'We’ve very tough decisions ahead, some not to everyone's liking' - New Dundalk owner lays out his stall

With six games to go in the League of Ireland, Dundalk's first-team’s 15-year Premier Division status is in jeopardy and seven-figure debts have been racked up.

TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE: Dundalk supporters gather outside their home gound at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Picture: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

New Dundalk owner John Temple admits the future of Dundalk remains bleak, as players go without wages for another week.

The Lilywhites descended towards financial armageddon over the weekend and despite the local barrister stepping in on Tuesday, the commitment of his Silverlane Ireland consortium is purely until the end of November.

Beyond that, nothing has been so far guaranteed. While Temple’s group highlighted a batch of long-term plans when pitching for the club last November before Brian Ainscough took control, firefighting is the priority.

With six games to go, the first-team’s 15-year Premier Division status is in jeopardy and seven-figure debts have been racked up.

“It’s bleak,” he admitted the Dundalk native in his first public comments since the takeover.

“I, the fans or the players, didn't put us in this situation. This has been festering, emanating from before and we’ll not go into that.

“We’ve very tough decisions to make, some decisions not to everyone's liking.

“We’re far from out of the woods. The club is in serious financial difficulty. Our heads are just above water.

“Undertaking to pay the wages is one aspect but the creditors are banging down the door every hour. There’s email every second hour, if not from solicitors, then people wanting to appoint receivers, threatening all sorts. We’ll work with the creditors but I need more than just goodwill from the fans too. People must put their shoulder to the wheel.” 

Despite their chronic money problems, the new broom opted against entering a SCARP procedure that could have achieved writedowns on debts.

“If I was to dump it into SCARP, the players would have nothing left to fight for in the rest of the season,” Temple said about the points deduction that would automatically relegate them to the First Division.

“Things may not go in our favour on the pitch but, if the club is viable, we’ll do what we can to keep it going.

“If the club is not viable, it’s just not viable. The day of truth will set upon us. I’ve staved off the execution but the daggers are hanging every hour.” 

Dundalk don’t play until Saturday’s trip to Sligo Rovers but Shelbourne boss Damien Duff gave his take on the situation ahead of the league leaders’ visit to Galway United on Friday.

Duff’s Reds would have lost their top spot in the table to rivals Derry City had Dundalk gone out of business and points from their 30 games expunged.

“I always had faith that it would get sorted,” said the Ireland legend, enjoying the four-point buffer at the summit.

“Dundalk is too big a club to go under and it is something that could not happen under the FAI’s watch either.

“The league is in such a great place that it could not afford a major, major setback like that. So firstly for the league it is great and also from a Shelbourne point of view.” 

One of Shelbourne’s four defeats in 29 matches came at Eamonn Deacy Park.

“That game still stings collectively and individually,” the two-time Premier League winner said about the 2-1 loss in April.

“It was a game we dominated possession wise but lacked an edge and an intent. John (Caulfield) has done an incredible job and he is a legend of the game but we need to concentrate on ourselves and do what we do best.” 

Elsewhere, second-placed Derry City welcome Shamrock Rovers to the north-west, while Waterford will aim to strengthen their chances of a first European qualification since 1986 when they travel to St Patrick’s Athletic.

Bohemians can play a part in the relegation fight when they host second-from-bottom Drogheda United in a meeting of two teams part of next month’s FAI Cup semi-finals.