LIMERICK FC manager Martin Russell this week made an impassioned plea for more people from the city to actively support the club.
In the Super Blues’ 0-1 defeat to Cork City at Thomond Park on Sunday, Rob Lehane scoring a late winner, the away team’s fans accounted for the majority of the attendance, something that did not sit comfortably with Russell.
He said: “It was disappointing for me at the weekend, and particularly for the owner, to see that Cork outnumbered us at our home ground. I would question whether there is a will out there because I don’t think the chairman could do much more. I think if he was at a Dublin club, he’d probably win the league every year with the commitment he has given it.”
Russell was especially appreciative of the work of chairman Pat O’Sullivan, saying: “The chairman needs support. It can’t just happen by accident. People have got to come their way and we’ve got to work on that.
“We have to be serious about it and have a reality check. Do we want a successful club in Limerick? There’s no reason why Limerick can’t be as successful as Dundalk.”
Russell revealed that a number of Limerick FC’s first team squad went to schools recently to hand out tickets, but the response was not as enthusiastic as he would have hoped. He was also aghast as to why a region with such a strong interest in junior soccer is not seeing that interest replicated with its only senior club.
“We hinder ourselves because we have 32 schoolboy leagues in the country, people want power and we don’t do enough to sort the pyramid out. If I’m a young kid in Limerick, there’s probably barriers being put in my way to join Limerick FC, as opposed to being encouraged to join Limerick FC. That’s wrong.
“The top of the pyramid of football in Limerick is Limerick FC. It should be treated that way and everything should be geared towards that. Everything below it will rise as well.
“We can get people on the bandwagon like Dundalk have. There’s a lot of supporters that weren’t there at the start and I want to applaud the supporters that came out the other night, because they’re there at the start. It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon as happened when Ireland qualified for the worst World Cup. Everybody jumped on the bandwagon but it’s better to be there at the start.
“If I was the chairman, I’d be seriously questioning it. I think we’re very fortunate to have people who are working behind the scenes off the field doing what they’re doing.
“I’d like to think, even before the Markets Field, that people will come out and support us now, even in the last two games, and then support us more in the Markets Field. I’m telling you, you’ll have good times ahead. It would be a pity for somewhere that has the potential of Limerick [not to maximise it] and I don’t think the chairman could do much more.”
On the pitch, the Super Blues travel to Dalymount Park to take on Bohemians in the Premier Division on Friday night, hoping to preserve their unbeaten record in Dublin in 2014.
