Bray statement

[pineapple stu]

Forced by who? The FAI?
Yeah - it's realistically one of the few things the FAI can actually do.

They can say "Your budget is nonsense; go back and resubmit" and they can keep an eye on budget v actual in prior years - but ultimately the players are already signed. How do you get around that?

Can you really slap a transfer embargo or deny a licence just because you don't believe the budget? Not really.

Of course, a points deduction is worthless now because the ****'s already hit the fan, and yet the FAI are stuck with trying to keep Bray in the league because they can't afford to lose any more clubs.

So all they can do is ask for a deposit, and if the **** does hit the fan, at least there's a buffer there to release to the club and allow it limp on to the end of the season and start afresh with an amateur team or something. Even guarantee the players an extra month's salary or something. I guess the FAI thought that because all was good with Bray last year, that they'd be ok this year.

Course, in the end of the day, the FAI have made the environment that has allowed Bray to fail - no investment, no interest, and lumping extra costs on to all clubs. But while they keep pandering to crap like Conroy and Gabay, nothing'll change...

[Jofspring]

Forced by who? The FAI?


Yes - thought it was 250k myself

Ya forced by the FAI and it was €250k.

[Mr A]

Latest on this: http://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/fai-chiefs-believe-bray-wanderers-10871382

"Stephen McGuinness met with FAI officials to discuss the latest developments in the ongoing saga.

He fronted the meeting on the players’ behalf after the Licensing department requested that no players sit in on the talks."

That's a bit weird isn't it? 4 players were there but not allowed into meeting.

"A number of players were paid yesterday with others due payment today. But that is the last of the money stumped up by former backer Gerry Mulvey.

There is now a claim that fresh funds from a new backer will be lodged into a bank account on August 3."

If they have the funds, why not lodge them now before the window shuts?

[pineapple stu]

It's getting to being like an episode of the Crystal Maze. With everyone shouting "Get out!" at the TV.

[Eminence Grise]

Richard Ayoade takes charge! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msN7HNncHik)

[sullanefc]

I'm close to thinking that all clubs should pay a bond at the start of the year as part of licensing.

[pineapple stu]

I see TSV 1860 Munich were relegated from the second flight in Germany last season (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/03/1860-munich-demotion-germany-fourth-fifth-tier-unpaid-licence) - but then had to pay a €5m licence fee for the new season. I can't tell if that amount was refundable or not - they changed owners recently, and it could be that the previous owners got their bond back, and the new owners were now required to stump up.

Anyways, the DFB threw them down a further division for not paying.

I don't know if anyone has any more info on that, but it looks like a reasonable comparison with Bray. Say they asked Bray for a bond and Bray said sorry, haven't got it. What do you do? We can't **** any teams down more divisions because we haven't got any, and because the FAI have spent decades refusing to put any sort of pyramid system in place - in fact, they've been increasing the gap between league and everyone else, particularly with the absurdly short-sighted decision to put senior football on an entire different calendar to the rest of the country. In any event, other clubs "won't have it" too I'd say. A bond of what - €100k? - is a lot for LoI clubs. because there's no prize money or TV money and more and more teams to field. And you can't dock everyone points.

(I do agree a bond is an idea that has merit, for all that)

Basically, Fran Gavin et al have created the atmosphere for clubs to screw up and face practically no punishment bar extinction.

But hey, let's talk about Dundalk and Cork instead.

[Doom]

Even without teams being broke/corrupt or whatever, you can still only drop one division no matter how terrible you are on the pitch. Then on top of that you make it that when a club does get in trouble behind the scenes, they can just pretend it never happened and change whatever is at the end of the club name... FC to United etc

How do you change it though? I can't imagine anyone makes money out of the clubs (though I could be wrong) so you can't threaten to take that away really

[Mr A]

Doings a transpiring: https://twitter.com/niallkelly/status/890521422463938560


Niall Kelly‏Verified account @niallkelly 44 seconds ago

Lads, wait until you see the statement Gerry Mulvey has just sent out from Bray...
0 replies 0 retweets 2 likes

[Mr A]

Sweet merciful Jebus: http://braywanderersfc.ie/bray-wanderers-fc-statement/


July
27
Bray Wanderers FC Statement

Bray Wanderers FC can now officially confirm the club is financially stable for the foreseeable future and have a vision for the future unrivaled by any other Football Club in Ireland.
Wicklow County has unfortunately now attained the accolade of being the North Korea of Ireland for business.
But like all suppressed people, they eventually revolt, a revolution of Football is going to start and Bray Wanderers will be the leaders not just for Wicklow but for Ireland in this revolt.
Ireland produced great world beating players, from Roy Keane, John Giles, Liam Brady, Robbie Keane to Ray Houghton and many many more.
The problem and question is why cannot Ireland produce such great talent anymore.
We at Bray Wanderers are going to answer the questions and solve this problem.
We are going to give Wicklow and Ireland something to be proud of where there will be an academy to rival the best in the world. Our vision and ,rest assured ,we will execute the delivery of our vision is a world class football academy to rival the best in the world.
To achieve this, yes, we are going to and are in preliminary negotiations to buy a new Ground, and will be seeking from Wicklow County Council the rezoning of the land in The Carlisle grounds with the development proceeds used to fund the construction of what will be the best Academy and sporting Grounds in the country.
To keep the club on a sound financial Footing and independently fund this academy and club forevermore, we do have a plan on how to do that.
This will be at no cost to the Exchequer or County Council. But when you operate in North Korea, these options are difficult to achieve, but we will achieve it.
Eventually when we have succeeded in our vision creating the best centre of Excellence in Ireland, based on Academies such as Barcelona Manchester United and other in that caliber, creating the best production line of players in Ireland, we will hand the facility and sustainable business over to a trust who will protect the club and the development of Football in Wicklow & Ireland long after our collective lifetimes.
There will be may naysayers to this and to them, we say,
Ideally we’d bring in Conor McGregor for a quote but our response is,
“One great enemy we must all endeavor to fear not conquering is fear. Fear can cripple purpose and purposeful life. Fear asks question we must fear. Fear makes vision a nightmare. One must always cross the barrier of fear to get to the great city of true purposefulness. A great number of us who are unable to live to accomplish the true reason for our existence on earth are unable to cross the barrier of fear in the first place.”
Those afraid and living Fear, rest assured fear has no place in Bray Wanderers.
Gerry Mulvey
Chairman

[Real ale Madrid]

Has the #greatestleagueintheworld jumped the shark this time?

[sbgawa]

OMG has their account been hacked?
This is nuts stuff!
Having called the council North Korea he will then look for rezoning ...LMAO
Beyond bizarre , hacked or drunk or both

[brendy_éire]

The man has to drunk.
With lack of commas and poor sentence structure, you'd like to hope he's drunk anyway.

Bray are fecked.

[ArFella]

Is this the most insane official press release a LOI Club has ever given? Can't think of anything rivalling it! #GreatestLeagueInTheWorld

[Longfordian]

LOfeckingL.

I thought he was the sensible one?! Good god, what a statement.

[Philosophizer]

This is beyond ridiculuous! They're going to rival Barca and Man Utd, no less.

[Ezeikial]

Not even Waterford Whispers would come up with that.

It has to be a hoax, doesn't it?

[peadar1987]

Wow!

Is this a clever marketing strategy to get punters through the gates? "Club's doomed, better get down to a game while I still can"

[nigel-harps1954]

I think this is the best thing I've ever read. We've reached peak #greatestleagueintheworld

[Peaky Blinder]

At least he had to decency to admit it was a land grab... its crackpot territory though. Assume a follow up referring to a hacking will arrive soon.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Struggling to explain to people in the office why I just burst out laughing.

Not so funny for Bray fans mind. It reads like a drunken no-hoper election manifesto.

[littlebray]

Has Eric Cantona been signed as a script consultant?
The Seagulls ...

[bohsmug]

2582
Homer's drunk postcard to Marge comes to mind

[Poor Student]

Is this the most insane official press release a LOI Club has ever given? Can't think of anything rivalling it! #GreatestLeagueInTheWorld

Ronan Seery did the same or worse at Dublin City.

[Real ale Madrid]

BrAy WanNdereErs FC can n0w 0FficIaLLy COnfirm thE clUB is FinanNCially StAble f0r the foReSeeAble FuTUre And haVE a visi0n for tHe FUTurE UNRivalEd bY anY 0Ther FootBALl Club iN IrELand.

Actually makes more sense in the style of Spongebob squarepants.

[Nesta99]

Ray Houghton....? and he never even played for Celtic

[redarmyfaction]

To achieve this, yes, we are going to and are in preliminary negotiations to buy a new Ground, and will be seeking from Wicklow County Council the rezoning of the land in The Carlisle grounds with the development proceeds used to (fund the construction of what will be the best Academy and sporting Grounds in the country)shurely you mean, "line our own pockets", Ed.

[Mr A]

Hilarious as the Mulvey / O'Connor pantomime is, this is dreadful because they appear very likely to kill the club. Time to get organised Bray fans (after all, I could be wrong and you'll be handed the best academy in the world in a few years). The Irish Supporter Network is there to help if needed, drop me a PM if you are interested.

[NeverFeltBetter]

2582
Homer's drunk postcard to Marge comes to mind

I was thinking Tree House of Horror: we must go forwards, not backwards! Upwards, not forwards! And always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom!

[littlebray]

Time to get organised Bray fans


The sad fact is - as DOC moaned, was it only a fortnight ago - there are very few of them, and most aren't in a position to raise any sort of money.

The Wicklow People warned as long ago as 1972 that there didn't seem to be the support in the town for a League team.

Right then, and perhaps right to this day.

[greywanderer]

If bray wanderers don't actually own the Carlisle grounds how can rezoning benefit Bray wanderers, unless Gerry mulvey stipulates that his buddy kavanagh gets the building contract..

[sbgawa]

If you were a Bray player and this was your chairman how convinced would you be the investment is coming next week.

[oriel]

Only that I previously read this statement in the Indo I would have immediately thought it was a hoax. Its almost an unbelievable statement to make.

Perfect description by Mr A

Mulvey / O'Connor pantomime

[sbgawa]

I've never supported a player strike at any club but this takes the biscuit completely

[NeverFeltBetter]

Girlfriend has it right, describing it as "Trump-like".

[pineapple stu]

Surely it has to be fake?

Obviously it's real in that it's on the club social media, etc - but it has to be the result of a hacked account or something. Wasn't their website taken over a couple of years back?

Either way, still hardly encouraging.

[Seagull]

Mulvey and O'Connor only ever wanted the Carlisle Grounds, if the club stays in their hands it is finished.

[peadar1987]

If bray wanderers don't actually own the Carlisle grounds how can rezoning benefit Bray wanderers, unless Gerry mulvey stipulates that his buddy kavanagh gets the building contract..

The impression I got from that word salad they put out was that the council would rezone and sell the land for the Carlisle, which they own, then essentially just give O'Connor and Mulvey the proceeds out of the goodness of their North Korean hearts.

http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/27/272b82c92c10ec2d9bde7406edb3077811b29ef205a7c5432a 51f77c0665f840.jpg

[Mr A]

Bray Wanderers FC can now officially confirm the club is financially stable for the foreseeable future

Hmmmmmm. How long is that I wonder?

[Eminence Grise]

Holy f**kballs!! When did Sean Spicer wash up in Bray?

If Mulvey thinks Wicklow Co Co is so like North Korea I can't wait to see what he writes just before he's strapped to the business end of an anti-aircraft gun by planning officials!!!

[Nesta99]

Big bold plans that they hope will be big bold Wicklow CoCo if they dont play ball with the Carlisle Grounds rezoning.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Surely it has to be fake?

Obviously it's real in that it's on the club social media, etc - but it has to be the result of a hacked account or something. Wasn't their website taken over a couple of years back?

Either way, still hardly encouraging.

I'd be inclined to think so too, but surely it would have been taken down by now?

RTE and other media have picked up on it. Irish Times gingerly describes it as having a "rather bizarre tone (http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/national-league/bray-wanderers-chairman-likens-wicklow-to-north-korea-1.3168531)". Also this:


Members of Wicklow County Council have generally responded negatively to the idea of re-zoning the club’s current home when it was previously floated by Wanderers officials, with individual councillors suggesting to The Irish Times that in the event the club wants to move it would simply have to surrender its sporting lease on the facility.
If that happened the council would have the option of awarding a new lease to another sporting organisation or embarking on a redevelopment itself from which it would benefit from any financial windfall.

[Mr A]

Wicklow County Council statement.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DFwDoAsXYAAZXMp.jpg

[sbgawa]

I wonder are they trying to goad the fai into canceling the players contracts and then sueng the fai as the players had been paid...

[pineapple stu]

The FAI can't cancel contracts between a club and a player surely?

[redobit]

If a 3D image of this world class football academy appears ... that's the time to really get worried.

[John83]

The FAI can't cancel contracts between a club and a player surely?
You'd think they couldn't run a league with no money at a profit either, but there you go.

[Doom]

Did Bray hire Comical Ali to that press release? Jaysus

[CuanaD]

W O W
this is getting sadder & sadder

[Mr A]

Did Bray hire Comical Ali to that press release? Jaysus

Only after getting him drunk apparently.