschiv works out wide. Any time I saw him for Dundalk it was in CM. Maybe difficult to accommodate him with Doran and moore there. May end up being more of an impact player off the bench.

Yeah thought Paraschiv was the worst player on the pitch tbh. Well, until some of our subs came on. Looked lost on the wing and was a bit all over the shop then in the 10 when Doran went off.

The main issue I see is we don't seem to have a natural left winger in the squad, unless one of the new lads I don't know much about can fill that gap.

Danny Norris was a bit of a shaper and could be very hit and miss, but at least he was a natural left winger. On the early evidence the other night, Paraschiv certainly wasn't one. Early days though and all that.

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Originally Posted by De Town

Yeah thought Paraschiv was the worst player on the pitch tbh. Well, until some of our subs came on. Looked lost on the wing and was a bit all over the shop then in the 10 when Doran went off.

The main issue I see is we don't seem to have a natural left winger in the squad, unless one of the new lads I don't know much about can fill that gap.

Danny Norris was a bit of a shaper and could be very hit and miss, but at least he was a natural left winger. On the early evidence the other night, Paraschiv certainly wasn't one. Early days though and all that.

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He has never played anywhere other than CM for Dundalk. Very strange to play him there. He didn't appear to have the legs to beat a man on the outside. He played one lovely little scooped pass OTT, that's the sort of stuff he's good at, he's definitely not a winger.

Little over 24 hours to go to our first home game of the season. The butterflies and excitement for the first home game are always a bit special............it just these 3 points I want sooo badly.

Yeah the first home game always one to look forward to. When it's your second game of the season, it certainly helps when you're coming into it on the back of a positive result in week 1.

Cobh got a good hiding last week, which surprised almost everyone I think. I don't think they'll be as strong as they were last year, but they still have plenty of lads who have Premier Division experience and will fully expect to be up there again come the end of the season.

A tough game but one I feel we're more than capable of getting another positive result from.

I fancy getting at least a point off them. 2 points from these first 2 games would be respectable. I really hope there's a good crowd tonight too cuz we bloody need it

Think the bad weather put off a lot of the home gate. Thought we werent as good as last week but think the plastic pitch in the Carlisles may have being a factor!