Omagh Town fold after financial crisis

**carrickharp** · 08/06/2005, 7:24 AM

Omagh Town have folded after failing to overcome financial problems.
The St Julian's Road club had been in existence for 43 years and won the Budweiser Cup in 1991 after moving up to senior football a year earlier.

Omagh were already struggling financially before they were relegated from the Irish Premier League in April.

The club said the drop from the top flight and the recent closure of its social club were the two major factors behind the decision to fold.

Manager Paul Kee was saddened by the news but he hopes to make a quick return to the game.

"The club has found it difficult in the last number of years mainly through lack of support in the area," said Kee.

"From a footballing point of view it is disappointing as there were only two senior clubs in Tyrone.

"Most of the players were out of contract anyway and only one or two had contracts.

"I am a football person, a football manager, a coach and I am out of work now.

"I will be keeping my head down now and seeing what is available in the coming weeks."

The Co Tyrone club's management committee released a statement on Monday outlining the background to Omagh's demise.

"Over many years the management committee of Omagh Town has struggled to keep senior football alive in Omagh but unfortunately in recent times it has become too difficult to keep operating," they said.

"A number of major problems have beset the club this year, the two most difficult being the dropping out of the Premier League and the closure of the social club some months ago.

"The management committee cannot sustain the club in its present format or structure because of an accumulated financial deficit which means there are no resources to keep the club going given that there is no current income coming into the club.

"Regretfully, the existing Omagh Town Football and Athletic Club has to declare that it cannot continue operating and therefore ceases to trade or operate."

**Troy.McClure** · 08/06/2005, 10:45 AM

There was a programme about them last night on one of the NI channels. Apparently they "redirected" a lot of the money raised after playing Man U, Aresnal and Chelsea charity matches for the Omagh Fund (after the bomb). Of the £400,000 taken in, only £30,000 went to the fund! I would have lissened more, but the accountants voice was SO boaring it was unbearable!

Alot of the money raised went on doing up the ground & a a few thousand tickets werent declared in the accounts + they opened a new bank account that no-one in the club knows about

Sounded like Plonk or Kilkoyne ran the club

**Aberdonian Stu** · 08/06/2005, 10:54 AM

I caught the end of the programme. I remember some controversy over the funds from the games around a year after they were played. It was big news but Omagh Town managed to fob it off at the time.

**glentoranfan** · 10/06/2005, 9:45 AM

wont affect many people, they had little support anyway. they made their own downfall by docing the books and screwing the omagh bomb fund - i dont think a lot of people will forgive them for that. still it is the small amount of fans and players i feel sorry, but the board of the team were usless

**-lamb-** · 10/06/2005, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by glentoranfan

screwing the omagh bomb fund

which hasn't been proven by anyone yet and even after so many years the police haven't taken any action.
still, doubt and suspicion certainly made life very difficult for them.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 10/06/2005, 11:43 PM

Whatever the in's and out's of it, the demise of Omagh Town stands as a warning to other clubs in both footballing jurisdictions on this island as to how pearshaped things can go!