PFAI want probe into Kelly wage hitch
PFAI want probe into Kelly wage hitch
Thursday April 28th 2005
THE PFAI has asked the Eircom League to investigate Shamrock Rovers' decision to stop paying one of their players because he is injured.
Striker Liam Kelly, who has undergone two groin operations, was told in January by his doctor that he needs six months rest to clear up his troublesome pubic bone injury before he can resume playing.
Rovers' response was to stop paying the player in January and he has only been fully paid three times over the past 17 weeks. One cheque, which he received for outstanding wages, before Rovers went into examinership, bounced.
Although the other Rovers players have been paid since the examinership process began, Kelly has not.
The matter was brought to the attention of Neil Hughes, the examiner appointed to run the club by the High Court, yesterday by the PFAI.
But the examiner told the players union that Kelly was not a priority because he couldn't play and is now considered to be a creditor of the club.
The Irish Independent understands that no medical evidence was sought before the examiner arrived at this decision.
PFAI Chief Executive Fran Gavin said he had asked the Eircom League to investigate because the examiner's decision sets a dangerous precedent. "What happens if another player gets injured this Friday against Cork or in a subsequent game? Will that affect him getting paid in the future?" he asked.
"Liam Kelly is not a creditor but an employee. He is under contract until the end of the season and, while we appreciate the difficulties the examiner is operating under, we have asked the League to investigate."
Legal sources indicated last night that the examiner would have to apply to the High Court if he wanted to remove Kelly from the payroll. Liam Kelly declined to comment last night while the examiner was unavailable for comment.
Manager Roddy Collins had earlier talked of his relief that the 400 Club had agreed to bankroll the payment of wages to players.
Collins admits that since the start of the season he's been on a permanent pub crawl as he toured Dublin hostelries trying to get players' cheques cashed.
As a player and a manager he has found himself in some sticky financial situations in the past but admits that what he has been through at Rovers is by far the worst.
"The only thing I can compare it to is when I employed fellows on a building site in the days when there was no money in the building trade.
"You would be due a cheque of six grand at two o'clock on a Friday to pay the lads with the banks shutting at three and the builder wouldn't turn up. You'd have to scramble round borrowing money to make up the wages which thankfully I always did," said Collins.
"The stress of being responsible for players' well-being and their financial situation is horrendous. It is the worst stress in the world."
With a massive crowd expected tomorrow night at Dalymount Park for the visit of Cork City, Rovers fans are rallying around the club in its hour of need and Collins is aware that he and his players also have to do their stuff on the pitch to keep the ball rolling.
Gerry McDermott
© Irish Independent
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/ & http://www.unison.ie/
Rovers chairman quits after debts row
Rovers chairman quits after debts row
Friday May 6th 2005
A CHAPTER in Shamrock Rovers' history came to an end yesterday when it was announced that chairman Tony Maguire had resigned after two and a half years at the helm of the club.
Maguire, along with fellow director, Paul Boyle, took the decision to resign following a meeting with the FAI Club Licensing Committee that had sought answers to a number of questions relating to Rovers' Club Licence application.
The FAI requested answers to a number of questions after discovering that the company which owns Rovers, Branvard Limited, had revealed in a High Court petition for Examinership that it had debts of over €2.3 million; over €600,000 more than previously revealed to the Club Licensing Department.
The Club Licensing Committee broke up their meeting on Wednesday night without agreement though a decision on whether the club should be punished or not is expected today as is an official statement from Maguire and Boyle.
The two directors' decision to resign will not affect the FAI's position nor will it affect the continued day-to-day running of the club by the Examinership steering group.
"The Examiner needs two directors in situ and Branvard still have two directors, John Breen and Tony Ennis," a source said.
Maguire was chairman since October 2002 during one of the most tumultuous times in Shamrock Rovers history.
During his tenure, there was no building work at the club's proposed new home in Tallaght as the club stumbled into greater and greater debt.
In the last two seasons, the club's players contemplated strike action after wages were not paid and, even this season, the club was struggling before going into Examinership.
Maguire has long been unpopular with Rovers' supporters after pledging to hold regular meetings with them upon his appointment, though only a handful of meetings were held while the supporters' representative on the Branvard board, Mark Lynch, resigned after a brief stint.
But also during Maguire's tenure, the 400 Club was launched, a supporters trust which has grown to such a size that it is now bankrolling the club and has begun a takeover bid.
It is understood that Maguire and Boyle decided to resign to allow prospective new investors a clean slate when they eventually do take over Shamrock Rovers, believing that a new full-time regime with no debts from the past, is the best way forward.
Along with the 400 Club, a number of other names have been mentioned as potential investors including Gretna chairman Brooks Mileson, former FAI CEO Fran Rooney and former Shamrock Rovers manager Liam Buckley.
However, one of those reported to be a potential investor, former Republic of Ireland striker John Aldridge has emphatically denied that he is interested in joining the club.
Reports yesterday suggested Aldridge was fronting a bid backed by Manchester City striker Robbie Fowler and Liverpool building tycoon Steve Morgan though Aldridge's agent Dave Lockwood refuted the claims.
"It's absolute garbage," he said. "It sounds like someone is trying to generate cheap publicity for Shamrock Rovers."
Meanwhile, FAI Chief Executive John Delaney hoped to meet members of the National League Supporters Association yesterday to discuss the cut in tickets available to eircom League supporters' clubs for international matches.
However, the meeting was cancelled after NLSA members were unable to attend because of work commitments.
Owen Cowzer
© Irish Independent
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/ & http://www.unison.ie/
