A FAI delegation will travel to Derry today in attempt to help bring League of Ireland football back to the city.
Having been expelled from the League on Saturday, the club have gone through the mill with chairman Pat McDaid and three of his fellow board members Joe W Doherty, Frank Houston and Peter Leonard all resigning on Tuesday evening, however it’s believed a few businessmen in the city are thought to be interested in taking over.
At least eleven players from the Brandywell club have met FAI representatives at Abbotstown, to ensure that they would not receive a world wide suspension, nevertheless it’s thought there are still a number of past and present players who still have until 12noon today to also ensure they don’t receive a ban.
“We gave the players who we met a letter saying they would not suffer any suspension due to the fact that they had two contracts as we accepted their assurances,” declared League of Ireland director Fran Gavin.
“There are still other players who need to come forward, present and past who have until 12 o’clock on Thursday and they will be dealt with in a similar manner.”
The shining light for the Candystripes faithful is that senior football could return to their club, albeit in the First Division next season.
“There’s enough will there and enough people who will get behind the club,” added Gavin.
“When you have the position where there are people who want the club in the League of Ireland and the FAI want the club in the League of Ireland, I think we can get our heads together and assure them that they have a real future in our league.
“The idea is to see where we can go from here. We’ll talk to the interested parties and could have the opportunity to talk to the Supporters’ Trust and tell them what we have in mind.
“What we can tell them is the procedure they have to go through in applying for the license and the different scenarios the club may find themselves in over the next while and how that might affect their licensing application.”




