Athlone bucked?

[KeepersBall]

http://www.leagueofireland.ie/#!Press-Release-Athlone-Town-call-urgent-appeal-meeting/cwp4/55001d120cf24585979fada7

[White Horse]

It doesn't sound good.

[Mr A]

That just raises a lot of questions.... such as:

It looks like the club have signed a squad they already know they can't afford?
Doesn't calling out your inability to attract a main sponsor itself undermine the value of your shirt sponsorship?
What the hell are these people playing at?

[athloneman]

Its well known locally that the current board/associates have ruined the club and havent a clue what they are at! Its alleged that the chairman sacked the youths management team over a year a ago because his son wasnt getting a game and since then the youths have won 6 games in a year and a half! if they are like that with the youths just imagine how the rest of the club is being run!

[Jofspring]

Ya it sounds like they got their budget completely wrong. Assembling a strong squad and then realising one game into the season that the crowds in the first division won't sustain that squad.

You could easily swap Limerick in for Athlone there too. No shirt sponsor here for 3 years now, crowds likely to drop so whether we can afford an already cut budget is yet to be seen.

[nigel-harps1954]

There's another big question to be asked if this is the case with the budget. How did the FAI approve the budget if Athlone knew they weren't going to be able to afford it?

[NeverFeltBetter]

Ah here, why did they assemble "the best squad...in many years" if they didn't have the funds to pay for them without seeking more support beyond a week into the season?

[nigel-harps1954]

Ah here, why did they assemble "the best squad...in many years" if they didn't have the funds to pay for them without seeking more support beyond a week into the season?

Their best squad in many years drew with a Waterford side that signed a handful of players from the Cobh side rooted to the bottom of the division last year in their opening game.

[stann]

Ya it sounds like they got their budget completely wrong. Assembling a strong squad and then realising one game into the season that the crowds in the first division won't sustain that squad.
One away game at that - they'd have no accurate idea yet how much their home gates will be reduced by the drop sure.
Which is why it sounds to me like a little bit of overstating the case to the public, in an effort to drum up some extra support / sponsorship.
We had something similar a few years back with an ill-advised appeal on local radio which did very little, and maybe more harm than good.
Anyway, wouldn't think there's anything there that would suggest the club is in immediate trouble.

[sulywaterfordfc]

Their best squad in many years drew with a Waterford side that signed a handful of players from the Cobh side rooted to the bottom of the division last year in their opening game.

The Waterford 11 contained one former Cobh player. The former player was a big part in Waterford's run to the play off final in 2012 and he only played for Cobh because of a stupid mistake he made following the 2012 season. Your completely underestimating Waterford this year.

And besides that Athlone were very poor against us, and there only clear cut chance came from a misplaced backpass from a Waterford player which was scored. Although the conditions were very poor in the RSC.

[ATFC-1887]

Their best squad in many years drew with a Waterford side that signed a handful of players from the Cobh side rooted to the bottom of the division last year in their opening game.

1. That was referring to last season squad.
2. We were missing 6 starting players last Friday

[Town Legend]

LOI club in financial difficulty.....this all smells of Roddy Collins!

[desaintsno.12]

i'd love to know what the FAI check when they look at the budget of a club for approval. do they have prove funds are there ?
the entire system is obviously flawed massively and i presume clubs like athlone are fiddling it completley.

[Dodge]

Just on the "best squad in years" comment. It's clearly not. Half the player are ex Pats under 19s and none of them are on anything/much

The statement is a shambles

[Town Legend]

When reading the statement about the best squad in years, I took it to mean this years squad as it's worded 'are perhaps the best squad' instead of 'was perhaps the best squad'.

[Macy]

Another season, another ringing endorsement of the licencing system.

[Mr A]

Ack, was going to write another post pointing out the oddness of the statement and questions it raises, but feck it, I just hope they pull through somehow.

[sulywaterfordfc]

1. That was referring to last season squad.
2. We were missing 6 starting players last Friday

Waterford were missing 3/4 as well which includes the team captain. Didn't seem to effect Blues too much.

[ATFC-1887]

Waterford were missing 3/4 as well which includes the team captain. Didn't seem to effect Blues too much.
Yeh couldn't score against a put together back 4 until the last kick of them game :eek:

[ATFC-1887]

From what i hear is that its not as bad as its being made out to be. A problem at the moment is that after this week we have 2 away games, so there will be no income for 2 weeks. Its not as if the club is in massive debt. Its just a case of them needing to get a sponsor in to help with the running costs.

[athloneman]

the club only got a licence at the last minute due to a former accountant at the club making a deal with the revenue commissioners. the board had a letter ready stating the club was going to fold before receiving the tax clearance cert!

[ger121]

The curse of Roddy strikes again.

[White Horse]

From what i hear is that its not as bad as its being made out to be. A problem at the moment is that after this week we have 2 away games, so there will be no income for 2 weeks. Its not as if the club is in massive debt. Its just a case of them needing to get a sponsor in to help with the running costs.

Season ticket sales usually mean financial problems are rare early in the season. How many season tickets did Athlone sell?

[JosephMcSweeney]

The curse of Roddy strikes again.

When is he going to start saying "I put them out of this league" instead of "I brought him into the league"?

[Spudulika]

When is he going to start saying "I put them out of this league" instead of "I brought him into the league"?

The licencing system is only a mechanism to make clubs behave. They need to predict what they will bring in, what they will spend and it is gone through thoroughly. It all makes sense, but this, I don't know what Athlone are at but this type of stuff is terrible for the club, league and respect. Really looks tough.

As for the Rod. He's managed to bus - Carlisle, Shamrock Rovers, Dublin City, Floriana, Monaghan, Athlone.....some man, some legacy.

[ATFC-1887]

Season ticket sales usually mean financial problems are rare early in the season. How many season tickets did Athlone sell?
Less than 10.

[disgruntled]

Sorry to see another League of Ireland club in trouble.
Start with a clean slate by getting rid of the people who put them in financial trouble in the first place.
A sticking plaster is no good when major surgery is needed.

[nigel-harps1954]

Sorry to see another League of Ireland club in trouble.
Start with a clean slate by getting rid of the people who put them in financial trouble in the first place.
A sticking plaster is no good when major surgery is needed.


Is that some sort of dig at Roddy Collins?

[White Horse]

Less than 10.

Ah well. If people aren't interested, you really are bucked.

[ATFC-1887]

Ah well. If people aren't interested, you really are bucked.
I think its partially the clubs fault that people didn't but them. The communication, or lack of, from the club is pathetic. There is no PR at all. The club has done nothing in the community whatsoever. If it wasnt for one of the fans, the official facebook page and website would be dead. It seems as though the club just expect everything to fall into place.
There are so many simple things that could change so much, but it just doesnt happen. They say they want people to get involved and help, but the club seem so unapproachable. There is barely a committee there. Most of them are just names on paper for license reasons. Its basically run by 2 or 3 people.
Unless an outsider came in to take over, i can't see any bright future for our club. Nobody around Town with any interest in taking over that would be worthwhile.
Sad times.

[DRDoc]

Our of curiosity what was the reason put out regarding the delay with the license?

[ATFC-1887]

Our of curiosity what was the reason put out regarding the delay with the license?
It was an issue with the a tax clearance cert.

[Longfordian]

I think its partially the clubs fault that people didn't but them. The communication, or lack of, from the club is pathetic. There is no PR at all. The club has done nothing in the community whatsoever. If it wasnt for one of the fans, the official facebook page and website would be dead. It seems as though the club just expect everything to fall into place.
There are so many simple things that could change so much, but it just doesnt happen. They say they want people to get involved and help, but the club seem so unapproachable. There is barely a committee there. Most of them are just names on paper for license reasons. Its basically run by 2 or 3 people.
Unless an outsider came in to take over, i can't see any bright future for our club. Nobody around Town with any interest in taking over that would be worthwhile.
Sad times.

What did ye do with that €500k or whatever it was that was left to ye a while back? Did ye pay off debt?

[atfconline]

The Club didn't receive a cent, let alone €500k. The debt of Athlone Town Stadium Ltd. was cleared.

[Longfordian]

Fair enough, I wasn't sure what the full story was so I wasn't implying anything. I'd forgotten there were or are two completely separate committees over there.

[Nesta99]

the club only got a licence at the last minute due to a former accountant at the club making a deal with the revenue commissioners. the board had a letter ready stating the club was going to fold before receiving the tax clearance cert!

Yep can see how that meeting went! FAI: what do you need to get the tax clearance cert through as we've just begged Cabinteely to join the 1st division wilderness league, and we couldnt be arsed finding somone else to replace you lot if you trot off to junior football...take all the time ye need...we shall back yiz up with that revenue lot, saves us a load of hassle!

[ThePrisoner]

The Club didn't receive a cent, let alone €500k. The debt of Athlone Town Stadium Ltd. was cleared.

Not per the audited accounts for the year ended 31/5/14.

€3m+ outstanding in long term creditors.

[outspoken]

Wonder what sort of attendance they got tonight

[Strongbow10]

Wonder what sort of attendance they got tonight

340 was what was announced but seemed a nearer the 500 mark to me

[ATFC-1887]

340 was what was announced but seemed a nearer the 500 mark to me
easily 500

[outspoken]

Not bad for Cobh at home in fairness

[Acornvilla]

At least they won, might help with the auld crowds in a fortnight.

[ATFC-1887]

At least they won, might help with the auld crowds in a fortnight.
That's tha problem. No home game for 3 weeks.

[nigel-harps1954]

Athlones fixtures are a bit mental alright. They've 3 of the next four games away from home, and of the following 7, 5 of them are at home.

[disgruntled]

Is that some sort of dig at Roddy Collins?

No.
I'm talking about the people who run the club.
Roddy was just an employee whom I didn't mention at all.
Its the people who employed him & a squad of players they couldn't afford who are the problem.

[ATFC-1887]

Yer all going on about Roddy. Its nothing to do with Roddy, or the season Roddy was there. This is from last season and this season. Last season the club budgeted based on what crowds the expected to get for the season. When things went tits up after 10 games the crowds were alot lower than expected.

[Mr A]

The big meeting is tonight. It'll be interesting to hear what comes out of it.

[total hoofball]

The big meeting is tonight. It'll be interesting to hear what comes out of it.
Wage cuts?

I'd be surprised if someone is going to burn a massive hole in their pockets for a club that has chanced their arm on the unaffordable squad they have put together. You could have some sympathy for a club that has come down to a 8 team first division after a good number of seasons in the Premier not being familiar with the budgetry realities of operating a team in the division but it's only 18 months since Athlone were in the first division they should have known what they were facing this season.

[Longfordian]

They're going to follow Keely's advice of yesterday and merge with LTFC. The new club will play out of Longford and be called Longford Town FC (incorporating Athlone Town FC).

[Charlie Darwin]

Keely talks some awful ****e.