Volunteer's Corner - Shelbourne
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In the third of our series focusing on people who give their free time to help out in the running of LOI clubs, extratime.ie’s Gordon Hunt spoke to Shelbourne FC volunteer Johnny Watson, who above all else, is delighted his club still exists.
What is your role at the club?
I do a bit of everything really: Anything I’m asked to do I do. At the moment I help out with Pat Roach doing the kit for the team.
What do you do on match day?
For a home game what we do is, I would meet Pat in Tolka Park roughly around half five to make sure everything is ready for the lads coming in, kit-wise. Than anything needed by the players or the officials, we do. Then after the game we start washing all the kits and that.
When did you first start supporting Shelbourne?
I’ve been with Shels…I’m forty-five now so we’ll say forty years - practically all my life. My father was a Shels fan back in his day, he helped out. On a Wednesday night he used to bring me out, we’d roll the pitch out in Harold’s Cross and help out on Saturdays.
What do you make of this years side?
They are a great bunch of lads. There is a great morale. It’s a great side. Ok we’ve had two hiccups now but its early days. And we had a few players missing out [against Sporting Fingal] also. (interviewed following Shelbourne’s narrow loss away at Sporting Fingal 17.04.09)
What do you think are Shelbourne’s chances of promotion into the Premier Division?
It’s tough because it’s any one from four really. But last year we were just half a minute away from going up. OK it’s going to be a bit harder this year with Sporting Fingal, UCD, Waterford United, but they’ll all be beaten throughout the season.
What was your best moment being a Shels fan?
The best moment I’ve had when I was with Shels…Well you would have to say Hajduk Split* was a good night, you would have to say Deportivo** was a good night, the first time I saw them win the league was great but the truth be known that after the club went the way it went, and Dermot Keely came into the club and he kept the team alive, that was the best moment for Shels.
What was the worst moment?
The worst moment would have been a few weeks earlier knowing that we were in so much trouble: Thinking ‘Would there be a Shelbourne?’ and ‘What will we do without a Shelbourne?’
Do you think most fans will agree with you?
Yea most people will agree. We had great European nights, like Hajduk Split or away in Spain against Deportivo, and they were truly great nights. We lived the dream as they say.
But to me, after sitting out over the Christmas after we won the league that year, I was sitting wondering are we going to have a team, then Dermot Keely worked a miracle when he came in and got a team together in a couple of days. He put a bunch of lads out on the pitch out there and he’s still here now.
What has it been like since Shelbourne’s last league triumph?
We hadn’t got a bad season for [Dermot Keely’s] first season. When Dermot came in he said he’d keep us going and then look for promotion over the next two years. And in the first of those two, which was last year, you couldn’t really have got any closer. And this year it’s the same thing.
* Shelbourne were the first Irish club to reach the third Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League in 2004 following their 2-0 victory over Croatian Champions Hajduk Split
** Their next round was against Deportivo La Coruna. Shelbourne held the Spaniards to a scoreless draw in front of 24,000+ fans at Lansdowne road, before eventually being eliminated in the return leg 3-0
What is your role at the club?
I do a bit of everything really: Anything I’m asked to do I do. At the moment I help out with Pat Roach doing the kit for the team.
What do you do on match day?
For a home game what we do is, I would meet Pat in Tolka Park roughly around half five to make sure everything is ready for the lads coming in, kit-wise. Than anything needed by the players or the officials, we do. Then after the game we start washing all the kits and that.
When did you first start supporting Shelbourne?
I’ve been with Shels…I’m forty-five now so we’ll say forty years - practically all my life. My father was a Shels fan back in his day, he helped out. On a Wednesday night he used to bring me out, we’d roll the pitch out in Harold’s Cross and help out on Saturdays.
What do you make of this years side?
They are a great bunch of lads. There is a great morale. It’s a great side. Ok we’ve had two hiccups now but its early days. And we had a few players missing out [against Sporting Fingal] also. (interviewed following Shelbourne’s narrow loss away at Sporting Fingal 17.04.09)
What do you think are Shelbourne’s chances of promotion into the Premier Division?
It’s tough because it’s any one from four really. But last year we were just half a minute away from going up. OK it’s going to be a bit harder this year with Sporting Fingal, UCD, Waterford United, but they’ll all be beaten throughout the season.
What was your best moment being a Shels fan?
The best moment I’ve had when I was with Shels…Well you would have to say Hajduk Split* was a good night, you would have to say Deportivo** was a good night, the first time I saw them win the league was great but the truth be known that after the club went the way it went, and Dermot Keely came into the club and he kept the team alive, that was the best moment for Shels.
What was the worst moment?
The worst moment would have been a few weeks earlier knowing that we were in so much trouble: Thinking ‘Would there be a Shelbourne?’ and ‘What will we do without a Shelbourne?’
Do you think most fans will agree with you?
Yea most people will agree. We had great European nights, like Hajduk Split or away in Spain against Deportivo, and they were truly great nights. We lived the dream as they say.
But to me, after sitting out over the Christmas after we won the league that year, I was sitting wondering are we going to have a team, then Dermot Keely worked a miracle when he came in and got a team together in a couple of days. He put a bunch of lads out on the pitch out there and he’s still here now.
What has it been like since Shelbourne’s last league triumph?
We hadn’t got a bad season for [Dermot Keely’s] first season. When Dermot came in he said he’d keep us going and then look for promotion over the next two years. And in the first of those two, which was last year, you couldn’t really have got any closer. And this year it’s the same thing.
* Shelbourne were the first Irish club to reach the third Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League in 2004 following their 2-0 victory over Croatian Champions Hajduk Split
** Their next round was against Deportivo La Coruna. Shelbourne held the Spaniards to a scoreless draw in front of 24,000+ fans at Lansdowne road, before eventually being eliminated in the return leg 3-0
About Gordon Hunt
Gordon Hunt is one of extratime's Dublin based reporters. Having worked with the site since it's inception, Gordon's name is carved into the foundations of extratime's tower block. View Full Profile