End of Treacy reign expected

THE National League is set to lose one of its most charismatic figures after a meeting of the Shamrock Rovers board of directors tonight confirms the end of Ray Treacy's managerial, reign at the club.

Though he helped to turn around the club's finances and delivered the title to Rovers with a young, passing side two seasons ago, there was always a disaffected rump within the club who wasted little time in latching onto their recent awful run of results to demand his resignation about 100 of them assembling outside the RDS after the bad tempered 2-0 defeat to Sligo last Sunday.

Treacy's tenure came under increasing pressure as Rovers plummeted down the table (they currently lie ninth, one place above the relegation play off position) and out of the FAI Cup amid a run of seven games without a win. They also haven't scored in any of those games.

Increasingly, it became apparent that Treacy could no longer combine a hectic business schedule with his travel agency and the duties of managing Shamrock Rovers.

Following last Tuesday's cup exit to Shelbourne at Tolka Park he was out of the country until Saturday evening, and thus didn't see his players again until the morning of the Sligo match.

It was this intensifying workload as much as anything else which has probably convinced both Treacy and his board of the need to part company.

Capped 42 times for the Republic of Ireland he took over from Noel King in January 1992, and in a fluctuating reign, has survived a number of crisis, most notably when flirting with relegation in the 1993-94 season before winning the title following a timely infusion of experienced players in the close season.

With confirmation of Treacy's departure expected this evening, a caretaker will have to be put in place for tomorrow's rearranged match with Dundalk at the RDS before the Rovers hoard begin their search for a successor.

A former Rovers' star and popular ex Shelbourne manager Pat Byrne, currently in charge at St James's Gate, must be the early front runner given the brand of football his Shelbourne team employed but as with four years ago, the Rovers board are unlikely to rush their decision.