Athlone Town approach Keith Long but Colin Healy won’t be his Waterford successor

FRONTRUNNER: First Division strugglers Athlone Town could hand former boss Keith Long a swift return to management Waterford sacked Long last Saturday on the back of six successive defeats and he may drop a division to take over the Midlands side he was in charge of during 2014. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

First Division strugglers Athlone Town could hand former boss Keith Long a swift return to management.

Waterford sacked Long last Saturday on the back of six successive defeats and he may drop a division to take over the Midlands side he was in charge of during 2014.

He left Town to fill the vacancy at Bohemians, a post he held for eight years, finishing runners-up to Shamrock Rovers in 2020 and enjoying a memorable run in the Conference League the following year. They won all three home legs played before covid-enforced restricted crowds at Lansdowne Road, including the third-round victory against PAOK which was overturned in Greece.

The 51-year-old led Waterford to promotion in his first season at the helm, keeping them up last year without ever being under the threat of relegation.

Blues owners, the Fleetwood Group, approached Colin Healy about that vacancy but it's understood talks didn’t progress.

Athlone, in advanced negotiations about a foreign takeover, recently brought Dário Castelo’s 22-month reign to an end.

They’ve contacted a number of candidates, including Long, and he’s considered a frontrunner.

The oldest LOI club sit second bottom of the table, equal on nine points and goal difference with Longford Town after 11 games but separated by goals scored. They travel to take on Treaty United on Friday.