Bray statement

[NeverFeltBetter]

Fran refused to say what the sanctions would be. Points deduction I suppose?

And does the money to be paid include the cost of those knee surgeries?

[Ezeikial]

FAI giving Bray until Monday to pay players or sanctions will be imposed

Listen here to the Joanne Cantwell interview with Fran Gavin

https://soundcloud.com/rtesport/fai-...to-pay-players

[pineapple stu]

Fran refused to say what the sanctions would be. Points deduction I suppose?

Hard to know what else I suppose. A transfer ban? Sure who'd sign for Bray now anyway. Relegation is surely inevitable on the pitch, so they can't be demoted.

Really, this comes back to the lack of a pyramid. The correct thing to do - with the greatest of respect to Bray fans - is to relegate the club down to the regional leagues, let them restructure and claw their way back, and let a well-run club take their place in the LoI.

Possibly more likely is that we see Bray FC in the First Division next season, although where that leaves the lease on the Carlisle, I don't know.

[Nesta99]

Possibly more likely is that we see Bray FC in the First Division next season, although where that leaves the lease on the Carlisle, I don't know.

And Bray FC can then in due course buy back the Bray Wanderers name and keep their roll of honour and history. The FAI need to incentivise somehow for clubs to want to join senior football. 3 or 5 years without having to pay participation fees might be a start.

[pineapple stu]

The biggest barrier to entry is the First Division.

Why would any non-league club look at Wexford and Cabinteely and say "Yep, that's what we want to be in five years"

16-team Premier; provincial leagues (LSL, etc) feeding into it; decent prize money; promoted clubs guaranteed a high-profile TV game in the first four weeks.

It wouldn't turn the league into the Norwegian league, but it'd go a hell of a way to improving it.

Getting new clubs is more important than helping our clubs in Europe at this stage.

[CorribsideSteve]

Why is there a participation fee at all? Is that a mandate from UEFA? It seems wholly unnecessary.

[pineapple stu]

Didn't the Icelandic league scrap it when they got into the Euros?

I think it's to pay for the running of the league. But the FAI badly need the league to keep producing players for the national team; they can't afford to tax it so heavily really

[Paulgufc]

Listen here to the Joanne Cantwell interview with Fran Gavin

https://soundcloud.com/rtesport/fai-...to-pay-players

Would have much more respect for him if he came out saying the FAI has some responsibility, it’s a mess, we’re working to resolve and we’ll review the licensing process. Saying over and over again the licensing is independent and audited by UEFA is a pathetic response to Joanne’s questions really.

[atfconline]

The Bray board receive the backing of the Athlone Town chairman's son. He better be careful or he might find a solicitor's letter in his letterbox!

https://twitter.com/JoeCassidyIRE/st...88008606736385

[EAFC_rdfl]

Would have much more respect for him if he came out saying the FAI has some responsibility, it’s a mess, we’re working to resolve and we’ll review the licensing process. Saying over and over again the licensing is independent and audited by UEFA is a pathetic response to Joanne’s questions really.

He was also on Newstalk on Saturday for a good long interview of passing the buck. I haven't listened to RTE version but from the comments here he basically gave the exact same BS to both.

[disgruntled]

He was also on Newstalk on Saturday for a good long interview of passing the buck. I haven't listened to RTE version but from the comments here he basically gave the exact same BS to both.

Save your breath for more important things.
The mans a bluffer pure & simple.

[marinobohs]

If Bray insist on their ability and intention to fulfill the fixture, it would present the FAI with a dilemma around potentially cancelling the fixture and awarding the match to the opposition

Correct. Unless Bray inform the FAI that they are unable to fulfill a fixture then I'm suspect the fixture goes ahead and the issue of the opposition stance might be tested (will they pass a picket of their own union). ironic that it is Cork that may be in the invidious position as they were close to a similar scenario a number of years back (players refusing to fulfill a fixture).
Presumably, the FAI must do everything necessary - including rule changes if required, to prevent such an appalling scenario developing.

[oriel]

1 min to go for the FAI deadline.

This will be interesting to see if funds have been lodged or not. Disgrace the players probably checking their accounts every few hours.

Its now 5pm actually.

[MattB11]

PFAI twitter account says no payments made

[peadar1987]

This is ridiculous, and surely illegal. If the club do go to the wall, what happens? Bray have nothing much in the way of assets, so debts would have to be settled by administrators for cents in the euro. Are Milway Dawn linked to any of Gerry Mulvey's other companies? If you're the director of a company that goes bankrupt, are there any consequences for you? I'm resigned to seeing Bray Wanderers in their current form die, but I want to see the people responsible suffer. I really don't want anyone who put the club and the players in this situation wind up the company and slither away with no punishment whatsoever.

[micls]

Yes, there can be consequences for the directors Tom Coughlan was banned for 5 years from being director of any company

[Philosophizer]

Could it be that the powers at Bray have decided that the best way of getting their hands on the Carlisle is to put Bray Wanderers out of existence??

[White Horse]

It looks like a 9 team league for the rest of the season.

When was the last time that games were expunged from the league? Monaghan United?

[CorribsideSteve]

I'm expecting Bray, Limerick and probably Athlone all to fold within 6-12 months. Sad times. Hope I'm wrong.

[nigel-harps1954]

Could it be that the powers at Bray have decided that the best way of getting their hands on the Carlisle is to put Bray Wanderers out of existence??

Of course it is. That's obviously been their plan all along. When the council shot down their idea of relocating the club outside the town and taking over the Carlisle, this was going to be their plan. It's time that whatever small amount of Bray fans are left bandied together and created a supporters trust capable of taking on an amateur side at least for next seasons First Division.