Sporting Fingal Gone Belly Up

**The Lep** · 19/03/2010, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by GalwayRed

Ok I'll go on topic now. If Gannon does stick to his word and invest the money for the next 2 years then this is the window they have to build up a fanbase and progress in the league. if Fingal can maintain a crowd similar to what they had against Sligo then its a very good start but to be honest its a very tough ask. I have witnessed the efforts Fingal have made to attract new fans and to be fair to them its excellent. However thats mainly down to the money Fingal have and the fact they are a full time set-up. For example Shels wouldn't be able to send players around to schools to promote the club and such as the players all have second jobs. If Gannon decides to pull out in two years time then Fingals finances are going to be cut drastically which will probably result in relegation and part time football. From their its tough to see how the club can continue on. Time will tell though.

Good post and i agree to most of it. Only part i disagree with is the last bit where you say it would be tough to see the club continue, if it does go badly then like you say cuts would be made and we could fall back down to where we was going to start at in the beginning in the A championship and with all the hard work gone in to Sporting Fingal as part of the Sport in Fingal project then im sure the powers that be will do all they can to stop all that hard work going to waste.
You mention maintaining a crowd, yes id be happy if we could improve on our first home game attendance this year but to make it really work we would need crowds the same as what Foras has got or at least 2000 plus each home game which im sure other clubs would agree for them as well. Its best to take one year at a time and with Fingal in the Premier for the first time and europe then its an exciting time for the Fingal fans and im going to enjoy the football while it last as nobody knows what the future holds only time will tell.
3 points tonight will do me for a start so Cmon Fingal

**The Lep** · 19/03/2010, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by redbuli

dont Sporting Fingal plan to move to a new pupose built stadium in lusk or somewhere? just wondering if is there a timeline for this and if any of the fingal fans know who will fund it etc

Yes,

The rest, i dont know.

**Macy** · 19/03/2010, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by The Lep

Thats true for all clubs but in our case we have some decent sponsorship across the board . If and if our main benefactor pulls out for whatever reason we may have to do some major changes then and only then.

It was meant as a general point, and the fact that the FAI continues to leave a situation where "major changes" happen mid season, and inevitably mean players and staff not being paid.

**bad mongo** · 19/03/2010, 1:07 PM

Originally Posted by The Lep

Yes,

The rest, i dont know.

http://www.fingalcoco.ie/Planning/Pl...otballAcademy/

AFAIK this project is seriously stalled. I would guess it will be at least 3-4 years before Fingal CoCo can find the money to finance this- even assuming some kind of economic upturn in the next 18 months.

**total hoofball** · 24/04/2010, 4:35 PM

Poor Gerry No Bobs has practically whacked everything including the kitchen sink into his wife's name to keep a roof over his head

Meet the Developers' Wives! Thanks to their husbands putting assets in their names, all these women now own property fortunes�

--------------------

MARGARET GANNON Wife of Gerry Gannon THE 60-year-old housewife is a former hairdresser.

On January 16 the Gannon Homes boss, whose loans are to be taken over by Nama, gave her Hatley Manor, a 19th century pile on banks of the Shannon. That same day, she also became the owner of a property at Summercove, Kinsale, and apartments at Malahide Marina.

Since last spring, she has acquired a vast portfolio including land banks at Dublin Airport, land at Clontarf Golf Club and the midlands, an imposing house at Eglin Road in Ballsbridge, a e3m house in the K Club, apartments in Malahide and the foreshore at Lough Glynn. All bar one are mortgage-free. She and her husband are friendly with Charlie and Noreen McCreevy.

http://findarticles.com/p/news-artic.../ai_n52664375/

Half of the K Club put up for sale for �60m

THE K Club is up for sale -- well half of it anyway.

Cash-strapped property developer Gerry Gannon is selling his 49pc share in the world famous hotel, golf and country club at a price of �60m.

---------------

Mr Gannon explained his reason for selling as: "I cannot expect the taxpayer to fund an exclusive loss-making club in Co Kildare."

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/h...m-2147679.html

Will he be expecting the taxpayer to fund an exclusive loss-making football club from Santry?

**The Lep** · 24/04/2010, 8:47 PM

Go and ask him.

**sixesandsevens** · 27/04/2010, 10:53 AM

Dear oh dear, that doesn't make very good reading for Fingal, should Bray start planning for another season in the Premier?

**Roo69** · 27/04/2010, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by sixesandsevens

Dear oh dear, that doesn't make very good reading for Fingal, should Bray start planning for another season in the Premier?

**marinobohs** · 27/04/2010, 2:05 PM

Originally Posted by bad mongo

http://www.fingalcoco.ie/Planning/Pl...otballAcademy/

AFAIK this project is seriously stalled. I would guess it will be at least 3-4 years before Fingal CoCo can find the money to finance this- even assuming some kind of economic upturn in the next 18 months.

Was out at Morton stadium last night for the first time in many years (I think since Bohs famous 6-4 win over shams

) and thought it a good stadium. Admittitedly it was dry last night and I would not fancy 90+ minutes there in the rain but SF are hardly the only club in that position.
My point is that as long as they have access to Morton there is no immediate need for a new ground - yes, ideally they would move to a new stadium ASAP but Morton is decent enough for a club still in its infancy.
...... or maybe its just after my last two visits there I have grown to like the place

**KK77** · 28/04/2010, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by sixesandsevens

Dear oh dear, that doesn't make very good reading for Fingal, should Bray start planning for another season in the Premier?

Only way we are likely to get back in!!!!

**pateen** · 28/04/2010, 1:08 PM

Jesus not even pass the first round of games and the 'bad' headlines are potentially surfacing

**marinobohs** · 28/04/2010, 1:20 PM

Originally Posted by pateen

Jesus not even pass the first round of games and the 'bad' headlines are potentially surfacing

No bad headlines just speculation on FOOT.IE ! Actually the "tales of doom" on here predicting which club(s) would fold began long before now, in fact in some cases they began before last season ended
Wouldn't get too upset at the prophets of doom here - last season Bohs were bankrupt/relegated/ playing this season in the phoneix park !

**SupaJon** · 28/04/2010, 1:42 PM

Originally Posted by marinobohs

/ playing this season in the phoneix park !

That would have been nice!

Could have combined away games with a nice visit to the zoo!

**SkStu** · 28/04/2010, 4:26 PM

Originally Posted by SupaJon

That would have been nice!

Could have combined away games with a nice visit to the zoo!

could always go to SDCC Stadium to see the animals out there too...!

**Mr A** · 19/08/2010, 9:00 AM

While Fingal are not mentioned here, there may be an impact on them: NAMA set to halt developers' spend on sponsorship

**Mario** · 19/08/2010, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Mr A

While Fingal are not mentioned here, there may be an impact on them: NAMA set to halt developers' spend on sponsorship

True, could be a double whammy for Fungus next season as Anlgo themselves are one of their main sponsors, and Gannon one of their main backers.

Very hard to see how their full-time set-up and wage structure can be maintained next year given the poor attendences at home games.

Mario

**The Lep** · 19/08/2010, 7:40 PM

Originally Posted by Mario

True, could be a double whammy for Fungus next season as Anlgo themselves are one of their main sponsors, and Gannon one of their main backers.

Very hard to see how their full-time set-up and wage structure can be maintained next year given the poor attendences at home games.

Mario

You sure ?

Great Bump to an old thread with nothing to add to it

**White Horse** · 20/08/2010, 9:58 AM

Michael Smurfit and developer Gerry Gannon are facing huge financial difficulties at the K Club. They are seeking to defer repaying bank loans, amid crippling losses that are expected to continue at least until next summer.
The complex, which includes a hotel, country club and two courses, has racked up a loss of €8.1m. The company behind the club, Bishopscourt Investments, is hoping to defer repaying a bank loan of €55m.
http://www.independent.ie/business/i...s-2301126.html

How dependant is Sporting Fingal on Gerry Gannon. I am an admirer of their attempt to bring senior football to north county Dublin and have been impressed with organisation of the two matches at Morton Stadium I been to this year.

However, when I look at the small number of paying customers, I can't see how they survive.

**gufct** · 20/08/2010, 10:09 AM

If Gerry Gannon goes Fingal are finished as Fingal County Council are not going to pick up the tab.

**pineapple stu** · 20/08/2010, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by White Horse

How dependant is Sporting Fingal on Gerry Gannon?

It's at the start of the thread that he gave them E750k last year, and E500k the year before. By way of comparison, I think UCD's total budget for this season is about E300k.