Kildare Decision Appeal

[LFC in Exile]

Lads,

Does anyone know if the club have lodged an appeal against the Board of Control's decision on Kildare - or are we keeping our heads down so as not to annoy the FAI? I have set up a petition, and am asking fans at other clubs if they will help get signatures at other first division matches this week. If the club don't appeal though it's all a waste of time. Any news?

[joeSoap]

I think an appeal would be quite futile in this instance. There's no way in hell that those idiots are going to reverse their own decision, and they'll just point out that the Board of Control have precedence in these matters and have only fined clubs in the past.
I know it sucks, but thats just the way I see it.:mad: :mad:

[Ringo]

DUBLIN CITY manager John Gill got three months for a crime that no one can prove he committed but Kildare County escaped with a €250 fine for playing an illegal player.

Something is wrong in the state of eircom League football and it smells to high heaven! No wonder Dublin City Chief Executive Ronan Seery was seething when he heard of the fine for Eric Hannigan's team when first division commentators were all convinced that the Thoroughbreds were looking at a deduction of points.

"I mean no ill will towards Kildare, but I know that if it were Dublin City that was involved my gut instinct tells me we'd have been docked points."

"I believe the Board of Management has made a mockery out of the Rule Book on this occasion. Certainly the latitude not to dock points exists in the rule, but the reality is that Kildare played a suspended player. If a schoolboy or junior soccer club played a suspended player they'd have the book thrown at them and there's no getting away from it, but the decision now leaves clubs wide open to play suspended players and just pay a fine later on. There is principle involved here and you now have clubs pointing the error of their ways out to the people who in actual fact should be giving proper leadership in this matter. It's a joke, that's what it is."

"Ignorance of the rules or of players who stand suspended should not be tolerated and should not be acceptable as a defense. Every club who goes about their business in a proper way might as well say 'to hell with it' if that's the way the Board of Management is going to behave. This is not about undermining Kildare but about protecting the rule book in a proper and respectful way"

Manager John Gill was equally scathing about events surrounding Ray Kenny's appearance against Finn Harps. "The dogs in the street were talking about it, but fair play to Kildare for getting away with it, but I don't believe the outcome serves the best interests of the game."

Added Gill: "I got suspended for three months after being found guilty of something I didn't do, so I'm aware of the capabilities of some people involved in running the league. We try and run our club in a professional way and something like this happens and you just have to shake your head in disbelief."

"If I need a player for a game and he's suspended I can now play him and happily pay the €250 fine. That's what they're saying here. I don't have a problem with Kildare but the Board of Control should have a close look at themselves. I wonder if the punishment would have been the same had Kildare won the game instead of losing it 2-1?"

Quote from Board of Control of the Eircom League; "The board of Control at its meeting last night, 16th. October 2003, considered the case of Ray Kenny playing while under suspension in an Eircom League First Division game v Finn Harps on Friday 3rd. October 2003. The letters from your club and your manager Eric Hannigan were considered and the Board was satisfied with the explanation offered as to how this happened.

However the Board decided to impose a fine of €250 in accordance with Rule 21.4 for this offence"

Eircom League chairman Brendan Dillon defended the Board of Control, pointing to two recent incidents where no points were deducted.

Athlone Town played the suspended Michael Harney against Bray on August 10 and Kilkenny fielded Barry Woods against Sligo on August 9 and in both case no points were deducted.

[LFC in Exile]

Originally posted by joeSoap
I think an appeal would be quite futile in this instance. There's no way in hell that those idiots are going to reverse their own decision, and they'll just point out that the Board of Control have precedence in these matters and have only fined clubs in the past.
I know it sucks, but thats just the way I see it.:mad: :mad:

Couldn't disagree with you more. We have a chance of getting into the playoffs. Our chances would be improved if we appeal and were successful. Do you think any other club would not appeal? To say that the FAI are idiots as an excuse to do nothing is just a cop out. A play-off game in Limerick would be not be enough but would go some way to showing how strong a side we have and would generate interest in teh club in teh city which is badly needed.

The FAI want this to go away - they don't want more negative publicity. Limerick have a very strong case. That others were fined is irrelevant to Limerick's case - we would appeal Kildare's situation.

Anyway, the attitude of 'sure what can we do' is becoming pervasive in this club. If the club really wanted to finish as high as possible then they would at least make a shape to challenging this decision. But apathy rules.

[joeSoap]

Fair points, and all are taken on board. However if this case was a precedent,which it isn't, then we would have far stronger grounds to appeal. Maybe the importance of the points in this instance might be a mitigating factor, but as I said earlier, these guys aren't going to reverse their decision when they have already doled out similar punishments as fines in the past.

[Ringo]

if you don't ask, they won't change it. no harm in trying. might make them think again.

[joeSoap]

Originally posted by Ringo
if you don't ask, they won't change it. no harm in trying. might make them think again.
Plenty of harm when you have to foot the bill for an appeal and you haven't got a brass farthing in the bank!!

[LFC in Exile]

Back to the original quesiton. Does anyone know whether the club has appealed or is planning on appealling the decision?

[LFC in Exile]

As posted on the eL message board: "To quote Mr T (a Harps fan), all ths ranting and raving, petitions etc. will achieve nothing if Galway United and / or Limerick FC don't raise the issue directly with the eircom League".

That's correct. There are no indications that either club is appealling this. It's ridiculous. Of course fans can help e.g. petitions, but we're wasting our time unless the clubs stop going along with the establishment and become less apathetic and do something. Nothing will change at the FAI unless the clubs press them. It is in Limerick's interest to push this, I find the lack of activity curious and disappointing.

[JohnD]

According to what I have just heard the Club Secretary has been asked to lodge an appeal or at least go about finding out what can be done by next Tues commitee meeting. I have informed the Club about the on line Petition and gave them the address for more signings.

[deise deserter]

SLK - any chance you could stick a post with just the link to the online petition on the top of the page?

[sadloserkid]

Originally posted by deise deserter
SLK - any chance you could stick a post with just the link to the online petition on the top of the page?

Consider it done my good man.