Dundalk FC up for grabs!

**Trainee** · 14/09/2011, 11:31 AM

Any Idea how much a potential investor would have to pay GM to buy the club

**Guinney** · 14/09/2011, 12:54 PM

No idea but as mentioned the Youth Development Centre will makes or breaks the deal. Its gona be tricky, as the bars inside it are under Dundalk FCs bar license and it would be very hard for Gerry to get a new bar license for it. Without a bar license it would his entertainment centre would be useless to him. Other stubbling blocks like the some of the land is on the Casey land and also the grants received for the construction of the building where giving under the pretenses that it would be for youth development I assume.

Also Hiney Park out the back, as far as I know Gerry Matthews owns that (correct me if I'm wrong).

**nigel-harps1954** · 14/09/2011, 3:32 PM

Couple of Euro left in my wallet after buying the shopping...much are they going for?

**bullit** · 17/09/2011, 8:49 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Couple of Euro left in my wallet after buying the shopping...much are they going for?

Harps simply cannot afford this fine.

Any club which is fretting over a couple of grand should probably be sitting down having a hard think about whether to remain in senior football

This is a very stupid remark. As Magicme said, only a couple of years ago this sort of fine would have threatened Limericks existence in senior football. Dare we mention the demise of Limerick a few years ago and the start of Limerick 37?

I'm not going to go on about Harps dire financial situation, simply for the sake of the club, I'd happily take the loss of points long as the fine is taken away. John Delaney may be able to lift 2 and a half grand out of his back pocket any day he wishes, but for the FAI to expect a club on the brink to cough up for their own mis-information is downright criminal.

**Dunny** · 17/09/2011, 7:16 PM

One proposal withdrawn:

http://blackandwhitetown.tumblr.com/...draws-proposal

**Lim till i die** · 17/09/2011, 7:39 PM

Is this Dundalk thing going to be as massively messy as it appears to be?!

**Nesta99** · 17/09/2011, 8:40 PM

Probably!! Although if there are unreasonable demands for the club being made Gerry Matthews is left a bit stuck so i'd say a bit of posturing is going on(i hope). €5mil to purchase the YDC hmmmmm?

**Ezeikial** · 19/09/2011, 3:24 PM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Probably!! Although if there are unreasonable demands for the club being made Gerry Matthews is left a bit stuck so i'd say a bit of posturing is going on(i hope). €5mil to purchase the YDC hmmmmm?

The YDC is an asset of the club and cannot be sold as a separate entity (either for €5 or €5,000,000). Gerry Matthews had it build for the club on Oriel Park land (which is the subject of a long term lease from the Casey family) rather then on the adjoining Hiney Park ground (which he owns). The effect of this was to ensure that the YDC would be a club asset and could not be sold either by him or his successors.

The issue is that there is a liability from the construction and fit-out costs. The intention has been that this would be gradually repaid from the operating profits from the YDC over a long period of time and that a contribution to the club operating budget and repayment of construction costs would happen simultaneously.

Obviously this is a key issue to be addressed in any new ownership proposal. Gerry Matthews retaining control/management of this facility is only an option if a takeover proposal cannot adequately address this.

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/09/2011, 4:52 PM

Originally Posted by bullit

Well I'd buy Harps but you know, I fancy a real challenge making Dundalk into a top club. Too easy to do it with Harps.

**oriel** · 26/09/2011, 8:19 PM

Irish Indo have been asked by DFC to correct a statement they printed last week saying loss for this season would 150/170k. This is in fact the estimated total debt* of the club which includes a small enough figure for this year, no confirmation on what that is yet.

* the 400k due to Dlk town council for planning fees is not a debt that DFC are responsbile for as Matthews himself/his company will be liable for that, and there is no pressing time issue re payment, although it will have to be paid.

Obviously huge obstacles need to be get past for any take over to happen, the ground lease, YDC, and overall purchase price, but the actual debt surprised me, the club is actually performing in a very good financial state taking things into account. Which is more than can be said for the awful performances on the pitch with no league win in 2 months now.

**Martinho II** · 26/09/2011, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by oriel

Irish Indo have been asked by DFC to correct a statement they printed last week saying loss for this season would 150/170k. This is in fact the estimated total debt* of the club which includes a small enough figure for this year, no confirmation on what that is yet.

* the 400k due to Dlk town council for planning fees is not a debt that DFC are responsbile for as Matthews himself/his company will be liable for that, and there is no pressing time issue re payment, although it will have to be paid.

Obviously huge obstacles need to be get past for any take over to happen, the ground lease, YDC, and overall purchase price, but the actual debt surprised me, the club is actually performing in a very good financial state taking things into account. Which is more than can be said for the awful performances on the pitch with no league win in 2 months now.

didnt realise their league run was so bad.. the mark quigley and jason byrne experiment doesnt seem to have worked out.. not as a partnership anyway!

**Dunny** · 26/09/2011, 11:59 PM

Quigley POTY easily, Jayo hasnt the legs after his injury spell.

**Dillonman** · 27/09/2011, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by Martinho II

didnt realise their league run was so bad.. the mark quigley and jason byrne experiment doesnt seem to have worked out.. not as a partnership anyway!

Ah Quigley has been a relevation this season, has carried the team at times. If we could of kept Hawkins fit for longer we would have been doing alot better. Although with Hawkins out we have found a new gem in Cian Byrne who looks to have a lot of potential.

**Dodge** · 27/09/2011, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Dillonman

If we could of kept Hawkins fit for longer we would have been doing alot better

Its not like the injuries could've been a shock to Dundalk

**Dillonman** · 27/09/2011, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Its not like the injuries could've been a shock to Dundalk

Nobody said it was a shock!

**Dodge** · 27/09/2011, 12:40 PM

My point was that saying "if we could've kept hawkins injury fit for longer" is a bit like Pats saying "if only we'd have signed messi"

Both as likely to happen as each other

**Ezeikial** · 27/09/2011, 3:19 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Its not like the injuries could've been a shock to Dundalk

Injuries are part and parcel of any season, but the amount of injuries and their severity could hardly have been predicted - so in that sense the injurries were a 'shock'.

Ian Foster opted to spread his budget out on a small squad - it didn't work primarily becuase of the level of injuries.

**Guinney** · 27/09/2011, 9:57 PM

Originally Posted by Ezeikial

Injuries are part and parcel of any season, but the amount of injuries and their severity could hardly have been predicted - so in that sense the injurries were a 'shock'.

Ian Foster opted to spread his budget out on a small squad - it didn't work primarily becuase of the level of injuries.

Maybe a reason why we got so many injuries was due to the fact we had a small squad. Some injuries like Osborne are unpreventable as he broke his leg (fractured tibia to be precise). But we seemed to be getting alot of hamstring injuries, which can be caused by players playing to much and not getting the proper rest. Some players came back to early with injuries which didn't help their situation. Maybe if Foster had of spread the budget out to get in more players then some players could have got more rest between matches and allowed proper recovery times.

**BonnieShels** · 27/09/2011, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by Dunny

Quigley POTY easily, Jayo hasnt the legs after his injury spell.

Spent ages looking for this fabled Quigley post. Sheesh Dunny!

**Ezeikial** · 28/09/2011, 12:50 PM

Typically straight talking Gerry Matthews in reports from last Fridays meeting with supporters.

At a meeting held in the Youth Development Centre last Friday evening, Dundalk FC CEO Gerry Matthews spoke openly about the current financial situation at the club, the immediate challenges facing the club, the total of €432,887 owed to Dundalk Town Council, and the possible takeover of the club.

Gerry explains the possible takeover of the club. He outlines that although he wants to try to move out of the club, he feels that the best short-term solution is that he stays in an interim role while the club transitions to new ownership. He proposes stepping down from the Board, with all supporters working together to run the club until the conditions are right for a takeover of the club.

Matthews On: Possible Takeover & Financial Outlook - http://www.dundalkfc.com/matthews-on-po ... al-outlook

Gerry explains his reasons for constructing the Youth Development Centre and how he expects it to benefit the club, as well as speaking about the large sum owed in planning levies.

Matthews On: YDC & Planning Levies - http://www.dundalkfc.com/matthews-on-yd ... ing-levies

Gerry explains his reasons for getting involved with the club in 2006 and what progress has been made over the last five years.

Matthews On: Progress Since 2006 - http://www.dundalkfc.com/matthews-on-pr ... since-2006