Club chairman George Dineen wears a coat of many colours

THE chairman of the club George Dineen has spent a lifetime following the beautiful game enjoying a long term with Tralee Dynamos and Tralee United and threw in his lot with The Park a decade ago and it has been a very enjoyable voyage for him so far.

It all began for him at the Low Field in Tralee when he was involved in the annual Kingdom Tubes five-a-side and he was manager of Listellick in their first year in the KDL.

He has been a team manager spent a couple of years as a KDL referee and served on the management committee of the Kerry District League.

A man that is never shy when it comes to asking questions at KDL meetings he is very passionate about the game and likes to see it progressing with time.

He is a fellow you would not want to cross swords with as he has a black belt in Judo and has won a number of provincial titles in the process.

The profile of soccer in Tralee was immensely enhanced when George managed to be able to get VHS tapes in from the UK to show Match of the Day on Monday nights. The venue was the SIPTU Hall in Rock Street and it was a sell out every week. However, it had to be abandoned eight weeks later when difficulties arose it was terminated.

“While we may not have enjoyed too much success at senior level in recent years I am confident we will be challenging for major silverware again in the not too distant future. I am very pleased with the structures in place at the club and it is a positive evolving thing. Pat Doody was a significant player with initiating this development of restructuring our Club Management design. For that we appreciate his help.”

“With regards to how soon can we expect to see the benefits from our very strong Academy and youth policy, we have some very promising young players across all ages. We have also supplied very strong numbers to all of the Kerry League of Ireland squads.

“We have been very focused on entire restructuring including on pitch activity as well as administration. We as a club have showed total support towards the League of Ireland development into the Regions but we are paying a price with the loss of our best players for specific seasons. We willingly make this sacrifice for our players to get the exposure they deserve.

“I certainly would not see myself as one of the unsung heroes. To me Christy Leahy and Colm McLoughlin would be among the leading names. Other significant figures who have gone to their eternal reward were Tom Dowling, Tommy McLoughlin, Joe Kelter, John Dowling. God rest all of them.”

Among the highlights over the past decade include reaching the National U-16 Cup Final hosting games in The Victory Shield International U-16 Tournament and the official opening of Christy Leahy Park.

George is a double act when he goes to every game as he is always accompanied every time by his son George (Junior) who is a huge soccer fan.

He says he is very proud of his son John who is assistant coach with Delaware University in the USA.

He graduated from the University in 2014 with a degree in Health Behaviour Science and he went on to secure a Master’s Degree in coaching and exercise science at University College Dublin in 2017.

He is now really enjoying his career in the USA.