 That is Moonlight Shadow from Michael Field on Around the Northwest on this, you could almost call it, call it a Bami Thursday afternoon, live from Michael Murphy Sports in Leather County. They're celebrating eight years in business today and Michael has joined us now in the studio. Michael, good afternoon sir. Good, good. Eight years. Eight years, I remember the opening actually, yourself and Neil and it was really blows around it. And why did you decide to open a sports shop as a footballer or an athlete, be a little bit than every footballer that would go, it would be nice to open a sports shop. Yeah, it was an opportunity and it probably arose at the time, it was just, I don't know, out of college, I had finished college and I remember after four years and I was like right, I'm going to spend time at home here for the foreseeable. I wanted to sports town concentrate on football at the time, I really, really concentrated and still concentrated on it but just the opportunity arose, kind of a sports shop. And I said, you know, yeah, I'm just in all different sports, love products, love learning about things that way. But yeah, I was the first to admit from the business side of things in terms of business acumen, that type of thing. I was very much learning the job the first number of years, you know. It was a learning curve. Because it's great, I mean, as a footballer, you're well used to going in and being picky about boots or jerseys or whatever the gear is that you need and all the rest of it. But when you're on the business, different story. Yeah, and that's exactly what you had the most interest that you mentioned about products, about sports that way. Business is completely a different, different, different thing. But yeah, I got stuck in, really learned, as I say, right up until this day, the staff around me, in terms of support, I wouldn't have been able to do it without them and still not able to do it without them. So as I say, we've been really, really blessed from day dot 2014. It was right through to now. Our staff are absolutely phenomenal and they really are the driving force behind the whole business that we have. And as I say, we've been just really, really lucky to get. They always have good staff and one that are passionate about sports, passionate about just people and connecting with people and say, we're lucky in that regard. Yeah, because like any good business, it has to be customer focused and I suppose the demands are bigger than ever in that respect. But as I say, two things. One, it's reassuring when you go in and you see the familiar faces behind the counter and people that have been there for years. And two, then there's the developments along the way. I mean, online sales, for instance, it takes a lot of effort and management. It might, you know, to the average customer is just a couple of clicks and there you are and you're on the website and you're doing whatever. But that takes time and effort and it's like a parallel business almost. Yeah, it does. And again, we really needed to learn about that. I suppose our first number of years since 2014 were very much a through the door type of business. We had a small online presence, but we needed to move to move at the times. Fortunately, we really developed our online presence in a number of years before COVID hit. And then that was really, you know, accelerated us both through COVID when they're online through the door shop. And I had to close and suppose people's habits too. And then they found out, well, we can stay at home. We can click. We can get a straight to our doorstep. And I suppose at that stage, they know other people that know their option books to shop in that way. And I suppose started to trust it a bit more and say, well, we can do that. And it does work. So yeah, there's definitely that part of the business that has grown for us absolutely, you know, massively over the last, I suppose, two to three years in particular. But still, you like that through the door presence, you know, where we're located and then Donegal, you know, and with the staff and everybody that have that customer connection that you can get from a conversation is something that we still value and getting to know what the customer's needs and wants are and, you know, been able to give them and offer them some expertise, whether it's around a running shoe or a factor that are cold in. And you would still hopefully be able to try and provide that and face to face, which is sometimes a challenge online, you know. Speaking of sport shoes, it's a good example, I suppose, really, that if you have a person in store, you're able to, you know, offer them advice. And then there's a gate monitor inside so you can determine what the type of running shoe might suit. People can't. That's just not possible online. Yeah, it's a tricky lesson. So the consumers now they jump up what type of runner they want now is very much there. But, you know, yeah, to get an Allison machine is there to guide basically towards a specific type of runner, dependent on, I suppose, the movement patterns at the end of the digital themselves. So, yeah, and that's getting that shoe on the person's foot for them to try on, because ultimately the comfort of what they feel is going to be, yeah, I suppose, the end story. But, you know, like any sports shop, you're going to have to cater for those that are really serious about their sport, whether that's, you know, athletics or football or whatever. And then there's just somebody who wants a track suit or a pair of trainers to go and walk a few kilometres. Exactly. Without it out there's something that's supposed to work for everyone. You have to be, you have to be aware of that. You have to get the high level, you know, athletes or the high level of sports specific individual that you've also, you know, and then exercise, whether that was over COVID or now, the opportunities to exercise and the location we're at in Donegal are, you know, are huge. Whether that's a general stroll on the beach or, you know, whether that's taken up a bit of cycling or just an exercise class. So, you need to provide the sports products that can kind of vary and cater for them all at the various price points. And, yeah, listening to me, it's always a challenge. There's no denying about it. That's not always straightforward, but we definitely try to keep up with the trends that are out there and I suppose what the demands of the kind of market, as you know. Two things that not everybody might be aware that you do. One is golf, golf clubs and clothing. Yeah, golf, golf there. Yeah, we would have had probably a lot bigger, I suppose, of a golf presence. Maybe when we first began. So we still have our clothing and our general accessories in terms of clubs at the moment. We would probably have moved away from that ever ever so slightly. So definitely we have a golf, a golf presence there in terms of the accessories and all, but in terms of the clubs and all, it's something we probably have moved and coveted from, you know. The other thing is trophies and medals. You know, everybody is competing. That's what you're aiming for. And they have to come from somewhere so you provide that service. Yeah, yeah. And that goes back, that pre-dates making rugby sports here. Yeah, I thought it out. It's been always a presence here. And, you know, returning customers and that's one of the parts of the business that's really rewarding. You get customers that come back here on the earth who you know, who you generally know their order, their time of year generally that they come about and you have that rapport and connection built up with them that, you know, you're able to, I suppose, offer advice to them based on maybe what happened last year or how that went or if there was any improvements we made on last year's one. So, yeah, that's a part of the business again that consistently grows for us. And, you know, we're happy. We're happy with that. But yeah, just really, yeah, there's always new demands, new medals that, society's changing in terms of their wants and needs for that too. So, again, we just need to keep trying to move with the trends and keep seeing us out there and what the market demands, you know. But, yeah, listen, over the eight years we've been so blessed. You know, with customers, you know, really, really thank them. Thank them all for the support that they've given the shop over the last eight years because, you know, you're saying business can't survive without customers. But, you know, getting to know them as people do has been something that for me has been probably one of the most rewarding things and getting to know people that never have met before is something that's really, really good and something that I still enjoy trying to do as much as possible, you know. With schools going back now this week and next and I suppose when it comes to the various seasons while we're in the middle of the club championship here in Donegal and the soccer season is about to start, team wear is very important for schools and clubs and that's an important part of the business too. Yeah, isn't it? We try and cater for as much as we can. That is an impossibility at times to cover all bases but we try to have a presence as much as we possibly can. So, yeah, team wear can come in in so many different forms, you know, in terms of your clothing, your hats up to your football kits but also the actual equipment for the teams to play in the months. You know, whether it's your bubs, your hurdles, your footballs, whatever that may be. It's not just the kit for match day, it's so much more. Yeah, and that's it and that's the part of schools that is, you know, that's constant schools every team. You know, I know for myself from training what the needs are out on the training ground and you would like to think you can have a bit of an input into that in terms of what should be available for market. So, and yeah, and again likewise that the online nature of things has opened up that market, not only to suppose the region that we're in and the thing, you know, done it all in the north west but even further afield in terms of around Ireland and even further afield in that in terms of what we can provide in terms of team wear for clubs not only around here but further further afield, you know. Well, I mentioned the championship there, Glenn Swilly going well with two wins in a draw are drawn out this Sunday. You'd be hoping for placing the quarters? Yeah, we're undefeated in three and we're still not qualified which is a bit of a rarity so we still need to go after a result this weekend. I think if we managed to get a draw I don't think you'd ever play for a draw. I'm yelling for both of us. That would be enough. It should be enough but yeah, listen, our draw are fighting there for to try and avoid releation. We've played them. It seems like we've played them every year over the last four to five years and I can safely say we've come out on their arms every single year so yeah, away over there it's going to be a battle, so both teams battling but listen, if we look at our last number of years as a club at Senior Football we've struggled since 2016 when we last won it and there hasn't been many victories in the championship for us since then and the turnover of our team has been quite huge so it's great this year that I think finally we're just going to experience and what it's like to come out on the right side of the championship result and I think that the feeling good factor with the squad and the club over the last number of weeks in particular has been really, really good and something driving them around and being powered up. And playing in the championship too gives you a chance to assess other teams and individual players so now when you take over as the New Donegall manager definitely won't be taking charge of the team we can say that for sure definitely not but you wouldn't rule it out on down the line no, well never say never but yeah just not right now it's an exciting job for somebody else at a stage of life where they can take it on huge belief in the quality of player and the quality of squad we have here in Donegall and I know there's no manager in place yet but I know it will be an exciting job for someone and something that somebody at the right stage of their life will and to take on and yeah I look forward to seeing that to that person of the and Roman behind this best weekend you know on that note Michael thanks for joining us and the best look here to the next eight years and beyond we'll see you soon thank you thank you thank you