Athlone Town

[Martinho II]

For people looking from the outside in, it looks like there is no coming back from this for us. But the group who want to take over are willing to take over with immediate effect and I know for a fact they will resolve most of, if not all of the problems we are having.
The problem is the chairman is refusing to stand down. Himself and Michael o connor are hated by most now and one has to worder with all the pressure and dislike, why they are not budging.
I suspect the FAI could find something g they didn't want to be found.

what is MOC doing with Athlone now? didnt realise he is hated from yer side from someone who was a legend with ye.. From someone from outside not familiar wot has he to be hated so much?
Mind you when he managed us in the late nineties we nearly went to the wall under his mgt so maybe there is some common demonition!

[ATFC-1887]

The problem here is the chairman is refusing to step down. Nobody wants him there. He has been asked by numerous people, including the group wanting to take over, for a state of affairs of the accounts etc but has dodged giving them over. One has to wonder why.
Where has the money taken in gone if no bills or players have been paid.

[ATFC-1887]

Can't really get into too much detail about moc but he is probably the most hated man in football around athlone. Has ****ed off so many people over so many different things. Strong reason to believe he is being paid for being over the acadamy. Bit of a joke when the first team manager isn't even being paid.
He was recently voted onto the committee by our chairman even after the public clearly said they want haydan and o connor out. Just goes to show how much the fans opinions matter to them.

[outspoken]

Why would you suggest that? (Though rather they gave Athlone money than another independent consultant)

Athlone went through the licencing process at the start of the season. They were required to submit budgets and cash flows, and to go to Abbotstown to discuss these. They were probbaly required to provide some manner of letter of guarantee of funding, and were maybe even asked to put some funds in an escrow account just in case. If, after all that, the kitty is empty just three months into the season, then there's a fundamental issue with licencing. There's a licencing department in the FAI - first step is to ask for their views on what went wrong, and then to look into those problems. Not get some external bloody consultant in again.

We get it, the licensing is a joke. If licensing was scrapped Athlone would still be in the same position if not worse. If licensing was made stronger a number of clubs wouldn't make it into the League.....Either way the FAI take flack. The clubs have shown time after time and year after year that they can't be trusted with money so why should the FAI bail them out? Never thought I'd see the day I was defending them but this whole debate is becoming ridiculous

[Nesta99]

The problem here is the chairman is refusing to step down. Nobody wants him there. He has been asked by numerous people, including the group wanting to take over, for a state of affairs of the accounts etc but has dodged giving them over. One has to wonder why.
Where has the money taken in gone if no bills or players have been paid.

Chairman/Owner hanging on, being awkward with accounts, fans and investors rallying to a club's assistance pending the stepping away of some people...not at all familiar!?! Cork, Bray, Dundalk, Galway. I think it is only Drogheda fans that still hold a chairman that lead them to the edge of extinction in high regard.

[pineapple stu]

Never thought I'd see the day I was defending them but this whole debate is becoming ridiculous

Ummm...the debate here is about the FAI looking to conduct an independent investigation into what happened, when there has to be someone in Abbotstown who can look into it themselves.

You're the one going off on tangents about bailing Athlone out financially or about damned if you do, damned if you don't. Maybe try debating the point at hand and see if that stops the debate being ridiculous?

An independent report/investigation into this is not needed. The FAI should be able to do something by themselves.

[ATFC-1887]

Latest word is they are going to release all players except the 4 professionals and Colin fortune will take over as manager.
Changing training to athlone to force out anyone who doesn't want to leave.
This club is absolutely ****ed if the board don't resign.

[El-Pietro]

If that gets the team to the end of the year its not necessarily a bad thing, though changes would need to be made to get the fans back on board for the new season.

[Macy]

The FAI should be able to do something by themselves.

The FAI are busy the next few weeks - what's more important, ingratiating yourself with the Ole Ole hoards, or actually doing the job they're supposed to be doing? More important to have photo ops with oh so hilarious flags and banners, and maybe get the beers in at some bar...

How many times have we been here under the Licencing regime that was supposed to stop this from happening? How people can't see the FAI and their licencing system as culpable is beyond me. I personally think a robust licencing system that meant less licences, (particularly premier licences which Athlone got FFS - they weren't just given the minimum they needed!) is less damaging than this carry on mid-season. Again.

[ATFC-1887]

If that gets the team to the end of the year its not necessarily a bad thing, though changes would need to be made to get the fans back on board for the new season.

I can see that it would look a good idea from the outside looking in but Fortune is part of the click with haydan and o connor.
This will never be resolved until they all leave. Simple as that.

[Lim till i die]

Changing training to athlone

The Monsters!!

[outspoken]

I can see that it would look a good idea from the outside looking in but Fortune is part of the click with haydan and o connor.
This will never be resolved until they all leave. Simple as that.

And what players will make up the rest of the squad? Under 19's and 17's? Sure wouldn't they have to get expenses too? This is some mess

[KeepersBall]

This has been going on a long time.
My lad went for under 19 trials there two years ago, and during the trial game I got a call from the first team manager who asked me where the chairman and mickey O'Connor were standing, I told him and he said 'i bet you they are nowhere near Mick Collins the under 19 manager', and told me then O'Connor wanted to run the show.
A few months later Collins was shafted for very spurious reasons.
The whole thing stinks and a good club is being dragged down

[nigel-harps1954]

This has been going on a long time.
My lad went for under 19 trials there two years ago, and during the trial game I got a call from the first team manager who asked me where the chairman and mickey O'Connor were standing, I told him and he said 'i bet you they are nowhere near Mick Collins the under 19 manager', and told me then O'Connor wanted to run the show.
A few months later Collins was shafted for very spurious reasons.
The whole thing stinks and a good club is being dragged down

It's all Keepersball fault. No need for independent FAI review.

[ATFC-1887]

This has been going on a long time.
My lad went for under 19 trials there two years ago, and during the trial game I got a call from the first team manager who asked me where the chairman and mickey O'Connor were standing, I told him and he said 'i bet you they are nowhere near Mick Collins the under 19 manager', and told me then O'Connor wanted to run the show.
A few months later Collins was shafted for very spurious reasons.
The whole thing stinks and a good club is being dragged down

Nail on the head.
It's well believed that moc is running the show and is "advising" haydan on what to do.

[Longfordian]

There were a fair few stories came out about what MOC was up to after his spell as our manager back. None of which I can repeat on here but I can certainly sympathise with our neighbours if he is running the show.

[ATFC-1887]

The league has tonight announced a €1,000 fine for last Friday's failure to field a team against Waterford, which will increase to €5,000 if a similar incident occurs this month. Furthermore, Waterford have been awarded a 3-0 win for last Friday's game, and the next time the sides meet the game will take place in Waterford and not Athlone as was scheduled, with Waterford retaining all gate receipts.

Talk about kick a club when it's down. Fining a club who cannot afford.

[Lim till i die]

If that's what the result is then it's the least athlone deserve.

Not fielding a team is absolutely as low as you can go. It's the countries national league not the westmeath junior b hurling championship. athlone can disgrace themselves with their internal pitchfork waving up in bogland as much as they like but dragging the rest of the league into it is disgusting. Clubs trying to do things properly having to share a division with muldoons like that. If there wasn't only eight teams I'd be all in favour of ****in ye out of the league to be honest.

I remember in the dark old days (irony of ironies against athlone in Mel's) going to a First Division Champions 2016 Limerick FC game where we only had eleven fit players and two of them were goalkeepers. We fielded a team.

No sympathy here. athlone are a disgrace.

[Mr A]

Don't see too much with that sanction to be honest. Only fair for Waterford to get the gate they missed and you can't just not field and expect nothing to happen.

[ATFC-1887]

Was that a limerick city/37 or an fc game.
You are happy to see the demise of the leagues oldest team. Says alot more about you than anything else. Until this season, limerick were nothing. And ye still are nothing more than a bandwagon. Ye are dominating a **** poor division.
Wasn't too long ago ye were getting chap crowds in hogan and Jackman. Luckily for ye someone with plenty of money took over and bought ye the league.
Enjoy it while it lasts.