Brilliant post Ger, really brings back some memories.
Unfortunately, I didn't begin to support the club untill Eric Hannigans reign so I missed the majority of the obvious highlights that many fans will say, my first game being County losing 2-1 to Monaghan United on the 12th of June 2004(could be wrong), think Martin Reilly scored a penalty for us that day. I remember back then the ground was fairly full at the time, would have said around 500 people looked to be the regular attendance back then, shame how the support died out so much.
Beating Bohs away was obviously my favourite result in supporting the club, dont come much sweeter than that. One thing I am raging about however is that I was sitting in the stand behind the goal instead of amongst all the other County fans in the main stand that day I imagine that would have made it a lot more enjoyable when he ran over to the fans. Other great matchs I can remember off the top of my head was that 2-2 (?) draw in Tolka Park in Shels 1st game when they got relegated, beating Dundalk 3-1 in Station Road around 2007, we had a few crackers v Athlone down in Station road over the years.
But my own personal highlights during the years was when myself and a few others attempted to get a few making some noise at games, "the county colts" which would have been at its prime in about 2006 or 07, in retrospect, we probably were extremely annoying to listen to if you were another fan but we genuinely did feel like we gave the players an extra lift even if only marginal, it made the games a lot more enjoyable for us also looking forward to them all week and then heading down to Station road ridiculously early prior to games to set up the flags etc, we had a strong 30 singing at matchs usually which was an impressive achievement if you dont mind me saying so! Then last season, although it was probably my most emotional game as a County fan, the play-off v Mervue at home gave me a warm feeling on the inside when the amount of young fans were there chanting, how many were there that day? Id say about 60/70 roughly, but that made me feel extremely proud that day.
Oh and better give a mention to when Dundalk won the league last season on the last day, I know it was a terrible day for County having lost 7-0, but I have never in my life seen anything better than when Dundalk fans and players were crying walking off the pitch having thought Shels had beaten Limerick, then I just remember one fan out of the hundreds of them there roaring at the top of his voice, Limerick had scored and Dundalk had won the league. Unbelievable scenes then followed.
The thing I'll miss most about the club however is how real it felt, they genuinely appreciated every single one of us as supporters. We all helped out with the club over the years on many occasions and the fact that we were just so part of it is what I'll miss. I had done work experience with the club, done stewarding, wrote articles for the programme, ballboyed, made many friends out of following them too. Memories to last a lifetime.
Hopefully we will be back in some shape or form in the future and untill that day comes I will always not feel quite the same supporting another football team.
Thank you Kildare County and everyone who has helped out the club over the years.
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