DCFC fans do you consider yourselves hard done by?

[Rovers Maniac]

And wondering who is getting the blame up in Derry? Is today's decision viewed as being very harsh? Is the FAI or the board get stick?

The one thing that stuck me, and unless i missed it, was none of the directors of Derry City came out and explain to people what happened or apologise for what they done, i would have thought they needed to this to their own fans and the people of the city who worked so hard to get the team back into senior football nearly 25 years ago. What ever happens lets hope Derry are not too long in getting back into the league of Ireland. A black black day for the league although i would be surprised if Derry were the only team at this.

[brendy_éire]

If what we have been accused of is true, then no, not really.
It seems a little harsh considering some of the other dodgy stuff that's been going on with regard to the 65% rule, like Bohs very well paid bar staff, but I'm guessing we're being made an example of. Had to happen to someone.

Hopefully this'll be the start of the FAI actually enforcing rules properly. I think the League will be a better place for the FAI's decision in the long-run.

Still gutted though.

[awec]

I can't see how they can consider themselves hard done by.

600 grand in debt, failure to pay Dungannon Swifts the money they are owed on multiple occasions yet purchasing players at the same time.

Not to mention McDaid is a corner boy.

[brendy_éire]

Yesterday's decision had nothing to do with our debt.

[awec]

Oh right. Fair enough then. :D

[holidaysong]

Their expulsion from the league has nothing to do with any of those issues you mention though awec, it's only got to do with the issue of players having secret second contracts. The FAI are saying that 20 players had these contracts and DCFC are denying it and saying that the FAI couldn't produce any evidence. It's just a case of who you are going to believe. I tend to believe the FAI on this one. Why would the FAI just go and make this up and go on a witch hunt against DCFC? That doesn't make any sense.

[CSFShels]

McDaid's comments about Bray and Drogheda needing to look into their conscience before taking the pitch on Tuesday also seem a little rich given how they've treated Dungannon Swifts.

[awec]

McDaid's comments about Bray and Drogheda needing to look into their conscience before taking the pitch on Tuesday also seem a little rich given how they've treated Dungannon Swifts.
McDaid is an absolute cornerboy of the highest order.

I daresay if Derry do somehow manage to get through all this, very few will be happy to do business with them while that man remains their Chairman.

[Rovers Maniac]

If what we have been accused of is true, then no, not really.
It seems a little harsh considering some of the other dodgy stuff that's been going on with regard to the 65% rule, like Bohs very well paid bar staff, but I'm guessing we're being made an example of. Had to happen to someone.

Hopefully this'll be the start of the FAI actually enforcing rules properly. I think the League will be a better place for the FAI's decision in the long-run.

Still gutted though.

To be honest kicking you out of the league in my view is very very harsh although saying that all the facts are not out. I would have thought relegation to the A championship would have been as severe as it would have got. I got the feeling that there was no love lost between both groups, or as Brandy said the FAI were so p'd off with Derry and the league in general that they just f it lets make a real example of the next club.

Brandy do you think you will go back to the Irish league or to the League of Ireland?

[Rovers Maniac]

McDaid is an absolute cornerboy of the highest order.

I daresay if Derry do somehow manage to get through all this, very few will be happy to do business with them while that man remains their Chairman.

Sorry Corner man never heard of that before what does it mean?

[Graemerz]

I hope they are geared up to play Ards, Carrick and Glebe next season. :)

[Graemerz]

They could play Dergview on Boxing Day.

[OneRedArmy]

Why does every thread about Derry include at least one IL wet dream?

We haven't played in the IL for over 35 years. Why aren't there threads about bringing back Drumcondra and Distillery moving back to Grosvenor?

Going back to the OP's question, based on what I know, we got what we deserved. For the last 4 seasons people on here have been imploring the FAI to get tough and enforce their rules. And it looks like they have. All I would ask is that they enforce them equally as consistently going forward.

So, IMO, not hard done by.

But it's still a sickening feeling regardless of whether it's expected or deserved.

[Candystripe]

I agree with ORA, we only get what we sow and the DCFC board have obviously.......... so took us true diehard Derry fans to the cleaners.

I'm glad the F.A.I have finally come down properly on a club............sad as feck it's us but it's deserved.

I've only missed one competitive home game since 1985 and a few friendlies and always been at the forefront when the **** hit the fan for fund-raising, I am one of the two people who founded the Brandywell supporters club and organised numerous trips in Europe football.

But I would rather watch A league football with a club that is not cheating other clubs and our own fans than cheat other clubs who stick to the rules.


A seriously gutted Derry City fan.!!!!!


Seán



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk_9sEhV3vM&feature=related

[weecountyman]

I'd have thought relegation to the 1st Division would have been harsh, but this is very surprising. It may well be a case that there will be another club going the DCFC way soon.

[northwestexile]

I really don't know what to say. It just goes from bad to worse. Every time there is a news story about the league it's a negative one. When the FAI took over the running of the league I really thought we had turned a corner and that things would get better but every time I think we have hit rock bottom we go another level, and I say we because although I'm not a Derry City fan everybody in the league suffers with stories like these. I'm not criticising the FAI here because I shudder to think where the league would be if they didn't take it over. When are clubs, club chairmen and boards going to stop f***king about and stop messing the fans around, fans that turn up every week and pay hard earned money to watch games, buy raffle tickets, dig them out of their latest hole and take the mocking of so called football fans who support British teams (and I put Celtic in that bracket), fans who will never know what it's like to be a fan of a team rather than be another customer or another market that can be tapped in order to gain even more millions.
How can we hope to attach people, sponsors or praise when clubs are doing stupid things like this? How did Derry City think they were going to get away with this?
I would dearly hope that this time we have actually hit rock bottom but the only question I end up asking is who's going to be next?

[mypost]

I hope they are geared up to play Ards, Carrick and Glebe next season. :)

In all probability they'll be back to play Athlone, Waterford, and Monaghan next March.

In other words, I think the decision will be appealed, and for some reason they'll be allowed back in. This is just the opening part of the saga.

[WoodquayBoy]

take the mocking of so called football fans who support British teams (and I put Celtic in that bracket)
Why the need to qualify this? Of course they are British, they are in a British city playing in a British league. Just because they think they are Irish doesn't mean they are - I mean, I think my club is the greatest in the world. Okay, silly comparison, it obviously is!!

[bennocelt]

Why the need to qualify this? Of course they are British, they are in a British city playing in a British league. Just because they think they are Irish doesn't mean they are - I mean, I think my club is the greatest in the world. Okay, silly comparison, it obviously is!!

Technically so are Derry:p

Derry deserved this, and hopefully Cork will follow. But the FAI and that c unt Delaney have a lot to answer for:mad:

[eelmonster]

Technically so are Derry:p

Derry is on the island of Britain, eh? I feel sick for the fans and to see the club implode in such a fashion. Really going to miss the trip to the Brandywell and having you lot down in Oriel, hopefully you'll regroup and have a club representing the city in the league next season.

[awec]

Sorry Corner man never heard of that before what does it mean?
It means he's a shady, dodgy character.

[MariborKev]

In other words, I think the decision will be appealed, and for some reason they'll be allowed back in. This is just the opening part of the saga.


Mypost, that would be reasonable if the trading company was in decent financial health. We have a winding up order on the way and I am sure HMRC are working overtime on the basis of the last 48 hours.

[Derry]

Derry is on the island of Britain, eh? I feel sick for the fans and to see the club implode in such a fashion. Really going to miss the trip to the Brandywell and having you lot down in Oriel, hopefully you'll regroup and have a club representing the city in the league next season.

It didn't take too long for the oull British team s**t to raise it's head. My passport and the GFA says i'm Irish, so get a life.

As for the FAI and their punishment. No one on here predicted we would get thrown out, no one. Yet now we read the same people saying it was deserved. I'm sure over the years there have been clubs who have had irregularities with their contracts, and i'm sure there still some at it, but it looks like we are the one's to be made an example of. They didn't make an example of Shels when they stole the league, they didn't even relegate them, or even fine them. (remember Shels relegated themselves) But it looks like it's easier for them (as they have the same mind-set of us as some on here) to make an example of that British team up North.

It will be very interesting to see what happens to Cork or Bohs. I'm not too sure what will happen with Cork, but i'm damned sure Bohs will escape all punishments because of another fudge regarding the selling of their ground.

However time will tell.

[Mr A]

Shels did not decide to be relegated: http://www.rte.ie/sport/2007/0219/shelbourne.html

[1895ringsend]

It didn't take too long for the oull British team s**t to raise it's head. My passport and the GFA says i'm Irish, so get a life.

As for the FAI and their punishment. No one on here predicted we would get thrown out, no one. Yet now we read the same people saying it was deserved. I'm sure over the years there have been clubs who have had irregularities with their contracts, and i'm sure there still some at it, but it looks like we are the one's to be made an example of. They didn't make an example of Shels when they stole the league, they didn't even relegate them, or even fine them. (remember Shels relegated themselves) But it looks like it's easier for them (as they have the same mind-set of us as some on here) to make an example of that British team up North.

It will be very interesting to see what happens to Cork or Bohs. I'm not too sure what will happen with Cork, but i'm damned sure Bohs will escape all punishments because of another fudge regarding the selling of their ground.

However time will tell.

Shels did'nt relegate themselves. We were'nt granted a premier division licence and were demoted. We also gave up our champions league and setanta cup spots. And we stole a league? Are we talking about 2006 when we won it fair and square on the pitch?

[thischarmingman]

There's been plenty said on this thread I agree with and yes, it's the silence and the lies from our board that I'm most annoyed about. Just on something I wanted to mention:

I personally know plenty of hard-working people who aren't exactly flush with cash at the minute, who have donated money over the past few months, and especially the last few weeks because they were convinced that it would help the club. In the pub a few weeks ago there was a 'lively' debate about it where I said that I wanted to know how much we owed before I'd throw good money after bad, and these fans who had been supporting Derry City since the 1960's, refused to countenance anything other than digging deep to help the team they love regardless of circumstances.

On 30th October we had a campaign for season ticket holders to leave their ticket at home for the final game of the season and pay their way in. A board member "who did not wish to be named" was quoted in the Derry Journal as saying, "I would make a public appeal for anyone with any interest in Derry City Football Club to support tonight's game, our final performance at home this year.

"I would also appeal to our loyal and commitment season ticket holders to leave their season tickets at home and purchase a ticket for the match in an effort to help the club. I would also ask those who attend to support our Programme and Half-Time Draw Committees who continue to work voluntarily in an effort to keep our club afloat." (Derry Journal (http://www.derryjournal.com/derry-sport/39PIZZA39-SIGNS-OFF.5781334.jp))

Now think of all of those fans who queued up to pay because it was 'the right thing to do' and because the club had simply asked them to do so. Some gave £10, others £20, others even gave double that. And these aren't rich businessmen we're talking about, but ordinary working class people, people who'd already paid for a season ticket, and a programme, and a shirt; people who in their very enthusiasm, were among the club's best ambassadors and recruiters. People who were happy to give what they could, in the middle of a recession, weeks from Christmas, in an area with sky-high unemployment and equally high job uncertainty.

Fast forward just 5 days and we are told, "It’s thought the club’s current debts could be well in the region of £450,000, with around half of that debt owed to players and staff members." (Belfast Telegraph (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/local/derry-city-not-going-to-the-wall-mcdaid-14548734.html), among others) How the hell did anyone think that the money that came in at that last home game would make any sort of dent in the debts that we owed? The club's board relied entirely on the goodwill of those fans who put money into the club each and every week and used them to squeeze as much as they could out of them, knowing a certain hardcore fan base would always respond if asked to.

I think the fact that we were kept in the dark for so long about the scale of the situation we were in and the fact that the board continued to lie about our position to be deeply troubling, but the fact that they then continued to solicit money from those they knew would give because of their love for the club and the advantage they took from those people is utterly unforgivable. Good riddance to them.

[Croker]

Spot on thischarmingman....the real Derry City fans are the ones who have been burned here.
I think the FAI are gonna be the ones in trouble here....if they are calling Derry on paying players cash on top of their 'usual salaries' - which obviously meet the 65% rule, then there are gonna be a lot of other clubs in trouble.
Most clubs understate their 'official' attendances at games and pocket the difference and Revenue/FAI don't know about that money. Same as any 'cash' business in Ireland like hotles and bars. There is no doubt that some clubs use this additional money to top-up certain players salaries.

For example I was a LOI ground on Friday night - official attendance just over 1800. Biggest crowd of the season. However there was certainly in excess of 2,000 at the game. On the basis that there are 200 paying adults not accounted for in 'official' records then club has an extra €3k which nobody knows about!

[eelmonster]

It didn't take too long for the oull British team s**t to raise it's head. My passport and the GFA says i'm Irish, so get a life.

Huh? I was taking issue with the poster who said Derry were a British team, my point was that in order for Derry, or any part of Northern Ireland for that matter, to be British it would have to be located on the island Britain.

[dcfc1928]

To answer the original point, yes I do feel hard done by. I cannot accept for one minute that my club were the only club to have such contracts (if the FAI are to be believed). I'm sure there are a lot of board members from around the country in panic mode at the minute and shredders will be going full pelt next week and urgent meetings will be called with players and agents.

I think it's about time the FAI launched a full forensic investigation of all clubs finances and contractual arrangements and only then if all clubs are dealt with in a similar fashion will I say that Derry weren't treated harshly as we are all supposed to be equal members of the FAI.

[Hairy Bowsie]

Hopefully this'll be the start of the FAI actually enforcing rules properly. I think the League will be a better place for the FAI's decision in the long-run.

Thats what we thought. Never going to happen though.


They didn't make an example of Shels when they stole the league, they didn't even relegate them, or even fine them. (remember Shels relegated themselves)

Thats wrong in so many ways, it's not even worth going into. Also you can only get relegated on the pitch. Any other way is demotion.

[OneRedArmy]

To answer the original point, yes I do feel hard done by. I cannot accept for one minute that my club were the only club to have such contracts (if the FAI are to be believed). I'm sure there are a lot of board members from around the country in panic mode at the minute and shredders will be going full pelt next week and urgent meetings will be called with players and agents.

I think it's about time the FAI launched a full forensic investigation of all clubs finances and contractual arrangements and only then if all clubs are dealt with in a similar fashion will I say that Derry weren't treated harshly as we are all supposed to be equal members of the FAI.We've enough trouble trying to clean our own house to be spending time worrying about whats going on elsewhere.

The dual contracts are not the key problem, the fact we're trading insolvent is infinitely more important!!!

[ndrog]

McDaid's comments about Bray and Drogheda needing to look into their conscience before taking the pitch on Tuesday also seem a little rich given how they've treated Dungannon Swifts.

Mc daid has a hard neck considering they shouted the loudest in 2002 for us to thrown out of the leauge :confused: there was no conscience on behalf of dcfc towards us then ! feel really sorry for the supporters though .

[pól-dcfc]

Don't feel hard done by the decision at all. It's less than we deserve.

Fingers crossed HMRC kills off Wellvan once and for all.

[OneRedArmy]

Mc daid has a hard neck considering he shouted the loudest in 2002 for us to thrown out of the leauge :confused: there was no conscience on behalf of dcfc towards us then ! feel really sorry for the supporters though .Unlikely, unless he was shouting from the terraces.....

You're talking about Jim Roddy.

[RoversHead]

Mc daid has a hard neck considering they shouted the loudest in 2002 for us to thrown out of the leauge :confused: there was no conscience on behalf of dcfc towards us then ! feel really sorry for the supporters though .
Spot on mad comment from McDaid ,Bray are one of few premier clubs with a crystal clear concience and are only in this play off because the FAI havnt got the balls to apply their own rules equally accross the board.

[awec]

HMRC are bound to be all over these alleged second contracts now.

[MariborKev]

Well spotted awec.

Nobody has spotted it.

[A face]

I think the fact that we were kept in the dark for so long about the scale of the situation we were in and the fact that the board continued to lie about our position to be deeply troubling, but the fact that they then continued to solicit money from those they knew would give because of their love for the club and the advantage they took from those people is utterly unforgivable. Good riddance to them.

Thats it for me right there. At least in Cork we knew what was happening. It was a long drawn out car crash just waiting to happen narrowly avoiding collisions all the way along. With Derry it seemed to be covered up and not enabling the fans, sponsors, players etc. to do anything about it in time.

That was the biggest downfall, masking the problems and not allowing people a chance to address them in time. For a Cork City fan on the other side of the country i only heard of Derrys troubles about 6 months ago, and even then i wouldn't have thought that they'd end up owing that amount of money.

[A face]

HMRC are bound to be all over these alleged second contracts now.

What does HMRC stand for?

[OneRedArmy]

What does HMRC stand for?Her Maj's Revenue Commission.

[centre mid]

What does HMRC stand for?

Revenue Commisioner?

[Flexy]

They could play Dergview on Boxing Day.
This is rich coming from a blues man whose club gets £800k a yr from their football association

[twoenz]

If it's true, we deserve what we get. I don't really care if other teams are doing it: that doesn't make it OK.

The board have been completely closed up when it comes to giving information about circumstances, so there's no way that they can turn around and say that they've been frozen out and are the victims in all this.

As a Derry fan, I think we've done a lot for the LoI, we've been great representatives in Europe, and have surely been one of the bigger draws. I don't buy into this episode being an FAI conspiracy.

And there's no hope that a surviving board will be trusted by anyone in football. north or south of the border.

[awec]

Her Maj's Revenue Commission.
Her Maj's Revenue and Customs, to be pedantic. :p

The tax man, in laymans terms.

[Kildareman]

Justice has to be seen to be done. And thats what the FAI did on Saturday.
In the coming weeks comes the fudge. Entry into the First Division under a different holding company.

[dcfcsteve]

Sorry Corner man never heard of that before what does it mean?

It's a phrase that went out with flatcaps and schoolboys in shorts.... :o

[dcfcsteve]

Why does every thread about Derry include at least one IL wet dream?

We haven't played in the IL for over 35 years. Why aren't there threads about bringing back Drumcondra and Distillery moving back to Grosvenor?



One word explains it - obsession.

It's like claiming you don't care about your ex wife any more, than spending all your time bitching about her and finding our from everyone what she's been doing.

City fans have forgotten all about the IL and moved on. It seems those in the IL are still in mourning, whetehr they realise it or not. And we all know they'd have us back in a heartbeat.

Quite simply obsessed.

[Kildareman]

Dont worry Steve, ur ex wifes doin just fine.....!!

[dcfcsteve]

Huh? I was taking issue with the poster who said Derry were a British team, my point was that in order for Derry, or any part of Northern Ireland for that matter, to be British it would have to be located on the island Britain.

Sadly, not true.

'Britain' is a geographical term. 'British' is a nationality. The two are very different.

To be part of Britain, you have to be located on the island of Britain.

For something to be British, it just has to be 'owned' by Britain. Hence the Falkland Islanders, for example, are British - despite being about as far from Britain as you can get.

Though being in Ireland, the people of Derry have a choice as to whether they themselves are British or Irish. And we know how the vast majority choose..... :D

[dcfcsteve]

Dont worry Steve, ur ex wifes doin just fine.....!!

Which one....? :D