[FM09] Shamrock Rovers- 15 Leagues and 24 Cups

MeLikeFM · July 9, 2009

Home. 22 years in the wilderness but finally were home.

In 1987, the Kilcoyne family, who owned Shamrock Rovers since 1972 and had recently bought Glenmalure Park from the Jesuits, decided to sell the stadium to property developers. They stated that their aim was to move Rovers to Tolka Park to share with Home Farm F.C. The last match at Milltown was an FAI Cup semi-final between Shamrock Rovers and Sligo Rovers on the 12th of April 1987, attended by some 6,000 people. This game saw a pitch invasion and protest by fans objecting to the sale of the ground. Some Shamrock Rovers supporters occupied the pitch at half-time were joined by Sligo fans in solidarity. They had to be persuaded to leave the pitch before the game could restart.

The following season Shamrock Rovers fans formed an organisation called 'Keep Rovers at Milltown' (KRAM) and placed a picket on home games at Tolka Park, effectively bankrupting the club's owners. KRAM collected money to purchase Glenmalure Park but could not match the offer of a property developer to whom the Kilcoynes eventually sold the site.After a lengthy appeals process, Glenmalure Park was demolished in the summer of 1990 and an apartment complex was built there. It is now marked by a permanent memorial erected by Shamrock Rovers supporters on Thursday the 21st of May 1998.

On Thursday the 12th of April 2007 a ceremony was held at the monument to commemorate 20 years since the last competitive game was played at the famous old ground.

Shamrock Rovers played in Tolka Park, Richmond Park, Dalymount Park, The RDS and Morton Stadium on the long road to Tallaght. 13 March 2009, finally home.

The first game was at HOME was against Bray and Shane Robinson hit a brace from the right wing to seal a magical win on a magical night.

Bray were the party poopers in the League Cup a few weeks later when they beat us one nil but I didn’t care. Tinpot competition.

The cup, our cup. Galway thrashed us 3-0. Next year.

Following the departure of Coad in 1960 and an unsuccessful season under Albie Murphy, Seán Thomas took on the role of rebuilding the Rovers team which had suffered from the break up of the Coad’s Colts. Paddy Ambrose and Ronnie Nolan had remained with the club and were soon joined by a whole host of signings including Irish internationals, Frank O’Neill and Johnny Fullam. The decision by Liam Tuohy to return to Rovers as captain following four successful years at Newcastle United effectively saw the completion of Thomas’ side. The club won every domestic honour except the Top Four Competition in the 1963–64 season and were narrowly defeated by holders and eventual finalists Valencia CF in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Thomas, however, quit the Hoops at the end of the season following a dispute with the Cunningham’s (Owners) over team selection. Liam Tuohy took over as player-manager and led the club to a further five FAI Cup’s in succession, completing a run of six Cup wins in a row, including a 3–0 defeat of league champions Waterford in 1968 in front of 40,000 people at Dalymount Park. The following season saw Rovers player Mick Leech score a total of 56 goals, including two in the last Cup final of the six in a row period, against Cork Celtic. 24 cups including 6 in a row. Ours.

In the League we challenged all year but finished 4th, only 6 points of top. Next year.

9.3, some updates done by myself on the LOI.

There are other seasons that I have done and will post later:)

MeLikeFM · July 9, 2009

2010.

In came:

Andy Bermingham

Darragh McNamara

Noel Haverty

Daniel Ennis.

Among others, the only ones to make a significant impact were Ennis and McNamara.

Out went many many reserves.

You would think with that many changes things would be different.

4th again. 18 points off this time. Next year.

Cup Quarters, replay to Cork.

All-Ireland Cup, Final . The money is good in this competition. Glentoran beat me 1-0 .

League Cup, Semis. Stupid cup.

No progress and for the next season I redid my tactics.

We need a trophy, we need a trophy soon. This is Rovers

The foundation of Shamrock Rovers is disputed amongst supporters of the club. No official documentation of the era exists. The earliest known mention of the club in the newspaper archives at the National Library of Ireland comes from 1901 and an article in the club programme from 28 December 1941 claims that the club was founded in this year. The only two certainties about the origins of the club in relation to what year they were formed are the facts that, Rovers played only friendly games for the first two years of their existence and the club registered with the Leinster Football Association in 1901. Essentially, the dispute is over whether the two years of friendlies were played before or after the registration with the LFA. Throughout the 70s and 80s, the date 1899 was written on the gates of Glenmalure Park but since the 1990s, 1901 has been adopted as the founding year by the various regimes which have run the club.

Shamrock Rovers originally hail from Ringsend, a southside, inner suburb of Dublin. The name of the club derives from Shamrock Avenue in Ringsend, where the first club rooms were secured. In 1906, after merely a handful of seasons in operation, the club informed the Leinster Junior League that they were unable to provide a home ground and dropped out of all competitions. At a meeting in 1914 Rovers were resurrected, playing their matches at Ringsend Park, but within two years, the park became unavailable. The club disbanded and played only friendly games for the next five years. In 1921, Shamrock Rovers were resurrected once more, as a Leinster Senior League outfit and reached the final of the first ever FAI Cup where they lost to St James's Gate F.C. in a fixture marred by crowd violence. The following season, the club won the League of Ireland title at the first attempt, going 21 games unbeaten and scoring 77 goals. In 1924, the star of the league winning side of two years previous, Bob Fullam returned to Rovers from Leeds United and together with John Joe Flood, John ‘Kruger’ Fagan and Billy ‘Juicy’ Farrell, completed the forward line known as the ‘Four Fs’. By the end of the club’s fifth season in the league, Rovers had won three league titles and one cup. During the 1930s, the club won a further three league titles and five FAI Cup’s with Irish internationals, Paddy Moore and Jimmy Dunne playing key roles in their success, in front of crowds of up to 30,000 people in Milltown. By 1949, Rovers established themselves as Ireland’s most successful football club, winning forty-four major trophies - six league titles, eleven FAI Cup’s, seven League of Ireland Shields, six Leinster Senior Cups, two Dublin City Cups, four Inter-City Cups and eight President’s Cups.

This is a special club.

MeLikeFM · July 9, 2009

OK lads what do you think of my style of mixing in things from real life.

I love Rovers IRL and am a season ticket holder so this game is close to my heart.

I am in 2012 now so from then onwards the updates will be much better so please bear with me.

any critisisms or complimants accepted

arsenal_2111 · July 9, 2009

Whilst the introduction is quite impressive, you spelt Shamrock wrong in the title;)

Might be worth messaging one of the mods to ask them to change the title. Or, as the forum is new, they might be looking at every post in which case they may see this post and change it.

Unless it was on purpose? In which case I am an idiot

Purefun · July 9, 2009

What mistake are you talking about?

MeLikeFM · July 9, 2009

What mistake are you talking about?

Thanks Purefun

Any comment on my style like how i can improve, its the first of this sort of thing i have done so am open to any siggestions

greenwhitearmy · July 9, 2009

that tinpot league down south

MeLikeFM · July 9, 2009

that tinpot league down south

I point you to the Setanta cup

The two teams that you have up there havent fared too well have they. Would hate to support anyone other than Linfield or Glentoran

Readers dont mind him he is just bitter about being from a two team country.

arsenal_2111 · July 9, 2009

I point you to the Setanta cup
The two teams that you have up there havent fared too well have they. Would hate to support anyone other than Linfield or Glentoran

I think you'll find it's a Shield?

Off topic - I wonder what that'll be called next season, with Setanta going bust...

MeLikeFM · July 9, 2009

I think you'll find it's a Shield?
Off topic - I wonder what that'll be called next season, with Setanta going bust...

I think you will find that the Setanta Cup is a competition between clubs from bith sides of the Irish border while the Setanta shield is some conference thing :rolleyes:

arsenal_2111 · July 9, 2009

I think you will find that the Setanta Cup is a competition between clubs from bith sides of the Irish border while the Setanta shield is some conference thing

In that case I apologise Ich bin einen idiot ;D

Point still stands about the naming of the competition though

MeLikeFM · July 9, 2009

In that case I apologise Ich bin einen idiot ;D
Point still stands about the naming of the competition though

Ye disapointing because there was alot of prize money for it. There is a posability it will be ditched because the draw for this years has been delayed :confused:

arsenal_2111 · July 9, 2009

I guess they are hoping someone else comes forward to sponsor it? A bit like the English League Cup, that changes name often.

MeLikeFM · July 9, 2009

I guess they are hoping someone else comes forward to sponsor it? A bit like the English League Cup, that changes name often.

TBH its unlikely because its not that lucrative.

The prestige is great because it proved that our league is much better than the one up North but I doubt another company would come in offer that much prize money and also it would need to be televised which is also hard

MeLikeFM · July 9, 2009

As the 1995–96 season drew to a close, John McNamara sold the club to Premier Computers, headed by Alan McGrath. McGrath unveiled a plan to build a state-of-the-art stadium in the Dublin south-west suburb of Tallaght, and brought Pat Byrne in as commercial manager to help the club get there. However, within weeks and a loss in the first game of the season, O’Neill was sacked, with Eviston leaving as well. Byrne was appointed manager of the side playing in Tolka Park once again, and they struggled through the season with the league’s joint top scorer Tony Cousins playing a leading role in keeping the club up. In May 1997, Alan McGrath resigned as club chairman and was replaced by Brian Kearney, also of Premier Computers, who succeeded in getting planning permission for the new stadium in January 1998. However, the permission was delayed by objections until November 1998, by which time Joe Colwell had replaced Kearney as chairman which ended Premier Computers’ involvement with the club. On the pitch, Mick Byrne guided Rovers to a UEFA Intertoto Cup spot in 97–98 and an eight place finish the following season. He was replaced by Damien Richardson who managed Rovers during their stay at Morton Stadium but left the club in April 2002 after a disagreement with Colwell. By that time, a half-built shell of a stadium stood at the Tallaght site; Mulden International Ltd, brought in by Colwell to complete the ground, had pulled out of building the stadium which they leased to a separate company thus passing on the responsibility and focusing on four acres of the lease that they had kept for themselves.

Tony Maguire replaced Colwell as chairman and began the search for potential investors. In his first season as Rovers manager, Liam Buckley guided the club to the FAI Cup final and a European spot as the club played at Richmond Park. The 2003 season was marked by the club’s worsening finances as a deal with potential investor Conor Clarkson was held up by Mulden’s reluctance to sell their land. Having successfully applied for a one-year planning extension in October 2003, the club applied for a further extension a few months after Buckley’s departure in September 2004. The Council refused but following some confusion, clarified their position a week later by making it clear that they intended to build the stadium in partnership with Rovers but wanted to clear up the issue of ownership and remove Mulden from the equation. The trustees of the 400 Club informed the board of directors that they were no longer willing to bankroll their ownership of Shamrock Rovers. Faced with the decision between sticking with Clarkson, whose plans were in pieces following the Council decision, or hammering out a deal with the Council, Maguire chose the former and with Mulden’s financing, initiated a High Court judicial review of the decision. The judicial review failed and on 11 April 2005, facing debts of over two million Euro, the club entered into Examinership (Restructuring under court protection). The 400 Club agreed to completely bankroll the club during the examinership period. On 5 May 2005, Tony Maguire resigned on request by the FAI, who had discovered that the club had submitted their 2003 accounts in their application for a football licence for the 2005 season. This resulted in a points deduction and subsequent relegation under Roddy Collins. The examinership concluded in July 2005 with the examiner accepting the 400 Club’s bid for Shamrock Rovers, saving the club from extinction, and the now supporters-run club won promotion at the first attempt in 2006 under Pat Scully. The 2007 and 2008 seasons at Tolka Park, were ones of overachievement and stability, but the major event of the period was the recommencement of building on the stadium following more than two years of legal disputes between the Council and Thomas Davis CLG.

MeLikeFM · July 11, 2009

OK just so people know I am in 2012 in my save and the 2011 update will be short like the others but from then on there will be 2 or 3 updates a year.

On the IRL front, a very dramatic night out in Bray where we won 2-1 and a wall collapsed, Rovers fans leaning against the wall and it just collapsed, luckily noone was seriously injured but play was stopped for a half an hour and I didnt get home till 20 past eleven. Bray is a kip, hope they go down. Up to 2nd now.

Can Micheal O Neill lead the side to a league title before me. Lets hope so

AdamFitz · July 11, 2009

Carlisle Grounds, what a kip! Twigg on target again, if he does get snapped up by an English club I'd expect a lot of money.

MeLikeFM · July 11, 2009

Carlisle Grounds, what a kip! Twigg on target again, if he does get snapped up by an English club I'd expect a lot of money.

Were you there

AdamFitz · July 11, 2009

Last year

MeLikeFM · July 11, 2009

Last year

Aww man you should of seen it, Buttimer was reffing and he was muck.

Wait till you watch it on MNS.

There was no even real pressure from the Rovers fans like, shambles of a club. What are H&S for FFS:mad:

AdamFitz · July 11, 2009

That's ridiculous =/ This league should have much better standards.

MeLikeFM · July 11, 2009

That's ridiculous =/ This league should have much better standards.

Tell the FAI that.

Anyway we are veering way off-topic. how do you like my thread

AdamFitz · July 11, 2009

Great idea, tried to do a game with Rovers myself but Bohemians are just ridiculous.

MeLikeFM · July 11, 2009

Great idea, tried to do a game with Rovers myself but Bohemians are just ridiculous.

Patience

MeLikeFM · July 11, 2009

2011

OK

Moses Swaibu, Radislov Vasilev and Tony Doyle came in. Doyle came in Mid-season for 5k from Bohs and he is only 15 so high hopes for him.

Swaibu is a DC who can play DMC and MC so good bit of business there, Vasilev is a striker who is capable.

Lee Johnson a young DC went out on loan to Sporting Fingal and a striker who I brought in last year and failed to deliver left for 10k. Some youngsters also left.

Progress in the league. 3rd.

Cups were great. The Setanta and league cups were won but in THE cup Bohs beat us at the first hurdle.

The league is frustrating me so much. Next year.

MeLikeFM · July 11, 2009

Sorry lads I know the updates so far have been poor which is why I have tried to bulk them up with a history of the club which I hope shows you how special Rovers are.

2012s update will be soo much better.

Thanks for bearing with me if I do have any readers left.

Raware · July 12, 2009

Sorry lads I know the updates so far have been poor which is why I have tried to bulk them up with a history of the club which I hope shows you how special Rovers are.
2012s update will be soo much better.

Thanks for bearing with me if I do have any readers left.

Not at all. I'm enjoying reading the history about the club as well as your updates. I've learnt so much more about a club i previously knew nothing about. :thup:

AdamFitz · July 12, 2009

They were on Sky Sports News today, and will be playing live on it on the 20th of July against Real Madrid in a friendly. Great publicity for the club.

MeLikeFM · July 12, 2009

2012

Im always saying next year, but im getting sick of it now and after a very fustrating pre-season I wasn’t hopeful this year.

I brought in Shane Lowry on a free transfer and I was hoping the ex- Aston Villa man could help out at the back.

Zak Harvey was brought in because my scout recommended him and he was 16 so why not.

That was it, I couldn’t find anyone who I actually thought would improve the side.

I made a slight tactical change by bringing up the closing down and putting the tackling to high. I cant justify these decisions I just needed to do something different.

Horrible start to the season by going out in the qualifier of the Setanta cup, all that money washed down the drain.

Wow. Since then it has been a different story and I write this top of the league and unbeaten.

I drew Kaunas in the EURO Cup 2nd round so that will be hard but im hopeful.

Well a picture tells a thousand words so here.

http://s401.photobucket.com/albums/pp91/ryan0908/?action=view&current=Riggy.jpg

Star player Rigg who is playing great and having an injury free season.

http://s401.photobucket.com/albums/pp91/ryan0908/?action=view&current=Tablee.jpg&newest=1 - League table :cool:

http://s401.photobucket.com/albums/pp91/ryan0908/?action=view&current=VPats.jpg&newest=1 My best result, I beat Bohs 4-1 earlier in the season but this was something special, to score seven in a Dublin derby :eek:

AdamFitz · July 12, 2009

Great start, some of the regens you can get are amazing.

greenwhitearmy · July 12, 2009

shamrock got beat 3-0 by newcastle . lol

MeLikeFM · July 12, 2009

shamrock got beat 3-0 by newcastle . lol

A team of reserves and trialists got beat by Newcastle.

While up north your ful strength sides cant keep two legs under double figures against sides i have never heard of.

You are seriously deluded mate.

MeLikeFM · July 12, 2009

Great start, some of the regens you can get are amazing.

Thanks Rigg refuses to renew his contract though

Ill work at it.

MeLikeFM · July 13, 2009

Now I know your all eagerly anticapating the end of the 2012 season so here you go.

2012

Europe - A blessing or a curse. That was the theme for the latter part of this season.

We defended our league cup, woop de frigging doo.

In Europe, we beat Kaunas on penos after they pegged our two goal lead from the 1st leg back.

Belenenses were next, a nil all draw in Lisbon and then a 2-1 win in Tallaght with a late goal from Lee Johnson ( more on him later ).

M. Tel-Aviv stood between us and the big money Group Stages and after losing 2-1 at home we somehow managed to win 2-0 in Israel thanks to an Eoin Doyle brace.

We drew Inter, Espanyol and Besiktas in the groups but I played teenagers as realistically I was never going to get anything. I got rich though.

The league was drama packed. Cork and ourselves wee battling it out after I dropped points thanks to my European escapades. We had three games in six days to finish off the league and two of them were against Cork, I went into these with a one point lead.

We lost and drew with Cork so it went down to the last day. We needed them to slip up and they DID. We managed to scrape past Waterford thanks to them missing a penalty and we were crowned champions.

THIS YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Money in the bank and all the star players bar Rigg tied down for a few years.

2013 will be the last of Rigg’s contract.

Darragh McNamara starred all season along with Rigg and McGill and Ennis and Mackay-Steven. What a season.

http://s401.photobucket.com/albums/pp91/ryan0908/?action=view&current=League2012.jpg&newest=1 The triumphant league table

http://s401.photobucket.com/albums/pp91/ryan0908/?action=view&current=UEFACupRun.jpg&newest=1 The money maker

http://s401.photobucket.com/albums/pp91/ryan0908/?action=view&current=DMac.jpg&newest=1 McNamara

MeLikeFM · July 13, 2009

European Record

Shamrock Rovers have a long history in European competition. They were the first Irish side to enter European competition, and featured regularly in the 1960s and 1980s. Rovers have had some relative success in Europe, notably in the UEFA Intertoto-Cup, in recent years. However, their overall record in European football is poor and one of severe underachievement. Throughout their participation, they have beaten teams from Luxembourg, Cyprus, Iceland, Germany, and were the first Irish club to beat clubs from Turkey and Poland. Their biggest aggregate win was 7–0 against Fram Reykjavik in 1982 which is still a record for League of Ireland clubs in European competition.

Some of their more notable European performances include:

* a 2–2 draw and 1–0 defeat to defending champions and finalists, Valencia CF in Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1963–64

* a 1–1 draw and 2–1 defeat to finalists, Real Zaragoza in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1965–66

* a 1–1 draw and 3–2 defeat to winners, Bayern München in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1966–67

* a 2–1 win over FC Schalke 04 in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1969–70

* a 2–1 win and 1–0 win over Odra Wodzisław in the UEFA Intertoto Cup 2003

Their overall European record is:

European Champion Clubs' Cup