Sporting Fingal Gone Belly Up

**legendz** · 19/12/2010, 9:34 PM

Originally Posted by PartySaint

*GOING OFF TOPIC ALERT*
Legendz, Inchicore is part of Dublin City Council area but its still south of the Liffey so thats enough to call it South Dublin for me and we haven't been whoring ourselves around the Northside for most of the last 25 years

Cool, this backs up my point. Shamrock Rovers is the only club in the SDCC area. I understand about south of the river being South Dublin, I was just speaking of the South Dublin CC region. My understanding is that the SDCC have been helping them somewhat, with the ground I believe. It's good that the council are helping the game of soccer in their area. I would see the Fingal move as something similar. Oriel could be right about Sp. Fingal but just for the moment. At this time without the financial backing, they probably have gone about as far as they can. The club should be able to survive though if they go back to basics and the reason the club was created is a sound one. While their move to Lusk might not happen in the near future, I think it will happen in time.

Originally Posted by oriel

Lep - thanks for the reply to my questions, as much as I admire both you and lampers enthuasiastic posts here about your club I really think you have to accept that your club has gone as far as it will ever go, and next season will see a totally different set up - infact how can you even pretend that you can be competitive unless Gannon has pre paid for another season upfront.

I didnt agree one bit about the set up of the club, i was a little interested when I heard about the possible move to Rush or Lusk, but that never took off, and apart from a tidy side to look at the club never made an impression with the public with home crowds frequently under 1,000, I thought they actually devalued the Premier Division at times. It was a totally pointless project in my view.

Next season, a top 5 of the two Rovers, Pats, Dundalk & Derry has a nice look to it in terms of quality, fans and tradition, Bohs are the obvious ones to miss here, but they will be back at some point.

I wouldn't write off Sporting Fingal. They might drop off a bit for a few seasons but Dundalk have before as well and are now making a comeback. Fingal have won the FAI cup more recent than Dundalk as well and higher in the table this season.

That should be the top 5 next season alright. Dundalk should be kicking on and pushing for top 3 at least. I'm not sure on Derry as I haven't seen them play this season to be honest. From what I hear, they should be able to challenge in the top half, probably with Pat's for 4th.

Back on Fingal, depending on how things go, I can see them around the relegation play-off zone.

**The Lep** · 19/12/2010, 9:36 PM

Originally Posted by oriel

Lep - thanks for the reply to my questions, as much as I admire both you and lampers enthuasiastic posts here about your club I really think you have to accept that your club has gone as far as it will ever go, and next season will see a totally different set up - infact how can you even pretend that you can be competitive unless Gannon has pre paid for another season upfront.
I didnt agree one bit about the set up of the club, i was a little interested when I heard about the possible move to Rush or Lusk, but that never took off, and apart from a tidy side to look at the club never made an impression with the public with home crowds frequently under 1,000, I thought they actually devalued the Premier Division at times. It was a totally pointless project in my view.

Next season, a top 5 of the two Rovers, Pats, Dundalk & Derry has a nice look to it in terms of quality, fans and tradition, Bohs are the obvious ones to miss here, but they will be back at some point.

The club will be around for a while yet and will be in the mix of it at the business end of the season. As for the project ,its more than the first team which has been explained plenty of times on here. As for your top 5 then on paper i cant disagree with you and has the makings of a good season but Fingal will have some say about that trust me

Fair play to you Oriel, at least someone on here is discussing it properly

**The Lep** · 19/12/2010, 9:37 PM

Originally Posted by PartySaint

Well at least your starting to be a bit realistic, last week you were telling us that Fingal will definitely win the league next season

*GOING OFF TOPIC ALERT*
Legendz, Inchicore is part of Dublin City Council area but its still south of the Liffey so thats enough to call it South Dublin for me and we haven't been whoring ourselves around the Northside for most of the last 25 years

I like betting each way

**Poor Student** · 19/12/2010, 9:42 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

I wouldn't write off Sporting Fingal. They might drop off a bit for a few seasons but Dundalk have before as well and are now making a comeback. Fingal have won the FAI cup more recent than Dundalk as well and higher in the table this season.

Dundalk and Fingal aren't comparable. Dundalk have a tradition and history of success that has created critical mass of support that can push them back from their low points. The Fingal project was all well and good while someone was there to underwrite their loss making venture. They won't receive that level of excessive funding again and with such a small core fanbase they won't be able to bridge that funding gap with sponsorship even approaching that level. They will recede be it next year or the year after as I'm not sure if the funding is in place to retain their current squad for next season.

**The Lep** · 19/12/2010, 9:43 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

Cool, this backs up my point. Shamrock Rovers is the only club in the SDCC area. I understand about south of the river being South Dublin, I was just speaking of the South Dublin CC region. My understanding is that the SDCC have been helping them somewhat, with the ground I believe. It's good that the council are helping the game of soccer in their area. I would see the Fingal move as something similar. Oriel could be right about Sp. Fingal but just for the moment. At this time without the financial backing, they probably have gone about as far as they can. The club should be able to survive though if they go back to basics and the reason the club was created is a sound one. While their move to Lusk might not happen in the near future, I think it will happen in time.

I wouldn't write off Sporting Fingal. They might drop off a bit for a few seasons but Dundalk have before as well and are now making a comeback. Fingal have won the FAI cup more recent than Dundalk as well and higher in the table this season.

That should be the top 5 next season alright. Dundalk should be kicking on and pushing for top 3 at least. I'm not sure on Derry as I haven't seen them play this season to be honest. From what I hear, they should be able to challenge in the top half, probably with Pat's for 4th.

Back on Fingal, depending on how things go, I can see them around the relegation play-off zone.

Play offs of the Europa

Have you seen the amount of views and replies this thread has had? Sporting Fingal the most talked about club on foot.ie

**legendz** · 19/12/2010, 9:48 PM

If they drop off, they'll still be there. True they don't have the tradition and history of Dundalk but there's always a place for new clubs as well. The clubs seems to be part of a strategy to develop the game in the Fingal region. It's something that might take time but I think it will happen. The club will drop for a few seasons, possibly to Division One. It will survive, as long as Fingal remain true to developing the game in that region and they probably are going to have to build at a slower rate.

**L.T.F.C.** · 19/12/2010, 9:52 PM

The Lep, if you don't mind, it must be that my brain has turned to mush, middle of exams, but I still don't see how this is all ok.
Where was Gannon's money going to? Who spent it? And on what?

**legendz** · 19/12/2010, 9:53 PM

Originally Posted by The Lep

Play offs of the Europa

Have you seen the amount of views and replies this thread has had? Sporting Fingal the most talked about club on foot.ie

Ha ha, who knows with this new 12 team split division when it comes in. This expanded Division could come at a good time to extend Fingal's stay in the Premier. I'm not looking to write ye off. Worst case scenario, I can't see the club suffering straight relegation anyway. If ye can keep a lot of the squad, I'd see ye more midtable.

**paudie** · 19/12/2010, 9:56 PM

Have Fingal county Council made any comment about the future of the club?

**The Lep** · 19/12/2010, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by L.T.F.C.

The Lep, if you don't mind, it must be that my brain has turned to mush, middle of exams, but I still don't see how this is all ok.
Where was Gannon's money going to? Who spent it? And on what?

All the best in the exams.

**The Lep** · 19/12/2010, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by paudie

Have Fingal county Council made any comment about the future of the club?

Yes. It was mentioned at the last council meeting that Sporting Fingal are going supersonic so hold on

**The Lep** · 19/12/2010, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

Ha ha, who knows with this new 12 team split division when it comes in. This expanded Division could come at a good time to extend Fingal's stay in the Premier. I'm not looking to write ye off. Worst case scenario, I can't see the club suffering straight relegation anyway. If ye can keep a lot of the squad, I'd see ye more midtable.

You have posted mainly the way it is really and echo roughly my views. Look back over the past 5 years at the clubs who said they have money matters ahead of a new season and look at them clubs now with Sligo being one of them. People shouldnt lump in Fingal with the money troubles that the likes of Cork,Bohs and drogheda have had or have and think they are doomed on the back of it. A lot of it is wishfull thinking and jump at any chance to run the club down sometimes with playground taunts.
Personally i think its best to wait until the licences have been handed out or not given and see what kind of team we or others have at the start of the season before suggestion the demise of Fingal or any other team.

**Poor Student** · 19/12/2010, 10:38 PM

The Lep, you're not comparable to those clubs for a number of reasons. Bohs and Shels traded off the equity of their only major asset and have run up debts exponentially though current expenditure. Sligo have saved themselves a couple of times via a whip around of their support and locality. The Fingal situation is unique, you spent more cash tan you could reasonably generate on current expenditure since your inception. Fortunately for you its been underwritten by Gannon so far. Up to this point you haven't accumulated much debt. You'll probably cut your cloth accordingly as I'm not sure where you'd access the credit to carry on and you have no major asset to release equity from. This lack of opportunity to run up huge debts and being under the aegis of Fingal Co Co should see your continued existence but at a lower level of operation than you had become accustomed to. The negative impact will probably be partially offset by the decline in the finances of most other clubs around you. Perhaps you know something I don't but I can't imagine it will be expedient politically or otherwise to plough anything like that sum of money into Fingal again.

**The Lep** · 19/12/2010, 10:59 PM

Agreed poor student ,your post is basically spot on and its what i have said near the start of the thread and repeated throughout, the club will cut its cloth to suit based on what the budget is. At no time have i thought that the money Gannon was putting in was to last forever and neither did the club. I think it was to be for 3 or 5 years so the possibility of him not continuing was always there . Gannon wasnt the only sponsor of the club nor will he be the last . Yes it will make a diffrence to the budget but whats important is that there will be a budget and there will be a Sporting Fingal team in the league next year providing we get that all important licence of course same as the rest but im confidence there isnt any issue there.

**legendz** · 19/12/2010, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by The Lep

You have posted mainly the way it is really and echo roughly my views. Look back over the past 5 years at the clubs who said they have money matters ahead of a new season and look at them clubs now with Sligo being one of them. People shouldnt lump in Fingal with the money troubles that the likes of Cork,Bohs and drogheda have had or have and think they are doomed on the back of it. A lot of it is wishfull thinking and jump at any chance to run the club down sometimes with playground taunts.
Personally i think its best to wait until the licences have been handed out or not given and see what kind of team we or others have at the start of the season before suggestion the demise of Fingal or any other team.

I can see a lot of it is wishful thinking to run the club down. I clearly have no interest in that. With the lack of financial backing as far as I can see, I'd have to agree with Poor Student to a degree regards not having accumulated much debt thanks to Gannon, ye will most likely as he points out have to cut ye're cloth accordingly.
As things stand at the moment without the financial backing that has been there, there is going to be a slide somewhat. I could wait until the licences and I'm sure I'll comment then but for the moment a slide looks like but the club will survive and bounce back.

**The Lep** · 19/12/2010, 11:08 PM

Again i agree but the players we have still under contract are quality players that will prevent that slide next season but we will have to wait for the following season when they are out of contract to see how we fare in the league. Im sure that whatever the budget may be that Liam will want to put out a competative side in the league and cups and you dont really big name players to achieve that .

**Louth4sam** · 19/12/2010, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by The Lep

Again i agree but the players we have still under contract are quality players that will prevent that slide next season

Where is the money coming from to pay them? Down 750k plus for sponsorship and down 33% on gate receipts (unless your attendances improve)

**legendz** · 19/12/2010, 11:18 PM

That's it, if ye have quality players on ye're books as you say, ye'll be fine next year. It's down to the game then and how ye get on. Ye'll be playing in five competitions next season. The club's profile is going to be growing all the time every season. You know far more on this than I do, I've heard the club in some respects lost it's way somewhat with some supporters. If the club can get back a bit more to basics and the sound reason the club is here representing Fingal, the future can be bright for the club. I'm sure the club will be looking forward to another European campaign as well. There's a few sources of income that can come the club's way over the next year, strengthening the clubs position and softening any blow from the loss of Gannon's backing.

**The Lep** · 19/12/2010, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by Louth4sam

Where is the money coming from to pay them? Down 750k plus for sponsorship and down 33% on gate receipts (unless your attendances improve)

Money is already there to pay them. Down 750k down 33% on gate receipts ? Have you made sure them figures are correct before posting them or did you just read it somewhere and belive it to be true?

**Charlie Darwin** · 19/12/2010, 11:29 PM

Whatever about the morality of the Fingal situation, Gannon's tenure as chairman has been a success - he's given the club large, non-refundable loans on the condition that it spends them and grows as a club. The club has grown its fanbase, won the Cup, performed well in Europe and earned a Europa League spot for next year. The club will have to downsize but it's now a much more viable entity than it was at the time of its foundation.