At a public meeting in the Strand Hotel on Sunday evening the League of Ireland club’s management committee outlined the fact that Limerick FC can no longer rely on the financial support of chairman Jack McCarthy and that the process to wind up the club will begin today, June 22.
There is hope however.
Jack McCarthy has allowed the management committee a “stay of execution” until next Saturday, June 27, but a substantial financial commitment is required before then to save the club.
Last night’s meeting, which was opened by PRO Joe Sweeney and attended by 69 members of the public, began with general manager Kieran Judge explaining the financial position of the stricken club.
Kieran Judge explained that the management committee received a letter from Jack McCarthy, dated June 11, which informed the club that Mr. McCarthy was resigning as chairman and that the process involved in winding up the League of Ireland club would begin on Monday, June 22.
To compete in the League of Ireland a club requires an income of at least €200,000 per annum while the Limerick FC budget this season ranges between €240,000 and €250,000 - the Super Blues currently attempt to survive on a gate income of €70,000.
That income is based on an average home gate of 400 paying customers while the club estimates that it requires a constant influx of 1,100 supporters at home games to guarantee the long-term future of the club.
In Jack McCarthy’s 18 months as chairman of Limerick FC the US-based businessman has poured €300,000 into the Super Blues, but McCarthy is now not in a position to support the club from a financial point of view.
“We have lost our main benefactor,” explained Kieran Judge.
“Since we received Jack’s letter we have exhausted every other avenue possible so now we’re turning to the public in an appeal for funds.
“Jack came in intending to stabilise the club and he did that. Now it’s up to the people of Limerick to support it.”
Former CEO of the club Andrew Mawhinney further illustrated the financial woes of the club by pointing out that Limerick FC have exceeded their overdraft limit and that €70,000 was required to keep the club afloat for the rest of the season.
“To be fair to Jack McCarthy, he saved and re-invented the club,” added Andrew Mawhinney, “but like any businessman he has taken a big hit this year and he simply cannot afford to put more money into Limerick FC. Jack is no longer in a position to support the club. And, if a rescue package is not forthcoming the company will be wound up, our League of Ireland licence will be revoked and we will have no team.”
In an emotional address to those in attendance club promotions officer Paul O’Riordan highlighted how far the club has come during the past 18 months while he especially highlighted how the development of the Knockalisheen centre into an income-generating facility could guarantee the long-term future of Limerick FC.
“Our plan has always been to become self-sufficient and with the amount of soccer being played in Limerick and the support for soccer here we should be able to maintain a senior soccer club in Limerick,” Paul O’Riordan said.
“We are confident that self-sufficiency is achievable. We plan to bring the club to that stage, but our problem now is short-term. We want to get to a stage where we no longer have crises like this one and that the club will be able to run itself. We want to develop the best soccer facility in the mid-west, but we are still two or three years away from seeing Knockalisheen developed into an income-generating facility. We are looking to be a club, not just a team.
“Over the last 18 months the management committee has voluntarily devoted over 6,000 hours to the club. We believe in the potential of this club and we believe that there are people out there who can help us drive the club forward. We’re looking to get to a stage where we don’t need anyone to help us out. We don’t want any more bail outs. We want to get to a stage where we can look after ourselves.”
Club secretary Michael O’Sullivan further echoed those sentiments: “we want to give young players a platform to represent Limerick city and county in the League of Ireland. That has been the focus of this club down through the years through all its various guises. Are we going to tell these young players that if you want to play League of Ireland football you are going to have to go to Cork or Galway to do so? I hope not!”
The FAI could find itself facing a significant PR fall out from the meeting in the Strand Hotel on Sunday evening.
When Joe Sweeney opened the meeting to the floor the very first question referred to rumours circulating for the past number of weeks that the FAI had some hand to play in frustrating the Super Blues’ attempts to host a high-profile friendly at Thomond Park.
As previously reported by Leader Sport Limerick FC had lined up Roy Keane’s Ipswich Town for a friendly which Thomond Park was expected to host on July 17 next. That friendly, which could have generated an estimated €100,000 for the club, was cancelled recently with Waterford United now planning to host Roy Keane’s Ipswich Town at the RSC in Waterford on that exact date.
While FAI CEO John Delaney was in Limerick last week, along with International Performance Director Wim Koevermans, for the Kennedy Cup which was hosted by the University of Limerick it is not known at this point whether Mr. Delaney has had any input into how the Super Blues can extricate themselves from their current financial difficulties.
A member of the public who attended last night’s meeting described the rumour that the “FAI had interfered with the staging of a friendly at Thomond Park” as a “scandal” while another speaker on the night said: “the onus is on the FAI to keep the game alive in this city - all this for the sake of €70,000. Their function is to keep clubs like this one alive. They’re the people who should be trying to save this club, but it sounds like they’re actually tripping ye up. In my opinion it’s two fingers up to the FAI if we can manage to keep this club alive.”
Club PRO Joe Sweeney said that “we are in on-going negotiations with the FAI. We’re not at liberty, at the request of the FAI, to discuss the details of those negotiations.”
Former CEO of the club Andrew Mawhinney described the loss of the high-profile friendly to the club as the “saddest day of my life”.
Andrew Mawhinney resigned, due to personal reasons, as CEO of the club last February, but Mr. Mawhinney remained on as a member of the board while he also agreed to take responsibility for two projects on behalf of the club.
A disheartened Andrew Mawhinney said that he was personally disappointed that both projects had failed. Promoting Limerick FC’s return to the Market’s Field was one of those projects.
Although the FAI will present a vision document for the development of a municipal stadium at the Market’s Field to the stakeholders during the coming weeks Mr. Mawhinney did not look confident that a return to the spiritual home of Limerick soccer was in the offing.
Andrew Mawhinney’s other major project involved Limerick FC hosting a high-profile friendly at Thomond Park which the former CEO now admits is “not going to happen”.
Mr. Mawhinney, who looked obviously perturbed by the experience, said that “we were confident of holding a high-profile friendly at Thomond Park, but due to circumstances beyond our control that friendly is not going to happen”.
Limerick FC are hoping that one of two rescue options can save the 72-year-old club from extinction. ‘Rescue Option One’ involves ten additional directors joining the club at a cost of €7,000 per director.
But the most practicable option, and obviously the preferred choice of the club, is ‘Rescue Option Two’.
‘Rescue Option Two’ involves three separate parts - firstly the club hopes that 400 members of the public will join Leo’s Lottery at a cost of €21 per month or €5.25 per week. Four hundred additional subscriptions to the monthly club lotto would generate an income of €31,500 for Limerick FC.
The club also hopes that 37 businesses will contribute €500 (generating €18,500 for Limerick FC) while the management committee also hope that 100 individuals will be prepared to donate €250 to the Super Blues (€25,000 in all).
If you are prepared to make a contribution to the club or if you can help the club surmount their financial obstacles in any way please contact Limerick FC on 061 324 563 or club PRO Joe Sweeney on 086 234 4833 as soon as possible.
BRIAN MCDONNELL
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