JAMES GALLAGHER HAS confirmed his departure from Finn Harps for ‘personal reasons’.
Gallagher had been assistant manager for the last two seasons under manager Ollie Horgan and in the season just finished, the Ballybofey club confirmed their promotion to the top-flight of the SSE Airtricity League.
Photo caption: The Finn Harps management team of Ollie Horgan, William O’Connor and James Gallagher. Photo: Gary Foy newsandsportfiles
However, Meenlaragh native Gallagher, who was goalkeeper for Harps as they won the First Division title in 2004 and managed to club between 2009 and 2011, will not be part of the set-up next year. He will continue his role as goalkeeping coach for Donegal’s senior footballers.
Tags:“I will no longer be continuing in my role as Finn Harps first team assistant manager for the 2016 season,” Gallagher said on a statement released to Donegal Sport Hub.
“Due to personal reasons I will not be able to give the role my 100 per cent commitment – therefore I have decided to step down from my position as assistant manager.
“I’d like to thank Ollie Horgan and the Finn Harps board for giving me the opportunity to return to the club and assist them in getting the club back to the top tier of the League of Ireland.
“I’d like to thank the backroom staff that I have worked with over the last two years for their hard work and commitment to the cause. The club is very lucky to have such good people involved. Also I’d like to thank the board for giving us as coaches, staff and players the platform to go and make a push for promotion.
“We all wonder at times how they manage to keep the show on the road but they always find a way and that’s the main thing. Huge credit to them and long may it continue.
“A big thanks to all harps volunteers past and present for their efforts in keeping the club going and thankfully the club now seems to going in the right direction on and off the pitch. As always a massive thank you to the fans for their support for the team – not only in the last two years but through all the tough times over the years.
“The club will need you all more than ever in the 2016 season to give the team the support and the resources that is needed to stay in the premier division.
“Finally I’d like to thank the players, I have known, some of the lads a long time and although the likes of Kevin McHugh and Michael Funston have experienced promotions before, a lot of the players who have stayed loyal and worked tirelessly over the last four, five, six or seven years for Finn Harps finally got their reward in the play-off final victory in Finn Park.
“This is what made this promotion the most special of all for me as I felt if any group of players ever deserved it, it was this group. I know Kevin and Michael feel the same way towards this promotion, so thank you to the players for making it happen.
All the very best to everyone at Finn Harps FC for the 2016 season – keep up the good work.
James Gallagher.”
