MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Hoops supporters look back with satisfaction on 2005 takeover

- BY MARK McCADDEN

FOR James Nolan, tonight is another “pinch yourself” moment.

Shamrock Rovers are 4-0 up from the first-leg in Gibraltar and are all but guaranteed another €375,000 payment, on top of what they have earned so far by just qualifying for Europe.

Last season they earned north of €7million after their historic campaign took them to the last-32 of the Conference League.

It’s a far cry from 20 years ago this week, when the Hoops’ survival depended on the say-so of Justice Frank Clarke, and the agreement of their creditors, and when Nolan, along with almost 400 other fanatical supporters, became an accidental owner of his beloved football club.

"When you take a step back, you have to pinch yourself," says Nolan, still a Shamrock Rovers director and a familiar face around Tallaght Stadium.

Tweny years ago, along with Australian-based supporter Ray Wilson, the '400 Club' raised together €450,000, enough to convince Justice Clarke to wipe debts of over €3.3million.

Between fundraisers and a popup loan service in a hotel conference room, the fans scraped together €225,000 to match Wilson's pot.

Nolan, and some of the other key figures at that time, have this week recalled the events of two decades ago, when the shutters almost came down on Shamrock Rovers Football Club.

"When the club went into examinership, Neil Hughes asked myself and Dave Carpenter to go onto the board of the football club during examinership," Nolan recalls.