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Paul O'Hehir

Linfield appoint ex-DUP politician as General Manager after Pat Fenlon departure

Pat Felon has left Linfield and completed his return to Bohemians with former DUP politician David Graham taking his place.

Fenlon won back-to-back league titles with Bohs along with an FAI Cup, EA Sports Cup and Setanta Cup when he was manager between 2008 and 2011. He also won an FAI Cup as a Bohs player during his spell at Dalymount Park between 1991 and 1994.

Until now, the former Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and Hibernians manager was General Manager of Irish League giants Linfield, a post he held since 2018.

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The Irish League champions have announced David Graham as their new General Manager after Fenlon moved closer to his Dublin home.

Graham served as head of media relations at Scottish giants Rangers for almost two and a half years. He resigned from that post in October.

Graham was formerly a DUP Councillor on Belfast City Council and also held the role of a special adviser to former Education Minister Peter Weir.

“On behalf of the club’s Board of Directors, I would like to thank Pat Fenlon for the tremendous work he has undertaken for the club over the past four years. He has led from the front on our transition to a full-time model and has played a key role in our success during his time in the post," said Blues chairman Roy McGivern.


“It has been a personal pleasure to work with Pat over the past four years and he leaves the club with our very best wishes. There will always be a welcome for him at Windsor Park and I will follow his future career in football with keen interest.”

Fenlon himself added: “I would like to thank the club's Board of Directors for giving me the opportunity to work at this great club for a second time. I would also like to thank David Healy, Willie McKeown and all the football staff, as well as all the players, who have been incredibly successful in my time at Windsor.

"It was a pleasure and honour to play some small part in the success they achieved domestically and with the significant progress we have made in Europe.”

“We have wonderful staff and volunteers who work in all areas of the club and I would like to thank them for their tremendous work ethic and for all the help they have given me in my time as the General Manager, as without the commitment of these people, the club would not function as well as it does.

"The club is in a very healthy position, both on and off the pitch, and will hopefully continue to grow and be even more successful, going forward.”

“And finally, a big thank you to the supporters of Linfield FC, who made me feel so welcome when I arrived at Windsor as a player and did so again in my role as the General Manager.

"I will be forever grateful that I had two wonderful and successful times at Windsor and rest assured that all the friends and memories will stay with me forever.”

On Graham's arrival at WIndsor Park, McGivern said: "His wide ranging local contacts will be hugely beneficial to the club moving forward and his recent experience at Rangers FC should also serve him well in this new role. I wish David every success at Linfield and I look forward to working with him in the future."

Graham himself is excited by the new post as his boyhood club.

“I am delighted to be appointed General Manager of Linfield FC. Linfield is a club that I’ve supported all my life and it is a privilege to join the club in a leadership capacity," he said.

"Pat and the Board of Directors have set a very high bar and as an ambitious club, we must continue to progress each season.”

Fenlon is now back at Dalymount Park where Bohs are moving to a full-time operation - and morning training sessions - ahead of the new League of Ireland season which gets underway next month.

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