Galway Utd

[Seagull]

From Facebook, email sent to Galway Utd season ticket holders asking them to consider paying through the stiles tonight. Depressing to see at the end of the season.
https://www.facebook.com/leagueofirelandfootball/photos/a.898568513598213.1073741828.898559643599100/1440518092736583/?type=3&theater

[Jofspring]

Not surprised at all to be honest. Costs are just crazy and if you aren’t getting European money or big sponsorship/backing you have to be struggling.

[Mr A]

They are getting big sponsorship! But three down meant a lot of clubs felt they had to stretch things. Sligo had a couple of guys but 35k in to ease concerns. Would say the lad at Pats dug deeper into the pockets. Harps weren't able to strengthen in July but we're still creaking badly.

It's a tough, tough league and tougher again with three going down.

2607

[pineapple stu]

And tougher again with the First Division being a neglected wasteland that clubs feel they have to stretch to avoid.

[Duggie]

Why does the galway united keeper have a jersey with no sponser on it. Very unprofessional looking. Little things..

[total hoofball]

Great to see full-time professional clubs in existence for 3 years lunging for this latest installment of the 'LOI begging bowl' act on the final night of the season when they stare relegation in the face

I think the FAI recently said the LOI is in great shape

[WoodquayBoy]

A kick in the guts to go down, and disappointing that the club had to ask season ticket holders to voluntarily pay in tonight. But there are mitigating circumstances - the club rents the ground for home games but does not benefit from on-site catering, and cannot sell ground advertising. So the only income for the club is the gate take from games. Minus the €350 I think the Galway FA takes from us in rent. I don’t think they charge Galway WFC match-day rent. It costs in the region of €1,500 a month to train at Mervue United’s grounds, a fine facility which has benefitted, along with Salthill Devon’s grounds at Drom, to the combined tune of €2million plus in grants and solidarity payments from the FAI. And fair play to them for that. We as a club need to somehow source, develop and find our own training ground for a start. And maybe it’s time to sit down with Connacht Rugby and Galway City Council and talk about a municipal ground. Without Galway United there would be no Eamonn Deacy Park as we know it today, yet the Galway FA treats the club like something unpleasant on the sole of its shoe.
Mervue charges a healthy rent, yet they voted to refuse Galway United’s underage sides access to their facilities (as was their entitlement), while there were days when the senior side turned up for training to find the grass uncut or no nets in the goals.
When the club was reformed there were 4 stakeholders: The Galway FA, Mervue United, Salthill Devon, and the Galway United Supporters Trust.
The first 3 got everything they could from the club and are no longer on the board.
We, as genuine fans, refer to the first 3 as Takeholders. And for a good reason.

[Nesta99]

Who are people sponsoring when they buy a hoarding slot in ED Park. Do the Galway FA use Galway United as a selling tool? If so there should certainly be nothing beyond rent paid out or forsaken income generated by GUFC in the ground. It might be a pian but Cover up hoarding not associated with GUFC on match nights. GUST should advertise that none of this income goes to GUFC and for people to consider direct donations even. As for the conduct of the other 3 elements of GUFC the FIA should hold them to task over their obligations from being involved in submitting the planned new club to the FAI - the shouldnt be able to just walk away or charge silly money to an entity that is themselves in a way. Go tell Mervue to send 25% of the bill to their own treasurer etc. Easy said than done.

[WoodquayBoy]

Can’t touch a thing at the ground, like covering up hoarding, as it is the Galway FA’s ground so anything there is their property. That’s the attitude, live with it or find somewhere else.
The catering contract for the ground was upmfor tender recently. Apparently, United submitted the highest offer. It was rejected. Supporters and the club spent a five figure sum on renovating the old clubhouse as a new club bar. The bar is not allowed sell tea/coffee or minerals as the on-site caterer has exclusive rights to sales of such products. So the bar can’t even offer, for example, a vodka & orange or a Bacardi & coke.
Pearse Stadium has no floodlights, and Connacht Rugby has its own issues with Bord na gCon, so a ground move is not on the cards.
Hard for the FAI to crack down on what I would call rogue clubs locally when those clubs have members in prominent FAI committee positions. Honestly, if you wrote it down as a story, it would be laughed away as completely unbelievable.

[fieldofmarkets]

I would love if Limerick only had to pay 350 per game to Markets Field (as well as maintaining the pitch). Nevertheless, trying to build something with mefeiners and small minds has to be deeply frustrating.
Hope ye are straight back up.

[gufcfan]

I would love if Limerick only had to pay 350 per game to Markets Field (as well as maintaining the pitch).

The situation is a lot more complex than that. We are renting the ground but are prevented from operating properly within it.

Just as one example of the relationship, the club shop behind the goal, for a good part of the season was in direct competition with a new shop right beside it upstairs in the old clubhouse, opened by GUFC's own kit supplier. That space had been used as a sort of corporate area by GUFC, and the Galway FA rented it out, apparently without giving the club a chance to counter... or yano, ask them not to allow competition to set up in a stadium they were renting.

[redarmyfaction]

350 per game is very cheap, that's less than 5 K PA, you wouldn't get a house share for that in Galway.

[Olander]

350 per game is very cheap, that's less than 5 K PA, you wouldn't get a house share for that in Galway.

First I've heard that we only pay €350 a game. Maybe youth games. Let's say it was that, it still doesn't excuse the shíte that our club has put up with from the gob****es who run the Galway FA. It's genuinely disgusting. A lot of them seem to forget that if it wasn't for Galway United, Terryland Park would be nowhere near the venue it is today.

[Martinho II]

it must be such an unusual situation. Why does Galway have their own FA and nowhere else in the country have theirs? I dont get this. Is this because of the different clubs in Galway City that Galway have?

[gufcfan]

First I've heard that we only pay €350 a game. Maybe youth games.

That's another thing. The Galway United youth structure / academy is a partnership with junior clubs, who were instrumental in breaking up the daft underage situation with Mervue and Salthill representing Galway.

They make a contribution... but if the Galway United underage teams were to actually play their games at Eamonn Deacy Park, Galway United would be paying back the majority of the money to the Galway FA in pitch fees.

That's not even taking what United pay for the senior games into account, which is definitely more than 350.


Why does Galway have their own FA and nowhere else in the country have theirs?

Every district/regional league in Ireland has their own administrative body. Galway is a big county so it has it's own. Longford have the schoolboy FA and the junior teams, I assume, come under the CCFL. Mayo have their own. Sligo/Leitrim have their own. So do Roscommon.

Football Association / Football League... it's all the same.

[Nesta99]

What a waste ED Park will be without a senior club using it (in due course). Its times like this the FAI need to tell some people to cop on. It isnt hopeless when Connaught Rugby are also looking for a new development to happen, but it will be a disgrace that significant grants will have gone in to a ground that will be vacant bar those on the pitch and the handfull watching from a stand if GUFC are driven out.

[gufcfan]

What a waste ED Park will be without a senior club using it (in due course).

You've put two and two together and ended up with 7 million.

[Paulgufc]

If anyone feels like helping, just a reminder about the clubs big off season fundraiser

http://gufc-coop.com/loi-dash/

[outspoken]

You've put two and two together and ended up with 7 million.

Tbf that was a very worrying statement the club released and whilei realise we’ve seen plenty of clubs pull that card to raise funds over the years, if what Galway fans are saying on this thread is true about the way the Galway FA are milking them dry (I seem to remember the ridiculous fine United got for allowing kids on the pitch to get photos with players after one game by the Galway FA) and the high rent fees for using Mervue’s training base, it’s not difficult to see how this could end up for Galway once again.

[WoodquayBoy]

I would love if Limerick only had to pay 350 per game to Markets Field (as well as maintaining the pitch). Nevertheless, trying to build something with mefeiners and small minds has to be deeply frustrating.
Hope ye are straight back up.
Sorry, that should have read €650, not €350.

[Jofspring]

Sorry, that should have read €650, not €350.

I think what he is referring to is the fact it pales in comparison to the €2,000 a match Limerick pay.

[WoodquayBoy]

Figured that but said I better correct error anyway. That’s some wedge of notes for ye

[gufcfan]

I think what he is referring to is the fact it pales in comparison to the €2,000 a match Limerick pay.

You make money from catering there etc. at least?

[Redzer]

You make money from catering there etc. at least?
Ye bucks seem obsessed with who makes the bloody burgers.
I don't get it. you say the rent per game is €650. Limerick pays €2 Grand.
You have to sell a hell of a lot of junk food to make up the differance.
To me it's one less hassle on match nights, if the food is supplied by an independant source.
Ye have a handfull of volunteers, so who's going to do the cooking?
If the owners of the ground make some money on food on match nights, so what?
Ye are tenants after all. And by all accounts it's pretty cheap rent.

[Olander]

Ye bucks seem obsessed with who makes the bloody burgers.
I don't get it. you say the rent per game is €650. Limerick pays €2 Grand.
You have to sell a hell of a lot of junk food to make up the differance.
To me it's one less hassle on match nights, if the food is supplied by an independant source.
Ye have a handfull of volunteers, so who's going to do the cooking?
If the owners of the ground make some money on food on match nights, so what?
Ye are tenants after all. And by all accounts it's pretty cheap rent.
That's a strange post. Unless you're on a windup, I don't think you could possibly have missed the point anymore if you tried.

Nobody from the club is going to be "making the burgers".

The issue is that club can't make any money on match nights except for gate receipts and programme sales essentially. We have a bar, that we now have to give income to the GFA for and a small merchandise shop. We're not allowed to for example have Supermacs as one of the food vendors in the ground, which would probably bring in 30k+ per year. Or have proper coffee vendors or other food outlets which would have to pay us to sell their food in the ground.

You can compare Limerick all you like, but you can be sure they have control of everything that goes on in the ground for that rate, we don't and it's a massive issue for the club. We probably miss out on 40-50k a year because of it. It's not that complicated to understand why that's a serious issue for a LOI club.

[Jofspring]

You make money from catering there etc. at least?

The hot food is supplied by a chip van and they would pay rent. The club would make money off any profit from the sweet shop but you would imagine that would be pretty small. Limerick also have to maintain the pitch and it’s costs which from what I’ve seen are fairly hefty.

Match sponsors, ticket sales and half time raffle would be the main sources of income on a match night.

[Redzer]

That's a strange post. Unless you're on a windup, I don't think you could possibly have missed the point anymore if you tried.

Nobody from the club is going to be "making the burgers".

The issue is that club can't make any money on match nights except for gate receipts and programme sales essentially. We have a bar, that we now have to give income to the GFA for and a small merchandise shop. We're not allowed to for example have Supermacs as one of the food vendors in the ground, which would probably bring in 30k+ per year. Or have proper coffee vendors or other food outlets which would have to pay us to sell their food in the ground.

You can compare Limerick all you like, but you can be sure they have control of everything that goes on in the ground for that rate, we don't and it's a massive issue for the club. We probably miss out on 40-50k a year because of it. It's not that complicated to understand why that's a serious issue for a LOI club.

No, not a wind up. But ye rent the ground one night a forthnight for a very reasonable figure.
Ye have gate receipts, programmes,bar and merchandise shop. The only thing ye don't have is food outlets. I personally think ye have a fairly good deal.
The owners have to maintain the ground. So if they make money on catering, it goes back into the ground. Win Win. We know it's well maintained and a nice ground to play on.
If ye had to maintain the pitch, how much would that cost?

[Charlie Darwin]

Ye bucks seem obsessed with who makes the bloody burgers.
I don't get it. you say the rent per game is €650. Limerick pays €2 Grand.
You have to sell a hell of a lot of junk food to make up the differance.
To me it's one less hassle on match nights, if the food is supplied by an independant source.
Ye have a handfull of volunteers, so who's going to do the cooking?
If the owners of the ground make some money on food on match nights, so what?
Ye are tenants after all. And by all accounts it's pretty cheap rent.
Well if it's true they can't sell advertising hoardings that'd make up a huge chunk of the difference.

[Sean South]

The time to negotiate the details of the ground lease was when the FAI set up this new Galway United but given the fractious nature of all involved in Galway football every group was looking protect their own interests. It seems like the GUFC Trust were just happy to get into bed with anyone without going into the details or just really naive.

[Olander]

Naive is thinking that Galway United supporters were the ones making the demands when the club was being brought back into the league. The club always knew there would have to be concessions and give and take, like having Mervue, Devon and the GFA reps on the board initially. We also had no underage sides like every other club in the country, to keep mervue and Devon happy. After a few years, that fell by the wayside.

Having control over the vendors in the ground has absolutely nothing to do with the lease of terryland, it’s seperate, but don’t let that stop you condescendingly talking through your hole about something you haven’t got a clue about. 👍🏻

[Sean South]

Having control over the vendors in the ground has absolutely nothing to do with the lease of terryland, it’s seperate, but don’t let that stop you condescendingly talking through your hole about something you haven’t got a clue about. 👍🏻
I'm sure there is a contract with the terms and conditions for a lease, with the matchday arrangements for vendors and match day sponsorship included... It's a fairly standard thing.

[Redzer]

Well if it's true they can't sell advertising hoardings that'd make up a huge chunk of the difference.
IF Galway FC get the revenue from advertising, food vendors etc, who pays for matchday security, lighting, communications, insurance etc and a host of other expenses?
Certainly €650 won't cover it.
They have imo a very good deal. They are been disingenuous to the owners by wanting all.
More off field fund raising would be the way to go. If they had to pay for all expenses involved in running the venue, the 40-50K they claim they are loosing out on, would cover sfa.

[Olander]

I'm sure there is a contract with the terms and conditions for a lease, with the matchday arrangements for vendors and match day sponsorship included... It's a fairly standard thing.
You're sure about a situation you haven't a clue about...okay.


IF Galway FC get the revenue from advertising, food vendors etc, who pays for matchday security, lighting, communications, insurance etc and a host of other expenses?
Certainly €650 won't cover it.
They have imo a very good deal. They are been disingenuous to the owners by wanting all.
More off field fund raising would be the way to go. If they had to pay for all expenses involved in running the venue, the 40-50K they claim they are loosing out on, would cover sfa.
Poor attempt at a windup. Galway FC ;) You're gas, man. Real edgy!

[Charlie Darwin]

IF Galway FC get the revenue from advertising, food vendors etc, who pays for matchday security, lighting, communications, insurance etc and a host of other expenses?
Certainly €650 won't cover it.
They have imo a very good deal. They are been disingenuous to the owners by wanting all.
More off field fund raising would be the way to go. If they had to pay for all expenses involved in running the venue, the 40-50K they claim they are loosing out on, would cover sfa.
Well it depends on how well the club can commercialise their time in the stadium. Galway might be paying a peppercorn rent but the flipside is the only way they can make money is on ticket sales and shirt sponsorship, and being dependent on gate receipts is the most unstable way to run a club.

[Olander]

Well it depends on how well the club can commercialise their time in the stadium. Galway might be paying a peppercorn rent but the flipside is the only way they can make money is on ticket sales and shirt sponsorship, and being dependent on gate receipts is the most unstable way to run a club.
Leave the thread, logic and reason is not welcome here. :(

[Redzer]

You're sure about a situation you haven't a clue about...okay.


Poor attempt at a windup. Galway FC ;) You're gas, man. Real edgy!

Edgy my aRsE, Ok I left out utd. I trust you will every club their full title.
Do you mind answering the post please. if galway utd gets all the revenue, how on earth do you expect to rent a stadium for pittance?
You might find it would cost a hell of a lot more than food vendor revenue, if ye have to cover all expenses. That's all I'm saying.

[Sean South]

You're sure about a situation you haven't a clue about...okay.

Pointless post to be fair. You could elaborate if you know more on the terms of the lease, this is a discussion forum after all... or just keep crying in public about what a poor deal you made with the GFA.

[redarmyfaction]

If Galway got the revenues from food, drink hoardings if would more than cover the 350e originally quoted as match day rent and make a good dent out of 650e. What is the public liability insurance costing, when you have certain away supporters irrationally exuberant on tins of Excelsior and unidentified white powders, likely to commit auto de fe with a flare or clock whosoever they first encounter on a pitch incursion. 650 or 350 whatever, ye don't ye're born at that money for one of the finest grounds in the league.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

https://galwayunitedfc.ie/major-club-announcement/

Some really positive news coming out of Galway

[D24Saint]

https://galwayunitedfc.ie/major-club-announcement/

Some really positive news coming out of Galway

They seem to be pumping decent cash into sport they were on RTE at the Galway Races announcing a injured jockey fund.

[Cosmo]

https://galwayunitedfc.ie/major-club-announcement/

Some really positive news coming out of Galway

This is mental investment!! 20 million!! All pumped in the right way, not a cent on players wages - just focusing on long term future! Fair play to them!!

[Nesta99]

This is mental investment!! 20 million!! All pumped in the right way, not a cent on players wages - just focusing on long term future! Fair play to them!!

They may soon even join the 4th highest wages group!

Fair play, at last Irish investors making a serious move in LoI. Maybe I'm blind but where did the 20mil figure come from?

[RathfarnhamHoop]

They may soon even join the 4th highest wages group!

Fair play, at last Irish investors making a serious move in LoI. Maybe I'm blind but where did the 20mil figure come from?

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/billionaire-brothers-set-to-finance-20m-galway-united-football-academy-in-athenry-38356325.html

It's in this article.
As you said good to see the investors coming in and hopefully they are, as the seem to be, from the Wilson school of investors in that they won't do what some other investors have done in the past and leave clubs high and dry.
Great to see it going on the right areas too, I'd assume Galway have a long term plan they're following which is great to see in itself.

[Martinho II]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/billionaire-brothers-set-to-finance-20m-galway-united-football-academy-in-athenry-38356325.html

It's in this article.
As you said good to see the investors coming in and hopefully they are, as the seem to be, from the Wilson school of investors in that they won't do what some other investors have done in the past and leave clubs high and dry.
Great to see it going on the right areas too, I'd assume Galway have a long term plan they're following which is great to see in itself.

awful pity they werent around when nick gleeson was involved with them!

[Nesta99]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/billionaire-brothers-set-to-finance-20m-galway-united-football-academy-in-athenry-38356325.html

It's in this article.
As you said good to see the investors coming in and hopefully they are, as the seem to be, from the Wilson school of investors in that they won't do what some other investors have done in the past and leave clubs high and dry.
Great to see it going on the right areas too, I'd assume Galway have a long term plan they're following which is great to see in itself.

Stealthy take over a members owned club with 0% interest rate 'loans'?

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Stealthy take over a members owned club with 0% interest rate 'loans'?

Rent free...

[Nesta99]

That too..