Derry City and Brexit

**seand** · 20/02/2019, 9:53 AM

Interesting, lengthy piece in The Guardian about this
https://www.theguardian.com/football...n-ireland-club

Obviously this is a massive issue for City, you'd hope they have a fairly extensive plan in place

**marinobohs** · 20/02/2019, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by seand

Interesting, lengthy piece in The Guardian about this
https://www.theguardian.com/football...n-ireland-club

Obviously this is a massive issue for City, you'd hope they have a fairly extensive plan in place

A number of questions do arise in respect of Derry City and Brexit,possible travel restrictions, work permits for players and/or staff etc but as long as both Leagues remain in UEFA and FIFA (and no suggestion they wont) they should not be insurmountable.
Obviously if anyone knew what Brexit will look like it would allow the relevant parties to identify particular issues and how they can be addressed but until such time as there is agreement and people can see what that is, there is little can be done.
No reason why DCFC should exit the LOI even if there was a return to the IFA on offer (unless DCFC wanted it).Always enjoy trips to Derry (usually except the result

) and hope I wont have to bring a passport to go next time.

**Mr A** · 20/02/2019, 11:24 AM

Brexit has been very real for the like of Harps and Derry for some time. Local businesses are in a very uncertain position and that make them less inclined to provide sponsorship. There is a prospect of sections of both our support bases and indeed playing staff have to go through extra hassle to cross the border for games. It's a total clusterf^&k, and very difficult to plan for.

**Charlie Darwin** · 21/02/2019, 1:17 AM

Originally Posted by marinobohs

A number of questions do arise in respect of Derry City and Brexit,possible travel restrictions, work permits for players and/or staff etc but as long as both Leagues remain in UEFA and FIFA (and no suggestion they wont) they should not be insurmountable.
Obviously if anyone knew what Brexit will look like it would allow the relevant parties to identify particular issues and how they can be addressed but until such time as there is agreement and people can see what that is, there is little can be done.
No reason why DCFC should exit the LOI even if there was a return to the IFA on offer (unless DCFC wanted it).Always enjoy trips to Derry (usually except the result

) and hope I wont have to bring a passport to go next time.

I don't think there's any danger of Derry going back to the NIFL. I know people around the club have said maybe a couple of times and the women's team play in the NIFL, but I don't think any of the fans would be up for it.

**Nesta99** · 21/02/2019, 6:19 AM

Wouldnt the Common Travel Area that will remain between the UK and RoI just mean that there would be the possibility of the inconvenience of delays at a border checkpoint? It doesnt feel that long ago that it could take an hour to get in to Newry. I havent read the piece above yet as i'm a bit jaded of it all but do Derry have many non Irish EU/UK citizens on the books and the few would just have to register for a few pounds going by one plan in dealing with all these nasty scary EU citizens (so about 50% of NI residents) that they seem so terrified of in Westminster, hardly a big deal or much like a deniable work permit system. Derry pay taxes where they reside not where the ply their trade... as Apple sit on billions in tax that the government here are fighting not to collect. Maybe a slide in sterling would be another small irritant but all that will happen is the price of a weekly shopping will go up until supply chains adjust or if WTO tarrifs kick in and keep prices up people will head south to do the shopping and doom will fizzle out in the same way as when they opted out of the Euro to little effect in the end.

Football aside or Derry, in Dundalk a lot of vacant office space has been filled in a panicked rush by Northern companies it was said by a local estate agent the other day. I dont know if Gerry Matthews still own the big office block he built about 10 years ago but its the first time I have ever seen the adjacant car park full so he could be well back on his developers feet.

**marinobohs** · 21/02/2019, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I don't think there's any danger of Derry going back to the NIFL. I know people around the club have said maybe a couple of times and the women's team play in the NIFL, but I don't think any of the fans would be up for it.

Fully agree CD, it was a suggestion in the article that I was responding to. Given the uncertainty around the whole Brexit cluster**** I suppose anything is possible but until the UK withdrawl agreement is concluded Derry, and other clubs in the region will be nervous.

**EatYerGreens** · 21/02/2019, 1:03 PM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Wouldnt the Common Travel Area that will remain between the UK and RoI just mean that there would be the possibility of the inconvenience of delays at a border checkpoint?

How ? The whole idea of a Common Travel Area is that you minimise or remove restrictions on people crossing the border.

Originally Posted by Nesta99

It doesnt feel that long ago that it could take an hour to get in to Newry.

Surely that was security-related though, to do with the Troubles ?

**dundalkfc10** · 21/02/2019, 1:08 PM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Wouldnt the Common Travel Area that will remain between the UK and RoI just mean that there would be the possibility of the inconvenience of delays at a border checkpoint? It doesnt feel that long ago that it could take an hour to get in to Newry. I havent read the piece above yet as i'm a bit jaded of it all but do Derry have many non Irish EU/UK citizens on the books and the few would just have to register for a few pounds going by one plan in dealing with all these nasty scary EU citizens (so about 50% of NI residents) that they seem so terrified of in Westminster, hardly a big deal or much like a deniable work permit system. Derry pay taxes where they reside not where the ply their trade... as Apple sit on billions in tax that the government here are fighting not to collect. Maybe a slide in sterling would be another small irritant but all that will happen is the price of a weekly shopping will go up until supply chains adjust or if WTO tarrifs kick in and keep prices up people will head south to do the shopping and doom will fizzle out in the same way as when they opted out of the Euro to little effect in the end.

Football aside or Derry, in Dundalk a lot of vacant office space has been filled in a panicked rush by Northern companies it was said by a local estate agent the other day. I dont know if Gerry Matthews still own the big office block he built about 10 years ago but its the first time I have ever seen the adjacant car park full so he could be well back on his developers feet.

His company Tool Box are rumoured to be closing and his wife has had a few homes re-possesed (had a friends mam who rented one) so I cant imagine hes loaded again (thankfully)

**Nesta99** · 21/02/2019, 1:35 PM

Originally Posted by dundalkfc10

His company Tool Box are rumoured to be closing and his wife has had a few homes re-possesed (had a friends mam who rented one) so I cant imagine hes loaded again (thankfully)

I know GM messed us around and threatened the existance of the club, but there is or should be some balance I feel for what he did do for the club which was save it and do a couple of million worth of work- new rood on the stand, and a good few neglected basics like tarmacing the concourse and toilets in the ground and getting stuff done that allowed see European games in Dundalk. He was stubborn individual no doubt and the Lisa Kelly stuff among other bits and pieces wasnt great but he lost a lot on the club even if you just take his buying of Hiney Park 2008 I think which included the Club with no other interested party for 800k probably plus the debts of the club. Hiney Park was sold to DGS for 65k a few years later. Maybe there was a touch of Karma and he was a developer coveting a prime site on the Carrick Road. But we do have some things to be thankful to him for like keeping is kicking a football!

**Nesta99** · 21/02/2019, 1:45 PM

Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

How ? The whole idea of a Common Travel Area is that you minimise or remove restrictions on people crossing the border.

Surely that was security-related though, to do with the Troubles ?

Well the CTA is more a visa/work permit free area but producing a passport could still end up being necessary and cause delays at crossing points if it comes to that. If anyone was familiar with the customs clearance areas on the North side of Dundalk years ago would remember the traffic jams that caused too. Yup there were times that delays in to Newry were security related, but it also had to do with time when there were massive volumes of people shopping and buy fuel in NI, one Christmas there was a 3 hour traffic jam in to the town and other significant days it was just as bad as 3 hours, days like prior to Ester. Other times its just the 40 odd set of traffic lights between Cloughoge round about off the A1 south of the town in to the town centre. Sorry city centre nowdays

**supersaint11** · 21/02/2019, 2:47 PM

oh yeah never thought bout that.. that's a very interesting point.. wouldn't say it would be an issue for finn harps as Donegal's in the Republic of Ireland.. cant see derry rejoining the NIFL because of the whole issue years ago with linfield but I do imagine there would be travel issues definitely..

**pineapple stu** · 23/02/2019, 8:26 AM

Problem for Harps is that surely they go through the North on almost every away trip? Including Sligo I'd say; Donegal gets quite narrow at the bottom

**nigel-harps1954** · 23/02/2019, 8:30 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Problem for Harps is that surely they go through the North on almost every away trip? Including Sligo I'd say; Donegal gets quite narrow at the bottom

Not to Sligo. We'd be grand for trips all down the west coast. We're really snookered for the likes of Dundalk and Dublin though. Dundalk go from a nice handy trip to a horrible journey round via Sligo.

**Martinho II** · 23/02/2019, 6:53 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Not to Sligo. We'd be grand for trips all down the west coast. We're really snookered for the likes of Dundalk and Dublin though. Dundalk go from a nice handy trip to a horrible journey round via Sligo.

will ye not take the boat around nigel?

**Eminence Grise** · 23/02/2019, 8:23 PM

Maybe Mypost'll give 'em the lend of the spaceship?

**Breifne** · 23/02/2019, 8:55 PM

Have to get the Leitrim visas sorted for the 2-3 miles at Tullaghan.

**marinobohs** · 24/02/2019, 11:10 AM

Common travel area should ensure travel in and out of North is still permissible. The only impact might be delays (checking papers etc) at the border.
Currency impact would only be any change in exchange rate, nothing new although prices for goods bought may be impacted.
May you live in interesting times 😁

**Bucket** · 19/04/2021, 10:28 PM

Fantastic documentary on Derry City (nothing to do with Brexit) on BBC earlier

**Neish** · 19/04/2021, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by Bucket

Fantastic documentary on Derry City (nothing to do with Brexit) on BBC earlier

Yeah it was a top sport documentary, a great insight into how an off the cuff idea can grow into some special for tens of thousands of people

**Bucket** · 19/04/2021, 10:55 PM

Bringing 19,000 to Cork City and a brass band showed up!
What were crowds like elsewhere in the 80's? I only started going to games regularly in the late 90's.