Longford Town F.C.

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Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football club

Longford Town Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in Longford, County Longford. The club, which was founded in 1924 and elected to the league in 1984,<ref name="LOI">Template:Cite web</ref> plays in the League of Ireland First Division as of 2025.

The club plays its home matches at Strokestown Road, which for sponsorship reasons is also known as Bishopsgate. The club colours are red and black, and it sometimes goes by the nickname 'De Town'.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its crest contains a silhouette of St Mel's Cathedral in Longford.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Longford Town has won several domestic competitions, including the League of Ireland First Division (in 2014), FAI Cup (in 2003 and 2004) and League of Ireland Cup (in 2004).<ref name="loiInfo">Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Following a number of meetings held earlier in the year, Longford Town Football Club was formally founded in October 1924 at a meeting held at the pavilion in Longford Park.<ref name="officialHist">Template:Cite web</ref> It was decided that the club colours were to be similar to those of the Dublin club, Bohemians, 'Red and Black'.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Longford Town had £24 in the kitty to start off and their first big success was winning the Leinster Junior Cup in the 1930–31 season when they beat St. Malachy's of Dundalk at Longford Park. After the game, the Foresters Brass and Reed Band and Longford Pipe and Drum Band led the victory parade through the streets of the town. The Longford team included Tom O’Beirne, Packy Shine, Mel Deane, Jimmy Malynn, John Dennigan, Jimmy and Billy Clarke, Freddy Dykes and Jimmy Breslin. In the 1935–36 season, the Town were promoted to Division 1 of the Leinster Senior League. The following season saw the Town clinch the FAI Intermediate Cup which was a considerable achievement coming so soon after promotion from the Junior ranks. Further Intermediate Cup successes, as well as Metropolitan Cup wins, followed in the 1950s and 1960s.<ref name="officialHist"/>

Then a non-league side, Longford Town reached the final of the Leinster Senior Cup in 1954.<ref name="lsc1954"/> They lost the final, played at Dalymount Park on St. Stephen's Day (26 December 1954), 2–1 to Shamrock Rovers.<ref name="lsc1954">Template:Cite web</ref> Rovers, then at their peak, got the winning goal with less than three minutes to go.Template:Fact

A number of Longford players received International or inter-league honours over the years. Mel Deane was the first, when he was capped against Scotland in a Junior International. Then followed Junior International honours versus England for Jimmy and Paddy Clarke, as well as Youth International caps for Ignatius Branigan (against Holland) and Teffia Park's Mark Devlin.Template:Fact

File:Performance chart ire LON.svg
Chart of yearly table positions for Longford Town in League of Ireland

The club was 60 years in existence before its election to the League of Ireland in 1984.<ref name="LOI" /> In their first season in the league they finished last in the Premier Division and were one of the four sides to be relegated to the newly created First Division for the following season.<ref name="LOI" /> In their second season, they finished bottom of the First Division with only 7 points. Town finished in the bottom six of the ten-team First Division in each of the next eleven seasons.Template:Fact

File:Lngfrdg2.jpg
Previously based at Abbeycartron, the club moved to its ground at Strokestown Road in the 1990s

The appointment of the then 26-year-old rookie manager Stephen Kenny in the summer of 1998 proved the catalyst for a major upturn in the club's fortunes on the pitch. In the 1998/99 season, they missed out a place in the promotion/relegation play-off by just four points. The following season saw further improvement when the club finished in second place and, as a result, won promotion to the Premier Division. This was secured on the final day of the season, 22 April 2000, with a 2–0 victory away to Cobh Ramblers. The starting XI was: Stephen O'Brien, Enda Kenny, Wes Byrne (captain), Paul McNally, Stephen Kelly, Paul Perth, Vinny Perth, Stephen Gavin, Shay Zellor, Keith O'Connor and Richie Parsons.Template:Fact

Longford performed admirably in their first season back in the Premier Division finishing in mid-table. That season also saw the club reach the FAI Cup Final for the first time, where they lost 1–0 to Bohemians. As Bohemians had also won the league title that season, Longford qualified to play in the UEFA Cup in July 2001. A meeting over two games with Bulgarian club side PFC Litex Lovech ended in a 3–1 aggregate victory for the Bulgarians.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Things were less comfortable in the league during the 2001/02 season after that, as they ended up in the relegation/promotion play-off, where they played Finn Harps in a two-legged affair. Longford won in a penalty shootout after the tie ended 3–3 on aggregate. After the 2002/03 season, the club became an established top division side, led by manager Alan Mathews, with four successive top-six finishes.Template:Fact

In October 2003, the Town clinched their first title in senior football when winning the FAI Cup following a 2–0 victory over St. Patrick's Athletic at Lansdowne Road.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The winning Longford side Stephen O'Brien, Alan Murphy, Barry Ferguson (captain), Brian McGovern, Seán Dillon, Alan Kirby, Vinny Perth, Philip Keogh, Sean Prunty, Shane Barrett and Sean Francis – with Barrett and Francis as goal-scorers.<ref name="rte2003">Template:Cite web</ref> The victory "[made] up for their eircom League Cup final defeat", against the same opposition, earlier in the 2003 season.<ref name="rte2003"/>

2004 would prove to be the most successful year in the club's history. The Town produced a cup double by first winning the League Cup with a 2–1 victory over Bohemians, in a final held in Longford, with the crucial second goal scored by local player Seán Prunty. The FAI Cup was retained following a dramatic 2–1 win over Waterford United at Lansdowne Road on 24 October 2004. Trailing with five minutes to go, late goals by Waterford-born Alan Kirby and sub Paul Keegan meant a "sensational finish" for Longford Town.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The starting XI was: Stephen O'Brien (captain), Alan Murphy, Graham Gartland, Seán Dillon, Sean Prunty, Dean Fitzgerald, John Martin, Alan Kirby, Shane Barrett, Dessie Baker and Eric Lavine.Template:Fact

The FAI Cup successes saw the club enter the UEFA Cup in both 2004 and 2005. On both occasions, however, they lost in the first qualifying round on aggregate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The 2007 season was a disappointing one for the club as, along with losing the FAI Cup final to Cork City, the team were relegated after finishing bottom of the Premier Division. That does not tell the whole story however,Template:Tone inline as Longford were deducted six league points during the season for failing to comply with club licensing procedures.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> These six points proved crucial in the end as, without this deduction, they would have finished safe from relegation and the relegation play-off.Template:Fact

File:Mark Salmon.jpg
Mark Salmon celebrates an away goal, against Galway FC, in a 2014 League of Ireland First Division game

This cost the club dearly, as there followed six years in the First Division, before being promoted as champions at the end of the 2014 season. The title was clinched, under the management of Tony Cousins, following a resounding 5–0 victory at home to Shamrock Rovers B on 3 October 2014.<ref name="rte2014">Template:Cite web</ref> This league title triumph was the club's first-ever in senior football with the trophy presented to club captain Mark Salmon. The goals of David O'Sullivan and Gary Shaw, along with the contribution of the experienced quartet of Pat Sullivan, Pat Flynn, Stephen Rice and Kevin O'Connor, were pivotal in the season's success.Template:Fact

In their first season back in the Premier Division, the club finished off the 2015 season in 6th position.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, Longford finished bottom of the 2016 Premier Division table and were relegated back to the First Division.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The 2020 League of Ireland First Division season was suspended after a few weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Longford had played, and won, their two opening league matches before the suspension in March. It wasn't until 31 July, after a break of almost five months, that matches resumed. Finishing the league season in fourth place saw the side enter the promotion play-off series. Victories over UCD and Galway United set up a final appearance against Shelbourne on 15 November 2020. A Rob Manley goal earned a 1–0 win for the Town to secure promotion back to the Premier Division for 2021. The 2021 season was a difficult one for the club,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with the side bottom of the table for most of the year and relegated with several matches remaining.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2024, the club celebrated its 100th year in existence.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To mark the milestone, a Longford Town legends game against Manchester United legends took place on 15 June 2024; it finished 3-3.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

European record

Last update: July 2005<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Overview

Competition P W D L GF GA
UEFA Cup 6 1 1 4 6 12
TOTAL 6 1 1 4 6 12

Matches

Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Aggregate
2001–02 UEFA Cup 1QR Template:Flagicon Litex Lovech 1–1 0–2 1–3
2004–05 UEFA Cup 1QR Template:Flagicon Vaduz 2–3 0–1 2–4
2005–06 UEFA Cup 1QR Template:Flagicon Carmarthen Town 2–0 1–5 3–5

Current squad

Template:Updated<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Fv</ref> Template:Football squad start Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs mid Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs end

Technical staff

Position Staff
Manager Wayne Groves<ref name="etMay2024">Template:Cite web</ref>
Coach Garrett Dodrill<ref name="etMay2024"/>
Goalkeeping coach Gabriel Sava<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Honours

Records

  • League victory: 7–1 v Athlone Town, 19 August 2017<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 6–0 v Shamrock Rovers B, 30 May 2014<ref name="loiInfo"/>
  • League defeat: 1–8 v Waterford United, 12 November 1989<ref name="LOI" /><ref name="loiInfo"/>
  • Points in a season: 70, 1999–2000 (36 games)<ref name="LOI" /><ref name="loiInfo"/>
  • League goals in a season (player): 24, David O'Sullivan, 2013-2014<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • League goals: 60, David O'Sullivan, 2013–2016<ref name="loiInfo"/>
  • League appearances: 250, Stephen O'Brien, 1998–2005<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Former managers (League of Ireland era)

Supporters Player of the Year

File:Kevin O'Connor (footballer, born 1985) (cropped).jpg
Kevin O'Connor, pictured in 2014, was voted "player of the year" in 2015
Season WinnerTemplate:Fact
2024 Template:Flagicon Dean O'Shea
2021 Template:Flagicon Aaron O'Driscoll
2020 Template:Flagicon Aodh Dervin
2019 Template:Flagicon Lee Steacy
2018 Template:Flagicon Dylan McGlade
2017 Template:Flagicon Daniel O'Reilly
2015 Template:Flagicon Kevin O'Connor
2014 Template:Flagicon Gary Shaw
2013 Template:Flagicon David O'Sullivan
2012 Template:Flagicon Keith Gillespie
2011 Template:Flagicon Mark Salmon
2010 Template:Flagicon Michael Lee
2009 Template:Flagicon Tom King
2007 Template:Flagicon Dave Mooney

References

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Template:Longford Town F.C. Template:League of Ireland clubs Template:League of Ireland Premier Division Template:Irish clubs in European football

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