The new board set about investing in Oriel Park, which consisted of turning the pitch 90 degrees, building a new stand and adding player and spectator facilities.

[8] Early the following season Oriel Park hosted European football for the first time, under newly installed floodlights, with the visit of Vasas SC of Hungary.

[14] Dundalk had led the League after 14 of the 22 matches, but Fox's departure saw them stumble to a runners-up spot behind a Waterford side that would go on to win a total of five titles in the next six seasons.

[16] Future Ireland manager Liam Tuohy took over in the summer of 1969, after leaving Shamrock Rovers,[17] and, as a result of his managerial experience, Dundalk entered the new decade at the top of the League, as they had 10-years earlier, having thrashed defending champions Waterford 6–1 in early December.

Despite a still-meagre playing budget, he won his first league title (the club's fourth) in 1975–76, finishing ahead of Finn Harps and losing only one match in the process.

[31][32][33] Dundalk, needing no circus acts, clinched the title by beating Cork Hibernians at home in front of a packed Oriel Park with a game to spare.

[41] Instead, the club supported the "reorganisation" he demanded, and used funds from the sale of three players (Synan Braddish, Derek Carroll and Brian Duff) to Liverpool, for a combined £55,000,[42] to rebuild the squad and make ground improvements at Oriel.

It was confirmed in slightly surreal fashion – with a win away to Cork Celtic (who were about to be expelled from the League) in front of 200 people;[43] while the trophy was presented in Oriel Park 48 hours later after a defeat to FAI Cup final opponents Waterford.

A trophy-less 1982–83 season, however, in which Dundalk slipped to third behind Louth rivals Drogheda United in the league table (and missed out on Europe), signalled that the team was entering a transition period.

Furthermore, the club's supporters, sated by two decades of success and unhappy with a conservative playing-style that contrasted badly with what people were seeing on their televisions, were only turning up for the 'big' games, contributing to the worsening financial position.

By the end of the season the board was facing financial issues that threatened the club's survival – a "healthy" surplus in 1989[67] had become a serious deficit, with income falling due to some of the lowest gates in memory.

[68] In addition, eight players that started that season's FAI Cup Final were aged over 30, suggesting a squad overhaul was required when the club could no longer afford it.

[72] Early the following season the financial issues came to a head, and a number of local businessmen formed a new Interim Company to take the club (and its liabilities) over, saving it from bankruptcy.

They defeated Galway United at home, then, with players and supporters waiting on the pitch to hear the results of Shelbourne's and Derry City's matches, news filtered through that both had failed to win, confirming Dundalk as Champions.

An indifferent start to the 1995–96 season was followed by a run that had Dundalk one point off the top halfway through the League program before Christmas, but it would be a long time before they would be that high in the table again.

But the financial issues reared their head again and, the night of a morale-boosting victory over defending champions St. Patrick's Athletic at the end of November in the 1998–99 season, the whole squad was transfer listed.

Relegation was confirmed following a home defeat to UCD, 20 years to the day after the club had won its first Double, bringing an end to McLaughlin's management career.

[84] Despite seeming well-equipped for the return to the top-flight, they were relegated again the following season from 10th place, due to a decision to reduce the number of teams in the Premier Division from 12 to 10,[85] which immediately put a strain on the Co-Op's plans to grow the club.

[87] In advance of the first leg the two clubs had co-operated in mounting a major security operation, but the subsequent rioting was of a scale that overwhelmed Oriel Park and its police presence.

Linfield were punished by UEFA for the actions of their supporters by being banned from playing their home-leg in Belfast, and being forced to pay for damage to Oriel Park and Dundalk's expenses for the return leg.

[90] In 1999, 20 years after the violence that had marred their European Cup tie in Oriel Park, Dundalk and Linfield started a 12-month cross-border youth football project called 'Dunfield', which was largely funded by Co-operation Ireland as part of its sponsorship of reconciliation efforts in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement.

He left again when John Smith took over, but, at 32, was invited back by Jim McLaughlin and became a key member and captain of the squad that won the League in 1975–76 and FAI Cup in 1977.

In that time he won all the honours available in the Irish domestic game for the club, played in Dundalk's golden period in European football (including the match against Celtic where he famously missed a late chance to win the tie[46]) and was voted SWAI Personality of the Year in 1982.

McLoughlin, who had been signed by Jim McLaughlin a year earlier and had become a key figure in central midfield alongside fellow Derryman Seamus McDowell, was killed in a car accident in his native Derry.

The highlight of his season at the club was a two-goal salvo against Cork Celtic the previous February, which had wowed the home crowd and sent Dundalk top of the table, and on their way to McLaughlin's first League title as manager.

[88] He was an ever present in the side right up until falling ill, and was extremely popular at the club, so the shock of his diagnosis and his absence from the pitch contributed to a mid-season wobble that saw Dundalk slip to a runners-up spot behind eventual League winners Limerick United.

But in 1983, aged just 20, he was diagnosed with cancer, yet he fought his way back to fitness to become a key member of Turlough O'Connor's side that won the League and Cup Double in 1987–88.

He was honoured with a testimonial against Chelsea in 1986,[113] and in match programme notes written by former colleague Dermot Keely (who would later be his final manager at Dundalk) he was called "the best left-full in the League" and a "credit to football".

[114] Martin Murray (born 6 October 1958), is one of only four men to both win honours with Dundalk as a player and later return to lead the club to trophy success as manager (the others being Gerry McCourt, Turlough O'Connor, and Dermot Keely).

[118] Stepping back into the Premier Division with a blend of local players and experienced pros proved too challenging the following season, with three clubs being relegated automatically - Dundalk missing out on safety by a solitary point.