View Full Version : Why are Drogheda United being looked after?
SMorgan
11/02/2009, 3:54 PM
Why are Drogheda United being looked after to the extent that they are by the FAI?
As a governing body the FAI has a duty to be even-handed and not to be seen to give aid the one club, yet not supporting other clubs are perhaps more deserving and that didn't have the advantage of going into examinership.
When can the other clubs expect to receive their money equal to the amount that the FAI are pumping into the black-hole that is Drogheda United?
http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/sport/soccer/1400-seats-to-replace-terrace-1636382.html
It’s an absolute disgrace that a club that is so badly run and frankly an embarrassment to the league is getting this support.
absolutely no need for ANOTHER thread on Drogheda - this is being covered in plenty of other threads...
SMorgan
11/02/2009, 4:25 PM
absolutely no need for ANOTHER thread on Drogheda - this is being covered in plenty of other threads...
The topic is not Drogheda United. Its the FAI's uneven and unfair dealings with one club. LOI fans should be given an explanation as to what exactly is going on.
BobtheDrog
11/02/2009, 4:47 PM
if you live in rented accomodation and your heating breaks down you get the landlord to fix it. FAI are our landlords and are simply fixing the heating :D
Louth4sam
11/02/2009, 4:48 PM
How much rent you paying seeing as the FAI are your "landlords"?
Celdrog
11/02/2009, 4:50 PM
I think they can't find a reason to prevent Craptown going up to the premier this year so they are just doing all of this to wind them up.
Whatever about the intricacies its as funny as hell watching the reactions here. Almost makes nearly going to the wall funny.
BobtheDrog
11/02/2009, 4:52 PM
1.87c :p
Dundalkjames
11/02/2009, 4:55 PM
Its a disgarce that Drogheda haven't been relegated to the first division or have even been deducted points hopefully when the licenses are been taking in some action will be taken.
Trophies in each of the last 8 decades, not just the last 5 minutes.
Tradition, you'll never have it
Drogheda United - Forever in our shadow
The topic is not Drogheda United. Its the FAI's uneven and unfair dealings with one club. LOI fans should be given an explanation as to what exactly is going on.
going on the last sentence of your original post and given that your a dundalkkk fan, i'll choose not to believe you on this.
YAWN.... whats done is done. Its the LOI for fcks sake, you'd think you'd be used to this by now.
rambler14
11/02/2009, 5:53 PM
Justice for Ramblers!:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cobhramblers/
Nesta99
11/02/2009, 8:12 PM
going on the last sentence of your original post and given that your a dundalkkk fan, i'll choose not to believe you on this.
YAWN.... whats done is done. Its the LOI for fcks sake, you'd think you'd be used to this by now.
Dundalk fans should avoid discussing this baffling scenario as it will be seen as an anti Dregs stance rather than the FAI seemingly rewarding incompetence and turning backs on Ramblers trying to fulfill their debts. Life just aint fair...ask any shels fan:p
Justice for Ramblers!:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cobhramblers/
Would you not be better off getting the locals to raise the cash needed instead of wasting your time on this rubbish .
iceman
11/02/2009, 9:40 PM
How much rent you paying seeing as the FAI are your "landlords"?
And how much of a grant did you lot get a few years ago for that joke of a pitch that you ended up ripping-up this month?
Nesta99
11/02/2009, 10:02 PM
Bout €400k for which we are now paying €50k ourselves to upgrade to license standards ...that would be less than one week of your clubs wage bill last season. Having the FAI buy United Park to pay a VAT bill from your club bar, they are now paying for your ground improvements....Drogheda just dont do paying their own bills do they:o
Ezeikial
11/02/2009, 10:07 PM
And how much of a grant did you lot get a few years ago for that joke of a pitch that you ended up ripping-up this month?
Seems this thread is turning out fairly predictable - rival fans scoring facile points off each other
Assuming that Drogheda retain top-flight status, I will be delighted that local derbies will be renewed (whatever about the immoral travesties carried out by Drogheda Utd among other clubs) - but the question posed about the lack of even-handedness by the FAI is completely valid!
cheech
11/02/2009, 10:40 PM
Whatever about the intricacies its as funny as hell watching the reactions here. Almost makes nearly going to the wall funny.
Yeah a total hoot.
You will end up been hated with that attitude.
Might find fans of other clubs a lot less helpful next time you come out with the begging bowl.
GalwayRed
11/02/2009, 11:09 PM
Seems like double standards from the FAI to invest in improving United Park but rejecting the Cobh ground purchase plan. Whatever about the FAI owning United Park its not their obligation to go improving the ground. I thought the idea was that they werent supposed to help nor harm any clubs chances of gaining a licence(premier or first). Im all for the Fai investing in improving clubs but it cant be one rule for one club and a different rule for another club.
John83
11/02/2009, 11:15 PM
...I will be delighted that local derbies will be renewed (whatever about the immoral travesties carried out by Drogheda Utd among other clubs) - but the question posed about the lack of even-handedness by the FAI is completely valid!
The question is valid. Drogheda have been saved from bankruptcy. Further aid in the form of stadium upgrades seems unfair on everone else, particularly as this seems to be the difference between Drogheda getting a Premier licence or not. Talk of the FAI owning the stadium is merely a cop out given how they acquired that ownership.
As you say, no more immoral transvestites should be accepted. Wait. What are we talking about?
SeanDrog
12/02/2009, 7:47 AM
Its a disgarce that Drogheda haven't been relegated to the first division or have even been deducted points hopefully when the licenses are been taking in some action will be taken.
Trophies in each of the last 8 decades, not just the last 5 minutes.
Tradition, you'll never have it
Drogheda United - Forever in our shadow
wum wum wum - yawn - wum
All this anti drog bile really is old hat at this point, the amount of threads rehashed under new headings is very tiring. If people have valid points so be it but perhaps the mods can edit out the obvious wums and gone on too long moaners.
SeanDrog
12/02/2009, 8:04 AM
Bout €400k for which we are now paying €50k ourselves to upgrade to license standards ...that would be less than one week of your clubs wage bill last season. Having the FAI buy United Park to pay a VAT bill from your club bar, they are now paying for your ground improvements....Drogheda just dont do paying their own bills do they:o
The FAI bought Utd park in the early 80's. So continue to make up things by all means about vat and bar etc etc it still wont make the FAI buy your ground to bail you out.
Why dont Cobh go to their supporters to get the help you need? Does your community not support you? Are your supporters not able to rise to the challenge, is it just easier to sit behind a computer screen and point fingers at other clubs and claim how the world is so unfair?
I can ony assume your community dont care about the club and hence perhaps you should fold rather than looking for crazy money for your ground.
Celdrog
12/02/2009, 8:04 AM
You will end up been hated with that attitude.You seem to be referring to this as something that could happen in the future. The anti-Drogs bile on this forum has been there ever since we dared to win a trophy.
Even the title of this thread says it. A pop at Drogs not the FAI not being even handed. Why is the thread not about Cobh being discriminated? Or about Cork signing players when they haven't paid thier back pay. Or about Fingal mysteriously going from nothing to full time. Or Dundalk getting a huge grant to do their pitch. Or Finn Harps struggling badly and still ploughing on about a new stadium. Or Pats sacking Johnny Mac to go part time then staying full time. Or Waterford taking Dundalk's place in the premier a few years ago. Etc etc
BTW - its a joke that Cobh were not helped out
SeanDrog
12/02/2009, 8:11 AM
BTW - its a joke that Cobh were not helped out
They should prove that they have tried to help themselves before being helped out. In Drogheda the supporters proved the support base is there to give a reason for helping a club? Is it in Cobh?
Have the cobh supporters mobilsed to help their club and the FAI being asked to buy the ground as a last resort?
SeanDrog
12/02/2009, 8:14 AM
Or about Cork signing players when they haven't paid thier back pay. Or about Fingal mysteriously going from nothing to full time. Or Dundalk getting a huge grant to do their pitch. Or Finn Harps struggling badly and still ploughing on about a new stadium. Or Pats sacking Johnny Mac to go part time then staying full time. Or Waterford taking Dundalk's place in the premier a few years ago. Etc etc
sshhhhh - not suppose to talk about these
rambler14
12/02/2009, 8:17 AM
The reasons given to Cobh by the FAI as to why they couldn't help us are the exact things the FAI are doing to help Drogheda thats why people are complaining and incensed by what going on and there is no Drogs bias, it's really anger toward the FAI for their double standards!
Or Finn Harps struggling badly and still ploughing on about a new stadium.
Yes, damn those clubs with realistic development plans that don't depend on 5000 houses being built.
Absolute disgrace.
stamullendrog
12/02/2009, 9:21 AM
Justice for Ramblers!:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/cobhramblers/
some big hitters have signed tha one already i see
Smurf1
12/02/2009, 11:06 AM
The topic is not Drogheda United. Its the FAI's uneven and unfair dealings with one club. LOI fans should be given an explanation as to what exactly is going on.
Oh dear. You've outdone yourself here. How about reading your own posts. When people don't agree, you crawl back into your (biscuit) tin. Im dissapointed in you, i expected more.
Yes the cobh issue is wrong but this is a typical Irish mentality. See someone getting help and spite them for it. Drogheda United has nothing to do with Cobh. Work on your own issues lads without pulling other clubs into the mess to prove your point. Help being given to the club should not be the cue for a mass amount of abuse towards said club. And celdrog....ssssshhhh!
Nesta99
12/02/2009, 12:23 PM
The FAI bought Utd park in the early 80's. So continue to make up things by all means about vat and bar etc etc it still wont make the FAI buy your ground to bail you out.
Most certainly was not early 80's! For a non indexed linked amount i believe was £30k(i shall stand corrected on the figure) which Drogheda could purchase back at a future date. The fact that the deal wasnt index linked is what made Drogheda an 'attractive' investment as they could purchase back their asset for peanuts etc. Was a super fair deal even at the time (early '90s)
It does seem that people are aiming their frustration at Drogheda rather than the FAI and their lack of even handedness, dont believe that it is personal just simply that Drogheda currently represent what is wrong with the administration of the league. Clubs do need to show sustainability and this is not having the governing body stepping in buying your ground to bail you out, only for again to get into debt pay a fraction of what you owe for the governing body to step in and do the remedial work to preserve an undeserved place in the Premier Division, all while other clubs need help too. All or nothing should be the policy.
cheech
12/02/2009, 12:32 PM
Old Boys Network.
Vincent Hoey is in it and friends with Delaney Snr for years.
Cobh don't have anyone 'connected' unfortunately for them.
It is the way football has always worked on this island. North and south.
harps1954
12/02/2009, 1:19 PM
Old Boys Network.
Vincent Hoey is in it and friends with Delaney Snr for years.
Cobh don't have anyone 'connected' unfortunately for them.
It is the way football has always worked on this island. North and south.
Isn't Michael Cody, a Cobh Ramblers man, not one of the ten-men on the FAI Board of Management - I think he's the FAI Secretary.
cheech
12/02/2009, 1:23 PM
Isn't Michael Cody, a Cobh Ramblers man, not one of the ten-men on the FAI Board of Management - I think he's the FAI Secretary.
What does he do on the Cobh management committee?
harps1954
12/02/2009, 1:39 PM
What does he do on the Cobh management committee?
That's up to Cobh Ramblers as to what involvement he has on their committee. If Cobh don't like it, they should elect someone else to represent them at FAI level and maybe they could work their way up to the level Michael Cody is now at. However, it is because of Cobh Ramblers that he has a seat at the FAI top table. He's Cobh's man within the FAI and he has worked his way up to being FAI Secretary.
At the end of the day, if he's a Cobh Ramblers man, he should be able to at least talk to the "right people" on behalf of your club.
If Cobh feel they are so hard done by, they should be using every connection they have to make their feelings know to the FAI. Michael Cody classes himself as a Cobh Ramblers man.
mr.untitled
12/02/2009, 1:46 PM
What does he do on the Cobh management committee?
about the same as hoey and the drogheda comittee.
United pk was bought by the FAI almost 20 years ago for 30k (a different era)
DUFC invested big and won big (no financial aid from FAI)
DUFC fought their way out of examinership (no financial aid from FAI)
FAI may or may not spend E25k to improve their own ground, Is this the first time the FAI have payed for ground improvements?
It amuses me that DUFC have become the whipping boy for disgruntled LoI fans.
Réiteoir
12/02/2009, 2:34 PM
about the same as hoey and the drogheda comittee.
United pk was bought by the FAI almost 20 years ago for 30k (a different era)
DUFC invested big and won big (no financial aid from FAI)
DUFC fought their way out of examinership (no financial aid from FAI)
FAI may or may not spend E25k to improve their own ground, Is this the first time the FAI have payed for ground improvements?
It amuses me that DUFC have become the whipping boy for disgruntled LoI fans.
Well it takes the focus, conspiracy theories, delusional ranting and paranoia off Bohs - which is a good thing
Nesta99
12/02/2009, 2:42 PM
The FAI bought Utd park in the early 80's. So continue to make up things by all means about vat and bar etc etc it still wont make the FAI buy your ground to bail you out.
Most certainly was not early 80's! For a non indexed linked amount i believe was £30k(i shall stand corrected on the figure) which Drogheda could purchase back at a future date. The fact that the deal wasnt index linked is what made Drogheda an 'attractive' investment as they could purchase back their asset for peanuts etc. Was a super fair deal even at the time (early '90s)
United pk was bought by the FAI almost 20 years ago for 30k (a different era)
No made up stories SeanDrog! Be careful before you dismiss someones post as fabrication;) I bear Drogheda no ill will just consistency from the powers that be. Cobhs beef is that the FAI set precedence by purchasing grounds they didnt want or need. (and i have nothing to do with Cobh either)
tiktok
12/02/2009, 2:58 PM
DUFC fought their way out of examinership (no financial aid from FAI)
I thought they gave you a donation? That's a genuine question btw.
Drogheda aren't really the issue here anyway, of course they're going to accept an offer from the FAI to upgrade their ground and guarantee themselves a Premier licence.
The issue is that the FAI are on one hand telling Cobh that they can 'do nothing which helps or hinders a club in the licencing process' while on the other hand are clearly providing DUFC with help in their licencing process.
There's also the whole issue that in general, financial insanity, although it hurts the league, the creditors and the other clubs, does not seem to have any real consequences for some clubs, yet other far more minor offenders get transfer embargoes, vetoed budgets and whatever. It's a question of whether the FAI are serious about promoting/enforcing a culture of financial competence and proper planning. Currently the answer seems to be the same as always- they'll start doing it soon.
mr.untitled
12/02/2009, 3:11 PM
I could see your argument if the FAI didnt offer ramblers 25k to help their ground meet licencing standards or if the FAI bought united park for 500K last week. Your not arguing like with like here.
AFAIK the FAI offered us great assistance during the examinersship period but they didnt financially bail us out.
The 'typical FAI' and 'sher what would you expect' rhetoric on this site is unreal sometimes.
mr.untitled
12/02/2009, 3:13 PM
There's also the whole issue that in general, financial insanity, although it hurts the league, the creditors and the other clubs, does not seem to have any real consequences for some clubs, yet other far more minor offenders get transfer embargoes, vetoed budgets and whatever. It's a question of whether the FAI are serious about promoting/enforcing a culture of financial competence and proper planning. Currently the answer seems to be the same as always- they'll start doing it soon.
because examinership is a walk in the park?
pineapple stu
12/02/2009, 3:19 PM
I could see your argument if the FAI didnt offer ramblers 25k to help their ground meet licencing standards or if the FAI bought united park for 500K last week. Your not arguing like with like here.
I don't think you can dismiss the issue because the numbers aren't exactly the same. £30k twenty years ago is probably worth E100k now, so it's a significant sum of money.
But the issue is that the FAI clearly stated that they didn't buy St Colman's Park because they couldn't be seen to be helping Cobh with their licence, while they are putting seats into Drogheda's ground because they have to help clubs with their licences. Which doesn't make sense. It's either one or the other, not pick and choose as you want.
osarusan
12/02/2009, 3:34 PM
FAI may or may not spend E25k to improve their own ground, Is this the first time the FAI have payed for ground improvements?
Are you saying you think there is no connection between the FAI wanting to improve their own ground and the fact that these improvements will probably allow Drogheda to get a licence for the premier division?
If you do think there is a connection, don't you think it is unfair for the FAI to be actively helping a club to get the licence?
Smurf1
12/02/2009, 3:35 PM
I don't think you can dismiss the issue because the numbers aren't exactly the same. £30k twenty years ago is probably worth E100k now, so it's a significant sum of money.
But the issue is that the FAI clearly stated that they didn't buy St Colman's Park because they couldn't be seen to be helping Cobh with their licence, while they are putting seats into Drogheda's ground because they have to help clubs with their licences. Which doesn't make sense. It's either one or the other, not pick and choose as you want.
I would agree with that to a degree but surely you're not naive enough to believe that wasn't just an excuse not to spend a vast amount of money? I doubt licensing even entered into the equation as a true reason for the rejection of the cobh proposals.
pineapple stu
12/02/2009, 3:37 PM
It's a possibility alright. But we still have the issue that the FAI have publicly said that they can't help clubs with licences (Cobh incident) and they have to help clubs with licences (Drogheda incident). If they couldn't afford to bail Cobh out, just say so. There'd have been no sympathy for them.
Smurf1
12/02/2009, 3:50 PM
It's a possibility alright. But we still have the issue that the FAI have publicly said that they can't help clubs with licences (Cobh incident) and they have to help clubs with licences (Drogheda incident). If they couldn't afford to bail Cobh out, just say so. There'd have been no sympathy for them.
Its definitely what they should have been done but for them to come out and state such a thing in public would have caused a big media circus. On the other hand, they're telling an e.l club it's to do with licensing. Much less bad publicity and it wouldn't even register as news for most on a national scale. They took the easy way out and i can understand that. It was wrong but it's understandable.
going on the last sentence of your original post and given that your a dundalkkk fan, i'll choose not to believe you on this.
YAWN.... whats done is done. Its the LOI for fcks sake, you'd think you'd be used to this by now.
best post on this thread
Getting very boring now tbh.
Sure aren't the FAI also financially helping out derry with their new stadium? (aswel as helping varoious clubs secure grants off the government over the last few years!!)
Yawn :rolleyes:
pineapple stu
12/02/2009, 5:50 PM
Its definitely what they should have been done but for them to come out and state such a thing in public would have caused a big media circus. On the other hand, they're telling an e.l club it's to do with licensing. Much less bad publicity and it wouldn't even register as news for most on a national scale. They took the easy way out and i can understand that. It was wrong but it's understandable.
See where you're coming from, but I don't really agree.
FAI tell Cobh they can't afford to bail them out - newspapers go mad saying the new Lansdowne is in doubt and Delaney should go. Fair enough; that's to be avoided.
But FAI tell stupid club to sod off and work out their own problems; no media uproar. FAI then tell Drogheda the same thing - still no uproar (primarily because the Irish media are ultimately sopy and pasters with regards the league). There's consistency there, which is all people want.
Smurf1
12/02/2009, 6:48 PM
See where you're coming from, but I don't really agree.
FAI tell Cobh they can't afford to bail them out - newspapers go mad saying the new Lansdowne is in doubt and Delaney should go. Fair enough; that's to be avoided.
But FAI tell stupid club to sod off and work out their own problems; no media uproar. FAI then tell Drogheda the same thing - still no uproar (primarily because the Irish media are ultimately sopy and pasters with regards the league). There's consistency there, which is all people want.
Completely understand that. It's what everyone wants. I think the Fai really do want to help the clubs though. Maybe thats me being naive now but i reckon thats why they didn't tell drogheda to sod off. They'll help when they can afford to but not when it costs them near half a million.
I think they had misguided intentions and were badly advised in their handling of both situations. Particularly the excuse given to cobh. Cobh should make no mistake about it though, i really doubt it was anything to do with licensing, more the fact that the fai, like the country, is hard up for cash! At the end of the day, they should have just been straight with the cobh board and said as much, even if it was out of the public arena and spun the other story for the press. They wouldn't have dug any deeper because they don't care. Keep everyone happy, bar the fans of course but when are fans ever happy!
don ramo
12/02/2009, 10:15 PM
no point argueing about it, there was more than licensing involved in our proposal being rejected, that was more or less a cop out, but the FAI should really stand by there statement, the fact there installing seats would insinuate there planing on doing something with united park, otherwise there just helping drogs with there licence, and why allow drogs play premier football for so long with an substandard stadium, only to ungrade it during a recession,
odd decision,
ShnaeGuevara715
13/02/2009, 2:27 AM
I'll agree that in principle a team so badly run shouldnt be let off so lightly. Surely the Shelbourne precedent means they should be relegated atleast.
On the otherhand i'll put out the view that it is not the fans who made this mess, but Vincent Hoey (now gone) and the fans should not be punished by their club being let slip into oblivion while the FAI who supposedly work for the wellbeing of all irish soccer stand idley by. It is right that a good club like Drogheda is not left to drown and given a hand to pick it up when its down rather than be spat on further. THAT would be working for the wellbeing of irish soccer. Relegation, loss of a few points with strict terms applied should be enough. If that doesn't happen, then i would not be too upset as i think the amazing efforts of the fans more than merit their place in the premier division as reward. Fans being the essence of any club, do drogheda fans deserve to be in the first division and ucd fans in the premier division? Punish the bankers, not the bankees!
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