High Court paves way for Hoops takeover

THE High Court yesterday approved a scheme for the survival of Shamrock Rovers, paving the way for the takeover of the club by its supporters.

Chair of the fans' group, the 400 Club, Jonathan Roche said: "This is a great day for Shamrock Rovers and every single supporter.

"The fans simply refused to let the club die. Our primary aim was to save the club from liquidation. That has been achieved, so we must immediately move on to the next phase rebuilding Shamrock Rovers."

A consortium jointly-funded by the 400 Club and lifelong supporter, Ray Wilson will now take over the ownership of Branvard, the company trading as Shamrock Rovers.

Dublin-born Wilson, director of a Sydney-based finance company, said: "My only interest is to work with the fans to ensure the long-term survival of Shamrock Rovers. Although I've made a new life on the other side of the world, Rovers means so much to me, as it does to every other Rovers fan. This is a great day for us all.

"I'm not looking for any financial return out of this. There is already a mechanism in place for me to surrender my investment to the fans."

The incoming Board of Directors issued a statement in which they said that Shamrock Rovers FC will operate a one person/one vote membership system and will be run on a not-for-profit basis, with any surplus reinvested in the club. The intention, they say, is that "the club will never again find itself in a perilous financial position."

The new owners also announced that, in memory of the loss in 1987 of their "beloved former home at Milltown", black will become the club's third official colour.

They also said that the squad number 12 will no longer be worn by any Shamrock Rovers player, in recognition of the role played by the supporters in saving the club.