While yesterday’s official confirmation that Shelbourne FC plan to relocate to a redeveloped Dalymount Park at some stage in the future couldn’t be considered a shock, there are issues that we would like the club to clarify regarding the statement that they issued (Statement from Shelbourne Board of Management 4 October 2016).
Yesterday’s statement claimed that Shelbourne supporters’ groups had lobbied Dublin City Councillors in support of the club relocating to Dalymount. Reds Independent would like to take this opportunity to clarify that they are not one of those groups, and in the interests of transparency would like the club to name those Shelbourne supporters’ groups who it is alleged did lobby DCC councillors in favour of moving the club to Dalymount.
Furthermore, at the club’s annual Fans’ Forum on 2 March 2015, club chairman Joe Casey informed the supporters present that the club would not move anywhere without consulting the fans. We are not aware of any such consultation process taking place, so we would like the board to clarify if such a process did take place, and if so, give further details of said process, or if it was decided to disregard the promise made to fans.
Finally, we would like to express our disappointment with the board’s statement describing the club as an “inconvenience” to those living close to Tolka Park, an insult to our supporters who would never view our great club in such a light. Aside from the fact that Tolka Park is there longer than probably every resident in the area, such a statement could come back to haunt the club in the future. Any planning permission that is sought for any facility by the club or for a facility by any other entity that the club may be hoping to use, could be jeopardised and can now be objected to with the club’s own description of itself as an inconvenience, and ironically will probably be used by those who will no doubt be objecting to “Project Dalymount”.
Reds Independent
5 October 2016
