The secret dread that lives in every League of Ireland player's mind
Fears over their financial future plague the minds of League of Ireland players.
Daniel Kelly has revealed the nagging doubts that exist at the back of every League of Ireland player’s mind after watching his former team-mates go through hell at Dundalk.
At one stage last week, the Louth club veered on the brink of extinction, until a last-minute takeover prevented the Lilywhites from going to the wall. While Kelly, 28, felt he dodged a bullet after leaving Oriel Park for Derry City at the tail end of last season, he empathises with the Dundalk players’ plight, as he too endured a period without pay at an earlier point in his career.
That was when he was at Bray. His subsequent clubs, Bohs, Dundalk and Derry, never missed a payment to him. But still, for every League of Ireland player the near collapse at Dundalk is a reminder of how perilous life can be for a full-time pro in Ireland. Kelly said: “I was shocked when the news broke. I didn’t see that coming although I sort of had an inkling that something was not fantastic there, I never would have dreamed that it would play out this way. And I don’t think anyone could.
Read more: Dundalk blast 'half truths and simple falsehoods' as speculation rages over club's future
“My sympathy is with the lads who were not getting paid. You have fellas who are going for mortgages, others whose partners are due to have babies. It is not ideal. It is sad. Four years ago we were playing against Arsenal here at the Aviva Stadium.”
Now they are destined for the League of Ireland First Division.
Kelly said: “Once the club is kept in existence, that is the main priority. The fans have accepted that because they had the scare where (Brian Ainscough, the previous owner) was saying five o’clock or else it was done. So even if it is to be First Division football, at least the club will be alive and there will be games going on. Cork were in a similar position, too, a while back, maybe not as bad as the Dundalk situation, but they lost all their players and had no money. Please God some investors will come in who can help to get the club back up.”
Having endured a period without money during his stint with Bray, Kelly is demanding that the FAI become stricter with their criteria for accepting a change of ownership.
His request is that any incoming owner of a League of Ireland club has to be in a financial position to meet the financial pledges they have given to players.
The winger said: “It seems to be a never ending thing in the League of Ireland. Every few years it happens to one club or another.
“I don’t think it is ideal. There is so much stress involved for those players who are about to become a dad or who want to get a house. It is not nice for anybody.
“This can be a great job. When you are playing, it is the best thing ever. I love it. It is something I have always loved doing. But when you get to an age, you realise you are not set up for life because you do not earn enough money in the League.
"Most fellas who play in the league would have this feeling that things could go downhill quite quickly. And there needs to be some ruling or law put in whereby when owners are buying clubs are able to prove they have the money to pay the wages of staff and players.
“It seems clear that Brian Ainscough didn’t have the funds (to sustain Dundalk for the season) because all the talk was of him getting investors in. They never arrived. Dundalk secured their licence (from the FAI) but they did so when it was Statsports who were in charge of the club, rather than Brian Ainscough.
“The way the League is now, there are still huge improvements required, even facilities wise. But we have been harping on about that for the last 20 years.”
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
