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FAI and PFAI criticise handling of Mons announcement *UPDATE*

The Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland has expressed disbelief at Monaghan United’s failure to consult players prior to its League of Ireland withdrawal.

UPDATED 15:15

MONAGHAN UNITED’S SUDDEN abandonment of the Airtricity League has provoked a stern response from the Professional Footballer’s Association of Ireland.

In a statement released this afternoon, the representative body expressed “surprise and disappointment” at the decision, describing it as “extraordinary” that players remained unaware of their impending redundancy until the publication of this morning’s press release:

“No player we have spoken to was contacted by the club prior to the statement being released and many players first heard that they had lost their jobs through Twitter.

“We find it extraordinary that no attempt was made to reach a solution with the players either directly with them or through this association.  Situations like this have arisen in the past and agreements have been reached in order to keep a team in the league.

“It is hugely disappointing that players and fans have seen a club withdraw from the league in these circumstances without an effort being made to explore all possibilities with the players.”

The organisation also responded to the club’s reassurance of its creditors, interpreting the move as a commitment to honour existing wage agreements and contracts:

“It is, however, a relief to hear that all creditors will be paid and we assume that players wages which are currently in arrears and the remainder of their contracts will be honoured. We look forward to hearing from the club with details of how these payments will be made.”

Monaghan United, who were scheduled to face Sligo in the forthcoming round of Airtricity League matches, have responded to us to refute the PFAI claim that players were not made aware of the situation. They say two player representatives along with manager, Roddy Collins, were informed and asked to pass the word to the playing staff.

[UPDATE]

The Football Association of Ireland has confirmed its receipt of Monaghan United’s petition of withdrawal from the Airtricity League.

The body insists that, while representatives of the club met with the National League Director in the past month, the scale of its financial difficulties was not discussed.

Fran Gavin, Director of the Airtricity League, said:

“We met with the officials of Monaghan United less than a month ago to get an update on where they were with their budget for the season. At that time there was absolutely no question of withdrawing from the league. Today’s announcement from Monaghan United is a surprise to us and is very disappointing.

“We have been assisting the club in recent weeks to try and help them source a main sponsor.”

The FAI will convene an emergency board meeting in Poland this afternoon to discuss the situation. It is understood that approximately €100,000 of a development loan recently recently extended the club is still outstanding.

Monaghan United withdraws from Airtricity League

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    Mute Mick 'The Bull' Daly
    Favourite Mick 'The Bull' Daly
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    Jun 18th 2012, 3:17 PM

    FAI emergency meeting in Poland—–ha yeah right,Delaney and cronies are probably too hammered,

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    Mute Eugene Cummins
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    Jun 18th 2012, 5:08 PM

    John Delaney and the FAI out in Poland drinking pints with the Plastic Paddies in the Ole Ole brigade while the LOI back home is in tatters.

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    Mute bignazza
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    Jun 18th 2012, 8:30 PM

    Good point but you have an Everton crest as your profiler ?

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    Mute Martin Grehan
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    Jun 18th 2012, 6:06 PM

    Farcical. The league should again be ashamed of its treatment of its employees, the players. These lads barely earn a working wage and until the league is maintained on a sustainable basis no player or staff will have job security. Meanwhile Poland, John Delaney is on the piss…fool

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    Mute Dirt Lancaster
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    Jun 18th 2012, 6:45 PM

    Can’t wait to hear what Roddy Collins has to say about this, I can’t imagine him holding back!

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    Mute Robbie Morrissey
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    Jun 18th 2012, 6:43 PM

    Recently in RTE’s ” Green is the Colour” on Irish football showed that on numerous occasions money had mysteriously gone missing and showed the lack of support to League of Ireland clubs.
    Irish clubs rarely benefit from a promising young player because he’s snapped up by bigger clubs for under 100k usually when they’re worth so much more

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    Mute Mark Kirwan
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    Jun 18th 2012, 6:53 PM

    An “emergency” meeting of the FAI board eh? Does that mean they conduct it drunk or will wait to sober up?

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    Mute Gerry Cullen
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    Jun 18th 2012, 7:35 PM

    its some thing roddy collins should not hold back. on….he should let it rip at these f.a.i fatcats..wheres the money? over the years the league of ireland is in trouble. while there in poland thinking of there bonus they can keep and spend..i would like too remind them that its irish tax payers money we give them to keep there party wagon going…disgrace

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    Mute Ordinary Boy
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    Jun 18th 2012, 9:50 PM

    Sad to hear this. Your local football club (no matter big or small) with all the continuity, history and sense of community it brings is a precious thing. Cork City Football Club until the day I die.

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    Mute Colin Kavanagh
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    Jun 18th 2012, 11:16 PM

    How do we know they didn’t inform the FAI, Delaney appears to have been pissed for the past week and a half in Poland celebrating another successful tournament for our national team Ole Ole Ole

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    Mute Martin Wilson
    Favourite Martin Wilson
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    Jun 19th 2012, 1:34 AM

    Terrible news. I hope they do still manage to pay any creditors and stay in existence unlike some other LOI clubs!!!

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