Founded back in 1887 Athlone
Town is the oldest soccer club in the Republic of
Ireland and since 1927 St. Mel's Park has been the
home of Athlone Town F.C. For close on 80 years this
venue has served Athlone football very well indeed
and many of us have happy memories of St. Mel's Park
and can recall very exciting games played there. The
visit of football giants A.C. Milan in 1975 and two
successful league campaigns under manager Turlough
O'Connor in the years 1981 and 1983 are just a few
to treasure.
Time has moved on since then and so have the standards
of playing facilities and regretfully St. Mel's Park
has not kept pace with improving venues nationwide.
Under new U.E.F.A. regulations Athlone Town F.C. will
no longer be permitted to continue playing at St.
Mel's Park after April 2004. Under the new F.A.I.
Licensing Regulations Athlone Town F.C. are obliged
to move to a new stadium that meets the required criterion,
if Eircom League Football is to continue in Athlone.
Any thoughts of losing top-flight football in Athlone,
which steeped in history and proud of its heritage,
is just unthinkable.
The development of a purpose built modern stadium
is now a must and requires a new impetus and urgency.
With this in mind Athlone Town F.C. has acquired an
8.5 acre site adjacent to the Athlone Regional Sports
Centre, Ballymahon Road. Plans are now well underway
for the constructrion of a modern 5,000 all seater
football stadium, a second playing pitch and adequate
car parking. Full planning permission has been granted
and a stadium project team has been carefully selected
to guide the project to full fruition. We expect the
development to take about three years to complete
and the cost will be in the region of €4 million.
We are now inviting you to join us in this unique
piece of Athlone sporting history. To ensure that
everyone can play their role we have on offer three
different levels of financial participation for individuals
and families. We would encourage you to select the
level that appeals most to you.
We are pleased to confirm one million Euro has already
been approved by Lottery Funding, but it is very important
to point out that further government funding may be
approved on the basis of local community contributions.
A positive financial response from the community is
vital to the success of the entire development. Please
do not let this historic development pass without
your participation. All funds donated to the new stadium
will be used exclusively for the new Stadium project.
May we take this opportunity to thank you for your
support to Athlone Town F.C. in the past and we look
forward with confidence to your support for this once
in a lifetime development.
Thanking you,
Yours in Sport,
Tom Burke
Project Manager.
