Volunteer Corner- Wexford Youths
Credit:
In the fourth of our series focussing on people who give up their free time to help in the running of LOI clubs, extratime.ie’s Conor Meagher spoke to Wexford Youths FC Safety Officer Eddie Broaders and PA Announcer Paudie O’Shea who were quick to get nostalgic about their local club and their involvement with the area.
When did you become fans of the club?
Eddie: About the year 2000, when the under 18s won the all Ireland and it progressed then through knowing some of the local lads – fellas that we would’ve been coaching in our own locality who got called up to the Youths. I really became heavily involved in it when Mick started the club up. I was approached about doing the stewarding and went from that to being the safety officer.
Paudie: I got involved when Mick started here (with the LOI club in Ferrycarrig), I’d been coming out to games with my brother Sean who is the general factor in the place. When the first game was coming up they were looking for someone to do the PA and I got the call and have been here ever since.
Over the history of the LOI club who would you say has been the most consistent player?
Paudie: Patsey (Malone) and Conor Sinnott, the boys who’ve been here since the start. There were a few stalwarts in the early days, Garret Larkin, Stewart Lawlor.
Eddie: Definitely, out of the ones remaining it would be Patsey, Conor and Paul Rossiter – he really came in and made an impact last year. At the moment this season the most consistent thought would be the head goalkeeper Packie Holden.
What is your match day routine?
Eddie: Come out early and set the road up with the boys to see where they’re all positioned, and then make a quick check around the grounds to make sure everything is ok. Then put the flags up. Get the pitch ready first and then when the players come in we’d show them where to go. Make sure everything is in order then and go from there.
Paudie: I just get down here, I’m probably one of the last of the stewards to arrive as usually I’m working and come straight from there get the team sheets, copy them, make sure the press have copies and pass around the referees name. then its out onto the sideline – any cars or obstructions and substitutions that kind of announcements and look after everything else.
What would be your No.1 memory of the club – as a LOI club over the last two and a bit years?
Eddie: I can’t say the League Cup final last year against Derry City at home, as with the job at hand we didn’t get to see a whole lot of it. So, I suppose my fondest memory would be the first home game. I couldn’t believe the amount of people that turned up. It was amazing to see – I used to come out here when I was younger spotting rabbits and getting destroyed in the muddy fields around, so too see at the first home came when it all came to light was fantastic and the progress from then on.
Paudie: Same with me, the first game at home and the buzz that was around the place, the number of people that turned up and the expectations that we had coupled with the gratitude from the local people towards Mick Wallace for the guts, and of course the money, he showed to get up and get off the ground and do it. But then the league cup final, there was a fantastic buzz around the place – Sky Sports, all the media, stands on both sides of the pitch; it was packed to capacity and it sort of brought home what people watched on TV at home every weekend. We had a full house, cracking atmosphere, beautiful pitch - a great scene and hopefully the first of many to come.
What former player, now playing abroad would you like to see back at the club?
Both: Kevin Doyle!!!
Eddie: There’s a few others too that never played for the LOI club that would be great like Gary Dempsey with St.Pats – he’s a local lad so would be great to see him coming back.
Any tips for upcoming Youth players that might make a break through into the senior team?
Eddie: Well, over the past three years we’ve had a great under age structure where we have won three all-Irelands – any one of those players could come in.
What are your hopes and predictions for the season?
Paudie: Keep the form going, we’re doing good at the minute as we are fifth in the league and if we stay their and build there’s a possibility of going up to fourth later. If we finish fourth this year I think everyone would be very, very happy.
When did you become fans of the club?
Eddie: About the year 2000, when the under 18s won the all Ireland and it progressed then through knowing some of the local lads – fellas that we would’ve been coaching in our own locality who got called up to the Youths. I really became heavily involved in it when Mick started the club up. I was approached about doing the stewarding and went from that to being the safety officer.
Paudie: I got involved when Mick started here (with the LOI club in Ferrycarrig), I’d been coming out to games with my brother Sean who is the general factor in the place. When the first game was coming up they were looking for someone to do the PA and I got the call and have been here ever since.
Over the history of the LOI club who would you say has been the most consistent player?
Paudie: Patsey (Malone) and Conor Sinnott, the boys who’ve been here since the start. There were a few stalwarts in the early days, Garret Larkin, Stewart Lawlor.
Eddie: Definitely, out of the ones remaining it would be Patsey, Conor and Paul Rossiter – he really came in and made an impact last year. At the moment this season the most consistent thought would be the head goalkeeper Packie Holden.
What is your match day routine?
Eddie: Come out early and set the road up with the boys to see where they’re all positioned, and then make a quick check around the grounds to make sure everything is ok. Then put the flags up. Get the pitch ready first and then when the players come in we’d show them where to go. Make sure everything is in order then and go from there.
Paudie: I just get down here, I’m probably one of the last of the stewards to arrive as usually I’m working and come straight from there get the team sheets, copy them, make sure the press have copies and pass around the referees name. then its out onto the sideline – any cars or obstructions and substitutions that kind of announcements and look after everything else.
What would be your No.1 memory of the club – as a LOI club over the last two and a bit years?
Eddie: I can’t say the League Cup final last year against Derry City at home, as with the job at hand we didn’t get to see a whole lot of it. So, I suppose my fondest memory would be the first home game. I couldn’t believe the amount of people that turned up. It was amazing to see – I used to come out here when I was younger spotting rabbits and getting destroyed in the muddy fields around, so too see at the first home came when it all came to light was fantastic and the progress from then on.
Paudie: Same with me, the first game at home and the buzz that was around the place, the number of people that turned up and the expectations that we had coupled with the gratitude from the local people towards Mick Wallace for the guts, and of course the money, he showed to get up and get off the ground and do it. But then the league cup final, there was a fantastic buzz around the place – Sky Sports, all the media, stands on both sides of the pitch; it was packed to capacity and it sort of brought home what people watched on TV at home every weekend. We had a full house, cracking atmosphere, beautiful pitch - a great scene and hopefully the first of many to come.
What former player, now playing abroad would you like to see back at the club?
Both: Kevin Doyle!!!
Eddie: There’s a few others too that never played for the LOI club that would be great like Gary Dempsey with St.Pats – he’s a local lad so would be great to see him coming back.
Any tips for upcoming Youth players that might make a break through into the senior team?
Eddie: Well, over the past three years we’ve had a great under age structure where we have won three all-Irelands – any one of those players could come in.
What are your hopes and predictions for the season?
Paudie: Keep the form going, we’re doing good at the minute as we are fifth in the league and if we stay their and build there’s a possibility of going up to fourth later. If we finish fourth this year I think everyone would be very, very happy.
