Colin Fortune explains his decision to step down as Athlone Town manager

Timing, as we know, is everything, so Colin Fortune’s decision on Saturday to resign from his position as manager of Athlone Town’s women’s team, just four days before the first leg of their Europa Cup qualifier against Glasgow City, was less than ideal. A misfortune, even.

It was a remarkable development in light of the success Athlone have enjoyed so far this season. They are on course to retain their league title, leading the table by four points with five games to go, they’re in the semi-finals of the FAI Cup and so far on their European debut they have beaten the champions of Wales, Croatia and Serbia.

But Fortune, who succeeded current Dundalk men’s manager Ciarán Kilduff in the role last November, decided his position was untenable due to uncertainty about his own future at the club, which had yet to extend his contract beyond the end of this season.

“I found that strange because we have a men’s first team manager who has a two-year contract and is making plans for next season already, and rightly so,” he told the Westmeath Independent.

He was unhappy too that several of his players had still not been offered new contracts, some of whom were already being approached by other clubs.

He also claimed that the club had suggested that a member of its executive board would join his coaching staff and help him with team selections, tactics and training, a proposal that left him feeling “undermined”. “That I found very odd,” he said. “Maybe I’m old school, but I think an executive board member should be in the boardroom.”

In response to Fortune’s comments, Athlone issued a statement on Tuesday afternoon claiming that the club had been “presented with an ultimatum for a contract extension” by him “several weeks ago”. When an agreement was not reached, he submitted a resignation letter before Saturday’s game against Shamrock Rovers, one that was accepted after the match.

“The timing and manner of this departure are regrettable, but they stem solely from individual interests being placed ahead of the collective progress of the team and the club,” read the statement. “That is something we cannot and will not accept at Athlone Town as we look to establish a culture of professionalism befitting the oldest club in the League of Ireland.”

Athlone’s recently appointed CEO Steven Gray said that the club was not in a position yet to offer Fortune a new contract because they are “in the middle of a financial audit” and “I don’t know what money we have”.

Gray admitted that it was he who had offered to “help” Fortune after the manager complained that he hadn’t enough staff, but denied that he ever told him what team to pick, nor ever entered the dressing room without Fortune’s approval.

The upshot is that the team head to Scotland to take on Glasgow City at Petershill Park on Wednesday evening with an interim team in charge, John Sullivan and Gordon Brett stepping into the breach.

Athlone earned their place in the first qualifying round of the inaugural Europa Cup by finishing third in their Champions League qualifying group. They play their return leg against Glasgow City on Wednesday of next week, the winners going through to the second qualifying round.

Glasgow have had strong Irish links through the years, Eileen Gleeson managing them for a spell and Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan among the lengthy list of Republic of Ireland internationals who have played for them. Their current squad includes both Emily Whelan and Erin McLaughlin.

The club, managed by former Scotland international Leanne Ross, has a wealth of European experience having dominated Scottish football for an age, winning 14 successive league titles up to 2021. Celtic, Rangers and current champions Hibernian have, though, since strengthened, City finishing runners-up last time around.

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