Athlone Town legend appointed to 'club ambassador' role
Athlone Town AFC legend Dennis Clarke will be taking up a new role as an ambassador for the club in the coming 2026 season.
The Athlone native had three spells as a player with his club in the 70s, 80s and 90s, winning both premier division and first division title with the Town.
Announcing his appointment to the newly-established role of club ambassador last Friday, Athlone Town AFC said it was "designed to strengthen the connection between the club, the academy, and the wider community, as well as identifying high-potential players and supporting our player development pathway".
Dennis Clarke started his football journey with Connacht United in Athlone. He signed for Manchester City in 1976-77 before returning to the League of Ireland with Finn Harps and then Athlone.
During his spells with Athlone Town, Dennis served as captain under five different managers. He also played on two League of Ireland representative teams, first under John Giles, and also on a tour of New Zealand in 1982 under Jim McLaughlin.
Later in his career, he won a League Cup and Shield as manager of Galway United. In more recent years, he has been involved with coaching underage teams with a number of MSL clubs in Athlone.
Speaking about his appointment, Dennis said: "I’m delighted to take up this position with Athlone, I spoke to (CEO) Steven Gray and (Technical Director) Brian Shelley about their vision for the future of the club and I was really impressed, so I’m delighted to be on board with that.
"I’m honoured to be involved with Athlone going forward in an exciting journey and I’m really looking forward to it.
"I’m hoping my experience as a player in the League of Ireland and in England can help the new young players in the club and I’m delighted to help out.
"Hopefully we can look forward to new successes because it’s what the club and supporters deserve."
Welcoming Dennis back to the club, Technical Director Brian Shelley said: "As a club, we’re incredibly proud to welcome Dennis Clarke back into an official role at Athlone Town.
"Dennis is an ex-League winner with the club, he knows exactly what success looks like here, and he is someone who is deeply respected across the Athlone community.
"Bringing Dennis in as our club ambassador is a really important step for us. His role will support a variety of key areas from strengthening relationships with local clubs, to attending academy fixtures, helping us identify high-potential young players, and being a positive presence across our senior men’s and women’s teams.
"Dennis has been part of Athlone’s history, and now he will play a part in shaping its future. We’re delighted to have him on board."
CEO Steven Gray also welcomed the appointment, saying: "I had the pleasure of meeting Dennis early in my role, where we shared a coffee and had a brilliant conversation about Athlone Town Football Club.
"I was overwhelmed with the passion and desire Dennis spoke with. I cannot wait to see Dennis around the club and watch him influence many people both on and off the pitch.
"I wish Dennis all the best in his role, look forward to working with and learning from a local man that is ingrained in the history of the football club," the club CEO concluded.