Athlone may "drop out of League of Ireland football for the foreseeable future"

**L37Ultra** · 15/12/2008, 1:49 PM

Originally Posted by R�iteoir

Licensing states that stadia MUST have floodlights though - no lights mean you can only compete in the A-Championship, not the League

It also states that there must be a minimum of 500 seats which Jackman Park doesnt have.

I think were gone a bit of topic here by the way

**LK37oldskool** · 15/12/2008, 2:10 PM

Still off topic, Are there not grants available from the FAI for Floodlights and such like.Pretty sure the lights in Hogan Park were paid through grants.

**Dodge** · 15/12/2008, 2:13 PM

There was a previous scheme. Now, you pay for it yourself AFAIK

**Battery Rover** · 15/12/2008, 2:32 PM

Thanks to all the people on here texting in to Midlands 103

We can do no more publicising this. All over the weekend and today we are doing hourly radio appeals and we have a spot on Des Cahills Drive Time at around 6.30pm along with a spot on the six one news around the same time.

Fingers crossed the people of Athlone and the midlands turn up for this

**Magicme** · 15/12/2008, 2:50 PM

Just heard them plugging the meeting on i105-107

**eamo1** · 15/12/2008, 5:04 PM

Good Luck at the meeting."Where theres a will theres a way"

**Black and White** · 15/12/2008, 5:08 PM

Make sure ye post the outcome up here as soon as possible!!

**El-Pietro** · 15/12/2008, 5:21 PM

Originally Posted by Battery Rover

Thanks to all the people on here texting in to Midlands 103

We can do no more publicising this. All over the weekend and today we are doing hourly radio appeals and we have a spot on Des Cahills Drive Time at around 6.30pm along with a spot on the six one news around the same time.

Fingers crossed the people of Athlone and the midlands turn up for this

i text in earlier saying somethign like im a city fan, best of luck to athlone tonight for their meeting, would be a shame to see such a great team in trouble - was anythign like that read out?

**holidaysong** · 15/12/2008, 5:50 PM

ATFC piece on RT� Radio 1 now.

**Martinho II** · 15/12/2008, 7:16 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

ATFC piece on RT� Radio 1 now.

what was said on it? know shannonside had a piece on longford town and athlone town tonight on sportsbeat but didnt listen to it. .did anyone hear of it on shannonside??

**Martinho II** · 15/12/2008, 7:17 PM

Originally Posted by R�iteoir

"Do you rennounce Section O and all it's works?"

never hence why I m not goin!!

**Lim till i die** · 15/12/2008, 7:57 PM

Originally Posted by Raheny Red

We encountered no difficulties last term

Large amounts of fans RR, large amounts

Originally Posted by L37Ultra

Nope. Market's Fields.

See here

Not a hope of that hjappening

Originally Posted by R�iteoir

Licensing states that stadia MUST have floodlights though - no lights mean you can only compete in the A-Championship, not the League

I'm sure we would have plans for floodlights, you know, maybe, possibly, at some stage, in the future, all things being equal.

That sort of assurance is normally cast iron enough for the oul licensing boys

**Ash** · 16/12/2008, 7:27 AM

Around 140 in attendence last night with a lot of local Junior and ADSL Clubs
represented and everyone there wants senior League of Ireland football in
Athlone.

Lots of points made and ideas put forward so it was a good platform to start
the rebuilding of the Club.

Patrons Scheme announced where the Club will be looking for 400 fans to
donate �1000 over a 2 year period which will go towards clearing debt and
giving team expenses a starting platform before sponsorships etc kick in.
I dont have the documentation with me today but in return Patrons will get
free entry to all home games over that period, yearly subscription to the Club
Lotto and also entered into a draw for International tickets.
(This might not be 100% correct, I'll recheck when I get the paperwork.
Was so busy last night not sure if any changes were made to the proposal)

Next meeting called for 5th January where applications for the Patrons
Scheme will be assessed to see if there is enough interest to get it started.
Application forms are available now however none will be processed unless
the targed number of applicants is reached.

If anyone would like an application form, please either PM me or Battery Rover

Lot of media intererst too with reports in from Shannonside, Midlands Radio and i105, along with RTE to name but a few.

**Magicme** · 16/12/2008, 8:25 AM

[QUOTE=Ash;1075671]

Patrons Scheme announced where the Club will be looking for 400 fans to
donate �1000 over a 2 year period which will go towards clearing debt and
giving team expenses a starting platform before sponsorships etc kick in.
I dont have the documentation with me today but in return Patrons will get
free entry to all home games over that period, yearly subscription to the Club
Lotto and also entered into a draw for International tickets.
(This might not be 100% correct, I'll recheck when I get the paperwork.
Was so busy last night not sure if any changes were made to the proposal)

QUOTE]

Great idea and all but as with Drogheda, giving the season tickets as part of a bundle like that does the club out of revenue from paying punters at the gate for the season. 400 people less paying in through your gates is going to make cash flow difficult to say the least.

**Ash** · 16/12/2008, 8:32 AM

[QUOTE=Magicme;1075679]

Originally Posted by Magicme

Great idea and all but as with Drogheda, giving the season tickets as part of a bundle like that does the club out of revenue from paying punters at the gate for the season. 400 people less paying in through your gates is going to make cash flow difficult to say the least.

Not all of the people who will support the scheme would be regular attendees
to The Wollen, some people drove from Tyrone and up from Ennis to take part
last night, but for all who are, and sign up, the revenue that the scheme
will generate off season when there are no games is the key to its success.

Im open to correction on this as my involvement in last nights meeting meant that
I wasnt in the room for most of it but I think it was announced the plan is to allocate
€1000 of the funds raised per week to team affairs, with the rest to come in from sponsorship.
Then the rest of the money is to be used against the debt.

**Magicme** · 16/12/2008, 8:34 AM

fair enough!

**dapman1** · 16/12/2008, 8:45 AM

Any news on the monies owed to the players and when they will be paid?

**Ash** · 16/12/2008, 9:17 AM

Originally Posted by dapman1

Any news on the monies owed to the players and when they will be paid?

For licencing, all outstanding wages have to be paid by the 31st Jan as far as
I'm aware, so they will be paid by then.

**Dodge** · 16/12/2008, 9:39 AM

Good luck with it Ash. Important that the junior clubs were present. Always good to get them onside.

**Ash** · 16/12/2008, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Good luck with it Ash. Important that the junior clubs were present. Always good to get them onside.

Absolutely, rightly or wrongly there has been a big "us and them" attitude
between the sets stemming back donkeys years ... Im lucky enough to be able
to see it from both sides as I'm involved with ATFC and play for a local Junior
club, so now's the time to get everyone to the table, keep the club alive and
work towards rebuilding the trust, friendship and involvement that all parties
should have.