So which clubs are in danger of not finishing the season?

[Celdrog]

UEFA Licence ......Premier Division licence. Make your mind up. They are 2 different licences.

Our UEFA licence says we can't play in United Park. Our premier licence says we can.

I would be surprised if we can play in United Park next season unless the new stadium work has physically started.

[gael353]

I think that most if not all 1st Div clubs will finish the season but come jan a lot will not get licenses and some will not start the new season. Monaghan Dundalk limerick wexford will be ok but all others are in for fines and loss of licences me thinks. Payment of players at two clubs by cash willl be an upcomming issue!

[Longfordian]

You can pay players in magic beans if you want (and they're agreeable!) as long as there's nothing hidden from the Revenue.

[Schumi]

I would be surprised if we can play in United Park next season unless the new stadium work has physically started.Do you think the FAI would force you to play in another ground?

Genuine question.

[higgins]

Well, that and get a new ground with zero cash.

Won't be zero cash!
Won't be far off but it won't be zero...

Anyway the first part of the process was to clear the debts that allow us to continue to trade. That's done.
Secondly we needed to cut costs to a minimum while still staying competitive, that's done too.
Thirdly we needed to allow certain sponsorship deals run their course as money was spent prior to the bust!

We're at break even point now less than two seasons on from what was and still is an awful mess.

We're doing fine. Would have got the premier licence too last season had we applied for it.

[higgins]

I think that most if not all 1st Div clubs will finish the season but come jan a lot will not get licenses and some will not start the new season. Monaghan Dundalk limerick wexford will be ok but all others are in for fines and loss of licences me thinks. Payment of players at two clubs by cash willl be an upcomming issue!

Rubbish!!
Shels have broke no rules this year so no fine will happen. Also we'd have got a premier licence last year so no reason why not next year!

[ciaraa]

Do you think the FAI would force you to play in another ground?

Genuine question.

cant see why they would. like, utd park gets a lot of slaggings but really apart from turners x, galway, inchicore and athlone (ongoing) its not exactly vastly inferior to any other LOI ground in the country... . I reckon they should do up the 2 sides of utd park (clubhouse and o'raghallaighs) and possibly widen/extend the pitch by a few metres and bingo! 2000 permanent seats on one side and a terrace/changable stand a la dortmund on the other side! none of this out of town development disaster.
If they cant do that for whatever reason then whats wrong with putting a bit of cash into the lourdes with the council and making it a multi use public stadium? this country is too small for multiple stadia in a town of drogheda's size.

[Macy]

cant see why they would. like, utd park gets a lot of slaggings but really apart from turners x, galway, inchicore and athlone (ongoing) its not exactly vastly inferior to any other LOI ground in the country...
No one's slagging United Park as such, a lot of us prefer covered terracing to seats. However, the rules when we came into the premier back in 2000 were supposed to be 1500 covered seats (and arguably it was our decision to comply that started our financial issues). It was subsequently put into licencing - both UEFA and Premier. The fudge has been to allow future plans to get around that (and not just for Drogs), and for many years in some cases.

[gael353]

Rubbish!!
Shels have broke no rules this year so no fine will happen. Also we'd have got a premier licence last year so no reason why not next year!

oops sorry my mistake, i was act hoping the FAI would ask/force you to merge with Dublin City/Home Farm everton/Sporting Fingal thus getting rid of one of you. :)

[KildareFan]

Kildare has promised to pay their players by 13th September - not sure what is happening there...

There is no danger of Kildare not seeing the season out.

Quite the opposite in fact, work has started on building a stand on one side of the ground and should be finished within a couple of weeks.

http://www.kildarecountyfc.com/news/news-details.asp?NewsID=1079

[Dodge]

However, the rules when we came into the premier back in 2000 were supposed to be 1500 covered seats (and arguably it was our decision to comply that started our financial issues). It was subsequently put into licencing - both UEFA and Premier.

Its actually 1,500 seats, with a minimum of one third of all seating to be covered now

[gael353]

Work has commenced this week on a major upgrade of the Station Road Stadium. The development includes the provision of a 600 seater stand, turnstiles, realigning and lengthening the pitch to 95 metres. Also included in the works is the erection of screen fencing at the rear of the Town goals, additional security monitoring, the installation of lightning protection and other ancillary works.

The stand which will be constructed of galvanised steel with non-slip deck and aluminium hand-railings will be erected on the Milltown side of the grounds.


Dear god :eek: why?

[superfrank]

Maybe Newbridge are going to take Kildare's place next seasin?

[sligored]

from todays independant
Cork's problems are dire, but hardship is being felt everywhere with dormant volcanoes now releasing more than mere puffs of smoke. Today is a big day for Cobh Ramblers who need to satisfy the Revenue Commissioners or else face the plug being pulled, while Sligo Rovers are not out of the woods, although they appear to have somewhat exaggerated the potential outcome of their difficulties.

Bohemians are table toppers, but their financial health is dubious with the players at Dalymount Park seeking assurances about their future. The prize money for winning the league should help, but then, as last year's winners Drogheda know, the boost from that is only short-term once your ground situation remains uncertain.

The protracted delays surrounding the Louth club's scheduled move to a new home mean that the club's future is in jeopardy.

[Celdrog]

Do you think the FAI would force you to play in another ground? Genuine question.I would reckon we get two choices, the first is to move to Oriel/Dalymount until we have the stadium. The second is play in United Park in the first division.

If a sod is turned in the new stadium location I reckon we will be allowed stay, but being realistic if the NRA objection is upheld and a new stadium is not forthcoming I cannot see us staying full time professional

[KildareFan]

Work has commenced this week on a major upgrade of the Station Road Stadium. The development includes the provision of a 600 seater stand, turnstiles, realigning and lengthening the pitch to 95 metres. Also included in the works is the erection of screen fencing at the rear of the Town goals, additional security monitoring, the installation of lightning protection and other ancillary works.

The stand which will be constructed of galvanised steel with non-slip deck and aluminium hand-railings will be erected on the Milltown side of the grounds.


Dear god :eek: why?

Eh, do you want the obvious answer? to try and attract some new fans who maybe don't want to spend 10 euro to stand against a railing but might come and watch a game if they had a seat to sit in.

As far as i am aware, it's all being paid for by an FAI grant so i think a better question would be why not?

[Dodge]

Is someone really questioning why a club wants to develop its facilities?

jaysus...

[Longfordian]

Its actually 1,500 seats, with a minimum of one third of all seating to be covered now

I know it used to be 1500 covered seats definitely because we had to cram a few extra seats into our stand to comply in 2004. As regards Macy's points, I think the decision to put in all the seats for the European game in 2001 was what started it really. No proper financing of it was done and half of it had to be redone in 2004 anyway. Anyhow, that's off the point.

[gael353]

Is someone really questioning why a club wants to develop its facilities?

jaysus...


not against it at all, only they dont own it and i dont think they'll be around too long more it will be a grand venue for leinster senior league games.

[Nesta99]

Imove to Oriel/Dalymount until we have the stadium.

Have to get pitch situation sorted before Oriel is an option, which im sure will happen. Would enjoy having double the amount of Premier games to watch next season in Oriel....go some way to making up for what has been missed over the last 6 seasons;)
Are there serious possibilities that teams could be relegated due to finances? Honest question as some people would have to eat significant humble pie in the FAI over their fudging of the invitational league

[KildareFan]

not against it at all, only they dont own it and i dont think they'll be around too long more it will be a grand venue for leinster senior league games.

Won't be around that long????? what are you basing that on?

No, they don't own the ground but Newbridge Town wouldn't have got the grant without Kildare County. The two clubs have been working together and are putting together quite a decent little ground.

What do you think Kildare County should do? not bother with the stand? accept that there isn't a future for them in the game? or should they try to bring through young local players who won't be a drain on resources and might attract supporters to come to the ground especially now as they will have somewhere to sit.

[brianw82]

There was already a stand at Station Road. It would have sat 200 or so.

[Buller]

There was already a stand at Station Road. It would have sat 200 or so.

I wouldnt have called that a proper stand though. All ground improvements should be welcomed!!

[ciaraa]

No one's slagging United Park as such, a lot of us prefer covered terracing to seats. However, the rules when we came into the premier back in 2000 were supposed to be 1500 covered seats (and arguably it was our decision to comply that started our financial issues). It was subsequently put into licencing - both UEFA and Premier. The fudge has been to allow future plans to get around that (and not just for Drogs), and for many years in some cases.

ok didnt know that - thanks for the info. as for the slaggings I meant in general really. utd park is certainly dated but its not that bad I would have thought. bit of character in the old place :).
as an aside, someone mentioned the possibility of playing in dalymount/oriel next season well I for one would happily take relegation then be forced to play regularly in dublin or gundalk. would I be alone amongst drogs fans on here?

[Celdrog]

I for one would happily take relegation then be forced to play regularly in dublin or gundalk. would I be alone amongst drogs fans on here?Yes :eek:

[Louth4sam]

someone mentioned the possibility of playing in dalymount/oriel next season well I for one would happily take relegation then be forced to play regularly in dublin or gundalk. would I be alone amongst drogs fans on here?

What a bizarre statement. You'd rather play in the first division than the premier league if it meant travelling an extra 30 minutes to see your home games??
We would welcome the Drogs to Oriel next season no problem if they needed somewhere to play. Would really depend on what happens with our pitch though as it failed uefa tests that where run on it so we didnt get a premier licence this year.

[pete]

Would really depend on what happens with our pitch though as it failed uefa tests that where run on it so we didnt get a premier licence this year.

I thought that pitch was approved by Uefa & Fifa? :confused:

Drogs future in doubt (http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/sport/soccer/future-of-drogs-in-serious-doubt-1469604.html) as seems stadium issue coming to a conclusion very soon.


The Drogs application to build a €35 million, 10,000 seater sports stadium

35m? surely not?


Drogheda United sources say the club investors have spent €12 million in the past four years ‘on the basis that they would have a self supporting stadium by 2008

3m a season? I never understood this logic. Why not just keep the cash for when the stadium is ready? On the field success while at United Park doesn't seem to have boosted support by much.

[ciaraa]

What a bizarre statement. You'd rather play in the first division than the premier league if it meant travelling an extra 30 minutes to see your home games??
We would welcome the Drogs to Oriel next season no problem if they needed somewhere to play. Would really depend on what happens with our pitch though as it failed uefa tests that where run on it so we didnt get a premier licence this year.

not really bizarre. at the minute average attendance in utd park is around 1700 or something?? (which is actually not a bad average considering the complete muck on offer for your hard earned euro). how many of those would travel to scumdalk (happy jinxy? ;) ) or dublin for a mid table match against UCD/Bray etc?
obviously once off matches in euro are fine (drogs in dalymount, dk-malmo in utd park etc.) but for a season it would be disaster and alienate a lot of already disillusioned fans with the way the club is going.
just my opinion of course.

[Nesta99]

Ciaraa in what way are the drog fans disillusioned, is it simply on field performances? after that seems the club are making a hell of an effort but being scuppered. All this going out of business stuff if stadium is not built is a load of horse sh#te really. Drogheda Utd can continue as a club, just not at the level of cost currently - how did the club exist without sugar daddies in the past (not without problems i know) Monaghan, Wexford 2 clubs living within means and developing all the time.....

and i managed to refrain from clichéd terms for our southern neighbours ah what the hell the dregs, drugheda blah blah :rolleyes: and get it right it is Fundalk and the posh parts Fundalkey;)

[Longfordian]

If people who have put in large sums of money on the basis of the stadium being built want their money back then the club is in serious jeopardy. That's the impression I get from the article.

[Nesta99]

If people who have put in large sums of money on the basis of the stadium being built want their money back then the club is in serious jeopardy. That's the impression I get from the article.


Money back? Would be blood from a stone! Do a cork and reform as Drogheda Hibs. Hasnt the money that has gone to Drogheda an erm gift, with hope of some return....the gamble just may not pay with no new stadium

[Longfordian]

I don't know the ins and outs of it really but the article reckons €12m was put in on the basis of the stadium being up and running by 2008. I can't imagine anyone loving the Drogs that much to just give all of that to them. They're certainly worried in Drogheda at present by the sounds of things.

[Celdrog]

35m? surely not?Thought it was a bit high myself but I think it also includes the retail shops, leisure centre, fast food, petrol station and the 4km link road. I saw €11M somewhere for the stadium costs a while ago


3m a season? I never understood this logic. Why not just keep the cash for when the stadium is ready? On the field success while at United Park doesn't seem to have boosted support by much.
I think the logic here is that the stadium idea was already the plan before the on-field success came. A new board came in after the hinge trading fiasco. Vincent Hoey as chairman is a big a Drogs fan as anyone else. It seems their vision was to give the town a top class team with a top class stadium. They already were well on the road when we won the cup in 2005, Vincent was on the telly the next day with the stadium plans. Louth CC scuppered that one in 2006, Meath CC welcomed them with open arms and now appear to have shafted them as well. I don't think anyone could have forseen that this was going to drag on so much.

I assume the amigos thought they would have a self sustaining club by now.

If it somehow works out then they will get the freedom of the town and probably be allowed to bring Oliver Plunkett home occasionally. If it fails they should still get the recognition for trying and giving us the good times.

Its shocking that in an alleged economic downturn, politicians/civil servants contrive to prevent serious leisure facilites and amenities being built and screw a developer who has already invested €110M (or €160M depending on reports). Mind you if the deal is totally dead its safe to assume Meath CC will be under an incredible spotlight

We will finish the season and I cannot see us go bang, but don't expect us to contribute too many co-efficient points in the near future.

Oh and Ciaraa, its not Gundalk or Scumdalk - its Craptown:D (as The dundalk CEO told us in Oriel three years ago)

[John83]

I don't know the ins and outs of it really but the article reckons €12m was put in on the basis of the stadium being up and running by 2008. I can't imagine anyone loving the Drogs that much to just give all of that to them. They're certainly worried in Drogheda at present by the sounds of things.
The last I heard was that the board had converted their director's loans into shares or something like that. They may have run up a debt since, but Drogheda don't owe €12M or anything near it. There might still be enough to take them down, a la Cork though.

[stamullendrog]

Ciaraa in what way are the drog fans disillusioned, is it simply on field performances? after that seems the club are making a hell of an effort but being scuppered. All this going out of business stuff if stadium is not built is a load of horse sh#te really. Drogheda Utd can continue as a club, just not at the level of cost currently - how did the club exist without sugar daddies in the past (not without problems i know) Monaghan, Wexford 2 clubs living within means and developing all the time.....

and i managed to refrain from clichéd terms for our southern neighbours ah what the hell the dregs, drugheda blah blah :rolleyes: and get it right it is Fundalk and the posh parts Fundalkey;)


another part of the problem is the state of united park its hardly even up to divisions one standard even is it???personally have no problem going back to being a normal club but we will need somewhere to play

[blackholesun]

I think the logic here is that the stadium idea was already the plan before the on-field success came. A new board came in after the hinge trading fiasco. Vincent Hoey as chairman is a big a Drogs fan as anyone else. It seems their vision was to give the town a top class team with a top class stadium.

Werent the builders backing Drogheda only using the stadium issue as a lever to get the planning for the houses and other stuff around it? I doubt any of them had any genuine interest in DCFC or any aspect of Irish football. If they now had to sacrifice the stadium to save other aspects of the project, I am sure they would do so without losing any sleep.

bhs

[Mr A]

But they needn't have ploughde so much money into the club to do that..

[Paddyfield]

According to a local newspaper today [Galway City Tribune] two British businesmen have expressed an interest in investing in Galway United. Limerick man Danny Drew is also sniffing around.

Read: http://www.galwaynews.ie/4871-utd-target-new-backers

[superfrank]

Limerick man Danny Drew is also sniffing around.
He's like the Roddy Collins of chairmen.

[pete]

According to a local newspaper today [Galway City Tribune] two British businesmen have expressed an interest in investing in Galway United. Limerick man Danny Drew is also sniffing around.

Read: http://www.galwaynews.ie/4871-utd-target-new-backers



When asked about the two businessmen seen at the Bohemians game, Leeson would only say that...


Did have anything to say? Do I have subscribe to see "no comment"? ;)

[Nesta99]

another part of the problem is the state of united park its hardly even up to divisions one standard even is it???personally have no problem going back to being a normal club but we will need somewhere to play

Im not suggesting relegation with any glibness! But with remedial work United park would suffice as a 1st division ground wouldnt it? Additional turnstiles/reduced capacity could be overcome. The main issue as i see it is the distance between floodlight pylons etc and playing area....there are other LoI grounds I would have United Park over any day!! Ground share option is there...just ask any Rovers fan! Talking to Terry Collins(i think is his second name) couple of months ago, nice chap but quite smug about the way in which Drogheda has overtaken Dundalk currently, hope to bump in to him again someday lol ;)
I do hope problems are solved bythe way

[oldyouth]

UCD are safe for next year following a near miss


Yep, we found the ball, thanks. It was in the bushes behind the goal. Fortunately, people had paid into the game, so the club would have had money to replace it if all else failed.

[stamullendrog]

Im not suggesting relegation with any glibness! But with remedial work United park would suffice as a 1st division ground wouldnt it? Additional turnstiles/reduced capacity could be overcome. The main issue as i see it is the distance between floodlight pylons etc and playing area....there are other LoI grounds I would have United Park over any day!! Ground share option is there...just ask any Rovers fan! Talking to Terry Collins(i think is his second name) couple of months ago, nice chap but quite smug about the way in which Drogheda has overtaken Dundalk currently, hope to bump in to him again someday lol ;)
I do hope problems are solved bythe way


united park is really hemmed in with the gaelic grounds and anneville crescent the road at the other end and windmill house.pitch isnt up to required spec anyway and no room to change that.ive said it on drogs message board could they not look at getting in with the athletics crowd and trying to do something to lourdes stadium that would benefit drogs and the whole community

[Nesta99]

Hasnt Drog Borough Council done somthing with lourdes stadium recently? I also believe that it has only 4 lanes (daft that!!!). Would be a small pitch too but might be an improvement on United Park, not been to Lourdes Stadium so im speculating, what about a deal with the County ground;)....well they are skint

[passinginterest]

According to the Independent (http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/eircom-league/dead-in-the-water-1476105.html) this morning Cobh are almost gone. Apparently players will not be paid for the rest of the season and are threatening to strike if no assured of full payment at the end of the season.

It's sad for Cobh they seem to have made some very poor financial decisions this year.

[Schumi]

What's going on in Cobh? Where is all their money going, do they have big debts that they have to pay back or something? I would have thought that the income from their bar would have put them in a better position than most teams near the bottom of the premier. They're hardly paying much more to their players than anyone else and their crowds haven't been too bad.

[gael353]

What's going on in Cobh? Where is all their money going, do they have big debts that they have to pay back or something? I would have thought that the income from their bar would have put them in a better position than most teams near the bottom of the premier. They're hardly paying much more to their players than anyone else and their crowds haven't been too bad.

We were down recently the night they hammered Galway :cool: some, not many of their fans were telling us that their income was about 20/25 thousand per month and their outgoings which they said was wages only but i doubt that was 50 thosand per month. Saw in some papers that they owed creditors €350,000 but that figure seems to vary depending on what paper you read and what the chairman tells them. Some ppl were saying that they owe over half a million with over 100.000 owed to the tax man. No pub would pay for those debts. Its a lot of specualation very little fact comming from the club, and when it does come knowone believes the one person giving the info, the chairman

[Mr A]

Cobh made the classic mistake (also made at Harps and Galway) of paying premier wages to division one footballers. I do feel sorry for Cobh though, they got up on a shoestring and were always going to have to spend big to even keep the players they had. You could almost say they were not really ready to come up I guess.

[shep]

All the recent developments really do make grim reading,i would certanly hope that if Dundalk gain promotion that they dont fall into the trap of commiting to silly contracts with players.Clubs from next season on can surely use the example of this season when thrashing out deals with potential signings.Yes Pats and Boh's will still offer top doller to secure the best players,but everyone else,players,fans included are gonna have to take a reality check.I for one would rather see my club survive long term than have 3/4 good years and then go out of business.The only way forward is probably to produce locals,look at Limerick,they have a great crop coming through that is probably costing little,and if someone comes in to sign them your getting a nice fee.

[jinxy lilywhite]

I believe the current problems afflicting clubs will lead to a cartel and clubs will agree amongst themselves to keep wages at a realistic level. Maybe they could agree not to outbid each other.