Dundalk FC congratulate “Character of the Year” despite his criminal past

Back-to-back league champions and 2015 double winners they may be, but Dundalk could have scored a bit of a social media own goal yesterday.

The Louth club's official Twitter account posted a photo of Mark 'Maxi' Kavanagh, congratulating the Dundalk fan on winning League of Ireland "Character of the Year". Kavanagh came out on top of the public vote ahead of the likes of Pajo Flynn, Danny North and the Dublin Derby Facts Twitter account. However some are questioning why the club deemed it necessary to recognise Kavanagh's award, given his chequered past. https://twitter.com/DundalkFC/status/679386721147031553 Back in 2007 Kavanagh was sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to criminal damage and breach of the peace at the FAI's former Merrion Square headquarters. Kavanagh turned up in the association's office the previous December and proceeded to douse the curtains, carpet and Christmas decorations in petrol before also pouring it on himself and producing a lighter. He threatened to set himself alight in protest to Galway United being offered a place in the Premier Division ahead of Dundalk and demanded to speak to the then Dundalk manager, John Gill. Gill, who was in the offices, managed to appease Kavanagh, who ended his protest after 40 minutes. Needless to say some fans and journalists were not happy with the club congratulatory tweet. https://twitter.com/McDonnellDan/status/679400667887345664 https://twitter.com/MickeyMcArdle/status/679402804646191105 https://twitter.com/Svaty_Patrik/status/679403668110733313 https://twitter.com/jmernock/status/679403264677314565 Dundalk FC were contacted by SportsJOE for comment but had not responded at time of posting. Main picture credit: Dundalk FC Twitter