LFC Gone?

[joeSoap]

Wrong. What we're looking for now is a structure. Something solid, but unspectacular to see the club through until it finds its feet.

[Magicme]

Exactly Joe....sugar daddy's melt when there is rain.

This could be the best thing to happen to the STRUCTURE of football in Limerick in the long run. Its easy for us to look and shake our heads at what went on but so many clubs have been & some still are being run haphazardly. Its the nature of the beast, people who are committed to football are not always good at business and good business people often have no real interest in the football.

I for one will miss Limerick this year, I love that trip & have made some good friends down there. But I am (yeah I know Mr til I die) an optimist who does think that in a year or so a strong community based Limerick FC will be back in the league.

Best of luck lads and hope you can pull something together.

[geezer]

why dont yee get a few of yee to set up a mobile retail/information stand in the shopping centres of limerick. It will generate debate, help find other supporters out there who might help, have a petition there and you will find people will respect yee for your love of the club. dont let it die ffs. The GUST guys and girls in galway nearly sold 3k in 4 hours at one shopping centre nearly enough to pay them outstanding fines yee have. Time for real actions not bitchin sessions and pointing fingers

[Philly]

Guys isn't it too late now?

I mean unless the club drags this through the courts and wins what else can be done to get into the eL?

Re-apply perhaps?

[joeSoap]

Watch this space............

[BohsFans]

What did you do that you have fines of €3,800?

[joeSoap]

UEFA related fines over the ground not being up to scratch.

[Terry]

FAI are now saying on there website they are looking for a replacement club in Limerick to replace Limerick FC?

[JohnD]

Intersting piec on the RTE website:

"The adjudication both at first instance and appeal stages is carried out by two separate committees comprising independent outside experts in the fields of legal, financial, infrastructural and sporting administration,' Delaney commented.

He added that the FAI would welcome other applications for a license from the Limerick area.

'We want a healthy Limerick based club in the new eircom League of Ireland and if interested entities seek a licence, we would assess them carefully for their suitability to meet the criteria required to play in the league."

The Plot thickens

[Lionel Ritchie]

Intersting piec on the RTE website:

He added that the FAI would welcome other applications for a license from the Limerick area.

'We want a healthy Limerick based club in the new eircom League of Ireland and if interested entities seek a licence, we would assess them carefully for their suitability to meet the criteria required to play in the league."

The Plot thickens

I can see where they're coming from. I've been thinking for some time this might need to happen to clear out the dead wood from the whole Limerick set up -in a one step back to take two steps forward way.
As a lapsed supporter I've been long since baffled as to what, for example, tethers us to Rathbane/Hogan Park. Why can't we just **** off somewhere else, be done with all connection to the place, the priest and the whole soap opera that goes with it?

..and if we did go -why keep approaching junior football to give us a home when we're only going to be getting in each others way?

Limerick is Rugby City ...surely one of the Rugby clubs would be interested in having us as a tenant when there's so little overlap in our seasons.

I'm thinking if someone else out there puts together a package for a team playing out of Limerick with that little bit done they'd be seriously considered.

[JoeyFantastic]

Does anyone else suspect that the FAI just want to be shot of the whole Limerick FC fiasco, with Drew, Young and the others, and are hoping and praying another group will come in and set up a team away from all the above mentioned headcases?

UL are rumoured to want a team in the new league, they'd certainly have the resources to set a team up .

People always say Limerick is a rugby city, and a hurling county, but if that is the case, why are the junior sides so strong? Imo, football is still a huge sport in the city, just not as well run as intercounty GAA or Munster rugby.

[jebus]

Fair play to Kilkenny for offering us their ground, that said Limerick FC playing in Kilkenny would die a fast death next year. The only other point I'll make about this situation is to say that from what I've heard Michael O'Sullivan worked his arse off recently to try to keep this club going so fair play to him on that point too.

I'll leave the rest of my ranting off till I get back down to the pub

[Kerry Blue]

Intersting piec on the RTE website:

"The adjudication both at first instance and appeal stages is carried out by two separate committees comprising independent outside experts in the fields of legal, financial, infrastructural and sporting administration,' Delaney commented.

He added that the FAI would welcome other applications for a license from the Limerick area.

'We want a healthy Limerick based club in the new eircom League of Ireland and if interested entities seek a licence, we would assess them carefully for their suitability to meet the criteria required to play in the league."

The Plot thickens

I wonder does this mean that the FAI want another team completely to join the league by applying for a license or could it be that if new ownership of the club was put in place then Limerick FC could re-apply for their license?
I'm not that well up on junior football in the city but would any of the major clubs like Pike, Fairview etc be really interested in joining the eL and would they be able to meet the criteria to attain a license? It still seems to me that Limerick FC under whatever ownership or guise it will be in the near future is still the best bet for a senior club in the city. Obviously though the major stumbling block is still the ground situation. I'm not sure that ground sharing with one of the rugby clubs would work as the logistics of changing pitch markings and goalposts could prove a right pain. And anyway the two seasons would still overlap by quite a few months. Surely the main aim for the club has to be to obtain a permanent home for itself wherever that might be.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Irish sugar daddies only invest in football clubs based in ENGLAND and SCOTLAND bloody batsards

[thelimerick]

[QUOTE=JohnD;592794]

'We want a healthy Limerick based club in the new eircom League of Ireland and if interested entities seek a licence, we would assess them carefully for their suitability to meet the criteria required to play in the league."

QUOTE]

An interesting quote and it certainly ssems to open the door for potential investors who do not want to deal with the "unhealthy" set-up currently in place. It could allow people to sidestep Drew and co. and even continue a Limerick FC in the league without loosing its history.
I do genuinely feel for Drew in the loss financially incurred by him during his reign but thats where my sympathies stop. Its not good simply enough to throw money at a problem, the lack of a clear strategy for the attaing the goals of the club (ie. promotion and a successfull club on and off the pitch) clearly let us down. If a proper structure was put in place then that money could have had a lasting effect. We can blame joe Young all we want (and yes he has a lot to answer for) but we have no birth right to Hogan Park and as soon as it was apparant we were not getting the lease we should have initiated a plan to get us out of there and shut up about the matter. Instead Drew harped on and on about it without making any provisions for the reality of being homeless come licence application time. And its not just the ground that failed us here, our blatant unprofessionalism that ruined us throughout helped finish us off.
There continues to be people standing up for Drew here and I just can't see why. The way he has conducted himself since taking over, firing loyal staff by text, hiring and firing coaches, installing himself as caretaker manager while an experienced manager sat in silence on the bench to name but a few examples, has put us where we are.
That said we now need to actually do something and stop talking, we need a meeting and we need it now. For a start just the supporters, get ideas going vote in on courses of action if needed. The main thing is we start the process. So can we just do that?

[4tothefloor]

That said we now need to actually do something and stop talking, we need a meeting and we need it now. For a start just the supporters, get ideas going vote in on courses of action if needed. The main thing is we start the process. So can we just do that?

Set a date and venue then. You're one of the most vocal supporters on here, and you also know a lot of the posters on here personally. Set a date and venue for some night and those of us that are interested will attend. Even a pub would do as initially I can't see more than 20 turning up. Next wednesday night for example?

[thelimerick]

Set a date and venue then. You're one of the most vocal supporters on here, and you also know a lot of the posters on here personally. Set a date and venue for some night and those of us that are interested will attend. Even a pub would do as initially I can't see more than 20 turning up. Next wednesday night for example?

This seems to be getting sorted on the "Meeting Now" thread, the consensus seems to be just after Christmas, see you there.

[Edgey]

Maybe this has been suggested elsewhere, if it has apologies, but as relations seem to be improving between the LDMC and senior soccer in the city shouldn't the possibility of selling Jackman and developing another ground be seriously examined.

The site that Jackman is obviously unsuitable for EL but would probably be worth a nice few quid given its location and the cost of developing some place with a bit of space around it would probably be cheaper than trying to renovate Jackman.

Of course there'd be all kinds of issues like ownership etc but it could be explored.

[gael353]

Maybe this has been suggested elsewhere, if it has apologies, but as relations seem to be improving between the LDMC and senior soccer in the city shouldn't the possibility of selling Jackman and developing another ground be seriously examined.

The site that Jackman is obviously unsuitable for EL but would probably be worth a nice few quid given its location and the cost of developing some place with a bit of space around it would probably be cheaper than trying to renovate Jackman.

Of course there'd be all kinds of issues like ownership etc but it could be explored.

Ive said this on many many an occasion. The LDMC would be nicely set up financially. If ye look at jackman, one field with as i see it limited dev potential as opposed to (im just saying) rathbane = three pitches and loads of dev oppertunity or markets field one pitch with tons of spare land and access routes etc. But its the LDMCs decision and one i have no say in its just my opinion.

[paudie]

Have ye seen the ad in the Examiner today looking for applications for First Division licences from interested parties in the Limerick area?

Haven't time to paste it here but at least the FAI are giving senior soccer a last chance for next season.

Applications to be in by 2nd January.

PS After Cork United went bust in the 80's there was at least one season with no Cork team in the league before City was formed.

It might be no harm having a season "off" so that a proper club structure can be set up. All depends on there being a vacancy still available for 2008 of course.

Best of luck to all LFC fans anyway