Town may be booted out of Europe

LONGFORD Town’s UEFA Cup place is in jeopardy after they were the only Premier Division club not to be awarded a club license by the FAI yesterday.

They have been given until February 18 by the UEFA Club Licensing Appeals Body to clarify issues relating to their application.

Eighteen Eircom league clubs were awarded licences for the 2005 season, 11 Premier Division sides and seven First Division outfits.

Dublin City, Dundalk and Kildare County are the other three clubs who failed.

Acting FAI Chief Executive John Delaney indicated again that clubs who failed to achieve licenses would not qualify for government funding. When the final deadline is met on Friday, the FAI will begin procedures to draw down the €3m funding from the Sports Capital Programme.

But for Longford Town - the FAI Cup holders, the consequences are much more dire. Under the guidelines, Longford could also be relegated from the Premier Division and face a process to see if they can attain a first division license. Galway United, who narrowly missed out on promotion would undergo a process to see if they qualify for a top division licence.

“The outcome of the First Instances Committee was very disappointing,” Delaney said. “So, this is more positive. The Appeals Body did trojan work on a voluntary basis over the last few days, with mountains of paper-work to get all the applications seen to.”

Delaney said the FAI will be keeping a closer eye on the clubs from now on.

“What we will hope to do for the coming season is to monitor the process a bit more closely with the club, so that the same situation doesn’t arise next season.”

If the four remaining clubs don’t meet the financial and legal criteria by Friday, the FAI will hold a meeting and then pass the matter onto the Eircom league-but they will all face financial sanction.

Bob Breen, the head of the FAI Club Licensing committee, praised the clubs for their speedy work in rectifying the situation after all 22 clubs failed last month.

“I think it has been an astonishing achievement by all the clubs considering where we were a few months ago,” Breen said.

Delaney said that the criteria, both financial and legal, had placed more stringent conditions on clubs this year, but it was obvious that clubs were putting a huge effort into gaining the licenses. And the benefits will be there for both clubs and fans to see in the coming years.

“We are going to wait until next Friday to see where we stand,” Delaney said. “But we have an out-line of where some of the funding is going to go, particularly with regard to safety work at grounds.”

Clubs awarded Premier Licences Bohemians, Bray Wanderers, Cork City, Derry City, Drogheda Utd, Finn Harps, Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne, St Pat’s, UCD and Waterford Utd.

Clubs awarded First Division licences Athlone Town, Cobh Ramblers, Galway Utd, Kilkenny City, Limerick, Monaghan Utd and Sligo Rovers.