Interesting Drogheda News

[dapman1]

Drogheda United Football Club have asked the Drogheda public to come out in force tonight, as the club hold a public meeting to discuss the future of the club.

The meeting, which has been called for Wednesday night at 8.30pm in the Drogheda Institute of Further Education, has been called to outline the situation the club finds itself in, and what can be done to save the club from extinction.

Terry Collins of Drogheda United said: 'We're on our last legs here, and things are looking bad. We need to raise a large sum by 12 December if we are to have any chance of surviving. We're looking for the support of all Drogheda United fans to come out tonight and do what they can to help save their club.'

[Black and White]

Might head up to that and wear my Dundalk jersey...they might even be that nice to me and ask me to loan them abit of cash!!lol

[oriel]

Theres nothing 'interesting' about this, its a very serious situation they are in and I for one dearly hope they can come out of it as a club in existence.

Ive no time for anyone enjoying others doom and gloom, you`re only as strong as your weakest link etc

Surely the town can get behind them and get a package together

I need my derby games next season !!

[Black and White]

I think we all do...hasnt been a competitive one in what 10 years or so...if you exclude the jim malone cup every february!!was lloking forward to this until they wrecked their own club!

[holidaysong]

I think we all do...hasnt been a competitive one in what 10 years or so...

August 2005 in the FAI Cup in Oriel. Our first match back in Oriel after getting the new pitch..

[Black and White]

Yeah wasnt at that for some reason!!...forgot we played them a few time sin cups here and there...but still wasnt a league fixture!!with the incentive of finishing above our rivals!no fun when we always finished above monaghan!!

[Drogman.]

It is serious but there are also other issues to resolve as regards getting this money.

Tough questions will be asked and hopefully answered honestly.

[holidaysong]

It is serious but there are also other issues to resolve as regards getting this money.

Tough questions will be asked and hopefully answered honestly.

I hope they are asked because from what I heard the last meeting didn't have very many tough questions..

[Dunny]

I hope they are asked because from what I heard the last meeting didn't have very many tough questions..

Well now is the time for the toughest of questions...hope tonight goes well for them.

[A face]

There is a piece on the 6.01 News tonight on RTE 1

[Black and White]

Anyone drog fans out there going to this...if so can ye post up the outcome!!

[dcfcsteve]

August 2005 in the FAI Cup in Oriel. Our first match back in Oriel after getting the new pitch..

As an aside - where did you play games whilst the new pitch was being sorted ?

[OneRedArmy]

It is serious but there are also other issues to resolve as regards getting this money.

Tough questions will be asked and hopefully answered honestly.It sounds like its way beyond tough question time and the only option is enough people getting chequebooks out?

[Black and White]

We played down in monaghan so lets never speak of that again!

[forza rovers]

so if drogs go bust who gets their place?

[Black and White]

Most righful situation would be to let Fin Harps stay up seen as though 2 years ago...we won the playoff against waterford...galway promoted ahead of us...shels went bust and demoted and waterford where allowed stay up!

[WexCar]

scenario -- drogs go bust, murvue reject place in league. kildare therefore keep their place, who takes up remaining place?

[holidaysong]

We played down in monaghan so lets never speak of that again!

The first two were played in Drogheda, the rest in Monaghan.

[holidaysong]

scenario -- drogs go bust, murvue reject place in league. kildare therefore keep their place, who takes up remaining place?

Relegate Kildare anyway and have two divisions of 10. That would solve the problem of teams playing uneven home and away games..

[Black and White]

Just on news there...drogs chairman vincent hoey said that the club need to raise €100,000 by end of week and another €100,000 by end of month in order to survive!!!

[eamo1]

Those figures to be made in that length of time is extremely dire lads,the fat lady is clearing her throat i think.I REALLY hope somebody,anybody can step in and help.

[rambler14]

Those figures to be made in that length of time is extremely dire lads,the fat lady is clearing her throat i think.I REALLY hope somebody,anybody can step in and help.

At this moment in time in the middle of a recession no individual can help you'd need a consortium.
The only individual who would "touch" Drogs at the moment is a cheap tranny and still there is no guaranteed payment!

[Dunny]

Drogs need to raise €100,000 by the 12th.

[Ash]

Drogs need to raise €100,000 by the 12th.

And another €100,000 by the end of the month

[brianw82]

Don't shoot me for saying this, but what about appealing to Louth footballers like Gary Kelly, Stan etc? Maybe one of them would be willing to help the club out if their heartstrings were sufficiently pulled?
Desperate times....

[Dodge]

Just on news there...drogs chairman vincent hoey said that the club need to raise €100,000 by end of week and another €100,000 by end of month in order to survive!!!

Even then he's kidding himself. he told the meeting that the examiner has said they need 500K by next week (may have been end of month...) but Hoey thinks that 100k will buy more time?! On what basis?

He's called on fans to raise money and told them that if the club goes under, they'd get it all back. Which is rubbihs as the examiner would still need to pay off debts (never mond his own hefty 6 figure fee)

Ridiculous stuff from Drogheda.

[Drogman.]

Even then he's kidding himself. he told the meeting that the examiner has said they need 500K by next week (may have been end of month...) but Hoey thinks that 100k will buy more time?! On what basis?

He's called on fans to raise money and told them that if the club goes under, they'd get it all back. Which is rubbihs as the examiner would still need to pay off debts (never mond his own hefty 6 figure fee)

Ridiculous stuff from Drogheda.

Lads, very emotional meeting last night, Vincent explained everything that was unclear and asked the supporters whether we throught if it was worth saving our club. Everyone said YES.

Anyway various idea's were branded about on how to raise the money in the short space of time.

Just to clear up on the 100K by next week. Myself and some other committee members of the DUISC (Drogheda Utd Independent Supporters Club) met with Vincent before the meeting and asked him the questions that we expected everyone to ask at the meeting. We explained that the main concern was that if money was raised that it would go into this "black hole" that the examiner would take the money and the club may not be saved.

He said that the money raised would be held in trust and details would be provided to the examiner on what has been raised and what's going on. Then if he feels confident that it would be enough to go to the court to get an extension to raise further funds then he'll advise the club.

As regards it failing and money going back to supporters, we asked him that and he suggested that the source of all donations are all recorded and at the end if it fails he will come back and ask supporters if they wish to take the money back or do we want it to cover the fees himself and the other directors (Well it's actually only himself now) are liable for. Hopefully we won't get to that stage, but he was sincere with us before the main meeting and at this stage I have no reason not to believe him as my concerns have been addressed.

[Dodge]

I wish you nothing but luck Drogman. One thing I'd suggest you do is check with the examiner to see if Hoey has things correct. I'm not saying he's dishonest, but he may have got something wrong. Its too important not to check

[Drogman.]

I wish you nothing but luck Drogman. One thing I'd suggest you do is check with the examiner to see if Hoey has things correct. I'm not saying he's dishonest, but he may have got something wrong. Its too important not to check

Indeed, we've made some contact and waiting for an update, however as Vincent is a seasoned solicitor and has dealt in this situation before, I'm confident that he's explained things right.

Thanks for the best wishes.

To be honest, I was prepared and suggested at the pre-meeting last night about letting the club/company be wound up and start afresh again. Nobody, well those involved with the club, wanted to go down that route saying that it was too be a task. It was mentioned that we would have to re-apply for a licence and start off in the A Championship if successfull. I see no problem with that but this is the route they want to go so fair enough.

[White Horse]

Lads, very emotional meeting last night, Vincent explained everything that was unclear and asked the supporters whether we throught if it was worth saving our club. Everyone said YES.

All true football fans want to see League of Ireland football continue in Drogheda.

I just wonder whether saving the current club is practical. The amounts mentioned are so huge that it may be more practical to form a new club and lobby the FAI for a place in the first division next season.

You were at the meeting and are more aware of the financial situation than me. However, I just wonder whether it would be better raising funds from supporters for a new supporter-owned club.

[Black and White]

Indeed you could follow the way supporters have done it in England...AFC Wimbledon, Telford went out of business but the fans formed a new AFC Telford but to name a few!

[holidaysong]

Don't shoot me for saying this, but what about appealing to Louth footballers like Gary Kelly, Stan etc? Maybe one of them would be willing to help the club out if their heartstrings were sufficiently pulled?


Stan ?!?! :D

[Drogman.]

All true football fans want to see League of Ireland football continue in Drogheda.

I just wonder whether saving the current club is practical. The amounts mentioned are so huge that it may be more practical to form a new club and lobby the FAI for a place in the first division next season.

You were at the meeting and are more aware of the financial situation than me. However, I just wonder whether it would be better raising funds from supporters for a new supporter-owned club.

Yeah thats the way I was thinking. However from speaking to others there about it, there was some concerns on how would take up the task of running the club?

It's a big task, but that didn't seem to have been considered as far as I can see.

[LK37oldskool]

Good luck to Drogheda. Hate so see clubs go bust,we've been through the mill a few times ourselves and it ain't pretty.Premier football is almost certainly out of yer reach next season though.

[OneRedArmy]

Yeah thats the way I was thinking. However from speaking to others there about it, there was some concerns on how would take up the task of running the club?

It's a big task, but that didn't seem to have been considered as far as I can see.Its a valid question to ask.

As long as you had access to a suitable ground (no mean feat given the complicated situation around United Park), it sounds like it would be no more difficult starting afresh as even if you paid back the E200k you wouldn't have a cent to put towards next years budget.

[holidaysong]

Would Drogheda Town FC or Boyne Rovers FC be in any sort of a position to step up to the LOI with a bit of investment from DUFC fans? It would save you from having to start completely from scratch..

If that isn't possible and DUFC do go under then I hope you can get an 'FC United of Drogheda' up and running and back in the league as soon as possible.

[passerrby]

Indeed,
To be honest, I was prepared and suggested at the pre-meeting last night about letting the club/company be wound up and start afresh again. Nobody, well those involved with the club, wanted to go down that route saying that it was too be a task. It was mentioned that we would have to re-apply for a licence and start off in the A Championship if successfull. I see no problem with that but this is the route they want to go so fair enough.

There may be merit in your idea it would require hard work and some assistance from the fai but i think this is a better option also any fundrasing can be tergetted at the new team and not to a bottemless pit.
as a aside i passed the windmill pub a few days ago and seen a planning application up for an extention plus carparking does that impact on united park

[Drogman.]

Would Drogheda Town FC or Boyne Rovers FC be in any sort of a position to step up to the LOI with a bit of investment from DUFC fans? It would save you from having to start completely from scratch..

If that isn't possible and DUFC do go under then I hope you can get an 'FC United of Drogheda' up and running and back in the league as soon as possible.

Nah, those clubs are up to their eyes trying to keep afloat in the LSL, so I can't see them wanting to jump to the LOI.

Well, myself and a few others in the supporters club are still keeping that option there. I'm doing some research on it as a side to the fundraising, but obvisouly the easier option is for the club to survive and not having to go through all that.

I'd suggest that if you read the licencing manual, there's some amount of crap that needs to be fulfilled.

[srfc-1901]

There may be merit in your idea it would require hard work and some assistance from the fai but i think this is a better option also any fundrasing can be tergetted at the new team and not to a bottemless pit.
as a aside i passed the windmill pub a few days ago and seen a planning application up for an extention plus carparking does that impact on united park


Would a Drogheda fan please be able to tell me why haven`t the fans been calling for Hoey`s head?

You can blame the NRA yada yada yada but at the end of the day the NRA were within their rights to object.Hoey (to me anyway) seems to have banked on this going through (when there was a fair chance of it failing) and the champions league, by spending a ridiculous amounts on players- it didnt pay off and now there ****ed.How is this not Hoey`s fault?????????
As a Rovers fan I know better than anyone about stadium deals falling through but we (the current owners not the previous cowboys) didnt go banking on winning the court case by spending stupid sums,if we had`ve lost that case we would still be financially sound now.If I was a drogs fan I`d try to setup some sort of fans group to take over the club and show Hoey the door.

Best of luck with it all,but please take your heads out of the sand and dont be giving this man your money

[Drogman.]

Would a Drogheda fan please be able to tell me why haven`t the fans been calling for Hoey`s head?

You can blame the NRA yada yada yada but at the end of the day the NRA were within their rights to object.Hoey (to me anyway) seems to have banked on this going through (when there was a fair chance of it failing) and the champions league, by spending a ridiculous amounts on players- it didnt pay off and now there ****ed.How is this not Hoey`s fault?????????
As a Rovers fan I know better than anyone about stadium deals falling through but we (the current owners not the previous cowboys) didnt go banking on winning the court case by spending stupid sums,if we had`ve lost that case we would still be financially sound now.If I was a drogs fan I`d try to setup some sort of fans group to take over the club and show Hoey the door.

Best of luck with it all,but please take your heads out of the sand and dont be giving this man your money

I agree, this is completely the boards fault that we're in this position and that no plan B was setup. I've vented my comments on this and like you say, some people still have their heads stuck in the sand.

However, unlike the other directors Vincent has been with Drogheda for near on 30 years, he's saved the club himself on a number of different occasions so I wouldn't lay all the blame on him. Yes he's answerable but he was influenced from other quarters as well.

This has been suggested, and at last nights meeting the 400+ fans there agreed that they wanted to save the club, so that's whats happening. If the people want to save the current club then you have to respect that decision.

Vincent has confirmed that his aim is to save the club and if that happens then he will hand the reigns over to someone else. The new Supporters club, DUISC, have already laid out what aims and objectives they have and what is expected if the club survives.

I expect the club to possibly be in the First Division, at this stage if that happens I'll be a happy man.

[pete]

Vincent has confirmed that his aim is to save the club and if that happens then he will hand the reigns over to someone else. The new Supporters club, DUISC, have already laid out what aims and objectives they have and what is expected if the club survives.

I know if Arkaga had continued to run CCFC it would have been very difficult to get fans to contribute to the Supporters Trust.

To an outsider like me Hoey is face of DUFC & he doesn't impress. Seems to have taken far too long to get to this weeks meeting situation & talk of outside investors sounds hollow.

[Horus]

I know if Arkaga had continued to run CCFC it would have been very difficult to get fans to contribute to the Supporters Trust.

To an outsider like me Hoey is face of DUFC & he doesn't impress. Seems to have taken far too long to get to this weeks meeting situation & talk of outside investors sounds hollow.

Shame you weren't at the meeting then. I think you might have changed your mind about Hoey not impressing. I know all the dissenters before the meeting had changed their minds by the end and they can't all be wrong.

[Kildareman]

I expect the club to possibly be in the First Division, at this stage if that happens I'll be a happy man.

If the Drogs dont get a Premier Licence it will be because of their financial position. This is also the very reason why they wouldnt get a First Division Licence.

The question of stadia can be sorted by groundshare.

Its sad to say, but the next stop for Drogs is the A Championship if a miracle doesnt happen first.

[Drogman.]

If the Drogs dont get a Premier Licence it will be because of their financial position. This is also the very reason why they wouldnt get a First Division Licence.

The question of stadia can be sorted by groundshare.

Its sad to say, but the next stop for Drogs is the A Championship if a miracle doesnt happen first.

So what if its the A championship that we end up in? At least we'll have a football club which the fans can be involved in and take it back up to the First and Premier leagues.

Once there's a football club there in a months time, I don't care what league we're in!

[srfc-1901]

I know if Arkaga had continued to run CCFC it would have been very difficult to get fans to contribute to the Supporters Trust.

To an outsider like me Hoey is face of DUFC & he doesn't impress. Seems to have taken far too long to get to this weeks meeting situation & talk of outside investors sounds hollow.

How did he impress?Going on about the stadium etc,pleading with fans to donate?

The only way DUFC will survive is if the judge believes DUFC can function in future- Hoey getting a load of fans to contribute once off payments aint much of a business plan and no judge in the counrty would be impressed,the reason the judge allowed us to continue is because we proved we could survive and prosper in the future because we had proper business plans,regular contributions from the 400 club, a new board took over from the other shower and they could see where they went wrong etc.
The fact that Hoey is blaming the stadium and not his reckless spending makes me think that he`d do it all again if he could,and then we`ll be back to square one.I`ll say it again take your head out of the sand lads,its pretty much like Ridsdale asking Leeds fans for donations after he went on a reckless spending spree-Who in their right mind would have given him money-who in their right mind would contribute to DUFC while the man who got them into this mess is the man asking for it????????:confused:

[holidaysong]

If the Drogs dont get a Premier Licence it will be because of their financial position. This is also the very reason why they wouldnt get a First Division Licence.

I often wondered how Shelbourne managed to get a first division licence the year their finances were a mess.. Surely the rules which deemed that they weren't financially sound enough for the premier division would be the same rules in place for the first division...? :confused:

[Drogman.]

How did he impress?Going on about the stadium etc,pleading with fans to donate?

The only way DUFC will survive is if the judge believes DUFC can function in future- Hoey getting a load of fans to contribute once off payments aint much of a business plan and no judge in the counrty would be impressed,the reason the judge allowed us to continue is because we proved we could survive and prosper in the future because we had proper business plans,regular contributions from the 400 club, a new board took over from the other shower and they could see where they went wrong etc.
The fact that Hoey is blaming the stadium and not his reckless spending makes me think that he`d do it all again if he could,and then we`ll be back to square one.I`ll say it again take your head out of the sand lads,its pretty much like Ridsdale asking Leeds fans for donations after he went on a reckless spending spree-Who in their right mind would have given him money-who in their right mind would contribute to DUFC while the man who got them into this mess is the man asking for it????????:confused:


Like I said, I know what you mean, but would you be prepared to watch Shamrock Rovers die just so you can get one up on the board?

I want DUFC to continue on. As I stated before, some of these payments are once off yes, however after last nights meeting there was an massive push to get the 500 club going again. At the moment that's being put together so that will contribute to the running of the club going forward. The new supporters club DUISC, which I am secretary of, have stated that one of our aims is to raise funds so that it will contribute to the financing of the club. We have good people in this group now and the rest of the support base are behind us.

This is not anything like Risdale of Leeds or whatever other comparison you can come up with.

Mistakes were made, I know that and a lot of fans are not happy about them, however we've wiped the slate clean and starting afresh.

Hoey won't be at the club next year other than being a fellow supporter. Whoever the new board is, they will be well briefed on what supporters expect from the club in the future.

[holidaysong]

I seen the photos of the meeting on the official club website earlier. It looked like an impressive turnout alright. If I remember correctly, it said that €30,000 was collected last night. If that is right then there is hope yet!

[John83]

This is not anything like Risdale of Leeds...
Seriously?

[srfc-1901]

Like I said, I know what you mean, but would you be prepared to watch Shamrock Rovers die just so you can get one up on the board?

I want DUFC to continue on. As I stated before, some of these payments are once off yes, however after last nights meeting there was an massive push to get the 500 club going again. At the moment that's being put together so that will contribute to the running of the club going forward. The new supporters club DUISC, which I am secretary of, have stated that one of our aims is to raise funds so that it will contribute to the financing of the club. We have good people in this group now and the rest of the support base are behind us.

This is not anything like Risdale of Leeds or whatever other comparison you can come up with.

Mistakes were made, I know that and a lot of fans are not happy about them, however we've wiped the slate clean and starting afresh.

Hoey won't be at the club next year other than being a fellow supporter. Whoever the new board is, they will be well briefed on what supporters expect from the club in the future.


Sorry I was supposed to be quoting Horus about how the man who brought this all on "impressed" at the meeting, although I dont see how its not like Leeds- to me its the exact same,just that the number are far smaller and a stadium issue thrown in so people will have sympathy to Hoey.Best of luck with the 500 club.Whats your realistic chances of being able to get enough people to commit?