Thomas Heffernan forced to retire.

The following piece is a letter written by Thomas Heffernan for everyone at Dungannon Swifts F.C. to have a read. We would like to take the opportunity to wish Thomas all the best for the future and thank him for his services to the club during his first and second spell.

Hello everyone,

I write this short piece on a sad note as unfortunately due to a long battle with injury and illness I have been forced to retire from playing. Six years ago at the age 21 an immediate halt was brought to my football career and this led to almost a 5 year absence from the game. 

With alot of hard work and committment I began playing again and at the beginning of this year I returned to Dungannon Swifts for my second spell at the club with great hope and optimism. I would like to thank Rodney for the opportunity he gave me and it is with sheer disappointment that I cannot continue.

A massive thank you goes to Joe McAree who gave me 4 fantastic years at the Swifts playing first team football from the age of 17.

Thanks to all the supporters who were at all times fantastic towards me.

I would like to wish everybody at the club a very successful future especially Rodney and Darren and all the players who I know will bring success to the club.

Thomas Heffernan

Dermot McCaffrey leaves Stangmore.

Derry City approached the Club this week expressing an interest in Dermot McCaffrey. After returning to the Swifts from full time football in Scotland Dermy has always said he would love to return to full time football again.

Head Coach Darren Murphy said “We would never stand in the way of any player wishing to leave the Swifts for full time football. Derry City came back to us on Friday with an improved offer than the one they had initially approached us with during the week, it was simply too good for the club and Dermy to turn down. We are sad to see him go as he is an exceptional footballer but at the end of the day the situation we are in was right for Dermy and for ourselves. I would like to take the opportunity to wish him all the best.” 

Head Coach Position

After Rodney McAree was appointed Caretaker Manager, we were made aware that his ‘A’ Licence had lapsed and consequently he would not be able to take the job permanently until this situation was remedied. After discussions with Rodney and the backroom staff, we would like to announce that Darren Murphy has been appointed to the role of Head Coach until the end of the season, with Rodney returning to his previous role of First Team Coach. This situation will be reviewed at the end of the season.
The Management Committee
Dungannon Swifts F.C.

Dungannon Swifts F.C. Statement.

After the incident with the floodlights on Tuesday night the Club brought in the company who supplied the generator on Wednesday. The system was checked and working after these visits. We test fired the generator on Saturday prior to the game and it had again failed.

We tried every option available to us including calling in the generator engineer and just prior to letting the fans in we were told the issue would be resolved very shortly. Unfortunately this was not the case and the match then was postponed.

We would like to apologise to everyone at Coleraine Football Club and the fans of DSFC for this, but the matter was beyond the control of Dungannon Swifts FC.

We had been assured on Wednesday that the generator was fully operational!

Once again we can not apologise enough for the inconvenience caused to everyone involved with the match today from players to supporters alike.