A new week

Sunday morning, and the news of Derry being thrown out the League was starting to gain real momentum. Press from the UK, Europe and further afield were starting to learn of the news of the club's demise.

The message board nearly went into meltdown and Greengo took the sensible step to close the site overnight. At Mass that morning people were talking about the club for the first time in years. Next up was the news of a press conference at the Brandywell at 2pm on the Sunday, where the fight back would begin.

I didn't bother attending, and from talking to those that did, I missed nothing. The idea of a press conference is that it is exactly that, a press conference. Once again, fans and any other interested onlookers were allowed in and the journalists I spoke to said it precluded an chance of actually asking decent questions.

I had a Supporters Trust meeting on the Sunday evening and I tried to explain to those in attendance that the contracts was a side issue. The financial state of the club meant that a Trust was need either way and therefore the need for a Trust was as pressing as ever.

Monday was a seminal day in the whole saga. The devastating performance of John Delaney on MNS showed that the FAI weren't backing down. At the same time the board were holding an open meeting. Such was the size of turnout that the group had to move to the City Hotel. Speaking to those who were at the meeting they thought that the board had done a good job and had coralled plenty of feeling against the FAI. This was before they had seen MNS though.

JD, with the threat of bans etc, had played classic divide and conquer with the players. Given the players hadn't been paid in weeks there was nothing for them to gain by staying quiet and they were always going to go running to Abbotstown to throw themselves on the mercy of the FAI.

On Tuesday the rumour mill buzzed that the players were on the way south. Events moved at breakneck speed as the players were exonerated and the majority of the board resigned that night. The statement by the PFAI/FAI regarding the players was quite a sight to behold. The players admitted signing the contracts but they didn't know what they were signing and they didn't think to question what these blank forms might relate to.

I personally don't believe this for a second and it was a complete exercise in self survival for the players. The FAI were happy as they had their evidence, the players were happy as they were off the hook. Everyone club has a union rep, did they not think to call Stephen McGuinness and check the blank form?

On Wednesday we had the one remaining director claiming no knowledge of the contracts issue. He spoke of taking the club forward and using his business skills to run the club as a business. Make of that what you will.