athlonehome

                        Athlone Town F.C. joined thr League of Ireland in 1922 when the first southern

Ireland league began. They were the first side from outside the capital to enter the competition,

they played their first games in Sports Ground, Athlone and although it took six games before

they recorded their first league win, the team managed to finish the season in sixth position. The

club remained in senior football gaining a steady mid-table place until the 1998 season when the

team finished tenth and lost 9-3 to non-league side, Drumcondra. At the end of the season the

club decided not to reapply for league status and their place was taken by Drumcondra.

                          The clubs time in the ranks of senior football was not unrewarded as the club

managed to lift the FAi Senior Challenge Cup in 1924, winning the competition without

conceding a goal. Athlone stayed in the junior ranks until 1969, the highlight of their time in

junior football was winning the FAI Junior Cup in 1938. The seventies were a good time for

town, they managed to come runners-up in the league to Bohs in 1975 and the following season

in European competition did the leagueproud, first beating Norwegian side Valerengen 4-2 on

agg, and then holding Italian giants AC Milan to a scoreless draw in St. Mels Park, the home side

even missed a penalty. The Italians won out in the end by 3-0 in Italy.

                          It wasn't until the arrival of Turlough O' Connor in the early eighties that the

club began to come to prominance once again. The League Cup went to St. Mels in 1980 and was

followed the following season by the League Championship, this time in Europe the team went

out to Danish side, FC Kopenhagen on the away goals rule. The League Championship was won

again in 1983 and the following season the Irish side went out of Europe winning 3-2 in Athlone,

but getting hammered 8-2 in Belgium to Standard Liege. This was to be Athlones last European

experience and in this golden era the team collected three League Cups to go with the other

honours the club had claimed. O' Connor was enticed away from St. Mels and the glory days

ended, they were eventually relegated in 1987. Padraig O' Connor (Turlough's brother) took over

as manager and the club came back up winning the first division championship and the Leinster

Senior Cup. The club were to soon make their way back down to the first division and are, for the

first time since, looking like coming back to the Premier Division under the guidance of

championship winning manager, Liam Buckley.