Galway Shake-up underway

Galway United is confident that the mid-season restructuring brought about by the club's severe financial position is nearing completion.

A number of players — Mark Leech, Derek O'Brien, Greg O'Halloran, Gary Deegan and Wesley Charles — have left the club. Negotiations are continuing with Stephen O'Flynn, Reggie Nooitmeer and Daryl Robson.

Alan Murphy has rejoined the club from Shamrock Rovers and is determined to play his part in securing Galway United's top-flight status. Other adjustments to the squad may take place in the coming weeks but it has been necessary to reduce the playing budget.

Chief Executive Nick Leeson said the reasons for this is that revenue is significantly down on last year and at this stage appears extremely unlikely of reaching the €1.2m achieved in 2007.

"Whilst we are not the only club to be experiencing these difficulties I would like to think that we have acted swiftly and are better equipped than most clubs to deal with the problems.

"We have overspent, the budget for players at the end of the 2007 season was increased by over 50% for the 2008 season and without a similar increase in revenue we were heading for a problem.

"The team, for one reason or another, has failed to return the same increase in terms of performance and results, and subsequently season ticket sales and gate receipts have been adversely affected," he said.

He pointed out that the club were already in breach of the 65% Salary Cost Protocol and were in danger of risking the long-term future of the club if they stood idly by and did nothing. The club is now adhering to the 65% protocol.

"Player salaries needed to be reduced significantly and this is what we have focused on over the last few weeks.

"Mistakes have been made, many of them mine and the current Board but what is important now is to make sure we learn from those mistakes and plan appropriately for the future. That starts now," he said.

The Galway United CEO thanked Stephen McGuinness of the PFAI for his help in making sure that this situation was corrected as efficiently and appropriately as possible in the past few weeks.

Galway United Chairman John Fallon praised the work of manager Jeff Kenna and his assistant Ian Foster for the way they had dealt with a situation that was out of their control.

"They inherited a situation that was not of their making and have worked tirelessly with it to deliver performances. Jeff and Ian are the long-term future of the club and we look forward to them leading the club through to the end of the 2010 season and through the necessary rebuilding process," he said.

He thanked the players who are leaving Galway United for what they have done for the club.

"We have made mistakes and some other things have been just outside our control but what we must do now is get the club back on a solid footing," he said.

Manager Jeff Kenna said that it was now time to move on and he appealed to supporters to get behind the squad and preserve the club's Premier Division status.

"The recent negotiations were not something that I envisaged happening when I joined the club but I am glad most of it is now over and that I can now focus on the job in hand. We still have a squad that is good enough to survive in this league and that is what I will be making sure happens," he said.

The club is in the semi-finals of the League Cup and have been drawn at home to Athlone Town in the FAI Cup, with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs.

A key fundamental of the restructuring plan is that supporters get behind the side from now to the end of the season, starting this Friday with a Connacht derby against Sligo Rovers at Terryland Park.

In an effort to encourage fans to support the team, admission prices will be reduced to €15 for all remaining home matches.

In addition, a draw will take place at each home match among existing season ticket holders for a free season ticket for the 2009 season.

The club forum between CEO Nick Leeson, manager Jeff Kenna, and members of the Galway United Supporters' Trust, a number of which have taken place this season, will continue on a monthly basis to ensure an accurate flow of information through the club.

Finally, Galway United is appealing to the Galway public to support the club's Car Draw which is a key fundraising venture for the club during this restructuring process. Tickets cost €20 and first prize is a Toyota Corolla.

Other fundraising events include the club's annual corporate dinner at the Galway Races when Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni and his assistant Marco Tardelli will be the Guests of Honour. The event, sponsored once more by Bank of Scotland, will take place in the Killanin Panoramic Suite on Tuesday, July 29th.