The change of guard on the the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) board will continue in the coming weeks as Paddy Dempsey is set to replace John Earley as the schoolboys' sector delegate.

It will be an FAI AGM with more than one difference in Trim today as at least six and possibly seven new faces are elected to the board, no accounts are presented to delegates and, in a flesh and blood illustration that the crisis in Abbotstown is not just a local affair, representatives from both Fifa and Uefa will be on hand to keep an eye on proceedings.

Sport Ireland has said it supports Minister Shane Ross’ call for FAI President Donal Conway not to seek re-election to the board of the beleaguered football association.

Sport Ireland Chief Executive John Treacy has said that the FAI’s implementation of the Governance Review Group report would be a “hugely important” step towards the restoration of funding.

The administrators of the four provincial football associations have issued a statement backing John Delaney’s tenure as FAI CEO, praising the “contribution of Mr Delaney to the grassroots game”.

In a League of Ireland sector beset by short-termism, the FAI are offering clubs up to €5,000 each to formulate a plan charting a five-year strategy.

Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill has reiterated he has no problem with Roy Keane taking up his new role as assistant manager with Aston Villa.

The difficulty in attracting punters to Lansdowne Road during Giovanni Trapattoni’s final year in charge is reflected by declining turnover in the latest set of accounts for the FAI.

Hopes of a single Galway team to compete in next year’s Airtricity League are starting to dim as one of the four group involved in discussions indicated there has been no progress made in crunch talks.

BEFORE we get to what he’ll be saying at today’s FAI AGM, it’s worth starting with where they’re having that annual meeting because it’s something of a statement too.

THE FAI have announced that its finance director, Mark O’Leary, is today leaving the association to return to work in industry and commerce after five years in the job.

ON THE morning after an international in Dublin, it’s customary for Giovanni Trapattoni to present his latest health report on the Irish team.

Officials have announced at the FAI AGM that they are confident about the independent review into the Saipan affair.