Waterford fan Brian Kennedy living Friday night dream
Waterford FC go to UCD tonight (Belfield Bowl 7.45pm) hot favourites to progress to the FAI Cup semi-final.
Fourth in the Premier Division and in the hunt for a return to Europe, it’s been a season to remember for Alan Reynolds’ men — but author and Blues fan Brian Kennedy knows to enjoy it while he can.
“It’s fantastic but look, in Waterford we know that these days may not last forever. We spent the past 10 years in the First Division. We’re getting crowds of 3,000 and 4,000 now but I was there when we were getting 300 and 400 a few short years ago. And if (owner) Lee Power decided to pull the plug it could go back to that very quickly.
“I don’t believe he will, I think he has a family link with Waterford and would be keen to leave it in a better place than where it was.”
In 2011, Kennedy penned , which delved into 47 clubs over 90 years.
Just Follow The Floodlights garnered a William Hill Sports Book of the Year nomination and sold more than 3,500 copies. A lot has changed in the league landscape in that time, and seven years later and Waterford native Kennedy is weaving tales from the league, this time through the eyes of other fans.
I thought the best people to speak about clubs were the fans themselves, so I just started putting out on social media asking if anybody wanted to contribute,” he says.
After receiving dozens of replies, Kennedy — who has penned 12 books, selling more than 20,000 copies in total, refined the best into .
The book has brought together 26 stories from League of Ireland fans of all shades, and some of the clubs which have even ceased to exist.
The chapter by Steve Taylor on the fall of Kildare County (“The thought has always crossed my mind over the years, nearly every day; could have I done anything to save the club I loved”) shows there is as much heartbreak as elation in store — and it is all the better for it.
Kennedy has travelled to clubs across the country promoting and selling the book over the past weeks and is delighted with the reaction.
I’d say it’s already gone to a reprint and possibly another one down the line,” says Kennedy. “I’d like to thank all the fans of all the clubs who’ve been so kind with their words and in purchasing the book. It’s been a real word of mouth book, so to speak.
Perhaps the last word should go to Drogheda fan Tom O’Reilly on what it means to be a fan of the Greatest League In The World in his contribution. “You can casually check the result on a football app when you remember. You can go to all the away games. None. The odd home game. You can have the club’s crest tattooed on your arse. It doesn’t matter. If you’re in — you’re in. Once a fan always a fan.”
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