Sporting Fingal FC Supporters' Thread - IMPORTANT: Read Post #1

Lamper.sffc

Let hope something could be sorted out for the club to enter at a lower level. No reason we cant keep going and build slowly from there.

We would need the help of the council and hope there is still support for the club from fingal cc. Any fingal supporters should mention this to any tds knocking on doors.

The idea of a community based club (our club) is still a sound one. Lets not let it die here if we can.

Keep the faith and hopfully something good may still come from this.

Dub XV

Good post.

Unfortunatly its come to this point now but it should always have been a slow, sound growth.

sparky12345678

Lamper.sffc wrote: »

Let hope something could be sorted out for the club to enter at a lower level. No reason we cant keep going and build slowly from there.

We would need the help of the council and hope there is still support for the club from fingal cc. Any fingal supporters should mention this to any tds knocking on doors.

The idea of a community based club (our club) is still a sound one. Lets not let it die here if we can.

Keep the faith and hopfully something good may still come from this.

As per above it should have been a slower growth both of a fan base and club structures.
I still dont see how fingal could have avoided it. Its not our fault we were parachuted in to replace a different club that had collapsed.
Its not our fault a team was assembled that was better than the first division.

hopefully we can start again, preferably in the A league, and languish for a few years in the first division. by which stage the lusk facility (which i was under the impression was seperate to SFFC) might be built.

Lamper.sffc

Dub XV wrote: »

Good post.

Unfortunatly its come to this point now but it should always have been a slow, sound growth.

I agree with you to a certain degree but having money and being successful while trying to intergrate yourself into the community wasnt the problem.

Lamper.sffc

sparky12345678 wrote: »

As per above it should have been a slower growth both of a fan base and club structures.
I still dont see how fingal could have avoided it. Its not our fault we were parachuted in to replace a different club that had collapsed.
Its not our fault a team was assembled that was better than the first division.

hopefully we can start again, preferably in the A league, and languish for a few years in the first division. by which stage the lusk facility (which i was under the impression was seperate to SFFC) might be built.

It was until the Swords stadium Idea fell through. The faclilty in lusk was only supposed to be a training facility for various local football clubs in fingal plus SF themselves. This was later changed to include other sports and the idea of fingal playing there with a view to eventually moving back to swords at some stage.

greenflash

I'm genuinely sorry that these events are causing further negative publicity for the LOI, whatever my own feelings were about Sporting Fingal as a League of Ireland club.

There are suggestions on the Bohs board that SF season ticket holders should be able to transfer their tickets to a Bohs season ticket for the forthcoming season. Hopefully many of Fingal's supporters have developed a taste for live football and would make the logical move down to Phibsborough, seeing as Bohs is still the North Dublin club and SFFC were to be based in Dalymount Park anyway.

LeoB

Lamper.sffc wrote: »

Let hope something could be sorted out for the club to enter at a lower level. No reason we cant keep going and build slowly from there.

We would need the help of the council and hope there is still support for the club from fingal cc. Any fingal supporters should mention this to any tds knocking on doors.

The idea of a community based club (our club) is still a sound one. Lets not let it die here if we can.

Keep the faith and hopfully something good may still come from this.

Good post.Firstly let me say I am a G.A.A supporter all my life and am not on here to annoy anyone. The idea behind the club was excellent and this situation now has very little to do with football or the managment of the club its down to the economic crash and Mr. Gannon going into N.A.M.A. But I think the club grew way to quickly. An amazing journey for the players, supporters and back room team. I would not be so sure of getting much backing from the council as they will be cash strapped for the next few years and the argument will be..... schols, housing, roads, footpaths.......... What does suprise me is the club which would have an excellent profile locally, nationally and possibly internationally could not get a few backers within Fingal to put together a deal of some sort.

It is however a very sound idea to keep the club going. With the population of Fingal a decent underage set-up must now be the priority for the foreseeable future. I am not a big soccer fan but thought the idea behind the club was to develop a football club in Fingal for Fingal players and supporters?

Dub XV wrote: »

Good post.

Unfortunatly its come to this point now but it should always have been a slow, sound growth.

Lamper.sffc wrote: »

It was until the Swords stadium Idea fell through. The faclilty in lusk was only supposed to be a training facility for various local football clubs in fingal plus SF themselves. This was later changed to include other sports and the idea of fingal playing there with a view to eventually moving back to swords at some stage.

The lusk venue was a great idea. I as a G.A.A supporter thought (wrongly I think) that the Fingal sports campus was going to be the base for the club? They would have the facilities to train and play L.O.I games there and other sports would be facilated at the venue, it makes sense.

Anyway its a sad day when any Irish sports club finds itself in such a situation. I sincerley hope some resoulation can be found in next few days.

Good luck.

Paulw

sparky12345678 wrote: »

As per above it should have been a slower growth both of a fan base and club structures.
I still dont see how fingal could have avoided it.

I disagree there. It could/should have been avoided.

Everyone knew that Gannon would go. Everyone knew that alternate funding would be needed. Why was this not done, even while Gannon was involed? Of course, year one and year two needed that large investment, but last year the club should have been trying to get in enough funding to do without a large injection.

I am frustrated that a club I really enjoyed being part of is gone.

JRCC

Paulw wrote: »

I disagree there. It could/should have been avoided.

Everyone knew that Gannon would go. Everyone knew that alternate funding would be needed. Why was this not done, even while Gannon was involed? Of course, year one and year two needed that large investment, but last year the club should have been trying to get in enough funding to do without a large injection.

I am frustrated that a club I really enjoyed being part of is gone.

I feel your frustration and agree that there should have been more emphasis on bringing in quality funding.

Dodge

JRCC wrote: »

I feel your frustration and agree that there should have been more emphasis on bringing in quality funding.

Maybe the emphasis should've been on cutting back, rather than trying to bring in quality funding in the harshest economc climate in decades

Wish those connected to the club well

JRCC

Dodge wrote: »

Maybe the emphasis should've been on cutting back, rather than trying to bring in quality funding in the harshest economc climate in decades

Wish those connected to the club well

Clearly cuts were part of the plan but you can't just cut your costs without further income. One example of the cuts was the deterioration in the content of the match day programme, which was remarked on by many fans. Maybe the cuts just weren't in the appropriate places.

Lamper.sffc

Is there any chance a fingal club will survive? Would the council still be interested in the original idea. I know a lot of the loyal group of supporters would still be interested in following the club and I know competing at a lower level would be no problem to them. There are plenty of clubs who are working of tiny budgets with small crowds. Athlone, Monaghan and others are prime examples. Could fingal not do the same and build from there.

Unfortunately I feel a lot of what the club was trying to do will get lost now and the club will be seen as this overpspending rich mans play thing and unfortunately the original idea will be lost. It shouldnt. The thinking behind the club was sound. So as said previously I really hope something can be saved from this.

Im so angry at what has happened because it could have been avoided.

FINGAL FAN

Really unfortunate but it looks like the end to me at least in the short term. Its a far cry from the generally positive tone given out at the meeting between club and fans only a month ago.
Cannot see the council being able to defend putting money into a football club in these depressed times given so many other things need funding.
Would like to know though what level of funding is available from sponsors at present and how far would that take things.
Great memories-Gary O'Neill running towards us after scoring the winner in the cup final and many more . Sad to see it go.

Lamper.sffc

FINGAL FAN wrote: »

Really unfortunate but it looks like the end to me at least in the short term. Its a far cry from the generally positive tone given out at the meeting between club and fans only a month ago.
Cannot see the council being able to defend putting money into a football club in these depressed times given so many other things need funding.
Would like to know though what level of funding is available from sponsors at present and how far would that take things.
Great memories-Gary O'Neill running towards us after scoring the winner in the cup final and many more . Sad to see it go.

Im not saying the council should be putting money into the club but stay involved similar to what has been done for the last 3 years, only this time stick to the original idea.
Help the club find financial backing, promote the club in the community and keep the different projects going that came from the Sporting Fingal community idea. These could and should still be kept and the club could possible still exist on a much lower budget in possibly a lower division. I wonder how much it would cost to run fingal in the A championship compared to what our budget has been previously.
It would be a terrible shame to let what was a very good idea by fingal cc die without giving it a go. Our community needs a Club in Fingal no matter what level we are at and if it takes a long time to to get established then so be it.

I for one will be mentioning it to any td who crosses my path.

Dodge

Lamper.sffc wrote: »

I wonder how much it would cost to run fingal in the A championship

The 2011 season is the final one for the A championship

Lamper.sffc

Dodge wrote: »

The 2011 season is the final one for the A championship

Is it? Havnt been keeping up with all that conversation about the league format. Have had a few other worries regarding the league;)

What happening?

Pineapple stu

Will this have an effect on our other teams, Special Olympics, Deaf and the power soccer and futsal sides? I would hate to see these sides go as well as they are the very nature of the Sports for All in Fingal project.

dsmythy

Lamper.sffc wrote: »

Is it? Havnt been keeping up with all that conversation about the league format. Have had a few other worries regarding the league;)

What happening?

I think the plan is for a larger Premier Division with the 'A' teams in the First Division. Or a larger First Division, I'm not sure.

Gavin "shels"

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2011/0210/sportingfingal.html

Sporting Fingal cease operations
Thursday, 10 February 2011 18:36

The Directors of Sporting Fingal FC have confirmed that the club has withdrawn its application for a licence from the FAI to participate in the upcoming 2011 Airtricity League season.

This decision was taken after funding targets integral to
the club's continued existence were not reached during the off-season.

Efforts to secure vital funding have been ongoing since the departure of Benefactor Gerry Gannon at the end of last season and, while this process yielded investors and backers, the failure to secure a particular key sponsor at an advanced stage of negotiations last week necessitated a revision of the club's business plan.

The closeness of this set-back to the club's opening game of the
season, next Monday in the Setanta Sports Cup, hastened the
requirement to source an alternative revenue stream.

Unfortunately, this objective was not achieved within the requisite timeframe.

It is therefore with much disappointment that the club is left with no option but to cease trading after three seasons in the League of Ireland.

Accordingly, the club's signed players are automatically
released from their contracts and can sign for other clubs as free
agents.

Liam Buckley, Director of Football with Sporting Fingal, said: 'I am
devastated for all involved with Sporting Fingal, players, staff,
fans, volunteers, directors etc, that we have been forced to bring the Sporting Fingal project to a premature end.

'Finding a replacement for our supportive backer was always going to be a major challenge but we were pleased with the progress made.

Sadly, the suddenness and timing of last week's sponsorship set-back sent us back to the drawing board, a predicament we were simply unable to overcome so close to the season kick-off.

'The core aim from the outset of Sporting Fingal's creation in 2007
was to develop a club with a particular emphasis on using sport as a vehicle for community gain within the Fingal area.

'That commitment to community development was demonstrated through the various initiatives associated with the club such as the Community Trust, partnership with the North Dublin SL, third-level scholarship agreements with DCU and ITB as well as the establishment of the Sporting Fingal Special Olympics team, the Sporting Fingal Power Wheelchair team and the bestowal by the FAI of a Football for All status on the club.

'Our success on the pitch, especially winning the 2009 FAI Ford Cup and participating in last year's UEFA Europa League, was testament to the dedication and resilience of the players.'

John O'Brien, Secretary of Sporting Fingal, said: 'It is a very sad
day, but we simply ran out of time. We are especially disappointed for everyone who has backed the project and those who have put so much into the club - the players, management, coaching and office staff, volunteers, our supporters, our partners in the North Dublin Schoolboy League, our sponsors, the FAI who have been most helpful to us from the outset and everyone who has contributed to the initiative.

'We set out to be a different kind of football club in our approach to the development of the Sporting Fingal, and I believe that we achieved that.'

TangyZizzle

And with that last post, maybe its time to lock the thread up?

CSF

Comiserations, as much as I hated the Fingal model, and the way the club was run, I still feel for the fans left without a club and the staff left without a job.

FINGAL FAN

Very sadly the end. They gave us 3 really good years. Unlike so many in Irish life recently we have ceased trading owing nobody anything which is a credit to all involved. Really feel for Liam Buckley. He put so much of himself into this project. Hope the players can sort something for themselves so close to the start of the season. Thanks for the great memories .

Lamper.sffc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kflZBDOkExo

Lads pop up any of your memories. Best games, favourite goals, best away trips. Best night with the fans whatever comes to mind pop it up.

Our first game against pats in the FAI cup stands out a lot to me. Cheers Collie for that peno (not the last time he saved us either).

Our first meeting with Shels in the league cup. The peno shoot out .

Wup wup wup wup, Pats fan haha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2tqIWd2_dw

Remember just sitting here getting updates from extratime and posting them up and chatting with other fans.


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055205208 The beginning of the first thread and what do you know Gav is there. Cant fault the prediction mind.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055205208&page=6 Not always negative though. Post 77 last line. haha

Pineapple stu

Having drinks with the ref and the linesmen after the first leg
The euro trip.
Meeting Lamper.
Robbie Doyle's tights.
Stopping shells from getting promoted
The cup win against the poor man's rovers.
Every single moment since the first friendly against hogwarts at the oscar traynor.
Newstalk cup champions
Winning a cup against Swords celtic
Winning another cup against the guards and firemen combined out in Verona with our record score of 1-12.

Paulw

I've been quiet over the last few days here. Thanks to the mods for this thread, and for keeping it open still.

I will miss the banter with the fans (you lot), the interesting chats and info gathered in the press room before games, the cup of tea at half time ... oh wait, I never got those.

Fingal was a great club. I was lucky enough to get in at the start. I think, over the three years, I missed about 6 home games in total.

The players, for the most part, were a wonderful bunch of guys. I couldn't name names, but some lads were just great. Others were a little less so. Always had good chats with them.

I enjoyed my pre-game chats with John Devine. The guy was so straight talking.

Some wonderful memories of games. Too many to list.

I've no idea of how many photos I've taken relating to Sporting Fingal. Thousands. Hundreds of images on my website and a good number used in the Sporting Fingal match programmes.

I was always very proud to say I was the official club photographer. It was a good club to be associated with. They played football the right way.

I am angry, frustrated and disappointed that the club folded. It was doing almost everything right - building community connections, building the fan base, playing good football, growing local talent ... but, they really messed up on the financial front. Why was this not prepared for better? Everyone knew that the big money from Gannon would disappear at some stage. But, it looks like the organisation didn't properly prepare for that day. They should have been doing all they could to over fund the club, and save the excess for a rainy day.

I feel very sorry for those who have lost their jobs - the players and the full-time staff. I am disappointed for all the fans and the volunteers who gave their Fri nights to make a good event.

Sporting Fingal was built on the right model, but was just funded the wrong way. Who knows what the future will hold, but I will definitely miss the Sporting Fingal games.

YNWA.

fingalgooner

3 years gone. 3 years remembered:

I remember the night we played Athlone in our first season. It was pissing rain, and the wind was cutting the legs off me in the stand. Only 250 people at the match and that night I knew I was a supporter.

The first game against Pats in the cup, we wanted to know what we would be like against a Premier league club. I remember walking up to the stadium and just the buzz of playing against a big club. It was magic. And sitting there as we were staring at a defeat. People started leaving and I swore that night I would never leave our team no matter what the score. And then to be rewarded with a Colm James penalty, which he slotted home perfectly, quality.

The away game at Bray for promotion. A great night and what an ending, their keeper went from hero, scoring at our end, to zero by coming out wide of his box, for no good reason and us getting the goal to send us up. And also the absolute gentleman at the Bray turnstiles, who welcomed us in that night and was talking to us about the cup final that was yet to come, and as we left he shook hands with any Fingal fans he came across and wished us well. A legend that any club would be proud of.

Our first Premier league game away to Bohs, great ground! The whole atmosphere was electric. And Viper standing up with the drum, A DRUM! Surely we must have arrived if we had a drum with an insignia on it! The night was amazing. We were robbed


All the draws with Ross [only kidding mate] the first home game against Rovers in the Premier league. Meeting up at the Swiss, or as my esteemed colleague once said 'in the Swiss' great atmosphere. Great craic. We were robbed

The away game to Rovers in the second round of games. Coming up them steps to see a wall of Rovers supporters over the far side roaring cheering and chanting. I remember saying to the lad beside me. Now that's football! Thinking in 20 years we might get something like that...
The game was one of the best games to be at. What a come back. What a finish. Glen Crowe and Gary O'Niell, super day. We weren't

The away game against Pats in the cup. Whoop whoop whoop. Bleeding laugh. We lost. We were robbed

The European night against Maritimo. The Porterhouse for scoop-a-rooneys. The crowds the atmosphere. I got a Maritimo scarf. The players coming back out and signing anything and everything for the young lads. Scoops back in the Porterhouse. Ross...and his Bodhran... great night great craic.


Lorcan Fitzgerald's cross/come strike. And the dance that followed.

Freddie on a bicycle! Freddie doin the moon walk. Freddie with the Lion, think it was against Limerick in our second season. Go on Freddddddiiiiieeee

And the cup final. What a fookin match. Early scoops in the Collins in Rush. Cans on the bus, that the club had hired, real football hooligans loike. Pinties in the Maldron surrounded by Sligo Fans. Great. The game. The cold :eek:. Their goal Our penalty:D Screaming at Bucko to get Bayley off The cross:) The Goal:P The after match champagne in the Collins. Wot a bleedin' day.

Dave Rogers. Robbie(Robbie) Doyle. Brian Gannon. Peter Hynes (Hynesie for Ireland). Aidan Collins. Fiachra (Fi-Fi) Mc Cardle. Alan Kirby. Ger O'Brien. Colm James. Shaun Williams. Shane Mc Faul. Ronan Finn. Gary O'Niell. Lorcan Fitzgerald. Shaun Maher. Kenny Browne. Darren Quigley or Brendan Clarke...they both look the same. Conan Byrne. I roared for you all. You boys gave me some memorable moments on freezing cold nights. I hope you all find clubs, I would like to see you all play again.

I will never follow another club. It is over. I hope one day Fingal County Council will look back and remember that the idea was a sound one. Just do it in a different manner. We will come back and watch again. No matter what league we are in. I loved our club. I loved our football.

I will still support the League of Ireland. But it ain't never gonna be the same...never.

"The shmile on your face lets me know..."

flash1080

FINGAL FAN wrote: »

Very sadly the end. They gave us 3 really good years. Unlike so many in Irish life recently we have ceased trading owing nobody anything which is a credit to all involved. Really feel for Liam Buckley. He put so much of himself into this project. Hope the players can sort something for themselves so close to the start of the season. Thanks for the great memories .

The club can't just rip up people's contracts and say they owe nothing.

Paulw

flash1080 wrote: »

The club can't just rip up people's contracts and say they owe nothing.

They almost can, if they cease trading. Statutory redundancy is best you can hope for. So, 2 weeks per year of service payment. Many players would only have had a year of service.

Aside from that, the club has no debt.

Dodge

Paulw wrote: »

Aside from that, the club has no debt.

Has it any assets that may be liquidated?

Lamper.sffc

Paulw wrote: »

but, they really messed up on the financial front. Why was this not prepared for better? Everyone knew that the big money from Gannon would disappear at some stage. But, it looks like the organisation didn't properly prepare for that day. They should have been doing all they could to over fund the club, and save the excess for a rainy day.
YNWA.

Unfortunately Paul, they did mess up big time. They knew the money was coming to an end with plenty of time to do something. They decided to gamble with our club because obviously competing at a lower level was not an option for them. Who ever said we should have big crowds and compete at the top so soon. The majority of people I spoke to where just happy to have a club. Sure the Swords supporters club was going to be set up when they thought we where in the A championship. There are plenty of teams who are surviving on small crowds and small budgets. Why not us. We actually lost a lot of support from year 1 and 2 due to the way the club was being run.
I never saw the Gannon money as a problem (the money, not the man) but what has happend since he left (actually since they knew he was leaving) has been nothing short of a complete and utter joke. I hope they are happy now. They fed the fans a pile of crap and never even tried to be honest with us and have a meeting about what was happening at the club until they had already made their decisions. It was there club as far as they seen it and they where going to do what they liked. Well it wasnt their club, it was ours, the fans or at least was.
Iv defended SF for the last 3 years against anybody and everybody but I found it near impossible in the last 3 months.

Paulw wrote: »

I feel very sorry for those who have lost their jobs - the players and the full-time staff. I am disappointed for all the fans and the volunteers who gave their Fri nights to make a good event.

Sporting Fingal was built on the right model, but was just funded the wrong way. Who knows what the future will hold, but I will definitely miss the Sporting Fingal games.

YNWA.

I agree. Its always the people who dont make the decisions in these things that are hurt the most. It was the right model and the funding was great but it was how that funding was used towards the last year or so that really Fd the club up. The fact that we had so many other clubs who had gambled for short term gain that ultimately cost them in the long run, and the people running our club couldnt see this:rolleyes: (Dublin City, Shels, Bohs to name a few), well it speaks volumes tbh.

Hopefully something may be saved from the ashes but hopefully not with the people who where runnning the club up until recently (im not including staff in this btw)