SLIGO ROVERS WILL host Celtic in a mid-season friendly at the Showgrounds on Wednesday 9 October, both clubs have confirmed.
The match will honour lifelong Rovers fan Tommie Gorman, who was instrumental in bringing the Scottish champions to The Showgrounds before he passed away in June.
The fixture will also celebrate the close links between the two clubs as well as Celtic’s longstanding links in County Sligo.
A native of nearby Ballymote, Andrew Kerins — better known as Brother Walfrid — founded Celtic in 1888 and is honoured by statues both in his hometown and outside Celtic Park. Sligo man Sean Fallon, meanwhile, played for both Rovers and Celtic and was Jock Stein’s assistant manager when the Lisbon Lions won the European Cup in 1967.
“When you’re working at a club like Celtic you are reminded every day of its history”, said Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers. “So it’s great to be able to visit and play in Sligo, a place where the club has so many amazing links.
“The game takes place during the international window so it’ll be a good workout for the first-team players who aren’t involved with their countries that week.
“We know there is a huge Celtic following in Ireland, nowhere more so than in the northwest, so it will be a great chance for so many to see the players in action.
For myself personally, its always great to go home so this is a trip I am really looking forward to but for everyone else of course, both sets of fans and both clubs, I know this will be a great occasion.
Tickets will be on presale on Monday 9 September and Tuesday 10 September (between 10am and 5pm) for Sligo Rovers season ticket holders and club members, while a general sale will begin at 10am on Wednesday 11 September.
Rovers boss John Russell said: “It’ll be a great day for both clubs given the history Celtic have here in Sligo.
“I’d expect the game to sell out straight away and it’ll be great to see the Showgrounds packed to the rafters.
“It’ll be a nice test for our boys to see how they get on against one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“The excitement in the area when Everton visited in the summer was amazing and I’d expect a huge amount of attention will be focused on this game also.”
