Cork City denied a licence; club to be wound up; FORAS to enter First Division

[kingdomkerry]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2009/0727/corkcity.html

[The Betting Man]

Man lands on the moon

[Longfordian]

Seriously how could you possibly miss that thread?.

[sligoman]

Man lands on the moonWhen?:eek:

[The Betting Man]

Seriously how could you possibly miss that thread?.

He is from Kerry and you know what they say about Kerry people ;)

[kingdomkerry]

I put up that thread to let people know its official. The other thread is "Petition to wind up.............." Says nothing about it being official. I posted at 4.18pm it was only posted by RTE at 4.01pm.

[kingdomkerry]

He is from Kerry and you know what they say about Kerry people ;)

cute hoors?

[mypost]

According to the club website, they see Friday as another get-out clause, rather than the enforcement of the winding-up order.

[Duggie]

ya looks like they could stump up the money yet

[Mr A]

A lot of clubs are really going to miss the one or two home gates they'll lose if Cork are gone... could be a tipping point with so many of the clubs really at the end of their tether.

This is another big blow to the league and I fear there are more to follow.

Incidentally- I think it's probably a good idea to have two threads on this matter. This one to discuss implications for the league and the other specifically focussed on CCFC.

Football Association of Ireland statement



The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) notes the outcome of today�s High Court proceedings involving Cork City Football Club.



Following a week which has seen so many positive developments on the pitch for the League of Ireland, the FAI is disappointed that Cork City has failed to meet its obligations to the Revenue Commissioners.



Despite numerous assurances from Cork City that matters with the Revenue Commissioners would be resolved, the FAI is disappointed and concerned that the club finds itself in this situation.



The FAI will meet with representatives of Cork City and will continue to monitor the situation ahead of Friday�s deadline.

[OneRedArmy]

Before the usual hoots of "why didn't the FAI do anything sooner and save us from ourselves" start in relation to that statement the only way the FAI could have prevented this was by taking over the running of clubs in the manner of franchise football. Thats along the same line as the kind of set-up Platinum One proposed and most people on here turned their nose up at.

You can't have it every way.

Coughlan managed to convince an examiner and the courts (initially) that he was bone fida, that really should've been enough for the FAI to rely on.

[don ramo]

the really funny part is this stupid FORAS that was set up to help the club, they raised 75k apparently since they formed, yet havent handed over a penny, so the cork people used this tool to help save there club, and the tool just, what, broke, why isnt that money handed over,

tools and tools and more tools, i thought our SC was bad, at least we just got relegated because they didnt hand over funds, but to be wound up, the club doesnt deserve to exist with fans like that, we told our ones to **** off,

idiocracy at its height,

[Philly]

Despite the demise of Cork saving Kildare's bacon with regard to us not facing relegation, this is really bad news. I'm very upset for the Cork fans, who have always done their club proud and usually supported their teams in far better numbers than most clubs.

It's shocking a club of this standing and stature, with the support they have, can go under like this.

I understand it is unlikely that Friday will bring good news. If so, with the new A-League system, will it be impossible for a Cork team to be entered back into the LOI ala Limerick a couple of years back? I know Cork could enter an A League team but that is a different story altogether from the LOI and would be hard to get out of...

This whole situation sucks anyway.

[brianw82]

the really funny part is this stupid FORAS that was set up to help the club, they raised 75k apparently since they formed, yet havent handed over a penny, so the cork people used this tool to help save there club, and the tool just, what, broke, why isnt that money handed over,

tools and tools and more tools, i thought our SC was bad, at least we just got relegated because they didnt hand over funds, but to be wound up, the club doesnt deserve to exist with fans like that, we told our ones to **** off,

idiocracy at its height,

Who would give money to Tom Coughlan? No sane person, that's for sure.

[OneRedArmy]

the really funny part is this stupid FORAS that was set up to help the club, they raised 75k apparently since they formed, yet havent handed over a penny, so the cork people used this tool to help save there club, and the tool just, what, broke, why isnt that money handed over,

tools and tools and more tools, i thought our SC was bad, at least we just got relegated because they didnt hand over funds, but to be wound up, the club doesnt deserve to exist with fans like that, we told our ones to **** off,

idiocracy at its height,Why should they give money to bail out a man who has proven nothing other than he is probably the biggest Walter Mitty-esque character in the history of the EL (and he's got some pretty good company)?

Why give a cent to a man who presented a plan to the examiner and then, starting the next day, basically did the opposite of what he said he'd do (he didn't pay a cent to the Revenue)?

If they'd given him the money they STILL wouldn't have enough money to pay the creditors and wouldn't have anything to show for it.

Are you Tom Coughlan?

[John83]

the really funny part is this stupid FORAS that was set up to help the club, they raised 75k apparently since they formed, yet havent handed over a penny, so the cork people used this tool to help save there club, and the tool just, what, broke, why isnt that money handed over,

tools and tools and more tools, i thought our SC was bad, at least we just got relegated because they didnt hand over funds, but to be wound up, the club doesnt deserve to exist with fans like that, we told our ones to **** off,

idiocracy at its height,
€75k wouldn't have saved the club. Now they have €75k to set up a new club.

[Sheridan]

Coughlan managed to convince an examiner and the courts (initially) that he was bone fida, that really should've been enough for the FAI to rely on.
I love your bourgeois faith in the system, it's quite touching. :D

Plenty of informed Cork folk on here and elsewhere knew exactly what Coughlan was and what he was not. Anyone with half a brain (and whether that qualification debars those in the legal profession is quite another matter) could have figured out from the evidence presented to them that this was a possibility, if not a likelihood.


The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) notes the outcome of today’s High Court proceedings involving Cork City Football Club.
One is reminded of Thomas Carlyle's response when told that Margaret Fuller had "accepted the universe." "Gad, she'd better!"

[Blue-Army]

Sorry for going off topic a bit...but,

Will Cork be considered the automatically relegated team, or will there be an extra automatic promotion place in the 1st Division?

[OneRedArmy]

I love your bourgeois faith in the system, it's quite touching. :D

Plenty of informed Cork folk on here and elsewhere knew exactly what Coughlan was and what he was not. Anyone with half a brain (and whether that qualification debars those in the legal profession is quite another matter) could have figured out from the evidence presented to them that this was a possibility, if not a likelihood.
One is reminded of Thomas Carlyle's response when told that Margaret Fuller had "accepted the universe." "Gad, she'd better!"The legal system clearly failed in this case. But thats hardly a surprise to anyone with any knowledge of the "system" here.

The alternative was the FAI doing its own due diligence to a level far in excess of the courts. The cost of this would be absolutely prohibitive and would have to be funded from somewhere.

Apply cost-benefit analysis to any situation and there's a level where you accept the risk of failure and move on. Football is no different.

[cheech]

I said it at the start of the season and was vilified for it but its an absolute joke that Cork got to start this season as Premier Division club.

For that, yes you can fault the FAI.

[don ramo]

Who would give money to Tom Coughlan? No sane person, that's for sure.


Why should they give money to bail out a man who has proven nothing other than he is probably the biggest Walter Mitty-esque character in the history of the EL (and he's got some pretty good company)?

Why give a cent to a man who presented a plan to the examiner and then, starting the next day, basically did the opposite of what he said he'd do (he didn't pay a cent to the Revenue)?

If they'd given him the money they STILL wouldn't have enough money to pay the creditors and wouldn't have anything to show for it.

Are you Tom Coughlan?


€75k wouldn't have saved the club. Now they have €75k to set up a new club.

well as far as i could see they were set up by the fans to help raise funds for Cork City FC, yet they didnt hand over a single cent to help teh club out,

am i the only person who sees a problem with that, irrelevent if coughlan is in charge that money was riased with the purpose of helping CCFC,

if they set up in the A League fair enough

think of it this way of someone raisied 200k for an operation that cost 400k, would you think it fair he keep the money cause its not enough??,

[OneRedArmy]

well as far as i could see they were set up by the fans to help raise funds for Cork City FC, yet they didnt hand over a single cent to help teh club out,

am i the only person who sees a problem with that, irrelevent if coughlan is in charge that money was riased with the purpose of helping CCFC,

if they set up in the A League fair enough

think of it this way of someone raisied 200k for an operation that cost 400k, would you think it fair he keep the money cause its not enough??,If the person was terminally ill, then yes, its fair to keep the money*.

*Although these circumstances sound a bit too much like the Haughey Lenihan episode for my liking....

[Sheridan]

ORA, the Danny Drew situation shows that the FAI are willing and able to make interventions in these matters.

don ramo - What's the point in handing over money if the same situation is going to arise in a month? I doubt half of those who contributed would have done so if they thought they were padding a slush fund which could be wasted by the club.

[Longfordian]

They were never asked by all accounts. When they were set up it was decided that any request for money would have to be in writing and would have to be considered by the members. Only one man knows why they were never asked.

[Mr A]

well as far as i could see they were set up by the fans to help raise funds for Cork City FC, yet they didnt hand over a single cent to help teh club out,

am i the only person who sees a problem with that, irrelevent if coughlan is in charge that money was riased with the purpose of helping CCFC,

if they set up in the A League fair enough

think of it this way of someone raisied 200k for an operation that cost 400k, would you think it fair he keep the money cause its not enough??,

Bloody hell, no wonder Cobh are so fecked! The central point is that throwing good money after bad doesn't help anything. The responsibility is Coughlan's and his alone.

[Lilywhite Army]

Anyone realise if the points of previous games are made void Pats will be last with only 17 points :eek:

[Longfordian]

Yep and in relation to the FAI he's probably even less popular with them than Danny Drew was apparently.

[Blue-Army]

Anyone realise if the points of previous games are made void Pats will be last with only 17 points :eek:
yeah...but will Cork take up a 'relegation' place or what?

[adamd164]

yeah...but will Cork take up a 'relegation' place or what?
Games will only be made void if we are wound up: as in finished. Ala Dublin City. So no relegation place.

[celticV3]

Is it fact that FORAS are withholding funds?

[osarusan]

Is it fact that FORAS are withholding funds?

Just going on what I've read on foot.ie, Foras raised funds of about 75,000, but a written request is needed to access them, which hasn't been made as far as I know. Whether they would have granted the money to CCFC before now is a question I don't know the answer to, but they would be absolutely crazy to hand over even a penny of it at the moment.

I'd say that money would be (will be) best spent facilitating the set-up of a new Cork club.

[Black and White]

If Cork are saved...will they be docked points?

[Dodge]

If Cork are saved...will they be docked points?

For what?

[Mr A]

For what?

Them stooopid accents.

[Black and White]

For what?

For their huge debts and nearly going out of business! Surely their wage bill is higher than the 65% cap!

[Dodge]

For their huge debts and nearly going out of business! Surely their wage bill is higher than the 65% cap!

Every club has debts. If they're over the 65% at season's end then thats a different thing

[Celdrog]

Anyone realise if the points of previous games are made void Pats will be last with only 17 points :eek:We'll be last, as we lose three points after beating Cork in United Park, leaving us with 16.

Feel very sorry for the Cork fans - they don't deserve this.

[Marco]

the really funny part is this stupid FORAS that was set up to help the club, they raised 75k apparently since they formed, yet havent handed over a penny, so the cork people used this tool to help save there club, and the tool just, what, broke, why isnt that money handed over,

tools and tools and more tools, i thought our SC was bad, at least we just got relegated because they didnt hand over funds, but to be wound up, the club doesnt deserve to exist with fans like that, we told our ones to **** off,

idiocracy at its height,

Ha thats funny Don! You never told the fans where to go, after being lied to and and clearly made fools of, the fans decided to **** off themselves and by the looks of it won't be coming back soon. At least FORAS got up and tried to do something unlike the few thankless fans that tried to help Cobh.

[roinuj]

the fai should just step in and kick cork out of the league.
they done enough gowling and knew they were in the wrong.
no sympathy here.

[micls]

the fai should just step in and kick cork out of the league.
they done enough gowling and knew they were in the wrong.
no sympathy here.

I'll tell that to the 10 year old who was inconsolably crying on the bus on the way home from Derry today.....

No fan deserves this.

Thanks to all who posted good wishes.

[joey B]

To anyone taking pleasure in Cork's demise imagine your club not existing anymore ,because I can't:(

All the best to Cork and its fantastic supporters truly black day for league:(

[dancinpants]

Some bitter sh!te on here...just don't get it TBH. I can see people gloating over another teams relegation, but over ANOTHER teams demise? Its not right.

All the best to the other City.

[SMorgan]

You that's all fair enough, but we're talking about a club that has acted so irrespondsibly it's hard to believe. Cork signed players from under the noses of other clubs using money it should have been using to pay the taxman. Remember Cork even gave free entry to a league match with Drogheda and gave it's season- ticket holders a refund relating to that match. Of course fans of clubs that play by the rules and pay taxes will believe that Cork under it's current management should not be in the league. Fans know very well that when Cork goes another Cork club will replace them in a season or two. The FAI have to come down hard on clubs that are getting an unfair advantage by spending money it hasn't got.

[don ramo]

Ha thats funny Don! You never told the fans where to go, after being lied to and and clearly made fools of, the fans decided to **** off themselves and by the looks of it won't be coming back soon. At least FORAS got up and tried to do something unlike the few thankless fans that tried to help Cobh.

its the exact same situation, fans have money for the club but wont hand it over, cause they built a demoracy and now dont like the person that they voted in and accepted,

what would you know anyway that vine is rotted,

its a joke that ye think FORAS done the right thing, people bought tickets for there events and draws in the belive that they were helping out there club Cork City FC, only in actual fact some joe soap is sitting on it, FORAS didnt want a premier league club in january, why the hell would the want an A league one now,

and that stupid statement they made might aswell have been a blank piece of paper,

id love to se a club run by these fools

[OneRedArmy]

You that's all fair enough, but we're talking about a club that has acted so irrespondsibly it's hard to believe. Cork signed players from under the noses of other clubs using money it should have been using to pay the taxman. Remember Cork even gave free entry to a league match with Drogheda and gave it's season- ticket holders a refund relating to that match. Of course fans of clubs that play by the rules and pay taxes will believe that Cork under it's current management should not be in the league. Fans know very well that when Cork goes another Cork club will replace them in a season or two. The FAI have to come down hard on clubs that are getting an unfair advantage by spending money it hasn't got.You do realise that in Cork's case the fans and the club are not one and the same? Most Cork fans were wary of Arkaga taking over (where the original damage was done) but they couldn't do anything about it. When Arkaga bailed out the damage was done, the debts were so large that saving the club was beyond the means of fans.

AFAIK your own club isn't members owned or controlled so there's nothing to stop the same thing happening in Dundalk.

[Lionel Ritchie]

A terrible day for Irish football.

Sympathies to the Cork City supporters. The entire league is weakened and diminished by a club going under like this.

Heard Joe Gamble interviewed on Morning Ireland and he wasn't hopeful or confident of any further developments by Friday.

[sonofstan]

This is awful.

I have every sympathy for Cork fans, players and officials (and even Paul Doolin) this morning.

If they haven't already, FORAS people need to sit down with people from Rovers to help them map out strategy to take over the club - or start a new club - and run it as a members club. Best ground in the league, best fans - both numbers wise, and enthusiasm: if Cork can't support a team in this league, nowhere can.

[pineapple stu]

Before the usual hoots of "why didn't the FAI do anything sooner and save us from ourselves" start in relation to that statement the only way the FAI could have prevented this was by taking over the running of clubs in the manner of franchise football.
I don't really agree with that. There has to be an earlier warning system put in place. This notion of penalties only applying if you're over 65% at the year's end isn't enough. Coughlan not meeting his repayment requirements to Revenue should have been the signal for the FAI to get involved, be it with a transfer embargo or a points deduction or something. It's been shown time and again (Dublin City, Drogheda, Shels, Bohs, Cork) that licencing doesn't work as a deterrent or as a detector, and I think the FAI need to take their share of the blame there (obviously Coughlan has to take most of the blame).

Echo most of what's been said about Cork fans thus far, including mocking don ramo.

[Ronnie]

This is awful.

I have every sympathy for Cork fans, players and officials (and even Paul Doolin) this morning.

If they haven't already, FORAS people need to sit down with people from Rovers to help them map out strategy to take over the club - or start a new club - and run it as a members club. Best ground in the league, best fans - both numbers wise, and enthusiasm: if Cork can't support a team in this league, nowhere can.

Small point - the option of taking over existing entity is a non runner.
New club needs a slow and measured early life. Players and fans need to be convinced that the long term strategy is right, businesses that have been stung by City need to be convinced that new guys are intent on doing things right. Still hard to believe that a few weeks short of 25 years in the League city are no more.

[sonofstan]

Small point - the option of taking over existing entity is a non runner.


Yeah, I see that - could an new business entity take over the name 'Cork City'?