'Marney affair' threatens to derail European gravy train

NATIONAL LEAGUE: More than a week after binding arbitration intended to resolve the matter, the "Paul Marney affair" now looks set to haunt us all for at least another couple of weeks and, worryingly, possibly much longer.

Shelbourne have hinted that they will unveil the nature of the "new" evidence they possess in relation to the saga today and the FAI have already agreed to have a lawyer look at the situation. We can only hope, it seems, that UEFA are patient when it comes to forwarding names for next summer's European competitions.

The importance to our leading clubs of qualifying for either of the main European tournaments is hard to underestimate. Bohemians officials recently insisted that they could operate well enough if the club does not make it, yet the money earned from one tie against Kaiserslautern a couple of seasons back probably represented more than a quarter of a year's turnover.

Shelbourne's Cup defeat at the weekend means the league may now be the club's only route onto next summer's international stage and the decision to reduce the nine-point penalty imposed on St Patrick's to no more than a token fine could, in theory, cost the Tolka Park club upwards of €300,000.

Shelbourne's attempt to have the arbitrator Liam Reidy's decision overturned appears to centre on evidence which, it is claimed, proves that St Patrick's did not send Marney's registration form to the league by unregistered post as claimed.

Last week Reidy accepted that the club had sent the form in by unregistered mail although the only evidence to back up the claim appears to have been a receipt for unregistered post, which in reality proves nothing at all.

It seems strange that Reidy would so readily accept that one form was sent by the wrong sort of post while more than 20 similar forms were forwarded properly and that that one letter became lost en route when it seems more believable that the entire problem was rooted in a more straightforward oversight at Richmond Park.

It seems likely he simply didn't feel the issue was particularly important, as he places great emphasis elsewhere on the fact that the breach of rule was unintentional and involved no particular advantage being gained.

The renewed hostilities seem to confirm that it would have been wise to involve Shelbourne more directly in the original appeal. If this had been done, even if it had involved asking Reidy to step aside as Shelbourne objected to the arbitration being conducted by an official from another league club, they might have felt bound by the result.

As it is there is no guarantee that the findings of a new inquiry will end the matter. Shelbourne point out that an attempt to have the issue resolved by FIFA or some other such international body could take until well after the draws for the European competitions have been made. Even then, there would presumably be the option of seeking damages should international arbitration go their way.

Lessons should be learned, although if the recent history of this league has taught us anything at all it is that lessons are merrily disregarded.

The promise of an entirely new rulebook at this summer's a.g.m. suggests, though, that there is a strong desire to avoid a continuation of the regular fiascos we have had to endure because the current document is such a mess.

It would also be nice to think that leading officials from St Patrick's would think twice before they deign to lecture the rest of the league on professionalism.

And reports that Shelbourne might react to the points being restored to St Patrick's by resigning from the league in order to seek membership of either the Welsh or Northern Irish leagues merely had the effect of broadening the smiles of cynics who feel that this league is little more than a joke.