Bohs future still uncertain

The future of Bohemian FC was still in doubt yesterday as they face a further delay before they find out if they can proceed with the sale of their Dalymount Park stadium.

The Eircom League champions were due in the High Court yesterday but the case was adjourned until Tuesday November 4th. The case was due to settle the sale of the club’s home ground Dalymount Park, as the club has agreed a deal worth €60 million with property developer Liam Carroll’s Danninger Ltd. (including a proposed new stadium in Harristown, Co Dublin). They await a decision from the court on a previous deal involving Albion Properties before they can conclude the deal and move to a new stadium.

Albion Properties, owned by Pascal Conroy, claim they had an oral agreement with Bohemians for the purchase of certain lands at Dalymount, notably a tract of land at the shopping centre end of the ground. In their action brought against Mr. Conroy, Bohemians claimed that no such oral agreement for any sale was concluded.

Residing over the case, Mr. Justice Edwards said that he had had hoped for a judgement yesterday, and his decision “is at an advanced stage; however much has been made of the fact that an agreement between the club and Mr. Conroy has been entered into without ratification by the members of Bohemian Football Club."He said that he "understood the importance of the matter to both parties and he is anxious a judgement will be made by November 4th."

It ends a week of turmoil for the North Dublin club, which began triumphantly last Friday as they secured the Premier Division title with a win over rivals Drogheda United. On Thursday night a dissident group of the club’s members tabled a motion of “no confidence” in the board due to the “financial and overall mismanagement of the club.” The motion was defeated. Also in the courts today, former Bohs manager Sean Connor began proceedings against the club for alleged unfair dismissal.

The uncertainty surrounding the clubs future adds to a season of woe for the Eircom League. Amid growing economic uncertainty, big clubs such as Cork City and Drogheda United have been under examinership this season, with Cobh Ramblers boss Stephen Henderson also declaring his club “broke.”

It also recently emerged that over seventy percent of players in the Eircom League are out of contract at the end of this season, a situation that is particularly worrying to professionals within the game, even those who are under contract next season. Drogheda United stalwart Graham Gartland admits his worry at his clubs current predicament. He said “Hopefully the club can stay afloat, it would be a terrible pity if it went under because of all the progress Drogheda have made in the past few years. I am under contract for next season but I have no idea what will happen now."

Amid all of this uncertainty though, came the encouraging announcement yesterday morning that Cork City formally came out of examinership, and were taken over by Tom Coughlan. The club is now “debt free” according to manager Alan Matthews, and can concentrate on winning back-to-back FAI Cups and a Setanta Cup. It doesn’t take away from the fact that the league is on its knees, and there are trying times to come.