Since their entry into the League of Ireland in 1984, Longford Town's lowest point arrived in the 1997-98 season when they finished last in the First Division, ten points adrift of second last.
They were forced to 'seek re-election' to the League, a process with which they were regrettably familiar. That summer, a 26 year old youth team coach at St. Patrick's Athletic requested a meeting with chairman Michael Cox and was soon appointed first team manager.
The news was greeted with a shrug by the population of the town, most of whom - though not all - paid no attention to the team at the time. By Christmas '98, Stephen Kenny had lifted Longford Town to the top of the First Division.
But in their 97/98 season nadir, Longford Town at least gave their home supporters one win. The archives tell us they beat Bray Wanderers 1-0 early in that season.
This season, admittedly against the stiffer competition in the Premier League, Longford Town have gone the length of the season without winning a home match. As in 1997/98, they've only won two matches all season.
Karl O'Reilly noted that a couple of records were there to be broken tonight. Longford Town led Shamrock Rovers early on through a goal from Mark Hughes. Leading Shamrock Rovers by any scoreline has proven to be a good place to be this season.
In the end, Shamrock Rovers' ability to cling onto to a losing position away from home was no match for Longford Town's ability to avoid victory on their own patch. Rovers steamed through to win 4-2.
Longford without a win at home this year. Rovers haven't come from behind to win an away league game since Aug 2012https://t.co/AqCrLgj2j8
— Karl Reilly (@HistoryLOI) October 28, 2016
While this season has been fairly abysmal for Longford Town, they've been no match in this regard for the Kilkenny City class of 2000-01, who mustered nine points all season and won just one match. This, by the way, was the first year Longford Town had played in the Premier Division.
By contrast, life is very good at Oriel Park as Longford Town's ex-manager Stephen Kenny watched his boys lift the League title for the third year in a row.
We presume Kenny didn't take Dave Robertson's criticism this week too much to heart. Either way, Galway United were demolished 4-1 tonight and Dundalk players stepped held the trophy aloft.
Mark McCadden notes that the 4th goal, scored by Ciaran Kilduff, was the trigger for a pitch invasion. There was still 3 minutes of injury time but the referee wasn't bothered about re-starting the game.
Kilduff scores Dundalk's fourth, sparks these scenes. There are fans on the pitch. They think it's all over... pic.twitter.com/B7TiUBF0c0
— Mark McCadden (@markmccadden) October 28, 2016
We have it on good authority that the PA guy referred to Brian Gartland as 'Big Sexy'.
Dundalk PA man calling the players out one by one to the podium..."No 3, the man known as Big Sexy, Brian Gartland!" oooh errr
— Paul O'Hehir (@paulohehir) October 28, 2016
