Licences 2011

**gufcfan** · 17/02/2011, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

I thought Galway would win the appeal until i read their statement. Basically said, "look its nearly ready"

The statement was badly written imo. As is set down in the licensing, football creditors need to be paid or an agreement made with them. What the club were in the process of "settling" was a payment, part of an agreement made last week, with a former staff member. There were no outstanding issues with monies owed to footballing creditors at the deadline.

**Dodge** · 17/02/2011, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by JC_GUFC

1) If Galway United fail in their appeal and are only granted an A-Championship Licence what will the situation be with regards to the 2 Divisions? As it would stand there would be 10 teams in the Premier and 10 teams in the 1st? Would they not leave it like that rather than having a 12-team Premier and an 8-team 1st Division?

There was only ever going to be 10 teams in premier this year so the 12/8 split wouldn't happen. if galway get a Prem/1st license then the split will be 10/11

2) Had Waterford United got a Premier Division licence would they or Monaghan have been ranked higher in terms of getting a Premier Division place? Waterford finished higher in the league but obviously Monaghan beat them in the playoff

I think I remember reading from previous seedings that play off losers take precedence over league position but I'd imagine the FAI were happy enough to not have to explain taht one again

**monsexile** · 17/02/2011, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by gufcfan

The statement was badly written imo. As is set down in the licensing, football creditors need to be paid or an agreement made with them. What the club were in the process of "settling" was a payment, part of an agreement made last week, with a former staff member. There were no outstanding issues with monies owed to footballing creditors at the deadline.

I struggle therefore to see how things can change on appeal:
From FAI licencing criteria:

"The licence applicant must prove that, in respect of contractual and legal obligations with its employees, it has no payables overdue towards employees or revenue/social/tax authorities as at 30 November of the year preceding the season to be licensed, unless by the following 21 Decemberthey have been fully settled, deferred by mutual agreement with the creditor or are subject to a not obviously unfounded dispute submitted to a competent authority."

Have they a flux capacitor as part of their appeal?

Equally:

The Licence Applicant must provide the licensor with a copy of its Tax Clearance Certificate valid on the Extended deadline for League of Ireland clubs to submit financial documentation

That deadline was 28 January.

**oriel** · 17/02/2011, 12:37 PM

Somethign similar happened to Portadown when the IFA set up their premiership a few sesons back, they were a few hours late I think with making a payment or showing evidence, and they were relegated to the lower division, I thik their appeal failed.

I think what happened to Galway is a very harsh, considering what Bohs went through, but they did miss this deadline, and thats going to be a big problem for them.

**gufcfan** · 17/02/2011, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by monsexile

That deadline was 28 January.

I agree completely that deadlines are deadlines, but considering the reason for the late submission was probably the FAI themselves coupled with the revenue, you can probably see our point.

**Dodge** · 17/02/2011, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by gufcfan

I agree completely that deadlines are deadlines, but considering the reason for the late submission was probably the FAI themselves coupled with the revenue, you can probably see our point.

thats a couple of probablies there. And seeing as you were the only club late, its not really an excuse IMO.

**gufcfan** · 17/02/2011, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

thats a couple of probablies there. And seeing as you were the only club late, its not really an excuse IMO.

I'm not the person who has the actual evidence to back up what I've said, so I'll try not to make statements I don't know are 100% or near enough.

**Dodge** · 17/02/2011, 1:07 PM

Thats all fair enough. Point remains though that getting the stuff from the FAI/revenue was something all clubs had to factor in

And Galway missed the deadline.

I've said before that I want Galway to be in premier but they've no one to blame but themselves if they're in the A league

**WoodquayBoy** · 17/02/2011, 1:14 PM

Had Waterford United got a Premier Division licence would they or Monaghan have been ranked higher in terms of getting a Premier Division place? Waterford finished higher in the league but obviously Monaghan beat them in the playoff

I think I remember reading from previous seedings that play off losers take precedence over league position but I'd imagine the FAI were happy enough to not have to explain taht one again

Yes, that is the case, play-off results supersedes league placings in that case so Monaghan were always in line to replace Galway United, even if Waterford had been awarded Premier Licence

**gufcfan** · 17/02/2011, 1:22 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Thats all fair enough. Point remains though that getting the stuff from the FAI/revenue was something all clubs had to factor in

And Galway missed the deadline.

I've said before that I want Galway to be in premier but they've no one to blame but themselves if they're in the A league

Maybe it hasn't been laid out clearly enough, but the reason for the delay in getting stuff from the revenue seems to have been the fault of the FAI. They stepped in and acted as agents in the transfer of money in the Seamus Conneely transfer, because Nick Leeson couldn't be trusted. A portion of that money was to be paid to the revenue, but the FAI held onto it for over a month allegedly.

The people attending the appeal hearing are said to be extremely confident. I'm afraid to hope for much after the rollercoaster that was the last 6 months, but I don't think their confidence is just talk either.

My view is that this is not "new evidence", as it all happened before the deadline. Would people agree?

**Longfordian** · 17/02/2011, 1:26 PM

It's new if it wasn't submitted with the original application regardless of whether you had it at the time or not. It's basically going to come down to whether the FAI are going to accept responsibility or not and let's face it, they don't do that too easily.

**Doomofman** · 17/02/2011, 1:26 PM

I disagree... You need a tax cert to get a license, you didn't have one before the deadline.. End of IMO

**peadar1987** · 17/02/2011, 1:27 PM

It's quite simple. The FAI wanted to make an example of somebody, everybody had something small and niggling that could technically deny them a place, so they picked the club least likely to burn down their offices and relegated them.

**monsexile** · 17/02/2011, 1:47 PM

Originally Posted by Doomofman

I disagree... You need a tax cert to get a license, you didn't have one before the deadline.. End of IMO

I'd be inclined to think this is the most logical outcome having read the criteria in detail.That's not saying the FAI - in fact the Appeals Body which is supposed to be independent like the Licensing Comittee itself (on a separate point: does anyone know who is on these bodies or how they get appointed?) - won't ignore their own rules and grant Galway a reprieve. I hope for GUFC's sake that they do but naturally from a blinkered Monaghan point of view I hope it is only a First Division licence, which would of course be a fudge.

**gufcfan** · 17/02/2011, 2:06 PM

I know I could be very biased, as much as I'm trying to look at it objectively, but if the FAI are responsible for the delay... I fail to see how they can deny us a licence.

**Longfordian** · 17/02/2011, 2:09 PM

They'll probably say you could have got the money from somewhere else, to be repaid when the FAI released their money. As I said they're not very good at admitting to making mistakes.

**harps1954** · 17/02/2011, 2:13 PM

Originally Posted by gufcfan

I know I could be very biased, as much as I'm trying to look at it objectively, but if the FAI are responsible for the delay... I fail to see how they can deny us a licence.

It's was Galway's responsibility to make sure they had a Tax Clearance Certificate. If the FAI owed either Galway/Revenue the money that's between Galway/Revenue and the FAI. Galway didn't have a tax clerance certificate for the simple reason they owed the Revenue an amount of money (regardless of how big/small that was). It was up to Galway to ensure that money was paid to the Revenue - not the reponsibility of the FAI or an 'Agent.'

I feel for Galway supporters, I really do. But rules are rules. Deadlines are deadlines. Just ask Portadown.

**monsexile** · 17/02/2011, 2:15 PM

Originally Posted by gufcfan

They stepped in and acted as agents in the transfer of money in the Seamus Conneely transfer, because Nick Leeson couldn't be trusted.

Whatever about the FAI, surely this is GUFC's fault. He was at that time and the time of the extended deadline Galway's CEO.

**gufcfan** · 17/02/2011, 2:17 PM

Originally Posted by monsexile

He was at that time and the time of the extended deadline Galway's CEO.

He wasn't.

**Jofspring** · 17/02/2011, 2:20 PM

I would think if the FAI delayed it by holding onto money then Galway should have said to the FAI that they needed the money and if they didn't get it they wouldn't have had a tax clearance cert in time. The FAI should then have released the money to Galway. If this in fact happened (Galway requesting the money for the revenue) and the FAI didn't release the money then they need to take some responsibilty, otherwise it is Galways fault.