Limerick set to lose Hogan Park lease [Archive]

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backodanet

28/07/2006, 11:04 AM

http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/0728/limerickfc.html

Doesn't look good..........

Limerick FC's future is under threat again amid fears that they may not be given a 25-year lease at their Hogan Park ground.

Father Joe Young, who is trustee at the ground, and who has the power to hand out the lease, confirmed yesterday that he was considering granting the lease to another party.

Club chairman Danny Drew, who is a director of JRM Sports, the name which Limerick FC trade under, wants the lease handed over to the club.

But yesterday, Drew's solicitors received a phone call from Father Young's solicitors stating that he had changed his mind and that they would not be granting the eircom League First Division side a lease.

When contacted yesterday, Father Young stated that they were considering an offer from another party and that he hoped the matter would be resolved next week.

The Limerick priest declined to reveal the identity of the party concerned. However, it is understood that they are a consortium of business interests in the city.

Drew, who has poured a considerable amount of time and his own money into resurrecting the fortunes of the Blues over the last two years, admitted he was stunned by the development.

He said: 'I can't believe that this is happening to senior soccer in Limerick after all the promises that were made to this club about being granted a 25-year lease. Those promises were made by Father Joe Young on live radio and in the press and are on the record.

'On Tuesday last our solicitors got a draft copy of the lease from Father Joe Young's solicitors and I thought this matter was close to being resolved at last.

'But on Thursday, Father Young's solicitors rang our solicitors telling us that he had changed his mind and that Limerick FC would not be granted the lease.

'Limerick FC are the sole representative of eircom League football in this city. Is it now going to come down to the highest bidder? This is terrible news for the club and our future.'

Commentating on the developments, Father Young, who was chairman of the club when Sam Allardyce was boss in the early 90s, said he hoped to release a statement next week.

He said: 'We have received another offer on Hogan Park and I should be in a position to release a statement next week.'

Hogan Park, which is situated on nearly 14 acres in the Rathbane area of Limerick, was bought by Peter Hogan for Limerick FC and recreational purposes in the early 80s.

Hogan, who is living in Georgia, USA, named his son Martin and Father Joe Young as the two trustees at the ground. However, Father Young has the casting vote on any decision made in relation to the ground.

Limerick FC have two years left on a five-year agreement to play at Hogan Park.

JohnD

28/07/2006, 11:25 AM

This whole saga gets worse and worse. I feel sorry for Danny having to deal with this Shi**e :mad:

I have always felt that something like this was going to happen., It has dragged on too long now. However it may be a blessing in disguise in the long run.

Problem is now where do we go ?

Monkfish

28/07/2006, 11:37 AM

Whatever about us, father joe can rot in hell along with pat grace. fai, local media/buisness and now the clergy, who else wants to **** us over? If Danny was to pull out in the morning i wouldnt blame him, how much more is he, the team, and ourselves going to have to put up with?

Poor Student

28/07/2006, 11:48 AM

I don't understand. It says that the lease will be sold to a consortium of business interests? I thought it has to be reserved for sporting interests only?

LFC in Exile

28/07/2006, 11:54 AM

It's unclear what all this means. Does the 'other party' want to run senior football in the city or develop the ground for commercial purposes? As I showed on another thread the ground is zoned open space and would have to be rezoned to be used for commercial purposes. If anyone knows any city councillors its time to lobby to prevent the area being rezoned.

I don't understand how they can take over the club unless they use the elase as leverage to get DD to sell JRM to them.

Either way - I did not believe the Hogan Park lease was a commercial one that would go to the highest bidder. I understood from everything Young said that Hogan wanted it to be used for football. How then do you decide who gets it based on the price.

Joe Young has acted completely dishonourably in this.

clownboy

28/07/2006, 11:56 AM

Ya thats what i thought myself as far as i know its zoned as a recreational space and hogan and young are the trustees but Limerick city council have a say in it also apparantly

Poor Student

28/07/2006, 12:10 PM

This might sound stupid or may have been done before, but shouldn't Limerick try to get in contact with Hogan in Georgia and lobby him personally?

joeSoap

28/07/2006, 12:17 PM

Sticking out a mile...that 'priest' was always a self-centred, conniving, brown nosed greedy *******. I beleive that the 'ground is for recreational purposes only' to be a line by the priest when he needed his name in the press.

However, something else may be afoot, who knows??

joeSoap

28/07/2006, 12:19 PM

This might sound stupid or may have been done before, but shouldn't Limerick try to get in contact with Hogan in Georgia and lobby him personally?He won't deal with anyone except the 'priest', who he trusts implicitly, more fool him. At the end of the day, Hogan's a businessman, and doesn't give a rats ass about Limerick, its people or its football club.

Tir Oilean

28/07/2006, 12:29 PM

Sounds like a take over could be in the pipeline? Shame on Fr Joe, thought the whole priest thing was to be a pilar of society and not shaft them (probably the wrong way to put it). Hope something works out for ye.

paudie

28/07/2006, 12:51 PM

If a "consortium" has the lease to Hogan Park and it can only be used for sporting purposes then a takeover of Limerick FC would seem to be inevitable.

If the land can be used for commercial purposes then ye could be in trouble.

I wonder was it wise of Drew to criticise the priest so publicly when things haven't been finalised yet.

Terry

28/07/2006, 1:31 PM

A mate from limerick that works with me says he heard the GAAAAAAA were after it ?

LFC in Exile

28/07/2006, 1:37 PM

If a "consortium" has the lease to Hogan Park and it can only be used for sporting purposes then a takeover of Limerick FC would seem to be inevitable.

If the land can be used for commercial purposes then ye could be in trouble.

Nail on the head.

I agree that Hogan is a business man and doesn't care about LFC but without a rezoning his pocket is not affected. He hardly cares whether he gets an extra couple of thousand euros on the lease. Unless Joe cares i.e. he has a commercial interest.

A takeover of the club may be possible - there is potential there and maybe Joe is involved with that consortium. DD's company still have LFC - but if the consortium make sit obvious that the club has no future ground DD may cut his losses.

There is a whole pile of sh1te aropund this I am sure. We have not heard the end of the story. What odds in the next few weeks a consortium emerges to bid for the club and Joe is in the middle of it.

LFC in Exile

28/07/2006, 1:47 PM

A mate from limerick that works with me says he heard the GAAAAAAA were after it ?

Very unlikely - sure why would they want it. :ball: This is obvioulsy one of the rumours that will get legs in the next few weeks.

Poor Student

28/07/2006, 2:15 PM

Needless to say, this doesn't bode well for Limerick's promotion prospects with stadia issues being included in the formula.

thelimerick

28/07/2006, 2:50 PM

It is thought that it's buisness interests within the city onto Fr. Joe regarding Hogan Park. The chances then are that its development related, considering other recent developments in the area like the Quality Hotel for example.
I feel sorry for Danny Drew and all involved with Limerick FC. Fr. Joe can go f**k right off, he's dragged this out for an age only to jeopordise the clubs future yet again. :mad:

Sam Savic

28/07/2006, 6:14 PM

From an outsider looking in, this looks like a consortium looking for land to develope. It doesn't matter what way the land is zoned. The developers have so much work at the moment, not just in Ireland, that they will have no problem holding onto the land for 10 years and leaving it idle. It is the same situation with Tolka Park. The person who bought Tolka is absolutely loaded. He recently spent 550 million in Dublin and has no problem waiting for Tolka to be rezoned.
Have a look at the Hogan Park site. It certainly has great potential.
I never trusted that Fr Joe chap. I've asked the question on another thread - is the priest living in Limerick or is he on the run?

CollegeTillIDie

28/07/2006, 7:01 PM

Can I clarify something with the LFC fans on here please.
Wasn't Hogan Park due to be compulsorily purchased at one point so that a ring road could be built?

JoeyFantastic

28/07/2006, 7:16 PM

4tothefloor

28/07/2006, 8:43 PM

Surely it's time to cut Fr. Joe loose before he can do even more damage to Limerick football? If that means starting again somewhereelse than it might be better off in the long run. Fr. Joe seems abit like a lose cannon.
Agreed, I think any link to Joe Young (I'm not going to call him Fr. 'cos that pr**k is no priest) in the future will be detrimental to Limerick Football. There are one of two things happening here;

1. Joe Young has a consortium willing to take over Limerick FC, and as he holds the key to the ground, he will try a takeover cos the club has no where else to go. Wasn't Young, and his cronies, trying to get back on the board anyway as part of any lease agreement? This takeover would probably be full of promises, but I'm not buying it.

2. Developers are after the site. There's council housing due for construction in the area around Hogan Park in the future. There's also the new hotel development. So developers could be reasonably confident of getting HP rezoned for development. This would probably line Youngs pockets, in one way or another.

Either way, if we don't get the 25yr lease under Drew, which looks likely now, I think we've had it at Hogan Park. Under no circumstances should Drew give in to this chancer, although that's probably easier said than done. Hopefully with the FAI and the Councils help, we should be capable of moving elsewhere. I do not want Joe Young near Limerick FC again and should he take over the club, I will never go to another game. I agree with LFC in Exile, I think he's going to surface with a consortium to takeover.

treatyfc

28/07/2006, 10:36 PM

If Fr Joe Young tries to take over Limerick FC, I'm going to tell the limerick leader he touched me in my pants!

dutchie

28/07/2006, 11:44 PM

jebus

29/07/2006, 11:41 AM

I thought priests were supposed to be honest people,their word being their bond and all that crack.It just reminds me of a story i was told at one time about a man called judas and a sh.tload of silver.
Shame on you joe.:mad:

Really, it reminded me of a story about a man been beating up and down Childer's Road for being a money grabbing *******

LFC in Exile

29/07/2006, 1:24 PM

Report in the Irish Times today quoting DD as saying that the club cannot get into a bidding war with developers - suggests that Joe's consortium are interested in development rather than football - if so then so much for Joe's concern for the city and sporting facilities in the city.Sounds increasingly like we've been rode.

Also quotes DD as saying that he is discussions with a leading junior club in the city with a view to ground sharing and joint development. I presume this is Pike? Anyone got any furter news on that? The article says that a deal could be reached within the next week.:ball:

LFC in Exile

29/07/2006, 1:29 PM

Can I clarify something with the LFC fans on here please.
Wasn't Hogan Park due to be compulsorily purchased at one point so that a ring road could be built?

No. The ring road route has been decided on and while it will be near the ground there is no impact on the ground from the selected route. I have posted some details on another post.

This consortium seem to be emerging as developers. Fr Joe Kilcoyne obviously wants houses built on the ground. :mad:

gael353

29/07/2006, 4:09 PM

If Fr Joe lets anyone other then Limerick FC take control of Rathbane then the area/ground and who ever that group is are f*&ked! If hes angling himself back into the club (as part of this new consortium) then the club is finished and we might as well go with Dublin City now. Hes simply delaying the resurrection of this club but this delay could cost us our place in the league with licencing issues and time restraints to be addressed. IMO hes trying to shaft DD and i for one hope he fails and is treated with the same respect as the Israelies.

thelimerick

29/07/2006, 6:49 PM

If the land has to be rezoned for developers to use it can pressure be put on the council to provide an alternative site for Limerick FC?
There was talk a while back about Hill Celtic's ground being developed on and the council providing an alternative site within close proximity. Could Limerick have a case here considering the land has to re-classified for development by the council? Grasping at straws I know!!
We need to cut outside links loose. If we go ground sharing with Pike this could all happen again in some form in the future. We need a ground for Limerick Fc under the complete control of Limerick Fc to develop as and when the club wishes. I fear if we move to Pike we'll only be moving again down the road. What Drew needs is a stable home for the club to be built upon, free from the typical scrawny money grabbing hangers on that have dogged this club for decades.

"I have the interests of Limerick FC very much at heart and am anxious to co-operate with Mr Drew and Mr O'Connor.
Let's move forward. We all want our soccer club to be successful."
Fr. Joe Young, February 2006

What a C**T :mad:

lim abroad

29/07/2006, 9:02 PM

4tothefloor

30/07/2006, 11:47 AM

i agree that we should just start afresh on a new site solely for limerick fc
I've been saying that for ages because the reality is, even if we did get a 25 year lease, we're going to be putting up with the same sh!t in 25 years time when that lease is up. And by that time we'd probably have ploughed a few million in to the ground, and you can also imagine how valuable the ground would be then in terms of development. We need to own our own ground to move forward, but I can't see that happening as the money doesn't seem to be there to do this. Being done over by a bent priest - only in Limerick......

thelimerick

30/07/2006, 9:04 PM

Any anti-joe young chants out there for the Monaghan match?
We could bring along a group of sobbing altar boys as a veiled threat!

lim abroad

31/07/2006, 12:21 AM

I've been saying that for ages because the reality is, even if we did get a 25 year lease, we're going to be putting up with the same sh!t in 25 years time when that lease is up. And by that time we'd probably have ploughed a few million in to the ground, and you can also imagine how valuable the ground would be then in terms of development. We need to own our own ground to move forward, but I can't see that happening as the money doesn't seem to be there to do this. Being done over by a bent priest - only in Limerick......
i was thinking the very same thing,that we'd be in exactly the same situation 25 yrs down the line.we need our own place,its as simple as that, we need a place of our own and hopefully ,somehow,something can be worked out.

LFC in Exile

31/07/2006, 10:46 AM

A greenfield site of our own would be great - but it is also very expensive and its unclear how we could fund something like this. Also, the club itself has no assets so whoever bought the groudn would have to lease it to the club anyway (though granted it could be a 100 year lease or more instead of 25).

LFC in Exile

31/07/2006, 10:48 AM

Any anti-joe young chants out there for the Monaghan match?
We could bring along a group of sobbing altar boys as a veiled threat!

Anti-Joe chants are inevitable on Friday but lets be careful as well about what we chant. The implication in your second sentence that the chants could be about abuse would not be useful or right. Calling him a w****r though would be spot on....

LFC in Exile

31/07/2006, 11:01 AM

How about - to the tune of "You have no home".

"He's sold our home,
He's sold our home,
He's sold it,
Joe Young's sold our home."

or:

"Joe the builder, did he screw us,
Joe the builder, yes he did".

or - instead of who ate all the pies:

"Who told all the lies?
Who told all the lies?
You Joe Young, You Joe Young,
You told all the lies."

thelimerick

31/07/2006, 12:07 PM

Anti-Joe chants are inevitable on Friday but lets be careful as well about what we chant. The implication in your second sentence that the chants could be about abuse would not be useful or right. Calling him a w****r though would be spot on....

It was just a joke LFC in Exile, I get your point completely but I suppose the obvious comparasion to us being rode by a priest would of course be, well, just that. That said of course, no, we shouldn't chant anything about abuse.
Your suggestions for chants are spot on, though I wonder could anything be altered to our "wild rover" tune.
"Well we've been in this league now, for many a year
cause Fr. Joe spent our money on whiskey and beer"
the rest used to be:
" but we're on our way now to the big Premier
and on our way up you'll be able to hear us sing,
No Nah Never, No Nah Never no more, will we play teams like Sligo, No Never No more!"
Any suggestions for altering the last few lines?

fc hammer

31/07/2006, 12:21 PM

Well we've been in this league now, for many a year
cause Fr. Joe spent our money on whiskey and beer"

in the steer'n wheel you'l see him every satarday night
up to his eyes in the drink and cause'n the fights..

JohnD

31/07/2006, 2:34 PM

Great Work Lads! BTW the match is on Thurs at 7.45pm on account of the BAnk Holiday weekend.

We need a good crowd here to get the message across to the Clerical C**T:mad:

NY Hoop

31/07/2006, 4:07 PM

Great Work Lads! BTW the match is on Thurs at 7.45pm on account of the BAnk Holiday weekend.

We need a good crowd here to get the message across to the Clerical C**T:mad:

Why is the game changed to thursday? Has to be another reason besides it being a long weekend?:eek:

KOH

The Rebel Ram

01/08/2006, 5:36 AM

Only just saw your bad news. Not looking too good for ye. Can't see how chants are going to help your cause?
There is a bit of happiness creeping out in me though, Ramblers are looking better for promotion because of it!
Sorry, but true!

joeSoap

01/08/2006, 10:31 AM

Just posted this (http://foot.ie/blog/balls/not-so-divine-intervention/) on the blog site.

Kerry Blue

02/08/2006, 4:16 AM

Apparently the priest has just signed the lease of Hogan Park to the FAI.
See here:

http://www.irishfootballonline.com/news_story.php?newsid=5099

Terry

02/08/2006, 6:50 AM

great news

joeSoap

02/08/2006, 9:11 AM

Fantastic...the power of PR....;)

LFC in Exile

02/08/2006, 9:26 AM

If true then this is the best outcome bar none for senior football in the city.

Unfortunately I wouldn't believe that man's radio at this stage so I'll wait for the official announcement. But I am a lot happier today than I was yesterday. :)

joeSoap

02/08/2006, 9:40 AM

LFC in Exile

02/08/2006, 9:55 AM

Just spoke to someone I know in Merrion Sq and YES he has agreed to sign the lease over to Limerick and the FAI. It is now in the hands of solicitors.

Nothing signed yet though, and you know solicitors....

It isn't the solicitors I'm worried about. He agreed to sign a lease before and look where we are. Anyway, its good news.

Time to call off the anti-Joe chants too I think.:ball:

JohnD

02/08/2006, 10:00 AM

A note of Caution : Lets just wait and See Shall we. Manys a slip and all that !.

How does this all impact DD now ? Will he still be in charge ? Will the Priest be invoved (Celestial Beings Help us) :confused:

Will there be a new management Committee?

All to play for yet I'D Say

Mr A

02/08/2006, 12:29 PM

This seems like good news on the face of it- but 25 years is a bit short. Maybe it'll work out fine in that the current trustees will be gone and someone more amenable to the club's interests in their place- but maybe not.

I still think Limerick should seriously consider moving- if at all practical.

JohnD

02/08/2006, 1:10 PM

Well Said Galway Harps.

I am surprised at some of the positive reactions to this development.
The Moving of the Lease to the FAI is a slap in the face to Limerick FC.
Danny has ploughed money into the club and has lived off Promises for the last 3 Years regarding this ground and now they give the lease to another Group.:mad:

First off 25 years is too short. We are now Tennants in the Ground not Leaseholders. We will have less rights than we have now. What happens when the Current trustees are gone and we have invested a shed load of money into the Ground?

I know thet the FAI are looking at Centres of Excellence around the Country but does this include LOI Clubs ? If so will we have to share our Grounds again ?

This is the time,IMO, to move to a new Ground. Develop it ourselves and leave all the Fr Joe's Cronies behind us. Rathbane is not a great site, Understatement of the Year, and I cannot see us being successful there.

Why did Fr. Joe not give the lease to us ? There is more to this than we know yet I feel and I Think we should excercise Caution on any dealings with a new Grouping and that includes the FAI.

LFC in Exile

02/08/2006, 1:25 PM

Can't agree with you on this JohnD. I think if it pans out as reported it is the best possible outcome. First off, we don't know if the lease is 25 years but if it is that is long enough to get a decent ground built and no way would planning change once a stadium is built on the site. Also, if the lease was given to JRM Ltd then DD would have the lease and if he decided to leave in the coming years then the club would have to deal with him and we are back in the same situation.

We are tenants of the FAI - not a property company. There is a big difference. There is no need for LFC to own its own ground - very few eL clubs do. But as tenants go the FAI would surely be first choice.

I don't know what you are basing Joe's potential involvement on. Why would he become involved? The FAI want a strong Limerick FC - they really do - so they will help us. Also, in terms of investing a shed load of money into the ground - it is the FAI's money - not ours (or the clubs). If the FAI want to develop a centre of excellence then let them use Rathbane as the mid-west base. That can only strengthen the club.

The FAI being tenants also hastens the departure of Hill Celtic IMO. Which is good.

As regards the signing over to FAI instead of DD - my feeling is that words may have been said by an irate DD and that put Joe's nose out of joint. I have no reason for this except knowledge of the personalities involved.

Of course I am still cautious until everything is signed sealed and delivered but I see absolutely no downside whatsoever in the FAI being our landlords. And if it is agreed then I believe this is one of the greatest days in the history of senior football in the city. :ball: