Galway FC

[bennocelt]

Genuine question as obviously a connection has to be created with a fan base. It didnt work with SF, Dublin City or Kildare (if it had been Newbridge would they have fared any better?).

Always curious about that one myself. Decent sized town, wasnt hard to get to the ground, and not far from town centre, why did it not work.

[Sheridan]

Always curious about that one myself. Decent sized town, wasnt hard to get to the ground, and not far from town centre, why did it not work.
Same reason Kilkenny City didn't work in the end - hostility from local yokel junior ballers.

[nigel-harps1954]

In fairness, Buckley Park is a bit awkward to get to from Kilkenny city.

[sadloserkid]

In fairness, Buckley Park is a bit awkward to get to from Kilkenny city.

Walked out there in the dark the first time I went there, was some experience, trucks screaming past as I huddled in the ditch and hoped not to die. :D To top it all off we lost 1-0 but Ger Robinson's parents were good enough to drop me back into town at least. :D

[Mr A]

Buckly Park could be tricky to get to. You may well be able to see it in the distance but you'd turn towards it only for it to appear off to one side of you at the same distance again. There are probably still lost LOI fans out there circling it, unable to get there but unable to stop, locked in an eternal spiral that brings only madness and pain.

[Dermotron]

Bit late but there's new roadside access - half the wall has blown down.


Yep, junior football and distance from town probably the biggest factors in ever being resurrected. Which is ironic given junior football isn't anywhere near the same quality as it was when Kilkenny City were in the LOI.

[ATFC-1887]

Interesting tweet from Karl Moore https://twitter.com/moorzD9/status/407531362615590912

[Iorfa2MaccaJim]

Hi lads.

I was just wondering, did anyone hear how the launch went this evening ?

[galwayhoop]

Apparently went very well. Caught twenty mins or so on Galway Bay FM. They all kept saying there was a good crowd but nobody gave a number while I was listening. From the clapping and crowd noise it sounded like 100 anyway (terrible indicator I know but best I can do).

There were interviews on radio with GUST, Mervue and Salthill representatives along with John Delaney and Tommy Dunne and a great speech (genuinely one of the best I have ever heard) from Galway FC chairman Bernie O'Connell, a real call to arms.

The next few months will be interesting. GUST members seem to be split with some demanding a Co-Op before backing it and others happy that one will come into effect down the line. But I genuinely think that the Galway football public will back the project anyway - in the short term at least.

It'll be good to have a LOI team capable of competing and capable of getting large support. Despite most football people remaining unconvinced that the current structure is the best for the club and fully devoted to GFC's success. That's compromise though, I suppose.

[Paddyfield]

I was at it. Usual suspects were at it, John Delaney, Galway city Mayor, new manager, GUST officials, chairmen if Mervue and Salthill, ex Galway United managers (!!!), ex Galway United players, journalists and around 200 people.

Most interestingly, the new sponsors were there. They are a multi millionaire family from Co Galway who emigrated to UK 30 years ago ( www.thecomergroup.com ) They have bought property - millions of Euro worth of property all over Ireland, UK, Germany and USA. They even own the hotel where the launch was held tonight which they have rebranded as www.theconnacht.ie which is a massive hotel on the outskirts of the city. They also own www.palmerstownhouse.com which will be the sponsor on the shirt. They have bough a lot property in Galway city in the last 2 years. They are pumping €300,000 into Gaway FC over three years. The manager has been given a clean sheet to start up the new club.

John Delaney told the story on how Michael D Higgins phoned on New Years Day and Delaney thought it was Mario Rosenstock!!!

[Olander]

Apparently went very well. Caught twenty mins or so on Galway Bay FM. They all kept saying there was a good crowd but nobody gave a number while I was listening. From the clapping and crowd noise it sounded like 100 anyway (terrible indicator I know but best I can do).
Closer to the 200 mark.

[A face]

Interesting tweet from Karl Moore https://twitter.com/moorzD9/status/407531362615590912

Those lemons are damn bitter for Mr Moore aint they !!!! GFC would do well to give him a wide berth if possible

[nigel-harps1954]

I think Tommy Dunne should make Karl Moore his first signing.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Closer to the 200 mark.

Arguing over attendances already.........

[Louth4sam]

Those lemons are damn bitter for Mr Moore aint they !!!! GFC would do well to give him a wide berth if possible

You wouldn't be bitter if you were promised money for work you performed and didn't get it?

[Iorfa2MaccaJim]

Thanks for the updates lads. I'm really looking forward to a return to Eamon Deacey Park next year, but I have enjoyed my trips to Drom and Fahy's Field over the last few years.

[Terry]

http://www.newstalk.ie/AUDIO:-Galway-FC-Manager-Tommy-Dunne-on-reuniting-the-Tribesmen-

[A face]

There was a bit on the news section of Ireland AM this morning as well. Cant see it up online though (http://www.tv3.ie/3player/show/184/0/0/Ireland-AM).

[Dodge]

Those lemons are damn bitter for Mr Moore aint they !!!! GFC would do well to give him a wide berth if possible

That's way out of line for a bloke who's waiting on wages for 2/3 years.

[A face]

That's way out of line for a bloke who's waiting on wages for 2/3 years.

What's the full story though? Is he really going about it the right way as well? If the club went to the wall and hasn't been competing for a few years does he really think he is going to get it now? The PFAI are great at making noise, how come we haven't heard any? How many more players have been affected? Is he the only one? It just doesn't add up and he comes across as being very bitter.

[Dodge]

What's the full story though? Is he really going about it the right way as well? If the club went to the wall and hasn't been competing for a few years does he really think he is going to get it now? The PFAI are great at making noise, how come we haven't heard any? How many more players have been affected? Is he the only one? It just doesn't add up and he comes across as being very bitter.

It doesn't matter how many. He's owed money and was promised by GUST people that he would be paid over time. You can ask him yourself if you need all the details.

He probably is bitter. He has every right to be. As have all the players left unpaid by multiple LOI clubs

[Mr A]

The annoying part is that his anger, while justified, is misdirected. He'd have been a lot worse off had GUST not come in the steady the ship. It's Leeson (and the directors that let him run amok) he should really be angry at, but Leeson has successfully slithered away from what he did at GUFC.

[Charlie Darwin]

The annoying part is that his anger, while justified, is misdirected. He'd have been a lot worse off had GUST not come in the steady the ship. It's Leeson (and the directors that let him run amok) he should really be angry at, but Leeson has successfully slithered away from what he did at GUFC.
Leeson was gone by the time Moore joined and GUST were backing the club.

[A face]

Leeson was gone by the time Moore joined and GUST were backing the club.

And the club was going to the wall at that time ..... Their last season was brutal, GUST did well to keep going. I'm sure he isn't the only player affected. But how are GUST meant to pay it now, they don't have the ability, they don't have the club that had to be able to generate it. Surely he doesn't think the new club will foot the bill.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't know what he thinks but surely he has a right to be aggrieved, as any player who has to settle for less than he's owed would.

[Mr A]

Not sure of the exact timeline at this remove- but I thought the squad was signed before the wheels came off and GUST stepped in to keep it going? In retrospect they may have been better off to let the thing burn down. But hindsight is easy.

I don't see how GUST would be responsible for debts accrued by GUFC though- wouldn't that be the former directors if anyone?

By helping out at all GUST have now somehow found themselves morally responsible for the sins of others. No good deed goes unpunished..

[Dodge]

To be fair to Moore he specifically mentions that those involved with GUST made the promise they would pay off their debts. He's right to mention that IMO

[gufcfan]

Leeson was gone by the time Moore joined and GUST were backing the club.

The debts that Leeson ran up didn't go poof when he fecked off and new ones appeared out of thin air on a weekly basis.

There were huge amounts of money that had to be paid every week, just to keep up with the debts Leeson ran up.

I don't know what you mean by backing. The directors abandoned the club and GUST just kept the day to day going so that it wouldn't collapse a few days before the start of the season.

Galway FC has nothing to do with Galway United and GUST don't even have much of a say in Galway FC anyway.

[A face]

I don't know what he thinks but surely he has a right to be aggrieved, as any player who has to settle for less than he's owed would.

He has a right to be aggrieved and you'd expect him to be as well. But he should be chasing up the directors of United rather than GUST, GUST were just fire-fighting at that stage. GUST were trying to pay everyone, that was common knowledge, and i'd imagine that told Moore they would try and pay him too but you cant get a pint out of a half pint pot, if the money wasn't there then someone was going to be out of pocket.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't think GUST should be responsible for Leeson's debts, but surely they are responsible for paying the players during the period when they took over the club. They could easily have said to the players, 'look, we can't go on paying you but you're welcome to find new clubs as soon as the window opens.'

[NeverFeltBetter]

Most interestingly, the new sponsors were there. They are a multi millionaire family from Co Galway who emigrated to UK 30 years ago ( www.thecomergroup.com (http://www.thecomergroup.com) ) They have bought property - millions of Euro worth of property all over Ireland, UK, Germany and USA. They even own the hotel where the launch was held tonight which they have rebranded as www.theconnacht.ie (http://www.theconnacht.ie) which is a massive hotel on the outskirts of the city. They also own www.palmerstownhouse.com (http://www.palmerstownhouse.com) which will be the sponsor on the shirt. They have bough a lot property in Galway city in the last 2 years. They are pumping €300,000 into Gaway FC over three years. The manager has been given a clean sheet to start up the new club.



Excellent. Pat Dolan will have someone else to criticise soon for "splashing the cash". Soon he'll be on MNS telling us all these millionaires are ruining the league.

[redobit]

Bit late but there's new roadside access - half the wall has blown down.


Yep, junior football and distance from town probably the biggest factors in ever being resurrected. Which is ironic given junior football isn't anywhere near the same quality as it was when Kilkenny City were in the LOI.

Buckley Park still in use?

[gufct]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/national-league/pfai-reveal-player-earnings-remain-low-but-clubs-finances-stabilise-1.1614841 he should check out with the PFAI before he goes mouthing off.

[Charlie Darwin]

Excellent. Pat Dolan will have someone else to criticise soon for "splashing the cash". Soon he'll be on MNS telling us all these millionaires are ruining the league.
I'm sure he'll forgive them once they move to a 50,000-seater stadium.

[Dodge]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/national-league/pfai-reveal-player-earnings-remain-low-but-clubs-finances-stabilise-1.1614841 he should check out with the PFAI before he goes mouthing off.

Mouthing off? Even McGuinness admits acknowledges that players from Galway still haven't been paid. What did Moore say that's wrong?

[gufc2000]

I don't think GUST should be responsible for Leeson's debts, but surely they are responsible for paying the players during the period when they took over the club. They could easily have said to the players, 'look, we can't go on paying you but you're welcome to find new clubs as soon as the window opens.'
The whole squad was transfer listed mid-season, and players were told they were free to go elsewhere if I remember correctly.

Shaun Kelly & Shaun Maher went to Limerick, Greg Fleming joined Chesterfield, Shane Keogh went to Mervue, Gary Curran to Finn Harps, Karl Moore to Shamrock Rovers, Steve Feeney to Ballinamallard, Shaun Maher, Brian Cash, Paul Smith & David Butterfield were released

[KBurke]

From what I recall of Moores performances for Galway, Gust should be the ones seeking compensation. His and many others from that time perfomed shockingly.

[bluewhitearmy]

From what I recall of Moores performances for Galway, Gust should be the ones seeking compensation. His and many others from that time perfomed shockingly.

Oh that's fine then no need to honour his contract.

I can't believe the amount of people saying his anger is misguided. He was made promises by GUST how is his problem then with anyone but GUST when these promises are not kept?

[Terry]

Leeson was gone by the time Moore joined and GUST were backing the club.

Hold on here, Leeson was there to the very end, even after GUST pulled out when applying for the licence the following season. Its just that they all (leeson and the board of directors)didn't give a damn about anyone and were refusing to talk to anyone, hoping it would all just disappear.

[Charlie Darwin]

Well Leeson was gone as CEO and he'd taken his money with him, so GUST were running the show.

edit: If GUST are feeling the strain, they could do worse than pick up a copy of Nick Leeson's new book (http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/nick-leeson-dont-panic-book-debt-advice-1092971-Sep2013/).

[Terry]

Leeson was not gone as CEO just stayed in the shadows. You have to remember that it was his decision to not have GUFC apply for the licence come the following season, saying that he was going to take the club out for one year and reapply that following year.

[Charlie Darwin]

If he was still the CEO why did he publicly resign as CEO?

[nigel-harps1954]

http://www.extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/4865/

Resigned as CEO, but continued as shareholder and representative within the FAI.

[Trainee]

http://www.extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/4865/

Resigned as CEO, but continued as shareholder and representative within the .FAI.


He didn't resign as CEO as Gust could not sack Sean Connor as Nick wanted him to stay on as Manager, it took gust almost 4 months to get connor sacked even though he want training the team.

[Martinho II]

He didn't resign as CEO as Gust could not sack Sean Connor as Nick wanted him to stay on as Manager, it took gust almost 4 months to get connor sacked even though he want training the team.

how did Gleeson leave then? was it when Galway Utd was dissolved?

[gufcfan]

Galway FC Chairman makes powerful speech (http://www.galwaybayfm.ie/component/k2/item/3553-galway-fc-chairman-makes-powerful-speech)

- Bernie O'Connell, Chairman Galway FC

Galway FC launch interviews (http://www.galwaybayfm.ie/component/k2/item/3556-galway-fc-launch-interviews)

- Tommy Dunne

- Declan McDonnell

- Ollie Daniels

- Tommy Lally

- Bernie O'Connell

- John Delaney

[Terry]

how did leeson leave then? was it when Galway Utd was dissolved?

correct, he was the last man standing.

[sadloserkid]

The whole squad was transfer listed mid-season, and players were told they were free to go elsewhere if I remember correctly.

Shaun Kelly & Shaun Maher went to Limerick, Greg Fleming joined Chesterfield, Shane Keogh went to Mervue, Gary Curran to Finn Harps, Karl Moore to Shamrock Rovers, Steve Feeney to Ballinamallard, Shaun Maher, Brian Cash, Paul Smith & David Butterfield were released

Shaun Maher was released AND sent to Limerick? Now there's a man who can justify carrying a grievance. :)

Are GUST officially on board then with the brand new entity?

[Terry]

I would say 95% of them are on board, others are waiting for confirmation on the co-op being formed in the future

[Terry]

Co-op confirmed to be in place for the 2015 season

http://www.galwayindependent.com/20131204/sport/chairman-vows-to-introduce-co-op-structure-to-new-club-S28735.html