Limerick FC maintain their push for vital public funds

Although Limerick FC are still short of their financial target the club, thanks to an overwhelming public response to their plight, will survive their short-term financial difficulties.
Limerick FC also hope that more members of the local business community will follow Pat O’Sullivan’s lead and pledge funds which will ensure the future of the League of Ireland club.
Last week Pat O’Sullivan made a significant contribution to Limerick FC after the club made a public plea for aid at a meeting hosted at the Strand Hotel on Sunday, June 21.
At that meeting the club outlined the fact that if it didn’t receive a financial injection to the tune of €70,000 by Saturday, June 27 the club would be wound up and its League of Ireland licence revoked.
Club chairman Jack McCarthy had also indicated that he was prepared to resign as club chairman and put in motion a process which would see the US-based lawyer sever his ties with Limerick FC.
During his 18-month reign as club chairman Jack McCarthy has poured €300,000 into the Super Blues, but now Mr. McCarthy is not in a position to ship another significant debt this season.


Limerick FC PRO Joe Sweeney was delighted to announce this morning that the 72-year-old will survive.
“Although the club is still striving to achieve its financial goals the club will survive and I would like to thank everyone that has contributed and pledged money to the club,” Joe Sweeney told Leader Sport.
“We still haven’t got enough, but we are further along the line.
“We’re still short and the push is still on to attract more money into the club.
“We still want more people to join Leo’s Lottery and we still need more members of the business community to get involved to ensure the long-term future of the club.
“Although we have not yet achieved our financial goals, the public response to our plea for financial help has given everyone in the club a great lift. We’ve received calls and pledges from all over the mid-west and it really has been very encouraging for everyone involved.
“We need more businessmen like Pat O’Sullivan to make a contribution to the club. We need members of the business community to get on board. We need people to look at our plans and realise that our long-term plans for the club and the development of the facility at Knockalisheen will make Limerick FC self-sufficient. If we can get more prominent businessmen like Pat O’Sullivan on the board of directors that will help the club push open doors of opportunity that maybe the management committee can’t open.
“Everything helps and the response so far has been excellent.”
It is not known at this point whether the introduction of Pat O’Sullivan to the League of Ireland club’s board of directors will alter the structure of the club or change how Limerick FC does its business.
It is likely that such administrative changes will be tackled as soon as his humanly possible.
If you are prepared to make a contribution to Limerick FC or wish to join Leo’s Lottery please contact the Super Blues on 061 324 563 or 085 769 4324. Alternatively you can visit LimerickFC.ie for more information or to download the forms required to join Leo’s Lottery or pledge money to the club.
Last week the Limerick Leader, in an article concerning a public meeting hosted by Limerick FC, reported that a question arising from a member of the public suggested that the FAI had ‘some hand to play’ in the League of Ireland club losing a high-profile friendly against Roy Keane’s Ipswich Town at Thomond Park.
The Football Association of Ireland have been in contact with the Limerick Leader and Leader Sport is happy to clarify that the FAI officially sanctioned a friendly game for Limerick FC at Thomond Park and that such rumours are entirely without foundation. The national association would also like to point out that it aided the League of Ireland club by helping the club to negotiate the rental of Thomond Park at a reduced cost and that it facilitated meetings between Sunderland and Glasgow Celtic on behalf of the club.
The FAI would also like to clarify that it fully supports Limerick FC through its current financial difficulties and that it also intends to do so in the future.
The FAI has gone to great lengths to support soccer in Limerick which included Giovanni Trapattoni’s appearance at a corporate dinner in the Castletroy Park Hotel, it has attempted to support soccer on Shannonside through its grants system while it also maintains its support for a potential return of the club to the Market’s Field.
Limerick FC return to competitive action this Thursday night (July 2 at 8pm) when the Super Blues make the arduous journey to Kingspan Century Park in Monaghan to take on Monaghan United in the League of Ireland First Division.
Meanwhile the Limerick District League Management Committee (LDMC) would like all clubs to take note that on Thursday, July 9 registration forms for the 2009-10 season will be handed out in Jackman Park at 7.30pm - all clubs are hereby notified that half fees for the 2009-10 season must be paid on the night.

Brian McDonnell

Limerick hope supporters will follow O’Sullivan’s lead

ALTHOUGH businessman Pat O’Sullivan has come to Limerick FC’s rescue with what has been described as a “significant and generous” contribution to the club coffers Limerick FC now hope that many more will follow Mr. O’Sullivan’s lead.
The Limerick FC management committee and board said that Mr. O’Sullivan has “stepped up to provide substantial financial support”.
The Super Blues club chairman Jack McCarthy added that “several individuals and businesses have already donated between €250 and €500 to the club” while many more members of the public have already signed up to Leo’s Lottery to bolster the club’s finances.


At a public meeting on Sunday night in the Strand Hotel the League of Ireland club revealed that it required €70,000 by next Saturday, June 20 or the club would face financial ruin - the club appealed to the general public for contributions to “ensure the future of Limerick FC”.
Irrespective of Mr. O’Sullivan’s generous contribution the club desperately hope that even more members of the general public will join Leo’s Lottery at a cost of €21 per month.
On Sunday night the club’s management committee went to great lengths to highlight how far Limerick FC had come since the current administration took over just 18 months ago while it also outlined its plans to become a self-sufficient entity through the development of an income-generating facility at Knockalisheen.
Pat O’Sullivan, who originally hails from Ballylanders and owns Galtee Fuels and Green Heat, maintains an interest in all sports.
And, club PRO Joe McSweeney was careful to highlight Mr. O’Sullivan’s generous contribution last evening: “Pat is a local successful business man with a genuine interest in soccer and he has the future of Limerick FC at heart.
“He brings us considerable business acumen and is a very welcome addition to the Limerick FC board.”
Jack McCarthy, Limerick FC chairman, also expressed his appreciation explaining that the “team is fortunate to have a man of his calibre and standing to join us.
“Soccer being the most played sport in the city, county and indeed the entire mid-west can help to keep young people out of mischief and help them become the best they can be,” he said.
Mr. McCarthy also praised the management committee for its “unwavering dedication” and added that “despite the challenges I have grown to love this club and I am thrilled that local investors are getting behind us.
“Limerick deserves a successful football organization just as in the early 1960s and 1980s.
“Pat O’Sullivan is leading the way and with continuing support from the Limerick community we can achieve our financial goals.”
Although the League of Ireland is on a break this week and the Super Blues will not return to competitive action until Thursday, July 2 when they travel to Monaghan United, manager Pat Scully has strengthened his squad further with by signing Cillian O’Connor from Athea United.
Meanwhile the Limerick FC under-20 side play Mervue United in Galway this Saturday in a pre-season friendly - the under-20 league campaign begins on the first week of July.
If you are prepared to make a contribution to the club or wish to join Leo’s Lottery please contact the Super Blues on 061 324 563 or 085 769 4324.

BRIAN MCDONNELL

Time is fast running out for a financially stricken Limerick

TIME is running out for Limerick FC - the club requires a financial injection to the tune of €70,000 from the general public by next Saturday or the 72-year-old Super Blues will cease to exist.
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