Athlone Town FC - Time to call it a day?

54and56

price690 wrote: »

I didn't mean to give the impression I thought you were whinging, you clearly were not. I was complimenting you on a great post and outside the box idea of offering shareholdings to the junior clubs.

I do sound plugged in to the club and the general area but like yourself its been a good few years since I lived in the area.

As for Athlone being rebuilt to a point its a financially sustainable LOI club? I think the future is to develop the youth of the area and give them LOI experience in the long term. Get the best players in Athlone playing for ATFC. And the really good ones will use it as a stepping stone to make a career elsewhere which is a purpose in itself. If the club are bottom of the league doing this then its not that different to how things are now. Athlone are not pulling up any trees paying out of towners to train in dublin.

Amateur football is the way to go, even use it as a shop window to move elsewhere. Local goodwill, closer links to schools/businesses, junior clubs having a say, and from an underage perspective having all roads leading towards the athlone town first team. Who knows what would be possible, but at least unsustainable costs of paying LOI journeymen 50 or 100euro a week to sit bottom of the league would be a thing of the past.

You also cultivate a culture where people are more likely to volunteer for their local football team that gives a fair crack to young lads of the area to compete on a national level. Their friends and family paying at the gate come rain or shine also nurtures a following in itself.

Super post, 100% agree. At least that would give the club a realistic, relevant and useful mission in life which locals would be more likely to support long term.

I hope Peter McCloone is reading this thread!!

dfx-

price690 wrote: »

two excellent posts. Actual thoughts and ideas about what can be done. CSF you are absolutely spot on in relation to the current model (not just with Athlone) being unsustainable.

Its based on someone running it at a loss in the hope it will lead to something greater. And its been that way for years, with no sign of anything "bigger" on the horizon. Domestic clubs lurch on from one catastrophe to the next. Even the more perceived successful clubs are one investor pull out away from disaster.

Je Suis jean mentioned Athlone offering shareholdings to larger junior clubs, this definately has some merit. The best young players in the region simply have to have a pathway or aspirations of playing for ATFC.

Its a symptom of Irish football for years, its completely fractured.

I think Athlone even have under 15s and 16s who are successful in the DDSL premier this season, which has traditionally been the shop window for young lads going to England. So in time, surely the talent is there to play for the first team.

But how do you inspire youngsters to want to play for a side meandering along at the bottom paying expenses in front of 50 people. The senior side has to have some ambition.

It's a magic juggling act that no-one in the league has dared go near for very good reasons.

54and56

dfx- wrote: »

But how do you inspire youngsters to want to play for a side meandering along at the bottom paying expenses in front of 50 people. The senior side has to have some ambition.

ATM the local youngsters playing for Willow Park or St Peters have no formal pathway into LOI. If bringing 2-3 youngsters into the Athlone squad every year didn't inspire them I'm not sure what would. ATFC may be bumping along the bottom of Div 1 but at least they're in Div 1 and it's a platform for youngsters to test themselves and who knows go on to better things? Also, if the team had meaningful connections to the local population (primarily or exclusively local players, train locally, outreach to local schools etc) attendance would improve. I'm not saying it would grow to 1,500 every game but it would certainly be a lot better than it currently is.

ATM Athlone is really nothing more than a flag of convenience for what is effectively another Dublin club i.e. made up primarily of Dublin players who train in Dublin, have little or no connection to Athlone and only turn up in Athlone to play home matches before driving back home to Dublin.

Before anyone accuses me of blaming Dublin players for Athlone's problems let me make it absolutely clear I am not. It's not their fault the club signed them up. All they can do is train and play as asked by the club.

Gael85

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

ATM the local youngsters playing for Willow Park or St Peters have no formal pathway into LOI. If bringing 2-3 youngsters into the Athlone squad every year didn't inspire them I'm not sure what would. ATFC may be bumping along the bottom of Div 1 but at least they're in Div 1 and it's a platform for youngsters to test themselves and who knows go on to better things? Also, if the team had meaningful connections to the local population (primarily or exclusively local players, train locally, outreach to local schools etc) attendance would improve. I'm not saying it would grow to 1,500 every game but it would certainly be a lot better than it currently is.

ATM Athlone is really nothing more than a flag of convenience for what is effectively another Dublin club i.e. made up primarily of Dublin players who train in Dublin, have little or no connection to Athlone and only turn up in Athlone to play home matches before driving back home to Dublin.

Before anyone accuses me of blaming Dublin players for Athlone's problems let me make it absolutely clear I am not. It's not their fault the club signed them up. All they can do is train and play as asked by the club.

How many of the Athlone squad are based in Dublin? Do players train in Athlone during the week? Think majority Longford Town squad based in Dublin.

54and56

Gael85 wrote: »

How many of the Athlone squad are based in Dublin? Do players train in Athlone during the week? Think majority Longford Town squad based in Dublin.

My understanding (I'm 100% open to correction though) is that most if not all are based in Dublin and the team actually trains in Dublin mid week.

SantryRed

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

My understanding (I'm 100% open to correction though) is that most if not all are based in Dublin and the team actually trains in Dublin mid week.

That's been the set up for Longford and Athlone for years at this stage, unless it has changed without my knowledge! Not exactly endearing to the local fans when they're all Dubs rocking up for games.

SEPT 23 1989

Big catchment area can't understand how it would not be a success if it was run right

54and56

SantryRed wrote: »

That's been the set up for Longford and Athlone for years at this stage, unless it has changed without my knowledge! Not exactly endearing to the local fans when they're all Dubs rocking up for games.

I know you don't mean it as an Anti Dub statement but what you say is true. It doesn't matter where the players are from. If they have no connection to the area the club is based, don't live or work in the area, don't even train in the area and simply turn up for home games every 10 days or two weeks how can they have any passion for the club and how can supporters have any emotional buy into the team? You're effectively asking locals to go support a team of total blow in strangers. It's not the fault of the players though so please don't take what I'm saying out of context. If the club offer them contracts and they want to play they can't be personally blamed. If the club facilitate such a structure then it's the club decision makers who are at fault.

It should be a fundamental principle of any regional club that their squad is made of of players who live and work within the natural hinterland of the club which in the case of Athlone could stretch west half way to Galway, north towards Longford, east to Kinnegad and south to Carlow. If some young Dublin based players (e.g. footloose and fancy free lads in their early 20's) are needed to strengthen the squad they should only be recruited if they agree to move to the greater Athlone area but in exchange for making such a commitment the club should use it's connections to make sure they get relevant employment and help set them up with accommodation etc. I don't mean lay out thousands of Euro's to subsidise them but use their local knowledge, connections and goodwill to make living in the Athlone area for a year or two something which is appealing to young players.

54and56

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Big catchment area can't understand how it would not be a success if it was run right

What do you think the catchment are is and what population is within that catchment area? I doubt it's more than 35,000 people and when you strip that down to the demographic likely to be potential soccer fans (males aged 16 to 60) who aren't already committed to rugby or GAA etc it's actually quite small.

ATM Athlone play in front of 200-300 max. Even if they tripled that it would still be less than 1,000 per gate with max 20 gates per season? It's not much no matter how you slice it.

topmanamillion

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

My understanding (I'm 100% open to correction though) is that most if not all are based in Dublin and the team actually trains in Dublin mid week.

Parachuting players in from Dublin had a lot to do with flooring Monaghan, Kilkenny, Kildare et.al.
Youd think the likes of Athlone and Longford would have copped on to it.

I'm not anti Dublin or anything like it. But there is no way fans can have any attachment to a club/players when they don't interact/engage with the local community.

Sligo Rovers have all their players based in Sligo and they train on a pitch beside the Showgrounds.
That's the model to follow.

How can Athlone even get players to go around to schools/do promotion in Athlone when they are all in Dublin?

54and56

topmanamillion wrote: »

Sligo Rovers have all their players based in Sligo and they train on a pitch beside the Showgrounds.
That's the model to follow.

100%

Saint_Mel

Gael85 wrote: »

How many of the Athlone squad are based in Dublin? Do players train in Athlone during the week? Think majority Longford Town squad based in Dublin.

Players have been told that training is moving back to Athlone after the mid season break, which is part of the reason about 9 (so far) have left the club since last week. Most are on expenses only, so making a trip to Athlone 3 times a week when the club cant even cover the expenses was straw that broke camels back.

54and56

Saint_Mel wrote: »

Players have been told that training is moving back to Athlone after the mid season break

Poor timing to be implementing such a change mid season especially when the Dublin players were probably given a commitment they'd be training in Dublin in order to entice them to sign but it's 100% necessary that the squad becomes as locally focused as possible as soon as possible.

Saint_Mel wrote: »

which is part of the reason about 9 (so far) have left the club since last week. Most are on expenses only, so making a trip to Athlone 3 times a week when the club cant even cover the expenses was straw that broke camels back.

Can't blame Dublin players on expenses not wanting to spend 9 hours a week travelling to and from training in exchange for expenses. I doubt the clubs inability to pay their expenses, especially when the FAI are taking an active oversight role, is the reason they have left. I'd say it's purely that they can't commit to the extra time given they all probably have jobs etc or just don't want to do the driving and who can blame them? It's not like they have any real connection to Athlone is it?

Gavin "shels"

Seen on Foot.ie there's an EGM on Thursday...

topmanamillion

Gavin "shels" wrote: »

Seen on Foot.ie there's an EGM on Thursday...

I saw on the Athlone fans Facebook page that it's a fans group calling it with the expressed purpose to oust the current board.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1053569544725904&id=458882380861293&__tn__=%2As

price690

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

Poor timing to be implementing such a change mid season especially when the Dublin players were probably given a commitment they'd be training in Dublin in order to entice them to sign but it's 100% necessary that the squad becomes as locally focused as possible as soon as possible.

Can't blame Dublin players on expenses not wanting to spend 9 hours a week travelling to and from training in exchange for expenses. I doubt the clubs inability to pay their expenses, especially when the FAI are taking an active oversight role, is the reason they have left. I'd say it's purely that they can't commit to the extra time given they all probably have jobs etc or just don't want to do the driving and who can blame them? It's not like they have any real connection to Athlone is it?

Ive seen this too, I agree with the policy of training in Athlone but its very ill timed and won't work whilst the club have alienated themselves from the Junior scene (Willow Park and St Peters) who would have to provide the bulk of the playing squad until the youth system is in a place to produce local talent.

As it stands, the under 19s (who are performing poorly 8th place out of 10 in their own league) will make up the playing squad for the rest of the season. Which obviously wont end well in the short term

dr.kenneth noisewater

They should really get Athlone IT involved if possible, get a few soccer scholarships for lads to play with Athlone Town and they'll be living locally for training then

54and56

dr.kenneth noisewater wrote: »

They should really get Athlone IT involved if possible, get a few soccer scholarships for lads to play with Athlone Town and they'll be living locally for training then

That's the sort of thinking that the club needs. A couple of scholarships, some sponsored jobs/vehicles etc and a bit more thinking outside the box and who knows what could be sustainably achieved?

I'm a member of a local GAA club in Dublin and one of our coaches has a car sponsored by the local dealership FFS!!

Gavin "shels"

dr.kenneth noisewater wrote: »

They should really get Athlone IT involved if possible, get a few soccer scholarships for lads to play with Athlone Town and they'll be living locally for training then

Je_suis_Jean wrote: »

That's the sort of thinking that the club needs. A couple of scholarships, some sponsored jobs/vehicles etc and a bit more thinking outside the box and who knows what could be sustainably achieved?

I'm a member of a local GAA club in Dublin and one of our coaches has a car sponsored by the local dealership FFS!!

Just on the colleges, it was brought up at our Annual Fans' Forum back in April if the club had looked at those options - both DCU and Blanch IT were contacted but both wanted a sizeable chunk of money to do scholarships unfortunately.

Lucena

topmanamillion wrote: »

Gavin shels wrote: »

Seen on Foot.ie there's an EGM on Thursday...

I saw on the Athlone fans Facebook page that it's a fans group calling it with the expressed purpose to oust the current board.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1053569544725904&id=458882380861293&__tn__=%2As

So, did it come to anything?

54and56

Lucena wrote: »

So, did it come to anything?

Not sure what happened at the meeting but given the sole objective was to call for a vote of no confidence in the current management I can't see that they didn't get that outcome.

Looks like the club have cobbled together a hotch potch squad and management team to see them through the remainder of the season including a few U19's who all of a sudden are "ready for the step up to senior football" - http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/news/roundup/articles/2016/06/23/4122132-athlone-town-names-caretaker-management-team-for-cobh-clash/