Ringsend Rover Sean Gannon buzzing to be back at Tallaght Stadium

Having begun his professional career at Shamrock Rovers a decade ago, Sean Gannon is delighted to be back at the club where it all began.

For Hoops supporters, particularly those from Ringsend, they are equally happy with his return to the Hoops having had such success with Dundalk in recent years. 

“Being from where I’m from Rovers is a massive thing,” said Gannon when speaking to SRFC TV about Ringsend where he grew up (see full interview here).

“Everywhere you go around Ringsend you see something to do with Shamrock Rovers. The support base down there is massive and they’ve always been very supportive of me in my time at the club and even when I left they wanted me to do well. 

“I always kept in touch with the supporters in Ringsend and since I’ve signed the contract I’ve got a lot of messages wishing me well and that they are happy to see me back. Hopefully I can be part of some good nights here that they can see.”

Gannon made his league debut during Michael O’Neill’s time in charge of Rovers – making one start in Rovers’ 2011 title winning campaign and across two seasons made 22 appearances scoring three goals. 

“I was at the club as a young lad. I was playing under-18 DDSL schoolboy football and I didn’t know what way it was going to go for me, if I was going to have a football career.

"I wasn’t playing youth setup at a League of Ireland club. Rovers gave me a chance to play in the youth system and gave me a senior debut. It is something that I’ve always been grateful for.”

He subsequently moved on to win a title with St. Patrick's Athletic and another five with Dundalk - leaving him just one title short of the all time record of seven titles held jointly by John O'Neill, Johnny Matthews, Pat Byrne and Owen Heary.

However the 29-year-old player has been enticed back to Tallaght Stadium by Stephen Bradley the Hoops Head Coach.

Bradley has called Gannon probably “the best right-back in the country for a long time. He’s very good defensively but he’s also very good in the attacking part of the pitch. He’s probably one of the most successful players to ever play in the league and he’s only 29.”

Gannon said that “once I spoke to the manager I knew this was where I wanted to be. He feels that I can improve as a player here. He has a lot of belief in me. It looks as though the lads here are really dedicated, want to improve and win things for each other. 

“Seeing the training ground was brilliant and the progress going on off the pitch with the Academy – Roadstone is a big part of the club. A lot has changed, it is great to be back and hopefully I can repay the club for giving me that chance. 

“There is such a buzz around the club at the moment. I can feel that even from being here just a few days. I’m so happy to be here and looking forward to getting going. It looks like a brilliant project. 

“Looking at the squad that is here, the talent that is here and the drive and the togetherness already in the group, looking from the outside, it looks a close knit group and this is what drives success.

"I’m delighted to get the opportunity to be part of that and hopefully I can come here and improve as a player again and if I can add something to the group that would be great.”

Mandroiu delighted with his move southside https://t.co/RNV345cYPFpic.twitter.com/ExgG3amINN

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) December 19, 2020