The plan is now to retain Finn Park for the use of underage and ladies football rather than selling it. The works at Stranorlar were still fit for purpose last time engineers checked it. Clock is ticking there though. We need government to get this moving and quickly.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
Quarter Finals rescheduled:
Harps - Rovers and Sligo - Derry to kick off at 5.30pm on Nov 20
Bohs - Dundalk 7.45pm same date
Going to be a nightmare to reschedule the semis considering season end is end of November!Originally Posted by DCSIL
Surely the FAI have to extend the season wots an extra week?
Gary Cronin is he the right man to manage Longford Town?
Extra expense for the clubs too who only pay their players to the End of the season.
Where will the money come from if Finn Park isn't sold though ?
Presume SCGs and fundraising. But that will be an awful lot of fundraising and waiting with bated breath on the days grants are announced. Its also 2 places to maintain and pay for doing so. Broken record again but there just seems to be somthing odd with this whole development, funding and construction, revised plans on a started project, not being allocated any funding that was thought to be a formality, changes on the future plans for Finn Park which would fund if sold, a significant amount of outstanding work at Stranrolar to get the place functional. It being said here that the project funding was in place too! Most of the country has a shortage of training pitches or facilities for underage teams, but hanging on to Finn Park?
Aaron mceneff and grahme burke called into ireland squad today. Thats 3 now including jack B. Wonder will fridays game with harps be off ?
Doubtful as they probably wont get any minutes i suppose.
Seems very funny alright, probably no buyer for FP now.
If we're in a position to be able to keep Finn Park as well as build a new stadium, then it's a no brainer really. An underage stadium and a first team stadium, as well as a training ground is ideal for any club.
If you can do both it would be great. But Finn Park could still generate the funds that Stranrolar needs to get functional, even maybe for some time in 2021. And kick on with grants then too. Not using Finn Park and its adds years to the project!?
Finn Park isn't worth half what it was previously. Wouldn't really be worth enough to get the new ground functional. Still huge money needs put into the new ground. It's the bare shell of a stand and no more currently.
Besides, if we sold Finn Park to get the new ground going, we'd be a bit screwed for somewhere to play in the meantime!
It also gives the government an excuse not to release funds.
That's super easy to solve, and the sort of deal that clubs do all the time. You just sell the ground legally, but have a clause in there that it isn't handed over until you're in your new home. How else do you think clubs get new grounds developed without being homeless in the meantime ?
I don't think there's a developer in the world who'd take a chance on seeing the new ground finished before waiting on Finn Park, seeing as it'll be 13 years next May since ground was broke on the stadium.
The Finn Park situation is complicated by the Trustees of the ground. The club has been working hard with Donegal County Council with a view to bringing the new stadium project forward in partnership with them once we can get the first phase up and running again. Have said it too many times at this stage but we are certainly hoping things move forward very soon.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
There was surely an original 'turnkey' clause with the original developer? Or something similar when the new ground was under construction, Finn Park would be in use until Stranrolar opened. Developer then could dispose of Finn Park however they wanted butttt Finn Park lost most of its value in an economic slump and either the developer couldnt carry the cost of Stranrolar in advance or lost interest or both. If the original grant application circumstances changed especially in relation to aspects of the developers involvement, I can see why a new revised application was submitted - maybe not all to do with the build itself eg FP Trust pulling their part agreement when the developer stalled.
Tbh this development model is how many large and expensive property transfers-redevelopment/PPPs etc tend to happen, but yeah specific to this FH project maybe few would risk it, Dept of Sport included it seems!
Complications with grounds in trust can be a nightmare when it comes to development or sale for sure but its the job of such a trust to be awkward I suppose! If there had been some previous agreement on Finn Park and its transfer of ownership to the developer, then in principle they must be willing to talk. Will be a damnsight easier if it means holding on to Finn Park too, cake and eat it for trustees. If there are still complicated issues on parts to this overall, 13 years on, well the delays have some context as does the drying up of govt funding in more recent years. Has there been a more rollercoaster 13 years economically and in government to try and get a project like this done? No shortage of bad luck involved too, its not as if Harps misappropriated grant money causing the development to then stall due a shortfall.
Last edited by Nesta99; 17/11/2020 at 11:16 AM.
Surprised at your lack of ambition Nigel re the Finn park / stranolar move and convincing a developer to stump up , i've always thought the Donegal people were fierce cute. i mean Bohs managed to sell their ground twice without even moving out.
Sligo v Derry now moved to the 25th.
Sligo Twitter saying we’ve had another COVID outbreak.
Why is this being postponed, did the FAI said a month back no more postponements. Look at Irish squad, loads of covid drop outs and still games go ahead. This is a precedent now, other clubs will look for postponements too ... the cup could go on until Christmas at this rate.
Manager: Fergal, have you your boots with ya?
Fergal: Ya, I have them here.
Manager: Ah good stuff, well give them to this man so, he forgot his!
Because other clubs have already had games postponed and the FAI don't want to get sued.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
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