Dream ticket' would not stop Bohs groundsharing

Quote:

---

Dream ticket' would not stop Bohs groundsharing
ADVERTISEMENT

BOHEMIANS secretary Gerry Cuffe has not ruled the possibility of groundsharing even if the club were to move to a proposed new 10,000-capacity stadium on the outskirts of Dublin.

"We have kept the FAI fully appraised in terms of where we are with this process," he said yesterday.

"They are aware that all of the options are going to be put to the members on Thursday night. But I am quite sure that the f the club, if we do ultimately end up with this facility and this stadium, would look favourably on taking in somebody on a groundsharing basis in the future. We are certainly not ruling that out."

The developers proposal to build a new stadium in Castleknock and also furnish the club with a substantial cash sum has certainly added some extra spice to the members' EGM.

The deal, which involves the building of a state-of-the-art arena close to the M50 toll plaza, together with a lump sum believed to be in the region of €26m, will need to get the backing of 75% of members present at the meeting, though, in order to go through.

"There are three possibilities at this stage," said Cuffe. "One is that we stay where we are, batten down the hatches and try to survive. Two, we go along with the groundshare proposal with Shelbourne, or three we go down the new Stadium route.

"Ultimately the members will decide which route we go, but I think that when people are fully informed they will vote with their conscience and with the best interests of the club at heart."

On paper, the deal looks a dream ticket for Bohemians in that they are having a stadium built for them and pretty much realising the full value of Dalymount Park in the process.

Of course, planning issues both in Phibsboro and at the site of the new stadium, will dictate if the deal is viable, but the fact that the developers have agreed to hand over a non refundable €2m deposit if the deal goes through, shows they have evaluated such issues.

Contravention of the government's and FAI's groundshare initiative would mean that Bohemians could lose any funding in future.

Eoin Dunne

---

Why not build the stadium in Abbotstown ?? That way we can have a proper 20,000 all seater stadium for the two clubs. best of luck to bohs whatever happens(choke).

because we wouldnt own the freehold in Abbotstown, whereas we would in the proposed new site.

Why would we roll in with the FAI's plan to save Shels when we dont have to?

But Gerry Cuffe has pointed out that groundsharing could take place at the new site in Castleknock anyway.
This bit about funding being denied to Bohemians if they go to their own site, is a bit sinister.:(

The government of this country owes the game of association football big time. Having torpedoed Eircom Park, and having provided no National Stadium at Abbotstown, it is time this government delivered to the game. Funding Lansdowne Road is a step in the right direction but that is also mainly an assistance to the game of rugby . Nothing wrong with that, the IRFU has been of great help to the game of football in this country and I am delighted that both games will benefit from the funding of the new stadium at IRFUHQ.

So any new stadium being built for and on behalf of Bohemians should be partly funded. And if Shelbourne get to groundshare that rows in with the government plans , only the location is different. Is that such a big deal? Besides if Bohemians youth and schoolboy players are going to use the new academy at Abbotstown , wouldn't it be smart that the first team was a lot closer in say Castleknock? Maybe the LOI first teamers could train at Abbotstown too, Shelbourne and Bohs could each use the facilites

If Bohs let Shels rent the new ground off them, that'd still be ground-sharing. So far, no-one - not the government, not Genesis, not the FAI - has defined "ground-sharing" as meaning ONLY "shared ownership of a ground" as opposed to "shared use of a ground" - they can't, cos Rovers won't own Tallaght.

Put simply I don't think many Bohs fans would have minded building in Abbotstown and sharing with Shels. Most of us had no issue with groundshare and that, it was just the deal that the FAI tried to force on was a joke.

In my view this is a fantastic deal for us, a brand new 10,000 seater stadium and enough money if used right to dominate football for a long time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

But Gerry Cuffe has pointed out that groundsharing could take place at the new site in Castleknock anyway.

---

Whats the definition of groundsharing? We have no bother letting anyone rent from us. Actually I would have no bother letting Shels buy half the new stadium of us, but doubt they have €10m spare. ;)

As a betting man I would think Shels could well end up in Tallaght now with Rovers as there are not many other alternatives.

One thing about the new ground .... is it in Bohs interest to share with Shels straight away ... i mean if you move out there, wouldn't you want to get a foothold in that area first, instead of splitting the market with Shels?

Is it inside or outside the M50 ??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by A face

One thing about the new ground .... is it in Bohs interest to share with Shels straight away ... i mean if you move out there, wouldn't you want to get a foothold in that area first, instead of splitting the market with Shels?

Is it inside or outside the M50 ??

---

I guess its outside the M50 if I am getting your meaning but its the field right beside the M50 at the toll bridge. Its 5 miles by car from Dalymount as it stands.

whats the public transport going to be like ? At least we know the metro is serving lisadell and abbotstown

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thejollyrodger

whats the public transport going to be like ? At least we know the metro is serving lisadell and abbotstown

---

There is a bus stop about 10 mins walk away, a train station about 20 mins walk away. The entire area is being developed at the moment so when or if we get there I would think there will be closer services. Across the road from the site is all zoned for houses so I would assume that as these are built more bus routes will come in.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by chippie0001

I guess its outside the M50 if I am getting your meaning but its the field right beside the M50 at the toll bridge. Its 5 miles by car from Dalymount as it stands.

---

Yeah, thats what i mean ... it would make a different at 6.30 on friday night, thats why i was asking. Its sounds too good to be true to be honest, Irish football nevers gets a break like that !!

How much will the developer end up getting for it?

How much would Bohs get if they sold it themselves?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by A face

How much will the developer end up getting for it?

How much would Bohs get if they sold it themselves?

---

No idea on either sorry. Would get more if we sold it but then would never get a decent site etc.

In a way irish football is not getting a break, its a property play pure and simple and we just happen to be in the right place. Being a members club and people 100 years ago having foresight stood to us in the long run I guess.

I read about this development in the last few days and cant help but feel that bohs are getting short changed. 31 million isnt enough. A figure close to 50 would be a good deal and i dont like the idea of building half a stadium "the top tier can be added at a later date" kinda ****! They (the developers) either build ye a 20000 seater stadium or f85k off!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gael353

I read about this development in the last few days and cant help but feel that bohs are getting short changed. 31 million isnt enough. A figure close to 50 would be a good deal and i dont like the idea of building half a stadium "the top tier can be added at a later date" kinda ****! They (the developers) either build ye a 20000 seater stadium or f85k off!

---

Where is €31m coming from, you are way off the mark.

a club with european ambitions would. Close off the top tier for league games :)

Quote:

---

BOHEMIANS secretary Gerry Cuffe

---

Very poor reporting! :rolleyes:

Cuffe isn't even on the board anymore.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rogue Trader

Why would any league of Ireland Club want a 20,000 seater ground ?

---

No dublin will ever require a 20k stadium. One their big advantages is that can wander down to Lansdwne Road for any potential big european game that will need bigger than 10k.

Given how poor attendances have been in the last 3-4 years its debatable if any dublin club needs greater than 5k as someone living here i don't see any eL football culture in the wider city. 22k at Lansdwne for Deportivo yet less than 2k for next Shels game.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rogue Trader

Why would any league of Ireland Club want a 20,000 seater ground ?

---

I think it would be in Dublin's and this country's benefit to have such a stadium to hold cup finals, underage internationals, the odd European game of high interest and perhaps some rugby too?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gael353

I read about this development in the last few days and cant help but feel that bohs are getting short changed. 31 million isnt enough. A figure close to 50 would be a good deal and i dont like the idea of building half a stadium "the top tier can be added at a later date" kinda ****! They (the developers) either build ye a 20000 seater stadium or f85k off!

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by chippie0001

Where is €31m coming from, you are way off the mark.

---

Is it up or down though ??

It does seem to me that Bohs are getting shafted. I mean you are saying that its cause you would have a good site in Castleknock .... whats stopping you buying it yourselves ? I mean why do you have to go with the first offer you get ... there are other developers out there aswell.

Is €50,000,000 all you would get for the site ?? I actually think you'd get more given some of the stupid money that is going now on property, same prices as London ffs.

I would have also thought that Dalyer, givens its location is an easy sell no matter what you build on it, so developing on it is a dream come through. Add in Bohs throwing away a few million and there and its the sale of the century.

Thats what it seems like to me anyway !!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Poor Student

I think it would be in Dublin's and this country's benefit to have such a stadium to hold cup finals, underage internationals, the odd European game of high interest and perhaps some rugby too?

---

Exactly ... no harm in having it that big. How many times has Tolka seemed too small recently.

There just isn't enough in that to keep a 20,000 seater ground open. First off, underage internationals are grand in eL grounds - most are OK in Buckley or Belfield Park, while you have Tolka and Dalyer for the bigger ones. For rugby, you have Donnybrook and the RDS, so there's also no need. That leaves Cup finals and the odd European game of high interest - not enough to bulid a stadium for, really. Ireland doesn't need a 20,000 seater ground at the moment. If the Government are prepared to bulid one, just split the money 22 ways and give it to each league club to improve their current grounds. Much better way to spend the money.