Last ditch bid to save Cork City
Backroom staff in Leeside were last night attempting to contact the FAI and Bray Wanderers to organise a rescheduling and Coughlan claimed he was hopeful that the people of Cork would support such a push.
It had already emerged yesterday morning that the Revenue Commissioners are now demanding Cork City Investments Ltd pay their total tax liabilities bill of €439,000, twice as much as was due on Monday afternoon leading to the club to appeal for donations ahead of Friday’s proposed winding-up of the 25-year-old club.
“We’re trying every avenue,” Coughlan said last night. “Every little bit will help as we push to save the club and sort out the tax bill. Obviously it’s up to the FAI while Bray are also a part-time club and will have their own issues with getting down here. But everything’s worth a try.”
Alan Mathews yesterday sympathised with his former charges at Cork City as the demise of the League of Ireland Premier Division club drew closer.
“It appears that the club is going to the wall and I have the greatest degree of sympathy for everyone there,” Mathews told the Irish Examiner yesterday. “It’s very sad. I had a great relationship with the team and I have the greatest respect for those players.”
Along with many other managers in the league, Mathews will suffer if Cork City are removed from the league because a Drogheda victory over his former club will be wiped from the record.
“We’re going to lose three points and Pat’s will lose six points,” he said. “Bray will move three places up the league from bottom to third from bottom. It’s a disgrace.
“I was very disappointed to be dismissed as manager of Cork City because I really enjoyed my time there and felt we could have pushed on this season with one or two additions.
“The connect between the players and the management was solidified during Examinership and I felt we could have pushed on for this season.
“I really feel sorry for the lads. The supporters obviously are top class.”
The City players trained yesterday morning but captain Dan Murray admitted afterwards that he wasn’t sure if they would be paid later today or not.
And there were no reassuring words from the chairman either, who was in Limerick yesterday, pointing out that the Revenue are the more pressing priority.
“It has been a tough few days,” said Coughlan yesterday. “The Revenue haven’t moved one inch throughout this whole process. It’s not a simple issue. You’re dealing with nearly 50 people who have given everything to the football club. I’m the only stakeholder and everyone has the right to express their opinion but when you’re in the middle of it, it’s very hard.
“I have invested around €700,000. It’s costing more on a weekly basis than is coming in. an average gate isn’t €20,000 and then there are the rest of the costs based around a match night. That’s the same with any business, I’m not looking for any special favours.
“There has been no movement, we’re not going to get any more time and we have to have all that money in by Thursday evening, Friday morning.”
“We’re in a very difficult environment as regards sponsorship. We’re doing the best we can. But we’re up against it, I’m not so sure we’ll get there at this stage to be honest.”
Coughlan said he did not regret assuming control of the club during the Examinership process.
“It’s very challenging,” he admitted. “I see it as something that the community needs. Maybe I’m alone in thinking that and maybe I have to question that. There are some fantastic sporting organisations out there and maybe there isn’t room for the League of Ireland. It’s a tough learning curve but I don’t have any regrets.
“We had a go. We’re doing our damndest but our damndest may not be enough. There aren’t a lot of deep pockets out there. People are in their own jams and that’s perfectly understandable. It’s going to be very difficult.”
Meanwhile the club’s London-born left back, Danny Murphy, is understood to be on the verge of being approached by Roddy Collins’ new club Floriana who are based in the Malta capital Valetta.
And in response to team mate and captain Dan Murray suggesting that it “doesn’t look likely” the players will paid as planned today, Coughlan’s response was: “The players will be paid, if not (today) they will be paid as they have been paid every month. There’s money to pay them but there’s a higher demand now and that’s the taxman.”
* If you wish to make a donation to Cork City Football Club to assist the club in its attempts to settle its liabilities with the Revenue, the club’s bank account details are:
Account Name – Cork City Investment FC Ltd.
Branch – Ballintemple, Blackrock Rd, Cork
A/c No. – 15364447
Sort Code – 934178
If you are making a donation, please put the word “appeal” on your lodgement slip in order to identify your donation.
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