Mathews gone after 5-0 win

**outspoken** · 27/05/2017, 9:16 PM

Club statement announcing the Parton of ways with Alan Mathews. Obviously decided before tonight. Sad for Alan, a true true gent. Had only interviewed Kevin Doherty a few minutes before this news broke and there was no indication anything unusual was going on. Players carrying on as normal, id say it was a shock to everyone including alan himself. The board were criticised for not taking action last season but this seems dramatic. They obviously feel there's still something to salvage this season so I certainly won't criticise the decision, I will say however thank you to alan Mathews for everything he's done down the years. A true gent to deal with

**Longfordian** · 27/05/2017, 9:28 PM

There's an old saying that you should never go back in football. Proved true with Alan. He'll still have his place in LTFC history. Odd timing though, this season is done. Maybe it's a cost cutting measure or there are cost cutting measures on the way that he's not happy about.

**Martinho II** · 27/05/2017, 10:26 PM

I thought it was our best performance in a hell of a long while. I am stunned by the news to be honest. It is a massive gamble club are taking. I was thinking coming back from Waterford that something would happen with Alan Mathews being manager and our poor start.
Look in hindsight he shouldnt have come back to us but I thank him for coming back to us briefly. I am sorry to see him go and his programme notes was very thoughtful tonight thinking about the away fans driving home from Waterford and having to deal with the disappointment.

I would like to wish him all the best in the future and I wonder is this end with Alan Mathews in league of ireland football? I wonder has some manager being tapped up already? they must be if club have made this dramatic move!

**Longfordian** · 27/05/2017, 10:33 PM

I said this on the main forum (and touched on it above) but I wonder are we letting a few go as we can't realistically go up now? He shouldn't have come back, it hasn't worked but as I've seen a couple of people raise on Twitter, the club might have acknowledged his successful history with us in the statement about his departure. Wouldn't cost anything.

**Martinho II** · 27/05/2017, 10:46 PM

As i said on the main forum AM should have being treated the same way as Mauro Silva. At least he could stay on as manager for one more game and he could have being given a proper send off.
I think AM has being treated appallingly by us and should have being allowed to manage us one more time if the club had told him last night or this morning. I am disgusted and appalled at the treatment of AM and think its a sad day for football for him to be treated like this.

**Longfordian** · 27/05/2017, 10:59 PM

In fairness from what I know of him I don't think he'd go for that. He's never had much time for sentiment. I think he'd probably be better off in LSL now and concentrate fully on his day job, any LOI job he gets now will ultimately be a club in a bad situation. It doesn't suit him and I don't believe he enjoys it. For LTFC this season is a write off, let Gary Cronin have a crack at being a manager for the rest of the season. He's been serving his time and there's not really much to lose.

**outspoken** · 28/05/2017, 9:57 AM

Saw those tweets you are talking about Longfordian and not from disgruntled fans either but two club greats. I must say i didn't think anything of it at the time considering it was breaking news but when I looked back on the statement and released that they even spelt Shelbourne wrong it was clearly just thrown together on short notice. No malice in it but the lack of tributes when people like Stephen Rice, Mark Salmon and Mathews left the club is poor form. Not hard to write up a quick article with a few photos and fire it up shortly after said statement.

**Martinho II** · 28/05/2017, 6:08 PM

it must have being a very hush hush decision as I listened to Tony Ghee interview with benny O Brien on Shannonside and he knew nothing about it until he was on the way back from a local Roscommon league match.

**outspoken** · 28/05/2017, 7:36 PM

Originally Posted by Martinho II

it must have being a very hush hush decision as I listened to Tony Ghee interview with benny O Brien on Shannonside and he knew nothing about it until he was on the way back from a local Roscommon league match.

Apparently it was Jim's decision but I did notice that all of the board were at the game last night plus Jim and Phil Munnelly so I'd say they knew well.

**hollocaine** · 29/05/2017, 3:01 PM

I'm sure Alan, as a bank manager, understands the need for cutting costs. Saturday's meagre attendance is not going to bring in much revenue and it's likely that the remaining home fixtures are going to be similar. Jim Hanley, Phil Munnelly and the committee had to make the call.

Twitter experts like Stephen Henderson, Jacko Smyth and Barry O'Connor can comment all they like, but the club's finances have to be kept in order.

**Longfordian** · 29/05/2017, 4:34 PM

Don't have an issue with the club cutting costs at all to be honest I think it's the prudent thing to do. If that's what Alan can't live with then fair enough. My sole complaint is, as I've said above, the tone of the statement was a bit curt considering his place in our history.

**Martinho II** · 30/05/2017, 3:49 PM

Originally Posted by hollocaine

I'm sure Alan, as a bank manager, understands the need for cutting costs. Saturday's meagre attendance is not going to bring in much revenue and it's likely that the remaining home fixtures are going to be similar. Jim Hanley, Phil Munnelly and the committee had to make the call.

Twitter experts like Stephen Henderson, Jacko Smyth and Barry O'Connor can comment all they like, but the club's finances have to be kept in order.

tbh Jacko worked through the hard times with us so totally disagree with you on that point. But if the foundation was shaky in the first place why spend in the first place?

**outspoken** · 30/05/2017, 9:12 PM

No one said the foundation was shakey Marty and it's far from it. But why spend a load of money on a team that's going to finish outside the promotion place. Let's save it for next season

**Longfordian** · 31/05/2017, 7:26 AM

Seems it wasn't very mutual after all.

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football...longford-town/

**hollocaine** · 31/05/2017, 8:12 AM

Brimming with arrogance as usual. Good riddance.

**De Town** · 31/05/2017, 8:35 AM

Great stuff. As if my opinion of Jim Hanley couldn't be high enough. Mathews is absolutely no loss. Great to see him gone. Hopefully we can get ourselves set for a decent tilt at things next season now. Although it'll obviously be much tougher with the 3 teams coming down.

**outspoken** · 31/05/2017, 11:05 AM

Right decision by the club but as usual they've let themselves down with the media side of things. They should have just said he was sacked and posted a decent message to say thank you and best of luck and not advertise for a new manager on social media (this has since been deleted, id say that's down to the amount of hilarious responses they got).

**Martinho II** · 31/05/2017, 5:04 PM

Originally Posted by Longfordian

Seems it wasn't very mutual after all.

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/football...longford-town/

this reminds me so much of the Martin Lawlor sacking on the eve of 02/03 season which was botched also. So we have form for botching things badly.

**Martinho II** · 01/06/2017, 4:39 PM

Originally Posted by outspoken

No one said the foundation was shakey Marty and it's far from it. But why spend a load of money on a team that's going to finish outside the promotion place. Let's save it for next season

sorry thats what i meant to say. I was listening to 98fm podcast last night and they mentioned about AM and hopin to speak to him. I can easily say that he would. Strange that the club wouldnt allow 98fm a few weeks back for an inteview with someone from the club and they declined. Why whats the problem? what are they hiding? that even lessens our PR image. Athlone town for all their troubles have a way better PR image than us !

**Longfordian** · 01/06/2017, 6:06 PM

Ah Marty let's not get carried away now. Bad and all as our comms can be Athlone are a European laughing stock, their fans hate the club, the club hates the fans and their media interaction is laughable.