Fans offer to take over Athlone

A fans group at Athlone Town has called for the club’s executive to stand down with immediate effect, as the club faces an FAI investigation into match-fixing.

The call came following a full day of interviews yesterday, interviews with players, management and officials of the SSE Airtricity First Division club which are set to conclude today as part of the FAI investigation into allegations surrounding three different matches this season.

The investigation was prompted by Uefa, who reported betting irregularities at the game between Longford and Athlone on April 29, with the European body citing “clear and overwhelming evidence” of suspicious betting patterns.

More than €400,000 was gambled on the game, mainly in Asian betting markets. Longford beat Athlone 3-1.

The FAI began their interviews at the club yesterday, and have been in contact with the gardaí on the matter also.

Last night, the Athlone Town Consortium, a group of fans, indicated at a public meeting their willingness to administer the affairs of the club, if the existing committee resigns.

A statement said: “In light of recent events and due to ongoing issues surrounding Athlone Town AFC, we call on the current executive to immediately resign en masse.

"Athlone Town AFC this year celebrates its 130th anniversary. However, the last 12 months there have been a series of incidents which we believe have compromised the good name of the club within the football fraternity.”

It also said: “We note the decision by the FAI to launch an investigation into a potential breach of FAI rules... in light of this latest negative publicity for Athlone Town AFC, we now once again state our belief that the present committee no longer has the mandate or the support of the football community of Athlone to continue to administer the affairs of the club.”

Meanwhile former Town player and manager Turlough O’Connor, who led the midlanders to two league titles in the 1980s, feels the club has been left down by the FAI.

O’Connor said: “Athlone made sure to put everything through the FAI, they got everything rubber stamped, and yet you see now that when there is a problem, the association is hanging Athlone out to dry.”

O’Connor added: “If there is a problem with match fixing here, and if there is we all want to find it, then it’s the FAI’s problem, it’s the league’s problem, and let’s sort it out.”