Category Archives: Soccer

2018 to 2020 and Turbulent Seasons at Dundalk FC

 In 2019 the  new season was to  bring new challenges. With the rebuilding season of 2018 behind us, there was hope that we could hold on to our players and add some steel in defense to outpace a rampant Cork City and win the league..  While offers came in for our best players thankfully most decided to remain.

The partnership of Stephen Kenny and coach Vinny Perth obviously played a huge part in their decisions. However the bombshell came on 24^th November 2018 with the news that Stephen Kenny was to depart and Vinnie Perth was to take over as manager.

This was the start of what was to eventually become a big decline in the fortunes of Dundalk FC. Although the team managed to win the league in 2019 and five of the squad made it onto the PFAI Team of the year, they were no longer the force that they once were.

The rumored interest from American Investment company Peak six and their retiring Chairman Bill Hullsizer came to fruition and they bought the club. For a time things seemed to improve but after disastrous Champions league performances and managerial discontent, Vinnie Perth left the club. It was becoming apparent that the new owners were losing the respect of the fans and the community.

The life blood of every L.O.I. club is the attachment to their community. While Footballers are earning their living at the game and cannot be faulted for moving on when they consider that the time is right, there is more to a successful club than that.

Dundalk FC has a loyal and devoted fan base that is spread far and wide. The success of the club in recent years has very little to do with Bill Hullsizer or Peak Six.  The success of the club is based on the loyalty and attention to detail by all the players, managers and backroom staff and also of great importance is their love and commitment to the club, to the supporters and to the youth of the town.

It now has to be asked if the owners of the club have the interest and future progress of Dundalk FC at heart. We can but hope that the links between the supporters, the town and the club are not further damaged by destroying what has been there for so long.

By 2020 the discontent continued and Covid 19 arrived. The season was shortened and a very disjointed club finished outside the top two for the first time in 7 years. A new manager Filippo Giovagnoli  was appointed by Peak six, but although friendly and affable, he lacked the required qualifications, however in spite of this, the team managed to win the FAI cup.

In the off season rumors abounded regarding the non retention of players and poor contracts eventually at least six of the once loyal first team squad moved on. There was little information coming from the club. A new general manager Jim Magilton was appointed to try to rescue the situation. The manager Filippo Giovagnoli  returned to his native Italy for a winter break.

Where do Dundalk FC go from here? …

The 2017 season in Oriel Park was one of  “could have been”. Some really great performances especially at the end of the season left us regretting some of the easy points dropped in the early season when we were still shell shocked with our European run and player transfers both in and out of the club at the end of 2016.

Special mention has to be given to Stephen Kenny and Vinnie Perth for the great job they have done this year in building another great squad. They are to be admired for their dignity in disappointment in defeat, which cannot always be said of  some other L.O.I. managers.   Lets all hope they both stay around for a long time, but just as important in my opinion is the attention to detail by all the backroom staff and also their love and commitment to the club , to the supporters and to the youth of the town.

The owners of the club have the interest and future progress of Dundalk FC at heart. Now that the long standing issue of the lease to Oriel Park has been resolved and the funds from the European run of matches is in place, we hear of  rumours of a possible interest from an American Consortium to buy a stake in the club similar to the situation in Bournmouth FC…But where do we go from here ? surely a joint Community/ FAI/ Investor/ EUFA  collaboration can bring our new stadium a lot closer.

A new season will bring new challenges. Now that the rebuilding season is behind us, lets hope we can hold on to our players and add some steel in defense. Offers are bound to come in for our best players and we should wish them well, but faraway hills are green and hopefully it will take a tremendous offer ( to include European football and playing in a first team) to entice them away.

Finally, let’s hope that the League of Ireland is structured and financed to cope with the future when teams like Dundalk FC and Cork City FC , shamrock Rovers and Derry City FC continue to make their mark in Europe and that finally in League of Ireland we can have a league that we can be proud of. “Come on the Town !!”

Back on the scene with the boys in Green !!Euros 2016

What a way to get to France in 2016 !! squeaking in at the last minute thanks to Jonathan Walters goals . Jonathan was a regular visitor to Dundalk

and Giles’ Quay down through the years. Everyone is waiting with anticipation for the draw on Dec 13^th to see where the venues are for France next summer. And who knows..maybe just maybe …

Late Addition to Euro Squad ?

What a great year to be a supporter of Dundalk FC. After a great season, the  town is buzzing with anticipation of a new season.Thanks to Stephen Kenny and everyone involved at Dundalk FC for giving the town and the area such a lift over the past months. Best of luck to Richie Towell  with Brighton FC and thanks Richie for the memories. Long may the good times continue.  Here’s to even more success next year and some great European nights in Oriel Park. Come on the town !!

What a great week to be a supporter of Dundalk FC. After a great season, the town is buzzing with anticipation of a great day out at the Cup Final on Sunday with crowds of over 20 thousand expected to travel. Thanks to Stephen Kenny and everyone involved at Dundalk FC for giving the town and the area such a lift over the past months. Long may the good times continue. Here’s to even more success next year and some great European nights in Oriel Park. Come on the town !!