I take it from that they have someone in mind. Two weeks over Christmas isn't exactly a lot of time to put something like this together. :ball:Quote:
Originally Posted by paudie
Printable View
I take it from that they have someone in mind. Two weeks over Christmas isn't exactly a lot of time to put something like this together. :ball:Quote:
Originally Posted by paudie
I haven't seen the ad in the Examiner myself, but the gist of it is reported in the Limerick Chronicle today (back page). Colm Kinsella reporting, says the FAI are looking for "...an initial indication of interest, along with an outline of how it might meet the Club Licensing Criteria" to be submitted by 2 January.
That's quite vague, and seems to leave plenty of scope. But obviously, they would be looking for some meat to be put on those bones quite quickly. If there are two or more submissions, the strongest and most concrete proposal should get the FAI's backing.
BUT, I don't see junior clubs clambering for senior status (I have no connections whatsoever with junior football, so I could be way off the mark here). Given the recent history of Limerick FC (in football and business), it doesn't seem to me to be a very attractive business venture, so I don't expect any saviours from the local business community.
HOWEVER, I do think this is a fantastic opportunity for the supporters to take over the running of the club. (So many people here call it "our" club, but the reality is that it has been Drew's club for the last 2 years.) This would, imo, provide the strongest guarantee for the continuation of senior soccer in Limerick into the future.
I think there should be an initial meeting of supporters to discuss the various options for the club. Given the FAI's 2 Jan deadline, this initial meeting should happen by saturday at the very latest.
Everyone would then have a few days to think about the situation, and there'll be people home for the christmas who might be interested and who might be good to bounce some ideas off for feedback.
Then there should be a meeting on 29/30 Dec to put together a proposal for submission to the FAI.
This timescale would still leave room for a meeting on the night of 1 Jan if there were still some important issues to sort out, or some emergency croppped up (hopefully hangovers would be cured by afternoon!).
My personal preference would be for a supporters' trust to own 100% of the club. If there are genuine soccer supporters in Limerick with wads of cash to throw around, then the merits of a partnership should be discussed, but I think it would be better if such people were involved in the trust. The club should be about football -- not business. And your level of influence should be based on your passion for football/the club and the merit of any proposals you have, rather than the size of the cheques you can write.
After speaking to him briefly during the City Budget Meeting last night, Cllr John Gilligan raised the plight of Limerick FC. Although there's no money in the Council's budget for this year to help the club, if it was in the control of the supporters, we could lobby for some financial assistance from them in the future. The Mayor gave verbal support to trying to maintain a senior club based in the city, so any influence his position might have should be used. So when a submission is formulated, he should be asked for his endorsement. (A few of the Cllrs have strong rugby connections, and there was a lot of fuss made about how great the Munster team's exploits were for the image of Limerick as a "sporting city", so there are opportunities here.)
BTW, Gilligan also mentioned (unprompted) a possible return to the Market Field. Aren't the greyhound shower building a new stadium for themselves? If so, then that's not a complete non-runner (though obviously a few years down the line).
[QUOTE=gombean;594436]
HOWEVER, I do think this is a fantastic opportunity for the supporters to take over the running of the club. (So many people here call it "our" club, but the reality is that it has been Drew's club for the last 2 years.) This would, imo, provide the strongest guarantee for the continuation of senior soccer in Limerick into the future.
My personal preference would be for a supporters' trust to own 100% of the club. If there are genuine soccer supporters in Limerick with wads of cash to throw around, then the merits of a partnership should be discussed, but I think it would be better if such people were involved in the trust. The club should be about football -- not business. And your level of influence should be based on your passion for football/the club and the merit of any proposals you have, rather than the size of the cheques you can write.
[QUOTE]
Good points gombean but imo a supporters trust should be there to support the main financial income of the club ie a big time charlie! Limericks hardcore is too small to finance a club which wants to be ambitious and challenge for top honours. If limerick were to set up a trust each person would have to contribute upwards of 20,000 per anam to keep the club afloat such is the size of the hardcore. I thinkwe need a major investor followed by a supporters trust. I would never favour a 100% supporters owned club (have you ever seen us in one room actually agreeing on something?) Id like to see a mojor investor have 51%, supporters, LDMC, schoolboys, ladies etc all have the remaining holdings. Again just my opinion but your ideas and points are good.
AFAIK the greyhound track will be bulit out by the Coonagh roundabout on the Ennis Road. when I spoke to Councillors before one or two indicated that permission to develop the MF site would be contingent on retaining some of that space for sporting amenity.Quote:
Originally Posted by gombean
I disagree with Gael. A ST owned club could be the fillip the club needs. The club is disconnected with the city and will remain so as long as it is owned by an individual (unless we start looking like we're winning the league - then everyone will be out). But a club that is owned by a supporters trust could renew that connection. If there was junior involvement in that trust it could also lead to renewed good will between the two elements of football in teh city that have been porr for too long.
You're right Gael, Limerick's hardcore at the moment is too small to finance a club which wants to be ambitious and challenge for top honours. But there are enough people there just to get the club back up on it's feet and get a licence. If we can just manage to do that then we will have a much bigger input into the club whatever happens in the future. It will not take wads of cash, small regular contributions from even 50 people will make all the difference at the start. It's time to put what happened over the last few season's behind us and move on. A small group of supporters can do alot. Look at Shamrock Rovers, they were in a situation with millions of Euro of debt hanging over the club yet their supporters managed to get the club back on it's feet. Investors are always welcome to inject cash into a club but the supporters are always a vital asset if it all goes pear-shaped. I know there are people who feel sorry for Danny Drew but I couldnt give a rat's ass. He got plenty of support at the start. He was getting crowds initially that Galway United are only getting recently after alot of advertising & marketing and not only did he fail to capitalise on it, he managed to alienate alot of supporters and put the club into the situation where it is today. If he lost money as a result then that's tough. I don't know what's going to happen, maybe a junior club will step up to the ranks or maybe the FAI already have another candidate in mind but if the supporters cannot even get together before the Jan 2nd deadline and agree even the barest of frameworks to try and submit an application then we've no right to say that we deserve to have a senior club in the city.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fitzknows
IMO i think pike rovers should step up to EL why not they have money plus a excellant set up they have a very powerful team this season add the likes of tommy barrett brain buckly robbie kell.. etc etc and ill think they will be more than able to hold there own. what do ye think lads??
I know the rumours are bound to be flying with all thats going on, but I've heard Pike have already made an application. Whether there's any truth in it I don't know, how'd they'd get on if the suceeded, I don't know either!Quote:
Originally Posted by thomas72
Quick question that I hope isn't too simple.
How much does it cost to run a League team for a year?
Thx.
Ballpark answers to this question and others must be worked out between now and a possible meeting on 30 Dec. So I think that there should be an initial meeting of a few supporters tonight or tomorrow night to sort out what information needs to be gathered and divide up the tasks. The FAI deadline for expressions of interest is 2 Jan, so there would be no "working days" after 30 Dec to sort these things out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Voice of Reason
Without this groundwork done beforehand, next week's meeting would be too little too late. If one individual wants to take on all of this, fine. But it's not fair to expect that to happen automatically, and it's not a good way of organising things.
The Companies Registration Office website has been down for the last few days (www.cro.ie), so I phoned them up. They told me that the last set of accounts submitted by JRM Sports (the company that currently owns Limerick FC) was for the year 2004 -- the year BEFORE it took over Limerick FC! So unless Drew or O'Sullivan or someone else provides the information directly to supporters, there's no way of finding out how much it has cost to run Limerick FC over the last two seasons!Quote:
Originally Posted by Voice of Reason
Obviously it's important to get a ballpark figure on this if a serious submission is to be made. Anyone out there privvy to this kind of info? Anyone from other clubs with concrete info on their running costs?
Would estimate a turnover of 300 grand minus for an unambitious First division club.
Checked out JRM's returns elsewhere and that seems to be case alright. Does anyone know what Limerick F.C. Grounds Development Trust Ltd. (established March 2006, directors: Patricia Rowe, Nicky Beare) is?Quote:
Originally Posted by gombean
I can't imagine a First Division team would get by on much less than 200k.
Depends on a lot of things. If your a dub club and your only travelling around the city the costs are much smaller then say a provincial club. If you wanna be in the league and just say finish last etc but you own your own ground etc etc about €200,000 per anam but if you want to challenge i see Galways figure was €600,000 for this year and rem that was part time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Voice of Reason
ask noc and co.from what I hear that's the reason he got the sack!Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheridan
Does no-one else think the short deadline, especially at this time of year, is an indication that the FAI already have some-one lined up?
Iirc, the FAI have always stated they want senior football in Limerick, they know about the discrepancy between such strong Junior sides and a shambles of a senior side, they might be using this as a great way to clear out the the deadwood and set up a proper team in Limerick.
Interesting Gilligan mentioned a return to the Markets Field, who owns it? (I knoe B na gC run it but who actually owns it?)
heard lester is gone with barrett,heffo+finucane goin this week
The important thing is to have a club structure ready for the new season and a decent application in place by January 2. The important factors now are those. If needs be you can field an almost all amateur team the first year or two just to get the club established and build from there. The EL needs some form of Limerick involvement, just like it needed a Cork one in the 1980's when finally Cork City FC emerged in 1984 after 2 years with no senior football in the city.
Quote:
Originally Posted by the hoops
Going from what though? You can say stuff like all the players will be gone next week but who knows. Lester signed with Galway last week and one of the others, well....best of luck to him. I hope the players will hang around till end of Jan when something (hopefully) comes to fruition. Most of our SENIOR players are under contract and cant go anywhere at the moment. Their registrations are heald by the Eircom League and with the FAI saying that senior soccer will be there next season in Limerick then untill all of these stories are confirmed then i hope people dont continue this anti limerick/neg posts/limerick leader style on this board. c'mon the blues
the truth is bitter
Just you i'd say.Quote:
Originally Posted by barryk