Statement released by Linfield in response to IFA letter
http://linfieldfc.com/latestnews.asp?nid=2227
RESPONSE TO IFA LETTER OF 16TH JULY 2007
In 1984 IFA and LFC agreed by way of a written agreement that all international fixtures would be played at Windsor Park from January 1983 until the expiry of the agreement in January 2087.
On Monday 16th July 2007 IFA, by a letter signed by its Chief Executive Howard Wells, purported to terminate the 1984 agreement with effect from 16th January 2008.
IFA, by the terms of its letter, appears to suggest that it is entitled to terminate the 1984 agreement on two grounds, namely:-
1. that the 1984 agreement is revocable by IFA without notice, and
2. that LFC has failed to comply with its obligation to ensure that the stadium at Windsor Park is maintained in good order, repair and condition.
Responding to each of these, LFC’s position is as follows:-
1. The agreement signed by both parties in 1984 is not revocable by either party. Had it been the intention that either party should have been able to terminate the agreement prior to January 2087 the agreement would have provided for this by an express contractual provision to this effect. There is no such provision in the 1984 agreement.
2. LFC accepts that it has a legal obligation to maintain the stadium at Windsor Park in good order, repair and condition (as set out in the 1984 agreement).
LFC has complied, and continues to comply, with that obligation. In common with many stadia of a similar age, aspects of LFC’s facilities inevitably require repair, upgrade and renewal with the passage of time. LFC has co-operated in every respect with the current review of the ground being undertaken by the Miller Partnership and awaits with interest the outcome of that report when it is issued in final form.
To say that the stadium requires instances of repair, upgrade or renewal is entirely different however from saying that the ground is not currently in working order, repair or condition.
Were there to be any genuine concern on the part of IFA as to the state of the ground at Windsor Park it seems strange to the board of LFC that the IFA would have hosted an international fixture there as recently as 28th March 2007. Moreover, in its recent letter, IFA acknowledges (albeit with conditions attached) that it is prepared to countenance the holding of international fixtures at Windsor in August and November. Indeed, as recently as 18th June, LFC was happy to receive its UEFA licence, which permits it to play matches at Windsor Park under the auspices of UEFA. One of the signatories of the UEFA licence was in fact Mr Wells.
To date, and despite what it regards as considerable provocation, LFC has maintained a professional and non-public stance in its dealings with IFA. In light of IFA’s purported termination of its agreement with LFC however, the board of LFC is reluctantly forced to conclude, and to state for the record, that it regards much of IFA’s publicly expressed concerns about Windsor Park as being motivated less by a genuine concern over the state of repair of the ground and more as the basis upon which IFA now seeks to avoid its contractual commitment to LFC under the terms of the 1984 agreement.
It is LFC’s informed view, as confirmed by its holding of a UEFA licence and its insurers (who continue to provide cover), that the Northern Ireland team can continue to play at Windsor Park for as long as is required subject to the carrying out of those works which will be outlined and agreed in the final Miller Report.
Whilst, in light of IFA’s recent correspondence, LFC has been left with no option but to refer this matter to its lawyers, the club confirms that it is willing and ready to explore and find a negotiated solution to the satisfaction of all parties; LFC does however expect IFA (not least since it is the public face of the game in Northern Ireland) to act honourably and in good faith in its dealings with the club so far as the commitment it gave in 1984 is concerned.
In light of the fact that this matter is now with LFC’s lawyers the club regards it as inappropriate to make any further statement with regard to this issue.
