[Dave]

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp

Thomas Davis being the latest in a looooooong line of excuses.................

Your just trying to wind me up now......

Association's stance shows ban mentality is thriving in south Dublin

BEGRUDGERY. Small-mindedness. The 'Ban' mentality still lives.

That's my assessment of the motivation behind the obstructionist tactics of the six south Dublin GAA clubs who don't want Shamrock Rovers and soccer to have sole possession of Tallaght Stadium.

Possibly there's fear, too. Fear that in some way if Rovers get a base in that part of Dublin it will somehow sway the youth to take up soccer instead of GAA.

What is certain is that the small number of officials behind this campaign to pressurise local politicians and the Minister for Sport, are working themselves up into a right lather.

Their self-righteousness grows week by week, and they now appear to believe that they have an inalienable RIGHT to have GAA in the stadium as well as soccer. Wrong, lads. Very wrong. And in the interests of sport and to avoid embarrassing yourselves any further, I suggest you back off right now.

Let me state clearly that as a former GAA Correspondent of the Sunday Independent, and as someone who has also regularly covered and commented on soccer for 34 years, I have a good insight into both organisations.

Hats off

First, hats off unequivocally to the GAA for all they have done for the country.

Back in the early part of the 20th Century, the GAA bought the field at Jones Road and through the decades have continued to build Croke Park up to the present day where it is one of the best stadia in Europe.

Around the country, in parishes and counties, similar great work has been carried out due to the enterprise, the courage and the vision of club and county officials, all the more impressive because much of it happened when Ireland was broke. League of Ireland soccer as a whole and the FAI did not do justice to the amount of money that floated into the game when crowds were huge in the Forties, Fifties and Sixties - but Rovers did.

They brought international renown to Ireland by their exploits against the Busby Babes of Manchester United in the fifties and other top European sides including Bayern Munich.

Shamefully sold out for property development in the mid-Eighties, Rovers have struggled without a home for 20 years.

Thomas Davis, St Judes, St Anne's, CroÃ* Ró Naofa, St Mark's and Faughs have run their clubs up to now without Tallaght stadium.

They have clubhouses and facilities for their members, so why do they need to covet their neighbour's home?

Not for any good reason that I can see, however much they try to cloak their motives and poor sportsmanship in high-sounding idealism.

It doesn't make sense, financial or otherwise, to pay more money and waste more time extending the pitch to accommodate these clubs because of anti-soccer bias.

The idea that these officials might commit club funds for a costly legal action in this situation is ludicrous and deserves harsh criticism at their AGMs if they go to court.

I hope that Minister John O'Donoghue holds the line and sends these guys packing. They'd be better off attending to their own individual clubs' business instead of butting into Rovers' affairs.

They should take note of the Minister's comments that the GAA got €110 million for Croke Park, that 34 per cent of sports capital funding in the last few years had gone to Gaelic games, and that the Government would assist the GAA with building a ground on 26 acres in Rathcoole.

The GAA as a whole deserves all that, and more, and good luck to them. Why can't they extend the same charitable and open-minded outlook to Shamrock Rovers?

The Hoops are not run for shareholders' profit by fat cats such as the Glazer family that own Manchester United.

This club was saved from extinction by genuine ordinary fans who keep it alive by standing orders from their own bank accounts.

Practical

They just want to see their team continue in the Eircom League and hopefully prosper.

To do that, they need a home. Tallaght Stadium should be that home for their use, and if another Eircom League club comes in, that is utilising resources in a very practical manner.

Two's company, three - if the six GAA clubs bully their way in - is definitely a crowd and would make the Stadium unworkable.

Stand fast, John O'Donoghue and South Dublin County Council!

FAI fully behind Rovers in stadium battle
Thursday, 14 December 2006 5:31

The Football Association of Ireland has today fully supported Shamrock Rovers position in the on-going saga over the stalled Tallaght Stadium project.


The FAI has also pledged financial assistance for the Hoops' High Court battle involving GAA club Thomas Davis, whose have delayed completion of the stadium through the courts.

Yesterday the High Court determined that the hearing of the case would take place on 16 March, delaying the project by at least a further three months.


This will mean that the Stadium construction will have been stalled by this legal case for a minimum of 13 months.


'We want to see Shamrock Rovers playing in the Tallaght Community Stadium - and as soon as possible. We have been working hard behind the scenes with the various stakeholders over the past two years to see Tallaght completed for soccer in the area,' said FAI Chief Executive, John Delaney.


'This week, the Board of the Association pledged significant funds to the club in order to aid them in the most practical manner as they continue to pursue the goal of completion of Tallaght.'


'These funds will be offset against the legal fees Rovers face as the High Court case continues. Obviously, we wish the club every success in this matter.'


Shamrock Rovers' Chairman, Jonathan Roche, welcomed the FAI's commitment to the Tallaght Stadium project and its funding of the club's legal fees.


'To have such full and public support of the FAI behind us means that Irish football is united on this issue,' says Roche. 'And that support is most welcome.


'It's quite clear that there is a concerted effort to prolong the process as much as possible in order to prevent our senior team joining the rest of the club in Tallaght. But it won't succeed.'