Chris Forrester: Jon Daly putting Pat's team bonding in fast lane with karting outing

St. Patrick's Athletic have gotten a head start in the 2024 title race by virtue of some pre-season go-karting.

Players at the Inchicore club were taken to nearby Kylemore Karting last week, as manager Jon Daly looks to maintain the team spirit that helped them push Shamrock Rovers in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division last season, before picking up the FAI Cup in November.

That win over Bohemians at the Aviva was the third cup success Chris Forrester in his career, and the Saints talisman feels outings like the one last week are key to bringing the group together.

"It was like Mario Kart for some boys," Forrester told RTÉ Sport at the launch of the 2024 League of Ireland season.

"It was good bonding. You get to see the lads outside of football which is good. You get to know them and get to know about their families. Jon has done that really well with us this year. He's gelled us all together. We're a very welcoming group as it is but the work that Jon has done, organising the go-karting and stuff, will help us in the long-run. It might seem like an insignificant thing but it can bond you really well."

Forrester is entering his third season working alongside Daly, with the latter initially having arrived at Richmond Park to work as an assistant manager to Tim Clancy.

Since Daly entered the managerial hotseat himself last May, Forrester has been hugely impressed with the former Ireland under-21 international.

"You know where you stand with Jon," continued Forrester, who turned 31 during the close season.

"If his standards aren't being met by you personally or collectively, he'll let you know. As players, you want clear, defined messages. We've all bought into that and the lads he's brought in this year have all bought into it as