'The aim is to bring normality back to the club'
Athlone Town's season kicks off in Galway this evening (Friday), and first team manager Aaron Callaghan didn't skip a beat when asked what the aim will be for the 2018 campaign.
“The aim is to try to get a bit of normality back into the club,” he said.
“It's been a difficult couple of years with the scandals (around match fixing allegations) last season, although the year finished with a great success for the under-15 team.
“But yeah, the aim is to get some normality back at the club and I know from my time with Athlone Town previously that it's always been a town with a big interest in football. We would hope to have a team that will be difficult to beat.”
Galway United - the third side to be relegated from the Premier Division last season - will be the opponents for this evening's SSE Airtricity League First Division game which kicks off in Eamon Deacy Park at 7.45pm.
Callaghan admitted it had been a “difficult” pre-season, as efforts had been focused on assembling an all-amateur squad almost completely from scratch.
Assessment days for new players were held in Dublin and Athlone, and the first team squad was then posted on the club's official social media account on February 6.
Of the 30 players listed in the squad, it's believed just six (Cormac Raftery, Ian Fletcher, Ryan Gaffey, Luke Kelly, Etanda N'kololo and Joe Carmody) lined out for the club last season.
“Because we were assessing players we started our pre-season a few weeks later than other clubs. That made it difficult to arrange friendlies against Premier Division opposition because they already had their games lined up.
“We then had (friendlies) called off because of the bad weather and the rain. But, having said that, we've been training hard, training well, and things are starting to come together, shape-wise and structure-wise.”
Callaghan has experience of doing well with constrained resources, as he had a relatively successful 18-month spell managing Bohemians on a meagre budget in 2012-13.
“At Bohs, we had to cast our net high and wide and we had to focus on players in the 17 to 23 age range. Beacuse Athlone are all-amateur this year it's a similar situation.
“You couldn't get anyone who was going to be offered a professional contract, so instead you were looking at players who were playing under-17 or under-19 with league clubs, or some of the better players in the Leinster Senior League.
“We have the squad now, of around 26 or 27 players, and it's a matter of picking our first eleven from that.”
He acknowledged that Galway United would be formidable opponents in the season opener.
Their manager, Shane Keegan, had to part with a number of players after last year's campaign in the top flight but he also made some eye-catching signings, including talented midfielder Ryan Connolly who returns to the club after a year at Shamrock Rovers.
Midfielder Carlton Ubaezuono joined on loan from Dundalk, and this week the club completed the signing of ex-Wexford Youths striker Danny Furlong, who scored 30 goals in 28 games during the 2015 season.
The westerners have retained ex-Athlone and ex-Ballinasloe Town striker Eoin McCormack and have also signed Ballinasloe native Conor Layng from Athlone Town.
“Galway are one of the favourites for the league this year, and we watched them beat Shelbourne 1-0 in a friendly in Tolka Park on Friday,” said Callaghan.
“I know they lost a few people at the end of last season but they still have a lot of experienced players who have played together before. So it's going to be tough - we know that - but at the same time it's something I'm looking forward to,” he concluded.
Athlone Town 2018 Squad
Goalkeepers: Michael Fogarty, Shaun O'Donnell, Nathan Murphy
Defenders: Aaron Brilly, Felix Bape Perez, Dan O'Donovan, Ger Smyth, Bashmil Nyakambili, Cormac Raftery, Ian Fletcher.
Midfielders: Josh Hogan, Steven Grogan, Brian Carabaley, Shane Stokes, Ollie Hamzet, Craig Short, Barry Davies, Darren Kavanagh, Ryan Gaffey, Luke Kelly, Etanda N'kololo, Thaigh Keogh, Robbie O'Leary, Eoin Roche, JJ Offorjama, Joe Carmody
Forwards: George Mukete, Tzee Mustapha, Martin Walshe, Aaron Williams.