It was another news worthy week in the SSE Airtricity League as once again the off season proves to be just as action packed as its playing counter-part. First Division side Drogheda United announced that Tim Clancy was to become their new manager. Clancy who had previously been with Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Shamrock Rovers, Sligo Rovers and most recently Bray Wanderers will also play in what is his first managerial role. He will be supported by the club’s new Director of Football Dave Robertson who was previously manager of Peterborough United and Sligo Rovers. Indeed, Robertson signed Clancy when he was manager of Sligo Rovers. Clancy will have a tough task on his hand as Drogheda will be hoping to bounce back at the first time of asking but have lost a couple of their best players and questions surround the future of their ground United Park. It is in desperate need of an upgrade, but the club’s preferred aim is to move to a new greenfield site.
St. Patrick’s Athletic made a big signing during the week bringing in former Shamrock Rovers right back Simon Madden. Madden had been surprisingly let go by Shamrock and was quickly snapped up by their Dublin rivals. St. Pat’s also announced that Killian Brennan has signed a new deal, he had been widely expected to leave. Shamrock have brought in Ethan Boyle from Finn Harps to replace Madden. Both Brennan and Boyle had been linked with potential moves to Sligo Rovers. One player who did turn down Shamrock to stay in the Showgrounds was the versatile Gary Boylan. Two players are leaving as Rovers revealed that defender Mick Leahy and striker Benny Igiehon were both moving on. Staying in Connacht and it has been a turbulent few weeks since they were relegated from the Premier for Galway United. They have seen their best players leave as Colm Horgan, Stephen Folan, David Cawley and Ronan Murray all opted to sign for other Premier Division sides. They lost another during the week as Kevin Devaney signed for one of his former clubs Bohemian FC.
Galway supporters had been hoping that they would be in a strong position to go straight back up but supporters are getting anxious as whilst players are leaving, there has been no word on any signings yet. They are also involved in a row with their landlords the Galway FA who own their ground Eamon Deasy Park. The Galway FA look after youth and junior football in the County and as part of this remit they are putting in a coaching academy in the ground. This meant that they wanted additional changing facilities so asked the club to take out their bar which they have spent thousands of euro to install and generates revenue on a match night. The club have no say in the matter and the ensuing fall out saw the chairman of the Galway FA resign citing an anti-Galway United feeling among some on his committee as the reason. This could be a story that will continue to run on.