Sullivan takes over at Athlone on eve of Glasgow match

John Sullivan has been appointed interim manager of Athlone Town for the remainder of the season.

Town were rocked by the surprise resignation of Colin Fortune last weekend, despite being in pole position to win the league title and with an FAI Cup semi-final this weekend.

There is also the pressing matter of the Europa Cup clash with Glasgow City which begins tomorrow, with Athlone Town reaching the stage by winning three ties in European football so far this year.

Sullivan, a former player with Shelbourne and Dundalk, has worked with their men's side and was also an assistant at DLR Waves under Graham Kelly.

The club has also responded to comments by Fortune who claimed he was not supported by his employers, including not being granted a new contract before the end of this campaign, which led to his resignation.

Athlone stated: "As this is the first season under the new board, all football matters – from academy structures to senior management – will be reviewed at the end of the season as part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening the club.

"It is our clear intention to ensure, for the first time in recent history, that budgets are managed with proper oversight, a process already underway through the appointment of a financial manager. In addition, we have begun recruiting further support staff across all teams to ensure our players and coaches have the resources they need to succeed."

They described the decision of Fortune to resign as regrettable.

The Europa Cup clash begins in Scotland on Wednesday with the return leg a week later in the midlands.

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