Galway FA 30% shareholding in GUFC?

[galwaygirl]

on Galway Bay FM sports news, that the Galway F.A. are after getting a 30% share-hold in Galway United, with 3 seats on the Board. Did anyone else hear anything about this?

[Terry]

Surely this can only be a good thing for the club. Did you hear any names?

Unfortunately only 2fm gets played here at work !:rolleyes: :(

[Trainee]

Taken from www.galwayunitedfc.ie

United linkup with Galway FA

Galway United and the Galway & District League are to join forces in a ground-breaking development which will strengthen and develop soccer in the county in the coming years.


The Galway & District League are to take up an offer of a 30% shareholding in Galway United as the two bodies adopt a unique approach to the development of the sport.

The Galway & District League will have three seats on the Galway United Board of Directors.

The proposal received the unanimous backing of the Galway & District League clubs on Monday night after a presentation from representatives of Galway United.

A key part of the new arrangement will be the setting up of a joint Youth Development Structure between the two bodies, essentially creating County representative teams at underage level.

Under the FAI/UEFA Licence scheme, Galway United is obliged to have a full youth structure, while the new arrangement will result in more coaches and resources being made available to representative underage sides.

The Chairman of the Galway & District League, John Clery, said the arrangement would strengthen both bodies and create a framework to push out the boundaries in the coming years.

"Essentially, it is a pooling of resources. There will be more coaching for young players, a sharing of ideas, facilities and resources and the long-term winner will be soccer in Galway. We have 57 clubs in our league and this arrangement will allow players from these clubs the opportunity of developing further and playing at a higher level," he said.

The Chairman of Galway United, John Fallon, said the views of the Galway & District League will be well represented at Board level in the club, and that this joint approach will benefit the sport throughout the county.

"The current Board of Galway United wants to ground the ownership of the club locally and in football and that is why 30% of the club was offered to the Galway & District League. We feel that the Galway & District League should have a real say in the way the senior club, Galway United, is run. We are delighted that the Galway & District League has accepted the proposal. It is one of the most positive developments ever for the sport in Galway," he said.

Further information contact:
Chairman of the Galway & District League:: John Clery 086-1517242
Chairman of the Galway United FC:: John Fallon 086-2428796

[Patrick Dunne]

The good points are that we are now inextricably linked to Terryland Park. There will be a high possibility of FAI funding for this project, and it should increase our chances of getting in the "elite" league next year. Our players should be more involved in coaching etc at juvenile level.

[Terry]

The UCD boys wont like reading that PD !:eek: :) Will there be a possiblilty now also that the rent would come down for us to play in terryland or even dissappear? I know that it has risen over the last couple of years. Or even (and I know this is a long shot), since we are now a joint venture, can we say that we now own our own ground?

[Patrick Dunne]

The rent would be a large part of the income of the Galway FA and helps to pay the costs of maintaining Terryland, which would be considerable. I would be surprised if it was to decrease.

There remains a small minority of people in junior football who would be anti-United. This partnership will take the wind out of their sails.

Hopefully the three candidates for the Board of Directors will be of good calibre and not blowbags or sandwich munchers. God nows we have enough of them as it is.

[Redzer]

The good points are that we are now inextricably linked to Terryland Park. There will be a high possibility of FAI funding for this project, and it should increase our chances of getting in the "elite" league next year. Our players should be more involved in coaching etc at juvenile level.
I seem to recall the same argument said only a short while ago about the link with Salthill Devons. Whats the differance this time around?

[Trainee]

When Salthill were involved with Galway utd there was talk of changing the name of the club to Salthill Devon

But the Galway FA want Galway utd and local Junoir Soccer to be as sucessful as possible

[Patrick Dunne]

The Salthill Devon move was a disaster which nearly destroyed our club.
Salthill Devon had 100% "ownership and control" of the club and could have done as they pleased. However, running an EL club is not as glamorous as it may seem and the Salthill Devon club handed it back to a new Board of Directors. Many of their grass roots members were against the whole takeover in the first place. It also alienated people involved in the other 56 clubs.

Now, the G&DL have a 30% share in the club. It is a partnership between GUFC and the governing body for football in Galway.

[geezer]

i think it is the most significant development in football in ireland in a number of years. now at last young talent has a real pathway to professional football and like in northern european countries players will not be passed on for a pittance to the likes of reading if this system was adopted around the country. It will enable young players to stay close to home, completing education and being able to reach a high standard of play, then if good enough and the price is right at 20-21 they can go abroad. And the funds should filter back to the clubs thats coached them from when they were kids


congrats to all its a brilliant initiative

[corbyeire]

hopefully it all works out

[bigball]

salthill link was disaster. this is different. with salthill link players were being poached and playing against their own clubs. with this link up players will (hopefully) be playing representitive football against other leagues. now all clubs have a share in gufc.

as for the rent....i pressume the galway fa will have to pay 30% of all bills. not sure what the agreement is but maybe the rent is part of that.

on the other hand this link up may just be on paper to enable the club to say they own the ground and apply for grants!!!

whatever at least there trying!!

[GalwayFrancis]

on the other hand this link up may just be on paper to enable the club to say they own the ground and apply for grants!!!

whatever at least there trying!!

yea, good point... if that is the case, someone's thinkin!