Originally Posted by
outspoken
Enjoying this thread even if it makes grim reading just to pick up on a few points made by Acornvilla and others I. Regards to why the town itself is struggling so badly, a quick Google of Longford will turn up any number of news articles and viral videos of serious incidents of disorder in the town, many in broad daylight.
There have been a number of long running family fueds that have spiraled to the point where there have been full brawls with weapons in the middle of the main street in the early afternoon.
I know my own. mother doesn't be that mad about going into the town to shop and certainly plenty of older people feel the same. Even when I'm down home the very odd time aside from matches I'd have little to no interest in going out for a few pints because I find the town very rough, there's very few decent boozers in it and above all else it's absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to get a taxi home. I know this is something local councilors have raised as I believe Longford was in line to be selected as one of the towns in the pilot scheme for extended opening nightlife hours.
The fact it's paid parking absolutely everywhere is also a huge deterrent for local shoppers, Roscommon who have free street parking appear to be thriving in contrast.
As for comments about relationships with local leagues and clubs, the club have an active partnership with Melview who are the leading schoolboy club who have produced Aodh Dervin and James Abankwah among others but as someone who played, refereed and coached locally I know for a fact there are clubs who will not allow their players to trial for LTFC. There's a distain for the club in certain quarters of the schoolboy ranks, how we fix that I don't know.
As I said on my podcast earlier this week, I would be in favor of scaling back on the playing budget over the next 4-5 years even if it means grim seasons like this in order to build the club off the pitch. We need full time club staff, especially a community officer. I think Acornvilla has said similar above but for me that's the only way we can grow the club.
