FAI Back Athlone Stadium Project by Ruth O'Brien
THE big boys from the FAI rolled into town on Thursday
to announce their support for the Athlone Town Stadium
Project. Project Manager, Tom Burke, led FAI Chief Executive
Fran Rooney and Honorary Treasurer John Delaney to the
stadium site.
On its completion, the Stadium will be the focal point
of Athlone Town Football Club. St. Mels Park has long
reached its best before date and the excitement surrounding
this project is unparalleled.
 DELIGHTED
TO BE HERE
"I am delighted to be here and to express my support
for the stadium. It show great ambition from Athlone
and it will be a critical part of the development of
the domestic game. I'm here to announce my support and
we will assist with the development as a representative
to the government," commented Fran Rooney.
All involved with this development and indeed those
with Athlone Town Football club urge the people of the
town and local businesses to get behind the stadium.
It will not only benefit the club but will also be of
great assistance to the town. The FAI promise to bring
youth and Under-21 games to Athlone when all is finalised.
"This project is imperative - not just for sport
but also for Athlone itself. We picked the Bounty as
our location for today's press conference because it
is a credit to rugby and we can do the same with our
fine facility. It is time to put soccer back on a pedestal
in the midlands," said a determined Tom Burke.
A lot of work has already been completed behind the
scenes and all involved understand the frustration of
the peopie of the town when they aren't seeing any actual
building work being carried out. "We've had a lot
of legal matters to deal with and it has been tedious
and frustrating but we can't get it wrong and we won't
start until we are fully convinced everything is right,"
reported Mr. Burke.
IMPORTANT
Waterford native, John Delaney, the face we most associate
with the whole Roy Keane saga, also gave his full support
to The Athlone Town Stadium Project. "I'm personally
delighted to be here. This project is important from
a league perspective. It's important to have a strong
stadium and I am impressed with the committee and with
Tom Burke," added Delaney.
Exciting times lie ahead for the future of this once
so successful club and to make this dream a realisation
Athlone Town need a helping hand from fans, the town
population and most importantly the local businneses
in Athlone and surrounding areas. The committe have
already ran a Golf Classic to raise funds and it was
a huge success. Initially there was a huge flurry of
excitment and willingness to help out with the project
but it seems to have died down in recent times. Tom
Burke and his committee plan to organise more fundraising
events to assist this audacious undertaking with a Gala
Ball lined up for the 21st of February and more ideas
are in the pipeline.
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