Dundalk FC legend Dermot Keely always said “when the club is rocking, the town is rocking” and vice versa. And I always thought that to be true. So what is “The Town”? It’s not housing, schools, shopping centres or swimming pools. For me, it’s about identity. It’s about what can represent you the best!
It’s something that cannot be manufactured, put together or assembled quickly. It’s about history, community and a future. And that’s why Dundalk Football Club and the town of Dundalk are so inextricably linked. In 1903 when the workers at the GNR (Great Northern Railway) decided to form a football team there is no way they would have imagined that Dundalk FC would rise from those seeds and become ‘THE’ heartbeat of the town.
“Who do you support? Dundalk! Yeah but who do you really support?” is a question which used to get floated around the country but in Dundalk it was more strange if you didn’t support “The Town”.
It’s very easy to follow success, and here in Dundalk we have had some very successful periods. Doubles in ‘79, ‘88, 2015 and 2018 and legendary league finishes in ‘82, ‘91 and 2014. As well as the European adventures, pitting your local team against the might of Europe. These times can be great and they were, in fact kids growing up in the Stephen Kenny era would ask parents “when is Dundalk’s last game of the season in the Aviva?” Such was the recent occurrence of FAI cup finals for the club.
But what now when good times aren’t as plentiful? It feels like a “not what your club can do for you but what you can do for your club” moment. A barren spell away from title contention and 4 owners in as many years has derailed this proud club and has left fans asking many questions.
So what can we do for our club, our town? Well it all starts now. Can we just sit back and expect others to run our club prudently? Wonder why have owners not invested into a dilapidated Oriel Park? And ask can we let more of our young academy players sign for our rivals?
We need a club that has direction, a club that matches the expectations of the town. We don’t always need success but we do need a solid ground, a plan to better ourselves and a vision for the future. Does that vision solely involve one owner and where they want the club to go? Not anymore, now is the time the town needs its voice.
We need to be able to say something if people aren’t running OUR club well enough. We need to be able to step in if our club is in grave danger and that we are not at the mercy of a business person who no longer wants to play with his expensive Dundalk FC toy. We need to be organised and ready to defend our club and defend our town.
Chris Clarke