Brandywell Stadium Development

[marcoloco]

I can only imagine that you've not had too many dealings with the Council... lower your expectations, then some more and your almost there. Derry City Council is not a professional outfit that your dealing with in fact it's the opposite.

I also agree that if the Club are aware of any requirement to make a change to the fixture list then they should be communicating that back to the supporters. But look at it this way - if its all done and dusted as you suggest then why isn't Sligo Rovers advertising the game as a fixture change to their supporters?

Surely if this change is certain and its happening in Sligo 100% they'd be the first to inform supporters?

[MariborKev]

Sligo, quite admirably, are committing to attracting 3,000 to their first game of the season with their #bitored3000 scheme.

That, and their phenomenal fundraising which has raised over €22k in a couple of weeks.

[marcoloco]

Very good work. A proper footballing hotbed down there... but have they said anything about a fixture reversal v Derry City to those 3000 supporters?

[stevebradley]

Very good work. A proper footballing hotbed down there... but have they said anything about a fixture reversal v Derry City to those 3000 supporters?

How could they say anything about what is currently a Derry City home fixture before Derry City say it themselves ?

[marcoloco]

Very good work. A proper footballing hotbed down there... but have they said anything about a fixture reversal v Derry City to those 3000 supporters?

How could they say anything about what is currently a Derry City home fixture before Derry City say it themselves ?

That's my point!

[adydcfc]

Can someone from the club please come out and make a statement to where we'll be playing our homes games? Beyond a joke now with season just over a week away.

[barry]

Can someone from the club please come out and make a statement to where we'll be playing our homes games? Beyond a joke now with season just over a week away.

I don’t think any the board is on here Aidy

[adydcfc]

Can someone from the club please come out and make a statement to where we'll be playing our homes games? Beyond a joke now with season just over a week away.

I don’t think any the board is on here Aidy

Someone must be

[1)ee]

Can someone from the club please come out and make a statement to where we'll be playing our homes games? Beyond a joke now with season just over a week away.

Completely agree. At this point people should be talking about how they cant wait to get back to the Brandywell. Instead all we hear when the name is mentioned is various rumours that people are hearing and no clarification from the club who must know something at this stage. 1 week until season starts and 2 weeks until our first home game. Cutting it fine.

[KEVK]

Can someone from the club please come out and make a statement to where we'll be playing our homes games? Beyond a joke now with season just over a week away.

Completely agree. At this point people should be talking about how they cant wait to get back to the Brandywell. Instead all we hear when the name is mentioned is various rumours that people are hearing and no clarification from the club who must know something at this stage. 1 week until season starts and 2 weeks until our first home game. Cutting it fine.

Sounds like we may need to go down the Freedom of Information route like Steve Bradley done......then start putting 2 and 2 together to work out our home fixtures.

[pmac]

Send the board a Freedom of Information request I'm sure some of them read these pages, so why are they not listening to us. If they do not read this site, then that is more worrying.

[Keyser Soze]

I wonder do the local press have any info on this possible delayed start to our home games?

If so, why isn't it being printed?

As for board members being on this site, I would guess that the poster who has just started the EUROPA DRAW 2018 is likely involved in some official capacity with the club? No?

[KEVK]

I wonder do the local press have any info on this possible delayed start to our home games?

If so, why isn't it being printed?

As for board members being on this site, I would guess that the poster who has just started the EUROPA DRAW 2018 is likely involved in some official capacity with the club? No?

It would require a bit of 'investigative' journalism for local press to get information on this, and that requires a bit of digging.

No doubt someone from the Derry News or Derry Journal will now copy and paste Steve Bradley's findings and pass it off as their own work.

[pmac]

Gerard Doherty was on Radio Foyle at lunch time as was asked about the opening fixture taking place in the Brandywell and he said something like i don't know nothing about that, and the reporter just changed the subject. The way the supporters are being treated is intolerable.

[MariborKev]

http://www.derrycityfc.net/2018/02/bran ... nged/?dcfc

[pmac]

At last, a statement. unfortunately it doesn't mention the 2nd home game against Dundalk. Ridiculous that this project is so far behind schedule. Oh i forgot it rained a few times.

[Andy Bernard]

Imagine the delay if they had to build a proper stand instead of a lego version. SHAME ON THE COUNCIL

[M23]

I wonder do the local press have any info on this possible delayed start to our home games?

If so, why isn't it being printed?

As for board members being on this site, I would guess that the poster who has just started the EUROPA DRAW 2018 is likely involved in some official capacity with the club? No?

It would require a bit of 'investigative' journalism for local press to get information on this, and that requires a bit of digging.

No doubt someone from the Derry News or Derry Journal will now copy and paste Steve Bradley's findings and pass it off as their own work.

KEVK, maybe you should do a bit of investigating of your own? The Derry News have had two back pages in the last month specifically stating not only that the Brandywell wouldn't be ready, but that the first game against Sligo would definitely be off the table. The Derry Journal have also had backs on the stadium. Piece of advice - know the facts before typing.

[danny hale]

On Rte website , Sligo game now away (they agreed) and possibly Dundalk

Derry's return to the Brandywell delayed
Updated / Thursday, 8 Feb 2018 20:218
The redeveloped Brandywell has been delayed
The redeveloped Brandywell has been delayed
Derry City's return to the Brandywell has been delayed as renovations to the ground will not be completed in time for the first game of the season with Sligo Rovers.

City were due to take on Sligo on Friday, 23 February, their second match of the season, and first at home.

But work on the ground is still ongoing and there is even no guarantee they will be able to take on Dundalk in the venue on 2 March.

Sligo have agreed to switch the fixture with Derry which will see them host the Candystripes, and play the match at the Brandywell in August instead.

A statement from Derry read: "The club had expected to move into the new facility last November. That slipped to the end of December and the last update has necessitated the rearranging of the game against Sligo on the 23 February.

"That game will now be played in Sligo and the away game to Sligo later in the season will take place at the Brandywell. The club is very grateful to Sligo Rovers for their understanding and help in this situation.

"These delays have been most frustrating for the club. They have interrupted pre-season plans to acquaint our players to the new surface and they have stalled an extensive programme of events to introduce residents, fans, sponsors and new potential supporters to the new facilities.

"Despite this, we remind ourselves and our supporters that we have waited long years for this new development and these few weeks will be put behind us as we continue to work to ensure that we can be proud of the Brandywell experience."

City are relying on the local council to finish work but the final steps of the project have been slow to finish, with poor conditions and the delayed arrival of some materials.

Further delays could see the Dundalk game switched to Oriel Park but Derry hope to be in place for that fixture.

Sligo now face three home games to begin their season as a result of the switch, and a run of six away games out of seven in the summer, including a period of one home league game in 10 weeks.

Bit O'Red chairman Martin Heraghty said: "Facing Derry on a Friday and Cork City on a Monday means a lot of cost for our fans over one weekend. These are two big matches.

"We also now face a period of one home league game in 10 weeks from July to September. We had a similar period last year and it caused significant problems financially, although there could be some FAI Cup games in the period depending on our progress.

"But due to the circumstances, it was something we felt we had to agree to. We will plan, we will do our best and we will also use the quickfire run of home games to bring excitement to The Showgrounds.

"The season is upon us and we have a feast of football to look forward to in a short space of time. We will try to use the opening stage of it to our advantage."

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[KEVK]

I wonder do the local press have any info on this possible delayed start to our home games?

If so, why isn't it being printed?

As for board members being on this site, I would guess that the poster who has just started the EUROPA DRAW 2018 is likely involved in some official capacity with the club? No?

It would require a bit of 'investigative' journalism for local press to get information on this, and that requires a bit of digging.

No doubt someone from the Derry News or Derry Journal will now copy and paste Steve Bradley's findings and pass it off as their own work.

KEVK, maybe you should do a bit of investigating of your own? The Derry News have had two back pages in the last month specifically stating not only that the Brandywell wouldn't be ready, but that the first game against Sligo would definitely be off the table. The Derry Journal have also had backs on the stadium. Piece of advice - know the facts before typing.

I'll hold my hands up and apologise if that's the case and I've missed something that was in their print editions and not their online editions

Both online editions had the following:

Derry News: Last story was 3 weeks ago saying final works were weather dependent but no date or timescale given
Derry Journal: Up until today, the last story was 3 weeks ago saying there would be doubts it would be ready in time for the new season but no date or timescale given.

As I said, I may have missed something in print editions that backs up Steve Bradley's findings via FOI request - the stadium would not be ready for use by mid-March.