The case for Drogheda United's survival

A P

I'm going to start this thread with the view of reminding people of the important roles a League of Ireland club can play in the community. Many of you are aware of Drogheda United's predicament - the club appears before the High Court next Thursday Jan 22nd to have its fate handed down. The fact that mistakes were made by the club are not in doubt. We have all made mistakes. Their mistakes have cost them the guts of €8 million between them.

On Monday morning, I, as a fan, asked for other fans to submit their reasons why they wanted the club to survive, with a view of presenting it to the High Court next week. I'll post a few of the submissions here - hopefully they'll make the odd person think again about giving the league a chance.

I'll start the ball rolling with the views of former Drogheda player Andy Myler:

To whom it may concern:

I was lucky enough to play League of Ireland football for 15 years. I was even more fortunate that 3 of those years were for Drogheda United FC. Those 3 years, because of the support and passion of the DUFC fans, were 3 of my best years playing football. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to United Park but it’s a special place to play. It’s not the most comfortable ground in the world and has none of the trappings of glamour that you’d associate with English top-flight football but when there are even 2,000 people in it the atmosphere is electric. I count myself extremely fortunate to have seen many nights like that in United Park that I’ll never forget.

The feeling of camaraderie with the fans; fans that won’t turn on their team at the first opportunity and only ask that you do your best, fans that travel the length and breadth of the country (and lately Europe) to support their team spending thousands in the process. Drogheda United is synonymous with Drogheda town and for the town to lose its sporting heart would be tragic in the extreme. I’d implore you not to let that happen.

I know from speaking to many people involved that the right lessons have been learned in this particular struggle and if DUFC can emerge from this they will be stronger for it with a bright future ahead in these gloomy times. It’s arguable whether a GAA club would ever find itself on the side of a planning decision like the one DUFC just have and are struggling as a consequence of trying to bring a 21st century amenity to the Drogheda area.

Drogheda fans are amongst a group of maybe 3 in the country who support their club enough to raise the revenue that they have recently. Their fundraising efforts have astounded everyone involved in football and I hope that this effort is allowed to make a difference and the club is allowed continue as the fans undoubtedly deserve. I recently attended a fundraising effort in Drogheda and to see that passion for the club up close again was fantastic. What was really fantastic about it was the people there were aged from 7 to 70 and represented the entire Drogheda community. That’s what DUFC does, it draws the entire town in and if it was to go the entire town would miss it.

In a time when it looks like the country will need to take some harsh financial realities on board our sport becomes even more important, Drogheda United can make a difference in these times and help give a community an outlet which they need that provides jobs, entertainment and a focal point for a whole region to rally around.

Don’t let it Die!

Andy Myler
Former Player

A P

Cllr. Gerald Nash

Member of Louth County Council & Drogheda Borough Council

Former Mayor of Drogheda (2004-2005)

It would be utterly inconceivable to allow the circumstances in which Drogheda United FC currently finds itself (many of which were beyond the control of the Club and the company which operates it) to consign it to history.

If the effort, spirit and energy which has been expended in the last two months to save our Club from financial and sporting ruin could be reproduced, bottled and sold on, it would be no exaggeration to suggest that the country itself would be out of recession and back on its feet before the summer.

Apart from the success of Drogheda United., the town of Drogheda has not had much to shout about over the last few years. During the fabled Celtic Tiger years, major jobs announcements, hospital developments and Government Ministers seemed to have mastered the knack of effectively ignoring Drogheda.

The town was in danger of having its proud identity diluted and weakened, becoming little more than a settlement where people came to buy a cheaper house in one of the countless new housing developments on the fringes of its historic core, leaving early in the morning, coming home late at night and rarely engaging in community life.

However, one thing made us all – native and newer arrivals – universally proud. One cannot put a price on the transformational quality the success of our football club has had in engendering a deep sense of civic pride, pride in our community, local and regional solidarity and a greater collective sense of self-confidence rarely seen in this area.

Admittedly, I find it extremely difficult to remain objective when it comes to Drogheda United FC. This is a feeling universal to all true football fans when the subject of their club arises.

No objective analysis of the situation could conceive of the sixth largest population centre in the State being left without a senior football club of its own into the future. At all times, those who operated, worked for and supported the Club have always been motivated by and acted in the best interests of Drogheda United FC and the community it serves.

In chasing the dream of a successful and sustainable football club, mistakes may very well have been made in terms of the financial exposure. Everyone in the Club has had time to reflect in recent weeks and as the continued efforts of supporters, Directors and our friends in the wider community have amply demonstrated over the last two months, there is an appetite and a hunger for Drogheda United not just to simply emerge from this process but to learn the lessons from our experiences and to grow and develop the Club again.

A P

From a fan living in London:

"Having lived in London for almost 20 years, I've been to many important football matches…..champions league, major premiership clashes, FA cup finals. I've experienced crowds of 60,000 in magnificent new stadia with teams playing some of the most sublime football imaginable. However, none of them compare to the buzz I get going to United Park on a Friday night to see the Drogs - there might not be Ferraris in the car park and champagne in the corporate hospitality suites, but it's real football watched by real people living in the local community. The day we beat Cork to win the FAI cup was better than Ireland winning a world cup final. Beating Cork to win the league was like winning the lottery.

Drogheda United is one of the greatest assets in the town, often one that is taken for granted…….but when we needed funding to stay alive the people of Drogheda rose to the challenge. They are proud of the club and what it has achieved and they have dug deep when we thought all hope was lost.

Keeping the club alive isn't about big business - it's about pride in a local institution, a club to inspire young and old and to bring a huge amount of happiness (and very often frustration!) to all. It's something which brings families and friends together in a positive way. At every home match, I see a man with his son who is in a wheelchair - both avid fans decked in Drogheda colours, totally committed to the cause, united as a father and son, united as fans of Drogheda United. For them, more than anyone, please keep this club alive."

monkey9

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the events that have preceded so far, i truly want Drogheda to survive!!

A P

My own take on things:

Dear Justice Finlay Geoghegan

To attempt to sum up the last fifty days is a difficult task, but I'll do my best. Over 400 of us sat in Drogheda Institute of Further Education (DIFE) on December 3rd as the dire predicament facing the club was laid bare before us. Club chairman Vincent Hoey, the man responsible for the creation of many of our happiest memories, sat before us, tears in his eyes, asking for guidance on the way forward. He posed the question - do we cut our losses and bid the club farewell, or roll up our sleeves and fight tooth and nail to preserve the cornerstone of our lives? It was a rhetorical question. The people of Drogheda are not quitters.

I've been attending Drogheda United matches for the last nine years. My fellow supporters and I have enjoyed and endured many highs and lows. Being a Drogs supporter is like being on a never-ending rollercoaster ride - our spirits sent soaring by our recent unprecedented successes in the League and Cup competitions, only to be sent plunging by the vagaries of the planning system jeopardising the club's existence.

Vincent Hoey on December 3rd declared that the club was now on a 'war footing'. His soldiers left DIFE that evening with fire in their bellies and determination within them to keep the club alive at all costs.

The winning and losing of a war is decided by a number of factors. Who has the best artillery? Who has the biggest army? Who has the strongest desire? Mark Twain once wrote that "it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog". He was right, and you can substitute Drog for dog in that adage.

In a war, youngsters are often called up to the front line out of necessity. They don't often volunteer to do so but things happen differently here in Drogheda. Two young warriors best exemplified the willingness of the community to fight for the survival of its prized asset. The exploits of Jonathan Lynch and Dean Fortune and their families have been a shining light in the darkness of recent weeks.

Seizing the bull by the horns before any other fundraisers had been organised, the two schoolboys gathered their books, DVD's, computer games and Nintendo DS console and headed off to the local market at 7.30am on a bitterly cold Saturday morning to set up a stall to sell their wares. Six hours later their persistence and haggling skills were rewarded with over €350 collected for the 'Save the Drogs' fund.

The next day, the 13 year-olds arrived at a treadmill marathon fundraiser in Scotch Hall shopping centre and pleaded to be allowed to get involved. Both ran 5.2 miles each and served up a thrilling climax to the race. Jonathan's team won narrowly by a matter of seconds, his never-say-die attitude epitomised by his inhalation of two puffs of his asthma-relieving inhaler while running and refusing to stop to take a break. Young men who'd run through brick walls to save the club. Spirit like that can't be bought.

Dean was obviously a chip off the old block, as his mother Sinead Fortune had been making waves of her own. Her sponsored 24-hour fast was rendered more poignant by a name written on her sponsorship card alongside a donation of €20. The name was that of Johnny Hughes - a character if there ever was one - always ready with a wisecrack and a cheeky grin to go with it. If you cut Johnny he'd have bled Claret and Blue. Johnny died two days after sponsoring Sinead's fast. One of his last acts was to donate €500 to the club's survival fund, and it subsequently emerged that he had bequeathed his treasured Honda 50 motorcycle to the club in his will. A gesture the measure of the man. A huge crowd gathered to mourn his passing - his coffin draped in a Claret and Blue flag as he was returned to the earth. His death notice in the local paper requested no flowers, rather a donation to the 'Save the Drogs' fund.

They say that a crisis brings out the best in people. Being honest before November my only contribution to the club was the €20 admission at the gate on match night and a few roars of encouragement from the terraces during each match. I realised that I had taken the club for granted over the years. The meeting in DIFE served as a wake-up call to me and many others. The threat of having no club to support next season awoke in us a fierce determination to do our utmost to prevent such a calamity. The people of the town have risen to the challenge in spectacular fashion ever since.

I could fill pages with the inspirational stories to emerge over the last few weeks but I'll narrow it down to three.

The day after the meeting in DIFE, a pensioner came into the 'War Office' in United Park to make a donation, sacrificing half her pension only three weeks before Christmas. She explained it was her Christmas present to her dead husband who had been a fan for years.

Graham Gartland, the club's Player of the Season in 2008, went beyond the call of duty to help our cause. His respect for the club and its fans personified by his generous and thoughtful actions. Despite his car breaking down an hour before the event, he arrived as promised to run a mile for each team in the treadmill marathon race, and volunteered to be auctioned off the following night if the price was right! €1,220 was donated to the club for his services. He also offered his signed jersey worn in the 2006 Setanta Cup final for auction, with a further €500 being raised from that.

Roddy Collins, manager and controversial soccer pundit - a love-him-or-hate-him figure in Irish soccer circles - also stepped up to the mark when asked. He agreed to coach a team of Drogheda United supporters in a fundraising match against a team of St Patrick's Athletic supporters. Not only that, the brother of former boxing world champion Steve Collins also offered to box three supporters for one minute if a significant donation was made to the fund. €1155 was raised in 15 minutes for it to happen, with former mayor Malachy Godfrey scoring a comical knockdown to the amusement of the large crowd gathered in the twilight on the pitch.



Every second Friday night I look to my right in United Park and watch in admiration as a group of enterprising youngsters unfurl flags, beat drums and sing songs incessantly to motivate the team. Like the heartbeat of the club, they travel the country, saving their pocket money to invest in tickets, transport, flags and replica jersies.

The club has undoubtedly given their lives a focus. As a pharmacist working in a disadvantaged area of Dublin, I have witnessed at first hand the scourges of crime and drugs and their human costs. They say the devil makes work for idle hands. I shudder to think what would happen to these youngsters and future generations if they were to lose this guiding force in their lives.

Sticking with the theme of youth, one of the most entertaining and heart-warming features of matches in United Park is the underage match at half-time. Boys and girls from schools in the locality get the chance to play in front of an appreciative audience every week. 4,500 children have taken part in the last three years alone. Children with learning difficulties are regularly invited, and it is a pleasure to watch them noticeably growing in confidence as they display their skills before us. Another positive force that could be taken away if the club doesn't survive.

So now the 50-day war has come to an end. A war fought with no casualties. A war fought with hearts and minds, wallets and bank accounts, courage and conviction. The people of Drogheda have given the battle their all. The history books have their story. The final task is to write the ending. Justice Finlay Geoghegan, the pen is yours. Please give us the outcome we deserve.

Is mise le meas

monkey9

A P wrote: »

My own take on things:

Dear Justice Finlay Geoghegan

To attempt to sum up the last fifty days is a difficult task, but I'll do my best. Over 400 of us sat in Drogheda Institute of Further Education (DIFE) on December 3rd as the dire predicament facing the club was laid bare before us. Club chairman Vincent Hoey, the man responsible for the creation of many of our happiest memories, sat before us, tears in his eyes, asking for guidance on the way forward. He posed the question - do we cut our losses and bid the club farewell, or roll up our sleeves and fight tooth and nail to preserve the cornerstone of our lives? It was a rhetorical question. The people of Drogheda are not quitters.

I've been attending Drogheda United matches for the last nine years. My fellow supporters and I have enjoyed and endured many highs and lows. Being a Drogs supporter is like being on a never-ending rollercoaster ride - our spirits sent soaring by our recent unprecedented successes in the League and Cup competitions, only to be sent plunging by the vagaries of the planning system jeopardising the club's existence.

Vincent Hoey on December 3rd declared that the club was now on a 'war footing'. His soldiers left DIFE that evening with fire in their bellies and determination within them to keep the club alive at all costs.

The winning and losing of a war is decided by a number of factors. Who has the best artillery? Who has the biggest army? Who has the strongest desire? Mark Twain once wrote that "it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog". He was right, and you can substitute Drog for dog in that adage.

In a war, youngsters are often called up to the front line out of necessity. They don't often volunteer to do so but things happen differently here in Drogheda. Two young warriors best exemplified the willingness of the community to fight for the survival of its prized asset. The exploits of Jonathan Lynch and Dean Fortune and their families have been a shining light in the darkness of recent weeks.

Seizing the bull by the horns before any other fundraisers had been organised, the two schoolboys gathered their books, DVD's, computer games and Nintendo DS console and headed off to the local market at 7.30am on a bitterly cold Saturday morning to set up a stall to sell their wares. Six hours later their persistence and haggling skills were rewarded with over €350 collected for the 'Save the Drogs' fund.

The next day, the 13 year-olds arrived at a treadmill marathon fundraiser in Scotch Hall shopping centre and pleaded to be allowed to get involved. Both ran 5.2 miles each and served up a thrilling climax to the race. Jonathan's team won narrowly by a matter of seconds, his never-say-die attitude epitomised by his inhalation of two puffs of his asthma-relieving inhaler while running and refusing to stop to take a break. Young men who'd run through brick walls to save the club. Spirit like that can't be bought.

Dean was obviously a chip off the old block, as his mother Sinead Fortune had been making waves of her own. Her sponsored 24-hour fast was rendered more poignant by a name written on her sponsorship card alongside a donation of €20. The name was that of Johnny Hughes - a character if there ever was one - always ready with a wisecrack and a cheeky grin to go with it. If you cut Johnny he'd have bled Claret and Blue. Johnny died two days after sponsoring Sinead's fast. One of his last acts was to donate €500 to the club's survival fund, and it subsequently emerged that he had bequeathed his treasured Honda 50 motorcycle to the club in his will. A gesture the measure of the man. A huge crowd gathered to mourn his passing - his coffin draped in a Claret and Blue flag as he was returned to the earth. His death notice in the local paper requested no flowers, rather a donation to the 'Save the Drogs' fund.

They say that a crisis brings out the best in people. Being honest before November my only contribution to the club was the €20 admission at the gate on match night and a few roars of encouragement from the terraces during each match. I realised that I had taken the club for granted over the years. The meeting in DIFE served as a wake-up call to me and many others. The threat of having no club to support next season awoke in us a fierce determination to do our utmost to prevent such a calamity. The people of the town have risen to the challenge in spectacular fashion ever since.

I could fill pages with the inspirational stories to emerge over the last few weeks but I'll narrow it down to three.

The day after the meeting in DIFE, a pensioner came into the 'War Office' in United Park to make a donation, sacrificing half her pension only three weeks before Christmas. She explained it was her Christmas present to her dead husband who had been a fan for years.

Graham Gartland, the club's Player of the Season in 2008, went beyond the call of duty to help our cause. His respect for the club and its fans personified by his generous and thoughtful actions. Despite his car breaking down an hour before the event, he arrived as promised to run a mile for each team in the treadmill marathon race, and volunteered to be auctioned off the following night if the price was right! €1,220 was donated to the club for his services. He also offered his signed jersey worn in the 2006 Setanta Cup final for auction, with a further €500 being raised from that.

Roddy Collins, manager and controversial soccer pundit - a love-him-or-hate-him figure in Irish soccer circles - also stepped up to the mark when asked. He agreed to coach a team of Drogheda United supporters in a fundraising match against a team of St Patrick's Athletic supporters. Not only that, the brother of former boxing world champion Steve Collins also offered to box three supporters for one minute if a significant donation was made to the fund. €1155 was raised in 15 minutes for it to happen, with former mayor Malachy Godfrey scoring a comical knockdown to the amusement of the large crowd gathered in the twilight on the pitch.



Every second Friday night I look to my right in United Park and watch in admiration as a group of enterprising youngsters unfurl flags, beat drums and sing songs incessantly to motivate the team. Like the heartbeat of the club, they travel the country, saving their pocket money to invest in tickets, transport, flags and replica jersies.

The club has undoubtedly given their lives a focus. As a pharmacist working in a disadvantaged area of Dublin, I have witnessed at first hand the scourges of crime and drugs and their human costs. They say the devil makes work for idle hands. I shudder to think what would happen to these youngsters and future generations if they were to lose this guiding force in their lives.

Sticking with the theme of youth, one of the most entertaining and heart-warming features of matches in United Park is the underage match at half-time. Boys and girls from schools in the locality get the chance to play in front of an appreciative audience every week. 4,500 children have taken part in the last three years alone. Children with learning difficulties are regularly invited, and it is a pleasure to watch them noticeably growing in confidence as they display their skills before us. Another positive force that could be taken away if the club doesn't survive.

So now the 50-day war has come to an end. A war fought with no casualties. A war fought with hearts and minds, wallets and bank accounts, courage and conviction. The people of Drogheda have given the battle their all. The history books have their story. The final task is to write the ending. Justice Finlay Geoghegan, the pen is yours. Please give us the outcome we deserve.

Is mise le meas

Christ man, if you were Palestinian, the Israeli's would be f*cked. So you like Drogheda Utd then, yeah?

SectionF

Great to see that commitment to your club, and it certainly puts things in perspective. Fantasy football, not.

A P

Drogheda United is at the heart of our communtiy. If there was any doubt about this it was dispelled by the huge fundraising campaign that has involved everybody from the town and surrounding area over recent weeks. Pensioners, schoool children, supporters have all played their part. I have never seen anything to bring the community together in such a spirit of unity and purpose.'

'To me this great club represents all that is best about Drogheda. Sporting excellence, community pride, and above all a sense of togetherness that was particularly evident in the extraordinary sporting success of recent years. It would be heartbreaking for the people of Drogheda if there was a threat to the future of the club. It means so much to so many people. I know that the club and supporters will work might and main to ensure that Drogheda United not only survives but goes on to achieve even greater success in the future.''

Frank Maher,
Mayor of Drogheda.

Zebra3

I would never wish for any football club to go out of business, but you're right, huge mistakes were made by those running your club.

I hope you survive, but are only given a licence for the 1st Div or A Champ next season.

Question:Who owns United Park?

monkey9

Just promise them that, as a community, you will endeavour to pronounce your R's correctly and you should be fine!!

A P

Only if you promise to give me a Staaa Baaa or a Maaas Baaa!:D Thanks for all the positive feedback so far. Zebra3 - I'm not sure about the ownership of United Park I'm afraid - I think it's held in trust by the FAI - we can't sell it unless we're moving to a new stadium.

For those who aren't aware of it, the community has raised in excess of €200,000 in the last 6 weeks to try to save the club. A monumental effort, especially considering the current economic climate. Where there's a will, there's a way.

A P

From Paul Holland, organiser of the half-time underage matches:

4,500 kids over the past three seasons have played the half-time game at United Park.

We have had a fantastic response from underage clubs and schools in Drogheda and the surrounding areas of Louth,Meath and Dublin over the past three years.

The kids' excitement at playing in the big match atmosphere on a magnificent surface at United Park was a hugely popular feature of every home game at United Park and indeed Dalymount Park for the big European matches.

I wish to add that the Drogs players were at all times most obliging in meeting the kids before each game and standing in for the souvenir team photo.

Drogheda United were always most accomodating in welcoming players,coaches and parents free of charge to United Park. Such was the popularity of the Half Time game that often there was a waiting list of up to 7 months!

Apart from the competitive football clubs in the area,special efforts were also made to involve other groups in the community on a regular basis eg Drogheda Special Olympics and St.Ita's Special school Drogheda.

The Meath Echo Newspaper has taken a special interest in the club over this time and regularly featured stories and photos of the many Meath clubs visiting Utd Park .

The Drogs supporters and very often the big travelling support eg Shamrock Rovers,Bohs,Pat's were always most encouraging to the youngsters,cheering them on and applauding them off the pitch.

For the record here are the details of Half -Time Visitors in 2006,
2007 and 2008.


LOCAL CLUBS
Albion Rovers U-9s,10s,11s,12s,13s,
Ardee Celtic 9s,10s,
Ashbourne Utd 8s,9s,
Balbriggan 10s,11s12s,
Balscadden8s,9s,10s,
Boyne Rovers8s,9s,10s,11s,12s,13s,
Carlingford Celtic8s,9s,
Cloughertown Utd 9s,10s,11s,12s ,
Donacarney Celtic 9s,10s,11s,12s ,
Drogheda Boys 7s,8s,9s,10s,11s,
Drogheda Town 8s9s10s,11s,12s,
Drogheda Utd Ladies,
Drogheda Utd Summer Camp 9s to 12s,
Drogheda Special Olympics,
DDSL Drogheda,
Duleek FC 8s,9s,10s,11s,12s,
Duleek & Bellewstown girls 10s,11s,
Dunshaughlin Youths10s11s,12s,
Eagle's Wing FC 7s,8s,9s10s11s,12s,
East Meath Utd 8s,9s,10s,11s,12s,
Glebe North 9s,10s,11s,
Grove Rangers 8s,9s,10s,11s,12s,
Holy Family FC 9s,10s,
Johnstown FC 9s,10s,11s,12s ,
Kells Boys 9s,10s,11s,
Kentstown 9s,10s,
Kingscourt Harps 12s,
Moneymore 8s,9s,10s,11s,12s,
Moneymore girls
Parkvilla8s,9s,10s,11s,12s,13s, ,
Ratoath Harps10s,11s,12s,
Rossin Rovers8s,9s,10s,12s,
Skerries Utd 8s,9s10s,
Slane Wanderers 10s11s,
Tara Utd 9s,
Torro Utd 10s ,
Trim Celtic 9s10s,11s,12s, ,
Trim Town 7s,8s,9s,10s
& Walshestown 7s,8s,9s,10s

LOCAL SCHOOLS
Ballymakenny Girls ,
Cannistown,
Congress Ave,
Cortown,
Gaelscoil na Ríthe (Dunshaughlin),
Kildalkey Girls,
Lismullen,
Mount Hanover,
Newtown,
St.Joseph's Mercy Navan,
St.Ita's Special School Drogheda,
St.Paul's Rathmullen,
St.Joseph's CBS Drogheda,
St.Peter's Church of Ireland,
Scoil Mhuirí Dunleer,
St.Joseph's Dundalk
FAI Schools Meath selection
FAI Schools Louth Selection
Drogheda District League Selection
Whitecross (Julianstown)
& winners/ runners up from EA Sports FAI Schools 5-a-side.

Paul Holland

A P

Reports of the various fundraisers that have taken place since December 7th 2008:

Treadmill marathon December 7th report:

Billed as the 'Race against Time', the treadmill marathon race took place at the entrance to Scotch Hall shopping centre on Sunday December 7th. Arranged at short notice, supporters of all ages and fitness levels stepped up to the challenge to run a mile or more to help raise money for Drogheda United.

The appearance of star attraction Graham Gartland was put in jeopardy as his car broke down an hour before the scheduled starting time. Luckily, his determination not to let us down coupled with the swift actions of a supporter ensured that he was delivered to Scotch Hall in the nick of time.

The spirit of two young supporters stood out on a memorable day. Jonathan Lynch and Dean Fortune arrived at the scene and asked to be allowed to take part. After running a mile each, they pleaded to be allowed to run again later on. By the end of the marathon each had run a total of 5.2 miles, with the two youngsters serving up a thrilling climax to the race. Jonathan's team stole a narrow win by completing the 26.2 miles in a very respectable 3 hours, 41 minutes and 18 seconds - his never-say-die attitude epitomised by his inhalation of two puffs from his asthma-relieving inhaler while running and refusing to stop to take a break.

The event was attended by Drogheda United players Guy Bates, Ibrahima Iyane Thiam, Joe Kendrick, Tony Grant and of course Graham Gartland.

Bucket collections on the day raised in excess of €2,300 - one passing shopper contributed €150 as she saw the efforts being made.
They say a marathon is the ultimate test of strength, determination and character - those who took part on Sunday showed those traits in abundance.

======================================================


Auction December 8th Report:

An auction took place in the Windmill House pub adjacent to United Park following the match between Northside and Southside Drogheda supporters on December 8th 2008. Items such as signed league and cup-winning jersies, framed match posters, Premiership match tickets and customised Drogheda United laptops were on offer, and several items sold for in excess of €500.

The most unusual and most sought-after item was Player of the Year Graham Gartland. After compere Vincent Hoey had announced Graham was willing to go on a date with someone for the right price, Graham vigorously objected to the reserve price of €100: "that's too cheap - I'd pay that for meself"! What followed was a fierce and hilarious bidding war, with several supporters pooling their resources to ensure that they got their hands on the man himself for a night out.

The winning bid was €720, and another supporter pledged €500 to the 'Save the Drogs' fund for Graham to take a coaching session with some youngsters, which of course Graham readily agreed to. Just over €8,000 was raised on the night.

=========================================================

Report of bucket collections in Donore and Waterunder Retail Parks:

On Sunday and Monday January 4th & 5th a team of enthusiastic volunteers stationed themselves outside the likes of Homebase, TK Maxx and Harvey Norman in Donore Retail Park for a total of 17 hours in bitterly cold conditions to raise much-needed funds to help Save the Drogs. Thermal socks were the order of the day, but people's generosity warmed the hearts of the collectors as people of all ages and nationalities dug deep to help us out. Supporters of other League of Ireland clubs were especially generous. One lady told us "I really shouldn't be giving you anything - I'm a St Pat's supporter but I don't want ye to go bust". Several supporters of our local rivals Dundalk FC also contributed - one man joked that 'there'd better not be a camera here - I can't be seen doing this!" Over the two days, €1504.41 was collected.

Waterunder Retail Park was our next port of call the following Saturday and Sunday January 10th & 11th. There we staked out the likes of Lidl, Heatons, Woodies and Smyths for hours on end, and our efforts were rewarded with a further €2,453 being raised over the two days. Every contributor had a word of encouragement and expressed concern about the future of the club. It was clear over the two weekends of collections that there was a huge appetite amongst the citizens of the town for its prized community asset to be preserved.

==========================================================

Drogs fans v St Pats fans Report:

On Sunday December 28th a team of Drogheda United supporters took on a team of St Patrick’s Athletic supporters in United Park in a match to raise some much-needed funds to help save the Drogs. All the players paid €50 to take part. Drogheda's squad, captained by Owen Campbell, was bolstered by the presence of former players Andy Myler and Gary Cronin, and was managed for the afternoon by manager and football pundit Roddy Collins. He arrived at 2.30pm and headed straight for the dressing room to give a hilarious team-talk to 20 people he had never met before. He was cracking jokes and making fun of everyone in the vicinity, himself included!

On what was a crisp sunny day, the match itself was a highly competitive affair played in a great spirit, with Roddy's Drog squad winning out 4-2, with Andy Myler and Gary Cronin accounting for three of the Drogs goals. Both had played significant portions of their careers in the Claret & Blue and retain a lot of affection for the club, indicated by their insistence on paying to play in the match and on making an extra contribution to the fund as well.

Roddy, the brother of former world champion boxer Steve, volunteered to box three Drogheda United supporters if a sufficient sum was donated to the survival fund. A rapid whip-around raised €1155 for it to happen, and a large crowd gathered in the twilight on the pitch to witness the light-hearted sparring session. Former mayor Malachy Godfrey was the first to take him on and he sent Roddy tumbling to the turf in comical fashion to the cheers of the crowd. Just over €3,000 was raised on what was a very enjoyable day and a lot of credit must be given to the St Pat's fans and Roddy Collins for coming to our aid in our hour of need.

Nalz

For what its worth, I really hope Drogs survive.

A P

From a Drogs fan living in Boston:

"Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community." Anthony Burgess

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing in regard to the upcoming decision on Drogheda United Football Club

Drogheda is a town with a remarkable history. From Newgrange to the battle of the Boyne, every student has to study about the area at some stage. But what about contemporary Drogheda? If you were to interview a cross section of Irish people about modern Drogheda, with the exception of DUFC, they would know very little at all. And to be fair, until recently there was very little for the people of Drogheda to get excited about.

I was born and raised in Drogheda. As children growing up in the 80s, I and most of my friends were guilty of having very little community spirit and even less pride. I live in Boston now and return home occasionally and it warms my heart to see how much things have changed, not in an economic sense, but in a social sense. This is mostly due to Drogheda United and the people who run the club. A successful football club seems to have been the key to unlocking social unity and civic pride, the likes of which we have not seen in Drogheda for a long time.

On a national or cross border level, Drogheda United's participation in the Setanta cup has done more to break down stigmas and stereotypes than any other local cross border initiative. The camaraderie built between fans of Drogheda United and Portadown is just one example of this. Again, a far cry from the Drogheda I grew up in. This is largely due to the effort and work put in at United park.

I have just touched on the importance of this club at local and national level, but my most recent experience is the importance of Drogheda United at an international level.
Given the current political situation in the middle east it is worth remembering the Israeli Palestinian football tournament organized by Ophir and supported by the club.
Over the last few years I have been privileged enough to do a lot of traveling. I am what is known as "a Drog in exile" and there is nothing better than meeting someone from town when your traveling through Asia. I have met fellow Drogs in America, Australia and Vietnam. Football is an international language, they are even learning it here in America! It fills me with pride to tell everyone the David V Golliath story of our clash with Kiev or the penalties against IK Start. I have swapped scarfs, Jerseys and tales of Drogheda with football fans allover the world.

I realise how privileged I am to have traveled so much but when 7:40 comes round on a Friday night I would swap it all to be making the short walk from Mothers, up Windmill road and over to my usual spot on the far side.
I am 32 now and happily married in the US and I have never been prouder of the town I grew up in. This, in my opinion, is thanks to the club I love.

SantryRed

Ok, I want them to survive.

But it's a fcuking disgrace that the FAI have been helping them.

SectionF

SantryRed wrote: »

Ok, I want them to survive.

But it's a fcuking disgrace that the FAI have been helping them.

Did they never help Shels?

SantryRed

By guaranteeing wages and helping out in talks, no, no they didn't.

DSB

Honestly couldn't give a fiddlers if Drogheda survive or not. They saw what happened Shels, plenty of their fans laughed at me at the time. They pursued an unsustainable business model anyway, and got what was coming to them. Hoey is a disgrace, and if they're allowed away with this by scrounging off the local people, then clubs in this country will never learn a lesson.

The FAI would have let Shelbourne FC die if they could.

Zebra3

So having purchased United Park in the past when Drogheda United went into financial problems and now with the FAI underwriting their current survival and them now asking local businesses and the taxman to fund them for the time being....can we have it in writing that this will this be the club's last time to put out the begging bowl?

pablomakaveli

I'd like to see Drogheda survive. I enjoyed the City matches i attended when we were playing Drogheda. I still have fond memories of a 3-2 thriller against Drogheda in the Cross a couple of years ago.

Even though Drogheda spoiled my first visit to Lansdowne road by beating us in the FAI cup final i'd still like to see the club survive.

The stadium plans that fell through were ambitious and would have provided the kind of facilities that even the barstoolers couldn't have turned their noses up at.

Hopefully i'll get to see many more City V drogheda matches at the Cross. So good luck to Drogheda from me anyway.

Zebra3

pablomakaveli wrote: »

The stadium plans that fell through were ambitious and would have provided the kind of facilities that even the barstoolers couldn't have turned their noses up at.

The stadium plans were ambitious all right. An ambitious front for building a new town of 5,000 houses.

A P

This just in from one of our younger fans. Doubt this could be said about any Premiership team.

I am writing this on behalf of all the young drogheda united supporters who love this club and are there week in week out no matter what the outcome may be. Drogheda United over the past few years has become more than just a football club to myself and many other young and old fans, this club is our life. We wake in the mornings just waiting for that friday evening to come to see the mighty drogs again be it in united park or them long away trips which many do week after week which shows the huge loyalty and desire showed to this team. Drogheda United is the back bone to not just the local community of Drogheda but stretching to areas such as Balbriggan and Duleek just to name a few. Fans in general need this club because without it what else does it leave us to adore and love in such an area as Drogheda - not much I am afraid. Within the recent weeks fans of all ages have expressed their love and desire for Drogheda United to survive by partaking in many different fundraising events and the results speak for themselves with such large figures raised. From the point of view of a young Drogs fans attending Drogheda United games has socially benefited not just myself but many people as great bonds and friendships are created and this leads to a strong feeling of unity between young and old fans which is important to the community as we all feel as one. Not enough words can begin to express the emotion, the attactment, the loyalty we all feel towards Drogheda United. This club means everything to us, this club is our life, this club unites us as one, this club is the heart and soul of all of us involved. Drogheda United is EVERYTHING to us!!

DSB

None of these tributes are any case for Drogheda United's survival.

dreamers75

Hope Drogs survive even if its the 1st div.


As a bonus anything that pisses off shels fans gets a from me.

DSB

Surely the administrator isn't even doing his job properly if he lets romanticised rubbish sway his decision. I'm not saying I wouldn't be doing the same if it was Shels, but when you see politicians and all getting involved in this its a bit of a joke. Do Drogheda fans honestly expect proper fairness and equity to those clubs who have spent within their means and didn't get those beautiful titlewins and trips to Kiev (god knows Shels aren't one of them, but we survived within our means and if we stop being able to, theres pretty much no doubt we'll be finished). Every single club out there has fans who care as much about them as these devoted Drogheda fans clearly do, but it doesn't mean that it should become like your typical Christmas movie, and the rules are bent for them to survive. If they get the necessary figures, they should survive. If not, bye bye Drogheda.

pablomakaveli

dreamers75 wrote: »

Hope Drogs survive even if its the 1st div.


As a bonus anything that pisses off shels fans gets a from me.

I was actually dissapointed to see Shel's get relegated when they went bust.

However the bitter attitudes of a lot of Shel's fans have changed my mind about that. There the only club in Ireland that i'd genuinely like to go bust and no longer blight the LOI with their presence.

DSB

pablomakaveli wrote: »

I was actually dissapointed to see Shel's get relegated when they went bust.

However the bitter attitudes of a lot of Shel's fans have changed my mind about that. There the only club in Ireland that i'd genuinely like to go bust and no longer blight the LOI with their presence.

Like the numerous sequels of Cork have over the years?

A P

From another young Drogs fan.

I'll not speak on behalf of the ultras or any group of fans. i can only speak on behalf of me and my family. ever since i was knee high to a grasshopper i was told stories by my grandfather and parents about drogheda united. tales of the great gel martin, cup finals in dalymount park, the day spurs came to town and that all important half time bovril in the lourdes stadium. a memory that will always stay with me is seeing my grandfather in tears after the fai cup final, in disbelief that the day he never thought he would see had finally come. drogheda united has been central to my family for 3 generations now. i have been brought along to games since i could see over the railing. iv stood on the terraces in the wind rain and hail for the bottom of the league clashes, iv stood in the stands in kiev and tallin as our humble little football club took on the mighty clubs of europe. iv seen it all in my few years supporting the drogs.drogheda united has become the core of my life. holidays are booked around fixtures, my fridays are spent travelling the country, even the xmas decorations have a claret and blue theme. drogheda united is my life . if i have children in the future then i cannot wait to sit them down and tell them all the great tales of this football club. tell them of all the greats and heroes that i have seen. tell them of all my adventures following the drogs. but it would be worth nothing if they could not see it for themselves and have the same experiences i have had the last 16 years with the drogs. this club has been in my family for 3 generations now Justice Finlay Geoghegan you have the power to make sure it is in my family for 4 generations and beyond. please dont let our football club die.

pablomakaveli

DSB wrote: »

Like the numerous sequels of Cork have over the years?

You've pretty much justified my remarks about the attitudes of Shels fans. thanks:)

DSB

pablomakaveli wrote: »

You've pretty much justified my remarks about the attitudes of Shels fans. thanks:)

Don't worry, I meant to.

DSB

PS. I've also decided to write to the administrator, tell him about my strong ties with Shelbourne, and the great experiences I've had supporting them all over the country, and how much they mean to me and my family, and maybe he'll send me Messi, or Ronaldo or a new bike.

CiaranC

Shels fans are so bitter. So bitter Im almost starting to like them.

Zebra3

pablomakaveli wrote: »

I was actually dissapointed to see Shel's get relegated when they went bust.

We didn't go bust, but hey, don't worry about annoying little things like facts get in the way of something as unimportant as the truth. :rolleyes:

Back OT, as was pointed out earlier in the thread, the judge won't be swayed by any of the stuff posted above by A P. The judge must make his decision on whether or not the business (in this case the company that Drogheda United FC trade as) can survive in the future and if they do, how much those they owe money to stand to lose out on.

I hope they survive, but I hope the FAI relegate them too. Something I'd like to think that any decent Drogheda fan would understand and accept.

An away trip or two to United Park next season I could take.

A P

We've raised over €200k in the last 6 weeks. We've done our absolute best. This weekend even more fundraisers are planned to try to get us every bit of money possible to pay the creditors. If you were in our shoes, you'd try everything in your power to try to save the club you love. Precedence in Cork's situation gives us some hope that the community effort can at least be considered when the decision is handed down. Fingers crossed


Irish Times 17 October 2008

The only creditor to oppose the scheme was the Revenue whose objections were described by Mr Justice Kelly as not having any validity. Revenue objected because of the level of payment it would receive and because it was not satisfied the scheme had a reasonable prospect of of success.

The judge said the Revenue's view "flies in the teeth" of evidence put before the court by the examiner, who was an independent accountant and who viewed the scheme as being in the best interests of the company.

Revenue had not called its own qualified person to contradict the examiner's evidence.

The Revenue would receive 16.96 per cent of what it was owed under the scheme, the judge said. If the football team was successful in the final of the Setanta Cup on November 1st, that figure could rise to 24.6 per cent.

The judge said he had further evidence that the transfer of a number of players, and the fees from this, could ensure the full amount owed to creditors could be paid in the future. If a winding-up order was granted, Revenue would receive 33 per cent, but this did not take into account the costs of examinership and winding up, the judge said. Mr Justice Kelly said he also had to take into account the role the team played in the life of Cork. He had noted the "eloquent comments" of a teacher involved with the club and its importance to children and young adults in the city.

pablomakaveli

Zebra3 wrote: »

We didn't go bust, but hey, don't worry about annoying little things like facts get in the way of something as unimportant as the truth. :rolleyes:

I'll admit i made an error in regards to the above.

Losing there manager and a lot of their players will probably mean Drogheda won't be able to compete in the Premier Division next season. Competing in the first division will allow them to rebuild a squad like shelbourne did a few years ago.

It'll be a question of who takes their place in the premier division if that happens though.

A P

Just to clarify, I think relegation to the first division would be a fair sanction for us. United Park probably won't qualify for a Premier Division license anyway. All we want is a reason to look forward to Friday nights this season.

DSB

A P wrote: »

Just to clarify, I think relegation to the first division would be a fair sanction for us. United Park probably won't qualify for a Premier Division license anyway. All we want is a reason to look forward to Friday nights this season.

I'm sure Kildare County fans do too though. I don't necessarily hope Drogheda go bust or anything. I just hope the fair outcome is the actual outcome. If Drogheda raise the kind of money that any business needs to be given the all clear, then by all means go, otherwise Kildare County deserve the Division One spot. Can't let romanticised fan stories come into it. Because every single club has them, and how do you pick the Drogheda United fans over the Kildare County 1s? Because theres more?

_blank_

pablomakaveli wrote: »

It'll be a question of who takes their place in the premier division if that happens though.

UCD

DSB

Seems like it'll be Finn Harps, which is a disgrace.

redzerdrog

DSB you are a wanker of the highest order.

DSB

redzerdrog wrote: »

DSB you are a wanker of the highest order.

Why? Because I don't believe Drogheda deserve a place in the league ahead of Kildare County, who were relegated because they weren't spending the ridiculous amounts that Drogheda are, despite having seen what happened Shels. What makes the sob stories of Drogheda fans who actually got some fun along the way with that money they didnt have, more important than those of Kildare County?

PDN

A P wrote: »

Just to clarify, I think relegation to the first division would be a fair sanction for us. United Park probably won't qualify for a Premier Division license anyway. All we want is a reason to look forward to Friday nights this season.

As a Drogs fan I agree. If we survive Examinership then we're going to be fielding a youth team next year and every game will turn out to be a thrashing where our former players score hat-tricks against us. That would hurt attendance & gate receipts and hinder the work of financial rebuilding.

Much better to stick us in the First Division. This will send a strong signal that clubs that spend beyond their means can't get off scot-free. It will also give time to build a team that can compete. I would certainly buy my season ticket to watch a team of Drogheda youngsters competing in the second tier of Irish football.

DSB

PDN wrote: »

As a Drogs fan I agree. If we survive Examinership then we're going to be fielding a youth team next year and every game will turn out to be a thrashing where our former players score hat-tricks against us. That would hurt attendance & gate receipts and hinder the work of financial rebuilding.

Much better to stick us in the First Division. This will send a strong signal that clubs that spend beyond their means can't get off scot-free. It will also give time to build a team that can compete. I would certainly buy my season ticket to watch a team of Drogheda youngsters competing in the second tier of Irish football.

I think that is the most likely scenario to be honest. There is no way that Drogheda will be eligible for a Premier Division licence. I doubt they'll apply. It wouldn't really be sending a message out though, because this has all happened before not too long ago.

pablomakaveli

DSB wrote: »

It wouldn't really be sending a message out though, because this has all happened before not too long ago.

I'd disagree with that though. The sheer number of clubs that had problems last season has woken everyone up to the problems that exist. Add on the current economic recession in the country and i don't think clubs could spend big even if they wanted to do so.

DSB

pablomakaveli wrote: »

I'd disagree with that though. The sheer number of clubs that had problems last season has woken everyone up to the problems that exist. Add on the current economic recession in the country and i don't think clubs could spend big even if they wanted to do so.

How could they not have been awake to it already though? They have accountants. I mean there are clubs who would have been sustainable only for the recession, but Drogheda, Shels and probably Cork were going down the tubes no matter what happened. It has just gotten more media coverage this year because almost everyone has some kind of trouble.

DundalkDuffman

It's the fans of DUFC that I feel most sorry for. I can understand other fans wanting the club to pay for their mistakes and I can kind of agree but its hard to see any club in trouble regardless of hte reasons for it. The FAI have also helped out Cobh this week yet no one is complaining about that. I hope DUFC come through this, as already stated they are unlikely to get a premier licence with the ground as is but as a Dundalk fan I think that the league is better with them in it than not

Zebra3

A P wrote: »

We've raised over €200k in the last 6 weeks. We've done our absolute best. This weekend even more fundraisers are planned to try to get us every bit of money possible to pay the creditors. If you were in our shoes, you'd try everything in your power to try to save the club you love. Precedence in Cork's situation gives us some hope that the community effort can at least be considered when the decision is handed down. Fingers crossed


Irish Times 17 October 2008

The only creditor to oppose the scheme was the Revenue whose objections were described by Mr Justice Kelly as not having any validity. Revenue objected because of the level of payment it would receive and because it was not satisfied the scheme had a reasonable prospect of of success.

The judge said the Revenue's view "flies in the teeth" of evidence put before the court by the examiner, who was an independent accountant and who viewed the scheme as being in the best interests of the company.

Revenue had not called its own qualified person to contradict the examiner's evidence.

The Revenue would receive 16.96 per cent of what it was owed under the scheme, the judge said. If the football team was successful in the final of the Setanta Cup on November 1st, that figure could rise to 24.6 per cent.

The judge said he had further evidence that the transfer of a number of players, and the fees from this, could ensure the full amount owed to creditors could be paid in the future. If a winding-up order was granted, Revenue would receive 33 per cent, but this did not take into account the costs of examinership and winding up, the judge said. Mr Justice Kelly said he also had to take into account the role the team played in the life of Cork. He had noted the "eloquent comments" of a teacher involved with the club and its importance to children and young adults in the city.

If the club isn't a viable entity "going forward", you won't win your case regardless of that sort of guff.

DSB wrote: »

Seems like it'll be Finn Harps, which is a disgrace.

Why is it a disgrace? They're next in line as per the rules.

redzerdrog wrote: »

DSB you are a wanker of the highest order.

:rolleyes:

CiaranC

Look. Rovers and Cork came out of administration ok because they put a viable plan to bring the clubs forward. A fan owned, funded and run club in Rovers case, and Coughlan & FORAS in Corks case.

What do Drogheda intend doing? As far as I can see, they intend leaving the club in the hands of the idiots that got them into this mess. There is no protest against Hoey et al up there, nada, zilch, nothing. Instead, the gob****es are collecting money for Hoey to give to the examiner and compensate creditors.

I cant see any way they wont be wound up.

DSB

Zebra3 wrote: »

Why is it a disgrace? They're next in line as per the rules.

Replacing a team in financial meltdown with another team in financial meltdown makes no sense no matter what way you look at it.

Zebra3

They have some financial issues, so do we.

They're building a brand new stadium that they're gonna own. We're not.