Cretaro calls it a day after amazing League of Ireland career that earned him ‘legend’ status with the Bit O’Red

Tubbercurry hero Raffaele Cretaro, who has retired from professional soccer, says his favourite Rovers memory is from the 2012 campaign when he helped the club with the Premier Division for the first time since 1977

ALL GOOD things must come to an end – a statement which evidently even applies to the evergreen, and at times seemingly immortal career of Raffaele Cretaro.

The Tubbercurry Tornado has brought the curtain down on a glittering League of Ireland career which included two FAI Cups, one Premier Division title, one First Division title and one Setanta Sports Cup as a Sligo Rovers player.

After two decades of service, which also included stints with Galway United, Bohemians and Finn Harps, it was with Harps he chose to hang up his boots after helping the Balleybofey club avoid relegation in back-to-back seasons.

“I had a good chat with [Finn Harps manager] Ollie Horgan. He told me not to make any big decisions early, to wait until after Christmas.”

“I had this conversation with my wife and close friends and ultimately I felt it was the right time,” Cretaro stated after announcing his retirement with a post on his Twitter page last Friday – a post that got 3,300 likes. “I have had a fantastic journey and the highs for me outweigh the lows and there was plenty of those as well, and those highs range from just having the opportunity to play for Sligo Rovers to going on and achieving what we did as a team.”

The 39-year-old’s retirement at times felt like a matter of ‘if’ rather than ‘when’. Cretaro’s longevity as a capable operator at this level (he has played in defence, midfield and attack during his lengthy career) has been outstanding, but maintaining that standard has not been without sacrifice.

“I would have looked after myself since I was a young pro. When things were going well you would let your hair down a lot when you needed to.” “But there were also days where I had to make a decision of missing some family occasions in order to get the very best out of myself and playing at this level at 39 is a testament to those hard decisions.”

Cretaro’s League of Ireland journey began on September 3, 2000 when then Rovers boss Tommy Cassidy offered a debut to one of Sligo’s hottest young prospects.

Cretaro was never afraid to dream big of having success with Rovers, but stressed the importance of sharing the pitch with equally ambitious teammates.

“I remember vividly coming off the bench and scoring that day as if it was yesterday.”

“You always dream about what you can achieve and I was lucky to have achieved so much with my boyhood club.

“All the trophies were special to me that I won here as a local, but I was also fortunate to be playing with lads like Joseph Ndo, Danny Ventre and Jason McGuinness – among others – and every trophy they won here meant every bit as much to them as well.” Cretaro enjoyed many memorable days out, but it will come as a surprise to absolutely nobody that the day he scored twice to help Sligo Rovers win the League of Ireland Premier Division title in 2012 stands out above the rest.

“I remember that second goal going in and thinking ‘is this really happening?’. It is common knowledge that for me it [favourite Rovers memory] is the St Pat’s game in 2012.”

“Not only for personal reasons as a goalscorer, but as a group and as a club we achieved something that hadn’t been done in 35 years.”

“That day had everything, a beautiful day, a packed house – it is the day that will always stand out in my memory.”

One of Cretaro’s rare years away

LEAGUE OF IRELAND CLUBS PLAYED FOR: Sligo Rovers, Galway United, Bohemians, Finn Harps.

SLIGO ROVERS APPEARANCES: 531.

CAREER APPEARANCES: 621.

SLIGO ROVERS GOALS: 86

CAREER GOALS: 97.

FIRST ROVERS GOAL: September

3, 2000. He netted in a 4-0 win for Rovers away to Monaghan

United.

LAST ROVERS GOAL: August

31, 2018. Rovers won 2-1 at

Turner’s Cross. Cretaro, a second-half substitute, goaled in the 84th minute.

LAST CAREER GOAL:

September 27, 2020. He scored for Finn Harps away to

Cork City.

FIRST TEAM DEBUT: September

3, 2000. A Premier Division fixture away to Monaghan

United.

FINAL ROVERS GAME: October 6,

2018. At home to Bray Wanderers –

Rovers won 2-1.

FINAL CAREER GAME: November 9,

2020. He featured for Finn Harps in their 1-0 home win over Waterford. from Rovers was a stint at Dublin club Bohemians in 2010.

Playing for the then champions was a very different but important experience for the south Sligo man who felt his best years were still ahead of him. “I went to Bohs for the year and I think it made me a better player having experienced life away from home because it was the first time that playing football really felt like work, it was a very different outlook on it.”

“I was delighted when Paul Cook asked me to come back because I felt I had something to prove and I probably played my best football in those years that followed.”

Playing against the Bit O’Red was always an unusual experience, particularly when returning to The Showgrounds where he is so used to being a hero rather than a potential villain like a remarkable number of ex-Rovers players have been over the years when facing their former club.

“It was tough to come to The Showgrounds and not be in the home dressing-room.”

“The time I was at Bohs was tougher in terms of coming back, whereas with Harps I was more mature, more used to being away and I didn’t let any build-up effect me.” “I was able to treat it as any other game and another opportunity to get points on the board.”

“We had some good results in Finn Park against Rovers, but not so much in The Showgrounds and I’m fairly sure they are the only League of Ireland team I never scored against.” Whether it was in a Rovers jersey or when wearing a Harps jersey, Cretaro’s commitment to the cause was never in question and that formed a major part of his own menality he took onto the pitch with him every week.

“You have good days and bad days as a footballer, but you want to be able to say you at least gave it your all no matter how things are going and I applied that to my mentality throughout my career.”

“If you are having a bad day you try to lift yourself, if you’re playing with someone having an off-day, you try and pull them back up.”

What’s next in store for Cretaro? In the short-term, a well-earned break as he enjoys an extended period of time