Cork City Future.

[gael353]

if we want to sustain a professional club in Cork. It can be done,just look at Drogheda and Shamrock rovers.


no chance with the professional set up lads, go back to semi pro and pay small money for players, get rid of anyone asking for big money. are rovers professional? drogs have assembled a a lot of first division players and are bottom. but in the first UCD are running with the cut your cloth and look at them

[Schumi]

Has all of this tax bill been run up since Coughlan took over? If mustn't have paid any tax if it has. He seems to be a complete chancer though so if Cork do survive this, getting rid of him would be a positive. It's hard to see how that sum could be raised though. You have to wonder why he wanted to take over if he couldn't afford the money he was spending.

[Terry-Lander]

I *hope* that I speak for most LOI fans when I say that I hope CCFC don't go out of business. The league needs a team in Cork, full stop. And all this gloating turns my stomach. There but for the grace.............

I agree

[sheao]

no chance with the professional set up lads, go back to semi pro and pay small money for players, get rid of anyone asking for big money. are rovers professional? drogs have assembled a a lot of first division players and are bottom. but in the first UCD are running with the cut your cloth and look at them
The way foward could be taking 2 steps back going part time. Rovers are still part time as far as i know.The debt at City is massive with Alan Mathews owed money from last season. Coughlan has never made things better to be honest from the Arkaga era.

[CSFShels]

To be honest the fans now are going to have to take things into our own hands and save CCFC if we want to sustain a professional club in Cork. It can be done,just look at Drogheda and Shamrock rovers.
Those 2 clubs had the benefit of administration. Cork won't.

[Poor Student]

With the way it has turned out with Coughlan this current Cork entity going bust could be the best option rather than the entity lingering on straddled with debt. With the structure and funds of FORAS there's tentative first steps to setting up a new more sustainable entity in Cork. Thankfully Turners Cross is in the hands of the MFA. With the introduction of the A Championship though it's a long way back to climb up the LOI ladder if you've got to start from scratch.

[eamo1]

Surely they are not gone.
Can a 400 club type thing not be organised?
Who owns Turners Cross??

This is a tragedy if this happens.:mad:

[Dunny]

Who owns Turners Cross??

The MFA.

[PartySaint]

Of course the league needs a team like Cork, do you really think its good if we lose a team that gets 3000 every home game to be replaced in the preimer division by someone team like sporting fingal, IMO opinion there only needs to be 3 Dublin teams in the premier and the rest spread around the country(sorry for neglecting the first division before anyone says anything)

Anyway best of luck to the Club and fans hope yous pull threw

[bellavistaman]

We owe tax 100k how did we get hammered so much and they didnt. terrible news for cork as a county, hope they get out of it. FAI are a joke

[sonofstan]

We need to raise €500,000 in about 2 weeks in simple terms. Things look bleak at the moment for Cork City fc :(

Well, for a club with regular gates of over 3000, that €166 each: stupid stat. probably, but its not impossible, as long as you gain control of the club for the money.More than 500 Bohs fans put over twice that each into the club every year as members. Do it.

[irishultra]

very sad if it happens. personally i always seen cork as a 'real' club. there european cup run always left an impression on me.

[red bellied]

Just like no-one laments the loss of Belfast Celtic still, even after 61 years, and just like the Irish league have never tried to get Derry City back, yeah....? :rolleyes:

To be honest, the league was in a worse state in the early-to-mid 1980's in my view. Crowds were abismal - much worse than now, even at supposedly big clubs like Bohs and Pats, clubs were still falling out of the league all the time, grounds were even ****tier than they are now, 2/3 big clubs were actually homeless, our sponsorhsip by a Fried Chicken magnate made us a laughing stock, and a home draw in a European preliminary round fixture was akin to winning the world cup.
In fact - since the league was founded in 1922, there hasn't been a period of more than 3 seasons in a row EVER when the league didn't see some sort of flux in teams (joining, dropping out, changing name etc).

It's obvious we won't agree on this, and it's sad to say that the only way you can be proven wrong is if Cork do go out of business. The fact that so many Cork clubs have sprung up to replace defunct ones shows that having a club from the Republic's second city is considered important by at least Corkonians and the FAI/other clubs. And I suspect a new one would appear within a season or two if Cork City did go.

It was never worse then, actually for the bigger games people would turn out. Could be huge crowds in the Showgrounds against Shams, Harps and Dundalk.

[LeixlipRed]

very sad if it happens. personally i always seen cork as a 'real' club. there european cup run always left an impression on me.

Let's not go over the top. They're only 20 years old ffs.

[clubman]

Not one bit surprised to read this. Though I've great respect for the football public from Cork the blame for this whole mess lies solely with the FAI. For their sins last season both Cork and Drogheda should be plying their trade in the First Division this season. That was the only outcome that would have been fair to all clubs in the League of Ireland. Every club should be treated fairly but in the case of both the Rebels and Drogs they were treated with kid gloves. The FAI are to blame as I say and it's at their doorstep the buck stops. Heads should roll with immediate effect. Had the proper decision been taken back then there's no way Cork would be in the situation they now find themselves. Before a ball was kick in anger this season they had problems paying wages. What action did the powers that be in the FAI take, yes you've guessed it. The writing was on the wall before the season started. Our league will never be up to scratch unless the people running it have a real interest. The muppets in the FAI are only interested in the national side and that's the bottom line.

[LeixlipRed]

Not one single person in the FAI will shoulder the blame for this. The Fudge Mark II is being prepared as we speak.

[clubman]

Not one single person in the FAI will shoulder the blame for this. The Fudge Mark II is being prepared as we speak.

Agree but it's time we the supporters started to make our voices heard. We are the people keeping the league alive and these muppets are only in it for what they can get out of it.
Scares me to think how they treated a great little club like Cobh and then turn around and treat a crook like Bertie the way they've done. Was that all conducted for the love of football?

[dcfcsteve]

It was never worse then, actually for the bigger games people would turn out. Could be huge crowds in the Showgrounds against Shams, Harps and Dundalk.

All clubs get better crowds for bigger games - even now.

Whilst it's a bit of a tangent, here's a list of clubs who I can safely say have bigger crowds now than they did c. 20 years ago (the odd one-off crowd excluded from both eras) :

- Bohs
- Pats
- Drogheda
- Cork
- Galway
- Finn Harps
- Shelbourne
- Longford
- Bray

Those with little noticeable change between the two eras :

- Dundalk
- Sligo
- Athlone
- Monaghan
- Waterford
- UCD
- Cobh

Those with worse crowds now :

- Derry City*
- Shamrock Rovers*
- Limerick

(*had exceptional circumstances to explain it).

But I digress....

[dcfcsteve]

Not one single person in the FAI will shoulder the blame for this. The Fudge Mark II is being prepared as we speak.

In fairness, it wasn't the FAI who ran Cork into the ground.

Licensing is far from perfect, but you can't expect it to protect clubs from themselves if they are intent on finding a way around it. Club's need to take responsibility for how they run themselves, and fans need to share that responsibility and stop looking to blame people outside their clubs.

[SMorgan]

Not one bit surprised to read this. Though I've great respect for the football public from Cork the blame for this whole mess lies solely with the FAI. For their sins last season both Cork and Drogheda should be plying their trade in the First Division this season. That was the only outcome that would have been fair to all clubs in the League of Ireland. Every club should be treated fairly but in the case of both the Rebels and Drogs they were treated with kid gloves. The FAI are to blame as I say and it's at their doorstep the buck stops. Heads should roll with immediate effect. Had the proper decision been taken back then there's no way Cork would be in the situation they now find themselves. Before a ball was kick in anger this season they had problems paying wages. What action did the powers that be in the FAI take, yes you've guessed it. The writing was on the wall before the season started. Our league will never be up to scratch unless the people running it have a real interest. The muppets in the FAI are only interested in the national side and that's the bottom line.

Absolute nonsense. This is a situation of Cork's making. Before the season started Dundalk had verbal agreements with two players, both players went to Cork after they were made offers that were substantially more than the players had agreed with Dundalk. Then we had free admission to the Drogheda match. What the hell was that all about? Drogheda, like Cork came out of examinership and learnt from the sorry experience, Cork City learnt absolutely nothing.

[red bellied]

The first division when introducted made a mockery of Loi crowds. I am on about the pre era. Ihave seen crowds against Harps in League Cup crowds in the Showgrounds of 4,000 plus and a league game against Shams a massive puller. Get half that this season would be biggest in the Showgrounds all season.

[Shedhead84]

25 years, went long enough for a club from Cork. Feels like Christmas Eve right now :)
Your a sad fu(k...I cannot believe any fan of the league in this country is hoping that another club goes bust...

I was gutted when Shelbourne got demoted... I miss the big games between the two teams...I've been hoping ye get promoted every season since...

You make me sick...

[Shedhead84]

Not at all.
As I said in a years time, nobody will give a f*** about cork folding
Thats where your wrong.

[WoodquayBoy]

I am also sorry to hear the news, it could so easily have been us. Heads have to roll if Cork goes ti.ts up - the examiner for start, and those monkeys ruining/running the compliance sector in the FAI. How can Cobh be RRS like they were, but both Cork and Drogheda get a Premier licence, with Cork now set to go belly up?? Absolutely shocking, but there is no such thing as accountability in this country so no one will pay for this latest slight on our beloved league

[don ramo]

attendances always fluctuate, fact is city have a hardcore group of 2000 fans the last few years, if you could get just over half of them to make a commitment like say shamrock rovers cork have the potential to be one of the biggest clubs around,

i think as soon as arkaga pulled out the fans should have taken over, you have the FORAS group there, why dont they either take over the club, or just let it blink out of existance and forma new members club,


before i was even born ramblers had the cup run against sligo in 83, in one game there were over 15,000 fans atteneded a game in flower lodge, no domestic games generate anything like that anymore, there hasnt been a domestic game like that i think in my lifetime, has there? (i was born in 84),

prof that attendances mean noting, just look at the attendances threads here, the last 5 years ramblers were on average the 14-15 best supported club in LOi football, yet have a big debth over our heads, and were relegated to the A league,

then you have say monaghan or UCD not great support, but they run there clubs like businesses, they will slowly build there way to the premier division, managhan got a premier division licence this year,

the only thing that matters is commiment

[irishultra]

Not one single person in the FAI will shoulder the blame for this. The Fudge Mark II is being prepared as we speak.

eh ye but what i mean is that they are like the only league club in the second biggest county. they just seem to have so much potential and if i was a casual loi fan i would probably support them. i have a few of their jerseys, plus look at all the players they have developed like kevin doyle.

top club.

[don ramo]

look at all the players they have developed like kevin doyle.

id give credit to mick wallace for that, he bareley warmed the bench when he was at city

[irishultra]

what? i remember him scoring every week when i used to watch eircom league weekly back in 2005.

[gael353]

plus look at all the players they have developed like kevin doyle.

top club.

please dont stop there keep going :o

[don ramo]

what? i remember him scoring every week when i used to watch eircom league weekly back in 2005.

sorry thinking of pats, he played 75 game and scored 25 goals in 3 seasons for city, but mick wallce deserves all the crdit in my opinion, he just happened to be at city when he was noticed,

and where the hell did all that money go also,

[Bald Student]

Will there be 2 automatic promotion places so?

[don ramo]

Will there be 2 automatic promotion places so?

youd get an answear off a hippo before youd get one off the FAI

[OneRedArmy]

The writing has been on the wall for a while, it almost seems like Coughlan got cold feet immediately after taking over.

Without knowing the full story its hard to apportion blame, but what is clear is that its another big blow to the credibility of the FAI and the league community in general.

The new financial regime was supposed to ensure that directors couldn't pull funding at short notice, so I'd love to know what happened with regard to Corks budget. Its so early in the season that unless they budgeted for capacity crowds every game the situation shouldn't have gotten so dire so quickly. Its clear that a Revenue repayment agreement wasn't being followed and it would be very interesting to know if and when this was known to the FAI.

All that said, I wouldn't place all the blame with the FAI whatever the circumstances. The only way they can ensure that clubs have a zero risk of failure is a franchise league run from the centre and I've no interest in that.

At the end of the day it comes down to the fans. If there's enough will from enough people, the team will be saved. Good luck to FORAS anyway.

[forza rovers]

so will Finn harps get their place in the premier if they want it?

[Hairy Bowsie]

The league needs clubs like Cork.

******. I've said this before the league needs no one, no matter what size, location or history. This is what happens in this league, teams, big teams, go out of business (Drums) and either way this is par for the course in Cork. If they do go out of business, they'll be a Cork Rangers or some such to come back into the league in a few years. Thats not to say i'm happy about it, i feel really sorry for the fans

[Cosmo]

******. I've said this before the league needs no one, no matter what size, location or history. This is what happens in this league, teams, big teams, go out of business (Drums) and either way this is par for the course in Cork. If they do go out of business, they'll be a Cork Rangers or some such to come back into the league in a few years. Thats not to say i'm happy about it, i feel really sorry for the fans

100% bang on - but again, its the cork supporters i feel sorry for


then you have say monaghan or UCD not great support, but they run there clubs like businesses, they will slowly build there way to the premier division, managhan got a premier division licence this year,

And clubs like monaghan never get enough credit for this. If they could find some way of bumping up their crowds they'd be on the best run clubs in the country. But as for balancing the books,etc you have to give them credit for it!

[stamullendrog]

i feel sorry for the cork fans myself but surely this is a case of city going and the foras trust using the money they have to buy the name/crest*(after all everything is up for grabs if a company is liquidated)and starting again in the A league or whatever and working up in a fashion that runs the club properly??after all i remember when it looked bleak for us a couple of cork fans that visit our messageboard saying the above to us.




*actually if it comes to it dont bother with the crest its crap

[brianw82]

One thing is clear, and that's the fact that cowboys like Coughlan shouldn't be let near any club. People like him have driven the country into the ground. Only interested in a fast buck, and to hell with whoever they trample to get it. More power to the Richie Sadliers of this world.

Did the examiner or anyone from the FAI look into his background at all? Could nobody have seen that the guy was a pure chancer?

[gael353]

together with his one euro purchase of the club, rem also coughlan sold the sell on rights of Doyle to fat pat. €200,000 think he got. €32,000 per week in wages by seven weeks equals checkout time :cool:

[LeixlipRed]

I think the fact his name was Tom Coughlan was a give away. Sounds like a dodgy property dealer/publican/corrupt FF politician type anyway.

[adamd164]

He was a candidate for the PDs in the late 90s.

[LeixlipRed]

He was a candidate for the PDs in the late 90s.

Case closed :cool:

[passerrby]

while i agree that the fai bare some of the blame for this situation it cannot and should not be held responsible for the way in which clubs fcuk up.licensing can only work if clubs act responsibility which they refuse to do.

[Dodge]

Not like the good people of foot.ie to go over the top based on one rumour. I'm completely shocked :rolleyes:


Good luck to the fans, hope their club survives (whatever the causes)

[Boh_So_Good]

I really hope this mess can be sorted out.

[corkboy360]

25 years, went long enough for a club from Cork. Feels like Christmas Eve right now :)
Why are your narcotics being delivered tomorrow ? ****ing Idiot

He also said he was gonna buy the Horseshoe pub next to the ground and turn it into a supporters' bar. This was central to his application and he pulled out of it in no time.

He is going to be public enemy #1 I feel. I don't understand what he wanted from this.... it seems like total madness. What was he hoping to achieve?! Words fail me with the guy.
From what I am hearing it is 350k not 400/500k as being suggested on here and ccfc forum.

He wanted to be a hero for a few months and get his name in the echo!
Thats all I can make of it.
Maybe Arkaga paid him off to get there face out of the picture?


Cork people ( a generalisation, yes) are incapable of that, always spouting that they're better than everyone else and when it comes down to it, they're not, and you see what happens!?!
Shut up you sour 1st division fan its not our fault your team is ****.

[don ramo]

general word is cork is gone on tuesday, although i have no source, i have been told by 4 differnt people, would be a hugh mess if city were to fold so early in the season,

its not just the FAI, its the examiner who handed the club to coughlan, we were demoted to A football and arent anywhere near this level, this will surely turn licenceing into a joke,

how long is that tax bill building, cause if its longer that 9 months there no way city have a tax cert to even get a licence, we couldnt get one and we only owe half of that,

[clubman]

Absolute nonsense. This is a situation of Cork's making. Before the season started Dundalk had verbal agreements with two players, both players went to Cork after they were made offers that were substantially more than the players had agreed with Dundalk. Then we had free admission to the Drogheda match. What the hell was that all about? Drogheda, like Cork came out of examinership and learnt from the sorry experience, Cork City learnt absolutely nothing.

Your start your post by blasting mine yet hidden in your very own post there's an eco of mine. Explain please??
The fact that both clubs entered examinership alone should automatically deem them relagated, no other option. You whinging that Cork were allowed sign these players when obviousily they don't have the means to pay them is another reason why clubs like this shouldn't be allowed trade. The FAI are the people that are supposed to be running the league but the fact that they only make up the rules as they go along proves that they are no way near what's needed in order for our league to gain the confidence of the greater general public.

[Cici900]

general word is cork is gone on tuesday, although i have no source, i have been told by 4 differnt people, would be a hugh mess if city were to fold so early in the season,

its not just the FAI, its the examiner who handed the club to coughlan, we were demoted to A football and arent anywhere near this level, this will surely turn licenceing into a joke,

how long is that tax bill building, cause if its longer that 9 months there no way city have a tax cert to even get a licence, we couldnt get one and we only owe half of that,

Exactly. We end up out of the league for not being able to get the tax cert with a debt of only half that amount so why is there one rule for one club and one for another? Delaney, Fran Gavin and his cronies have to go now. The league is a shambles. And they are the fault. Cork shouldn't even be in the league and I'd say a few others are the exact same.

[passerrby]

Your start your post by blasting mine yet hidden in your very own post there's an eco of mine. Explain please??
The fact that both clubs entered examinership alone should automatically deem them relagated, no other option. You whinging that Cork were allowed sign these players when obviousily they don't have the means to pay them is another reason why clubs like this shouldn't be allowed trade. The FAI are the people that are supposed to be running the league but the fact that they only make up the rules as they go along proves that they are no way near what's needed in order for our league to gain the confidence of the greater general public.

the fai run the league they dont run the clubs, the league has many problems cheif amoung them is the incompetance of club management..at the end of the day licensing can only set peramiters ,certain clubs are trying ways to find ways around licensing to sustain full time professional teams on unreasonable budgets.