Carey rose through the supporter ranks to take the helm at his beloved Cork City

The Cork City supporters flying the flag at a European game last season. Picture: Cathal Noonan/INPHO.
“I never had any great ambition to be involved on the board and certainly not chairman but it just developed over time. The social media and online side of things opened it up for me, that was where I was able to help Cork City and it was just a natural step then to come on board.

“The buzz around the city when you’re playing a European game is incredible. It’s one time when Cork City are guaranteed to be the centre of attention and will also sell-out the Cross. There’s the pride of Cork at stake when you’re taking on a European team.”

“There’s no more shouting at the referee anyway! It’s amazing about how it works because while I was disappointed about losing to Dundalk as a fan, I was also thinking about what impact it could have on our gate recipients for the home game against Waterford.”

Last season was a disappointment on the field for Cork City, coming down from the high of a domestic double to fall short against Dundalk in the major competitions.
“Any project we work on there is a section with ‘lessons learned’ on it and you have to face up to any mistakes you’ve made. Once you acknowledge them you can move on. Those processes work in business and it’s the exact same with Foras.”

The new chairman clubs must be proactive in creating interest in the League of Ireland and tapping into all online options.