Sparán teann tús sástachta

Ag Edgar Street, stáid Hereford United leath-shlí idir Bristol agus Birmingham agus gar do theorainn na Breataine Bige, ghlaoigh bainisteoir Doncaster Rovers isteach ar John Ryan, le háit an ionsaitheora Paul Barnes a ghlacadh. 90 nóiméad a bhí ar an gclog, bhí na Donnys dhá chúl chun tosaigh, agus a n-ionad sa chomortas iar-shraithe slán.

Bhí Ryan lena 53ú lá breithe a cheiliúradh i gcaitheamh na seachtaine dar gcionn – agus bhí uaschéim a mhair an tsuim chéanna bliain sáraithe aige.

Is sa bhliain 1947 a chuaigh bainisteoir New Brighton, Nail McBain, ar an bpáirc cheal rogha eile d’ionadaí aige. Ní raibh aigesean ach 52 bhliain is ceithre mhí! An t-imreoir a luaitear coitianta ar bheith ar an duine is sine ar an bpáirc riamh, an peileadóir clúiteach Stanley Matthews, ní raibh aige ach an leath-chéad nuair a thug sé suas don imirt agus é ag Stoke City.

Ainneoin a chláraithe mar imreoir don séasúr reatha i Sasana, áfach, ní peileadóir é John Ryan – máinlia athdheilbhithe é. Agus is é príomh-scairshealbhóir an chlub é. Ba é seo a bhronntanas air féin, as Doncaster a thabhairt ar ais chuig táirseach na sraithe náisiúnta i Sasana arís: chaill siad a n-áit ann i 1998. Ghlac sé na Donnys ar láimh ina dhiaidh sin, cheannaigh comhlucht Éireannach léas na stáide ag Belle Vue ar £4.5m, agus chuir Ryan féin suas le £5m sa chlub ó shin.

Tá sé luaite leis gur gheall sé £1m eile a chur sa chlub dá bhfaigheadh sé an tseans a fuair ar an Satharn seo caite.

Níl a fhios agam cérbh as don John Ryan seo, cé go bhfuil gach cosúlacht air go bhfuil ceangal Éireannach éigin aige. Ach nach é an trua nach bhfuil a leithéid aginn i dtuaisceart Chill Manntáin? Ní le dí-mheas ar ár ndeonóirí féin a deirim é sin, ach mar éamh nach bhfuil a thuilleadh dá gcineál ar fáil.

Ach ní ar an deonóir mór amháin a bhraitheann Doncaster feasta, mar sin féin. Agus bhí láimh ag Ryan ansin chomh maith. Nuair a thit an lug ar an lag ar thacaíocht airgead na teilifíse do chlubanna i Sasana, de réir a chéile tháinig an lucht tacaíochta ar an tuiscint gur mhithid socraithe tacaíochta níos foirmeálta ina measc le rá bheith acu le dtodhchaí na gclubanna, le maoiniú breise a chothú agus mar sin de.

Tá suíochán ar Bord Stiúrtha Doncaster Rovers anois ag an Viking Supporters Co-operative, le lán-tacaíocht an Bhoird féin. Chuir an comharchumann sin £50,000 sa chlub le bliain anuas, as scair-cheanna ann féin agus as feachtais eile maoinithe.

Thugas faoi deara le déanaí go bhfuil roinnt de na clubanna baile anseo ag tosú ar an mbóthar céanna: tá Iontaobhais bunaithe in Dublin City, in Galway United, agus fiú in Bohemians, mar shamplaí, agus gan dabht beidh siad ag lorg ról i stiúr na gclubanna nuair a bheidh an gustal cruinnithe acu chuige (tá suíochán Boird cheana féin ag Iontaobhas na Gaillimhe).

An cnáimhseáil is na gearáin gur ‘cóir don Bhord’ nó gur ‘cóir don Chlub’ a leithéid seo nó a leithéid siúd a dhéanamh, tá an lá sin thart. Tá sé in am againn ar fad a aithint go bhfuil ról ag an lucht tacaíochta is leithne ná €10 d’íoc ag an ngeata agus damáíste a dhéanamh dá gcuid píobán ag scréachadh ar mhaithe leis an bhfoireann. Agus an loighic sin á leanúint amach anseo, tiocfaidh athrú suntasach ar struchtúir sacair sa tír seo.

[While we were enjoying the rain in Galway last weekend, a longstanding record was falling in English professional football. At Hereford’s Edgar Street ground, John Ryan made a substitute appearance for Doncaster Rovers at just five days short of 53, shattering the 1947 mark recorded by New Brighton manager Neil McBain, who at 52 and four months went on himself as there was no-one else. Even Stanley Matthews was only 50 when he quit at Stoke, though he’s frequently mentioned as one of the oldest professionals. But Ryan – despite being registered for the current season – is a plastic surgeon, a millionaire who has pumped almost £5m into the Donnys since taking them over after their relegation to the Conference. His record was a sort of thank you to himself now that they are in the promotion play-offs for a return to League football. It’s said he promised a further £1m if he could make an appearance! Despite his apparent Irish background, I’ve no idea where Ryan is from – but isn’t it a pity there isn’t one like him here! No offence to our current benefactors, but they could use some help. Nevertheless, Doncaster isn’t entirely reliant on the heavy donors any more. Following the TV rights débacle in the UK, many clubs realised it was time for fans to take a more central role. With the full support of Ryan and the existing Doncaster Board, a Supporters’ Co-Op has a representative on the Board following their donation of £50,000 over the past year. And I’ve noticed some clubs here starting down a similar road: Trusts have been started at Dublin City, Galway United and even Bohemians. With the Galway one already represented at Board level, others will no doubt want the same when their means allow. The day of ‘They should’ complaints and moaning is over, and fans have a bigger role than just paying their €10 and shouting themselves hoarse. The logical development of that understanding will mark a major change in Irish soccer structures.]

Mícheál Ó hUanacháin

Bealtaine 2003

Éist le John Ryan i ndiaidh bhua na Donnies i leathchraobh an arduithe, ó BBC Radio Sheffield [John comments after the Donnies' 4-3 penalty win over Chester City in the Promotion play-off semis]

Bhuaigh Doncaster an craobh, 10 Bealtaine:
Doncaster Rovers 3-2 Dagenham & Redbridge
2-2 sa 90 nm, 'cúl óir' le Francis Tierney ag 110 nm