Stadium Updates (All Clubs)

**White Horse** · 04/12/2015, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by sulywaterfordfc

We've a top notch ground just a pity we've the track around the pitch. All we need now is a decent team and we're on the ball.

The track is a small price play for such excellent facilities. Great set up.

**Charlie Darwin** · 04/12/2015, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Always felt that Shels made things tough for themselves by not going in to examinership and negotiating a few cent in the Euro with their creditors like Rovers and others. Was it out of a sense of duty to creditors or did they think that they would eventually be bailed out? Ive forgotten the details of the lease on Tolka if it was ever clear cut. I was of the opinion that it had been sold off to developers so how can it be used as leverage? Unless there was a very sensible clause in the sale that the lease is only handed over when an alternative ground is provided by the developer. Besides being broke the way Tolka has been left to crumble would imply that they werent responsible for its upkeep at all. Their hopes to have debts dealt with via a move is understandable but you would think they would jump at a move to a modern newly built ground that wasnt going to cost them. Anybody able to shine some light on the background on the Tolka lease?

I don't have intimate knowledge of the lease but I do know Shels are responsible for the upkeep of the stadium, and have invested quite a bit on it in recent years. You'd know yourself from Dundalk that even keeping a stadium ticking over costs a lot of money, let alone improving it.

**Nesta99** · 05/12/2015, 11:59 PM

True, but Tolka was starting from a higher base than Oriel. I would have expected Shels to pay for upkeep as long as they were in Tolka - are the renting back the ground or do they still hold the lease. Drogheda are very quick to say dont look at us we dont own the ground if it is ever criticised, i'd imagine Drogheda pay some rent. If Shels are responsible it wood seem that they have a few fingers still clinging on to the lease going by this logic.

**Dalymountrower** · 06/12/2015, 1:15 PM

AFAIK they have less than fifty years left of the original sporting lease on Tolka from Dublin Corp. They have hawked that lease around Dublin for the last twenty years to raise loans ,some to would-be property developers and some to even less savoury characters..It still has some value, but probably a lot less than their debts, given that's value is strongly influenced by the local authority that granted the lease
Problem now is that Tolka is on its last warning re a fire cert for the coming season and while a vocal element in Shels thought it a good strategy to hold out and play hard ball with DCC, they are left with no option now but to take whatever DCC offers them.
I expect a deal will be done which will involve DCC taking ownership, a shoot out between Shels and the creditors, minor remedial work on Tolka to allow for temp ground sharing there with Bohs in 2017/2018 and then a ground share in Dalymount.Alternatively Shels fold and re emerge as Shels 2016 and go back to Irish town where they belong.
.

**Charlie Darwin** · 06/12/2015, 3:33 PM

I'm sure Shels would love to go to Irishtown but it's not going to happen, so I'm afraid they'll probably end up as your co-tenants.

**toffeejay** · 06/12/2015, 4:15 PM

Shels have quite a bleak future I fear, if they where to stay at Tolka they'd be out of business in couple of years time. The only financial option is to move Dalymount, but I just wonder where are the future generation of fans going to come from?
Bohs are the team of the northside, it was bad enough being a southside team playing close to the Bohemian heartland but sharing their ground is going to kill off the support.

**Charlie Darwin** · 06/12/2015, 4:23 PM

I don't think they really have a financial future. The only reason their debts haven't been called in, I suspect, is due to the claim they have on the Tolka lease which, contrary to what some people say, is actually worth something. If they accept the Dalymount deal I don't see how they'll ever got onside with their creditors.

**nigel-harps1954** · 17/12/2015, 5:43 PM

http://www.finnharps.com/fhfc/?p=2702

Finn Harps statement on upgrades to Finn Park for the coming season and news on work re-commencing on the new stadium early in the new year.

**ForzaHoop** · 18/12/2015, 10:33 AM

New stadium has to be a priority after last game against Limerick, the Club can pull over 4000 people like that then a descent stadium will defo draw more supporters each week, more support, more finances and better chance in the premier league

**oriel** · 18/12/2015, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

http://www.finnharps.com/fhfc/?p=2702

Finn Harps statement on upgrades to Finn Park for the coming season and news on work re-commencing on the new stadium early in the new year.

Never been to Finn Park, looking forward to the fixture list coming out myself, would love a summer trip up, nice stay over too, actually any date will do.

**wonder88** · 19/12/2015, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by ForzaHoop

New stadium has to be a priority after last game against Limerick, the Club can pull over 4000 people like that then a descent stadium will defo draw more supporters each week, more support, more finances and better chance in the premier league

Good facilities alone will not increase attendances at LoI games; see the comment above about RSC in Waterford. In fact if you look at the GAA, they have over-invested in facilities and the 60million plus going into Pairc Uí Choimh is very hard to justify. I would say that a nice ground is only about 20% of the package you need to increase crowds. Others are the standard/style of soccer on view, club engagement/connection with their community, how club officials/stewards/volunteers treat those who go to games, price of tickets/food, and promotion of club/games.
Bohs have consolidated their support in recent season without any improvements in facilities, and anyone who has been to a few of their games over last couple of seasons can notice a "good vibe" around the place which would encourage you to return.

**Sam_Heggy** · 19/12/2015, 2:01 PM

New facilities certainly won't hurt a club where, run down grounds might.

The RSC is a great ground but, it's too far away from the pitch and very open. I wouldn't put it in the same catergory as a purpose built football stadium.

**bluewhitearmy** · 19/12/2015, 2:08 PM

Better facilities at Markets Field has most definitely had a huge say on the improvement in crowds. Can say improvement was because we won a few games but the 19s game in Markets Field against Cork recently had 400 more at it than the senior game against Cork in Jackman earlier in the year.

**outspoken** · 19/12/2015, 8:10 PM

Originally Posted by wonder88

Good facilities alone will not increase attendances at LoI games; see the comment above about RSC in Waterford. In fact if you look at the GAA, they have over-invested in facilities and the 60million plus going into Pairc Uí Choimh is very hard to justify. I would say that a nice ground is only about 20% of the package you need to increase crowds. Others are the standard/style of soccer on view, club engagement/connection with their community, how club officials/stewards/volunteers treat those who go to games, price of tickets/food, and promotion of club/games.
Bohs have consolidated their support in recent season without any improvements in facilities, and anyone who has been to a few of their games over last couple of seasons can notice a "good vibe" around the place which would encourage you to return.

Style of play is a fantasy when people say it improves attendances, people will support a winning team whether they play tica taca or hoofball

**wonder88** · 20/12/2015, 12:08 AM

But you can only have a few winning teams. That is the problem, and why crowds are so poor in Irish soccer. If you have a team playing decent football, and the club do some of the other things I mentioned above well, there is a chance that you can have a reasonably sized loyal fanbase that helps pay the bills. "The support a winning team" is not unique to soccer by the way in Ireland.
Saw on twitter today some extracts from a study on LoI crowds put up by a guy from the Shels supporter trust. Only 25% of grounds capacity is used and of course there is a major bandwagon influence on attendances, are some of the findings.

**redobit** · 20/12/2015, 2:04 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

http://www.finnharps.com/fhfc/?p=2702

Finn Harps statement on upgrades to Finn Park for the coming season and news on work re-commencing on the new stadium early in the new year.

They didn't say which new year tho ...

**ForzaHoop** · 23/12/2015, 8:05 AM

A better stadium for Harps would definitely attract better crowds but also much needed revenue with the bar, junior international games hosted there and also a venue for other things

**Mr A** · 23/12/2015, 1:12 PM

I particularly look forward to the monkey knife fights in the new Finn Park.

**gael353** · 23/12/2015, 6:43 PM

a lot of talk on here from ppl talking up very very substandard facilities. Reminds me of ppl exaggerating their attendances trying to cod people into believing that they deserve premier football due to imaginary attendances. For the record Athlone have the best stand and Harps terrace isn't at all bad but other then that its pretty ****e around the first division grounds. Has the pitch been laid in the harps new stadium yet?