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William Gilpin (priest)

William Gilpin (4 June 1724 – 5 April 1804) was an English artist, Church of England cleric, schoolmaster and author. He is best known as a travel writer and as one of those who originated the idea of the picturesque.

Life
Gilpin was born in Cumberland, the son of Captain John Bernard Gilpin, a soldier and amateur artist. From an early age he was an enthusiastic painter, sketcher and collector of prints. However, while his brother Sawrey Gilpin became a full-time professional painter, William opted for a career in the church, graduating from Queen's College, Oxford in 1748.

While still at Oxford, Gilpin anonymously published A Dialogue upon the Gardens... at Stow in Buckinghamshire (1748). Part guidebook to Stowe, part essay on aesthetics, it shows that Gilpin had already begun to develop his ideas on the picturesque. Unusually for the time, Gilpin showed an appreciation of wild and rugged mountain scenery, perhaps rooted in his Cumbrian upbringing. Even more unusually, he expressed ideas about the perception of beauty which were purely aesthetic and often divorced from other qualities of the object viewed, such as morality or utility. He is credited with helping to originate the idea of the “picturesque”, producing many pictures in this style. The British Museum holds 113 object of his including many of his drawings. Interestingly, an album of his paintings in the picturesque style was sold at Christie's in 2008 for nearly £10,000.

After working as curate, Gilpin became master, and from 1755 headmaster at Cheam School. Perhaps influenced by the premature death of his great-uncle, Richard Gilpin (born 1664)“from a blow of his schoolmaster”, he was an enlightened educationalist, instituting a system of fines rather than corporal punishment and encouraging the boys to keep gardens and in-school shops. His broad intention was to promote "uprightness and utility" and give his pupils "a miniature of the world they were afterwards to enter."

As an educator, he has been compared to his contemporary, David Manson, who in his grammar school in Belfast sought to exclude "drudgery and fear" through the use of play, outdoor activity and peer tutoring. Like Manson, Gilpin appears to have foreshadowed some of the experiments usually ascribed to the school of educationalists inspired by Rousseau, but there is no evidence that he (or Manson) was influenced by Continental theorists.

Gilpin stayed at Cheam until 1777, when he moved with his wife Margaret to become Vicar of Boldre in the New Forest, Hampshire. While there he took as a child pupil the future poet Caroline Anne Bowles. Another pupil was his nephew, the painter William Sawrey Gilpin. He was succeeded at Cheam by his second son, another William Gilpin (1757-1848, headmaster 1777–1805)

William Gilpin died at Boldre, Hampshire, on 5 April 1804 and was buried there on 13 April. He was survived by his wife, Margaret (1725 – 14 July 1807), to whom he was married for over 50 years. His older son, John Bernard (1754-1851) became British Consul for Rhode Island. His two daughters, both Margaret, died in infancy (1756 & 1759).

Picturesque
In 1768 Gilpin published a popular Essay on Prints, where he defined the picturesque as "that kind of beauty which is agreeable in a picture" and began to expound his "principles of picturesque beauty", based largely on his knowledge of landscape painting. During the late 1760s and 1770s, Gilpin travelled extensively in the summer holidays and applied his principles to the landscapes he saw, committing his thoughts and spontaneous sketches to notebooks.

Gilpin's tour journals circulated in manuscript to friends such as the poet William Mason and a wider circle including Thomas Gray, Horace Walpole and King George III. In 1782, at Mason's instigation, Gilpin published Observations on the River Wye and several parts of South Wales, etc. relative chiefly to Picturesque Beauty; made in the summer of the year 1770 (London 1782). This was illustrated with plates based on Gilpin's sketches, etched by his nephew William Sawrey Gilpin using the newly invented aquatint process. There followed Observations on the Lake District and the West of England, and after his move to Boldre, Remarks on Forest Scenery, and other woodland Views... (London, 1791).

Gilpin's watercolour technique has been compared with that of Alexander Cozens. Both texture and composition were important in a "correctly picturesque" scene. The texture should be "rough", "intricate", "varied" or "broken", without obvious straight lines. The composition should work as a unified whole, incorporating several elements: a dark "foreground" with a "front screen" or "side screens", a brighter middle "distance", and at least one further, less distinctly depicted "distance". A ruined abbey or castle would add "consequence". A low viewpoint that tended to emphasise the "sublime" was always preferable to a prospect from on high. While Gilpin allowed that nature was good at producing textures and colours, he saw it as rarely capable of creating the perfect composition. Some extra help from the artist, perhaps a carefully placed tree, was usually required.

Unlike other travel writers of his time such as Thomas Pennant, Gilpin included little history and few facts or anecdotes. Even Gilpin's descriptions can seem quite vague, concentrating on how scenery conformed to picturesque principles rather than its specifics. In a much-quoted passage, Gilpin took things to an extreme, suggesting that "a mallet judiciously used" might render the insufficiently ruinous gable of Tintern Abbey more picturesque. In the same work he criticised John Dyer's description of the view from Grongar Hill for giving a distant object too much detail. Such passages were easy pickings for satirists such as Jane Austen, as she showed in Northanger Abbey and other novels and works. (Elizabeth Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice, notably refuses to join Mr. Darcy and the Bingley sisters in a stroll with the teasing observation, "You are charmingly group'd, and... the picturesque would be spoilt by admitting a fourth.")

Although he came in for criticism, Gilpin had published at exactly the right time. Improved road communications and travel restrictions in continental Europe produced a burst of British domestic tourism in the 1780s and 1790s. Many such picturesque tourists were intent on sketching, or at least discussing what they saw in terms of landscape painting. Gilpin's works were the ideal companions for the new generation of travellers; they were written specifically for them and not intended as comprehensive travel guides.

Legacy
Although Gilpin sometimes commented on designed landscapes, the picturesque remained for him an essential set of rules for depicting nature. It was left to others, notably Richard Payne Knight, Uvedale Price and Thomas Johnes, to develop Gilpin's ideas into more comprehensive theories of the picturesque and apply these more generally to landscape design and architecture. Ultimately, these grand theories of wild natural beauty gave way to the tamer, more commercialised picturesque of the mid-19th century, though Gilpin's works remained popular and several new editions appeared with additions by John Heaviside Clark.

Gilpin also lives on as the model for the satirist William Combe's clever but cruel Tour of Dr Syntax in Search of the Picturesque (1809), brilliantly illustrated by Thomas Rowlandson. This poor curate sets off on his straggly mare Grizzle in a quest for picturesque scenery, often (and usually to his discomfort) oblivious to the realities of the world around him.

As well as his picturesque writing, Gilpin published several works on moral and religious subjects, including biographies of Hugh Latimer, Thomas Cranmer and John Wycliffe. Some of the profit from his writing went on good works in his parish, including the endowment of a school at Boldre that now bears his name. Many of the manuscripts of his tours, including unpublished or recently published material, are now housed in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

Gilpin is one of eight travellers included in Nicholas Crane's Great British Journeys.

On the picturesque

 * Dialogue upon the gardens of the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Cobham, at Stow in Buckinghamshire (1748)
 * An essay on prints: containing remarks upon the principles of picturesque beauty; the different kinds of prints; and the characters of the most noted masters (1768)
 * Observations on the River Wye, and several parts of South Wales, etc. relative chiefly to picturesque beauty; made in the summer of the year 1770 (1782)
 * Observations, relative chiefly to picturesque beauty, made in the year 1772, on several parts of England; particularly the mountains, and lakes of Cumberland, and Westmoreland (1786)
 * Observations, relative chiefly to picturesque beauty, made in the year 1776, on several parts of Great Britain; particularly the High-lands of Scotland (1789)
 * Remarks on forest scenery, and other woodland views (relative chiefly to picturesque beauty), illustrated by the scenes of New Forest in Hampshire (1791)
 * Three essays: on picturesque beauty; on picturesque travel; and on sketching landscape: to which is added a poem, On landscape painting (1792)
 * Observations on the Western parts of England, relative chiefly to picturesque beauty; to which are added a few remarks on the picturesque beauties of the Isle of Wight (1798)
 * Observations on the coasts of Hampshire, Sussex, and Kent, relative chiefly to picturesque beauty, relative to Picturesque Beauty, made in the Summer of the year 1774 (1804)
 * Two essays: one on the author's mode of executing rough sketches; the other on the principles on which they are composed. To these are added, three plates of figures by S. Gilpin (1804)
 * Observations on several parts of the counties of Cambridge, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. Also on several parts of North Wales, relative to picturesque beauty in two tours, the former made in ... 1769, the latter in ... 1773 (1809)

Biographies

 * The life of Bernard Gilpin: collected from his life written by George Carleton, bishop of Chichester, from other printed accounts of the times he lived in, from original letters, and other authentic records (1752)
 * The life of Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester (1755)
 * The lives of John Wicliff; and of the most eminent of his disciples; Lord Cobham, John Huss, Jerome of Prague, and Zisca (1765)
 * The life of Thomas Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury (1784)
 * Memoirs of Josias Rogers, Esq., Commander of his Majesty's Ship, Quebec (1808)

Religious works

 * Lectures on the catechism of the Church of England (1779)
 * Two sermons (1788)
 * An exposition of the New Testament, intended as an introduction to the study of the Scriptures, by pointing out the leading Sense and Connection of the sacred writers (1790)
 * Three dialogues on the amusements of clergymen (1796)
 * Moral contrasts; or, the power of religion, exemplified under different characters (1798)
 * Sermons to a country congregation; to which are added, a few hints for sermons, intended chiefly for the use of the younger clergy (1799)
 * Dialogues, on various subjects (1807)

title: William Gilpin (priest)


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List of Monty Python's Flying Circus episodes

Monty Python's Flying Circus is a British surreal sketch comedy series created by and starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam, who became known as "Monty Python", for BBC1. The series stands out for its use of absurd situations, mixed with risqué and innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines. Live action segments were broken up with animations by Gilliam, often merging with the live action to form segues. It premiered on 5 October 1969 and ended on 5 December 1974, with a total of 45 episodes over the course of 4 series.

Series 3 (1972–73)
In this series only, the opening sequence begins with a nude organist (played by Jones), Cleese saying 'and now', and the 'It's' Man.

Note: Cleese only appears in sketches already made prior to the main filming the awards ceremony, which he was absent from.

Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus (1972)
Special episodes of Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus

Series 4 (1974)
Cleese did not return for the final series. The series was broadcast under the simple banner Monty Python (although the old full title, Monty Python's Flying Circus, is displayed at the beginning of the opening sequence). Cleese did receive writing credits on some episodes that featured material he had written for the first draft of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (particularly in "Michael Ellis").

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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Scan Tester

Lewis "Scan" Tester (7 September 1887 – May 1972) was an English folk and English country musician.

Overview
Lewis Tester was born in Chelwood Gate, near Horsted Keynes, Sussex, England. At about the age of five he acquired the nickname "scantelope". There are several variants on the story, but his immediate family used the name "Scan" and he used it when advertising himself as a musician. He spent most of life in the area north of Brighton, playing Anglo concertina, bandoneon, melodeon and fiddle. He occasionally sang. Both his older brother, Trayton and a younger brother, Will played concertina. He lied about his age in order to be able to leave school early and earn money for his family. Parish records of the school suggest he was born in 1887, but he claimed it was 1886. At his father's pub, the Green Man at Horsted Keynes he learned step-dancing. He danced and played at weddings, harvest suppers and pubs with his elder brother and other local musicians.

Gypsies and jazz
When visiting the hop fields of Kent he earned more money from playing concertina and dancing than he could have earned by pulling hops. There would be contests for dancing in the hop fields, including gypsy dancers, and he generally won the prize - a gallon of beer. After the First World War he formed a "jazz band" - that is a country dance band that included a full drum kit. It was called Tester's Imperial Band. He hired rooms and taught the dances - quadrilles, schottisches, polkas, and the like - before the dance started. His brother Trayton, brought a bandoneon back from Germany after the First World War. It was an oversized concertina, with a full deep sound, excellent for un-amplified playing. By the 1950s the instrument was no longer manufactured. For over forty years, Tester played at the Stone Quarry pub at Chelwood Gate. He was one of the last to play the old-time tunes.

An elderly celebrity
Reg Hall was active in the 1950s, collecting tunes and encouraging traditional musicians. Hall met Tester in 1957, after Mervyn Plunkett discovered Tester and brought him to the attention of Hall. Soon he was brought to the headquarters of the English Folk Dance and Song Society at Cecil Sharp House in London. Tester went on to play at the Royal Festival Hall and big hotels. Hall collected his recordings which were issued as I Never Played to Many Posh Dances - Scan Tester 1887 - 1972. Hall's association with Tester was already documented in his I never played to many posh dances. The album had forty eight tracks with fifty one tunes. They were not made in the recording studio. However they did capture a style that was nearly lost altogether. Hall ran a folk club at The Fox in Islington, London, and frequently invited Tester to play there. When Rod Stradling heard him play, he was inspired to form a series of bands to play the old style music. Of these, the Old Swan Band still thrives.

The accompanying book to the Topic Records 70 year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten has a picture of Scan with Reg Hall on the cover and Jenny Lind played with Rabbidy Baxter from the album Boscastle Breakdown is track ten of the seventh CD in the set.

Tester's death was reported in the Mid Sussex Times on 11 May 1972.

title: Scan Tester


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Sligo Rovers F.C.

Sligo Rovers Football Club (Cumann Peile Ruagairí Shligigh) is an Irish professional football club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club is based in Sligo in the west of Ireland.

The club was founded in 1928 and have been in the League of Ireland since 1934. The club is a co-operative venture, owned by the people of Sligo. Rovers have played at The Showgrounds since their inception. In 2013, they won a third FAI Cup in four years, and also became the 2012 Premier Division Champions, winning the league with two games to spare. In total, they have won three league titles, five FAI Cups and two League Cups.

Beginnings
Sligo Rovers Football Club was formed on 17 September 1928 as a result of an amalgamation of two junior sides, Sligo Town and Sligo Blues. Their first game was a 9–1 victory against Ballyshannon, a team from County Donegal in Ulster, on 23 September 1928 in the qualifying round of the Connacht Cup. The club, elected to the League of Ireland in 1934, hails from Sligo and play their home matches at the Showgrounds and have done so ever since their inception. The home colours are red with white sleeve uppers, with white shorts and socks while the away colours are black with yellow sides, black shorts and yellow socks. The third alternative kit is navy with red sleeve uppers, navy shorts and navy socks with a red upper part.

1928–1940: Early success
The club started well by winning the FAI Junior Cup in their first season, beating Grangegorman in the final at the Showgrounds 3–0. The following season also brought silverware in the shape of the Connacht Junior Cup with Rovers beating Galway in the final 1–0 after a replay. At the beginning of the 1931–32 season the club successfully applied to join the Dublin-based Sunday Alliance League and won their first game at this level by beating Windy Arbour 4–2 at the Showgrounds and went on to win the league, finishing four points ahead of Westland Sligo. After this success the club moved up another level the following season by joining the Leinster Senior League and played their first game away to UCD in August 1932 and won 4–2. The club performed well in their first season at this level eventually finishing third as Brideville won the league. This season also saw The Bit O' Red make their first appearance in the FAI Cup, winning in the first round against Brideville 3–1 before going out to Shelbourne in the next round 5–2. The next year, the club won the Leinster Senior League in only their second year at this level by beating Distillery in a play-off at Tolka Park 3–2 after the teams had finished the league level on points. The team also won the Intermediate Cup, winning 5–1 against Waterford side Tramore Rookies in the final at Dalymount Park, as well as the Metropolitan Cup, beating Queens Park 3–0 in the final at Tolka Park to secure a remarkable treble for the young club.

Following this achievement the club was elected to the Free State League on 28 June 1934 along with Waterford as both Shelbourne and Cork Bohemians resigned from the league. Scotsman Bob Preston, ex-Heart of Midlothian, Plymouth Argyle and Torquay United player, managed the team in their first season at the highest level of Irish football with the first game being a 3–1 defeat in the Shield at the Iveagh Grounds in Dublin against St. James Gate. Tommy Callaghan scored Rovers' goal. The team finished third in that season with Gerry McDaid finishing as top scorer. During this season local Paddy Monaghan won two caps for the Irish national team and is still the only man to have achieved this while at the club.

The 1936–37 season began in spectacular fashion with Sligo winning their first 11 games and they clinched their first league title by beating Cork 4–3 with two games of the season remaining. Trainer and captain that year was Jimmy Surgeoner in his only season at the club. Top scorer was Englishman Harry Litherland whose record of 19 league goals that season was surpassed by Eoin Doyle in 2011 season scoring 20 league goals. The club also won the Dublin City Cup this year beating Dundalk in the final. Two years later, in 1939, the club reached their first FAI Cup final by beating Dundalk 2–1 in the semi-final. A crowd of 30,601 went to Dalymount Park to see Rovers take on Shelbourne in the final which ended in a 1–1 draw. The replay was held at Dalymount Park 10 days later on 3 May with 28,369 in attendance to see the Dublin side record a 1–0 victory thanks to an early goal. The club were also runners-up in the league that year finishing nine points behind winners Shamrock Rovers making it another good season for the club.

The following season once again saw the club come close to winning a trophy on two occasions. First was a 3–2 defeat to Bohs in a play-off for the shield after the two sides finished level on points. Also that year the club reached its second consecutive FAI Cup final with Shamrock Rovers providing the opposition in front of a crowd of 38,500 on 21 April. Unfortunately for Rovers, it was Shams who ran out 3–0 winners. Despite this success the club decided that because of The Emergency the club could no longer compete in the league and withdrew from football.

Dixie Dean
Before the cup campaign of 1939 the club's committee decided they needed a big name to fill the vacant centre-forward position. They got in touch with some contacts in England, one of whom was the manager of Everton who suggested that Dixie Dean, who was at Notts County at the time, could be available. Although coming to the end of his career Dean was still one of the biggest names in football due to his goalscoring feats during his time at Everton where he is still the club's all-time leading scorer and also holds the record for having scored the highest number of league goals in a single season – 60 in 1927–28. Despite rejecting Rovers' initial offer the club's improved second offer was accepted by Dean and a massive coup was pulled off by the club. A huge crowd turned up at Sligo Railway Station to give Dean a hero's welcome. Dean duly scored on his debut, a game against Shelbourne in the Showgrounds on 29 January and went on to score nine more in his seven league appearances for the club, including five in a single game against Waterford. He also scored in the FAI cup final of that year in the 1–1 draw with Shelbourne though the replay would be lost 1–0. Dean's runners-up medal was stolen after the game but he did however have it returned to him seven years later when he was back in England. Dean returned to Ireland in 1978 to see Sligo Rovers play in the FAI Cup final of that year.

1948–1976: Return to football and trophyless years
Following the end of the war Rovers began attempts to return to the league. In 1945 the club couldn't raise sufficient funds to facilitate this and the following year improvement works at the Showgrounds delayed the return by another year. In 1947 Rovers applied to rejoin the league but were unsuccessful as the league decided to maintain its structure of eight teams. A year later and the club were this time successful and were readmitted to the league along with Transport for the 1948–49 season. After two quiet seasons Rovers were once again challenging for honours, this time going close to winning the league title. Going into the final game of the season against Transport, Rovers needed a win to finish level on points with Cork Athletic and force a play-off but they could only draw 0–0 and finished second, a point behind Athletic. The Cork side also denied Rovers in the FAI Cup knocking them out 2–0 at the semi-final stage. At the beginning of the next season the club signed Scottish forward Johnny Armstrong who would go on to stay with the club for several years and become the all-time leading goalscorer.

The next few seasons saw Rovers finish around mid-table. On 6 March 1955 one of the most famous games the Showgrounds has seen took place when Rovers were drawn to face Shamrock Rovers in the FAI Cup. Before the match Rovers announced that they had signed Austrian International Albert Straka to play in the game and this attracted much attention resulting in a crowd of over 7,000. In the final minute with Rovers 2–1 down a penalty was awarded and up stepped Straka to equalise and create jubilant scenes. Rovers would go on to lose the replay. Rovers finished the 1956–57 season in third place however it would be another nine seasons before they would finish inside the top three again. The slump began in the 1957–58 season with the club finishing in the bottom two and therefore having to apply for re-election for the first time. During the next few years Rovers struggled on the pitch as well as off it with persistent financial difficulties blighting the club. This came to a head at the end of the 1961–62 season when the decision was made to cut the league from 12 clubs to 10. With Rovers having finished bottom for the last two seasons they, along with Transport, were dismissed from the league despite the club making an appeal to the FAI.

The absence would only last one year however, when the decision was made to bring the league's numbers back up to 12, Rovers were re-admitted along with Drogheda. The club's fortunes improved after their return and they had three consecutive top half finishes from 1965 to 1967, a feat not matched until 2008 and they also reached an FAI Cup semi-final in 1966 but lost to Limerick after a replay. A significant achievement was made in 1968 when Rovers were able to take full ownership of the Showgrounds, which enabled them to begin work on improving facilities at the venue. One of the worst moments of the club's history occurred in 1969 when the club were beaten by non-league opposition in the FAI Cup for the first time as Longford Town won 2–0 in Longford. Rovers fared better in the cup the following year as they reached their first final in 30 years where they faced Bohs. After the first two games ended scoreless Bohs came out on top in the second replay winning 2–1 despite Johnny Cooke giving Rovers the lead. The following years saw Rovers struggle towards the bottom end of the table, and they had to apply for re-election on two occasions as financial constraints forced the club to adopt a part-time policy. Rovers reached their first League Cup final but lost 4–1 over two legs to Limerick.

1977–1985: Second league title and first FAI Cup
The 1976–77 season would be one of the most successful in the club's history as the club won its first league title for 40 years and its second ever. Manager Billy Sinclair assembled a talented squad with a mix of local and British talent that pipped Bohs to the title by a point with the title being clinched with a famous 3–1 victory over Shamrock Rovers at the Showgrounds on Easter Sunday. In the squad that year was goalkeeper Alan Paterson; defenders McManus, Sinclair, Fox (captain), Rutherford, Stenson; midfielders Fagan, Fielding, McGee, Betts, Ferry, Walker and forwards Leonard and Hulmes. The club also reached their second successive League Cup final but lost 1–0 to Shamrock Rovers. Sligo native Paul 'Ski' McGee played a big part in the title win and was transferred to English side QPR at the end of the season and would go on to have a successful time in England as well as earning 16 caps for the Ireland national side. The league win gave Rovers their first opportunity to play in Europe and they were drawn to play Red Star Belgrade of Yugoslavia in the first round of the European Cup. They would lose both legs 3–0.

The next season saw another cup run for Rovers as they reached the final of the FAI Cup again and this time Shamrock Rovers, managed by Irish football legend Johnny Giles, were their opponents. A controversial penalty scored by Ray Treacy gave the Dublin side a 1–0 win and prolonged Rovers search for their first FAI Cup. After one more season manager Billy Sinclair announced his departure and he would eventually be replaced by ex-Finn Harps manager Patsy McGowan who brought with him several players from the Donegal side. This included Brendan Bradley the league's all-time top scorer. In his second season at the club McGowan led Rovers to their fifth FAI Cup final where they this time met Dundalk. A 2–0 defeat left many wondering would Rovers ever get their hands on the famous trophy. At the end of the following season when Rovers finished in 5th position McGowan left to return to Finn Harps. He would be replaced by long-serving player Paul Fielding.

With financial difficulties persisting the club finished towards the bottom of the table however the 1983 season will always be remembered at the club for the FAI Cup run of that year. Rovers made their way to the semi-finals by beating Shamrock Rovers and were drawn to face junior side Cobh Ramblers in what looked to be a straightforward tie. However it took a late equaliser for Rovers to force the first game to a replay and in that Cobh came from two down to force a second replay back at Flower Lodge which saw another draw. Rovers eventually came out on top in the third replay, despite going two down, to book their place in the final. The tie earned Cobh the respect of Rovers and the Irish footballing public. A week later, on 24 April, Rovers were facing Bohs in the cup final at a rain-soaked Dalymount Park. Bohs took the lead in the first half and it was looking like Rovers would lose their sixth cup final. However an equaliser from Tony Stenson brought Rovers back into it and a lob by local winger Harry McLoughlin won it for Rovers. The final result of 2–1 meant that club captain and long-serving local hero Tony Fagan could finally get his hands on the FAI Cup for the club 50 years after the club first entered it. Huge celebrations were had in Sligo following the victory. The following season Rovers were in the Cup Winners' Cup but lost to Finnish side FC Haka 1–0 and 3–0.

1986–1993: Moving between divisions
For the 1985–86 season the league expanded to incorporate a First Division as well as the Premier. This meant the bottom four sides would be relegated. By this stage most of the Cup winning side had moved on and manager Paul Fielding had been replaced by Gerry Mitchell, with financial difficulties forcing the club into having a part-time squad. Despite Rovers coming from three down on the final day of the season to draw 3–3 with Drogheda it wasn't enough and Rovers were relegated on goal difference. Rovers bounced back the following year with Gerry Mitchell still in charge and much of the previous season's squad still there they finished runners-up behind Bray Wanderers which was enough to secure their way back to the Premier Division. At the end of this season, an Extraordinary General Meeting was held where the decision was made to structure the club as a co-op, and that structure is still in existence today. Back in the Premier, Rovers managed to stay up and also had a run to the semi-finals of the FAI Cup where they were defeated by Shamrock Rovers. The next season was a poor one with Rovers finishing bottom and never looking capable of survival which meant a return to First Division football for the 1988–89 season. Things were to get even worse the following year with David Pugh replacing Mitchell as manager and an all local policy the club finished bottom of the First Division in what is still their worst ever finish.

Things were to improve dramatically the following year under new manager Dermot Keely, who was able to bring in some experienced players from Dublin. A 1–1 draw with Kilkenny City on the final day was enough to secure promotion back to the top flight. Although beaten by Waterford United in a play-off for the title the club were back in the Premier Division for the 1990–91 season. After finishing in a respectable mid-table position upon their return Rovers were back fighting relegation the following year, although they did survive courtesy of loanee Colin Cameron's hat-trick on the final day of the season in Drogheda. Keely resigned after the first three games of the following season which led to Rovers appointing Willie McStay as manager but he couldn't keep them up and Rovers returned to the First Division for the 1993–94 season.

1994–2000: Treble win and European exploits
Despite this 1994 proved to be one of the most successful of the club's history under the popular Scot. The first trophy was won early in the season in the First Division Shield with Waterford United being beaten 2–1 over two legs. Another addition that year was the installation of floodlights at the historic Showgrounds. Rovers began with a 4–0 over Home Farm. With three games to spare, promotion was guaranteed with a 2–0 away win over Athlone Town, with the First Division title secured with a 1–0 home win over Bray Wanderers. The club's best day of the season was set up by Eddie Annand's winning goal in the FAI Cup semi-final over Limerick at the Showgrounds. The final against Premier Division Derry City was fixed for 15 May at Lansdowne Road on what proved to be another wet day. The game was won by Gerry Carr's header and captain Gavin Dykes lifted the trophy. McStay left at the end of the season to return to Celtic and he would be replaced by Wimbledon cup final hero Lawrie Sanchez but only after caretaker Chris Rutherford had guided Rovers to their first European win, beating Maltese side Floriana 3–2 on aggregate in the Cup Winners' cup. Padraig Moran, one of the club's all-time leading goalscorers, scored Rovers' first European goal. The next round pitted Rovers against big name opposition in the shape of Belgian side Club Brugge. Despite Johnny Kenny's goal in the first leg Rovers lost 2–1 at the Showgrounds and then 3–1 in the return leg.

At one stage of the 1994–95 season, Rovers were contending for the title but a bad run at the end of the season, largely due to a backlog of fixtures, meant they eventually finished 8th. Rovers put up a good defence of the cup but Shelbourne's 3–1 win at the Showgrounds ended their hopes. Sanchez would leave the club at the end of the season to return to England but his replacement and former Wimbledon team-mate Steve Cotterill continued the success of recent seasons. He guided them to their first League cup final since 1977. Despite a 1–0 home win in the first leg of the final and going one up in the second opponents Shelbourne fought back and a last minute equaliser forced a penalty shoot-out which Shelbourne were to win. Another run in the cup was also enjoyed but Shelbourne were to prove Rovers nemesis again, beating Rovers at the Showgrounds 1–0. A strong league campaign ended with Rovers finishing in third, their highest position since the league winning year of 1977, and that qualified Rovers for the Intertoto Cup. Rovers did well in Europe again recording draws at home to Nantes and Heerenveen but away defeats of Lillestrøm and Kaunas meant Rovers failed to progress beyond the group stages.

Shortly after, Cotterill departed the club and was replaced by former Burnley manager Jimmy Mullen who, despite guiding Rovers to a mid-table finish, left Rovers at the end of the year. His replacement was player-manager Nicky Reid, a former Man City defender. Rovers gained revenge for their defeat to Shelbourne in the League Cup two years earlier by beating them in the final for Rovers' first win in the competition. The next season was not as successful with Rovers needing a fantastic run at the end of the season to stay up by a single point. With Reid now replaced by Scot Jim McInally the trick could not be repeated the next year and the club lost their Premier division status finishing second from bottom but eight points from safety.

2000–2005: Dark days in the First Division
Rovers began life in the First Division under former Northern Ireland manager Tommy Cassidy who had come to the club before relegation but too late to save the club. The club maintained its full-time policy in the First Division in a bid to go straight back up but despite challenging up until the final day of the season they missed out on a play-off spot by two points. This resulted in the departure of Cassidy who was replaced by former Torquay United and Galway United manager Don O'Riordan who due to financial constraints was forced to blood several local youngsters. One of these was Keith Gilroy who was transferred to Middlesbrough. Results were poor however under O'Riordan with the side finishing in 6th place for three successive years without challenging for promotion. During this period the league made the switch to summer soccer, but for Rovers it proved to be one of the darkest periods in its history. With the club again not challenging for promotion in O'Riordan's fourth year he was eventually sacked and replaced towards the end of that year by untried Northern Irishman Sean Connor. He quickly set about building a much stronger squad from all parts of the world and the club found themselves towards the top of the league throughout the 2005 season with promotion being clinched with a scoreless home draw with Athlone Town on 12 November to end the years of misery in the division often referred to as the graveyard.

2006–2011: Return to the Premier Division and cup successes
Connor continued to inspire Rovers to success on their return to the Premier Division and they finished fifth that year. The club also enjoyed its first significant cup run in a decade and faced Derry City in a home semi-final which finished all square in front of one of the biggest crowds the Showgrounds had seen for a long time. The replay would prove to be a disaster, however, with Rovers losing 5–0 on 31 October 2006 in the Brandywell. Shortly after Connor stunned the club by announcing his departure to join Bohs before the season had even ended. His departure left a lot of resentment towards him in Sligo which remains to this day. His replacement, Rob McDonald, a former PSV Eindhoven player would only last one game in charge, that being the final game of the 2006 season. He was sacked only a couple of weeks before the new season was to begin which left Rovers in the temporary control of caretakers Leo Tierney and Dessie Cawley as the new season began until a new man could be appointed.

That man was former Coventry City and Wigan Athletic scouser Paul Cook. He immediately got the team playing an attractive brand of passing football and despite all the turmoil steered the side to a respectable 6th place in the 12 team league. The club would build on this the following year by finishing in fourth position and thereby qualifying Rovers for Europe for the first time in 12 years. At the end of that season Rovers sold right-back Seamus Coleman to English Premiership side Everton for £60,000. Coleman made his debut under Sean Connor and the Killybegs man quickly established himself as one of the most exciting players in the league thanks to his quality dribbling skills up the right wing. Coleman has since established himself as a regular in the first-team at Everton. He has gone on to win caps for the Ireland national team and was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the year in 2011. The European campaign proved to be a disappointment, however, with Rovers going out to Albanian side KS Vllaznia Shkodër 3–2 on aggregate in their first game. Despite the club failing to compete as high up the league as the previous year, eventually finishing 6th, the club performed much better in the cup and knocked out Derry City, Cork City and Bohs before then beating Waterford 1–0 in the semi-final at the Showgrounds to book their place in the first FAI Cup final for 15 years courtesy of Matthew Blinkhorn's header. The final was played at Tallaght Stadium against big spending new First Division side Sporting Fingal and despite Eoin Doyle giving Rovers the lead early in the second half, Fingal came back with two late goals.

The following season would see Rovers go on to surpass its recent success. Rovers picked up their first piece of silverware by winning the EA Sports Cup with a 1–0 win over surprise finalists Monaghan United. Matthew Blinkhorn scored the winning goal. The goalscoring feats of Pádraig Amond resulted in his sale to Portuguese side Paços de Ferreira during the season. The club also performed well in the league with a run during the second half of the season enough to leave them in third place, their joint highest since winning it in 1977, only four points from being champions. This also guaranteed a return to European football for the next year. The highlight of the year however would be in the final game of the season, the 2010 FAI Cup Final.

On 14 November 2010, the FAI Cup Final took place in the new Aviva Stadium. Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers drew 0–0 before Sligo won on penalties. The Sligo second choice keeper, Ciarán Kelly, saved four penalties in the shootout. Joseph Ndo won the Man of the Match.

The 2011 season was also a huge success for the club. Paul Cook guided Rovers to second place in the Airtricity League, with a record number of points and record number of goals scored. 15 of these came in two games against Galway United, 8–0 away and 7–1 at home. Despite the club going out of the Europa League to Ukrainians Vorskla Poltava, Rovers reached the semi-finals of the EA Sports Cup, and made it to the final of the FAI Ford Cup for a third successive season, this time against Shelbourne. Paul Cook's efforts saw him linked to the vacant position at SPL side St Johnstone, but failed to agree terms with them. After John Coleman was appointed Rochdale manager, Accrington Stanley were granted permission to speak to Cook but talks broke down. However, 2 days later Rovers and Accrington agreed compensation for Cook and on 13 February 2012 Cook was appointed manager two weeks before the Airtricity League began.

2012–2013: A third league title and more cup success
On 27 February 2012, former Scunthorpe United boss Ian Baraclough was named Rovers new manager, describing the offer as a "fantastic opportunity and I am very thankful for the offer". In his first game as manager, Rovers drew 1–1 with Shelbourne at Tolka Park. Jason McGuinness rescued a point for Baraclough's side in the last minute. In the following game, he won his first game as manager against Glentoran 2–0 in the Setanta Cup thanks to goals from Romauld Boco and Mark Quigley.

Rovers beat reigning champions Shamrock Rovers 3–0 in the Showgrounds on 13 May 2012 to open up an 8-point gap between themselves and 3rd placed Shamrock Rovers and a 6-point gap over second-placed St. Pats. This meant Rovers were unbeaten in the first third of the season along with 2nd placed St. Patrick's Athletic — the first time two sides have achieved this in the same season since the 1980–81 season.

Rovers came unstuck in their Europa League adventure, against Slovaks FC Spartak Trnava losing 3–1 in Slovakia in the first leg, but recovered and obtained a creditable 1–1 draw in the second leg. However Rovers loosened their grip on the FAI Cup losing 3–1 at home to Monaghan United F.C. who later resigned from the league. Another setback occurred during the Spartak Trnava tie when top-scorer Danny North's injury meant he would miss the remainder of the season. However other players particularly Mark Quigley took on the goalscoring responsibilities and Rovers also remained solid defensively. During this period Rovers thrashed rivals Drogheda United 4–1 at the Showgrounds and drew away to the other chasers St. Patrick's Athletic and Shamrock Rovers.

The unbeaten league run meant Rovers could win the title with two games to spare if they beat second placed St. Patrick's Athletic at the Showgrounds. The game became like a cup final with extra seating installed to meet demand and it looked good when Rovers went 2–0 ahead by the middle of the first half. St. Pats needed a win to keep their own aspirations alive and after a half time reshuffle they soon levelled the game at 2–2 with most of the second half remaining. Rovers were still determined to clinch the title that day and pressed on after this eventually winning a late penalty that Mark Quigley converted followed minutes later by the final whistle and celebrations as the ecstatic supporters rushed onto the pitch. Sligo Rovers had won their third league title.

Despite being champions Rovers lost two of their big names, Mark Quigley and Jason McGuinness to Shamrock Rovers before the start of the 2013 season, bringing in Bohemians defender Evan McMillan and re-signing Aaron Greene as replacements. Recruits from the UK were also brought in such as wide midfielder Kieran Djilali and much traveled center-forward Anthony Elding who made a prolific start to his Rovers career as the defending champions won their opening eight games. After that run was ended a spell of games shortly after saw Elding and Rovers struggle to score and slip away from the top of the table. With the Champions League tie looming Baraclough signed striker David McMillan from UCD to try and bolster the attack but he failed to make an impact and struggled to get a game after Danny North's return from injury.

The Bit O'Red's Champions League tie was against strong Norwegian champions Molde FK. Sligo narrowly lost the home leg giving Molde the edge they never let slip. After this Rovers tried to resurrect their title bid but defeats against surprise contenders Dundalk and home draws meant that in almost a mirror image of the previous season St. Patrick's Athletic won the title after beating Sligo with 2 games to spare.

This season however saw Sligo resurrect their FAI cup form and they followed up an away win at Waterford United with 1–0 victories over Cork City and Derry City. The semi final against Shamrock Rovers saw the highlight of the season so far as Sligo Rovers comfortably won 3–0. Rovers would face Drogheda United who had knocked them out of the Setanta Cup and a sluggish first half saw the Louth men go a goal up. With fifteen minutes to go they still trailed but suddenly the whole game came to life as substitute Danny North equalized and a few minutes later gave Sligo the lead with a goal from a clever but controversial free kick routine. The protests over the goal led to a Drogheda player getting sent off but Sligo were also reduced to ten men as Gavin Peers was forced off with injury after all the substitutions had been made. Drogheda took advantage of this to equalize and another Sligo Rovers cup final looked on its way to extra time. However, with injury time running out Danny North turned provider setting up Anthony Elding for a great finish and a third FAI Cup for Sligo Rovers in four seasons.

2014–2019: End of glory days and survival battles
The 2014 season started badly when, after a narrow opening day win, Rovers lost four in a row. A pick up in form saw them beat Dundalk in the final Setanta Cup final but the same opposition soon thrashed Rovers 3–0 twice in two weeks including the FAI cup. Further poor league results led to the decision to sack Ian Baraclough. Sligo Rovers quickly found a replacement from North West England in John Coleman and he oversaw Sligo's second European success when they defeated FK Banga of Lithuania 4–0. This was twenty years after their first success and Sligo followed this with a shock 2–1 away first-leg win at Rosenborg. They then took the lead in the second leg but Rosenborg, who had changed managers after the first leg, bounced back to win 3–1. After the European adventure ended, the downward spiral continued with players including Joseph N'Do being let go to reduce the wage bill. Come September, Coleman also left to manage Accrington Stanley leaving Gavin Dykes as caretaker where he only managed four points in their last eight games. However, before the season's end, the club had arranged for Owen Heary of Bohemians to become manager for 2015.

Owen Heary bolstered the squad with promising former Bohs players but they struggled only getting 2 victories in 13 games. Heary was dismissed but only after a period in limbo where the club were hoping he'd just resign. He was replaced initially by Joseph N'Do but after he lost at bottom club Limerick F.C. they hired a former English Premier league manager Micky Adams who kept them safe with a victory in the penultimate game at St. Patrick's Athletic.

With Micky Adams not staying on, the 2016 season saw Rovers hire former Peterborough Utd manager Dave Robertson. His first season veered between surprise wins at Cork City and champions Dundalk to bad defeats against Bray and a FAI cup exit at struggling Wexford Youths, where Rovers had won 5–0 two weeks prior. Still this season was the more encouraging of this period and a top half finish saw them become one of the first League of Ireland clubs invited to take part in the Scottish League Challenge cup. A bad opening day defeat in the 2017 season and resultant poor form led to Robertson's sacking. Three sides would be automatically relegated as the Premier Division was being reduced to ten teams and this hastened the dismissal. Irish League manager Gerard Lyttle was hired but struggled to move the club out of the relegation zone. The turning point came in a televised August success at runaway leaders Cork City with more victories following, though safety was only assured on the final day of the season.

Much of the 2018 season yet again saw Sligo Rovers flirting with relegation assisted by poor home form as any stand out victories came away from home. When safety was assured, with two weekends to spare, the club still decided to dismiss Gerard Lyttle and waited for the season's end to confirm that Liam Buckley would take charge after his departure from St. Patrick's Athletic. Sligo finished the 2019 campaign in seventh place, comfortably above the relegation places. Liam Buckley's appointment in 2019 proved to be somewhat of a turning point within the club, with Rovers reaching the semi-finals of the FAI Cup in 2019, losing to Dundalk at the Showgrounds.

2020–present: European ventures and league stability
Liam Buckley's appointment at the club was a huge turning point at Sligo Rovers, avoiding relegation in 2019 and earning his way to a cup semi final V dundalk (listed above).

The 2020 season proved to be Rovers' best since 2013, finishing in fourth place and ending the season in a European spot, which meant they were to partake in the inaugural UEFA Conference League qualifiers in mid-2021. Buckley's men also put together somewhat of a cup run, beating Derry City 3–1 on penalties in the FAI Cup Quarter-finals at the Showgrounds, fighting their way to a semi-final bout away to Shams (Shamrock Rovers). Rovers lost 2–0 in a COVID-19 restricted Tallaght stadium, ending their cup run.

The good form continued in 2021, with the bit o' red flying high in the first few months of league competition, leading up to their UEFA Europa Conference League game against Icelandic opposition, Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar. Sligo Rovers lost the away leg 1–0 on 8 July, and disappointingly lost the covid-restricted home leg 2-1 a week later, with the only Rovers goal being a Johnny Kenny penalty. The league form dropped massively after Sligo were knocked out of Europe, as they failed to win in 5 straight games, and were also beaten by first division side Cork City FC in the first round of the FAI Cup. They still however finished the domestic season in third place, solidifying a European return in 2022.

Rovers started off 2022 well, with an away win against St Patrick's Athletic, followed by two consecutive 0-0 draws, and two back to back wins, the latter being a win at home to Finn Harps, when Aidan Keena bagged his first professional hattrick. After an 2-2 thriller away to south dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers, the bit o' red's league form dipped, with two consecutive home losses against Shelbourne FC and Bohemians respectively. After a bad string of results, collecting just 8 points out of an available 27, manager Liam Buckley was sacked, and former Rovers midfielder John Russell took the reins. His first game as interim manager proved a success, with Rovers beating second placed side Derry City 2–1 in the Showgrounds, with Seamus Keogh scoring an injury time winner for Rovers. Subsequently, on 2 June 2022, Russell was named the manager of the club on a permanent basis. European football soon followed with Rovers being drawn against Welsh outfit, Bala Town F.C.. Come 7 July, Sligo Rovers won the away leg 2–1, with goals from Aidan Keena and Max Mata respectively. Rovers hosted the Welsh side 7 days later on 14 July 2022 in the Showgrounds, losing 1–0 in 120 minutes, with the game finishing 2–2 on aggregate. The result was to be decided on penalties, with Edward McGinty making the crucial save to give Rovers the win and help them advance to the second round of qualifying. Sligo Rovers were then drawn to take on SPFL side Motherwell FC in the second qualifying round, a fixture Sligo people looked upon with weariness and excitement. To add to Rovers' misfortune, star keeper Edward McGinty completed a transfer to Oxford United, just hours before the match was to commence. Rovers had to rely on young goalkeeper Luke McNicholas to make his European debut. The winner of the tie was to take on Norwegian team Viking FK. Much to the surprise of the Scottish media, Rovers stunned Motherwell FC in Fir Park, beating the Scottish side 1-0 thanks to an Aidan Keena lob, capitalizing on a Bevis Mugabi defensive error. Young goalkeeper Luke McNicholas shined in his debut, making numerous important saves to deny the Steelmen. Rovers took the fixture back to the Showgrounds, easing past the Scottish minnows in a 2–0 win, which included a Shane Blaney wonderstrike of a free kick from 35 yards out, and a Max Mata goal late into injury time, securing one of the bit o' red's most famous wins ever. This was the furthest the club had ever gotten in European competition. The European run was all but over, when on 4 August Sligo Rovers lost 5–1 away to Viking FK in Stavanger, David Cawley's late penalty a consolation goal. The team came back to a town proud of the team, eagerly awaiting the second leg in the Showgrounds. The game was not one to be missed, with regards to the game and the atmosphere, as 3,800 people filled a packed out Showgrounds. Rovers came out on top on the day, finishing their European adventure with a 1–0 win at home to Viking FK, a Will Fitzgerald header proving the winning goal. The bit o' red would go on to finish the domestic season in 5th place, hoping for better things to come in 2023 under John Russell.

Supporters

Since its foundation, the club has had a small but loyal following in Sligo town, where it has been an outpost for football since its inception into the League of Ireland. Sligo Rovers currently averages gates of around 2,000. The average attendance for 2012 season was 3,007. Sligo Rovers has many supporters clubs which work on raising funds for the club, particularly the Bit O'Red Supporters Trust which has recently tried to launch some innovative fundraisers to help the club in the long term.

The Dublin Supporters Club (DSC) is another prominent supporters club, as are the South Sligo Supporters Club and the North Sligo Supporters Club, both of which take part in fundraising work within their catchment areas and regularly organise buses to Rovers games both home and away.

The most noticeable supporters group at Sligo Rovers on match days due to their visual and vocal support for Sligo Rovers is the independently formed supporters group Forza Rovers (FR08), a group of fans inspired by the ultras movement which is prominent throughout Europe. However, they have received plaudits from players and supporters for the colourful and passionate displays its members have produced since the group was formed in 2008. The group has also been involved in small fundraisers for club but the group's main goal is to support the club with vocal and visual support on match days. Some of the choreographed displays by the group have involved all stands in the Showgrounds and have been described as "extraordinary" and made the Showgrounds "feel like a 50,000 capacity as the teams walked out to massive noise". Sligo Rovers is the subject of a popular memoir, There's Only One Red Army by journalist and novelist Eamonn Sweeney, published in 1997.

Honours

 * League of Ireland/Premier Division: 3
 * 1936–37, 1976–77, 2012
 * FAI Cup: 5
 * 1982–83, 1993–94, 2010, 2011, 2013
 * League of Ireland Cup: 2
 * 1997–98, 2010
 * Dublin City Cup: 1
 * 1936–37
 * Setanta Sports Cup: 1
 * 2014
 * League of Ireland First Division: 2
 * 1993–94, 2005
 * League of Ireland First Division Shield: 1
 * 1993–94
 * Leinster Senior League: 1
 * 1933–34
 * FAI Intermediate Cup: 1
 * 1933–34
 * FAI Junior Cup: 1
 * 1928–29
 * Connacht Senior League
 * Winners: 1981–82, 1991–92, 1993–94: 3
 * Runners Up: 1982–83, 1990–91, 1992–93: 3
 * Connacht Senior Cup
 * Winners: 1981–82: 1
 * Connacht Senior League Challenge Cup
 * Winners: 1990–91, 1993–94: 2
 * Connacht Junior Cup
 * Winners: 1929–30: 1

Matches

 * Notes
 * 1R: First round
 * QR: Qualifying round
 * 1Q: First qualifying round
 * 2Q: Second qualifying round
 * 3Q: Third qualifying round

Technical staff
{| class=wikitable ! style="color:white; background:red"|Position ! style="color:white; background:red"|Staff
 * Manager || John Russell
 * Assistant Manager || Ryan Casey
 * Head of academy || Conor O'Grady
 * Head of Performance Analysis || Christopher Jenkins
 * Strength and Conditioning Coach || Sean Flannery
 * Kit manager || Darragh Healy
 * Physiotherapist || James O Donnell
 * Under-19s Manager || Declan Boyle
 * Under-19s Coach || Barry Mullen
 * Under-19s Strength and Conditioning Coach || Ross Chrystal
 * Under-17s Manager || Darragh O’Reilly
 * Under-15s Manager || Paul Masterson
 * Under-15s Coach || Kevin McCarthy
 * Under-14s Manager || Daryl Keaney
 * Under-19s Manager || Declan Boyle
 * Under-19s Coach || Barry Mullen
 * Under-19s Strength and Conditioning Coach || Ross Chrystal
 * Under-17s Manager || Darragh O’Reilly
 * Under-15s Manager || Paul Masterson
 * Under-15s Coach || Kevin McCarthy
 * Under-14s Manager || Daryl Keaney
 * Under-17s Manager || Darragh O’Reilly
 * Under-15s Manager || Paul Masterson
 * Under-15s Coach || Kevin McCarthy
 * Under-14s Manager || Daryl Keaney
 * Under-15s Coach || Kevin McCarthy
 * Under-14s Manager || Daryl Keaney
 * Under-14s Manager || Daryl Keaney

2018
Liam Buckley was appointed manager on 26 October 2018. The club finished seventh during his first season in charge. Buckley guided the team to a fourth-place finish in 2020, securing European football for the following season. Buckley went one better in the 2021 season, finishing in third place and again securing European football.

2017
Gerard Lyttle managerial post ran from 21 April 2017 – 16 October 2018.

2015

 * Dave Robertson managerial post ran from 19 November 2015 – 5 April 2017.
 * Micky Adams managerial post ran from 4 August 2015 – 2 November 2015.
 * Joseph N'Do & Gavin Dykes caretaker posts ran from 26 June 2015 – 4 August 2015.

2014

 * Owen Heary managerial post ran from 26 October 2014 – 26 June 2015.
 * Gavin Dykes caretaker post ran from 18 September 2014 – 26 October 2014.
 * John Coleman managerial post ran from 21 June 2014 – 18 September 2014.

John Coleman and his assistant Jimmy Bell joined Sligo Rovers in June 2014, tasked with getting Rovers back into the Europa League for 2015. Ultimate Coleman failed in his goals, although Rovers did get through a round against FK Banga Gargždai. Rovers went on to Beat Rosenborg BK away, but lost the home leg and were eliminated. John and Jimmy left for Accrington Stanley F.C. in September but are returning for a friendly against Sligo Rovers.

2012

 * Ian Baraclough managerial post ran from 27 February 2012 – 19 June 2014.

Former Scunthorpe United boss Baraclough succeeded Cook after he left for Accrington Stanley. He became boss 5 days before the 2012 Airtricity League began. The job is the 41 year old's first since being sacked by "The Iron" in March 2011. Guided Sligo to their first league title since 1977, in 2012.

2007

 * Paul Cook managerial post ran from 27 April 2007 – 13 February 2012.

Liverpool born Cook is a former professional footballer whose clubs included Burnley and Coventry City. He previously managed Southport, becoming their first full-time manager since 1978. Prior to this Cook was a first-team coach with Accrington Stanley In the 2010 season Cook led the club to its most successful season ever winning the FAI Ford Cup and the EA Sports Cup and finishing 3rd in the Airtricity League. In 2011 he achieved back-to-back FAI Ford Cup victories, beating Shelbourne in the final on penalties. Cook left for Accrington on 13 February 2012 two weeks before the new season.

2006

 * Rob McDonald managerial post ran from 14 November 2006 – 6 March 2007. Took charge of only one competitive game, a 1–1 draw on 18 November 2006 against Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds, Bray.
 * Sean Connor resigned 2 November 2006. Belfast native succeeded in getting the team promoted to the Premier Division in 2005 but left in controversial circumstances with only a few games left in the 2006 season.

2001

 * Don O'Riordan came to the club after a successful period with Galway United. However, with Rovers he failed to build a side capable of challenging for promotion although he did lay the groundwork for the club's highly successful Youth policy and he gave a number of locals their Senior debuts in the eircom League. O'Riordan and Sligo Rovers parted ways in the summer of 2004.

1999

 * Tommy Cassidy had previously managed in Cyprus and Northern Ireland, could do little to reverse the slide in Rovers' fortunes following the departure of previous manager Jim McInally and they were relegated from the Premier Division. Cassidy came close to getting Rovers back up as they were in contention right up until the final day of the 2000–01 season when they lost 4–1 to Home Farm Everton.
 * Jim McInally came to the Showgrounds at the start of the 1999–00 season but early results didn't go his way and he left the club for personal reasons.
 * Nicky Reid was one of Jimmy Mullen's last signings and the former Manchester City player was asked to take charge. In his first season as player-manager, he took the club on its longest ever unbeaten run – which saw them claim the League Cup in February 1998, beating Shelbourne over two legs in the final (Reid also captained the side). His second season didn't go as well and the club just escaped relegation from the top flight on the final day thanks to a 2–0 win against Derry City. Reid was then released from his contract and he returned to England, where he went back to university to study for a degree in Sports Rehabilitation.

1996

 * Jimmy Mullen came to the club after a good spell with Burnley but his reign at the Showgrounds was short-lived and he left the club due to family reasons in July 1997.

1995

 * Steve Cotterill. Before Lawrie Sanchez left in 1995, he recommended that Sligo appoint Cotterill and that proved to be a wise decision as he led the club to third place in the Premier Division of the National League and his side also reached the League Cup final (Rovers were beaten on penalties by Shelbourne). Cotterill was then offered the position of manager of Cheltenham Town, who he brought from non-League football into the Football League winning the FA Trophy along the way.

1994

 * Lawrie Sanchez. Prior to his appointment with Rovers, Sanchez was best known for scoring the winning goal for Wimbledon in the 1988 FA Cup Final against Liverpool. Sanchez built on the good work done by McStay with his professionalism rubbing off on everyone at the Showgrounds. He led the club to semi-final of the FAI Cup where they were beaten by Shelbourne.

1992

 * Willie McStay. In two years McStay lead Rovers to an historic treble, when they won the 1993–94 First Division, First Division Shield and the FAI Cup. In 1994, the Scot left Rovers just before the start of the new season after being approached by Celtic, his former club as a player.

1989

 * Dermot Keely guided Sligo to their highest finish in a decade in the Premier Division with a fifth-place finish in 1990–91.

1934-1988

 * 1988 David Pugh
 * 1986 Gerry Mitchell
 * 1982 Paul Fielding
 * 1979 Patsy McGowan
 * 1979 Ian McKechnie
 * 1974 Billy Sinclair
 * 1973 Len Vallard
 * 1972 Jim McDonnell
 * 1971 David Pugh and Gerry Mitchell
 * 1968 Ken Turner
 * 1967 Ken Bartley
 * 1966 Shay Keogh
 * 1963 Johnny Robinsonl
 * 1961 Peter Farrell
 * 1960 Alex Rollo
 * 1959 Seán Thomas
 * 1955 Tommy McLead
 * 1955 Hugh Colvin
 * 1953 Jimmy Batten
 * 1953 Jock McCosh and Charlie Howley
 * 1953 John Black
 * 1951 Jock Shearer
 * 1951 Dick Groves
 * 1950 Bob Mooney
 * 1950 Tommy Wright
 * 1949 Alan Fletcher
 * 1948 Sam Waters
 * 1937 Billy Miller
 * 1937 Bob McAuley
 * 1936 Jimmy Surgeoner
 * 1935 James McCann
 * 1934 Bob Preston

The Showgrounds
Sligo Rovers have played their entire history at the Showgrounds, located in the Maugheraboy area of Sligo town. They are one of very few League of Ireland clubs never to have changed grounds. The Showgrounds takes its name from the annual show held at the grounds by the County Sligo Agricultural Society. It is owned by the people of Sligo and cannot be sold for use for any purpose other than sport and leisure. It is one of the oldest grounds in the country but it has seen a lot of development in recent years thanks to the hard work of several volunteers.

Treacy Avenue Stand
Also known as the main stand this is the largest stand in the ground with 1,800 seats and also contains the dressing rooms, dugouts and press box. It was built in 2001 replacing a much older stand.

Jinks Avenue Stand
This is located opposite the Treacy Avenue stand has about 800 seats which were installed in the late nineties. Half of the stand is reserved for away support, while the other half contains Sligo Rovers' most vocal support known as Forza Rovers. They are renowned for their colourful and humorous displays. This stand recently also contains a TV gantry.

Railway end
In July 2012 a new stand was completed at the Railway End consisting of 1,300 seats. This stand is now known as the Pet Stop Stand, but was formerly known as the Volkswagen Stand as the project was funded by Volkswagen Bank.

Shed end
This end gets its name from the shed it used to have where Sligo Rovers' most vocal supporters would congregate until it had to be demolished for health and safety reasons. There is currently no structure at this end of the ground.

title: Sligo Rovers F.C.


text:
USS Truxtun (DD-14)

The second USS Truxtun (DD-14) was the lead ship of Truxtun-class destroyers in the United States Navy. She was named for Commodore Thomas Truxtun.

Truxtun was laid down on 13 November 1899 at Sparrows Point, Maryland, by the Maryland Steel Company; launched on 15 August 1901; sponsored by Miss Isabelle Truxtun; and commissioned on 11 September 1902.

Pre-World War I
Upon commissioning, Truxtun was assigned to the 2nd Torpedo Flotilla, and her commanding officer was appointed commander of the flotilla. She conducted trials out of Norfolk until 14 January 1903 and received her final acceptance on 24 April. In August, she participated in maneuvers off Frenchman Bay, Maine, in the Presidential review by Theodore Roosevelt at Oyster Bay, and in a joint Army-Navy exercise off Portland, Maine.

On 26 September, the 2nd Torpedo Flotilla became a unit of the Coast Squadron, North Atlantic Fleet. Truxtun joined that squadron in target practice off the Massachusetts coast before returning to Norfolk later that fall for repairs.

For the next four years, Truxtun operated along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean. On 31 October 1905 she ran into a barge in a very minor collision at Norfolk, Virginia. In December 1907, she and five other destroyers assembled in Hampton Roads with the battleships of the Atlantic Fleet. President Roosevelt reviewed the fleet once more and then, this "Great White Fleet" passed between Capes Charles and Henry to embark upon its famous round-the-world voyage. Truxtun escorted the fleet on the first leg of its voyage, going as far as the west coast. Along the way, she visited ports in Brazil, Chile, Peru, Panama, and Mexico. The fleet reached San Francisco in May 1908, and the destroyers were detached and reassigned to the Pacific Torpedo Fleet, an organization not administratively assigned to the Pacific Fleet. After repairs at Mare Island Navy Yard that summer, Truxtun joined her sister destroyers in a training voyage to Hawaii and Samoa. She returned to the west coast at San Diego, her new base of operations, early in December. She began her duty along the Pacific coast of North America with a voyage to Alaskan waters, visiting Seattle, Sitka, Seward, Skagway, and Juneau.

Truxtun remained in the Pacific until the summer of 1917. During the intervening period, she continued to be active with the Pacific Torpedo Fleet making cruises out of San Diego. On 25 March 1912, the Pacific Reserve Fleet was established under the command of Rear Admiral Alfred Reynolds. This organization was established in response to severe manpower shortages and was not similar in any respect to the contemporary reserve or "mothball" fleet. By 1 June, Truxtun joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet; however, she remained somewhat active, periodically putting to sea to check her machinery and to maintain herself "...in constant readiness for sea."

Her reserve status was short-lived. She was placed back in full commission on 12 October and resumed normal activity along the coast. On two occasions, in the summer of 1914 and again in the summer of 1916, the torpedo boat destroyer steamed to Mexican waters to protect American interests during the series of political convulsions that plagued that nation during the second decade of the twentieth century. By July 1916, she had returned to semi-inactivity as a unit of the reserve division of the Coast Torpedo Force — later re-designated Division 2 (Reserve), Coast Torpedo Force. As before, however, she conducted sporadic cruises along the California coast to maintain herself in a state of readiness.

World War I
On 18 February 1917, Truxtun was returned to full commission for the third and final time. Initially, she was assigned to patrol duty in the area of the Panama Canal. On 6 April, the day the United States entered World War I, she departed Colon harbor and headed south to Puerto Colombia, Colombia, where she watched the German ship SS Prinz August Wilhelm which was anchored in the harbor. She was relieved by USS Stewart (DD-13) on 14 April and returned to Colon the following day. For almost three months, she patrolled the Pacific coastal waters of Panama and Colombia, periodically doubling as a submarine tender. On Independence Day 1917, she transited the Panama Canal and, the following day, departed Balboa, Panama, in company with Stewart, USS Preble (DD-12), and USS Whipple (DD-15). The four destroyers reached Hampton Roads on 13 July. Through the end of August, Truxtun patrolled Chesapeake Bay and conducted maneuvers off the coast. She made port calls at New York and Philadelphia, on one occasion acting in the escort for USS Texas (BB-35).

On 31 August, Truxtun departed Philadelphia for duty in the Azores. After a short stop-over in Bermuda, she arrived at Ponta Delgada on 16 September. The destroyer operated from Ponta Delgada until early December. She and Whipple met SS Caproni on 30 September and escorted her into Ponta Delgada on 3 October. In mid-October, she made a short voyage to Funchal, Madeira, and back. Later that month, she participated in a search for the survivors of a torpedoed ship. Truxtun cleared Ponta Delgada on 6 December and headed — via Gibraltar — for France. She reached Brest on 15 December. Operating from that port, the destroyer convoyed merchant ships and conducted patrols against German U-boats for the remainder of World War I.

During the ensuing year, she experienced two adventures. The first came on the night of 17 April 1918 when the explosives-laden steamship SS Florence H. exploded into flame in Quiberon Bay. For steering his destroyer into the flaming seas surrounding the stricken munitions carrier and helping to rescue many of her crewmen, Truxtun's commanding officer, Lieutenant Ware, was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. Her second scrape involved the enemy. At about 0900 on 18 May, while escorting a convoy, she sighted an underwater disturbance and immediately charged to the attack. The warship dropped several patterns of depth charges and fired several rounds from her guns. However, many of the depth charges failed to function properly. The U-boat, believed to have been SMU UC-56, made good her escape; and Truxtun returned to the convoy at about 0930.

Just over a month after the armistice ended World War I, Truxtun bade farewell to Europe. Departing Brest on 18 December in company with USS Flusser (DD-20), Stewart, Whipple, and USS Worden (DD-16), she steamed, via Ponta Delgada and Bermuda, back to the United States. She entered the Delaware River on 3 January 1919 and was decommissioned at Philadelphia on 18 July. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 15 September. She was sold to Henry A. Hitner's Sons Company of Philadelphia on 3 January 1920 for conversion to mercantile service as a motor fruit carrier. She was scrapped in 1956.

Noteworthy commanding officer

 * Lieutenant Daniel J. Callaghan (5 September 1915-11 Nov 1916) (Later Rear admiral)

title: USS Truxtun (DD-14)


text:
Jane Wiedlin

Jane Marie Genevieve Wiedlin (born May 20, 1958) is an American musician and singer, best known as the co-founder, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist of the new wave band The Go-Go's. She also voices Dusk, the drummer and backup vocalist of the fictional rock band The Hex Girls. She also had a successful solo career.

The Go-Go's went on to become one of the most successful American bands of the 1980s, helping popularize new wave music with hits such as "We Got the Beat", "Our Lips Are Sealed", and "Vacation". As a solo artist, Wiedlin had her biggest hit with the song "Rush Hour", which peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. As an actress, she had roles as the singing telegram girl in Clue (1985) and as Joan of Arc in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989).

As a member of The Go-Go's, Wiedlin received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She and the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.

Early life
Wiedlin was born in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Her father, Robert Arthur Wiedlin Sr., an oral surgeon of German and Swiss ancestry, was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her mother, Betty Jane (née Herro), was of Lebanese heritage. Wiedlin's parents met while students at Marquette University. She is one of five children, with a sister and three brothers, and was raised Catholic. During Wiedlin's early childhood, her family lived in West Allis, a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When she was six, her father took a job with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs at a VA hospital in Los Angeles, and the family followed.

Wiedlin has said, "I remember my childhood as extremely idyllic." She has also mentioned her adolescence with angst and hope by saying, "I was a depressed teenager. I thought life was completely pointless when I was in high school, but just a few short years later I was having the adventure of a lifetime in a successful rock band!" She attended William Howard Taft High School in Los Angeles from 1972 to 1976.

The Go-Go's
According to Wiedlin, she was present "pretty much from the beginning" of the Los Angeles punk scene. While attending college in the Los Angeles area for fashion design, she worked at a fashion-design house where she created song lyrics by scribbling ideas on clothing patterns. Under the moniker Jane Drano, she designed and sold punk-style clothing at Granny Takes a Trip, a store on Sunset Boulevard. She became part of the scene that spawned bands such as X, the Germs and the Weirdos.

Wiedlin and Belinda Carlisle formed the Go-Go's as a punk band in 1978, with Margot Olaverra on bass and Elissa Bello on drums.

In 1981, Wiedlin and Terry Hall of Fun Boy Three and the Specials co-wrote "Our Lips Are Sealed". The song peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 20, where it remained until 1982.

After a series of reunions during the 1990s, Wiedlin, Carlisle, Caffey, Schock and Valentine reunited in 2000 to record God Bless the Go-Go's, their first studio album in 17 years. The album's title and concept came from Wiedlin.

In 2010, the Go-Go's announced their "Happily Ever After" farewell tour, which was intended to begin in July. However, it was canceled after Wiedlin fell down a cliff during a nighttime hike and suffered ACL tears in both knees.

The Go-Go's announced an 11-date reunion tour scheduled to begin in June 2020. However, in May 2020, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In May 2021 it was announced that The Go-Go's would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on October 30, 2021. The band continued touring into 2022, before announcing their break up. They did a one-off reunion in 2024 after being inducted into the California Hall Of Fame.

Solo career
Wiedlin has released four solo albums: Jane Wiedlin in 1985, Fur in 1988, Tangled in 1990, and Kissproof World in 2000. From 1995 to 1998, she was also a member of the band FroSTed, which released one album, Cold, in 1996. In 2017, Wiedlin teamed up with the American-born Italian multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Pietro Straccia to form a new psychedelic/pop/harmony and guitar-driven duo called Elettrodomestico.

Acting career
Wiedlin's early acting credits include an ill-fated singing telegram girl in Clue (1985), a brief appearance as an officer seen on a Starfleet Command video screen in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), the White Fairy in Golan-Globus's Sleeping Beauty (1987) and as Joan of Arc in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989). Of her 1980s acting career, she has stated, "It turned out to be much harder than it looks, and as much as I enjoyed those experiences, I don't think I'm very good at it."

In 2001, she had a regular role in MTV's Spyder Games, portraying the "ex-rock chick who runs the local coffee house" where the characters hang out.

In 2005, she appeared as herself on the fourth season of VH1's The Surreal Life, in which she talked about her interest in BDSM.

She portrayed the role of Ursula in Steve Balderson's 2005 surrealist crime drama film Firecracker, which Roger Ebert listed among the year's best films. She worked a further three times with director Balderson, in Stuck! (2009), an homage to film noir women in prison dramas. , The Casserole Club (2011), about married swingers in 1960s Palm Springs, and Culture Shock (2013), a crime spoof set in London.

She played Tess in the 2011 independent movie I Want to Get Married, and played a maths teacher in the 2016 horror film HoneyBee.

She has also provided voices for characters in television and film animation, such as Miranda Kane and Shannon in The New Batman Adventures, Gwen in Mission Hill, and Dusk of the Hex Girls in the Scooby-Doo franchise.

Other work
In 2000, Wiedlin and fellow Go-Go's member Charlotte Caffey co-wrote Keith Urban's first #1 song, "But for the Grace of God." Wiedlin contributed quotations to Girls Against Girls by author Bonnie Burton. Wiedlin was a contributing writer to the Los Angeles punk rock books Under The Big Black Sun (2016) and More Fun In The New World (2019) by John Doe and Tom DeSavia. In April 2009, Wiedlin was photographed as Bettie Page by Austin Young for the "Heaven Bound" art show. A number of her songs were featured in the 2018 debut of the Broadway musical Head Over Heels, with a story suggested by Philip Sidney's Arcadia set to the songs of the Go-Go's and Belinda Carlisle.

Personal life
A long-time animal rights activist, Wiedlin has worked with PETA since as far back as 1989 when she performed as part of a "Rock Against Fur" concert in New York City and is a friend of PETA executive Dan Mathews.

Wiedlin has discussed her struggles with depression and mental health, and how it affected her at several stages of her life, including a suicide attempt in high school, and the effects fame (and a lack of healthy coping mechanisms) had on her wellbeing.

During Wiedlin's time in the Los Angeles punk scene, her first real boyfriend was Terry Bag (Terry Graham) of the punk band The Bags and later The Gun Club. She later had what she called a "short but dramatic romance" with Terry Hall of the Specials during a 1980 British tour. Hall later sent her some lyrics prompted by their relationship, inspiring Wiedlin to write "Our Lips Are Sealed", a song on which Hall has co-writer credit and recorded with his own band, Fun Boy Three. In the 2020 documentary The Go-Go's, bandmate Gina Schock stated that she and Wiedlin were "girlfriends" for a time until Wiedlin broke up with her. Wiedlin also had a brief relationship with Russell Mael of the band Sparks.

Wiedlin identifies as bisexual.

In addition to acting and singing, Wiedlin is an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church, a mail-order religious organization that offers anyone semi-immediate, no-cost ordination as a ULC minister. Wiedlin identifies herself as "Reverend Sister Go-Go", primarily officiating at weddings.

Wiedlin was married to Ged Malone from 1987 to 1999.

She was married to David Trotter from 2004 to 2005.

Wiedlin got engaged to her boyfriend Terence Lundy in October 2022. They were married in February 2023. She announced their divorce in April of 2024.

Wiedlin has spent her adult life living in various places: Mendocino, Costa Rica, Panama, Wisconsin, San Francisco, and Hawaii.

In December 2023, in an exposé by Rolling Stone, Wiedlin alleged that rock DJ Rodney Bingenheimer sexually assaulted her at his English Disco nightclub in Los Angeles when she was around 15 in about 1974.

Other releases

 * 1990 Pretty Woman soundtrack (EMI, re-released 2006, with bonus disc) – "Tangled"
 * 1996 Cold (Geffen Records) – As froSTed
 * 2001 Josie and the Pussycats Original Soundtrack – Contributor on "You Don't See" and "Come On".
 * 2002 The Specials vs. the Untouchables: Ska's Greatest Stars (Big Eye Music) – Rearrangement of "Our Lips Are Sealed" with the Specials
 * 2006 80's New Wave Hits (Big Eye Music) – Rearrangement of "Our Lips Are Sealed" with The Specials
 * 2017 Elettrodomestico (If You're a Boy or a Girl)

title: Jane Wiedlin


text:
Southern Victory

The Southern Victory series or Timeline-191 is a series of eleven alternate history novels by author Harry Turtledove, beginning with How Few Remain (1997) and published over a decade. The period addressed in the series begins during the Civil War and spans nine decades, up to the mid-1940s. In the series, the Confederate States defeats the United States of America in 1862, therefore making good its attempt at secession and becoming an independent nation. Subsequent books are built on imagining events based on this alternate timeline.

The secondary name is derived from General Robert E. Lee's Special Order 191, which detailed the C.S. Army of Northern Virginia's invasion of the Union through the border state Maryland in September 1862. Turtledove creates a divergence at September 10, 1862, when three Union soldiers do not find a copy of Special Order 191, as they in fact did historically. Historians believe their find helped General George B. McClellan of the Army of the Potomac prepare for his confrontation with Lee, and contributed to the Union's eventual victory at the Battle of Antietam.

List of books in the series
The Southern Victory series consists of 11 books, published between 1997 and 2007. The first book in the series is How Few Remain, and the remaining 10 books are part of three sub-series within the overall series. These sub-series are The Great War (1998–2000) trilogy, The American Empire trilogy (2001–2003), and The Settling Accounts (2003–2007) tetralogy. (The author changed some aspects of the timeline and narrative between How Few Remain, the first novel in the series, and the remainder of the series, resulting in some inconsistencies between How Few Remain and the other books.)

 * How Few Remain (1997)
 * The "Great War" Trilogy
 * American Front (1998)
 * Walk in Hell (1999)
 * Breakthroughs (2000)
 * The "American Empire" Trilogy
 * Blood and Iron (2001)
 * The Center Cannot Hold (2002)
 * The Victorious Opposition (2003)
 * The "Settling Accounts" Tetralogy
 * Return Engagement (2004)
 * Drive to the East (2005)
 * The Grapple (2006)
 * In at the Death (2007)

Fictional chronology
After recovering the lost copy of Special Order 191 before it falls into Union hands, Confederate forces catch George B. McClellan's Union Army by surprise and destroy it on the banks of the Susquehanna River in 1862. Occupying Philadelphia, the Confederacy gains diplomatic recognition from the United Kingdom and France, who mediate a peace deal by which the Confederacy achieves independence. President Abraham Lincoln considers his failure to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, along with the possibility of the U.S. finding its own European allies in the future.

The United States cannot afford Alaska, but proceeds with its war against the natives of the Great Plains. Meanwhile, the Confederacy admits Kentucky, Sequoyah, and Cuba as new states, and negotiates the purchase of Sonora and Chihuahua from Mexico in 1881. Republican President James G. Blaine uses this as a casus belli to declare a renewed war, drawing Britain and France back into the conflict. The Union, despite its advantage in manpower and resources, lacks competent leadership, and struggles to take Confederate territory while also facing a revolt in Utah. The Louisville campaign devolves into trench warfare, while Britain and France shell U.S. ports and New Brunswick annexes northern Maine. The Union capitulates in early 1882, recognizing the Confederate acquisitions, while the Republicans are soon voted out of government.

In the wake of the war's loss, Lincoln leads his loyal faction of the Republican Party into merging with the nascent Socialist Party of America, changing US politics as this becomes the second major party, supplanting the Republicans afterward. Over the rest of the decade, manumission of slaves is nominally implemented throughout the Confederacy—easing relations with Britain and France, which had both abolished slavery much earlier—although the black population continues to live in apartheid-like conditions. The U.S. secures an alliance with the new German Empire amid a national atmosphere of revanchism.

Great War

Upon the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Britain, France, and Russia go to war with Germany and Austria-Hungary. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson order the U.S. and C.S. militaries to mobilize following their respective allies, and fighting soon breaks out. Industrialized warfare and the absence of European intervention favors the Union side, and much of the Confederate officer corps is made up of heirs of great 19th-century generals with no particular talent of their own. An invasion of Maryland and Pennsylvania overruns Washington, D.C., but is unable to take Baltimore, while the Union launches attacks on Sonora and Canada, along with the capture of the British Sandwich Islands. As winter falls, a stalemate settles in across trench lines in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Manitoba, Southern Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River. The U.S. faces another rebellion in Utah and the C.S. faces a black socialist revolt, which takes a year to subdue.

In 1916 a new technical advance is introduced: the "barrel". George Armstrong Custer develops a doctrine for armored cavalry, but his tactics are not adopted and the first offensive is a failure. The U.S. successfully advances in Canada and defends Hawaii in a large naval engagement; the C.S. hopes that attrition and war weariness might knock the U.S. out, but pro-war President Roosevelt wins reelection, and the Confederacy is forced to begin recruiting black troops with a promise of civil rights after the war. The following year sees breakthroughs in Tennessee and Quebec using Custer's massed barrel tactics, while a simultaneous advance in Virginia recaptures a devastated Washington. With Union troops approaching its capital, the C.S. sues for peace, with it suffering the same fate as Germany in our timeline. Territorial changes include Kentucky and the western half of Texas (henceforth known as Houston) being annexed into the U.S. as states. The C.S. States of Arkansas, Sonora, and Virginia lose territory to the U.S. states of Missouri, New Mexico, and West Virginia respectively, and Sequoyah is placed under occupation by U.S. forces. All of Canada (except Quebec, which is released as a U.S. ally) is annexed by the U.S. under occupation. In Europe, army mutinies lead to France's exit from the war; Italy never enters it, while Russia is wracked by revolution. Brazil also joins the Central Powers along with Chile and Paraguay against Argentina, and increasingly isolated, Britain capitulates as well, ending the war.

American Empire
Jubilant at having finally beaten the Confederates, the U.S. soon encounters strikes and labor unrest, fueling political gains by the Socialist Party. The Confederacy experiences hyperinflation and a growth in reactionary extremism—ex-sergeant Jake Featherston achieves popularity via his tirades against the "stab in the back". He comes to lead the C.S. Freedom Party, reorganizing it around his own ambitions with a loyal paramilitary wing and a radio propaganda program. However, Featherston loses several bids for office, and a Freedom Party assassination of the Confederate President drains much of his support until the crash of 1929. With the ranks of his party swelled by popular unrest, Featherston finally becomes President in 1934, and sets about establishing control over the government, the police force, and the expanding army. He demands the return of former Confederate territory in forms of Kentucky, Sequoyah and Houston; after negotiating for plebiscites to be held in those states, Kentucky and Houston vote for re-admittance whilst Sequoyah votes to remain part of the United States.

Elsewhere in the world, the Great War results in independence for Quebec and Ireland, as well as other concessions by Britain; Canada falls under harsh U.S. rule while Germany sets up puppet states in Belgium, Poland, and Ukraine. Tensions seem to be rising between the two powers until the depression hits. The Russian, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman Empires remain intact but fragile; Japan builds an empire in east Asia and carries on a brief war with the U.S. When France demands the return of Alsace-Lorraine and the new Kaiser refuses, Britain, France, Russia, and the Confederacy declare war on Germany. On June 22, 1941, Featherston launches his surprise invasion of the U.S.

Settling Accounts

Against Union expectations, Confederate forces under George Patton drive into Ohio under cover of massive bombing raids, cutting U.S. industry off from its raw materials, but the front soon stalls there and in Virginia. The U.S. Navy suffers reverses against the Royal Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy. However, despite U.S. President Al Smith getting killed during a Confederate bombing raid on Philadelphia, the U.S. does not surrender. In response, the Confederacy launches a major offensive aimed at Pittsburgh, where its army is surrounded and annihilated in urban fighting. Meanwhile, the Confederacy begins "population reductions" against its black population, using poison gas at camps in Louisiana and Texas, which are forced to evacuate as U.S. troops advance. Using blitzkrieg-like tactics, the U.S. Army is also able to push through Kentucky and Tennessee toward Atlanta.

In Europe, the Germans lose Ukraine and the Left Bank of the Rhine, but defend East Prussia and Poland. Britain occupies Ireland, but its Norwegian campaign fails spectacularly. Backed by Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria, Germany begins counter-offensives in 1942. With both Russia and Austria-Hungary facing ethnic uprisings, the German Army is able to win at Kyiv and threaten Petrograd, as well as retake the Low Countries. Having won the race for a nuclear weapon, Germany destroys Petrograd with an atomic bomb; as more belligerents acquire the technology, the list of cities targeted grows to include Philadelphia, Newport News, Charleston, Paris, Hamburg, London, Norwich, and Brighton. Russia, France, and Britain sue for peace.

With Texas seceding, Patton surrendering in Alabama, and Featherston killed by a black guerrilla while trying to escape, the Confederacy surrenders unconditionally. U.S. forces hold trials for crimes against humanity and take extreme measures against the remaining bands of guerrillas, while generally aided by the scattered remaining black population. In 1945, new President Thomas E. Dewey pledges to reintegrate the southern states into the Union and to continue the alliance with Germany, while suppressing the development of nuclear weapons by their enemies France, Japan, and Russia.

Reviews and reactions
Reviewer Lionel Ward notes that although the series "ends in an apparent happy ending", "integrating the Confederate territories into the United States would be an impossible mission"—"an open-ended military occupation of a very large sullen population, which would inevitably burst into rebellion sooner or later(...) A far more reasonable policy, never even considered, would have been to revive the Confederate Whig Party under US auspices and make a pragmatic agreement with a rehabilitated Confederacy". Ward concludes:

"The series ends with the US holding by the tail not one tiger but two [The Confederate territories and Canada, occupied since 1917], plus a big aggressive wildcat [The Mormons in Utah]. [...] In this history, the post-1945 United States has nothing like the dominant global position it had in the equivalent period of actual history. There are several rival powers with both the means and the motive to make trouble for the US and actively foment rebellion."

title: Southern Victory


text:
The Weapon Shops of Isher

The Weapon Shops of Isher is a science fiction novel by American writer A. E. van Vogt, first published in 1951. The novel is a fix-up created from three previously published short stories about the Weapon Shops and Isher civilization:
 * "The Seesaw" (Analog Science Fiction and Fact, July 1941)
 * "The Weapon Shop" (Analog Science Fiction and Fact, December 1942)
 * "The Weapon Shops of Isher" (Wonder Stories, February 1949)

Overview
The Weapon Shops of Isher and its sequel The Weapon Makers detail the workings of Isher civilization and the adventures of Robert Hedrock, The One Immortal Man, as he keeps it in balance in the face of attempts by the Weapon Makers, who have forgotten their purpose as a permanent opposition, and the strong government of the Empress, Innelda Isher, with its intimate connections to a network of financial institutions, to undermine each other. The Weapon Shops provide the populace with defensive weapons and an alternative legal system.

The Isher/Weapon Shops novels are rare examples of Golden Age science fiction that explicitly discuss the right to keep and bear arms, specifically guns. Indeed, the motto of the Weapon Shops, repeated several times, is "The right to buy weapons is the right to be free". However, Van Vogt's guns have virtually magical properties, and can only be used in self-defense, to commit suicide, or for hunting animals in season).

The political philosophy of the Weapon Shops is minimalist. They will not interfere with the corrupt imperial monarchy of the Isher government, because men always have a government of the type they deserve: no government, however bad, exists without at least the tacit consent of the governed. The mission of the Weapon Shops, therefore, is merely to offer single individuals the right to protect themselves with a firearm, or, in cases of fraud, access to a "Robin Hood" alternative court system that judges and awards compensation from large, imperial merchant combines to cheated individuals. Because the population has access to this alternative system of justice, the Isher government cannot take the final step toward totalitarianism.

The novel was published by Greenberg in New York in 1951. It was also published as a paperback by Ace Books and in 1969 by New English Library in the U.K.

Reception
Boucher and McComas praised Weapon Shops as "a fine excitingly involved melodrama.". P. Schuyler Miller reviewed the novel favorably, reporting that "It will take agile wits to know just what is happening, or why, at any given time." New York Times reviewer Basil Davenport found the opening segment "begins well enough," but as the novel progresses, the reader's attention becomes "badly divided."

In popular culture

 * The Weapon Shop slogan, "The right to buy weapons is the right to be free", is often approvingly cited by supporters of the National Rifle Association and other advocates for gun rights.
 * The Market Anarchist Center for a Stateless Society has referred to WikiLeaks as "Our Weapon Shop of Isher".
 * The fictional government think tank created by Stephen King in his novel Firestarter is colloquially known as The Shop. It is stated that this is a direct reference to the Van Vogt novel.

Publication history

 * 1966 — JAPAN, Tokyo Sogensha, 286p.
 * 2016 — JAPAN, Tokyo Sogensha, 334p.(revised version,)

title: The Weapon Shops of Isher