What next for Cork City: A fan's view on a dismal season

"THE worst season in our 39-year history... it hurts like hell."

The words of a passionate Cork City fan Declan McCormack reflecting on the season gone with utter sadness.

"At the final whistle in Tallaght, I didn’t have the anger that others had, for me it was just disappointment and I think that is worse," said McCormack. 

"You know anger will pass but that sense of disappointment just lingers forever.

"I still believe we are a better side than Waterford but when we started like a team completely devoid of confidence and belief, I did begin to worry. When it was scoreless at half time I was very confident again, the first time all season I really believed we would be relegated was when Waterford equalised. 

Then I knew in my heart we were going down.

"The summer transfer window relegated the club I believe, we just didn’t sign the kind of players or characters we needed to keep us up."

There were mixed emotions after the game and a lot of unsavoury scenes from very annoyed and angry Cork City fans towards the players. 

"I didn’t applaud and I didn’t abuse the players, I just stood there, hands in pockets with an abject look of disgust on my face. 

"Those who were angry are entitled to be angry, are they entitled to express that anger in the way they did? That’s up to each of those individuals to decide, but no one can question the loyalty of the fanbase. 

"The worst season in our 39-year history and only Shamrock Rovers averaged bigger attendances. 

"Next year I guarantee you those fans will be in Bray and Wexford roaring on the team again."

The 46-year-old from Bweeng is a fan for over three decades and has fond memories. However, he admits November 10 will be forever a dark moment in the club's history.

"My father first took me to the Cross in the late 80s. I have some clear random memories from those early days, the plank of wood used as a stretcher against Limerick, Pat Duggan being fouled on the halfway line and Tom McNulty scoring as a result in a league decider against Dundalk. 

"Galatasaray in Bishopstown, Cwmbran Town in Turner;s Cross, driving to Bishopstown for the first time... 

LOW

"I do think this is the worst season we have known in our 39-year history, we have been relegated twice before, once for financial matters and once during the Covid season but this is the first time we have gone down due to purely football matters over a whole season, and it hurts like hell.

"I have said all season, you are what the league table says you are. We just weren’t good enough as a squad. 

"There were individual players in the squad who are Premier Division players but overall, the squad was a First Division squad trying to operate in the Premier Division. 

"The club failed miserably to correct that during the summer window. Looking back now, we should have seen the writing on the wall. 

"It is also clear that several players simply didn’t care, but I have no doubt that their careers in the coming years will reflect this trait.

URGENT

"What's needed first is a quick managerial appointment. I have no issue with Richie Holland getting the job but whoever gets it needs to have a big input into the formulation of the squad.

Next year needs to be year one of a three- or four-year strategy to return the club to its former glory. 

"No one-year, short-term, flawed fixes, we need to see a sustainable long-term plan being implemented by those in charge. 

"The irony is that relegation may allow Dermot Usher to implement that strategy in a less pressurised environment. 

"That reset may end up benefitting the club in the long term, but it is hard to take that view on board now.

"On the field, we will probably see a lot of the players who won the First Division in 2022 retained as we know they are good players at that level.
"We need to add some quality and experienced players to supplement the squad, but we absolutely must win the division, the fanbase will accept nothing else."