The Ghost of Dublin City haunts league

**joeSoap** · 10/08/2006, 12:08 PM

Expulsion of Vikings haunts listing League=Irish Indo August 10th.

GONE, but not forgotten. Dublin City's demise continues to haunt the Eircom League as the row over the expunging of games involving the defunct club grows increasingly torrid.

The catalyst for the latest confusion was Shelbourne's successful appeal against the decision to wipe the Dublin City games from the record and it throws the validity of the current league table into question.

Shels' chief executive Ollie Byrne contested the verdict on the basis that the league's 22-man Management Committee, and not the 10-man Board of Control, should have made the decision regarding the course of action to take after City resigned from the league.

The Board of Control ruled that points earned against Dublin City should be withdrawn, meaning that Shelbourne and Cork City lost six points whereas title-rivals Drogheda and Derry, who dropped points against the ill-fated club, had their tallies reduced by just four and three points respectively.

Following Shels' successful appeal, it's understood the League planned to debate the crisis at next Wednesday's Management Committee meeting, with the possibility of the matter going to independent binding arbitration to reach a definite conclusion.

For the moment, the amended table, as it was redrawn after the initial decision, still stands.

However, a furious Byrne has demanded that all points taken away from teams who earned them against Dublin City be restored immediately, or else he will be forced to take further action.

"I will not attend any further meeting and be party to any decision made by people involved in the original decision. They're not entitled to discuss it next Wednesday and it can't go to arbitration," insisted Byrne.

"I will not accept it under any circumstances. Certainly, in the interim, all points will have to be restored and I will be forcing the issue over the next couple of days. I will reserve my right to take it to whatever forum is necessary," he warned.

Meanwhile, Derry City will discover next Wednesday if they will be deducted three points for fielding the suspended Se�n Hargan in their Premier Division game with Bohemians, although they feel confident of proving their innocence.

The defender should have been banned for receiving four yellow cards in the campaign prior to that game, but the crux of the argument is Derry's claim that they were not informed of this by the league whereas the authorities claim they were.

A final decision may rest on whatever proof is offered.

In the First Division, leaders Shamrock Rovers are set to lose three points after it emerged that they fielded new signing Paul Shiels as a sub against Dundalk when he was meant to be banned.

Shiels should have been serving an additional one-match suspension picked up, ironically, for the red card he picked up with former club Dublin City against Derry.

These latest fiascos have again shifted the focus to off-field affairs on a big day of action for Drogheda United and Derry who are in Norway and Scotland for UEFA Cup second qualifying round ties against Start and Gretna respectively.

**Poor Student** · 10/08/2006, 12:10 PM

Byrne doesn't seem to offer any logical solution to the crisis except "Gimme my points back, I want, I want!".

**higgins** · 10/08/2006, 12:15 PM

No he doesnt because as he pointed out its for the 22 (now 21) EL teams to decide on.

They didnt have the power to make a decision like they did and thats what Longford and Shels are against.

If all 21 teams decided the results should be expunged then I would agree with it but you cant have the FAI making a decision for the sake of it without proper debate.

Can anyone disagree with this?
Shels' chief executive Ollie Byrne contested the verdict on the basis that the league's 22-man Management Committee, and not the 10-man Board of Control, should have made the decision regarding the course of action to take after City resigned from the league.

Once again the FAI cant follow simple procedure

**Poor Student** · 10/08/2006, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by higgins

you cant have the FAI making a decision for the sake of it without proper debate.

Isn't that what all the clubs voted on? Granted it doesn't come into place yet.

**el punter** · 10/08/2006, 12:18 PM

This is wrist slitting stuff. AAAARRRGH. Does this tomfoolery happen in any other league, in any other sport, in any other country?

**higgins** · 10/08/2006, 12:19 PM

Yes clubs voted for that but the procedure of today is different to what it will be. I dont think talking about whats going to happen is helping the matter ???

**higgins** · 10/08/2006, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by el punter

This is wrist slitting stuff. AAAARRRGH. Does this tomfoolery happen in any other league, in any other sport, in any other country?

appeals happen all the time in every league.
Just that some foot.ie posters think its worng to ask questions of the FAI when its Ollie doing the asking. Thankfully he didnt shut up the last time when people asked him not to complain as we have much better administration today as a result.

Its no big deal!

FAI done something they shouldnt have and Longford and Shels pointed it out. Now lets see if they go through the proper procedure this time in making a decision.

**Poor Student** · 10/08/2006, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by higgins

Yes clubs voted for that but the procedure of today is different to what it will be. I dont think talking about whats going to happen is helping the matter ???

It just seems a bit funny to see people who support the new changes insisting on soon to be obsolete structures as a means of furthering their own interests. It's their prerogative of course but it's amusing.

Anyway, whatever way you or he would like to argue it, all I see is a demand to have points restored and it not cared how they are returned or what it actually means to have them returned.

**el punter** · 10/08/2006, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by higgins

Its no big deal!

We can't believe the league table and the title might be won off the pitch. If you think that's no big deal you've been supporting Shels too long.

**higgins** · 10/08/2006, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

Anyway, whatever way you or he would like to argue it, all I see is a demand to have points restored and it not cared how they are returned or what it actually means to have them returned.

I think he is aksing that the League Table reflect the decision made that expunging all Dablin City's points was invalid.

He is looking for the table to restore the points before it then goes down the proper channels and they remove them all again most likely because they didnt like being shown up by Shels and Longford

**higgins** · 10/08/2006, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by el punter

We can't believe the league table and the title might be won off the pitch. If you think that's no big deal you've been supporting Shels too long.

Due to Dublin City folding the points for the 2007 season will not be won any other way...

A ruling has to be made OFF THE PITCH that will decide the fate of the other 11 clubs.

Theres no way around this.

**TonyD** · 10/08/2006, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

Anyway, whatever way you or he would like to argue it, all I see is a demand to have points restored and it not cared how they are returned or what it actually means to have them returned.

Exactly. As always with Ollie self interest rules the day. Anyone think if the original decision had benefited Shels at the expense of say, Derry, there would have been a peep out of Ollie ? Somehow I doubt it. Of course the real blame does lie with the FAI (again) though. Can someone tell me what the point of having a Board of Management is if they don't have the power to make these decisions ?

**Vitruvian Man** · 10/08/2006, 1:07 PM

Higgins since you are batting for Shels on this can you explain to me if I am reading this wrong.

Ollie has objected to the original decision on the ground that it didn’t follow the correct procedure.
I’m ok with that – that’s fine, he’s well within his rights

But, as I read it, the decision is now to go back to the start and follow the correct procedure to decide what happens to the Dublin City result.
But Ollie is saying he won’t abide by that decision.

So he won’t agree to it if the procedure is not followed and he won’t agree to it if the procedure IS followed.
So Ollie’s position is "Give us what we want or we’ll sue" – pretty much the standard Shelbourne way of dealing with things.

Shels' chief executive Ollie Byrne contested the verdict on the basis that the league's 22-man Management Committee, and not the 10-man Board of Control, should have made the decision regarding the course of action to take after City resigned from the league.

…

Following Shels' successful appeal, it's understood the League planned to debate the crisis at next Wednesday's Management Committee meeting, with the possibility of the matter going to independent binding arbitration to reach a definite conclusion.

For the moment, the amended table, as it was redrawn after the initial decision, still stands.

However, a furious Byrne has demanded that all points taken away from teams who earned them against Dublin City be restored immediately, or else he will be forced to take further action.

**BohDiddley** · 10/08/2006, 1:18 PM

Is there any way Mr Stokes can be brought in on this? That should keep Ollie onside.

**pineapple stu** · 10/08/2006, 2:25 PM

Originally Posted by Vitruvian Man

But, as I read it, the decision is now to go back to the start and follow the correct procedure to decide what happens to the Dublin City result.
But Ollie is saying he won�t abide by that decision.

The problem is - there is no correct procedure. So Ollie'll probably whine until he secures the result which suits him (he's secured nothing yet, as far as I can see). The league broke their own rules in allowing DC to resign, and there is no rule governing withdrawing in mid-season. So we're screwed, basically. Any decision the league/FAI make is outside their powers technically, and can be appealed by anyone.

**Marked Man** · 10/08/2006, 2:40 PM

Originally Posted by el punter

This is wrist slitting stuff. AAAARRRGH. Does this tomfoolery happen in any other league, in any other sport, in any other country?

Have you been paying attention to what's been going on in Italy of late?

**Roverstillidie** · 10/08/2006, 2:48 PM

Originally Posted by Marked Man

Have you been paying attention to what's been going on in Italy of late?

would that be the sports court with stautory powers and a recognised appeals route to the olympic council?

caught - tried - punishment - appeal. everyone knew who was in charge of what part of the process from start to finish in a transparent manner

**WeAreRovers** · 10/08/2006, 2:58 PM

Originally Posted by higgins

FAI done something they shouldnt have.

In your opinion (and Ollie's funnily enough)

More rubber medals for Shels.

How many dodgy titles would that be in the recent past? I really don't get this, Shels are odds on the win the league anyway so why tarnish it this way?

Ollie is so Shels-obsessed that he has no idea when he's actually causing more damage to the league as a whole. And, yes, I know that it was Deceased FC that caused the problem in the first place.

KOH

**NY Hoop** · 10/08/2006, 3:04 PM

The original decision was the correct one. Going back on it now makes the league look ridiculous but of course why would the convicted criminal care?

Hope the FAI/league stand firm and tell oily to fack off.

KOH

**The Sheliban** · 10/08/2006, 3:53 PM

The problem here is that there are procedures. Just as there were when a Sligo lad got two yellow cards in a Cup tie against Shels a couple of years ago. The rules stated the tie should be replayed. The League let the result stand. Ollie appealed and won, and then forfeited the tie. No big gain to Shels - just protecting the integrity of the laws.
If you don't follow the procedures, you can set dangerous precedents for the future. And if the procedures are wrong, change them - through the proper procedures of course.