Clubs hold crisis talks in bid to secure survival Print

[Schumi]

The developments at Harps are interesting and raise a lot of questions.

It seems the FAI vetoed the proposed budget for the year since we were carrying over debt from this year and they did not believe it could be sustained. Also, the FAI have stated that they want clubs debt free within the next few years. Hence Harps could end up in a holding pattern with a tiny budget for a year as we get our house in order.

So does this mean that the €150k is pay for the higher budget? Can't see people giving money if that's the case.

[A face]

Cork and Drogheda should be demoted for non payment of creditors. Paying any creditor less than 100% what they are owed is gaining a sporting advantage on all other teams. It should be punished by demotion in my mind.

Then Harps, Cobh and UCD should be offered the places should they gain a premier licence.

Seems unlikely now that Harps would event want one let alone get one!

Hang on there, i just have to check something ....... okay okay ..... PHEW, thank god for that ..... It aint up to you so we might be alright !!

[Sam_Heggy]

Seems unlikely now that Harps would event want one let alone get one!

Should Harps be offered a Premier place then they will take it.

How could any club in their right mind turn down the place when:

1 - much less travel, apart from the 2 trips to Cork our next furthest away would be Galway. Whereas if in the first we would have away trips against, waterford, Cobh, Wexford and Limerick to look forward to.

2 - Larger attendances

3 - Guaranteed 2 home games against Derry and Sligo

4 - Sponsorship would be a hell of alot easier obtained with the guarantee of TV coverage every week via mns.

5 - Because I say so.

[pineapple stu]

If UCD are going largely amateur, then theres no way they'll apply to be promoted to the Premier Division is there? They'd be cannonfodder.

Who said we're going largely amateur?

The Premier will be much worse next year (Bray for one seem to have lost a lot of their experienced players and are replacing them with young players), so we'll hold our own with bigger crowds. We're planning for the First obviously, but will take a Premier slot if it's offered to us.

Funny how we're often accused of having no ambition as a club, but then people expect us to lay down and be passed over by a "bigger" club.

Paying any creditor less than 100% what they are owed is gaining a sporting advantage on all other teams. It should be punished by demotion in my mind.

You weren't relegated when the FAI paid us for Alan Cawley so you didn't have to, were you? And you still haven't paid the FAI back for that either. Can you drop the sanctimonious self-righteousness now? It's getting tiresome. Drogheda will be punished appropriately.

[BohDiddley]

On second thoughts then, I hope Drogs stay up. I hope we're rid of UCD for good!!

If I have to go to Belfield to watch football in 2009, I'm going to hold you personally responsible!

[Réiteoir]

Who said we're going largely amateur?

The Premier will be much worse next year (Bray for one seem to have lost a lot of their experienced players and are replacing them with young players), so we'll hold our own with bigger crowds. We're planning for the First obviously, but will take a Premier slot if it's offered to us.

Funny how we're often accused of having no ambition as a club, but then people expect us to lay down and be passed over by a "bigger" club.


You weren't relegated when the FAI paid us for Alan Cawley so you didn't have to, were you? And you still haven't paid the FAI back for that either. Can you drop the sanctimonious self-righteousness now? It's getting tiresome. Drogheda will be punished appropriately.

don't mind higgins stu - he obviously got a nice shiny new copy of the board game "Agenda" for Chrimbo.

That and a knife sharpener...

[pineapple stu]

don't mind higgins stu

I know, don't worry. Just the Cawley thing struck me when he was bleating on about how they paid all their debts and how the FAI never helped them.

[A face]

I know, don't worry. Just the Cawley thing struck me when he was bleating on about how they paid all their debts and how the FAI never helped them.

Or maybe he thinks there should be one rule for Shels and another for the rest of us?

[bennocelt]

This is becoming a joke. In fact its well behond that. I can't help but worry that clubs will get out of all these problems due to huge work by supporters and clubs will take this for granted. Then 3-4 years down the line we will end up back in this god forsaken mess with clubs appealling to fans again only this time the fans will have had enough. And only too right.

Just like the Finn Harps fundraiser a few years ago - Jesus where did that mney go!!!

[cheech]

To clarify. €150,000 needed to give Harps a 'competitive' budget should the Premier place become available to them. Which is looking increasingly likely.

Harps biggest problem currently is that they don't have the funds to sign any proven players and will struggle even more this year than last.

Harps haven't broken any rules. All players have been paid and they are currently ranked 11th in the league. If Drogheda or anyone else is demoted, Harps will be in the Premier.

For those who don't like it. Tough. That is the rules. Shels fans should note that the making up of the rules as you go along finished for them the night they "won" their last league title.

Just like the Finn Harps fundraiser a few years ago - Jesus where did that mney go!!!

Uh? What are you on about? Seriously.

[garyderry]

To clarify. €150,000 needed to give Harps a 'competitive' budget should the Premier place become available to them. Which is looking increasingly likely.

Harps biggest problem currently is that they don't have the funds to sign any proven players and will struggle even more this year than last.

Harps haven't broken any rules. All players have been paid and they are currently ranked 11th in the league. If Drogheda or anyone else is demoted, Harps will be in the Premier.

For those who don't like it. Tough. That is the rules. Shels fans should note that the making up of the rules as you go along finished for them the night they "won" their last league title.



Uh? What are you on about? Seriously.

Thats good news, should definitely go to Harps over $hel$ if a place decomes available

[CSFShels]

Says the model club. Short memories.

If any of the forementioned clubs were to sort out their finances then why should they be denied a place in the Premier Division?

I wonder if Shels had of been promoted would you be singing off the same hymn sheet?

Shels were punished accordingly. And they should be denied their place, because of the means they had to take to sort those finances out. Ripping off creditors, fans and players every time a club spends outside its means is not the sign of a sustainable league.

[corkharps]

Shels were punished accordingly. And they should be denied their place, because of the means they had to take to sort those finances out. Ripping off creditors, fans and players every time a club spends outside its means is not the sign of a sustainable league.

Fair enough, Harps and Sligo both struggled but neither club ripped anybody off, unlike others presently and in the past, kettle!

[higgins]

You weren't relegated when the FAI paid us for Alan Cawley so you didn't have to, were you? And you still haven't paid the FAI back for that either. Can you drop the sanctimonious self-righteousness now? It's getting tiresome. Drogheda will be punished appropriately.

What part of my statement did you not understand ?

You can bring it back to Shels all you like and make up some opinion that I backed Shels all the way in every Ollie Byrne moment of madness but I didn't. Far from it...

I stand by what I said.

Also you are after saying Shels have not paid back the FAI.
Can you provide any proof on that ?

[higgins]

I know, don't worry. Just the Cawley thing struck me when he was bleating on about how they paid all their debts and how the FAI never helped them.

You are acting the idiot now.
You know full well that nearly all clubs in the league have a debt to the FAI. Shels are like every other club in that we do owe the FAI money. The FAI worked like that for years. fines were added to your bill and prize money was taken off your account and not paid directly to the club. You know prize money was held back from shels in order to pay this debt.

Most clubs have a rolling debt with the FAI. In effect they are a creditor like many others. Hopefully soon the debt we have with the FAI will be next to nothing. Thankfully we've made big inroads into that debt over the last couple of years after having come to an agreement with them as a creditor of Shelbourne.

Stand by what I said... If clubs don't pay creditors off in full they should be demoted.

[Bald Student]

What part of my statement did you not understand ?

At a guess I'd say it's the contradiction between your opinion now;

Paying any creditor less than 100% what they are owed is gaining a sporting advantage on all other teams. It should be punished by demotion in my mind.

and your opinion at the time when you weren't looking for Shels to be demoted.

[higgins]

Or maybe he thinks there should be one rule for Shels and another for the rest of us?

for the hard of learning like yourself A Face..
Shels did not wipe any debt off of their books.

We owe a lot of money but agreements are in place with everyone and we're paying them off as we go.

I'm sorry if this seems hard to understand to you. As a supporter of a team that took a couple of hundred thousand from the tax payers pockets to clear your teams tax bill and give you an advantage going into the 2009 season you probably wouldn't get it.

[higgins]

At a guess I'd say it's the contradiction between your opinion now;



and your opinion at the time when you weren't looking for Shels to be demoted.

But Shels didn't pay anyone less than 100% ?

Stu knows that,, he's just playing silly on here trying to twist things. As usual he's either not in posession of all the facts or he is trying to have a pop at Shels.

The season we were demoted Shels had come to agreements with all creditors to pay them back in full. That is the fact you all ignore...

These days it seems like it's a little game you all play were you have to have deals in place by Jan 31st and all will be ok

[Sam_Heggy]

Great development in Drogheda today, finally the players copped themselves on and accepted the money on offer.
How is the other issues looking? ie, Revenue, Examiner, creditors, etc.

Do Drogs fans feel confident of starting the season now?

[Celdrog]

Do Drogs fans feel confident of starting the season now?

Not really, I didn't realise that Shelbourne made the rules.

I'd say 50/50 max