WINNING THE league title and hosting Italian football giants Juventus in a glamour European fixture appears to have helped Tallaght-based Shamrock Rovers to post a profit last year.
Latest abridged accounts for Shamrock Rovers FC Ltd show accumulated losses were reduced to €513,692 in the 12 months to the end of November 2010 from €620,570 in the previous year.
This indicates that the club, which is owned by a group of its fans, posted a profit for the year of almost €107,000. Share capital of just more than €500,000 meant the club closed the year with a deficit in its shareholder funds of €63,457.
Shamrock Rovers won the 2010 league title securing a draw against Bray Wanderers on the final day of the season. This bridged a 16-year gap since its previous league win. In addition, it lost the FAI Cup Final on penalties in front of a bumper crowd of 36,000 at the Aviva Stadium. The club had a good run in the Europa League, beating Israeli side Bnei Yehuda and hosting Juventus in front of a full house in Tallaght.
Its successful run has continued this season, with the Hoops winning the All-Ireland Setanta Cup and once again challenging for the league. Earlier this month, Rovers beat FC Flora of Estonia in the Uefa Champions League.
The Hoops last night took on FC Copenhagen in Denmark in the next round of the competition and will host the return leg in Tallaght next Tuesday.
This marks a remarkable turnaround for Ireland’s most successful club. Rovers was placed into examinership in 2005, owing €2.4 million and was relegated to the First Division. It won promotion back to the top flight in 2006 before moving to a new stadium in Tallaght two years ago.
