Delaney wants stadium debt extension

Despite securing a recent €12.5m write down on their stadium debt, Football Association of Ireland chief executive John Delaney has revealed his target of having the loans cleared by 2020 could be pushed out.

The FAI’s original strategy to meet their €72m portion of the Lansdowne Road development costs in 2010 came unstuck when their premium tickets scheme massively under performed.

That income shortfall resulted in significant borrowings which left the association owing €59m to Danske Bank in their latest published accounts, to year-end 2012.