A Shockin, but true tale!!
I have recently stumbled across yet another golden nugget of information...one that makes me sick to the pit of my stomach, but typifies why we're a laughing stock as a club and are shortly to go under.
Cast ye're minds back to the glorious League Cup Final in April 2002. Home Leg...we amass a decent crowd of around 1500 people at €8 a head...take into account freebies and schoolkids, the gate came to close on €8,500, of which split three ways (us, Derry and the League) would have left us with almost €3000 gate receipts, plus maybe another couple of grand from programmes, merchandising and refreshments.
We then create huge interest in the away leg, by beating the prima donnas and ensure a crowd of 5,500 to the Brandywell at £8 STERLING a head...£44,000 in gate revenue to be split three ways (as above) leaving us with around £13,000 STERLING to come from the Derry gate. This would have given the club a lump sum of almost €23,000 this time 14 months ago.Now...read on for sly incompotence...
At the Derry home game, our committee informed the league representative and Derry City that 400 people paid to watch the game, and handed each of them a grand.Derry argued and disputed this to no avail, and stormed off with their tail between their legs, having also lost the match.
At the return leg, we were laughed at by the Derry boys when we came cap in hand, and maybe rightly so. No arguments were put forward, and to this day Derry haven't received an apology for being conned, or have our "committee" made approaches to Derry and the League to claim what was rightfully theirs.This has been confirmed to me by a Derry committee member that I just called to ensure that this is bona-fide....who in their right mind is going to invest in such a structure. I think a supporters delegation should go personally to Merrion Square immediately and have them all removed. I live in Dublin, and am prepared to foot the legal costs of advancing this, but only if it's acted upon now!!!