ATHLONE TOWN HAVE confirmed Roddy Collins will manage the club for a second time with the Dubliner set to take charge of the First Division side until the end of the season.
Collins led the club to the First Division title in 2013 and has been out of football management since parting ways with Waterford United last October. The Dubliner fills the vacancy left by the departure of Ricardo Monsanto last month.
It has been a stormy few weeks for Athlone as they are currently at the centre of an FAI investigation following match-fixing allegations, coming as a result of suspicious betting patterns on international markets.
Collins is expected to be present in Tolka Park for Athlone’s First Division game against Shelbourne tomorrow night but won’t take the reins until the trip to Cabinteely a week later.
“The board of Athlone Town AFC would like to welcome back Roddy Collins as the club’s first-team manager,” a club statement reads.
“Roddy will be in charge for the remainder of the 2017 First Division season.
“Roddy’s connections with the club are well known. During his first spell managing the club Roddy led Athlone Town AFC to the First Division title in 2013. He also played for the club during the mid-1980s.
“No doubt all club supporters hope Roddy will be just as successful managing Athlone Town AFC this time around as he was four years ago.
“Roddy’s appointment comes following what has been a tumultuous time for the club. The board anxiously awaits the outcome of the FAI’s investigation into allegations Athlone Town AFC may have been involved in match-fixing.
“At this stage in the process the club can only repeat its call that parallel investigations into the claims be commenced by the Gardaí, Interpol/Europol and Uefa itself and that Athlone Town AFC is, and has always been, totally opposed to match-fixing.
“The board is very much aware of the long-term reputational damage the club has sustained since the allegations were put in the public domain.
“The board would like to remind everybody that as things currently stand no finding of wrongdoing has been made against anyone involved or associated with the club.”
Athlone currently sit sixth in the eight-team First Division, having won four and drawn one of their opening 11 league games.
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Total mismatch from start to finish. Hope he got a good pay day for taking a beating.
Two weeks to drop a full weight division is a crazy ask. But I guess when opportunity knocks you gotta answer so fair play to him for giving it his best.
What amazing persons you are paul…hold your head high you were brilliant and if thats what you do at short notice the ufc better watch out….far play mate you did Dublin proud..
I wonder what would’ve happened if he refused to take it. Too short notice should be outlawed.