Joe Delaney, who has died aged 82, was a key figure in the FAI as the success of the national team under Jack Charlton brought increased revenues into the association and, as time went on, a good deal more scrutiny.
An adept politician who was popular within the game, the father of former FAI chief executive, John, achieved prominence within the game through his position as chairman of Waterford United between 1976 and ‘82.
During this time Delaney became increasingly involved behind the scenes at the FAI, an association that had at that time next to no full-time staff and increasingly outdated structures.
In the mid-1980s he became responsible for ticketing within the organisation and when the team suddenly started to qualify for major tournaments under Charlton he oversaw the association’s end of the security arrangements.
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He would subsequently become honorary treasurer, a powerful position at the time, particularly when combined with influence he exerted over tickets.
Things were rather more ad-hoc than would be expected now, but even then some of what went on raised eyebrows. This newspaper reported the scene in a Miami hotel during the 1994 World Cup where huge numbers of tickets and vast amounts of cash were piled high in the room being used as the base for the FAI’s ticketing operation. Fans with tickets were reported to be paying visits just to see it all.
The effort doubtless contributed to the remarkable scenes at Giants Stadium in New Jersey on June 18th when Irish fans comfortably outnumbered Italian ones for the memorable group game between the two countries. But it ultimately ended badly.
The association had bought large numbers of tickets for group games in which it was not involved in order to trade them during the tournament. It then purchased many more for knockout games which, in some cases, Ireland might have been involved in, again with the intention of maximising the number of tickets that would be available to Irish fans wherever Charlton’s team ended up.
When the team was eliminated, however, Delaney, did a deal for the tickets still in the association’s possession with an agent, ‘George the Greek’ who then failed to pay what was due. The issue was apparently kept secret from other board members until it was reported on by the media more than a year later.
FAI honorary secretary Des Casey told a meeting there was no truth to the report but two days later Delaney said he had paid £110,000 of his own money to cover association losses that resulted from his dealings with the agent.
Delaney subsequently said he had retrieved a further £100,000 from the agent and this had been forwarded to the association from his own bank account.
Casey, believing he has been “humiliated” by unwittingly having misled other FAI committee members moved to resign which brought an incredibly chaotic period at the association to a head and led to Delaney’s departure.
Delaney’s son John was there the night his father’s involvement with the FAI was effectively ended but a few years later he became honorary treasurer himself and would ultimately become chief executive.
Some of his subsequent actions seemed to be motivated by events he clearly regarded as an injustice.
Joe Delaney is predeceased by his wife Joan. He is survived by his children Joanne, Paul, Mary-Pat, Jane and John.
His funeral service will take place at noon on Saturday at St Michael’s Church, Tipperary Town.
