Premier and First Division - Galway takeover?

The Following Press Statement will be released today. Please note that a more detailed infromation pack will be sent only to members in advance of the meeting (24-48 hours before). For lapsed members that wish to renew their membership online please go to the co-op website (gufc-coop.com). If any member would like to submit any questions in advance please do so to info@gufc-coop.com. This will assist us in the preparation of the members information pack.

Press Statement 13/06/2018

Further to recent media reports the board of Galway United FC can confirm an offer has been received to take a majority shareholding in the club.

Galway United FC is 100% owned by the Galway United Friends Co-operative, and at the Special General Meeting (SGM) that has been called to discuss this offer, each co-op member that can attend will vote and ultimately make the decision in relation to the proposed investment. Galway United Friends Co-operative is owned and democratically controlled by its members and is operated on the principle of “one Member – one Vote”.

The co-op would encourage all paid up members to attend the SGM and have their voice heard by voting on the proposal on the night.

This is a proposed long term investment in Galway United and initial commitments outlined include;

Investment in the first team to target promotion to the Premier Division

Investment in the development of the club’s underage infrastructure and youth academy
Investment in a Galway United training facility
Recruitment of key personnel to ensure right structures are in place both on and off the pitch to support the long-term development of the club. These individuals will be at board level, general management and a director of football.
To play a bigger role in the community

Admission to the SGM will be only available to the following members. Members who have paid their full yearly membership (€180 for adults or €90 for concession class) or be part of the monthly payment scheme for at least two months. Members shall be at least 16 years of age, to be admitted to Society meetings. Lapsed members who pay their full yearly membership (€180 or €90) up to 48 hours before the meeting will also be entitled to attend. Lapsed members can make payment via the coop website at http://2s72r.r.a.d.sendibm1.com/mk/cl/Aq8UtdEztzEJMlsYC1kgh4vgEJNxjkHv2tz2YdPiGdaw9sU4X4orN5f0_xJdmKClKLntoUwHHwyQK-__Nd983i85Ew_-3A1dqzBtyqGrc2VgD3AINA" rel="nofollow -

Posted By: Trap junior
Date Posted: 09 Aug 2018 at 11:57pm

This has fallen through. Very embarrassing for the club.

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Pied Piper to: Baldrick, Brendan 88, 9Fingers, Borussia and more...

97.6% chance this post will be replied to by Baldrick (source: PWC)

Posted By: 9fingers
Date Posted: 10 Aug 2018 at 9:37am

What a surprise!! LOL

Posted By: AnCearrbhach
Date Posted: 10 Aug 2018 at 10:38am

Good luck trying to get anyone to join the trust now.

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Aithníonn ciaróg ciaróg eile.

Posted By: The Tribesman
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 12:35am

It's not looking good -

https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/galway-saudi-takeover-deal-hits-rocks-37198656.html

Posted By: kevincronin2000
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 3:03am

I'd love to know where the problems occurred.

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time is the stuff that life is made of, don't waste it.

Posted By: greenforever
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 8:36am

AnCearrbhach wrote:

Good luck trying to get anyone to join the trust now.

Wasn't the very reason the trust talking to these guys the fact that they could not get enough support to continue and grow the club.

If the Galway public supported the club in enough numbers the trust would not have needed to look at other options.

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I know nothing :-)

Posted By: J89
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 1:45pm

Trap junior wrote:

This has fallen through. Very embarrassing for the club.

Embarresimg how? The vote was only to vote on whether or not the trust should talk with the Saudis about potential investment, not a yes or no on whether they should sell up. The trust had nothing to lose by talking with them and its probably better now for a deal to fall through rather than after someone takes majority control of the club which would have been embarrassing.

Posted By: Trap junior
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 1:55pm

J89 wrote:

Trap junior wrote:

This has fallen through. Very embarrassing for the club.

Because people within the club sought publicity over the takeover and told RTE etc.

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Pied Piper to: Baldrick, Brendan 88, 9Fingers, Borussia and more...

97.6% chance this post will be replied to by Baldrick (source: PWC)

Posted By: Shedite
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 7:29pm

Trap junior wrote:

J89 wrote:

Trap junior wrote:

This has fallen through. Very embarrassing for the club.

Because people within the club sought publicity over the takeover and told RTE etc.

PRetty sure there's nobody in Galway feeling embarrassed about this

Posted By: J89
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 8:06pm

Trap junior wrote:

J89 wrote:

Trap junior wrote:

This has fallen through. Very embarrassing for the club.

Because people within the club sought publicity over the takeover and told RTE etc.

Johnny Ward broke the story and he's a Galway fan. They hardly rang Bryan Dobson and asked him break the story on the Six One news.

Posted By: Trap junior
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 8:32pm

The story as I heard it is ridiculous. Apparently an individuals son goes to college with some Saudi lad and the Saudi lad said his dad would buy the club. Even though they met the Saudis it just stank of bullsh*t. When it first broke I assumed the Saudis approached the club. This makes it sound like it was on the promise of a child in the schoolyard.

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Pied Piper to: Baldrick, Brendan 88, 9Fingers, Borussia and more...

97.6% chance this post will be replied to by Baldrick (source: PWC)

Posted By: J89
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 10:38pm

Doubt it was anything like that especially when the people named were legitimate people who've been involved with a pro club and doubt any club would come public if they hadn't already met these people, Limerick owner Pat O'Sullivan has held talks with people about taking the club off his hands but because he owns the club and doesn't need a vote from members means he doesn't have to go public with the news.

Posted By: UCDFAN
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 11:09pm

J89 wrote:

Doubt it was anything like that especially when the people named were legitimate people who've been involved with a pro club and doubt any club would come public if they hadn't already met these people, Limerick owner Pat O'Sullivan has held talks with people about taking the club off his hands but because he owns the club and doesn't need a vote from members means he doesn't have to go public with the news.

This is my feeling aswell. Transparency and accesibility are used as a stick to beat organisations.

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www.ucdsupporters.ie

Posted By: gspain
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 11:21pm

UCDFAN wrote:

This is my feeling aswell. Transparency and accesibility are used as a stick to beat organisations.

Exactly.

Posted By: The Tribesman
Date Posted: 18 Aug 2018 at 11:18pm

4-1 defeat to Longford last night at Eamon Deacy Park, with our goal coming in the 95th minute!

It has been an absolutely disastrous season!

Posted By: kevincronin2000
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2018 at 2:37am

The Tribesman wrote:

4-1 defeat to Longford last night at Eamon Deacy Park, with our goal coming in the 95th minute!

It has been an absolutely disastrous season!

In hindsight leaving Tommy Dunne go was a mistake, Tommy was never going to win ye titles but ye needed to steady the ship for another season or two before bringing in a decent replacement.

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time is the stuff that life is made of, don't waste it.

Posted By: Tribesman91
Date Posted: 19 Aug 2018 at 5:30pm

We have a good group of coaches at the club now Alan Murphy, Mark Herrick, Johnny Glynn, Nigel Keady, Derek O'Brien, all former players. I don't think any of the players are under contract for next year. The Club should put it's trust in the management team for a few years and have a complete squad overhaul.

Posted By: LO SCIENZIATO
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2018 at 3:13pm

Trap junior wrote:

The story as I heard it is ridiculous. Apparently an individuals son goes to college with some Saudi lad and the Saudi lad said his dad would buy the club. Even though they met the Saudis it just stank of bullsh*t. When it first broke I assumed the Saudis approached the club. This makes it sound like it was on the promise of a child in the schoolyard.

its one of the most laughable stories in LOI history. the organised fun buses of the yacht club has more merit and meaning to it than this takeover LOL

Posted By: gufct
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2018 at 9:45am

Who needs Arabs👌⚽️⚽️👌👌

W https://connachttribune.ie/gaas-mountain-south-to-be-turned-into-a-e20m-soccer-centre-of-excellence-132/" rel="nofollow - https://connachttribune.ie/gaas-mountain-south-to-be-turned-into-a-e20m-soccer-centre-of-excellence-132/

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One City,One County,One Club GUFC will be back.

Posted By: 9fingers
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2018 at 10:31am

gufct wrote:

Who needs Arabs👌⚽️⚽️👌👌

That’s excellent news

Posted By: MC Hammered
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2018 at 10:37am

Reading Emmet Malones article today outlining the FAI's spending on the underage LOI leagues here sadly means that we need more of this type of news. We can't rely on the governing body of our sport to assist so hopefully more outside parties step up to try and alleviate the crisis.

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El Puto Amo

Posted By: cardwizzard
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2018 at 11:05am

gufct wrote:

Who needs Arabs👌⚽️⚽️👌👌

Thats fantastic, those lads are doers too so can see it happening. With apartments for the kids an! all Clap

.. If only the great leader had plans to implement ideas like this across the country.

Posted By: Tony Cousins
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2018 at 11:54am

It's an insult to all the victims of the famine that land belonging to true gaels is now in the hands of the foreign game. The true gaels of Galway can not be served a diet of association football.

Posted By: Claret Murph
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2018 at 2:15pm

Unreal I tell you unreal .

Now to say it would be easy to get to I would say 10 minutes walk and I would be pitch side .

Still can't stop keep smiling about this Big smile

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Lansdowne Road debut aged 52 and 201 days .

Posted By: gufct
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2018 at 3:30pm

It will be a training facility not a stadium Murph.

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One City,One County,One Club GUFC will be back.

Posted By: pre Madonna
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2018 at 3:50pm

Yeah, but he likes seeing young boys running about in shorts.

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Greed has won, big finance has won. Whatever small role elite clubs still play in the local communities from which they grew is dwarfed now by their position as global brands.

Posted By: Claret Murph
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2018 at 12:34pm

gufct wrote:

It will be a training facility not a stadium Murph.

Yer Tommy I know but there will be games played on some level and overseas teams with a bit of luck . My case is hummm not much on the box I will just wander down and see what's on this evening

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Lansdowne Road debut aged 52 and 201 days .

Posted By: Trap junior
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2018 at 12:55pm

Tony Cousins wrote:

It's an insult to all the victims of the famine that land belonging to true gaels is now in the hands of the foreign game. The true gaels of Galway can not be served a diet of association football.

I hear the fields of Athenry lie low so there will be some amoint of work required on drainage

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Pied Piper to: Baldrick, Brendan 88, 9Fingers, Borussia and more...

97.6% chance this post will be replied to by Baldrick (source: PWC)

Posted By: The White Cafu
Date Posted: 05 Apr 2019 at 1:46pm

Is the Bar still open in the old dressing rooms at the ground?

Posted By: Tribesman91
Date Posted: 05 Apr 2019 at 5:29pm

Posted By: Claret Murph
Date Posted: 05 Apr 2019 at 10:44pm

Nope as you well know by now

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Lansdowne Road debut aged 52 and 201 days .

Posted By: DC96
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2019 at 2:39pm

Nope, must have lost the licence. Hasn't been available for the last two seasons now to my recollection.

Been to three games and all the same issues. Talented forward line getting no service, midfield with no creative spark, defence somewhat solid. Opposition get 1 chance and take it, Galway struggle to create anything in opposition to that.

Will be a long season given the inexperience of so many of these lads. Was sat next to an FAI scout last night so the talent is certainly there, but will take time to adapt.

Posted By: nvidic
Date Posted: 07 Apr 2019 at 10:10am

DC96 wrote:

Nope, must have lost the licence. Hasn't been available for the last two seasons now to my recollection.

Will be a long season given the inexperience of so many of these lads. Was sat next to an FAI scout last night so the talent is certainly there, but will take time to adapt.

Sure he just wasn't the usual match observer? They'd be at a lot of games keeping an eye on things but aren't scouts.

Posted By: DC96
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 12:15am

nvidic wrote:

DC96 wrote:

Nope, must have lost the licence. Hasn't been available for the last two seasons now to my recollection.

Will be a long season given the inexperience of so many of these lads. Was sat next to an FAI scout last night so the talent is certainly there, but will take time to adapt.

Sure he just wasn't the usual match observer? They'd be at a lot of games keeping an eye on things but aren't scouts.

Could be. I've only started attending LOI recently in the last couple years so I'd never seen one before. But he had an Ireland coat on and was taking notes throughout the game so just assumed he was monitoring some players. I know the young Kelly lad played for an Ireland side in the last couple weeks figured he might be watching him in particular.

Posted By: gufct
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 12:25am

The Fai observer was down at the wall in front of the stand both Higgins and kelly played for u17s last year and Higgins played two 18 games lately kelly played schoolboy internationals two

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One City,One County,One Club GUFC will be back.

Posted By: gspain
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 9:39am

gufct wrote:

The Fai observer was down at the wall in front of the stand both Higgins and kelly played for u17s last year and Higgins played two 18 games lately kelly played schoolboy internationals two

He moved around quite a bit. He was at the back of the away stand for a while as well. He had a good view of the tennis balls.

Posted By: nvidic
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 10:18am

DC96 wrote:

nvidic wrote:

DC96 wrote:

Nope, must have lost the licence. Hasn't been available for the last two seasons now to my recollection.

Will be a long season given the inexperience of so many of these lads. Was sat next to an FAI scout last night so the talent is certainly there, but will take time to adapt.

Sure he just wasn't the usual match observer? They'd be at a lot of games keeping an eye on things but aren't scouts.

We get them at Bray a bit, they just look at ref performance, the running of the match (tickets, stewarding) etc. They usually sit near me so I've talked to them the odd time.

Not to say yours wasn't a scout but chance he was just the regular observer.

Posted By: Bo Jackson
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 10:20am

DC96 wrote:

Nope, must have lost the licence. Hasn't been available for the last two seasons now to my recollection.

Nothing to do with losing the license but with the ignorant clowns who own the ground.

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You don't know Bo?

2018 YBIG Fantasy Football Champ!

Posted By: ProudAndLoud
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 10:22am

At every LOI match there is a referee observer and a match delegate. Two different souls. Latter reports on pitch, crowd distrubance, flares....

Posted By: DC96
Date Posted: 09 Apr 2019 at 1:08pm

ProudAndLoud wrote:

At every LOI match there is a referee observer and a match delegate. Two different souls. Latter reports on pitch, crowd distrubance, flares....

Cheers for the info. The lad I'm on about isnt the same one the other fellas here are referring to because the fella I saw stayed in the same seat all game (very right side of the home stand, behind the dugouts). But aye, likely one of the lads you're referring to.

Bo Jackson wrote:

DC96 wrote:

Nope, must have lost the licence. Hasn't been available for the last two seasons now to my recollection.

Nothing to do with losing the license but with the ignorant clowns who own the ground.

More info please? I'm a blow-in to Galway so not up to date on everything local. I'd assumed that they couldnt afford the licence or security for a bar anymore as they had one for my first visit two or so years back. A shame to be honest, I spent time in Germany and attended dozens of games at all levels, really helps create a fantastic atmosphere and a more enjoyable game when you can take a pint to the stands and watch the football.

I dont really know much about how GU is run aside from the recent fan ownership. My mates do tell me they've had serious arguments with the local sides in Salthill and Mervue before though? Do the club even own the ground?

Posted By: DC96
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2019 at 2:08am

Desperately unlucky tonight Galway. Played Cobh off the park I thought and were more than warranting a win. Missed hatfuls of chances and conceded a foolish penalty, followed by an unfortunate og.

Been to 4 home games now easily the best display they've put in so far for me. Hoping they can turn it around, such a young squad. Number 17 Ivan Gamarra or something along those lines was very very impressive I felt. Seen him twice now and been excellent on both occasions.

Posted By: gufct
Date Posted: 29 Jul 2019 at 7:38pm

https://galwayunitedfc.ie/major-club-announcement/" rel="nofollow - https://galwayunitedfc.ie/major-club-announcement/ . Great to have some good news for once.

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One City,One County,One Club GUFC will be back.

Posted By: Tribesman91
Date Posted: 29 Jul 2019 at 11:19pm

https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/billionaire-brothers-set-to-finance-20m-galway-united-football-academy-in-athenry-38356325.html" rel="nofollow - https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/billionaire-brothers-set-to-finance-20m-galway-united-football-academy-in-athenry-38356325.html

Posted By: Wheelo
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2019 at 11:24pm

this is serious investment. And investment in the right way. 20 million spent on players wages and transfer fees to win a couple of leagues and have no foundations laid is a waste (like drogs did - well wasn’t 20 million, but same point). Fair play to them, this is the way to do it

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"Not surprised you are anti foreigner in your so called Kip of a town when you don’t want a manager because he is Swedish and you want big Sam in charge" - a fine post from a fine ybig poster

Posted By: oldbilly
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2019 at 11:25pm

Posted By: Claret Murph
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2019 at 11:49pm

Any Cobh fans around tonight Cool

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Lansdowne Road debut aged 52 and 201 days .

Posted By: gufct
Date Posted: 08 Apr 2020 at 1:59pm

https://galwayunitedfc.ie/10-of-online-sales-to-go-to-childline/" rel="nofollow - https://galwayunitedfc.ie/10-of-online-sales-to-go-to-childline/

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One City,One County,One Club GUFC will be back.

Posted By: gufct
Date Posted: 18 May 2020 at 8:30pm

https://youtu.be/S97IjK1-pho" rel="nofollow - https://youtu.be/S97IjK1-pho

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One City,One County,One Club GUFC will be back.

Posted By: SUPERWESLEYHOOLAHAN
Date Posted: 18 May 2020 at 8:48pm

http://corksportsnews.ie/football-mad-cian-huge-future-ahead/?fbclid=IwAR0BVusD6MG74v6_u67Ovhf3k8wApunJXfOP3Tp5y1HXiliZRv4XS-fgMXY%20" rel="nofollow - http://corksportsnews.ie/football-mad-cian-huge-future-ahead/?fbclid=IwAR0BVusD6MG74v6_u67Ovhf3k8wApunJXfOP3Tp5y1HXiliZRv4XS-fgMXY

Great interview with Cian Murphy, grew up playing against him and is great to see his dedication paying off, top player and an excellent coach by all accounts