derrycitychat.com

stevebradley wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 12:25 am

dcfc_jp_1989 wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 12:18 am

stevebradley wrote: Thu Mar 06, 2025 11:47 pm

They could direct anyone with a terrace ticket into the new stand (though they'd be entitled to say they wanted to stand by the sides instead) ?

Those who were moved from block K, L, M I think have season tickets for it maybe they'll be the ones in it for tomorrow night?

Did the club not say they weren't doing season tickets for it until it was confirmed when it would open?

Those who are due to get season tickets for it are being issued with match tickets in lieu of their season ticket, when the stand gets the go ahead to open fully I'd assume they'll be issued with their season tickets. I'm just thinking that if the stand is open tomorrow night then these people will be issued with a North Stand ticket instead of a terrace ticket? Not sure if the club intends to sell the other seats as season tickets or general sale.

dcfc_jp_1989 wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 1:38 am

stevebradley wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 12:25 am

dcfc_jp_1989 wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 12:18 am

Those who were moved from block K, L, M I think have season tickets for it maybe they'll be the ones in it for tomorrow night?

Did the club not say they weren't doing season tickets for it until it was confirmed when it would open?

Those who are due to get season tickets for it are being issued with match tickets in lieu of their season ticket, when the stand gets the go ahead to open fully I'd assume they'll be issued with their season tickets. I'm just thinking that if the stand is open tomorrow night then these people will be issued with a North Stand ticket instead of a terrace ticket? Not sure if the club intends to sell the other seats as season tickets or general sale.

The stand wont be open tonight.

marcoloco wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 12:50 pm

dcfc_jp_1989 wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 1:38 am

stevebradley wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 12:25 am

Did the club not say they weren't doing season tickets for it until it was confirmed when it would open?

Those who are due to get season tickets for it are being issued with match tickets in lieu of their season ticket, when the stand gets the go ahead to open fully I'd assume they'll be issued with their season tickets. I'm just thinking that if the stand is open tomorrow night then these people will be issued with a North Stand ticket instead of a terrace ticket? Not sure if the club intends to sell the other seats as season tickets or general sale.

The stand wont be open tonight.

Fair enough. I was only joining in on the discussion that came about by an earlier post suggesting that it would be

dcfc_jp_1989 wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 1:04 pm

marcoloco wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 12:50 pm

dcfc_jp_1989 wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 1:38 am

Those who are due to get season tickets for it are being issued with match tickets in lieu of their season ticket, when the stand gets the go ahead to open fully I'd assume they'll be issued with their season tickets. I'm just thinking that if the stand is open tomorrow night then these people will be issued with a North Stand ticket instead of a terrace ticket? Not sure if the club intends to sell the other seats as season tickets or general sale.

The stand wont be open tonight.

Fair enough. I was only joining in on the discussion that came about by an earlier post suggesting that it would be

Of course. Just confirming that it not ready for use.

Sinn Feins Christopher Jackson has proposed the council offer City a long term lease on The Brandywell to get around the 40% contribution.


https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1XA3T7hGRY/

brandyball wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 6:51 pm Sinn Feins Christopher Jackson has proposed the council offer City a long term lease on The Brandywell to get around the 40% contribution.


https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1XA3T7hGRY/

This raises some fairly key questions :

1) Does the club want a long term lease on the ground? And if so - do they want one right now?

2) Is there sufficient time to agree, draft and sign such a lease before the deadline for the Stormont funding application in 10 working days time?

3) What would happen re the other users of the pitch? Presumably they'd have to be formally consulted by the council? What if they object?

4) What would such a lease cover? Would the dog track be included, for example, or the 2 carpark areas?

Given the speed at which the council usually functions, and the fact that there's more to be sorted around this than it might seem, I would be suprised if this proposal is a goer. If, however, the ownership of the ground only matters for when the funding is released, rather than when the application is submitted, then that would buy the club and council more time to see if this was a goer.

It does sound like the 40% matched-funding bit has become a real barrier to the completion of the MF Stand now. Fingers crossed something can get sorted on it asap.

stevebradley wrote: Sat Mar 08, 2025 8:03 pm

brandyball wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 6:51 pm Sinn Feins Christopher Jackson has proposed the council offer City a long term lease on The Brandywell to get around the 40% contribution.


https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1XA3T7hGRY/

This raises some fairly key questions :

1) Does the club want a long term lease on the ground? And if so - do they want one right now?

2) Is there sufficient time to agree, draft and sign such a lease before the deadline for the Stormont funding application in 10 working days time?

3) What would happen re the other users of the pitch? Presumably they'd have to be formally consulted by the council? What if they object?

4) What would such a lease cover? Would the dog track be included, for example, or the 2 carpark areas?

Given the speed at which the council usually functions, and the fact that there's more to be sorted around this than it might seem, I would be suprised if this proposal is a goer. If, however, the ownership of the ground only matters for when the funding is released, rather than when the application is submitted, then that would buy the club and council more time to see if this was a goer.

It does sound like the 40% matched-funding bit has become a real barrier to the completion of the MF Stand now. Fingers crossed something can get sorted on it asap.

Council have asked for an extension to the Deadline( thought you would've known that, Steve!)

According to the guidance document, any lease has to run until at least 2051.

It remains possible for the 40% to be made up from other sources eg the chairman but it feels as though this isn't on the table.

This proposal could work - I don't think we have any other solution to this?

- The criteria reads, 'an owner of a football ground means the organisation that holds either (1) a freehold interest or (2) a lease that will expire no earlier than 1 Jan 2051'.

Valid concerns have been raised around the timescales to get this over the line, have people on board, and have a workable arrangement to ensure that 1. Funding is secured & 2. Stakeholders are happy.

An example here, is of course Shamrock Rovers' arrangement with Tallaght (the benchmark): https://www.echo.ie/15-year-rovers-deal ... t-stadium/

These issues however have been underpinning this debate for years, and is the root of all complexity for DCFC & The Brandywell. I just hope this can be navigated to ensure funding is secured. I won't delve into a discussion on reaching UEFA Category 4 status, yet.

Sinn Fein clutching at straws for votes in the North West by acting now? The stoopers must be rubbing their hands whilst sitting back with popcorn

There is no way DCSDC will stump up the 3M or 40% thats needed... This is what happens when you dont own your own ground...

I'll not mention the plastic pitch or lack of irrigation systems

Greengo wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 8:53 pm Sinn Fein clutching at straws for votes in the North West by acting now? The stoopers must be rubbing their hands whilst sitting back with popcorn

There is no way DCSDC will stump up the 3M or 40% thats needed... This is what happens when you dont own your own ground...

I'll not mention the plastic pitch or lack of irrigation systems

Exactly, this problem has long been making its way down the tracks - club have had long enough to get their house in order.

I'll leave the pitch and lack of irrigation system for another day.

Lynch has evidently binned our innovative bin man irrigation system anyway, aka: Mr Shepherd.

The club & DCSDC are meeting this week to gauge solutions & discuss the potential of a long-term lease to enable access to the NI Football Fund, according to Simon Collins.

Acknowledged that should this pass, it is a minefield in relation to the different stakeholders. Do Institute sub-let off Derry City etc.

However, here's hoping a workaround can be sorted.

The deadline for applications is this Friday. Was the deadline extended? If not, will an application be submitted before the deadline? You would have to assume yes.

It’s not the minefield that people make out.

Derry just agree to honour existing sub-leases and Council has input moving forward.

The only issue here is the timeframe. We’re not negotiating a peace treaty.

I didn't realise anyone had any leases never mind sub-leases so thanks for clarifying that marco.

rodgers wrote: Wed Mar 12, 2025 10:30 am The deadline for applications is this Friday. Was the deadline extended? If not, will an application be submitted before the deadline? You would have to assume yes.

Given this lease stuff is agreed in advance of Friday's deadline, I would assume the application would be, yes.

All indications from Sean Barrett in the past were that the business case was oven ready & that we were in pretty good shape in that regard; to get +6m (ensures the extension of MF Stand & Floodlight upgrade). See here:

https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/foot ... eo-4976036

https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/foot ... nd-4528965

However, given the goalposts have moved (Gordon Lyons, DUP) & the criteria is 40% for council grounds (also impacts Ballymena United etc), it all hinges on the lease being agreed, otherwise forget about it.

Reading the bid documents, an owner is defined as someone who has a freehold interest or a lease that won't expire before 2051. It further states that the bidder doesn't necessarily have to be the owner at the time of the bid but does intend to become the owner. If council agree to a minimum lease of 25yrs before Friday then we'll only have to pay 5% of any money awarded

Great photo of the Brandywell. Albeit - if you have OCD, look away!

I know we have bigger fish to fry, but the Southend Stand could do with some TLC, a clean and new seats wouldn't go a miss (current ones are archaic & some are not safe). The roof looks like a nature reserve.

An example is Rovers changing 'old' seats after only 13 odd years (https://www.extratime.com/articles/3316 ... -unveiled/).

Listened in on the DCSDC Health & Community Committee meeting this afternoon where council were discussing the possibility of Derry City FC taking a lease on the Brandywell stadium.

There is an act in place - think it was the corporation act of 1918 that prevents the council from given leases of more than 12 months & this needs to be repealed by the Assembly at Stormont.

The proposal was passed by the committee & the CLUB can now go ahead & submit the bid as opposed to the council submitting it as the lease does not have to be in place until stage 7 of the bid process which is the tender procrss & appointing of contractors etc. When asked if Stormont can drag their heels on repealing the act to ensure that stage 7 comes first, one of the council officers stated that every bid will be at different stages, think he was more or less saying that the club will be in charge of the process & won't go to stage 7 until they have the lease.

Somebody from a legal background also spoke & stated that the club & council can negotiate a lease that is ready to sign once the act is repealed. There will be consultations with the current stakeholders on the matter but a council officer stated that the use of the current pitch has been reduced to 20 hours per week to ensure it maintains its UEFA & FAI standard & the preferred option for a grass pitch is a hybrid pitch & the recommended use is 20 hours per week so he doesn't see any issue there.

Our bid is just short of £12m this includes, new floodlights, new seating & nearly sure they mentioned a new pitch as well.

Meeting can be viewed in link below. Agenda 11 I think it is, fast forward to around 42mins

https://www.youtube.com/live/bWpzcxcTny ... 1afrsv-oPu

That DUP Lyons boy will try some other staunt to deprive us the money