FAI delegation in Derry to discuss club future

A HIGH-PROFILE FAI delegation led by chief executive John Delaney will be on Foyleside this morning to consult with concerned prominent members of the local business community to discuss the next way possible forward for League of Ireland’s expelled side Derry City.

Accompanying Delaney to Derry will be League of Ireland Director, Fran Gavin and FAI Compliance Officer, Padraig Smith from the FAI licensing office. The agenda is to “talk about the future” for the club and a possible return to the league ranks next season in the First Division.

After the resignation of previous chairman Pat McDaid and fellow directors Joe Doherty, Peter Leonard and Frank Houson on Tuesday, there remains one member of the old Derry board in situ – vice-chairman Stephen McCarron. But all the indications are that he too will resign within the next 24 hours.

The 22-man Derry squad have not been paid for the past 10 weeks. But all the players have been cleared by the FAI of having a role to play in the notorious dual registration affair.

Two of the players, Barry Molloy and Mark Farren, will be getting married soon. All the squad are now all effectively free agents but cannot sign for any other clubs until the UEFA transfer window opens again on January 1, 2010.

The league have indicated that the €80,000 owed to the club may be forwarded to the club to help defray the players’ huge loss in earnings.

There is a clear sign that the FAI want Derry to stay in the League of Ireland and not to again seek readmission to Northern-Ireland’s Irish League.

But Derry will have to play in the First Division, just as they did when entering the League of Ireland 24 years ago.

There are suggestions it may be a one division League of Ireland next season comprised of just 16 teams if the FAI Licensing Committee apply the rules as stringently as they did against the Candystripes.