GUST apply for first division licence

[Patrick Dunne]

Rumours put out to attempt to destabilise the formation of a community based and members owned club representing Galway city and county.

[eekers]

They'd be better off naming the new club Connacht to increase the potential support base of the club. There's a huge amount of people living in Galway with no interest in supporting Galway because they're from some other county. Also it would really **** off Sligo Rovers fans :P

[Patrick Dunne]

Agreed ... but the converse of this is that a huge amount of tourists visit the city, and a percentage always visit Terryland. "United" also have a huge catchment area, there are 300,000 people living with an hour of the city. Supporters from South Mayo and Ennis often attend matches.

[tiktok]

I think it was Cork City MkII or MkIII, well certainly the 2nd or 3rd club to use the name anyway..

2nd or 3rd Holding company to own the club. If you're equating holding companies going out of business with clubs doing so, most clubs have been out of business more than once.

Fair play to GUST, ballsy move. I'm sure it was a last resort. I'd assume that the Directors of Galway United, with the debts there, will have Ilittle choice but to (in the absence of an income stream) wind up the holding company which you'd hope would allow GUST to buy the club back through legal channels.

[tiktok]

The plot thickens...rumours of the current directors wanting to sell the name Galway United to Salthill Devon...for a euro

No sane director of a company in debt would undersell an asset for €1, it'd be negligent trading and they'd be in potentially more hot water than just having run up the debt.

[gufcfan]

And yet they're still planning on applying for 2013 (http://extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/7156/)!

BS as usual from the directors. They have no intention of doing so and couldn't even if they wanted to. They walked away from the car crash they created before the end of the 2010 season. They told the manager and players not to deal with GUST on the one hand but directed employees and creditors to GUST for their money. GUST intervened at the 11th hour on a number of occasions in 2010 to save it from collapse, never mind in 2011.

Leeson writes to the FAI every month to remind them of the money he allegedly didn't pay himself during 2010. Considering how many unpaid creditors came to light on a weekly basis for a good part of this year, you'd have to wonder where it went (he says sarcastically).


I love the implication that somehow GUST, who have run the whole show for them for a year and provided massive help previous to that are somehow the bad guys in this, rather than the idiots who ran the club into the ground.

It's almost as if there is some sort of delusional person involved whose public pronouncements have little connection to reality and a tendency towards not telling the truth.
Agree 100%. It really is a head scratcher... :rolleyes:

[Mr Maroon]

There is an online petition supporting GUST's license application here. http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/gust

[Terry]

great to see past players who are now plying their trade over in England signing the petition, thanks lads and ye'll never be forgotten.

[Mr Maroon]

great to see past players who are now plying their trade over in England signing the petition, thanks lads and ye'll never be forgotten.And up the road in Sligo!

[geezer]

report on the meeting in the Claddagh Hall last nite aired this morning

[geezer]

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/gust/signatures/page/8

[adamd164]

report on the meeting in the Claddagh Hall last nite aired this morning

Care to expand? What happened at the meeting?

[Enruoblehs]

Listen on RTE Player.

http://www.rte.ie/news/morningireland/player.html?20111219,3145406,3145406,flash,257

[eitoof]

Can someone explain to me and this is NOT **** stirring, what happens to the people owed the €900K by GUFC? Is it really that easy to walk away from debts and start up again under a new title? Just intrigued by it all as someone whose only involvement is at amateur level and a casual fan of the international team

[pineapple stu]

I suppose they should be thankful the debts won't get any bigger? Cos that's almost certainly what would have happened next year if GUFC had gotten a licence.

[Charlie Darwin]

The holding company will presumably go into liquidation. Whatever assets the club have (can't imagine they've much) will be sold to pay off preferred creditors (banks and government/councils) and the directors will be liable to pay back the loans they personally guaranteed (these seem to be in six figures). The new club might choose to pay back some of the smaller creditors (Derry did this by honouring season tickets bought from the previous club).

[passerrby]

Can someone explain to me and this is NOT **** stirring, what happens to the people owed the €900K by GUFC? Is it really that easy to walk away from debts and start up again under a new title? Just intrigued by it all as someone whose only involvement is at amateur level and a casual fan of the international team

dont let it get to you we do it all the time in the LOI and then we say things like "but the new men running the club will be far more smarter than them &**3**ks who got us into this mess "and "its all (insert name) fault but he is gone now so its all over for the old club, this is a brand new era (six months later they will be on here telling you that they have a long history and its not a NEW club.
and this is not aimed at GUST but at clubs in general (except my own of course)

[Sean South]

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/gust/signatures/page/8

You can't be accused of not taking It serious....

[Macy]

Can someone explain to me and this is NOT **** stirring, what happens to the people owed the €900K by GUFC? Is it really that easy to walk away from debts and start up again under a new title? Just intrigued by it all as someone whose only involvement is at amateur level and a casual fan of the international team
It's not GUST debt - they're not walking away from anything they are responsible for. If GUST get a licence it will be a new club and new company. If it was the same people walking away and starting again, it wouldn't be so easy, although it does happen in business.

[gufc2000]

Can someone explain to me and this is NOT **** stirring, what happens to the people owed the €900K by GUFC? Is it really that easy to walk away from debts and start up again under a new title? Just intrigued by it all as someone whose only involvement is at amateur level and a casual fan of the international team
GUST will honour debts accrued during the time in which GUST were involved in running the club. Any other debts that are the responsibility of the GUFC Ltd, not that of GUST.

[gufcfan]

GUST are the club as far as I'm concerned and while it is a new entity, they are people who have proven themselves to be competent, picking up the pieces left by the directors, who have proven the opposite of themselves without any doubt. Finally being in control of the "club" will allow the process of reversing the damage to begin.

GUST may have been running the club on behalf of the directors since February, but not having the ultimate say allowed GUST to be undermined still in their efforts. One director was allegedly actively trying to sabotage the club.

Given the opportunity, I think GUST FC can be a huge success. The lunacy of the last few years could easily have been avoided by a couple of level heads. The club did what they liked and "ah sure the GUST lads will pick up after us when we don't pay... haha" was the attitude.

As recent as this season, representatives of the FAI were saying how great United were a few years ago, running a Black and White Ball fund-raiser in the Galway Radisson for example. It certainly brought a lot of money to the coffers, mostly because none of the bloody suppliers were paid. This is the exactly the type of behaviour that went on all the time and certainly explains how things have gone the way they have.

When directors were claiming to have been putting in money to the club, they seem to have mostly been taking out loans, hence the massive bank debt THEY now owe. It is not the responsibility of GUST or any supporter to pay this back. They were taken out and guaranteed by the directors. The banks may or may not see value in going after their money, but I hope they do.

Recently I saw an article about Don O'Riordan (now in China) who left United in 2001 to manage Sligo. Ten years and as many managers later, we have gone from a club with structures in place, youth teams winning all before them, a club that went out into the community... to what it has turned into... A club that has nothing but contempt for supporters, serving only as a plaything.

GUST represent my interests as a fan. I wish them the very best of luck. We have to see what the heads in the FAI decide, but outside of that, there will be no luck involved.

[John83]

Can someone explain to me and this is NOT **** stirring, what happens to the people owed the €900K by GUFC? Is it really that easy to walk away from debts and start up again under a new title? Just intrigued by it all as someone whose only involvement is at amateur level and a casual fan of the international team
Well, prior to the Lex Poetelia Papira, they could force the directors of GUFC into indentured servitude. After they changed the law, it become common to jail the directors until their families paid the debt. Later still, the practice was to excuse the debt, tell the directors that they're very naughty men, slap them on the wrist with a short ban from directorships and ask them could they please not do it again. Currently, as far as I can make out, the government assumes control of the business, raising taxes to pay for the debts, and continue to pay the directors exorbitant salaries and cocaine allowances. However, plans are in place to force the populace to additionally perform oral sex on key elected officials across Europe for the pleasure of being so thoroughly ****ed over.

[Terry]

The FAI have issued a short statement on Monday's meeting with Galway United Supporters Trust calling it "a productive and informative meeting".

www.galwayunitedfc.net

[WoodquayBoy]

Any chance GUST would follow suit and let us know how it went? The silence has been defeaning

[Patrick Dunne]

The FAI have released a statememt, Woodquay Boy. GUST won't be making any comment pending further updates from the FAI.

[Sean South]

I heard the FAI have lots of concerns about this new club and it's looking "unlikely" that they will be in the first division next season.

[gufc2000]

<strong>I heard the FAI have lots of concerns</strong> about this new club and it's looking "unlikely" that they will be in the first division next season.
Expand...no point in throwing up statements unless you have the info to back it up

[Martinho II]

The FAI have issued a short statement on Monday's meeting with Galway United Supporters Trust calling it "a productive and informative meeting".

www.galwayunitedfc.net
that link brings u to the forum.. wheres the statement on it??

[WoodquayBoy]

So much for being open and 'ask a question and we'll answer it'

[gufct]

So much for being open and 'ask a question and we'll answer it'

Unfortunately WB its not a perfect world and no one can answer every question they are asked online. Were you at the meeting last sunday or the AGM the week before every question there was answered.

[Mr Maroon]

that link brings u to the forum.. wheres the statement on it??
It was a one line email sent by Peter Sherrard (director of communications of the FAI) when asked by media for a comment or press release on the meeting.


So much for being open and 'ask a question and we'll answer it'
I'm sure you appreciate everything can't just be thrown up onto an internet forum.

[culloty82]

Piece in The Star saying there was "a frank exchange of views" between the FAI and GUST on Monday, mostly over financial plans. I thought most clubs were keeping expenses to a minimum, and only scaling up when they could afford to, so GUST should have more experience at this than most from the last 12 months?

[Patrick Dunne]

If Galway United STFC get a licence, our budget will be minimal, certainly lower than other First Division clubs.

[Sean South]

At least the local media are behind them 100%

http://www.galwaynews.ie/opinions/noble-cause-galway-united-fans-ignore-reality

[Charlie Darwin]

What a strange article. They need a "financial backer"? Isn't that how they got saddled with all that debt in the first place?

[Lim till i die]

If Galway United STFC get a licence, our budget will be minimal, certainly lower than other First Division clubs.

Which is why I'll be amazed if ye are left near the place.

It's not like the Cork FORAS thingy, with the greatest of respect I'm not sure what exactly you're bringing to the table??

[Sean South]

He comes across as a clueless attention seeker in fairness but a good few people in Galway seem to think like that too which is the sad thing.

[Lim till i die]

John McIntyre is an absolute **** tbf.

[gufc2000]

Which is why I'll be amazed if ye are left near the place.

It's not like the Cork FORAS thingy, with the greatest of respect I'm not sure what exactly you're bringing to the table??
So you'd prefer to see a club, with a loyal bunch of hard working fans go under? We were getting bigger crowds to games than ye were last year, and look at the difference in fortunes both teams were enduring.

[Lim till i die]

So you'd prefer to see a club, with a loyal bunch of hard working fans go under? We were getting bigger crowds to games than ye were last year, and look at the difference in fortunes both teams were enduring.

No, where did I say that??

I'm just wondering what exactly you're bringing to the table.

It costs about 150,000 to come last in the First Division where's it coming from??

Also on the crowds, we play our games on a patch of waste ground with travelling support from Salthill and Wexford.

You played your games in Terryland Park with travelling support from Sligo and Shamrock (not to mention 100s of presumably free kids anytime I was there.)

[geezer]

Which is why I'll be amazed if ye are left near the place.

It's not like the Cork FORAS thingy, with the greatest of respect I'm not sure what exactly you're bringing to the table??

Are you for real.
One of the best stadia in the country that cost 3million to develop and now will be growing weeds.

1000 regular LOI Patrons. coming looking at games even though the home team hadnt won a game in 34?

600 season ticket holders

35 years of LOI history

represents a region covering all Galway the 2nd largest county in the nation, North Tipp, North Clare, South Mayo and South Roscommon.

That journo is hurling, and racing its all he knows, Hurling always protects itself from anything that may hinder their own club memberships it suits mcintyre to get the county left to hurling. He also has a history of writing negative stuff only about united.

supporters want to keep their club alive whats so different in that to Cork or Derry. At least we have supporters who want to do that unlike , fingal, kildare, dub city etc

we will be on the streets of our city tomorrow garnering support and make no mistake we will be leaving no stone unturned to keep it alive

[Patrick Dunne]

GUST will bring the following :

- the use of one of the best football stadia in the country
- backing of the Galway FA and most local clubs
- support of responsible local businesses
- people who have years voluntary experience in the LOI
- people new to the LOI who have experience in other fields
- a members run community club who will work with all other branches of the football family
- large city and county wide support (1,500 after one win out of 39 competitive matches)

We will be a sustainable League of Ireland club run by League of Ireland people !

[Sean South]

GUST will bring the following :

- the use of one of the best football stadia in the country
- backing of the Galway FA and most local clubs
- support of responsible local businesses
- people who have years voluntary experience in the LOI
- people new to the LOI who have experience in other fields
- a members run community club who will work with all other branches of the football family
- large city and county wide support (1,500 after one win out of 39 competitive matches)

We will be a sustainable League of Ireland club run by League of Ireland people !


Was this in your application forum for a licence?

[sligoman]

GUST will bring the following :

- the use of one of the best football stadia in the country
- backing of the Galway FA and most local clubs
- support of responsible local businesses
- people who have years voluntary experience in the LOI
- people new to the LOI who have experience in other fields
- a members run community club who will work with all other branches of the football family
- large city and county wide support (1,500 after one win out of 39 competitive matches)

We will be a sustainable League of Ireland club run by League of Ireland people !Sounds good, when is the DVD being released?

[geezer]

Sounds good, when is the DVD being released?

updating on whats happened since that DVD , that dvd was the "businessmen regime" that bull**** fudged a team up a division, it racked up mad debts up, won awards, it was a sham, The club has truly itself to blame but then left it to long time supporters to try and sort. No hands up, no responsibility just a disappearing act.
Sligo at least have seen off ceo types etc that know it all but there are not many league clubs that have not suffered under "businessmen" promising all sorts and leaving a bucket of ****.

Thank god we have people willing to slog through, and will continue, We knew this was a ten year repair job when we had to go and find out the damage that was left.

Its Galway Utds Fault, not anyone else but the fans were kept outside of the high echelons for much of that period.

The supporters left to pick up the pieces are long time LOI supporters who have been to every ground in the country multiple times over many years

[adamd164]

How many members does GUST have and what sort of figure would membership revenue be per year?

[geezer]

How many members does GUST have and what sort of figure would membership revenue be per year?

sold all 600 season tickets last year which entitled all to membership of Gust on purchase of
We also put in €107000 this season over and above on of the season ticket figures, we have over 90 in a monthly draw and we have re introduced the club lotto 2 months ago

It has developed into a persistent outfit and will not be disappearing over night thats for sure. Its long haul, it sees the only future as being one involved with the community and helping a community develop teams the whole way up a 3 year deal with Corrib Rangers on the Westside of Galway city agreed last month is the start of this

[A face]

Which is why I'll be amazed if ye are left near the place.

It's not like the Cork FORAS thingy, with the greatest of respect I'm not sure what exactly you're bringing to the table??

I haven't read the rest of the thread yet but that is one mad cap statement right there. It have them written off even before they begin. I'm glad FORAS didn't listen to those kind of statements when it was crunch time. Fair play to GUST and i hope that all the hard work pays off for them.

[Jofspring]

I don't think Galway can use that last match with over 1,000 as a marker for future attendances. Over the season ye averaged about 800-900 going by the attendances thread. That is including far superior traveling support to what you will have visiting next season. The most away fans you could probably expect in the first division next season is 50-60, but with most teams 10-15 would be more likely. Last season we had crowds of about 400-500, with most games having traveling support of only a hand full of fans. The only decent size home crowds we had where for Cork, Waterford and Shels matches cause they brought a good bit of traveling support.

It would be a shame to lose Terryland Park from the LOI, just like I hope Buckley Park makes a return.

The way its looking though if Galway make a return they would be starting out more at the Salthill level in the beginning.

I understand what LTID is saying about Cork Foras being different. Cork signed a very decent squad its first year, had crowds of 1,500 and then were able to build on that fairly quickly the next season with crowds of over 2,000. The same could be said for Derry. They where also successful teams for years before re-starting in the first division unlike Galway who have been around the bottom of the league since going up.

[geezer]

but it was 1500 at the last game, it was Monaghan we were playing who brought probably about 200, GUFC as you say have lingered at the bottom , havent won a trophy since 1996 and hadnt won any games in 34 at home up to that game. It is different to Cork on a lot of levels, put a passionate group of fans is a similiar trait, the way our clubs were allow bloat their balance sheets without getting noticed is similiar, its a different part of the country but the league is the poorer without Terryland. All the supporters and their is a decent amount of them want is a chance to get it right, there are not many supporters groups putting in €107,000 a season into clubs.

there are many clubs who wouldnt survive barren seasons like the many GUFC have endured

There is a huge job to be done to completely re arrange the club but surely it and the LOI supporters would be a loss to the game in Ireland

Galway Utd would bring up to 150 to Limerick in a bad season, on a good season it would be 300 im sure with the links now between the cities.