A load of balls

It’s hard to believe that there was a fair amount of optimism around the league at the start of the season.

Players returned from ill-fated spells in Britain. Players such as Cork golden boy George O’Callaghan who returned to his “beloved” Cork City or The Club He’s-Always-Loved-Unless-An-English-Club-Comes-In-For-Him but then Georgy boy left mid-season when, shockingly, an English club came in for him.

That was the least of Cork’s problems as the club nearly ceased to exist during the summer due to some less than sterling accounting work. Cork fans shock at this turn of events would suggest the Leesiders don’t know their history too well.

Head to the nearest library Corkonians and look up the following: Cork City Mk1, Cork Celtic, Fordsons Utd, Cork Hibernians, Cork United, Cork Bohemians etc. Financial meltdown should be nothing new to fans of football in Cork.

Arguably the biggest name to leave these shores to make us mark ‘cross the water was Paddy McCourt. Paddy obviously feeling the need to play for another team who think they’re Irish but aren’t really, Glasgow Celtic it is then.

The blow of losing one long haired Lothario might have been softened by the return to the Brandywell of Lotharios polar opposite Stephen Kenny.

Back at the helm after returning from Scotland, funny how it was referred to as “returning” instead of “he’s back because he relegated the club he was managing suggesting that maybe he isn’t God after all”.

Stephen proved he wasn’t bitter at all about the way Derry lost the league on goal difference to Shels in 2006. “In some leagues in Europe we would have won based on head to heads,” Kenny droned upon his return.

Translation: “If the rules were different then we might have won,” sore loser? Never.

Pat Scully handed in his notice at Rovers in one of those personal issues resignations. Which is merely shorthand for “being a bit shit”. It was Scully who dragged Rovers up from the 1st Division to title contenders last season to also-rans this season.

The poor man must’ve felt he wasn’t up to the pressure leading Rovers out in the Tallaght Stadium where the usual delusion is already surrounding Rovers’ fans.

Their pontificating that the league “needs a strong Rovers,” I don’t believe the league needs anything or anyone that is so badly managed they can’t find a stadium for 20 years nor find a suitable temporary home thanks to the disgraceful behavior of many of their fans.

Speaking of “Big Clubs” what’s this rumbling going on in Phibsboro? Bohemians are financially screwed you say? After neglecting to read “Real Estate for Dummies,” the Bohs board took the wise decision to sell parts of Dalymount off twice! You simply can’t do that, even you are the “Big Club”*.

After agreeing a deal with one developer, Bohs then came across a better one some time afterwards, and agreed to that in the hope that the first developer wouldn’t notice.

The first developer received a 1 million Euro cheque from Bohs, the money he initially paid them. He refused it, he took Bohs to court, Bohs lost, now they owe everyone their money.

With debts reported to be in the region of 6/7 million already it’s going to be a bleak winter. It reminds me of two years ago when Shelbourne went through serious financial troubles, Bohs fans stood on their high horse in Phibsboro and looked down on the reds, my how times have changed.

As the league struggles from financial crisis to financial crisis, one name that is never read out as having money troubles is Shelbourne, the former poster boy of financial hardship in the League of Ireland.

Shels are now one of the best run clubs in the league, and having pushed for promotion all season, Shels are fast becoming a beacon of hope for other Irish clubs.

*Bohemians are often referred to in League of Ireland circles (mostly by themselves) as “The Big Club”. Indeed they are probably “The Big Club” except in terms of attendances, trophies won, players who’ve played at international level, you know, important stuff.