If this is true it's absolutely disgusting. This isn't an Adidas or Nike it's a local sports gear manufacturer who make a lot of local GAA gear and school PE gear, 130k would be a huge hole in a company like that I'd imagine.Originally Posted by joey B
I'd assume they have a written acknowledgement of the debt from Dundalk, and that the agreement referred to would have been evidenced for licensing purposes last year. Smacks of Dundalk taking the risk that they could do another deal with a local supplier when they absolutely have to. Realistically the supplier won't get anything if there's no football being played but it'll be a more expensive deal for Dundalk now I'm sure.
Went up to Saratoga, where my horse naturally won.
Ah - so we're at the "All is well" stage I seeThat was even quicker than I would have imagined.
https://x.com/loipdnews/status/1985634856546562196?s=46
Is this only be the tip of the iceberg of debt ? Hard to see them granted a licence with this going on.
The debt was 1.3 or 1.5M when Ainscough left, and most of this was left over from the StatsSports led regime 2022-2023. So that is the iceberg and it was well known at the time of near collapse in Sept 2024.
However seems clear this bill was accumulated during or most of 2025 and they are saying no payments made during 2025, so that's not good.
On Licence would imagine not every club has all bills paid, but obv DFC are a different case last few years, I think as long as there are payment plans FAI will be happy, that said again really not good to hear this, and they are a local biz also.
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), only Irish club to win a game / points in Europa League Group Stage (2016).
Reads to me like it was owed at the time of 2025 licensing and a plan was agreed in order to get the licence but Dundalk haven't stuck to it. I don't know who the kit supplier was this year but if it was this company I can't imagine they gave out any more gear on credit.
Went up to Saratoga, where my horse naturally won.
PlayerFit are a relative young company. I thought they were very ambitious to try to break in to kit manufacturing with so many providers but fair play to them they started small and built. Dundalk were something of a flagship deal when it happened. They definitely cannot carry that sort of debtor indefinitely. They would have taken payment plans in good faith and may even have extended that if the contract was to be extended. They would have gotten to the point of witholding gear on money up front before they put in their order to the manufacturer. I think the possibility of Dundalk just going to another supplier is where the crux lies and its understandable that they are now asserting themselves. I think they have been very patient and even the comments above are pretty tempered with a toned down threat that allows for sorting the issue than an absolute 'were seeking a winding up order'. I think it will be sorted but again not a good look! I am at a loss at how there seems to be a disregard for this supplier, SCARP was avoided to ensure creditors got paid rather than being burnt, this takes a leap of faith by suppliers and to not engage with them in good faith, as it seems, is just rubbish. If there is a soft touch in dealing with Dundalk FC in the last 12 months, it wont remain that way. Just fing engage with people!!
The plan - season ticket sales and merchandising prior to Christmas, sure that would keep the wolves for the door except that nobody would get the jerseys for Chrstmas and who would have bought season tickets for a club that may not have played a game without a lecense........
Last edited by Nesta99; 04/11/2025 at 3:25 PM.
The PlayerFit debt could be the straw that breaks the camels back in this whole sorry saga.
Say nothin til ya hear more!
I cant see the FAI not giving Dundalk a licence as they wont want the club to cease to exist but it could be a first Division one.
Making zero payments on the agreed payment plan is taking the **** and while i dont believe everything i see on paper if the guy is saying he hasnt been paid for 12 months publically i cant imagine he is lieing given DFC could go after him if it wasnt
Tbh I dont think debt has to do with licensing bar directly on footballing related staff, transfers and revenue. If there is a workable budget including repayment its enough rightly or wrongly. Its not a FAI thing but a business legal issue. Of course you need a kit supplier and who would take you on when another company is owed. I reckon the public statement from PlayerFit is a shot across the bow, pay up, let people know that significant money is outstanding. It will probably be paid but that is beside the point. More and more there it is hard to see any credibility with club admin. Not just for not paying but not managing the situation, the blame game is tiresome, I dont care who is responsible for creating the debt now, I want to see it being managed and there are ways to do it that dont involved SCARP. Its not insignificant money but its not winding up levels either. Its not can of worms t be opened again but have WRC orders been put be hind the club for example. Hopefully!!
I would think a kit supplier going public over being owed money is a really big red flag. I mean I would suspect that Kit suppliers have an incentive to work with clubs to come up with a sustainable repayment programme and don’t want to be seen as someone who is unduly harsh on a club lest it affect their other business.
Oh its a bad look!! Nut purely from a license perspective Im not sure its a factor. Maybe there needs to be a payment plan but is it 'policed'. Maybe it is factored in to the projected budget but again its about being able to afford to complete the season. Maybe it should be all club debts, accumulated year on year, but a lot of clubs function season to season and if accumulated debt wasnt handled by the accountants we'd have plenty sweating on a license, especially if 1 offs like transfer fees keep things sorted one year but maybe not the next. Id by kind of surprised that another kits supploer would be willing to do business with a club that has walked aay from a bill from a previous supplier? Its why I kind of think there there was some leverage being applied in public. I know a supplier got a bit annoyed that their contract wasnt renewed!
From a RTE news feed it seems there was a payment plan agreed and Dundalk failed to make any payments whatsoever. So its not like they were making an effort, things went bad and missed a few payments. It looks more like like they purposely made not effort. Also from the same feed
"As the FAI has itself stated, 'our licensing system places necessary importance on the protection of creditors to ensure that clubs settle their liabilities promptly, to ensure better cost controls and to encourage clubs to operate on the basis of their own revenues.'
This could come back to bite Dundalk on the ar&e.
I'm sure the kit supplier is annoyed that the contract wasn't renewed or at least extended to allow for a new renegotiated payment plan to begin and as a way of saying thank for sticking with us while we work through these difficult times etc. What Dundalk have done looks more like you've given PF the middle finger as you walk off into the sunset. If the bill is owed, it's their money, they are entitled be paid and are also entitled to pursue it legally. You will find, if the license is at risk the money will suddenly appear and the bill paid so Dundalk don't have to play in flesh coloured next year.
If they don't get a licence they won't have any money so the supplier won't get paid. I imagine the new owner will do a different deal before it becomes a serious issue for licensing.
Went up to Saratoga, where my horse naturally won.
Seemingly monies have now been paid to the supplier, not sure how much and details but 100% agree on all comments, abs shocking for the previous regime to have allowed this to happen, local company also.
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), only Irish club to win a game / points in Europa League Group Stage (2016).
This supplier issue does little for the image that I feel many still have about the LOI, particularly creditors; it's small-time and full of cowboys and chancers. We dealt with all this nonsense ourselves in the Leeson days. Someone that fits the description quite well. The question of 'Why should I bother sponsoring a LOI team in any capacity' is a question that still rings loud and clear.
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