Patton is on a mission
SLIGO Rovers yesterday ( Monday) announced an extension to their sponsorship agreement with the Clayton Hotel for 2017, in what is the 10th year of the agreement.
The agreements allows the club use of the gym and swimming facilities as well as use of conference and meeting rooms.
Rovers Chairman Martin Heraghty said: “This agreement is another valuable asset to the club commercially and for the top class facilities provided by the Clayton to our first- team squad. We are pleased to continue the relationship for 2017 that will benefit the club and the players, extending the excellent collaboration over a considerable period of time.” SHAUN Patton is a man with ambition. One of the first new faces to be unveiled by Sligo Rovers boss Dave Robertson in the lead up to the current season, the young goalkeeper says he is hungry to make his mark at the Showgrounds and beyond following a frustrating few seasons at Derry City.
An understudy over the last two years to Ger Doherty, who went on to be named in the 2016 PFAI Team of the Year, Shaun only managed to make 14 first team appearances in his time at the Brandywell. With his solitary league start in last year’s campaign coming against St Pat’s on the final day.
“It was tough and it was frustrating but both myself and Ger worked hard all year together”, Shaun says. “I was pushing him and unfortunately I didn’t get an opportunity to play. He didn’t pick up one injury during the season. He’s played every league game bar the Pat’s one and had a great year. It was hard at times to keep myself driven but I just kept my head down and tried not to argue. “You just hope for that chance to come about but it never came.”
Patton, who turns 22 in August, was quick to answer Rovers’ call and is eager to use his time at the Showgrounds as a springboard to further success. Moving to bigger and better things is certainly on his mind. With names like David Forde, Seamus Coleman, James McLean and Wes Hoolahan all carving out successful careers in England after spells in the League of Ireland, Patton is eager to pursue that road. He says: “I’d love to one day be the first choice international goalkeeper and that’s my ambition. But I’ll start here and have to take my chances when they come and work as hard as I can when the chances come. I want to get more game time than I got last year and I want to become the first choice goalkeeper at Sligo Rovers.” One obstacle standing in the Letterkenny native’s way is last year’s first choice net minder Mícheál Schlingermann who enjoyed a good first season back in Sligo in 2016. Patton describes his chances of removing the number one shirt from the Mayo man’s gloves as “50/ 50”.
“You go in to training and you fight for yourself. Nobody is guaranteed a starting position. If I come in and do better than Mícheál I’ll get my chance. And if he does better than me then he’ll get his. It’s a 50/ 50.” Shaun also confessed that in order to chase his dream, he turned down an offer that many a young Donegal sports man would relish. The St Eunan’s man is also a talented Gaelic footballer who has represented his county at several youth levels and before signing with the Bit O’Red was offered the chance to attend the college course of his choice at his county’s expense. “Donegal GAA had offered to put me through college in whatever course I wanted which was great. But football has always been my first choice. Dave ( Robertson) gave me a ring around mid- November and asked would I be interested. We had a good chat when we met an got a few things organised. Thankfully I got signed up. Playing football is all I’ve wanted to do. If it doesn’t happen in football then sports wise, I always have GAA to fall back on.”
Having appeared in four of Rovers’ six pre- season fixtures to date, the former Bonagee United youth is settling in to his new role and is ready to grasp the opportunity. “I’m enjoying it a lot. I’m based in town now so it’s a lot less travelling which makes life a bit easier. We’re a well- gelled, tight group. All the lads are all good friends with each other and nobody thinks they’re better than anyone else.”
Shaun is also hoping to get one last opportunity to impress before next Friday’s Premier Division opener against Limerick at Markets’ Field. Rovers take on Finn Harps at the Showgrounds tonight ( Tuesday) and Patton is eager to get a chance against the club he signed for at the age of 15. “We’ve had a small look at the fixture list over the last few weeks but it’s only around now you’re beginning to think about next week and Limerick.
“During pre- season you’re only really focusing on getting tuned and ready for those games. Over the last few games against Ballinamallard, Cliftonville and the Defence Forces you’re really only looking to putting in shifts in those games, boosting fitness levels and from my point of view, working on defensive shape. We know it’s going to be a tough start though against some good teams starting with Limerick. But we’ll be ready.”