Drogheda not able to pay their players

[gufct]

this is the line that has been coming out of the Brandywell for the past three months.

[Drogman.]

I don't understand why people keep saying that its good for the league that clubs go bust? I can see the point of view of over spending on wages however what's wrong with a bit of vision?

I mean, it's not like the Drogs were just spending money on wages only to remain in Utd Park forever. There was a plan there and if it didn't happen then we would end up going back to the way were were before.

I don't see why clubs spending money on wages and to develop a stadium is anything bad. Imagine if this happened, and it nearly did, only for the planning process f*cking it up we'd be preparing to play in a new stadium next season. Just imagine what this would have done to the league if it happened as it would have given the other clubs a massive boost to go out there and develop their own project.

The league needs a major re-think, I do agree, however people saying that this is good for the league are in the need of a reality check. Progress for this league doesn't mean dropping to the level of UCD with no vision or ambition and happy to plough along saying I told you so to other clubs.

[headtheball]

this is the line that has been coming out of the Brandywell for the past three months.

From who? Certainly not the manager and the board (who are the one's who would know if we were) and who signed 3 players on full time contracts for the next 2 years. The players being Dennehy, Farren and McGlynn who either signed or resigned full time contracts in the last few weeks.

[pineapple stu]

gufct is correct as far as I'm aware. Or if not, I assume there'd be no problems having that cheque you owe us? Derry can't afford full-time. They may have a couple of full-time players, but a full-time squad is beyond youz it seems.

[Krstic]

gufct is correct as far as I'm aware. Or if not, I assume there'd be no problems having that cheque you owe us? Derry can't afford full-time. They may have a couple of full-time players, but a full-time squad is beyond youz it seems.

Balls to the highlighted piece, as for the other bit, I know of very few companies that pay outstanding bills on their due date.

[Dodge]

For the record I thought I read that Derry were going part time next year (earlier this season). I've been wrong before

[Krstic]

For the record I thought I read that Derry were going part time next year (earlier this season). I've been wrong before

And you're wrong again.

[Dodge]

Easy tiger, you've made your point...

[KBurke]

Good news travels fast:rolleyes:
http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,2483_4289931,00.html

[bohs til i die]

I don't understand why people keep saying that its good for the league that clubs go bust? I can see the point of view of over spending on wages however what's wrong with a bit of vision?

I mean, it's not like the Drogs were just spending money on wages only to remain in Utd Park forever. There was a plan there and if it didn't happen then we would end up going back to the way were were before.

I don't see why clubs spending money on wages and to develop a stadium is anything bad. Imagine if this happened, and it nearly did, only for the planning process f*cking it up we'd be preparing to play in a new stadium next season. Just imagine what this would have done to the league if it happened as it would have given the other clubs a massive boost to go out there and develop their own project.

The league needs a major re-think, I do agree, however people saying that this is good for the league are in the need of a reality check. Progress for this league doesn't mean dropping to the level of UCD with no vision or ambition and happy to plough along saying I told you so to other clubs.


Vision is putting long term structures in place to sustain and develop a football club. Not one eircom league club has ever demonstrated anything other then a boom/bust type plan.

Drogheda's plan was a 3-4 year plan. If it didnt work there was no other option but to go back to how it was.

[sligored]

Damn right! Drogheda is bigger than some of the other towns he mentioned anyway - D*ndalk, Athlone, Sligo.

Drogheda have been very unlucky for years and years on the pitch, we've gotten to plenty of cup finals and semi finals over the years. Always made a balls of it though!

check the last census - dundalk is a bigger town than drogheda population wise anyway.
To my mind drogheda is just a satellite town from dublin.

Founded 1963 and renamed 1975
Domestic Honours
League Of Ireland Champions 2007, Runner Up 1982/83
League Of Ireland 1st Division Champions 1988/89, 90/91, 98/99, 01/02, Runner Up 1994/95, 1996/97
FAI Cup Winners 2005, Runner Up 1971, 1976
League Cup Winners 1983/84
League Of Ireland Shield Winners 1991
Entered League 1963

Compare this to your so called small towns, windmill.

Sligo
Formed 1928
League Champions: 1937, 1977
League Runners-up: 1939, 1951
First Division Champions: 1994, 2005
First Division Runners-up: 1986, 1990
F.A.I. Cup Winners: 1983, 1994
F.A.I. Cup Runners-up: 1939, 1940, 1970, 1978, 1981
League Cup Winners: 1998
League Cup Runners-up: 1976, 1977, 1996
Shield Winners: 1994
Shield Runners-up: 1940

Dundalk
Formed 1930
League Champions:(1932-33, 1962-63, 1966-67, 1975-76, 1978-79, 1981-82, 1987-88, 1990-91, 1994-95)

First Division Champions:1 (2000-01)

FAI Cup Winners:9 (1942, 1949, 1952, 1958, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1988, 2002)

League Cup Winners:4 (1977-78, 1980-81, 1986-87, 1989-90)

Athlone
Founded 1887
FAI Premier Division Titles: 2 1980-81, 1982-83
FAI First Division League Titles: 1 1987-1988
FAI Cup: 1 1924
League Cups: 3 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83

wise up and smell the coffee

[Krstic]

Dodge

Here's the statement that was made by our chairman in August, were the rumour mongers such as yourself, decided that Derry City were going part time.
It' long and will have to be posted in 2 halves, but i'll post it all just incase I'm accused of editing.
Part 1

Statement from Club Chairman
Pat McDaid looks forward
Friday 01 August 2008
Chairman Pat McDaid looks back at his first few months in charge and addresses some of the challenges ahead for the club

It's now just coming on 8 months since I became chairman of this great club and it's been a very interesting and challenging time off the field of play, with a lot of changes in personnel and gradual developments within the club itself. Recently Eamon Lynch has been added to the board of directors as financial controller, which now takes our numbers back to 6 following the resignation earlier in the year of Michael Burns. Michael was a fantastic servant to the club and is badly missed and we all wish him well and he'll no doubt be involved again at some stage when he's feeling better. This now means Stephen Mc Carron, Joe W Doherty, Franky Houston, Peter Leonard, Eamon Lynch and myself make up the current board of Derry City.


In total this now means we have 5 new directors, including myself, along with a new General Manager in Noel Martin who was formerly the CPO within the club, so it's been a steep learning curve for us all as we deal with the increasing difficulties and demands being placed on League of Ireland clubs. Peter Leonard is now the only remaining director from last years board so it's been quite a sea change off the field in much the same way as it has been on the field with a new manager, back room team and players being brought in. So overall it's very much fresh faces involved at the club this year.

It's very evident to me, more so than it ever was prior to becoming chairman, that we are a very strong community based club with so many volunteers giving up their own time and energy to work on behalf of Derry City. At the risk of sounding patronising and that's certainly not my intention, one thing is for sure - without the volunteers within our club it simply wouldn't be here. It's as simple as that and the countless hours of work that's put into this club by these volunteers is absolutely invaluable and certainly very much appreciated by us all

This is where a huge question of our club must however now be asked, given the current economic climate, because being a community based club is without doubt our biggest strength, but it is also our greatest challenge!

We are now competing in a league which has multi millionaire investors providing significant funds for clubs in the South, which is making it increasingly difficult for us to attract certain calibre of players to come and play here. I think the real danger for clubs like ours, which feel we should be competing with these clubs, is to try and compete with them off the field, as this is something we simply can't do without similar investment.


However, and this is the big question, even if we had the opportunity to avail of similar investment the question is would we want it?

The dangerous road some of these clubs are going down is one which I feel can lead to drastic outcomes and is certainly not a road I'm prepared to take our club down. How long will these investors be prepared to invest huge sums of money into clubs? The people investing the huge sums of money obviously have affection for the clubs concerned or feel a sense of 'putting something back' but at the same time they didn't accrue their great wealth by being sentimental and at some stage they must surely be faced with the question of when to stop putting millions into these clubs. Where then will these clubs be left, because they certainly will not have the income streams to support their budgets?






At Derry City we have a club which is embedded into the community it serves and this is something we must develop even further. However, we must also start developing other aspects within the club and not be totally dependant upon the work of our volunteers, which as stated already is one of the main reasons our club is currently in existence and whilst we absolutely need the continued support of our volunteers we also need to start helping ourselves a little more and taking some of the pressure off these club workers, who have for years ensured the club had the finances required to sustain itself.

It's a startling fact that less than 5% of our turnover last year was spent on employees who are responsible for the actual day to day running and management of the club - this would not happen in any other business anywhere in the world!

Now we must accept that football is a unique business compared to most others but this is a ratio we can't allow to continue if we are to develop into a sustainable full time club over the long term. This isn't a criticism of previous administrations but sadly a reflection of how the game in Ireland is being run, where club workers are simply there to generate wages and basically little else!

This can't continue within the game here in Ireland and certainly won't continue at our club whilst I'm chairman and the current board of directors are in place.


We need to start investing significant monies into areas throughout the club such as commercial and merchandising but these investments will not reap immediate benefits, as like everything else it's important to get them right and develop them over a reasonable time frame to get the maximum benefit from them. This is why our fundraising arms and attendances at the games are so vital to help ensure we maintain the exciting team we currently have and make gradual improvements to it

No one wants to see another Shelbourne, who lets face it couldn't really have been more successful on the pitch: 3 league titles out of 4, cup successes, regular victories in Europe and indeed a run in Europe which took them to within half an hour of the group stages of the Champions League. It simply doesn't get much better from a playing point of view within the League of Ireland, but sadly due to crippling wage bills, the club almost folded completely and were relegated as league champions into the first division where they currently remain.

[Macy]

To me this all comes back to the FAI's ridiculous fudging of the wage cap issue. The moment the FAI accepted non legally binding "committments" they set the league up for these type of crash and burns, and the associated negative headlines.

This is what the wage cap, licencing and FAI control was supposed to solve, instead they are facilitating it!

Personally I think now is the time for the FAI to insist on the 65% wage cap based on club generated funds, but if clubs insist on breaching the 65% wage cap on the basis of donations, they should have to lodge a bond with the league to cover the wages for the remainder of the contracts (the money could be released to the clubs on a week to week basis as the contracts run - it'd only take bloody standing orders)

[Dodge]

Here's the statement that was made by our chairman in August, were the rumour mongers such as yourself, decided that Derry City were going part time.


GTF! I said I thought I read it somewhere, nothign else. I also indicated I might be wrong.

Rumour mongering :rolleyes:

[Krstic]

Part 2

This is why we as a club need to be prudent with club finances and whilst everyone, myself included, would love nothing more than to see our team being all conquering on the pitch winning league championships and cups and competing regularly in Europe, we can only do this if we are financially capable of such achievements. We can not allow ourselves to be drawn into the trap that a lot of clubs have done and spend money in the pursuit of glory unless we can financially cope with the consequences of not succeeding


People keep telling me Derry City are a 'big club' and should be winning trophies on a regular basis but what is this based on? We have won 3 league titles in 80 years of trying. That's not results that a 'big club' would have. Now in my own heart there isn't a bigger club in Ireland than Derry City but the facts are that we are not a 'big club' - not yet - but we can be - we can become the biggest and most successful club on this Island, north or south, if we plan for it and have the patience to see that plan implemented and delivered.






We need to avoid the boom and bust tactics which are being employed at several clubs at the minute and concentrate on ourselves in the sure knowledge that what we are doing will deliver the club we know we can become and let the other clubs do whatever they feel they should be doing with these investors and sit back and watch to see what develops, without putting the very future of our own club at stake - which is more important than anything to me and I'm sure to the vast majority of our supporters as well.


My own family now has 4 generations who have supported this club, as I'm sure many other families can testify to as well and it's more important to everyone associated with Derry City that this club is viable and still here in 10 years time, rather than pursue glory over the next couple of years and put that at risk!


We have an awful long way to go, in my opinion, if we are to have a full time sustainable club for the long term. The challenges facing our club in the current economic climate are huge and the only way we can become a club which regularly competes for honours at the top level of the game here is to have a plan - a vision for the clubs future - one which is sensible and realistic

This is what we as a club must do and me as a chairman with my fellow directors must implement and ensure is carried out. We need everyone within the club pulling in the same direction, believing in the plan and being proud to be part of it, in the sure knowledge and confidence that we are doing what's best for the club and its future.

Implementing this plan will not be easy, it may mean reductions in playing budgets, it may mean smaller squads, less high profile signings and it may possibly mean we aren't challenging for the league championship over the next few years, but if that's what it means then unfortunately it's a consequence of the long term benefits which this plan will bring. I'm not saying competing for a league title is impossible, but we certainly can't compete for it by trying to buy it, which is what several other clubs are now doing. We have to do it by working harder than any other club and developing the structures around the club which will support us in the long term and gradually enable more monies to be spent on the first team.

It's very straight forward - we simply must live within our means and terms like ‘speculate to accumulate' are very dangerous words when it comes to football clubs and in particular a club with as long a history and tradition like our own. Our current first team budget is the highest the club has ever had - yet it's dwarfed with the other clubs in the South who are attempting to buy the league title and we won't be dragged further into the spiralling increases witnessed across the league over the last few years.

There needs to be a reality check within the league and more importantly from my view point within our own club. Our manager Stephen Kenny can only work with what he's provided with - he can't work miracles and nor can we as a board. We are working very hard to provide a team this city can be proud of and can compete for honours but we need everyone on board - supporters, sponsors and the business community throughout the city must support us if we are to be successful.

We certainly have the support of a lot of loyal and generous business people already but we need more and I would appeal to the business community to get on board and help us provide a team the city can be proud of. Advertising with Derry City is a proven method to promote your business and we only have to look at our main sponsor Meteor to testify to this. Meteor are a firm based in Tyrone whose owner isn't even a soccer man but he sees the benefit of association with a large community based club and is proud to be connected with the club from a marketing point of view and I see no reason why many other local businesses in the town can't benefit themselves from the

same association. We have numerous packages available to suit every budget and would be delighted to welcome new businesses on board or previous sponsors back


Despite opinions throughout the town that we can boast average attendances of between 3,000 - 4,000 at home games the reality is our average attendance this year is just slightly over 2,000 which although is a high figure compared to a lot of other clubs isn't high enough to support the team and the manager financially on its own. Our attendance throughout the season only counts for between 25% - 30% of our required income, which leaves an awful big gap to be filled between fundraising, commercial activities and prize monies. So for those attending keep coming and 'bring a friend' if you can. Every bum on a seat is a huge help to club finances


This is where the volunteers of our club contribute significantly to the income streams and why we must all support the projects they undertake and for those who have done - a big thank you and for those not yet supporting the projects I would ask you if your in a position to do so then please sign up to the dream draw, monthly draw, lotto, buy a program or half time draw ticket - every contribution helps and is absolutely vital to us as a club.

[Krstic]

Part 3

Just to give one example of how powerful a community supported project can be: Several people have said to me they could join the monthly draw but they felt £10 per month would have little if any impact upon the club. Now as stated we're averaging just over 2,000 supporters at our games this season which if everyone was signed up to this £10 per month draw it would provide us with £240,000 per year - significant monies which we could build into our budget and with the power of numbers it also means we aren't dependent on a single big investor but rather have thousands of small contributors which makes the club much more stable - so if your not in the monthly draw already please sign up to it. Not only are you making a contribution to the club to help us provide an exciting team but you also in with the chance to win significant money!

We must, as stated previously, also start restructuring certain things within the club, focusing on our commercial activities, making the merchandising arm of our club much stronger in order to reduce the reliance on these projects and prize monies, as nothing is guaranteed especially in the current economic climate we're facing up to. However, this isn't an overnight fix and we obviously have costs to meet whilst they are being improved which is why we need community support

We will be investing club funds into these areas which, in the lack of major increases to income streams may initially lead to lower budgets being available for the first team squad and the result of that may well be a team which possibly can't make a serious challenge for a league title in the coming seasons, but if that's what it means then that's what it means, because if we don't implement this plan then our club will be overly dependant upon success to sustain itself and that is simply too high risk of a strategy to continue with. As I said already competing for a league title is certainly not beyond us but we simply can't do it by trying to buy it

Our plan will see gradual increases into the playing budget as the club can afford it but not to the detriment of other aspects within the club, which are essential to sustaining any increases. This is the key to everything - being able to sustain the increases. In recent years our team has been competing favourably and moved from part time to full time. The financial rewards were such that the team budget was increased considerably over that period of time. Last year we had a disappointing season and as a result income streams this year are seriously down on those available from the previous couple of seasons, making it difficult to sustain a full time team, especially given the current recession we are now in.



This is the difficulty we are attempting to address with our plan which would see serious improvements off the field of play that would potentially be capable of overcoming reduced income streams from on the field results, or at least helping to bridge the gap. Obviously what happens on the field will always have a big effect on the balance sheet but this plan is set up to reduce the reliance on having to be successful on the field every season, as no club can achieve that. We need to increase our income streams from off field activities substantially to reduce the current over reliance on success

Owning our own stadium is an absolute priority for our club to develop and this is being pursued vigorously by Brandywell Properties at the moment with real potential of finally resolving this issue. Having our own stadium will provide us with an asset we can use to benefit the club 7 days per week every week of the year, whereas currently the stadium only produces income for the club on match nights. It will also provide us with a stadium to be proud of and help attract more people through the gates which will offcourse help the club finances long term as well


The club could also potentially be competing in some form of an All Ireland League within the next 3-5 years and certainly if that's to be the case then we need to be financially sustainable and be capable of producing a full time team on the field to compete for honours within it on a regular basis. The current proposals for an All Ireland League have generated much debate and whilst I think an All Ireland League is an inevitability I don't feel it will be achieved with the current plans, certainly not within the time frame proposed, but I do feel it will come within the next 3-5 years and we must be ready to take our place in it and be capable of competing favourably - hopefully in our new stadium!

So overall there have been a lot of changes within the club in a short period of time and we're facing up to huge challenges both on and off the field. It's certainly not 'doom and gloom' like certain people have been claiming and anyone who knows me will know that I'm always very positive about everything, especially Derry City which I feel passionately about. However, we do need to take stock and apply a little reality to where we as a club are going, which if we all pull together could see us achieve success never witnessed at this club before. Now more than ever we need the entire community - both general public and the business community to stand up and back us, as we attempt to make Derry City the biggest and best football club in this country!



Regards

Pat Mc Daid

Chairman

Derry City

[Macy]

Could you not have just posted a bloody link instead of cluttering the forum?

[Krstic]

GTF! I said I thought I read it somewhere, nothign else. I also indicated I might be wrong.

Rumour mongering :rolleyes:

Yes Dodge rumour mongering.

'I read this'
'I heard that'
'Someone told me'

All rumour mongering Dodge and as your rumour mongering is actually online, it's hard to defend yourself with a silly smilie.:rolleyes:

[Krstic]

Could you not have just posted a bloody link instead of cluttering the forum?

Sorry, i genuinely don't know how to.

[Dodge]

Not defending myself. I've nothing to defend.

Anyway, here's the thread I read (http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=97930&highlight=Derry+part+time) (oooh look at me rumour mongering...)

Didn't read it past the first few posts until now. Didn't bother as it isn't that big a deal for me. Still not, I was just trying to show that where others may have got the same idea

Luckily it posts a link to that statement. Any reason you couldn't have? Glad to see another club isn't on the rocks

[headtheball]

http://www.derryjournal.com/derry-sport/New-twoyear-contracts-for-McGlynn.4461705.jp

Here's the link where Stephen Kenny confirms we are commited to full time football after McGlynn and Farren signed new deals. This interview was only last month.

[jinxy lilywhite]

I don't understand why people keep saying that its good for the league that clubs go bust? I can see the point of view of over spending on wages however what's wrong with a bit of vision?

I mean, it's not like the Drogs were just spending money on wages only to remain in Utd Park forever. There was a plan there and if it didn't happen then we would end up going back to the way were were before.

I don't see why clubs spending money on wages and to develop a stadium is anything bad. Imagine if this happened, and it nearly did, only for the planning process f*cking it up we'd be preparing to play in a new stadium next season. Just imagine what this would have done to the league if it happened as it would have given the other clubs a massive boost to go out there and develop their own project.

The league needs a major re-think, I do agree, however people saying that this is good for the league are in the need of a reality check. Progress for this league doesn't mean dropping to the level of UCD with no vision or ambition and happy to plough along saying I told you so to other clubs.

Yeah its a great thing for the league that Drogheda spent way beyond their means and tried to buy every cup going. The ground move was needed and would of been a positive but with most things in life, a contingency was needed just in case and your sugar daddys had no plan B.
I don't why ye Drogs keep criticising UCD for no ambition. Ambition for some clubs maybe is survival or b/e but look at where your fabled ambition now has got you. 12m over 4 years for 1 league, 1 Cup and 2 selotanta cups. Can't wait for the "Drogs glory year DVD". ;)
Pipe dream and a pet project was all that Drogheda Utd is. Also I think you are very lucky as I believe your owners have given you a very soft landing for next season. They could of pulled the plug and you'd have no club.

[BulmersKid]

http://www.derryjournal.com/derry-sport/New-twoyear-contracts-for-McGlynn.4461705.jp

Here's the link where Stephen Kenny confirms we are commited to full time football after McGlynn and Farren signed new deals. This interview was only last month.

Doesn't prove anything.

Cork City gave Gamble a new contract and Hugh Pay rise and were looking to bring in 3 or 4 new players to strenghten theie squad before it went all tits up for them.

Drogs gave shane robinson a new improved 3 year contract and also signed Faz. Not exactly signs of a team that is now going part time next year is it?

I don't think anybody here is deliberlty trying to have a go at Derry. They might be one a the best supported clubs in the league, but they too a spending quite a bit of money on wages and it is only too right that people are sceptical of their fiances.

If I was a fan of Derry, and seeing what was going on with other clubs int eh league, I wouldn't be quoting people within the clubs who are saying that "Everything is Ok". I would be demanding answers and making sure that everything is ok

[Krstic]

Not defending myself. I've nothing to defend.

Anyway, here's the thread I read (http://foot.ie/showthread.php?t=97930&highlight=Derry+part+time) (oooh look at me rumour mongering...)

Didn't read it past the first few posts until now. Didn't bother as it isn't that big a deal for me. Still not, I was just trying to show that where others may have got the same idea

Luckily it posts a link to that statement. Any reason you couldn't have? Glad to see another club isn't on the rocks

Dodge, you posted that you 'Read somewhere that Derry were going Part-time'
You then deny rumour mongering by posting the original thread, yet on the fourth post of this thread, it's original statement is discredited.

So therefore you read the first post, which was crap, and then regurgitated it some time later with an "i read somewhere" statement.

Now if that's not rumour mongering can you please tell what is?

As for the posting a link thingy, I've already apologised for that. Didn't know how to.

[Krstic]

Doesn't prove anything.

Cork City gave Gamble a new contract and Hugh Pay rise and were looking to bring in 3 or 4 new players to strenghten theie squad before it went all tits up for them.

Drogs gave shane robinson a new improved 3 year contract and also signed Faz. Not exactly signs of a team that is now going part time next year is it?

I don't think anybody here is deliberlty trying to have a go at Derry. They might be one a the best supported clubs in the league, but they too a spending quite a bit of money on wages and it is only too right that people are sceptical of their fiances.

If I was a fan of Derry, and seeing what was going on with other clubs int eh league, I wouldn't be quoting people within the clubs who are saying that "Everything is Ok". I would be demanding answers and making sure that everything is ok

Agree totally Bulmerskid.

My point is, that as of 12.39pm on Friday 10th october, no-one at Derry City has mentioned going part-time, as has been suggested on this thread.

[Dodge]

Fair enough on the link. Apologies for that tone too (Simply cut and pate it from the browser address bar as you would any piece of text)

But again, I wasn't rumour mongering. I said I read they were going partime, and then showed where I read it. I didn't say whether it was true, or whther people sould believe it. I just backed up a couple of people who said they read it aswell.

Rovers maniac was rumour mongering. I wasn't. He was possibly trying to have a dig at Derry, I wasn't. If you weren't so defensive over this, you may agree (and yeah I get the irony of that statement).

[Dodge]

Agree totally Bulmerskid.

My point is, that as of 12.39pm on Friday 10th october, Knowone at Derry City has mentioned going part-time, as has been suggested on this thread.

Jesus, give it a rest will you, you've made your point several times over now, and no one has disagreed with you since the first time

[BulmersKid]

I don't understand why people keep saying that its good for the league that clubs go bust? I can see the point of view of over spending on wages however what's wrong with a bit of vision?

Clubs going bust is never a good thing. But the reckless nature that these clubs were run was just plain madness. Not one club had a plan B.

No real business model. Drogs had a good idea but wnet about it arse ways. They should have made sure they got planning first and put money into the team as they were building the stadium. Or even built up the team before building the stadium to help finance it.

All the clubs that are in trouble were one trick ponies:

Cork looking for an All-Ireland league

Bohs looking for the sale of Dalymount

St. Pats looking for Euro glory

Not one of them had a sound fbusiness model if thinks went wrong. They were spending money they thought would arrive but with no thought of the consequences if it didn't.

Thats the problem.

Clubs didn't learn from Shels so it need a bigger bang for them to sit up and take notice.

Thats why this is seen as a good thing that clubs are going bust. It gives the league a chance to reform and have a decent look at the problems.

Just need someone other that the FAI to sort it out

[Dodge]

All the clubs that are in trouble were one trick ponies:

St. Pats looking for Euro glory


Pats absolutely did not plan on any european glory this year. I can tell you that for a fact. (For what its worth, they budgeted for one game, as in 2006). The extra income has come as a pleasent surprise

[BulmersKid]

As for the posting a link thingy, I've already apologised for that. Didn't know how to.

Just copy and paste the link from the browser address bar

[passinginterest]

As has already been said in this thread, there's nothing wrong with having a vision, the problem arises when that vision is short sighted, cross-eyed and essentially blind.

Clubs are deciding that they can run when they should be starting to crawl. Nothing was wrong with Shels, Drogheda or Bohs wanting to sell their assets and redevelop new grounds. The problems arose because they didn't have the vision required to wait until these projects were actually completed before spending the money they expected to make from them.

Why couldn't Drogheda continue to live within their means until their development was completed? Why expose the club to such a massive debt? Same goes for Shels and Bohs. Shamrock Rovers were guilty of the same in the past, they got lucky and now they have their house in order, they've stuck to a budget they can afford and will only spend what additional revenue the move to Tallaght will make, not what they projected it might make.

It's sad to see clubs going to the wall like this, we'd all love to see a thriving, healthy league, however if the current crisis leads to better practice and sustainable clubs, within a sustainable league then some good will have come from it.

[BulmersKid]

Pats absolutely did not plan on any european glory this year. I can tell you that for a fact. (For what its worth, they budgeted for one game, as in 2006). The extra income has come as a pleasent surprise

You are probably right, or a least know more than me.

Was just trying to think off the top of my head of why Pats would invest heavily with money they have no way of making back unless they were banking on success of some sort.

[Dodge]

I didn't say they weren't doing that. Kelleher's master paln is for a youth acedemy to rival others in England (not neccesairly the Arsenal, Man U types) but, in his opinion, for young footballers to see Ireland as a viable option, they need to have a succesful first team to aim for. In his defence, he has improved the ground, and we know from some sources that he has started the ball moving on other gound/off field improvements.

Pats have budgeted for losses for the next few years (and this year our expected losses are far lower than budgetted for). The hope is that the planning is long term (and Kelleher's €10 million bond would indicate it is)

[MariborKev]

Not one of them had a sound fbusiness model if thinks went wrong. They were spending money they thought would arrive but with no thought of the consequences if it didn't.

Thats the problem.

As, no-one has seen that:rolleyes:

Sound models in the football world, globally, are few and far between. Unfortunately they aren't really successful either, as when everyone else is off winning trophies based on unsustainable models, they are treading water.

[pineapple stu]

as for the other bit, I know of very few companies that pay outstanding bills on their due date.
You didn't even know you owed us money; how do you know how long it's been owed?

With respect, your knowledge of DCFC seems limited at best. I'd suggest having a detailed look before coming back and commenting again.

[Louth4sam]

IMO we should now fold rather than revert and regress, we tried it all and we ultimately failed but at least we have some great memories. Couldnt face partime football back in the doldrums and potentially playing sides who are tenants of a college rugby side - I can go to leinster senior league and watch Boyne Rovers or Drogheda Town if that is the level of our expectations.

What a crock of ****, you've obviously only being following the drogs for a couple of seasons and one of the thousand or so bandwagon jumpers in Drogheda. Most fans would be still delighted to have a club, you didnt hear any of that talk when Dundalk, Rovers, Shels got into trouble.
I hope the REAL fans of Drogheda can do something to keep the club going because it would be a shame for the league and football in the north-east if Drogheda go out of football.

[Krstic]

You didn't even know you owed us money; how do you know how long it's been owed?

With respect, your knowledge of DCFC seems limited at best. I'd suggest having a detailed look before coming back and commenting again.

What the fcuk are you talking about, all i said was it's not unusual for companies to hold off paying bills.

Maybe you should step down of your high horse before coming back and commenting again.

And what content of any of my posts makes you say that 'my knowledge of Derry city seems limited at best'?
I never claimed to know anything about Derry City, you did in your "As far as i am aware statement" post 105

[WindmillWarrior]

Founded 1963 and renamed 1975
Domestic Honours
League Of Ireland Champions 2007, Runner Up 1982/83
League Of Ireland 1st Division Champions 1988/89, 90/91, 98/99, 01/02, Runner Up 1994/95, 1996/97
FAI Cup Winners 2005, Runner Up 1971, 1976
League Cup Winners 1983/84
League Of Ireland Shield Winners 1991
Entered League 1963

Compare this to your so called small towns, windmill.

Sligo
Formed 1928
League Champions: 1937, 1977
League Runners-up: 1939, 1951
First Division Champions: 1994, 2005
First Division Runners-up: 1986, 1990
F.A.I. Cup Winners: 1983, 1994
F.A.I. Cup Runners-up: 1939, 1940, 1970, 1978, 1981
League Cup Winners: 1998
League Cup Runners-up: 1976, 1977, 1996
Shield Winners: 1994
Shield Runners-up: 1940

Dundalk
Formed 1930
League Champions:(1932-33, 1962-63, 1966-67, 1975-76, 1978-79, 1981-82, 1987-88, 1990-91, 1994-95)

First Division Champions:1 (2000-01)

FAI Cup Winners:9 (1942, 1949, 1952, 1958, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1988, 2002)

League Cup Winners:4 (1977-78, 1980-81, 1986-87, 1989-90)

Athlone
Founded 1887
FAI Premier Division Titles: 2 1980-81, 1982-83
FAI First Division League Titles: 1 1987-1988
FAI Cup: 1 1924
League Cups: 3 1979-80, 1981-82, 1982-83

wise up and smell the coffee

What are you going on about with all that, ya lunatic?!! Steve said that one of the reasons for Drogheda being unsuccessful throughout much of our history was because we were a small town, yeah? My point was that teams from smaller towns had won more than Drogheda. So what coffee you're on about I don't know!



check the last census - dundalk is a bigger town than drogheda population wise anyway.

You check the bleedin census, because Drogheda is bigger (by 5 people!!) than D*ndalk. Drogheda is the largest urban area in Ireland after the 5 cities.



To my mind drogheda is just a satellite town from dublin.

yeah, and to my mind Sligo is just a town full of pikeys :rolleyes:

[dcfcsteve]

Absurd, factually inaccurate, untrue and actually rather insulting.

Care to explain how/why ?

Or does your arguement solely consist of a stream of a 'how very dare you' hyperbole...? :confused:

[dcfcsteve]

Don't worry about it. Steve has a hard on for complaining about "towns". He rubbishes every non city team at every availabel oppurtunity. Conveniently forgetting about the likes of Dundalk and Athlone.


- Hence :whilst pretty much every club in the league from a larger urban area and/or a town with a soccer tradition experienced success in the years since Drogs joined in 1963 (Athlone, Waterford, Sligo, Galway, Dundalk, Limerick, Cork, Derry) success eluded them fior 42 years.

Seems you're the one with the hard on for complaining....

:o

[dcfcsteve]

this is the line that has been coming out of the Brandywell for the past three months.

No it isn't.

It's the line that's been coming out of a small numebr of people's arses outside of Derry - mostly, it seems, on Foot.ie...

[Dodge]

Seems you're the one with the hard on for complaining....

:o

Apologies steve, its seems you aren't quite the côck I thought you were

[dcfcsteve]

Apologies steve, its seems you aren't quite the côck I thought you were

I'd love to be able to say the same in-return, amigo... :D

[mr.untitled]

Care to explain how/why ?

Or does your arguement solely consist of a stream of a 'how very dare you' hyperbole...? :confused:

I'm not quite sure what your on about Steve, Alot of drogheda united fans are hurting at the moment and you are wondering why a statement like 'your town is devoid of football history and culture' is insulting......

[dcfcsteve]

Steve said that one of the reasons for Drogheda being unsuccessful throughout much of our history was because we were a small town, yeah? My point was that teams from smaller towns had won more than Drogheda. So what coffee you're on about I don't know!


Selective quoting there Windmill.

I sited two reasons for Drogheda going 42 years without much success :

1) It being a relatively small urban area (though admittedly it has expanded rapidly in recent years), and
2) It not being a traditional soccer town (unlike smaller, but moire successful, footballing towns like Sligo, Athlone and Dundalk).

Small population and no tradition of football equal rubbish crowds in Irish football. Rubbish crowds equal very limited revenues, which equals lack of success.

It was only when a sugar daddy and a property-development play came into being that Drogheda actually became 'succesful'. Which just proves my point. Drogheda were playing at a level that they otherwise wouldn't and couldn't have survived at. Sooner or later, the status quo has to be returned to.

P.S. Anyone who claims Drogheda's four 1st Division titles as some indicator of success needs shooting. Drogheda is the most relegated club in Ireland - fact. Sent down 5 times - including an absurd period across the 90's when the club went up and then straight back down again for 8 years in succession (1993/4 - 2000/1). They only won the First Division 4 times because they weren't good enough to keep out of the bloody place !

[Drogman.]

Small population and no tradition of football equal rubbish crowds in Irish football. Rubbish crowds equal very limited revenues, which equals lack of success.


What's with the no tradition of football? GAA in Louth is terrible and for the smallest county in Ireland to have 2 League of Ireland teams is remarkable considering other places that you would expect to have one.

What constitutes a football tradition? There has been football in Drogheda since 1919, and the town has produced Irish internationals like Gary Kelly, Ian Harte, Nicky Colgan and to a lesser extent footballer Sean Thornton. Other players like Gary Tallon who was with Blackburn the year after they won the Premier League would have made it but only for a serious injury. That's more players playing for Ireland or whoever there than some other areas put together!

Get over yourself Steve, for a Derry City fan you really are full of more sh*t than I originally thought.

[mr.untitled]

sher newcastle united have hardly ever won anything, hmmmm.... id say its probably because that city is devoid of football culture and history....yea, that must be it.

[Dodge]

Steve, Derry fans are in no position to speak about other clubs' successes.

As your own chairman says (http://www.derrycityfc.net/season/08/news/displaystory.php?storyid=340)


People keep telling me Derry City are a 'big club' and should be winning trophies on a regular basis but what is this based on? We have won 3 league titles in 80 years of trying.

[Celdrog]

They only won the First Division 4 times because they weren't good enough to keep out of the bloody place !
All perfectly true.
The diametric opposite is also true. The club at that time were too good to stay in the graveyard division so we kept on being promoted.

[Drogman.]

Vision is putting long term structures in place to sustain and develop a football club. Not one eircom league club has ever demonstrated anything other then a boom/bust type plan.

Drogheda's plan was a 3-4 year plan. If it didnt work there was no other option but to go back to how it was.

That's what they were trying to do! Admittedly it was a risky way of doing it, but all business plans are like that.

At the moment the directors cannot finance the club for another 4 years due to being let down in the stadium project. The plan C now is to start at the bottom of the ladder again and hopefully get back to full-time status with new stadium in the next 5 years or so.

We can't stay in Utd Park if we want to play Premier Division football, End of. So the club had no alternative to try and get this stadium to develop and put down structures for the future. Because of some stupid planning decisions this hasn't happened so the club has no alternative now to cut costs and start from the bottom of the ladder again.