Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

**ndrog** · 04/09/2008, 7:08 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Drogheda's ground looking more unlikely according to the Droda Indent this week, though it could well just be Hoey putting on the political pressure like he's done before.

Its not happening folks

.And please refer to him as Vincent , he deserves that much at least .

**Inside Man** · 04/09/2008, 8:21 PM

Oh god, absolutely catastrophic news for the league.

**atfconline** · 04/09/2008, 8:32 PM

A car load or two of South Dublin County Council officials were down looking at our stadium this afternoon.

**amaccann** · 04/09/2008, 9:36 PM

That's fairly tragic sounding for Drogs, can't believe the plans are being scuppered at this late stage in the process. Sometimes, just sometimes, it's easy to think the country is ganging up on the League.

**finnpark** · 04/09/2008, 9:53 PM

The credit crunch is really hitting the league hard.

Hopefully Drogheda's backers can stick in there for another season or two anyway, they were so close to the breakthough this year in Europe

Ah well more room for Harps maybe

Harps' stadium is going well, we will have one the finest stadiums in the country and it will be CL approved for when we win the league. No credit crunch in Donegal.

**the-blue-harp** · 04/09/2008, 10:08 PM

we never seen the celtic tiger in donegal ya see!!

work on the stadium hasnt started yet, all contracts are signed. but as usual the solicitors are taking their sweet ass time getting everything cleared for lift off.

**finnpark** · 04/09/2008, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by the-blue-harp

we never seen the celtic tiger in donegal ya see!!

work on the stadium hasnt started yet, all contracts are signed. but as usual the solicitors are taking their sweet ass time getting everything cleared for lift off.

I think Finn Harps will become a very investable club when that stadium is completed. Its a fantastic asset if it ever gets done. We have no competition in Donegal and I think with the right continous marketing and media control we could fill that stadium week in week out.

I do think that we will be relegated this year though but we must be patient. Not much point staying up wth the facilities we have at present, how can you attract any sort of decent crowds with a stadium like we have.

**the-blue-harp** · 04/09/2008, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by finnpark

I think Finn Harps will become a very investable club when that stadium is completed. Its a fantastic asset if it ever gets done. We have no competition in Donegal and I think with the right continous marketing and media control we could fill that stadium week in week out.

I do think that we will be relegated this year though but we must be patient. Not much point staying up wth the facilities we have at present, how can you attract any sort of decent crowds with a stadium like we have.

finn park is a hole, but we need to stay up and i think we'll do it by the skin of our teeth. a few years of stable premier league football is what the club needs, maybe a good cup run too in there somewhere. then we'll actually have a product for the fans in our new stadium rather than a useless first division outfit. we have to establish ourselves.

**Mr A** · 05/09/2008, 8:29 AM

More on the Drogheda issue: http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/s...s-1469605.html

**pineapple stu** · 05/09/2008, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Inside Man

Oh god, absolutely catastrophic news for the league.

It's not really. Most people outside of Drogheda figured this was never going to happen from the start, so it's (seeming) abandonment doesn't change anything. The boys walking away, as at Cork and possible Bohs, means much of the wage inflation in the league will stop, and the clubs can get on with operating sensibly. Interesting to see what happens Pat's if they're the last ones standing, and assuming Kelleher doesn't get bored in the meantime.

**paddigol** · 06/09/2008, 9:57 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

It's not really. Most people outside of Drogheda figured this was never going to happen from the start, so it's (seeming) abandonment doesn't change anything. The boys walking away, as at Cork and possible Bohs, means much of the wage inflation in the league will stop, and the clubs can get on with operating sensibly. Interesting to see what happens Pat's if they're the last ones standing, and assuming Kelleher doesn't get bored in the meantime.

What? So the rest of the clubs can abandon their ambition and come back down to UCD's level?
The way forward for the league is better facilities and better players. The money that has come into the league in recent years has helped move things forward on both these fronts. SPA in recent weeks are proof of this. The fact that certain clubs didn't manage their finances properly should sound the death knell for financial investment in the league. And lets remember - football clubs making a loss isn't uniquely an Irish problem. Perhaps it's that in England, Italy etc building a new stadium won't see you shafted by the planning authorities and various State bodies.
Drog's ground is a dump. Their owners planned to make the new one self financing. It's loss is big loss for the league in the same way that SRFC's new ground will be a big boost for the league.

**SMorgan** · 06/09/2008, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by paddigol

What? So the rest of the clubs can abandon their ambition and come back down to UCD's level?

Ambition - I see little of that around the league. Drogheda weren't ambitious, they were reckless.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but from reading the Sunday Business Post, Drogheda's plans were based on something that a planning official in Meath County Council was alledged to have said.

**A face** · 06/09/2008, 1:15 PM

Originally Posted by paddigol

lets remember - football clubs making a loss isn't uniquely an Irish problem. Perhaps it's that in England, Italy etc building a new stadium won't see you shafted by the planning authorities and various State bodies.

Exactly, there was absolutely nothing wrong with Drogs going for this.

**pineapple stu** · 06/09/2008, 4:28 PM

Originally Posted by A face

Exactly, there was absolutely nothing wrong with Drogs going for this.

There clearly was in that it was never going to happen and now they seem to be up proverbial creek as a direct result of it. That's not an unfortunate coincidence.

SMorgan is spot on - people confuse ambition with reality, assume being reckless is the way forward and think that because a club can spout magic dreams about how great things'll be if everything goes their way, those dreams are a reality the league can attain.

LoL at the way everyone assumes the Council were corrupt and the GAA were secretly in the background without having a notion about what actually happened.

**Celdrog** · 06/09/2008, 9:50 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

There clearly was in that it was never going to happen

Stu - if you are such a psychic in that you knew our ground would never happen who's going to win the cup this year and what are the euromillions numbers for next week?

**brianw82** · 07/09/2008, 2:25 PM

If Drogs' stadium doesn't go ahead, then it's really a knife in the gut for them and the league.

To all those pouring scorn on Drogheda, I've 2 questions: do you know what schadenfreude is, and why there is so much of it around here?

**John83** · 07/09/2008, 3:10 PM

Originally Posted by Celdrog

Stu - if you are such a psychic in that you knew our ground would never happen who's going to win the cup this year and what are the euromillions numbers for next week?

It's not like he didn't actually predict it. He did. Loudly.

**stamullendrog** · 07/09/2008, 8:10 PM

Originally Posted by John83

It's not like he didn't actually predict it. He did. Loudly.

and shelbourne too.hold on lads i think i know who stu is,big on cash flow,seems to relish a bit of doom and gloom.stu are you really george lee????

on topic the club have planning permission alright but its the other zoning or the developer or the nra or the council holding it up.no one seems to really know and we should know more at the weekend

**Mr A** · 08/09/2008, 8:33 AM

In all fairness lads, if you predict any LOI club is going to have financial problems for long enough it's like predicting a dog will lick its balls: eventually you will be proved right!

**pineapple stu** · 08/09/2008, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Celdrog

Stu - if you are such a psychic in that you knew our ground would never happen who's going to win the cup this year and what are the euromillions numbers for next week?

Can't help you on the latter two. Difference is that they'd just be punts in the dark, while the former just involved keeping an eye on developments. To be honest, if it is formally off, I reckon losing the houses was the key - once they were ruled out, the project was a probable non runner. Even after they were left out, the road to the ground still had roundabouts into random fields, so the houses were clearly important.