Maguire bows out as Rovers’ chairman

Liam Mackey

The resignations will not affect the ongoing examinership, since a minimum requirement of two directors remain in place. Under the examinership, which was instigated by Maguire, Rovers are seeking investment to rescue a club which has debts of nearly E2.5 million.

Maguire remained tight-lipped about the reasons for his decision, although sources suggest it may in part have been motivated by a desire to leave a clean slate for any new investors interested in running the club.

The resignation came after the chairman, fellow members of the board and their legal representatives, had spent most of Wednesday night meeting with the FAI’s First Instance Committee to answer questions about alleged irregularities in the club’s application for a licence to play in the eircom League this season.

Maguire insisted after the meeting that the club had received a fair hearing.

The First Instance Committee have still to announce the results of their deliberations, which could see sanctions imposed on Rovers, ranging from a points deduction to expulsion from the league.

John Byrne, a trustee of the 400 Club, the fans’ group which is seeking to take control of the club, welcomed the resignation, but wished the outgoing chairman well.

Speaking in a personal capacity, he said: “I’m sorry to see Tony go but it’s probably for the best. With new owners coming in, they’ll be appointing their own chairman. And hopefully, it’s the 400 Club that’ll be doing that.”

Meanwhile, John Aldridge’s agent has rubbished reports that the former Republic of Ireland and Liverpool player was planning to head up a Merseyside-based consortium to buy the Hoops.

Reports suggested that Aldridge, along with Manchester City’s Robbie Fowler and Steve Morgan, the property magnate who had previously attempted to take control of Liverpool FC, were prepared to sink 4m upfront into the club.

However, Dave Lockwood, Aldridge’s agent, dismissed the story in no uncertain terms.

“That’s absolute garbage. It sounds like somebody is trying to get cheap publicity for Shamrock Rovers,” he said.