Can Rovers Become Irelands Biggest Club Again?

The Volt

I think that they have a good chance of Europe next season. depending on who Scully brings in. Being by far the best side in Div 1 this year and with impressive cup victories over Bohs and Pats to boast, it's only a matter of time I think.

Guy:Incognito

Depending on how wisely the money is used, bohs €40m should have them as the biggest club for the forseeable.


Note I said SHOULD.

applehunter

I'm delighted that Rovers are back.:)

Missed the games in the Cross this year.

Can they become Ireland's biggest?

Can't even talk in those terms until you get into Tallaght.

gimmick

In a word, no. Just because they were good in division one means squat. The last half decent team to get promoted were Sligo, and they still finished a good way behind euro qualification.

With teams like Cork City, Bohs, Drogs and Shels in the league, Rovers will never get past the likes of these.

_blank_

gimmick wrote:

With teams like Cork City, Bohs, Drogs and Shels in the league, Rovers will never get past the likes of these.

I'm sorry, but I just think we are going the way Rovers did, or worse.

Yes, we are the champions, and deservedly so, but Shelbourne won't be the champions again for at least five years.

MrJoeSoap

gimmick wrote:

With teams like Cork City, Bohs, Drogs and Shels in the league, Rovers will never get past the likes of these.

And Derry...

KdjaCL

Rovers have no chance of becoming a top club anytime soon, they money and lots of it. They are being well ran now bt need a large investment to compete with Derry Shels Drogs and possibly Bohs.

Also i woulnt be to sure Scully will be there next season.


kdjac

Bateman

I'd be fairly sure Scully will stay at Rovers once he gets the backing he thinks he needs to do something significant in the Premier Division. There's been stories this season of Scully not even using up all the resources given to him from the club this season, and that he's been handing back money given to him for first-team wages, and that money has been put into the youth setup.

The Premier Division is a different kettle of fish though. The current Rovers squads are exclusively part-time, and that won't cut it in the Premier Division. So before you even think about the quality of player Rovers are going to have to bring in, the fact that they'll have to go full-time, or at least partly full-time, means that there is going to have to be a drastic increase in expenses. Most of their squad are out of contract during the summer, so they don't have many expenses, and they can get on with fundraising for next season.

As for the idea of them being Ireland's biggest club anytime recently, well give me a break. Find documented attendance figures for when they were winning 4 in a row in the mid-late 80s. The sentimental ideas that there 15-20,000, or even 10,000, people flocking to see Rovers play at Milltown every second Sunday is complete bollócks.

applehunter

They still probably have the highest attendances in Dublin, and that is without a proper home ground.

Bateman

applehunter wrote:

They still probably have the highest attendances in Dublin, and that is without a proper home ground.

What planet are you on? They have been getting 800-1000 at most games, Bohs were comfortably getting 1,500 for the first half of the season, and Pat's and Shels would also be getting comfortably more than Rovers. If you want to talk about part-timers, armchair nostalgics, and taxi drivers being Rovers fans, that's another discussion, but in terms of paying punters, don't try to say Rovers are top in Dublin because they aren't.

applehunter

Well Ive only seen Rovers play 3/4 times and each time they were well supported.