Dundalk boss Stephen O’Donnell got the boost he has been looking forward to for some time with the addition of four new signings to his squad. It was vital Dundalk got some new faces into Oriel Park. All four are from the UK, although one is a Gibraltar international.
The fact that it has taken Dundalk so long to get new players was a source of concern among supporters. The four new players brings the current squad up to 18.
This is still by no means enough if Dundalk want to have as strong a squad to be successful both domestically and in Europe in the forthcoming season. Other teams also have got ahead of Dundalk regarding purchasing power for players.
Both Sligo Rovers and Bohemians have been able to put in higher bids for players on the transfer list, as all teams scrap to build their teams for next season. Up to last Tuesday both Dundalk and UCD were the only teams in the Premier Division not to have made any new signings at all.
Shamrock Rovers and Derry City have the domestic market sewn up as they can sign any players they want. They are the millionaire clubs who do not have the worry of about big costs on their balance sheets.
What was good about Dundalk’s new signings is that three are tied down for two years. It prevents clubs like Derry City or Shamrock Rovers from taking them after just a year.
The Lilywhites also suffered the ignominy of losing their top centre half Mark Connolly, who was on loan to the club until July, when switching to Derry City in the first week of August last season.
Connolly’s parent club had decided to sell Mark in July last year. Dundalk just could not meet the asking price. Derry could and fairly and squarely got the best centre back in the league.
New Signings
Dundalk announced their first signing a week ago today. They brought in Gibraltar international Louie Annesley from Blackburn Rovers. The 22-year-old has been capped 35 times.
Louie was born in London.
He played for the Lincoln Red Imps in the first round of the Europa League in 2018 against the Welsh side The New Saints. He moved to Blackburn Rovers a year later, but only made one first team appearance for the Championship side.
Annesley played in Gibraltar’s Euro 2020 campaign against the Republic of Ireland. He faces Ireland again in the forthcoming Euro qualifiers.
On the same day the club also confirmed what we have known for weeks; that Robbie Benson had signed another one-year contract and is remaining at Oriel Park.
Benson will be a huge asset to Dundalk if he can stay injury free. A pelvic problem kept him out of the team for much of last season. He was badly missed.
Signing number two was Conor Malley. He came through the Middlesbrough academy. As time went on, he signed a three-year deal with the senior squad.
He moved to Ayr United on loan. He returned to Middlesbrough and made four first team appearances with the club. Further loan spells followed at Gateshead and English League 2 side Carlisle.
Conor, aged just 22, arrives in Dundalk with his young family. They will all settle here. Manager Stephen O’Donnell says Conor is a player of great ability and he cannot wait to see him get started.
Dundalk’s third signing was central defender Hayden Muller. He has had strong links with the Millwall over the past eight years.
Still only 20, Hayden also plays as a full back. But it’s thought he will play with Andy Boyle in the centre of defence. Hayden went through the Millwall academy and made 3 first team senior appearances.
Dundalk’s fourth signing was Cameron Elliott. Cameron is a striker who Stephen O’Donnell believes can do a good job for the club. The 23-year-old joins from the Scottish Lowland League side East Kilbride.
Cameron has scored 15 goals in just 21 appearances this season. He spent some time with St Mirren as a youngster. The new striker will provide healthy competition for Pat Hoban and will also be there as cover should Pat pick up any injuries.
Financial Realities
Last week also local soccer reporter James Rogers posting a story online that the owners of Dundalk were looking for new investors. It was a bolt out of the blue for me as I thought with their attendances of 2000 to 3000 people at each home game, that Dundalk were fine financially.
But the news story said that the club had suffered a heavy financial loss last season. I was numb when I heard the news. Supporters took to the internet and expressed their views as to where the loss had been made.
Many views were wrong. Even now I’m not sure where the loss was and by how much it was. But one thing is for sure, the cost of running a club in the League of Ireland is massive. It’s much more than many of us realise.
But the only way clubs in the League of Ireland can be guaranteed success and not worry about huge debt is to own your own pitch and to become a millionaire club. Derry and Shamrock Rovers are the richest clubs in the league, and they are set to dominate Irish soccer for years to come.
The Lilywhites made some significant losses in at least two of the four years under previous owners Peak6. But with the American owners in control the club made a profit of close to €1million in 2021.The profit was up over €100,000 on the previous year.
Looking at the figures, the club was in a financially stable position at the time of the takeover by Andy Connolly and STATSports. But this healthy financial situation was due to a write off by Peak6 of a loan amounting to close on €1.8 million.
If Peak 6 had not given this loan forgiveness, Dundalk would have been facing a huge loss of nearly €900,000. The figures here were reported by James Rogers last October.
Thus, they show that Peak6 left Dundalk in a healthy financial position at the time of the takover. Peake6 also paid off the redundancy of any employees at the club.
The accounts for 2022 do not have to be filed with the Company Registrations office until next October. However, it appears clear that the club do need new investors at the very least. Or barring that, they will have to make sizeable cutbacks.
With the news the club did sustain a heavy financial loss in 2022, it is no wonder the Lilywhites could not compete in the same market of players available to recruit in Ireland as some other clubs.
But Stephen O’Donnell still only has a squad of 18 players, with the four new players coming in last week. He needs to add at least three to four other players to have a stable squad given the challenges ahead.
And the club must know that the existing artificial pitch is coming to the end of its life span. Dundalk must decide to go for a grass pitch or to continue with the artificial surface. That’s an issue that has to be looked at and planned for ahead pre-season in 2024.
Oriel Redevelopment
RTE reported on Friday that several League of Ireland clubs have applied for significant funding for the development of their grounds. This is the only way Oriel Park can be redeveloped and brought into the 21st century.
The board must up come up with a plan for the redevelopment of the ground and then communicate with fans and the people of the town and surrounding areas, as was suggested by the 1903 Supporters Club Chairman Brendan Ogle.
Politicians going for the forthcoming local and general elections must be lobbied not just by the club, but by everybody, that we need a new ground. And the money must come from central and local government funding or grants.
I ask supporters are they just going to remain content with a ground deteriorating by the year or are they prepared to organise and lobby?
But to the owners the question is are you prepared to introduce a plan which will end up with central government to give the people and fans of Dundalk a ground we can be proud of?
Are the owners ready to ensure that Oriel becomes a community facility, just as Tallaght Stadium and the Brandywell are? They are both owned and taken care of by the local authority.
Dark Memories
When I heard Dundalk had made a substantial loss last season, I immediately thought of the night the club had to put all their players on the transfer list, as they could not pay the wages. That was in November 1997.
I thought Dundalk FC was finished. But a co-op took over the club, spearheaded by former club director Aiden Gaughran and the late Des Denning. The co-op and the people of the town and surrounding areas saved their own club.
It took me 24 hours to realise that the club was nowhere near a 1997 situation. I had been very worried that this was the case. I contacted the club to get an interview from a spokesman on what exactly was the situation on the finances.
That was last Wednesday. So far Dundalk has not had a chance to reply to my request. But I’m confident that I will be able to sort something out shortly.
Final Thoughts
Nathan Shepperd was one of three players nominated for Goalkeeper of the Year at the Soccer Writers Awards night in Dublin last Saturday.
It was won by Shamrock Rovers veteran keeper Alan Mannus. He has been terrific all season for the champions. But Nathan has been just as good. I have no doubt he will get the award in the next season or so, should he remain in Ireland.
Have a safe week. And remember everybody, please look after each other and be careful out there.
