Madden Relishing Challenge On Return To Clare Soccer League Executive

The return of one of the longest serving members of the Clare Soccer League executive was confirmed last week with Jim Madden returned as PRO.

The Tipperary native was an almost ever present in the league since the early 1990’s, and is back on the executive after losing his position in a vote at the 2018 AGM.

As passionate about the game as ever, he readily accepts that the role of the Public Relations Officer has changed hugely since he first got involved, but is looking forward to taking on the challenge that lies ahead.

“It is a game that has been really good to me and I have loved being involved for as long as I have. It has allowed me to meet so many people even outside of Clare through the Oscar Trayor team, and I love that social element that sport brings. The whole area of Public Relations has changed dramatically. The modern way now is all about social media so that is going to be a massive challenge for me. I am excited about taking that challenge on, and there are endless possibilities to the way in which we can do things to keep our players, managers and supporters informed. The challenge will be to see how we can fill that digital space while also making sure that it is managed in a responsible way” he noted.

Taking on challenges is something that Madden is no stranger to, with his professional life taking him from Clonmel to Shannon with a short stopover in London. His Shannon based company Selprint has been a labour of love, with his son Eoin now at the helm since Jim’s retirement in recent years.

He first came to work in Clare in the early 60’s after his father passed away, but a move to London some years later would prove to be turning point on his path. He credits that period as being “an incredible life education”, and would provide him with the experience and expertise that would eventually see him strike out on his own.

His first introduction to soccer came at the High School in Clonmel, which he describes as initially having been a way to defy the Brothers who ran the school. He recalls that element of rebellion as they played the sport because “although we were not very good at it, the Brothers were not really enthusiastic about us playing it so there was that sense of us knowing that we were doing something that they didn’t really want us to do”.

After a brief spell with Mohawk Europa in Shannon, the opportunity to move to London was too good to turn down as he headed across the Irish Sea in 1970. Working as a salesman opened his eyes to the possibilities that were available and he describes it as being an experience that opened up so many opportunities. Being based in Cricklewood meant that Queen’s Park Rangers became his adopted home club, and the opportunity to visit the most of the First Division grounds in the London area was also availed of.

Making the most of opportunities is something that Madden has been doing all his life and the same was true when the chance to set up his own business presented itself in the middle of a recession in the 1980’s. Having returned to Ireland, the company he had been working found itself in financial difficulty but that ability to adapt and overcome led to the creation of a company that is still standing today.

It also meant that the hard work needed to establish that footing left very little time for sport and it was only when his son Eoin was in his teenage years that Jim got back involved.

“Eoin really enjoyed soccer and he got involved with Newtown in Shannon. I was working away a bit at the time but I told the coaches that I would make my car available for whatever was needed when I was at home. One thing led to another and then I was invited to join the Clare League which I really enjoyed. I was working with Seamus Hayes in The Clare Champion and doing a bit on Clare FM with Jerome Forde and it was all great fun” he recalled.

The opportunistic nature of the salesman reared its head once more as Madden took the chance to rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in sports journalism as he took on the role of being the Premier League reporter for a radio station in Clare.

“I was over and back to London fairly regularly because I had two sisters living there. I did a Premier League preview show with Jerome Forde on Clare FM, so we made contact with a press agency who sorted us out with a pass for the press boxes at the Premier League grounds. They gave me a booth and a telephone and off I went. The other lads used to get a great kick out of the fact that I was doing this on a voluntary basis but I loved the excitement of going to places like Higbury and being in the press box” he laughed.

There is no doubting the moment he picks out as his highlight of his time involved with Clare soccer, with the breakthrough Oscar Traynor win under the late Hugh Kelly being that moment. The development of the game in the county since then is something he feels has been hugely positive with the development of facilities also noted as being a progressive move.

His local club is Shannon Olympic, with Jim still active within the club as he chips in to help keep the grass cut at the pitch. He outlines that the team are looking at having something of rebuilding process to go through, but that enthusiastic positivity is there to see as he sums it up.

“As long as players keep playing, you can keep going” he notes.

And as long as Clare soccer has men like Jim Madden involved, it is in safe hands.