The Commentary Box: Dundalk must come together in a united front

Dundalk FC supporters were in seventh heaven two weeks ago when they secured promotion on the field in the final game of the season against Finn Harps.

Now the national media are speculating that there are serious doubts as to whether Dundalk will get a Premier license due to the fact of lack of a proper floodlighting system suitable for the Premier Division.

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They also say that the pitch has failed a test for its suitability for Premier Division football next season.

John Temple, who is the Dundalk FC majority shareholder, had what I felt was a positive appearance on the Dundalk Town End Podcast on Tuesday night, at which he outlined his plans for the coming season.

There was some shock then when the Dundalk FC Supporters Club, the 1903, sent out a statement to their own members to back their executive's motion stating that they had withdrawn all match day support and organised activities for the coming season.

The 1903 executive committee said they have lost confidence in Mr Temple's leadership due to what they claimed was his failure to deliver on key commitments and what they saw as disregard for the values that define Dundalk FC as a community club.

The 1903 executive say they lost confidence in John Temple's leadership due to what they called his continued lack of engagement with parts of the fanbase.

They also say he had failed to deliver on any key commitments and had shown a disregard for what they call are the values that define Dundalk FC.

They went on to say that while they recognise John Temple's leadership during what they call a challenging period, it was clear that his position is no longer tenable.

They say that Dundalk FC deserves a leadership that is transparent, ambitious and connected to its supporters.

I have to say I was very surprised that such a statement would be issued at the time, given it's the end of the season and Dundalk are now battling hard for a Premier Division license.

Why did the 1903 executive not call an EGM earlier in the season if they were that unhappy with Mr Temple's Leadership? They are also not exactly clear on what they mean by Mr Temple's leadership not being ambitious.

He has just helped to guide Dundalk back to the Premier Division with his appointment of a top-class manager, and also showing no inhibition to fund whatever players Ciaran Kilduff wanted.

The 1903 obviously have their reasons as to why they say John Temple has not been transparent. He has been a lot more transparent than a lot of regimes that have run Dundalk FC in the past.

Mr Temple spoke to some of the local media just in the past month about his plans for next season.  But I do think he could have held regular meetings with supporters, not just those from the 1903, since he took over.

I also feel that Mr Temple made a serious error by not liaising with the Dundalk FC Supporters Trust Group. Exactly a year ago, they were set up as a reaction to the dire situation the club found itself in.

The chairman may have his own reasons as to why he has not worked with the Trust. But to my mind, this was a mistake. The group raised 100,000 euro in the space of a month last year.

This money was to be used to help the club in a specifically defined way. Its committee consists of a group of mainly businesspeople who have great integrity.

The membership are made up of ordinary supporters. They are an organisation who could and would be a massive help to Dundalk FC. But the big blow to the owner came on Friday.

The Independent said that there has been concern for some time about the direction of the club and its ability to meet current debts, as well as the financial implications of bringing Oriel up to standard in time.

The Dundalk owner had admitted in an interview a month ago that there were harsh financial realities. He claimed it took 25,000 euro a week to run Dundalk FC.

On top of this, there was a monthly payment of 32,000 euro owed to the revenue commissioners.

He added that the electricity were keeping a strong eye. If the club goes without paying their bill for as little as two weeks, they are threatening to cut off the electricity in Oriel.

On the Thursday, the three shareholders who came on board under previous owner Brian Ainscough and who held 35 per cent of the shareholding sent a strongly worded letter to John Temple.

The letter said that urgent action was needed to keep the club alive. The three Irish Americans who sent the letter were Chris Clinton, John Keenan and Kevin Brayton.

The story appeared in the Irish Independent, who saw the letter. It was also sent to the FAI and called for John Temple to step away.

The letter said that strictly and without prejudice, "We write as significant investors and remaining shareholders of Dundalk FC. Equally, we recognise and commend the professionalism shown by the coaching staff and players during the 2025 season.

However, events and communications over recent months and following the meeting of Friday 17th October and the written follow-up on Sunday, 19th October, make clear that urgent action of the field is required to protect the club's future.

"It was apparent at that meeting that Dundalk FC currently lacks an up-to-date strategic plan and a formal business plan for the Premier Division Campaign.

This concern has been compounded by the subsequent confirmation that the pitch at Oriel has failed the checks for use in the Premier Division for the club's 100th league season.

That failure now places the club's license for the ongoing season and threatens to nullify the on the field achievements of 2025 in addition to causing significant and reputational harm.

Accordingly, and in the interests of stabilising the club and enabling the immediate development and implementation of an effective business plan, we require you to transfer your 65 per cent shareholding in Dundalk FC to the remaining shareholders.

The transfer must be effected without delay by executing all documents to complete the transfer, delivering any share certificates and providing written confirmation to the undersigned that the transfer has been completed.

"This demand is effective for a period of 24 hours from the date and time of the this letter.

"You must complete the necessary documentation and provide written documentation of the completed transfer to Chris Clinton (Director by 0800 GMT, at which time you will also resign as Director of Dundalk Town FC Limited.

"If you do not comply within the stated period, we will, without further notice to you, take all steps we consider necessary to protect Dundalk FC's interests."

The consortium involving Clinton has invested half a million euro in Dundalk FC this year, while John Temple's input is reportedly between 130,000 and 200,000 euro.

John told the Town End Podcast on last Tuesday that Ciaran Kilduff will have a competitive budget for the Premier Division next season. This was good news for all who attended the podcast.

At no stage was the audience aware what was going on off the pitch to oust a chairman who had avoided the club going into SCARP  and appointing a manager who would deliver the club back to the Premier Division.

John Temple told the podcast that he was planning to surpass the budget the last time the club were in the Premier Division.

But he warned that the club under no circumstances can go back to the system in the way the budget operated under previous regimes. "We can not go bust. The fans must come out and support us. This they must do if they want the club to survive.

"The budget system that operated previously under the previous regime was absolute madness. We can not go back to that. On the last day of the season, we had people coming up to support us who had never been in Oriel Park before.

"We can not match the budgets of Shamrock Rovers or Pats, who have budgets of 60,000 to 70,000 euro a week. They are getting millions from competing in Europe. We are due 70,000 euro prize money for winning the First Division.

"I do not know when that money will arrive. But it will probably be February or March. It could be the start of the season before the money comes through.

"We need the same amount of fans who came up to support us every week, who turned up for the last game of the season, if we are to have a competitive budget. Contracts for the ongoing season have to be paid out up until the end of November.

"We had to budget for an FAI Cup final and possible involvement in the play-offs. Then, in January, the new contracts kick in, which is a lull of about four weeks. It is going to rise considerably at that time.

"We have to pay revenue about 25,000 to 30,000 euro a month. We must pay players PAYE and PRSI. If we were to have a budget of 1.5 million next year, then .5 million goes automatically to revenue. You do not get that back.

"That's what happens in professional sport. So we must get above and beyond that. I just want to set the tone. For the season just gone by, we were in survival mode. We got through it.

"We were not expecting to exceed what the team did on the pitch. That's down to Ciaran Kilduff and to our staff off the pitch, including Nita, who is our Operations manager. In 364 days, we lifted the First Division trophy.

"We were not even relegated a year. So in less than a year, we are back to where we belong or where everybody feels where we belong. Remember, less than six years ago, this club was playing clubs like Arsenal.

"That's how far we were going. And if we can be there again, I would ask people to bear with us. We are building and rebuilding at present. The club was completely broken.

"From a club that simply was not there, look where we are now. Our solidarity money comes from UEFA. This year we got 130,000 euro. Next season we will just get 60,000 euro because we were a First Division club this season.

"It is a slow rebuild. It must be done in such a way that we can stay there. From that, the solidarity money from UEFA can start to roll in. The grant application to the government of over 500,000 went in.

"We have been informed that this grant is now 454,000 euro. The thing about this Sports Capital grant is that most grounds are owned by their owners. For the government to give you the money, they have what is called a lien on the property.

"Oriel Park is not owned by Dundalk FC. It is owned by the Casey family. The legalities are still there. The legalities are still being gone through. Last week we had a visit from the Minister for Sport, Charlie McConalogue.

"Myself and Nita met with the minister and his officials. We were encouraged by what we we heard. The pitch will take around 10 weeks to lay.

"It will cost around 300,000 euro. On that basis, we are hoping the pitch will start very soon. People are still putting in their tenders.

The lights are being looked after by one of the other shareholders. There has been a difficulty in that we had to investigate if the existing pylons could hold the new LED system.

"We do not have an official date for starting to install the lights, as none of the contracts have yet been signed. The lights are not a prerequisite to us getting our Premier Division license. If we do not get the lights done, 5 pm kick offs will happen.

"The pitch has got to be done. It must be brought up to UEFA standards. When the contracts for the pitch have been signed, there will be an announcement. They have not been for the new lights either.

"The lights will cost around 200,000.With the pitch costing 300,000 euro. Our grant is for 454,000 euro. We must find another 50,000 euro from elsewhere.

"Last year, the council gave us a grant to improve our bathroom facilities. It was for 69,000 euro. They have been down and they have taken all the photographs. They also have a lien on the property.

"We also have a problem with the sewers. They have been blocked for years. I am trying to get that sorted. I have to spend the council money in the off-season so we can get their grant.

"As for new investors, I would always welcome that. But many of the people who have expressed interest in investing were simply headers. I have spoken to some local businesses in relation to investing.

"They have been burned very badly by the club in the past. I have one particular client who is a billionaire. He was not interested in investing.

"He said I do not want to have anything to do with Dundalk Football Club. He said I also do not want to have anything to do with the League of Ireland, because it is a joke."

The minority shareholders say that the club lacks an up-to-date strategic plan and a formal business plan for the Premier Division campaign. With the application deadline for a Premier Division license just weeks away, this is very serious.

The club must have a strategic business plan and a formal business plan drawn up and included with their application for the license. If they do not have this, then Dundalk will not be going up. They will be staying in the First Division at best.

Now, to be fair to John Temple, maybe he has these plans either completed or well underway and be ready for the license application deadline.

But why then would the minority shareholders be saying the club has no business plan and a strategic plan. It's a very worrying situation.

The worries have been considerably worsened with the news that the pitch at Oriel has failed tests required for use in the Premier Division. John Temple now says that work on a new pitch will go ahead.

But the fact that no contracts have yet been signed to go ahead with this also deeply worries me. My understanding is that the club has had the grant money for some time or knew it was coming.

Why, with just over three months to go for the new season, are the contractors not in now lifting the existing pitch and putting in the required new one? It's not as if the club does not have the grant coming in to do this.

At a cost of 300,000 euro, funded by the Sports Capital grant, a new pitch could be ready and waiting for the new season to kick off. It should be.

Again, this delay threatens Dundalk's chances of getting a Premier Division license. In fairness, after hearing what John Temple said on the Town End Podcast, I think the pitch will be ready.

The fact that the new floodlighting system may not be ready is a massive worry. The owner said last Tuesday that if they were not ready, the club would have to look for home games at Oriel to kick off at 5pm.

If this were to happen, then much-needed attendances will not be as required by the club to fund the increased playing budget for next season. There is a serious technical issue holding up the lights installation in the close season.

The existing lights were installed 58 years ago. It's still not known if the existing old pylons can be used. But there is also an issue over the way the old system is powered.

This has to be overcome for the new lights to go in. This issue should have been overcome months ago. Not being told to supporters just now.

Thus, the lights problem must be sorted out immediately and in time for the new season. If Dundalk do not have an up-to-date UEFA floodlighting system in place for the start of the season, will this mean no license?

I simply do not know. What I do fear is that all the good work done by those on and off the field will be nullified, and Dundalk will not be going up for all the reasons listed above.

My hope would be for the shareholders of Dundalk FC staying together as one. This would mean the status quo as is, the three minority holders, and John Temple continue. A split among these key people would rip the structures of the club asunder.

I would also like to see John Temple meeting with the executive of the 1903 Supporters Club in a bid to sort out whatever grievances exist between them. I also feel that John should also meet with the executive of the Supporters Trust.

They would be a massive asset in helping the club attempting to sort out the difficulties that have appeared on the horizon.

The club can not afford to self-destruct now into a civil war just as we are approaching the licensing time for the Premier Division.

I have found John Temple personally to be very good to work with as a member of the media. Many previous owners have made it difficult for the media to do their job.

This season, the local media have been allowed to get on with their jobs and have access and freedom to interview the manager and players without hindrance. Long may that continue.

Dundalk beat Pats in the final of the Leinster Senior Cup on Sunday evening, with a 2-1 win. The game was played at six pm in Inchicore. Dundalk got two early goals in the first half that won the game for them.

Harry Groome put Dundalk in front. Rohan Vaughan followed up with an excellent goal. Pats pulled a goal back in the first half with a well-taken goal from Aiden Keena. Dundalk started the game with just three first-team regulars.

They were awarded a penalty five minutes into the second half. Keith Ward took the spot kick and drove it well wide. Pats were down to 10 men when Jordan Garrick was sent off on 60 minutes.

Pat's did put Dundalk under serious pressure. But excellent defending and a man-of-the-match display from Dundalk's young keeper, Samuel Safaei, ensured the oldest competition in the League of Ireland was won by Dundalk.

Dundalk ended the season by winning the Leinster Senior Cup and, of course, the First Division title. But it's off the pitch, Dundalk must now win the battle to get their Premier Division license.

The club must not rip itself apart with division and into a civil war between key interests.

It must come together in a united front to ensure we get a new pitch, new floodlights and our business plans and all the right documentation required to get a full license.

Finally, deepest sympathies to the family and friends of former Dundalk FC kit man Gerry Watters. Gerry served the club with great honour for many years and worked with many managers.

I knew Gerry well. He was a pure gentleman and was always so helpful and kind to those around him. Deepest sympathy to his family and friends.

Look after each other. Please be careful out there. And remember to look after yourselves as well.