Players Meeting?

**SMorgan** · 02/01/2009, 6:02 PM

Was there a players meeting today?

If there was, did they accept what was on the table?

**holidaysong** · 02/01/2009, 11:17 PM

The players rejected it.

Statement from Drogheda United F.C. Emergency Committee 2nd January 09

The Drogheda United Emergency Committee regrets the decision of the Players, relayed today by the P.F.A.I., to reject the offer from the Drogheda United negotiating team with regard to a full and final settlement of outstanding monies owed.

The Committee recognises the financial hardship experienced by the Players in recent months, but the offer represents the best possible settlement by the Club with regard to the being a position to get out of Examinership.

The Emergency Committee with discuss the situation with the Examiner early next week.

Signed:

Jim MacArdle, Drogheda United Emergency Committee

http://www.droghedaunited.ie/news/single/id/1519

**Dunny** · 03/01/2009, 10:53 AM

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...e-1591030.html

Drogheda on the brink after players' vote

By Neil Ahern

Saturday January 03 2009

DROGHEDA United club officer Terry Collins fears the club has reached "the end" as a football entity, after their former players sensationally rejected a lump sum pay-off on owed wages yesterday.

The club is today teetering on the brink of liquidation after an offer of �90,000, as a settlement for roughly �300,000 of back-logged payments, was rejected by the squad and Collins expects to meet with the Drogheda United Emergency Committee as well as chairman Vincent Hoey on Monday.

Hoey is in Malta due to a family bereavement but will return to the news that his beloved club, to which he has been attached for four decades, may be about to go under.

Collins, who has been one of the last remaining workers at United Park as the ship steadily sinks despite a huge public effort, fears that he may be organising a press conference in the coming days to announce the liquidation of the Boyneside club.

"I have to say I understand where the players are coming from and I think the club and the fans are all sympathetic with their situation," said Collins.

"We'll have to see if there's a possibility of a resolution but at the moment my own gut feeling is that we're looking at the end of Drogheda United."

The Irish Independent understands that the players in question were very much split on the decision, with roughly half willing to accept the money but the other half wishing to stand their ground on the issue.

The players holding firm are understood to believe that the most recent offer was not sufficient, but Collins insisted that there was "absolutely no way" they could raise any more funds to offer the players.

At the moment, the club is only in possession of around �125,000 but also needs to pay off a list of other creditors, including a Revenue bill of �535,506.

Agreements for payment must also be in place with all creditors, including every single player, if they are to survive.

Examiner Kieran McCarthy predicted that a figure of �554,000 was needed to be presented to the High Court on January 12 if the club was to emerge from examinership, but at the moment with monies promised they are only just touching the �200,000 mark.

The PFAI was unavailable for comment yesterday and no Drogheda United players were willing to comment on the matter.

- Neil Ahern

**prince20** · 03/01/2009, 11:00 AM

It may seem like a silly question but if Drogheda go out of football, and i dont think any football fan would not want to see this, what is the situation then as regards monies being owed to players? My understanding is they would then recieve less money than they are currently being offered. Could someone please clarify this? Thanks

**Mr A** · 03/01/2009, 11:51 AM

Chances are that if Hinge Trading fold, as now seems likely, the players will get zero. Which is harsh on those that agreed to the deal, but slap it right up the ones that didn't for being so stupid. Mind you the real villains are the ****s who lead DUFC into this mess.

**Louth4sam** · 03/01/2009, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Mind you the real villains are the ****s who lead DUFC into this mess.

Shhhhhhh you can't say that in front of Drogheda fan's they are still heroes down there. It was all the fault of the evil NRA and MCC.

The biggest problem is the three directors remaining in place. They were the ones that agreed the contracts and are now offering only a fraction of what they agreed on. If they had of stepped down when the crisis started then maybe the players might have viewed things differently.

**higgins** · 03/01/2009, 2:01 PM

I don't understand why the back wages can't be restructured over a longer time period ?

Offering 90k of the 300k you owe is not on.. They are entitled to their wages and should get the money back. If it's not there at present they should agree to long term deals where the money is paid back over a couple of years even.

It's simply not good enough to pay them less than what they are owed. They should be demoted two divisions if they get away with that as they are gaining a sporting advantage.

**WindmillWarrior** · 03/01/2009, 5:20 PM

Originally Posted by Louth4sam

Shhhhhhh you can't say that in front of Drogheda fan's they are still heroes down there. It was all the fault of the evil NRA and MCC.

F*ck off with that sh*t will ya. Not all Drogs think that way. In fact most of my mates would think quite the opposite.

**bellavistaman** · 03/01/2009, 5:27 PM

Players are going to ruin the league i tell ya, every bit of bad news spouted in the media this year was from neil ahern, what a ****in rat!! H single handed done his best to destroy us this year too, well with a little help from his "friends"

**ndrog** · 03/01/2009, 6:46 PM

Originally Posted by Louth4sam

Shhhhhhh you can't say that in front of Drogheda fan's they are still heroes down there. It was all the fault of the evil NRA and MCC.

The biggest problem is the three directors remaining in place. They were the ones that agreed the contracts and are now offering only a fraction of what they agreed on. If they had of stepped down when the crisis started then maybe the players might have viewed things differently.

Go to drogheda forum and you will read lots of differing opinions , so stop trying to make out everyone has there heads in the sand ,WE DONT .And our biggest problem is far from the three directors remaining in place FFS Gimme a break this is fcukin hard enough .

**Nesta99** · 03/01/2009, 6:47 PM

Originally Posted by WindmillWarrior

F*ck off with that sh*t will ya. Not all Drogs think that way. In fact most of my mates would think quite the opposite.

Ach now Vincent Hoey is my hero...he restored Drogheda Utd to its traditional status as Dundalk B team

If Drogheda folds do the Directors get sanctioned by being barred from directing another company for x number of years?...cause i sure hope so reckless fools! and i dont believe that collectively they couldnt pay outstanding debts and then pull out of the club

**SMorgan** · 03/01/2009, 7:40 PM

Originally Posted by higgins

I don't understand why the back wages can't be restructured over a longer time period ?

The simple answer is they can, but they won't. They want to come out of this situation debt free which limits my sympathy for them. The club appears to want to come out of this smelling of roses and at an advantage to clubs that paid their way.

**Black and White** · 03/01/2009, 7:46 PM

Its not just the club that should be taking all the flack...there are several players that where on ridiculous wages there and obviously the club will never be able to repay ALL the players back and yet some are willing to go to the extremeist of lenghts of seeing a club fold because the club cant afford to pay back these ridiculous wages...I would take what I could get from such a situation and help a club, that gave me the opportunity to play for it, a feckin chance!

Players are milking this situation...Fabio looking for Full time contract somewhere...puts on hold a move to us to see if his American trial or move to the up and coming Darlington gets him more dosh!

**sligoman** · 03/01/2009, 7:53 PM

Originally Posted by Black and White

Its not just the club that should be taking all the flack...there are several players that where on ridiculous wages there and obviously the club will never be able to repay ALL the players back and yet some are willing to go to the extremeist of lenghts of seeing a club fold because the club cant afford to pay back these ridiculous wages...I would take what I could get from such a situation and help a club, that gave me the opportunity to play for it, a feckin chance!

Most of the players couldn't give a crap about Drogs. They were given a contract for 'x' amount of money, why shouldn't they hold out for what they were promised in a legally binding contract?

**passerrby** · 04/01/2009, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by bellavistaman

Players are going to ruin the league i tell ya, every bit of bad news spouted in the media this year was from neil ahern, what a ****in rat!! H single handed done his best to destroy us this year too, well with a little help from his "friends"

very unfair bella players do the best they can for themselves and families its the clubs who stupitily spend money they can ill afford trying to win competitions that bring little reward all to appease the supporters who never seem to say a word when they hear there club has signed some player on stupid money

**ndrog** · 04/01/2009, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by passerrby

very unfair bella players do the best they can for themselves and families its the clubs who stupitily spend money they can ill afford trying to win competitions that bring little reward all to appease the supporters who never seem to say a word when they hear there club has signed some player on stupid money

The self righteous nonsense on here never sesase to amaze me .How the fcuk do you know what supporters thought about the wages players were on ? The players can go and fcuk off , they will get nothing if things continue to go this way , the money they are being offered has come from OUR pockets. Drogs fans are busting our nuts to save our club , we have families and mortgages aswell ! We are trying our best to do right by the players but some of them are being totally unrealistic and whoever thinks the club is trying to get some advantage by not paying its debts ? grow the fcuk up .

**holidaysong** · 04/01/2009, 1:56 PM

If the money being donated by Drogheda fans is just going to go straight into the pockets of players and creditors then I think it could be time to just let the club die and start afresh with the funds that they have gotten together.. It'll be hard to say goodbye to a club you love but at the end of the day it'll be twice as hard to start up a new club if these funds disappear in the examinership process.

**Black and White** · 04/01/2009, 2:03 PM

Drogheda town fc with Terry Eviston as manager!

**higgins** · 04/01/2009, 4:59 PM

Originally Posted by ndrog

The players can go and fcuk off , they will get nothing if things continue to go this way , the money they are being offered has come from OUR pockets.

What did the players say to the option of getting 100% of the money over a longer time period ?

**Martinho II** · 04/01/2009, 7:41 PM

fair play to garto who waived the wages owed to him from his contract and had his contract cancelled. the rest of the players should have done the same..