Big News!

Remember a short while ago, I mentioned I had just bought a season ticket for Galway United's upcoming Premier Devision season? Well what a difference a few short weeks makes. I approached the club early in the new year offering my design and illustrative services on a volunteer basis, should they have a need for them. You see, the vast majority of professional football clubs in Ireland are struggling on a weekly basis to stay alive. If I could help in any small way, I wanted to. Well they got back to me and I've worked on a couple of small pre-season design jobs thus far, not too much. Well Monday last, a few mere weeks before the start of the new season, Galway United were notified that they would not be granted a licence to play football this year. An appeal was possible but things looked pretty darn hopeless to be honest. The club naturally agreed to an appeal and had a few short days to compile their case before the hearing early Friday morning. It became clear that the failure to grant a 2011/12 Premier Devision license stemmed from a simple piece of paperwork that due to exceptional circumstances, hadn't been submitted on time.

Thursday night on the eve of the hearing an Extraordinary General Meeting was held by the Galway United Supporters Trust. All fans were invited so I went along. In a brave and selfless move GUST have taken over the job of running the club. All on a completely voluntary basis I might add. The prior management had run the club into a loss making rut and if the club was to continue trading, this drastic move was it's last hope. 

Long story short Thusday night at the EGM a management committee was being established to run the club in the event we won the appeal. Chairmen, Secretary, FAI Liaison etc. Approximately 10 specific positions needed to be filled along with an additional 5-7 title-less committee spots. 

Well you might have guessed where this is going. I am now one of  the members of the 17-man Management Committee, tasked with running the club for the foreseeable future. It's a huge honour. I'll be working closely with the PR officer Sean Flaherty and his assistant officer Vincent O'Connor Jr. specifically in relation to marketing and the club program.  I can't wait. I have a lot of ideas, and genuinely feel I can contribute a lot to the club in the years to come. I've said this already but I am honestly very honoured to be in such a position. Especially considering the fact that a few short weeks ago I was just another fan.