Haverty and Gillespie to return for 2013 season
Chairman of Longford Town Football Club Jim Hanley has confirmed to the Longford Leader that both of last year’s PFAI First Division Team of the Year nominees Noel Haverty and Keith Gillespie have committed to sign for the club for the coming season. The news comes as a boost to the Strokestown Road outfit who will look to return to the top table of Irish football having been relegated in 2007.
Both players played an integral part in last year’s push for promotion, which saw the Town hold top spot in the Airtricity League First Division division until untimely injuries and poor results saw them surrender their lead to eventual champions Limerick. Mr Hanley commented that the pair have agreed verbally to return to the 2007 FAI Cup finalists, and will put pen to paper when the players return for pre-season early next month.
He said, “Both Noel and Keith have committed to signing for the following season and are looking forward to being part of Tony’s (Cousins) squad. They won’t sign until they return to training in a few weeks but they have both agreed to stay on.”
Mr Hanley added that discussions are ongoing between the club and a number of last year’s squad and said that the club hoped to be in a position to announce signings in the near future. “We are talking to a number of players who I cannot comment on, for obvious reasons.
“Of course, some of last year’s squad won’t return and some will. This is at Tony’s discretion. But he is talking to a number of players and we hope to be in a position to announce the renewal of deals and the signing of new faces in the coming weeks.”
Meanwhile, Mr Hanley declined to comment on reports that local company Flancare have withdrawn their sponsorship of the club. The logistics and warehouse firm are both the club’s main sponsor and hold the naming rights on the football club’s home ground on the Strokestown Road.
“I am not prepared to comment”, he said. “There are alot of discussions taking place with a number of sponsors and it would be unfair to talk about it until those deals are concluded.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Longford, Ireland
Friday 24 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 5 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South
