Sligo Rovers have re-signed striker Raffaele Cretaro for a 17th season at The Showgrounds.
The news was confirmed as the club also announced an extension of their sponsorship agreement with the Clayton Hotel Sligo for 2018, in what will be the 11th season of the partnership.
Noel McLeish and Fergal Ryan of the Clayton Hotel with Raffaele Cretaro and Shane Crossan of Sligo Rovers.
Cretaro is the 15th senior player to agree a deal for the 2018 season, following in the footsteps of another local favourite in Gary Boylan, who agreed a deal last week.
Already goalkeepers Michéal Schlingermann and Ed McGinty; defenders Regan Donelon, Kyle Callan-McFadden, John Mahon and Seamus Sharkey; midfielders Rhys McCabe, Caolan McAleer, Adam Wixted, David Cawley, Jack Keaney, Craig Roddan and striker Greg Moorhouse have penned deals for the new year.
The agreement with the Clayton includes use of the Club Vitae swimming and gym facilities for the Rovers first team squad as part of day-to-day training and preparation by Gerard Lyttle’s men, as well as use of conference and meeting rooms and some of the other facilities and services available at Clayton Hotel Sligo.
The club’s awards nights were held in the Clayton, and the AGM will also be held their in the new year. The hotel re-branded as the Clayton one year ago.
Sligo Rovers chairman Martin Heraghty said: “This sponsorship is something we really value and we’re proud of the long-standing relationship we have with the Clayton Hotel and its staff.
“Gerard Lyttle continually speaks of the importance of high standards for the players in preparations and training and the facilities at our disposal in the Clayton make it possible.
“On behalf of Sligo Rovers I thank everybody associated with the Clayton Group and their staff for the continuing support.”
Rovers boss Gerard Lyttle said: “One of the major assets Sligo Rovers can avail of is the facilities at The Showgrounds and from the Clayton Hotel.
“The Club Vitae Leisure Centre is very important to us. It gives us that extra outlet for training and fitness.
“It is of an extremely high standard and allows us to prepare for each challenge in the best possible fashion.
“I’m delighted that the players in our squad for 2018 will be able to avail of the brilliant gym and swimming pool here once again.”
Fergal Ryan, general manager of Clayton Hotel Sligo, said: “One of our core values at the Clayton is the support of our local community and with this in mind, and following on from our partnership with Sligo Rovers for over a decade now, we are delighted to extend our sponsorship of the club for a further year and hopefully beyond.”
