Drogheda United will face Trabzonspor in a landmark friendly at Papara Park in Turkey this evening. The match marks the League of Ireland side's first-ever fixture in the country and celebrates a sister-club relationship spanning two decades.
Historic partnership
The friendly shows a formal partnership that began in 2010. The connection, however, has deeper roots, tracing back to aid sent from the Ottoman Empire to Drogheda during the Great Famine in 1847. "The idea was raised through Türkiye's ambassador in Dublin," said Brian Whelan. Trabzonspor's board accepted the proposal on September 29, 2010, formally bringing the two clubs together. Advisory Board Chairman Conor Hoey noted the clubs have shared the same claret and blue colours and have built a significant online community over the last 20 years.
Team news and context
Drogheda United head into the game sitting 9th in the Premier Division with 34 points from 32 matches. Their recent form has been mixed, with a 2-1 loss to Bohemians in their last outing before the international break. Manager Kevin Doherty will be looking for a positive performance as his team prepares for their next domestic fixtures, a key home match against Sligo Rovers this coming Friday. Forward Warren Davis, the club's top scorer with six goals this season, will be a key figure. For Trabzonspor, the friendly comes during a three-week international break, meaning they will be without 12 players on duty with their national teams, while Okay Yokuslu and Malinovskyi remain injured. Drogheda United will wear a special commemorative jersey for the occasion at the 40,000-seater Papara Park. The club's full squad is making the trip, with the match kicking off at 19:00 local time, which is 17:00 Irish time.
The fixture proceeds as a key moment in the ongoing engagement between the two clubs, with Drogheda United looking to build on the relationship as they plan for a future stadium move.
