LOI Series 24 & 21

**wonder88** · 11/08/2013, 11:40 PM

Looks like Fenlon could get the sack soon over in Scotland, it seems he may not be as good a manager as a lot of people think.

**Dodge** · 12/08/2013, 9:40 AM

Originally Posted by poster

Nice of Colin Hawkins to get on his feet twice last night when 'Stand up for the champions' was sang in the main stand.

Dunno why but reminds me of when Croly was asked about facing the champions earlier in the season and he replied with something like "they're not this year's champions, they were champions last year but there's a long way to go"

Gas man

**dejadem** · 12/08/2013, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by oriel

I think we may have kept 2 players from the side that won the 2008 FD. The rest were nowhere near the standard.

I'd agree with your point, but that squad might not be the best example, there was probably too much of a clearout.
5 years on, a number of that 1st division squad are in the Premier:
Crowley, Mulvenna, Grimes, Cassidy, Ryan, Simon Kelly (don't think he has played yet though?).

Going back to the previous season, 3 released players who since made the Premier standard:
Stephen Quigley, Hynes, Flood

These guys weren't great but they did play in the Premier for the 09 season & avoid relegation:
Jamie Duffy, David O'Connor, Paul Shiels, Robbie Martin.

**White Horse** · 12/08/2013, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by dejadem

I'd agree with your point, but that squad might not be the best example, there was probably too much of a clearout.
5 years on, a number of that 1st division squad are in the Premier:
Crowley, Mulvenna, Grimes, Cassidy, Ryan, Simon Kelly (don't think he has played yet though?).

Going back to the previous season, 3 released players who since made the Premier standard:
Stephen Quigley, Hynes, Flood

These guys weren't great but they did play in the Premier for the 09 season & avoid relegation:
Jamie Duffy, David O'Connor, Paul Shiels, Robbie Martin.

Good point.

I recall Dundalk wanting to keep Cassidy but the player was not interested in being part of a full time set up. Flood was released for disciplinary, and not football, reasons.

I would argue that the standard of the league in 2010 was higher and that several of the players mentioned would have struggled at that level.

**dejadem** · 12/08/2013, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by White Horse

Good point.

I recall Dundalk wanting to keep Cassidy but the player was not interested in being part of a full time set up. Flood was released for disciplinary, and not football, reasons.

I would argue that the standard of the league in 2010 was higher and that several of the players mentioned would have struggled at that level.

Agree re the standard change.

I guess the off-topic point I was trying to make was with the clearouts in both clubs, 7 or 8 players went from Dundalk's 1st division squad to Drogheda's Premier squad, and survived relegation via playoff, ie, they were just about Premier standard. I can understand that they didn't meet Dundalk's ambition for that season which was never going to be in a relegation battle, but those players were of a lower Premier standard.

**Keen2win** · 12/08/2013, 3:32 PM

Originally Posted by Battery Rover

Can someone email picture to info@athlonetownfc.ie and I will pass onto management and matchday committee

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...r&notif_t=like

Someone get acid.....

**Strongbow10** · 12/08/2013, 3:53 PM

Originally Posted by Keen2win

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...r&notif_t=like

Someone get acid.....

I recognise some of those faces, complete gurriers from the town. I can safely say I have never seen them at a Town game before and they certainly had to be over in Longford looking for bother.

**ATFC-1887** · 12/08/2013, 4:35 PM

1 of them is a nice lad. And ya can probably tell which one of the 7 it is. Only 2 of them frequently go to Athlone games.

**Keen2win** · 12/08/2013, 5:08 PM

Which one is this lad?

**Longfordian** · 12/08/2013, 7:46 PM

Mike Collins..any relation?!

**bluemovie** · 12/08/2013, 9:05 PM

Originally Posted by Town Legend

Great crowd and atmosphere from both sets of fans. Although there were a few Athlone 'fans' behind the goal that were giving some stewards dogs abuse and mad to get a row going. I'd say real Athlone fans didn't recognise any of them. There's a pic doing the rounds of these 5 or 6 fine young individuals! I was in town afterwards and happened to bump into these fine decent chaps and lets just say they got the row they were looking for!! They won't be coming back to Longford in a hurry!!

Surely a points deduction for both teams is called for!!!!

**nigel-harps1954** · 12/08/2013, 9:53 PM

Originally Posted by bluemovie

Surely a points deduction for both teams is called for!!!!

I'd say 12 would be plenty.

**Town Legend** · 12/08/2013, 10:02 PM

I think it's only a points deduction from Athlone ye should be looking for. We're doing a great job of taking points off ourselves at the minute.

**oriel** · 12/08/2013, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by wonder88

Looks like Fenlon could get the sack soon over in Scotland, it seems he may not be as good a manager as a lot of people think.

I wouldn't say Hibs will be even thinking of Fenlon's position until at least the end of August. I would hope and expect he will turn things around, but he needs to start winning, and very soon too, that's for sure.

**dundalkfc10** · 13/08/2013, 1:07 PM

Europe aside, They have only played 2 games (They never beat Hearts, only have once since Fenlon was there, and was years before he was given the job since they did before)

To sack him now would be madness

**Ezeikial** · 13/08/2013, 3:05 PM

Originally Posted by dundalkfc10

Europe aside, They have only played 2 games (They never beat Hearts, only have once since Fenlon was there, and was years before he was given the job since they did before)

To sack him now would be madness

I hear they have Sean Connor already lined up