Longford Town Football Club () is an Irish football club playing in the League of Ireland First Division. The club, founded in 1924 and elected to the league in 1984, is based in Longford, County Longford and play their home matches at Strokestown Road, which for sponsorship reasons is also known as Bishopsgate. Club colours are red and black, and the club goes by the nickname 'De Town'. History Longford Town Football Club was founded in 1924 at a meeting held in the Temperance Hall. At the meeting, it was decided that the club colours were to be those of the famous Dublin club, Bohemians, ‘Red and Black’. Present at the meeting were Michael (Ikey) Farrell, Paddy Farrell, Michael Hanley, Tom Malone, Johnny Foley, Willie Jarrett, Tom Kelly, Tom Colbert and Jim Mulligan. The Town had £24 in the kitty to start off and their first big success was winning the Leinster Junior Cup in the 1930–31 season when they beat St. Malachy's of Dundalk at Longford Park. After the game, the Foresters Brass and Reed Band and Longford Pipe and Drum Band led the victory parade through the streets of the town. The Longford team included Tom O’Beirne, Packy Shine, Mel Deane, Jimmy Malynn, John Dennigan, Jimmy and Billy Clarke, Freddy Dykes and Jimmy Breslin. In the 1935–36 season, the Town were promoted to Division 1 of the Leinster Senior League. The following season saw the Town clinch the FAI Intermediate Cup which was a considerable achievement coming so soon after promotion from the Junior ranks. Further Intermediate Cup successes, as well as Metropolitan Cup wins, followed in the 1950s and 1960s. Longford Town reached the final of the Leinster Senior Cup in 1954, when they lost 2–1 to Shamrock Rovers, on St. Stephen's Day. The Hoops, then at their peak, got the winning goal with less than three minutes to go. Longford's team on the day was: Peter Keogh, Seamus Devlin, Sonny Canning, Billy Murphy, Paddy Kinsella, Johnny Peelo, Paschal Quinn, Andy Reville, Paddy Gilbert, Gerry Malone and Joe O’Brien. Many Longford-born players received International or inter-league honours over the years. Mel Deane was the first, when he was capped against Scotland in a Junior International. Then followed Junior International honours versus England for Jimmy and Paddy Clarke, as well as Youth International caps for Ignatius Branigan (against Holland) and Teffia Park's Mark Devlin. The club was 60