The Derry City thread - Derry sign first four players

[EalingGreen]

EG,

I'd have to agreed with you, I think if we did end up in the A League there would be 100 max at the games, whatever people's posturing on internet message boards.

It wouldn't be "I'd rather watch them in the A League than the IL", for the vast majority it would be "Ah, A League? Not watching that".

I'd be split on what'd I'd go for, but if it ever go to such a scenario it should at least be voted on.If the only alternatives open to DCFC were either going bust or re-joining the IL, do you think the reaction would ber the same as that of the A League i.e. all but 100 diehards deciding "Not watching that"?

Or might significantly more be persuaded at least to give it a go?

[EalingGreen]

The Irish League is not the answer to Derry City's problems.

Not spending money we don't have is the answer to Derry City's problems.
Other than that the IL might offer less temptation to spend money they don't have, no-one who I can see is suggesting that the IL is the "answer" to DCFC's problems (Liam Coyle aside?).

But if DCFC's finances are so poor that they cannot receive an LOI licence from the FAI (either Prem or 1st Division), or might even go bust entirely, might it not be preferable to try the IL, as an alternative to the A League (or even having no team at all)?

[EalingGreen]

If he's off to play-time part time in the IL, then it would've suited the club better to convert him into a part-time player with us. If the players aren't even receiving the back-pay already due to them for this season, what confidence could they have in getting paid out on even a p-t contract for next season?

Perhaps Hutton may already have been approached by an IL club and is reasoning that "half an IL loaf is better than no LOI bread" - which at 36 is entirely understandable (imo).

[Flexy]

Ciaran Martyn was approached last week by Portadown to sign he went there and they only offered him half of what he was on at Derry as that was all they could afford, he told them were to go and went back to derry. The thing is there will be lots of players this yr out of contract at derry and other clubs who will have to take substanial pay cuts to play football in this country. Dont know of any club apart from Rovers who could match the current salaries

[RonnieB]

Kenny apparently said the players havent been paid in two months... that is beyond nuts.

[dcfcsteve]

If the only alternatives open to DCFC were either going bust or re-joining the IL, do you think the reaction would ber the same as that of the A League i.e. all but 100 diehards deciding "Not watching that"?

Or might significantly more be persuaded at least to give it a go?

I don't see circumstances under which they would be the only option however.

The club could reform again in the LOI. EU law would support us on that, as I'm sure would the other league clubs/FAI - which is all that would be required to enable it to happen legally. The IFA would have no ability to prevent it even if they wanted to.

[dcfcsteve]

If the players aren't even receiving the back-pay already due to them for this season, what confidence could they have in getting paid out on even a p-t contract for next season?

Perhaps Hutton may already have been approached by an IL club and is reasoning that "half an IL loaf is better than no LOI bread" - which at 36 is entirely understandable (imo).

Our club has income, and is trying to secure more for next season.

Wages are our biggest cost.

So if wages are being decreased significantly (i.e. from full-time to part-time salaries), why wouldn't we be able to afford the vastly reduced outgoings ? It's cutting out cloth to suit.

I would assume a more likely issue would be the fact that they've been messed around full-stop.

[EalingGreen]

I don't see circumstances under which they [A League or IL] would be the only option however.
You may well be correct; as I said, it is presently only a hypothetical discussion.


The club could reform again in the LOI. EU law would support us on that, as I'm sure would the other league clubs/FAI - which is all that would be required to enable it to happen legally.So in what circumstances may a team be thrown out of a League? (Or perhaps more accurately, in what circumstances may a League reject an application to join/re-join by a club which, in one incarnation or another, had been forced to leave previously?)

Iirc, Coleraine FC effectively went bust a few years back, but were allowed to reform as a "new" entity by supporters and retain their (former) place in the IL, since at the time there was no specific provision in the IL's Rules which could prevent such a process.

Afaik, however, the IL subsequently inserted a Rule specifically to disallow any such re-occurrence.


The IFA would have no ability to prevent it even if they wanted to.No-one is suggesting that could, even if they wanted to...:rolleyes:

[EalingGreen]

Our club has income, and is trying to secure more for next season.

Wages are our biggest cost.

So if wages are being decreased significantly (i.e. from full-time to part-time salaries), why wouldn't we be able to afford the vastly reduced outgoings ? It's cutting out cloth to suit.

I would assume a more likely issue would be the fact that they've been messed around full-stop.No-one is suggesting that (assuming they remain in the LOI), DCFC won't have an income next season, which should be adequate to run a team on reduced wages etc.

However, your post implies that they would be starting next season with a "clean slate". We must assume that the club is presently heavily indebted, perhaps hopelessly so.

How do you think they propose to deal with that? Sugar Daddy? Bucket collection? Celtic friendly? Sell their ground?

I'm not on a wind-up here, but it's not good for football if clubs imagine they can simply walk away from debts every time they reach unsustainable levels and start again, as if nothing had happened. (And that is assuming they don't owe money to the Inland Revenue, who as you know, are quite capable of enforcing a debt should they choose to)

[OneRedArmy]

Really? You attend IL games on a regular basis then? :rolleyes:I've attended enough Setanta Cup games to know its an issue.

I'm not going to get into allocation of blame, but its there.

Maybe you're just used to it by now?

[dcfcsteve]

No-one is suggesting that (assuming they remain in the LOI), DCFC won't have an income next season, which should be adequate to run a team on reduced wages etc.

However, your post implies that they would be starting next season with a "clean slate". We must assume that the club is presently heavily indebted, perhaps hopelessly so.

Your question re level of debt is a fair one. But the simple answer is we just don't know, as the club hasn't said anything about the debt situation (or, indeed, any details of its overall finances), so it's all conjecture really. I have no doubt there is debt, but no idea how much.


How do you think they propose to deal with that? Sugar Daddy? Bucket collection? Celtic friendly? Sell their ground?

Without an indication as to the level of debt, it's simply impossible to answer.


I'm not on a wind-up here, but it's not good for football if clubs imagine they can simply walk away from debts every time they reach unsustainable levels and start again, as if nothing had happened. (And that is assuming they don't owe money to the Inland Revenue, who as you know, are quite capable of enforcing a debt should they choose to)

The problem here is that clubs aren't just businesses. They are also civic and community entities. If one particular administration runs a football club badly, is it right that the whole concept of that particular club as a communtiy and civic entity should not be allowed to go on (largely out of a sense of punishment/vindictiveness one would assume, particularly if the failed administration are no longer in charge) ? It would be like telling the people of Iceland that they can't have a country any more, because their previous government made such a mess of it. The concept of a football club is bigger than just those who run it at any one time.

Plus - it's a pretty well established fact now that football clubs with even half-decent support don't go out of existence any more, like they did in the old days. The fans just reform them (Halifax, Telford, Wimbledon etc) - proof that the 'concept' or community/civic entity will live on regardless. Any football club with a relatively decent support base begins to almost take-omn a life and momentum of its own. I don't see what there would be to gain in quelching that, purely to act as the footballing equivalent of a wrathful god.

[Mr A]

Kenny apparently said the players havent been paid in two months... that is beyond nuts.

Yeah, that was confirmed (well, mentioned) on RTE News there. The situation really is dire if that is the case.

[redobit]

Yeah, that was confirmed (well, mentioned) on RTE News there. The situation really is dire if that is the case.

OK so it's fair to assume there is no money in the club, but where are the gate receipts going so?

[micls]

What if a club paid all its players a relatively low salary - one that they could afford.

Would they still not be full-time because you don't think it's organisationally feasible for an Irish football team to be so ? :confused:


OK so it's fair to assume there is no money in the club, but where are the gate receipts going so?

There last crowd was under 1000 and afaik they have more season ticket holders than that-money which would have been spent long ago

[dortie]

That said, it's still all purely hypothetical and still v.unlikely to come about (imo).

.

Damn right it wont, just have a look at the poll on Derrychat. So you may forget all about the age old argument of Derry returning to the IL. I personally would be happy if we offloaded 6 or 7 of the current squad to Glentoran or anyone who would take them though !

[dortie]

Pizza is the last player we should be releasing in my view.

He's been excellent for the club, and despite his age is still solid and very dependable.




Have you been watching him this past 2 seasons (regularly) ? He definately made a sincere effort but he is finished in regards to speed and agility. Caught out on numerous occasions.

Its time to spring clean with a yard brush, we have had the nucleus of the same team for too long, who were never title contenders but unfortunately got paid as such.

we have 4 or 5 talented youth, McDaid, Nash etc who might not win us a title but will cost us 1/4 of the wages.

[Mr_Parker]

I've attended enough Setanta Cup games to know its an issue.

I'm not going to get into allocation of blame, but its there.

Maybe you're just used to it by now?

No one said it wasn't an issue but it is not a prevelant as you indicated.

[belfastred]

Derry City see Red at Celtic bill


DERRY CITY Chairman Pat McDaid has refused to comment on claims that Irish League side, Cliftonville, have sent an invoice to the Brandywell club to cover a share of Glasgow Celtic's expenses from the recent friendly fixture at Solitude.
It's believed the Belfast 'Reds' are about to send a bill - totalling several thousand pounds - to the cash-strapped 'Candy Stripes' to cover a share of Celtic's travel, food and hotel costs during their stay in Belfast at the beginning of October.

Just 48 hours before a scheduled game at Brandywell, Derry City cancelled an arranged friendly with the 'Hoops' which was to form part of Paddy McCourt's transfer to the Parkhead club.

If the game had gone ahead, it's understood Derry City had arranged to split the costs with the Belfast club to fund Celtic's expenses during the trip.

However, as the game was cancelled by chairman, Pat McDaid, due to the quality and strength of the Celtic team - the list of players failed to include a recognised first team player - it's believed the Derry City Board have no intention of settling any bill.

Mr. McDaid has since approached the powers-that-be at Celtic Park to arrange just one match - on a date of Celtic's own choosing - but with a guarantee that a full strength Celtic team will grace the Brandywell.

[Martinho II]

Kenny apparently said the players havent been paid in two months... that is beyond nuts.

plus the players wont get paid this weekend too..

[SMorgan]

Derry league move 'not on agenda'


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/8331030.stm

[MariborKev]

Derry league move 'not on agenda'

Neither is settling our debts it appears.

[dortie]

Neither is settling our debts it appears.


Before we even attempt to settle our debts we need to cut the outgoings ASAP. That means releasing 4 or 5 overpaid players this week. For the life of me i cant understand why any Derry fan would collect money in the City centre to compensate overpaid players, thats were it would go.

[dortie]

Derry league move 'not on agenda'


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/8331030.stm


Is this meant to be a surprise ?

[Mr A]

Before we even attempt to settle our debts we need to cut the outgoings ASAP. That means releasing 4 or 5 overpaid players this week. For the life of me i cant understand why any Derry fan would collect money in the City centre to compensate overpaid players, thats were it would go.

Can't be done. They have binding contracts and can't sign for anyone else until January. Why would they agree to simply not being paid the rest of their contracts?

[redobit]

Why aren't gate receipts going toward paying players wages, surely this is Derrys largest bill, where is that money going for the last 2 months of non-payment of players?

It would be terrible for derry to switch leagues, I love to hate going to the Brandywell.

[belfastred]

Am I right in saying that Derry City have special dispensation form UEFA to play in the LOI?

So if the returned in another guise like Cork have done over the years they would not be allowed to play in the LOI?

[MariborKev]

Am I right in saying that Derry City have special dispensation form UEFA to play in the LOI?

So if the returned in another guise like Cork have done over the years they would not be allowed to play in the LOI?

We already returned in another guise in the mid 90s.

[MariborKev]

For the life of me i cant understand why any Derry fan would collect money in the City centre to compensate overpaid players, thats were it would go.


Exactly.

As a mutual acquaintance of ours emailed me yesterday

"A bucket collection is a stupid idea to be honest. No-one even knows how much in debt we are and even if we did, it's going to be so big that a bucket collection could never cover it. Can you imagine walking up to a front door with a bucket: "Derry City are broke, can you give me some money?" "Naw, I work in Stream and am being made redundant in December. My wife worked in Seagate Limavady and was made redundant last year. And you want me to give you money to pay people for playing football? Off ye go."

[belfastred]

What are the chances of Derry getting a licence for next season?

Have they broke any of the rules yet?

I take it not paying players does break the rules?

Will they have broken the 65% rule as well?

[MariborKev]

Why aren't gate receipts going toward paying players wages, surely this is Derrys largest bill, where is that money going for the last 2 months of non-payment of players?

It would be terrible for derry to switch leagues, I love to hate going to the Brandywell.

Wages>Gate Receipts therefore players aren't getting paid.

For the last two months I would say the crowd is between 70-90% season ticket holders, so little or no gate receipts.

[passerrby]

what do you see as the most likely outcome for derry kev

[John83]

What are the chances of Derry getting a licence for next season?
Very had to tell, but with Cork in seemingly worse trouble, my guess is Derry will fold before they get refused a licence.


Have they broke any of the rules yet?Breach of contract with their players means everyone can leave on a free. No league rules though.


I take it not paying players does break the rules?To get a licence, they need to have either (a) paid the players or (b) come to an agreement with them. This will come to a head in January or so.


Will they have broken the 65% rule as well?Only someone with access to their accounts could say for sure, but it has to be close if they can't afford wages at the moment.

[micls]

To get a licence, they need to have either (a) paid the players or (b) come to an agreement with them. This will come to a head in January or so.
.

This must be done by November 30th

[MariborKev]

what do you see as the most likely outcome for derry kev

That is a difficult one passerby as no one seems to know the level of debt we are talking about.

I have heard wildy varying figures of us to several hundred thousand pounds sterling, but until the board released figures then we are all basing it on our own rough and ready predictions.

[dortie]

Exactly.

As a mutual acquaintance of ours emailed me yesterday

"A bucket collection is a stupid idea to be honest. No-one even knows how much in debt we are and even if we did, it's going to be so big that a bucket collection could never cover it. Can you imagine walking up to a front door with a bucket: "Derry City are broke, can you give me some money?" "Naw, I work in Stream and am being made redundant in December. My wife worked in Seagate Limavady and was made redundant last year. And you want me to give you money to pay people for playing football? Off ye go."


Ive done it before, and swore i wouldnt do it again. Its obvious the more everyone does the merrier however we really need to address how we cut current monthy outgoings asap. Otherwise a collection will be required every week until January. Dont like to knock an idea, it has to be admired but in reality will a collection pay one player one weeks wages ?

[John83]

This must be done by November 30th
Is there not a second deadline? Or is that just for audited accounts or something?

[EalingGreen]

Derry league move 'not on agenda'


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/8331030.stm

On the face of it, that Statement seems clear enough, but am I the only one who wonders about some of the language McDaid is using?

McDaid has made clear he is not in favour of a return to the Irish League.
"We don't feel there is a great wave of opinion in favour of returning to the Irish League," McDaid told the BBC.
Given a free choice, that much is undoubtedly true, However, the prospect of DCFC returning to the IL is only being speculated on because they may not be free to choose i.e. if they have broken certain key LOI Rules, they might not receive a Licence, or might even fold before then, in which case they might have to consider the IL?


"We're a member of the League of Ireland and a very proud member at that."
Understandably so, but that hardly adds to the debate.


"An awful lot of the discussion and debate is centred around our current financial difficulties as opposed to any great genuine desire to return to the Irish League"
It's nothing to do with "desire", rather it's whether those "financial difficulties" might force a return to the IL.


"As a chairman and at a board level...it's certainly not something that is on our agenda at this point in time."
Why add "at this point in time"? Had he stopped at "agenda", that would have drawn a line under it. Perhaps he's leaving himself "wriggle room"?


McDaid added that club officials are continuing to make strenuous efforts to alleviate the financial difficulties which have led to players not receiving some of their wages in recent months.
"At this point in time, we're working on the basis that we can resolve our difficulties.
The main reason we are in the difficulties that we are in at the moment isn't because of bus journeys to Dublin or Cork
"We're very much aiming to be in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland next season and we're still holding out hopes of qualifying for Europe."
McDaid also hinted that the club would be keen to show loyalty to a League which welcomed them with "open arms" back in 1985.
"That was a real lifeline and a real saviour to get the club moving again back in 1985"
"While we are facing traumatic difficulties at the moment and we are certainly facing a huge uphill struggle to pull through, it doesn't mean that you have to review the very existence of how the club operates."
McDaid added that travel costs was not the main contributory factor to Derry's current problems.
"The main reason we are in the difficulties that we are in at the moment isn't because of bus journeys to Dublin or Cork. It goes a lot deeper than that."
All very true, no doubt, except that if the "uphill struggle" becomes too great to overcome, they might be forced to "review... ...how the club operates" etc.
At no point does McDaid simply state that it will not come to that.
(Plus he slips in another "at this point in time")


McDaid believes that Derry are likely to be facing Irish League teams in an All-Ireland League within the next decade.
"It won't happen next year or maybe four or five years but I think it (All-Ireland League) is inevitable if we are going to have a proper, successful and ultimately full-time league."
OK, I'm very possibly straying into "Outer Limits" territory here, but might McDaid be softening the blow for DCFC fans, just in case the club has to revert to the IL sometime sooner?
After all, with the Platinum fiasco, doubts over the Setanta Cup's future and the present economic crisis mitigating against full-time football in Ireland (however organised), surely an All-Ireland League is further away than seemed possible even a year or two ago, not closer?
Certainly DCFC's hopes of being a f-t time member of any such League have receded quite some way since then.

[micls]

Is there not a second deadline? Or is that just for audited accounts or something?

Second deadline is for audited accounts, 31st January

[MariborKev]

We still have not managed to file accounts for Y.E Nov 08 with Companies House yet......

[John83]

We still have not managed to file accounts for Y.E Nov 08 with Companies House yet......
That must be racking up penalties at this stage?

[passerrby]

This must be done by November 30th

technacally your right but if you can get an agreement 20 mins before the licence committe meets you ll be fine, its the FAI way

[dcfcsteve]

On the face of it, that Statement seems clear enough, but am I the only one who wonders about some of the language McDaid is using?

McDaid has made clear he is not in favour of a return to the Irish League.
"We don't feel there is a great wave of opinion in favour of returning to the Irish League," McDaid told the BBC.
Given a free choice, that much is undoubtedly true, However, the prospect of DCFC returning to the IL is only being speculated on because they may not be free to choose i.e. if they have broken certain key LOI Rules, they might not receive a Licence, or might even fold before then, in which case they might have to consider the IL?


"We're a member of the League of Ireland and a very proud member at that."
Understandably so, but that hardly adds to the debate.


"An awful lot of the discussion and debate is centred around our current financial difficulties as opposed to any great genuine desire to return to the Irish League"
It's nothing to do with "desire", rather it's whether those "financial difficulties" might force a return to the IL.


"As a chairman and at a board level...it's certainly not something that is on our agenda at this point in time."
Why add "at this point in time"? Had he stopped at "agenda", that would have drawn a line under it. Perhaps he's leaving himself "wriggle room"?


McDaid added that club officials are continuing to make strenuous efforts to alleviate the financial difficulties which have led to players not receiving some of their wages in recent months.
"At this point in time, we're working on the basis that we can resolve our difficulties.
The main reason we are in the difficulties that we are in at the moment isn't because of bus journeys to Dublin or Cork
"We're very much aiming to be in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland next season and we're still holding out hopes of qualifying for Europe."
McDaid also hinted that the club would be keen to show loyalty to a League which welcomed them with "open arms" back in 1985.
"That was a real lifeline and a real saviour to get the club moving again back in 1985"
"While we are facing traumatic difficulties at the moment and we are certainly facing a huge uphill struggle to pull through, it doesn't mean that you have to review the very existence of how the club operates."
McDaid added that travel costs was not the main contributory factor to Derry's current problems.
"The main reason we are in the difficulties that we are in at the moment isn't because of bus journeys to Dublin or Cork. It goes a lot deeper than that."
All very true, no doubt, except that if the "uphill struggle" becomes too great to overcome, they might be forced to "review... ...how the club operates" etc.
At no point does McDaid simply state that it will not come to that.
(Plus he slips in another "at this point in time")


McDaid believes that Derry are likely to be facing Irish League teams in an All-Ireland League within the next decade.
"It won't happen next year or maybe four or five years but I think it (All-Ireland League) is inevitable if we are going to have a proper, successful and ultimately full-time league."
OK, I'm very possibly straying into "Outer Limits" territory here, but might McDaid be softening the blow for DCFC fans, just in case the club has to revert to the IL sometime sooner?
After all, with the Platinum fiasco, doubts over the Setanta Cup's future and the present economic crisis mitigating against full-time football in Ireland (however organised), surely an All-Ireland League is further away than seemed possible even a year or two ago, not closer?
Certainly DCFC's hopes of being a f-t time member of any such League have receded quite some way since then.

EG - what is it with the ongoing assumption that we might be forced to join the IL ? :confused:

It's a more likely scenario that, if the current club wasn't given a license for the LOI, that it would go 'bang' and a new one would form and be given an LOI license.

It wouldn't be the first time it's happened in the league, and the fact that we're based in the north is frankly irrelevant so long as the other clubs want us in the LOI - which they do.

The only real speculation I've ever heard on DCFC returning the the IL is from non-DCFC people. That's not speculation - it's wishful thinking.

[dcfcsteve]

Am I right in saying that Derry City have special dispensation form UEFA to play in the LOI?

So if the returned in another guise like Cork have done over the years they would not be allowed to play in the LOI?


You would be right to say we HAD special dispensation.

Since 1992 European law has changed to mean that we no longer need such dispensation to be based in one EU jurisdiction and ply our trade in another.

[EalingGreen]

EG - what is it with the ongoing assumption that we might be forced to join the IL ? :confused:
I'm not assuming anything, merely speculating whether it might somehow come to that.

And as I noted earlier, to put an end to such speculation, all McDaid had to do was simply state:
"We do not want to go back, we do not intend to go back, nor do we need to go back. And neither will that situation change" (or somesuch).



It's a more likely scenario that, if the current club wasn't given a license for the LOI, that it would go 'bang' and a new one would form and be given an LOI license.
Which is what I'm unsure about. If a club in one incarnation is ineligible for an LOI Licence, can they simply walk away from their debts and obligations etc, then turn up the next day under another name and blithely receive a new Licence?
I think I'm correct in saying that the loophole whereby Coleraine did just that in the IL was promptly closed, to prevent its re-occurrence.
Anyhow, what on earth is the point of Licensing, if clubs can make a mockery of it in such a fashion?



the fact that we're based in the north is frankly irrelevant so long as the other clubs want us in the LOI - which they do.

The relevance of your being an NI club is that if for some reason you could not compete in the LOI, you might still be eligible to apply to (re)join the IL - unlike all the other LOI clubs. That's all.




The only real speculation I've ever heard on DCFC returning the the IL is from non-DCFC people. That's not speculation - it's wishful thinking.Would Liam Coyle be a "non-DCFC person"?
Anyhow, speaking solely for myself, I strongly suspect that the FAI will fudge it if need be, in order to keep DCFC in the LOI.

But if they cannot/will not, then I don't mind owning up to wishing that DCFC were back in the IL, just as I wish they had never felt compelled to withdraw from it in the first place.

After all, welcoming someone back is hardly insulting or abusing them...

[Schumi]

Which is what I'm unsure about. If a club in one incarnation is ineligible for an LOI Licence, can they simply walk away from their debts and obligations etc, then turn up the next day under another name and blithely receive a new Licence?

A new 'Derry City' could apply for entry into the A Championship (the third tier), and would have to pass the licence conditions for that level, like any club outside the league can. I'm pretty sure that there was a rule change recently that clubs who reform without paying their debts can't keep their place in the league.

[micls]

A new 'Derry City' could apply for entry into the A Championship (the third tier), and would have to pass the licence conditions for that level, like any club outside the league can. I'm pretty sure that there was a rule change recently that clubs who reform without paying their debts can't keep their place in the league.
Yep, after us doing it in 1995.

If the company goes, the license goes and its back to A championship

[OneRedArmy]

I'm not assuming anything, merely speculating whether it might somehow come to that.

And as I noted earlier, to put an end to such speculation, all McDaid had to do was simply state:
"We do not want to go back, we do not intend to go back, nor do we need to go back. And neither will that situation change" (or somesuch).


Which is what I'm unsure about. If a club in one incarnation is ineligible for an LOI Licence, can they simply walk away from their debts and obligations etc, then turn up the next day under another name and blithely receive a new Licence?
I think I'm correct in saying that the loophole whereby Coleraine did just that in the IL was promptly closed, to prevent its re-occurrence.
Anyhow, what on earth is the point of Licensing, if clubs can make a mockery of it in such a fashion?


The relevance of your being an NI club is that if for some reason you could not compete in the LOI, you might still be eligible to apply to (re)join the IL - unlike all the other LOI clubs. That's all.


Would Liam Coyle be a "non-DCFC person"?
Anyhow, speaking solely for myself, I strongly suspect that the FAI will fudge it if need be, in order to keep DCFC in the LOI.

But if they cannot/will not, then I don't mind owning up to wishing that DCFC were back in the IL, just as I wish they had never felt compelled to withdraw from it in the first place.

After all, welcoming someone back is hardly insulting or abusing them...Our problem is spending money we don't have.

I can't see how re-joining the IL is a solution to that.

The whole IL thing is either an unhelpful smokescreen (my view) or a naive panacea (a kinder persons view) to what we desperately need to find out asap, which is how deep the hole we've dug ourselves is.

As Kev said above, even our shareholders are left clasping to anecdotal stories and back of fag packet calculations to try to compute a survival percentage.

I'm a pessimistic crank at the best of times and I've been accused of crying wolf for long enough on dcchat to stop posting on there for over a season (until this week) so maybe I'm creating a storm in a teacup by myself, but my best guess is that we're as screwed as Cork, with a few additional twists.

1) HRMC don't do ****pot settlements (Rovers take note). Never have, not going to start with an organisation that has gone to the wall twice in less than two decades before this latest "situation".

2) Almost every wealthy businessman in Derry who has a passing interest in football has been burnt to a major degree by "investing" in DCFC since we came back into football. Literally millions have been invested with not only no return on capital, but no return on principal either. The well is dry, unless sentiment overcomes one of the poor buggers who has been tapped before, and more the fools them.

The bottom line is that Derry and Cork have had the biggest attendences over the past 5 years and should've automatically been in a position to be the best run clubs in the League by dint of the revenue that produced. Instead they just got dragged into some kind of mutually assured destruction pact with the other usual suspects.

When a horse falls in a race a vet needs to make a quick decision whether it can go back to racing or whether it would be inhumane to keep it alive as a shadow or its former self and you put a bullet in it (a bolt?) and start with a new horse.

I'd say we're right there and it would be nice if our Board actually gave us, the shareholders and the fans, the information to inform this decision.

[SMorgan]

According to this

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/local/derry-city-rule-out-irish-league-move-14544944.html

Derry City are looking for advanced payment of their prize money for coming 3rd or 4th.

The FAI can't do this as the club maybe deducted points or even relegated if it did not comply with the 65% cap. It this were the case (and how could it not be?) then Derry City won't be entitled to the prize money that they are looking for an advance payment on.

[dcfcsteve]

Our problem is spending money we don't have.

I can't see how re-joining the IL is a solution to that.

The whole IL thing is either an unhelpful smokescreen (my view) or a naive panacea (a kinder persons view) to what we desperately need to find out asap, which is how deep the hole we've dug ourselves is.

As Kev said above, even our shareholders are left clasping to anecdotal stories and back of fag packet calculations to try to compute a survival percentage.

I'm a pessimistic crank at the best of times and I've been accused of crying wolf for long enough on dcchat to stop posting on there for over a season (until this week) so maybe I'm creating a storm in a teacup by myself, but my best guess is that we're as screwed as Cork, with a few additional twists.

1) HRMC don't do ****pot settlements (Rovers take note). Never have, not going to start with an organisation that has gone to the wall twice in less than two decades before this latest "situation".

2) Almost every wealthy businessman in Derry who has a passing interest in football has been burnt to a major degree by "investing" in DCFC since we came back into football. Literally millions have been invested with not only no return on capital, but no return on principal either. The well is dry, unless sentiment overcomes one of the poor buggers who has been tapped before, and more the fools them.

The bottom line is that Derry and Cork have had the biggest attendences over the past 5 years and should've automatically been in a position to be the best run clubs in the League by dint of the revenue that produced. Instead they just got dragged into some kind of mutually assured destruction pact with the other usual suspects.

When a horse falls in a race a vet needs to make a quick decision whether it can go back to racing or whether it would be inhumane to keep it alive as a shadow or its former self and you put a bullet in it (a bolt?) and start with a new horse.

I'd say we're right there and it would be nice if our Board actually gave us, the shareholders and the fans, the information to inform this decision.


ORA - Has there been any talk of shareholders calling an EGM to ask the Board what the situation is ? Do you know how many/what percentage is required to do this ?

With season's end upon us, perhaps forcing the Board's hand to reveal the situation is worth considering.

[osarusan]

Our problem is spending money we don't have.

I can't see how re-joining the IL is a solution to that.


Would the argument in favour of joining the IL be that, both in terms of travel costs and costs needed to be a competitive team in the league, you'd be spending less money that you don't have?
Still, I can't see it happening. The LOI wants you, and you want the LOI.