Rovers’ 400 club wants affairs run by fans, for fans

Liam Mackey

The committee will deliberate further after meeting last night with members of the board of Shamrock Rovers and their legal representatives, who had been called in to answer questions about alleged irregularities in their clubs licence application at the start of the season.

Also, last night the Hoops supporters' trust, the 400 Club, was unveiling its plans to save the embattled club at a well-attended public meeting in Trinity College.

The fans heard the 400 Club aims to raise E825,000 in the next week to facilitate negotiations with the Examiner as it bids to buy the club.

Spokesman Dave Carpenter said that it was estimated that it would take E500,000 and tighter cost control including a substantial reduction in the wage bill to keep Rovers operating until 2007 and the hoped-for move to Tallaght.

Carpenter also said that if the money could be raised it was likely that other investors would row in behind the venture. And he said that with the projected move to Morton Stadium next season, a six-figure sponsorship deal could come on-stream.

The organisation hopes to raise funding through the forward sale of five, 10, 15 and 20 400 Club block memberships.

Carpenter also outlined a vision for the future if the fans are successful in getting control of the club.

A new company would invest in a restructured Branvard the company which currently owns Rovers and appoint a new board of directors based on shareholders.

A full-time staff, including CEO and commercial manager, would also be appointed.

Carpenter said: "The football club would be owned and operated by the fans for the fans."

Another alternative to what was described as "the doomsday scenario" of the club going into liquidation, was that the fans would go into partnership with other investors.

And in the event of other investors demanding total control, monies raised by the 400 Club drive could either be repaid or used for other developmental initiatives to help the club.

Carpenter also stressed that all the money invested in the 400 Club drive would have a fully-documented audit trail.

There were also reports last night that former Glasgow Celtic player and manager Billy McNeill has agreed with the 400 Club to bring his 1988 double-winning team to Dublin to play in a fundraising game against Rovers in June.