Season › 2020-21 › News Everton Announce Sligo Rovers Partnership Tuesday, 12 January, 2021 16comments | Jump to most recent Everton are continuing to strengthen their international ties by announcing a new strategic partnership with League of Ireland Premier Division club Sligo Rovers. The new agreement will see Everton and Sligo Rovers partner on initiatives and cross-promotional activities ranging from fan engagement, marketing, content collaborations and tailored membership packages, to the development of joint football summer camps and the opportunity for pre-season training bases for Academy teams at both clubs. Throughout the storied history of both clubs, there has been a wealth of links between both players and fans from the two clubs. Most notably, Seamus Coleman made the move from Sligo Rovers as a 20-year-old to join the Toffees in 2009. Coleman has gone on to make more than 300 appearances for the Blues and become captain for Club and Country. In 1939 Everton Giant Dixie Dean signed for Sligo Rovers, scoring 10 goals in seven games and inspiring The Bit O'Red to the final of the FAI Cup. The clubs have played each other in several friendlies across different age groups and, more recently, Sligo Rovers and their fans were humbled by the generosity of Evertonians when fans heavily supported a crowdfunding campaign which raised more than €85,000 to help the Showgrounds club with revenue during the Covid-19 shutdown of Irish football. As part of the strategic partnership, the clubs will exchange knowledge across both coaching and business operations. Sligo Rovers has a prestigious history in Irish football as three-times League of Ireland champions and five-time winners of the FAI Cup. Sligo were bottom of the Premier Division table in 2020 when Covid-19 forced the league shutdown, but returned in emphatic fashion following that funding campaign to finish in fourth place and qualify for European football in 2021. The strategic partnership forms part of Everton's wider international growth plans and follows on from the Club's successful collaboration with Chile's Everton de Vià±a del Mar and the growth of the Everton International Academy Affiliate Programme in the US and Australia. Richard Kenyon, Director of Marketing, Communications and Community at Everton Football Club said: “Sligo Rovers is a historic football club with a passionate fanbase, strong community support and ambitious ownership. “Like a lot of clubs, Sligo Rovers are working hard to build back after the impact of coronavirus and we are very pleased to be part of a strategic agreement that marks a new chapter in their future and an exciting opportunity for Everton - building on the close relationship that has endured for more than 80 years. “This exciting partnership is another step in our own international growth plans and offers clear benefits to both clubs. From joint fan engagement opportunities, events and business knowledge exchange to soccer camps, academy training bases and access to Sligo Rovers' scouting network - it is an exciting collaboration. We look forward to exploring new and innovative new ways of working together.” Reader Comments (16) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Dave Abrahams 1 Posted 12/01/2021 at 18:28:51 In the fifties Everton got a lot of players from Eire and after signing one player they sent such a paltry sum of money to the club, the club involved said Everton would never get another player from them, in my head I'm thinking of Home Farm and I think the late great Liam Whelan went from them to Man. United, could have been us if I'm correct. Chris Williams 2 Posted 12/01/2021 at 18:36:06 Yes Dave, Back To The Future!Home Farm was a pretty high profile club in those days, and I think they would be the breeding ground of a few well known players Chris Williams 3 Posted 12/01/2021 at 18:39:53 Didn't Johnny Carey come from there originally, as a youngster?It rings a bell Thomas Richards 4 Posted 12/01/2021 at 18:47:05 Finn Harps away.One of the greatest away trips I made. Ferry from Liverpool to Belfast on way there, loads of Blues rotten drunk caused a bit of mayhem.A great day in Ballyboffey. On the way back to Belfast the coaches were running late as a result of the boys insisting on another few pints.The skipper of the ferry, remembering the chaos on the way out refused to wait for the coaches and sailed. We were stuck in Belfast overnight. Some of us sneaked away fronm the heavy escort, police and army, and went on the ale in a bit of a naughty area. That was eventful. Long story short. We sailed to Stranraer from Larne the next morning.What a trip!! Dave Abrahams 5 Posted 12/01/2021 at 18:52:15 Chris (3), yes Johnnie Carey played for them and I think he also managed them late in his career and the lad whose goal versus Coventry City helped us to stay in the premier league Gareth Farrelly started his career there. Phill Thompson 6 Posted 12/01/2021 at 19:03:43 Dave, I recall in the 60's we signed a youngster from Home Farm who was very highly rated - can't remember his name though! Then in the 90 ‘s we sponsored them for a few years as Home Farm Everton, signing Richard “ the Honey Monster†Dunne from them. Chris Williams 7 Posted 12/01/2021 at 19:05:41 We've a bit of reason to be thankful for them then Dave.Didn't they have some sort of tie up with us at some time?The other club over there I can remember was Drumcondra. I always thought it was a great name! Other than that I know nothing else about them. Neil Copeland 8 Posted 12/01/2021 at 22:39:30 I think we signed Martin Murray in the mid seventies from Home Farm and played a pre-season friendly against them at Goodison. He was supposed to be the next best thing but never really worked out, no idea what happened to Martin. Steve Carse 9 Posted 12/01/2021 at 23:29:11 Neil (8), as with many a promising youngster, his career finished early after a major injury. Will Mabon 10 Posted 12/01/2021 at 23:40:10 Murray's career continued for years after at a lower level despite further troubles. He also had a dodgy heart valve discovered while still owned by Everton, having it sorted after his playing days ended. Dave Abrahams 11 Posted 13/01/2021 at 00:44:46 Chris (7)Yes Chris, Drumcondra were on the verge of going bankrupt and they amalgamated with Home Farm, don't know if it stayed that way. Robert Tressell 12 Posted 13/01/2021 at 08:31:51 I'm very much for developing ties with other clubs - but didn't really have Sligo in mind. I guess it will help us tap into the RoI market. Though that's not a big market.The other thing mentioned in the article is the success our our partnership with Everton in Chile. Can someone explain what that success actually is? Is it part of a wider strategy to tap into South America, Brands having recently bolstered the scouting programme in that region? Phill Thompson 13 Posted 13/01/2021 at 11:21:26 Neil #8 thanks! It was Martin Murray I was trying to think of , he was hailed as the new George Best at the time. I think I say him play in the 1977 Youth Cup final for us at Goodison but can't remember all the team now. Des Farren 14 Posted 13/01/2021 at 11:22:16 I don't really see the purpose of this from an Everton perspective. Sligo is a fine club no doubt, but there is not a large population there. I think it would make more sense to tie in with a big junior club in Dublin like St Kevin's Boys. Chris @7. Drumcondra is a district in Dublin. The team played in Tolka Park which was, after their demise, sold to Home Farm for £25,000. I live there and followed Drums as they were known, as a kid. Shane Corcoran 15 Posted 14/01/2021 at 16:27:11 Didn't realise there was a club called Drumcondra. When did Shels appear in all this? Des Farren 16 Posted 14/01/2021 at 20:22:55 Drums won 5 League Titles & 5 FAI cups in their short existence. Shels were based in Ringsend and played many of their home games in Tolka Pk. Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. About these ads