Ownership saga casts shadow over Dundalk’s Premier Division licence

Dundalk FC once again found themselves in the spotlight for unwelcome reasons, as details emerged of a deepening dispute surrounding the club’s recent change of ownership involving John Temple and Chris Clinton.

Last Wednesday evening, The Democrat broke the news that Mr Temple had signalled his intention to pursue legal action against Mr Clinton, alleging that he had not been paid the full purchase price agreed for the transfer of his 65% shareholding on October 30th.

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According to Mr Temple’s legal representatives, Ogier Ireland LLP, only €70,000— believed to be less than half of the sum owed—has been received.

They maintain that, under the terms of the agreement, Mr Temple remains the club’s majority shareholder until full payment is made and is under no obligation to transfer either his shares or operational control, including access to the club’s email system.

Mr Temple further contends that Mr Clinton issued false public statements claiming to have assumed control of the club and criticising its underlying structures—remarks Mr Temple says were defamatory.

He has demanded four remedies: a formal public apology issued through the club’s media channels, a full retraction, a written undertaking to cease making defamatory comments, and an appropriate donation to charity.

Adding to the controversy, Mr Temple says he was sent fabricated minutes of a board meeting purportedly held on October 30th—a meeting he insists never took place.

He says the document incorrectly recorded both his resignation as a director and a €50,000 share transfer to Eircode Investments LLC. He maintains that the original agreement made no provision for his resignation as a director and has requested a legitimate board meeting along with access to the company’s accounting records.

Mr Temple has also warned that any submission to the FAI identifying Mr Clinton as the majority shareholder would be premature and inaccurate until the agreed payment is completed—though he has stated he will support such an application once the transaction is properly finalised.

He has given Mr Clinton seven days from the date of the correspondence, November 26th, to settle the full purchase price, expenses, and taxes. If this does not occur, he says he will initiate High Court proceedings to recover the outstanding sums and any consequential loss.

While The Democrat’s invitation for Mr Clinton to comment has not been accepted, a response to the article published by this newspaper was issued through a club statement.

It read: “Dundalk FC notes the recent media reports published on Wednesday, 26 November, regarding comments made by Mr John Temple in relation to the ownership and contractual arrangements between himself and club owner Chris Clinton.

“Speaking on behalf of Dundalk FC, executive director Chris Clinton has confirmed that the signed agreement between both parties is being honoured and that significant agreed payments have been made in accordance with a timely schedule.

“Mr Clinton also noted that, as is standard in transactions of this nature, there are normal administrative and legal processes which require time to complete, and these could be processed as expected with cooperation. The club will not be commenting further on the details of what remains a private commercial matter.”

Friday morning brought welcome news for Lilywhites supporters, as the club—just as had been anticipated—was officially granted the licence required to compete in next season’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.

“Securing our Premier Division licence confirms the positive direction the club is moving forward in, especially as this will be our 100th anniversary of competing in the league,” Mr Clinton said in a written club statement.

“This is a significant milestone and a huge endorsement of the massive amount of work that has gone in behind the scenes in Oriel Park in recent weeks, and I would like to thank everyone involved for their efforts.

“On behalf of the club, I would like to thank the FAI for their continuous engagement and cooperation during the process. This has been a great help, and we look forward to working closely with the FAI and other stakeholders as preparations continue for the 2026 season.”

Later that day, Mr Temple, amid the ongoing dispute, added his voice to the occasion, issuing a public statement on his LinkedIn account that read: “Delighted to have played my role in securing a licence for Dundalk FC the second time.

“Credit where it is due to Karen Travers for her hard work and diligence in ensuring all criteria was met in line with the FAI licensing department.

“When I began my journey with Dundalk FC the club were relegated to the First Division. I’m proud to say that hard work and an excellent team effort has paid off.

“Following the club’s success on winning the League of Ireland First Division, Dundalk FC have been promoted and today awarded a licence for the Premier Division in the League of Ireland. C’mon the Town!”

Mr Temple had stepped in to save the club from the brink of liquidation in September 2024, following the short and turbulent tenure of Brian Ainscough, who had earlier that year introduced fellow US-based businessman Clinton as a minority investor.