New twist in the tale gets the same old spin

FAI general secretary Bernard O'Byrne expressed the hope yesterday that the sale of the majority of shares in Wimbledon FC to Norwegan businessmen Kjell Inge Rokke and Bjorn Gune Gjelsten would mark the end of speculation regarding a move to Dublin.

He said that he hoped that the association would now be allowed to get on with developing its own exciting plans for the future of football in Ireland.

"The FAI has no interest in simply maintaining the status quo, he said yesterday. "We are always anxious to advance and the first step forward that we are looking to make is the construction of a national stadium.

After that lie feels with the rapid changes in the structures of international football it would be possible for a Dublin based team to seek admission to European competition. We'd be happy to support that sort of initiative, says O'Byrne, "and I'm sure that it would have the support of the Irish public."

Those involved with the consortium which has been trying to bring Wimbledon to Dublin insisted, however, that these latest developments in no way affected their plans.

Property developer Owen O'Casey, who wishes to construct a stadium in Neilstown to house the club, said yesterday that "the proposed purchase actually advances the group's cause. This deal is based on the desirability of the club moving to Dublin and playing here.

A Dublin-based source close to the group, meanwhile, said that work was continuing on winning over support from those involved at a high level in the game here. "There is," it was claimed, intense lobbying and deal-making going on behind the scenes at the moment. Already about 90 per cent of the National League clubs are in favour, but the aim is to get the support of the FAI itself because it would be better to proceed with their approval."

These figures were hotly con tested by O'Byrne, who challenged the consortium to name any clubs who favoured the move "because at every meeting I have been at there is 100 per cent opposition".

The consortium is reported to be offering use of the new stadium to the FAI and around £10 million in cash in return for the approval of the association and its affiliated clubs. Despite the claims that it is making progress in winning over opponents, there has so far been no deviation from the FAI's official line by any quarter in the domestic game.

The claim that the deal could go ahead without permission of the FAI is also dismissed. "They have been saying that for ages now, says O'Byrne, but as far as we are concerned we are the footballing authority in this jurisdiction and this proposal has been dead and buried for a long time now because we say that it is not going to happen."