By Paul Doyle
Longford Town chairman Adrian Duncan this morning expressed his exasperation at the FAI's handling of the 'Noel Hunt Affair' which has left his club facing a crucial relegation/promotion play-off against an unknown club on an unknown date.
Having finished fourth from bottom of the Premier Division, Longford knew they'd have to take on the First Division runners-up in a fight to retain their place in the top-flight. The problem is that, even though the First Division apparently ended ten days ago, nobody yet knows who were runners-up.
It might have been Finn Harps who amassed more points than any club except champions Drogheda United. But it might have been Dublin City who currently stand one point behind Harps, but who are demanding the chance to earn another three points by replaying last March's match against Waterford United which they lost 2-1 but in which Waterford were subsequently found to have played an unregistered player - Noel Hunt.
Waterford were docked three points for fielding Hunt in that match, but City insisted the match should also be replayed and requested that an independent arbitrator be brought in to adjudicate. Rumours then circulated that City had dropped this request, but General Manager Ronan Seery this morning confirmed to ireland.comthat his club were pressing ahead with their demands and, indeed, expected to be told in the very near future by the FAI when the hearing will take place.
All of which will baffle Waterford United, who last week condemned the league for not keeping them informed of developments; and Chairman Ger O'Brien said today that if asked to play a replay, they will have to field virtually their entire U-21 team because most of their senior players have gone on holiday.
And as O'Brien said: "I'm not sure that would be fair to Finn Harps"
Adrian Duncan echoed Waterford's gripes today when he told ireland.comthat the FAI's handling of the controversy has been "very unsatisfactory". Like most League of Ireland clubs, Longford's players are paid only for the duration of the season - the current overrun, therefore, has meant that the Flancare Park board have had to incur unforeseen expenses, and Duncan warned that he expects the FAI to compensate Longford for this.
"It's not good enough. We're having to find ways to pay the player's wages, and I expect the league to reimbourse us for that." Finn Harps have been in touch with the FAI for the same reason.
"Apart from that," continued Duncan, "the players are now having to re-arrange holidays and get extra time off work, all of which is very hard to plan for when you don't known when you might be asked to play the play-off. It's not good enough."
"I hear they haven't even agreed on who the arbitrator will be yet, so I suppose it could run into next week aswell."
Seery says he hopes the arbitrator will be "someone from the legal end of things rather than the football end, so that he can be seen to be totally impartial."
The FAI, meanwhile, said that affair "will be dealt with this week."
Duncan, however, has put forward another suggestion - that the reduction of the Premier Division from twelve to ten teams be put off until next season.
"That would eliminate the uncertainty. It would mean we stay put, Harps come straight up, and Dundalk and Dublin City play-off for the twelfth Premier Division spot."
"I, and a few others, have already made this suggestion informally to Roy Dooney, so we'll see what happens next."