Brian Gartland: 'I feel that I have a lot to offer and I can’t wait to get back out in front of the crowd at Oriel Park'

It was the New Year’s Day present many Dundalk FC fans were looking forward to as the club announced the re-signing of central defender Brian Gartland.

The 35-year-old is entering his tenth season at Oriel Park and is one of the most decorated players in the league. 

He began his career in the Bray Wanderers Academy and played for their Under 21s before his senior debut in the League of Ireland with Shelbourne in the 2007 season. 2008 saw the Knocklyon native move to Monaghan United where he spent two seasons before joining Portadown in 2011.

In the summer of 2013, Stephen Kenny signed the UCD graduate and he had an immediate impact on the Lilywhites’ title challenge, scoring once on his first start for the club and having a second goal ruled out.

While the Louthmen ended up without silverware that season- finishing second in the league and losing in the FAI Cup semi final to Drogheda after a League Cup exit at the hands of Shamrock Rovers prior to Gartland’s  arrival- they more than made up for it over the next number of years.

Gartland was a regular scorer over the next three seasons with 21 goals as Stephen Kenny’s men lifted league titles in 2014, 2015 and 2016 as well as a couple of FAI Cups. 2017 saw his second League Cup success while further titles in 2018 and 2019 saw the skipper cement his place in Oriel Park history.

The 2020 season provided a second set of Europa League Group Stages games as well as a memorable FAI Cup triumph. However, his 2021 campaign was limited to several minutes as he suffered a season ending injury in the April encounter with Shamrock Rovers, his first competitive start of the season. 

Speaking with club media dundalkfc.com ahead of the 2022 season, the defender expressed his joy at the re-signing, “I’m delighted to be staying here and going into my 10th season at the club. There is nowhere else I wanted to be. Last year was one of the toughest years of my life, on and off the pitch. 

Mentally, it was so hard seeing where the club was going and because I had the injury, I felt helpless and couldn’t do anything about it. Thankfully, my recovery is going very well and with the new owners and management team, there is a real buzz around the club again."

“I feel that I have a lot to offer and I can’t wait to get back out in front of the crowd at Oriel Park. It’s been that long since I played in front of them and there were times last year when I was wondering if I’d ever get the chance to do that again.”

“Like everyone else, I’m so excited about where the club is going,” he said. “It feels that a reboot is taking place and I’m really looking forward to the challenge of that and being part of the journey.

“I have massive respect for Stevie (O’Donnell). He was my captain when I played alongside him and I love his ideas and philosophy on the game and I’m really looking forward to working with him, Padge Cregg and Dave Mackey.

“It’s a new era for the club and, knowing Stevie, and from speaking to the new owners, the environment will be right to help us rebuild, consolidate and get this club back to where it was and where it should be.”

Sam Bone switches from the Saints to Dundalk https://t.co/SahqhF2RLJpic.twitter.com/f8O5N3U7mM

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) December 28, 2021