Dark days in Oriel. Supporters launch fundraiser as owner desperately seeks investor to keep club afloat

This time ten years ago Dundalk FC were a club on the rise. Stephen Kenny was in his second season with the Lilywhites having finished second a year previously. Dundalk were closing in on their first Premier Division title in almost twenty years which would be secured on a glorious October evening with a 2-0 victory in Oriel Park over rivals Cork City.

Four more league titles, three FAI cups and a number of memorable European nights, (most memorably, victory over Bate Borisov, which would ultimately guarantee them qualification to the Europa League after narrowly failing to get past Polish side Legia Warsaw in the Champions League qualification game) would signal one of if not the most glorious period of the club’s long proud history.
Those games and that time must seem like a million years ago to Dundalk supporters who this week are coming to the start realization that their beloved club’s future is in real jeopardy.

Dundalk supporters have been urged to rally behind Dundalk Football Club as the gravity of the situation the Carrick Road outfit finds itself in becomes clearer with each passing day. Last November, Boston-based businessman Brian Ainscough officially took full control of Dundalk, a week after stepping down as Kerry FC CEO.

In his first press conference he stated that the objective for 2024 was to get the club back into Europe. Just ten months into his reign that objective has changed dramatically with the Dubliner now working to secure the club’s very existence.
Ainscough took over from Andy Connolly and STATSports duo Alan Clarke and Sean O’Connor who spent two-years as joint owners after they formed a consortium to take over the club from Peak6 in 2021.

On the pitch things have been bleak with supporters having little to cheer about this term with the Lilywhites sitting rock bottom of the Premier Division and involved in a relegation dogfight with local rivals Drogheda. However, worse news was to come for loyal supporters when recent murmurings of financial troubles were confirmed last week when it was reported that players and staff had not been paid. In a statement released on Monday afternoon, owner Brian Ainscough, confirmed that those reports were true.
“There are a lot of reports out there that the club is experiencing financial difficulties. Unfortunately, those reports are true.

“I was hoping to secure investment in August but, for various reasons, that did not come through.
I am working hard to keep it going but my immediate concern now is that the club can carry on for the remainder of the season.

“I am actively seeking investment and I am exploring all possibilities about the ownership of the club to ensure that happens.

“I will continue to speak to any interested parties and I remain fully positive that we can secure the injection of cash that we need to keep us going.

“Regarding wages, I can confirm that there was a delay in paying the wages last week.
I am aware of the distress that this caused our players and staff and I would like to assure them that this was a temporary issue which will be resolved in the coming days.

“I want to thank our players, staff, supporters and the wider community for their support and patience at this time and want to let them know that we are working extremely hard to turn this situation around,” concluded the statement.

Off the back of that statement the official Dundalk Supporters Club known as the 1903 launched a GoFundMe page urging supporters to get behind their club in its hour of need.

“Over the last week we have seen reports that your football club is in financial trouble and our owner Brian Ainscough has confirmed this to be the case in a statement released this evening, Monday 9th September 2024.
“The 1903 Dundalk FC Supporters club was setup in 2021 and one of our long-term goals was to set out to support the club as required, both on the field and off.

“The news over the last week that players, management and staff failed to receive their salaries was confirmed after our game last Thursday night by Jon Daly, First Team Manager, and in the statement from Brian Ainscough, this was further confirmed along with the wider financial picture that the club finds itself.

“As supporters, we all want to rally and help, we all want to stand up and support our club when it needs it and while the club may be looking into its options to secure further investment we want to offer our supporters base and the wider league the option to build a fund that could be used to support the club if required.

“To be clear, this fund will be used if the club require additional funding, if they do not, the fund we be retained for future projects around Oriel park to help sustain the club and avoid such financial situations in the future.
“Its times like these were we all need to come together and support our club.,” read the statement.

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