Warrenpoint Town now in Irish League Premiership.

T Fearon · April 27, 2013, 05:37:21 PM

A point away at Limavady next week puts them in the play off with Donegal Celtic,after great away win at Drumahoe against promotion rivals Insitute today.By all accounts listening on the radio,former Down player John Boyle was the star today and according to the radio pundits,could walk into any Irish Premiership side.

Sheedy · April 27, 2013, 05:55:39 PM

hopefully 'the point' can get the required point they need next week to set up a game against DC for a top level place. the point have really pushed on since they signed a few players from newry to add to the quality they already had

T Fearon · April 27, 2013, 06:14:48 PM

Would their ground be up to senior standard? Floodlights and all that,or would they have to play home games at Newry? Some kick in the teeth for Newry,a hotbed of soccer but no Irish League team,yet Warrenpoint has.

Sheedy · April 27, 2013, 07:02:57 PM

Quote from: T Fearon on April 27, 2013, 06:14:48 PM
Would their ground be up to senior standard? Floodlights and all that,or would they have to play home games at Newry? Some kick in the teeth for Newry,a hotbed of soccer but no Irish League team,yet Warrenpoint has.

their ground wouldnt be up to senior standard yet, would take alot of money and time to make it up to standard. apparently the club have approached both cliftonville and dungannon swifts about possible ground shares if the situation arose. both would be long trips for home matches. newry have rejected any chance of a ground share apparently.

armaghniac · April 27, 2013, 07:19:32 PM

Quoteapparently the club have approached both cliftonville and dungannon swifts about possible ground shares if the situation arose. both would be long trips for home matches

Why don't they use the ground in Dundalk, only a short spin over the new bridge?

T Fearon · April 27, 2013, 11:12:34 PM

Was there not a similar scenario last year when Ballinamallard came up? They were supposed to be playing home games at Dungannon,but got their own ground sorted over the summer quickly enough.

ranch · April 28, 2013, 01:48:53 AM

Warrenpoint Town have already received the required license to play in the top flight of Irish League football.
Their own ground isn't up to the necessary standard, in fact it's not even close in terms of lighting, seating and the segregation requirements, and Newry have rejected any notion of a ground-share at Newry Showgrounds (it still may be used as a one-off for any play off however).
As a result they will play their home games in Dungannon's Stangmore Park should promotion be achieved. Cliftonville and Linfield also offered the use of their grounds as well it seems.

The list of licenses can be found here;

http://www.irishfa.com/news/item/8228/club-licensing-decisions-announced/

Quote from: T Fearon on April 27, 2013, 06:14:48 PM
Would their ground be up to senior standard? Floodlights and all that,or would they have to play home games at Newry? Some kick in the teeth for Newry,a hotbed of soccer but no Irish League team,yet Warrenpoint has.

How's it a "kick in the teeth for Newry"? I followed Newry up until their final game (ironically away to the Point last autumn) and since then a lot of my good mates, a couple of whom still play gaelic for my club, have moved on to the Point. I'd be more than happy for those lads to have an opportunity to prove themselves at the top level of Irish League football. Don't make it out to be something it isn't as far as Newry are concerned.

T Fearon · April 28, 2013, 07:01:47 AM

It must nevertheless be a sore one for everyone connected to the old Newry Town/City club that Warrenpoint are on the brink of the Irish Premier League while they dont exist at the moment.I would suggest it is an extremely sore one given that they won't even allow W'point to use the show grounds for home games (how petty).

Warren point are the equivalent of Gretna,coming from nowhere to top flight football in a couple of seasons,and it's only a matter of time before Chmpions League or Europe League football comes to the Point!

Lecale2 · April 28, 2013, 09:43:21 AM

QuoteWarren point are the equivalent of Gretna

Good luck to the Point but Gretna are not the model to follow. Where are they now?

snoopdog · April 28, 2013, 11:20:06 AM

Maybe ask the gaa for use of pairc esler. If they can alloy rugby in gaa grounds for the so called world cup why not help out a local club side in need. Pair esler would be well above Irish league standards I'm sure

T Fearon · April 29, 2013, 10:11:28 AM

Great idea! Linfield and their supporters (Sandy Row and Shankhill branhes) in Pairc Esler! A Godsend for community relations!

dillinger · April 29, 2013, 10:34:49 AM

Quote from: Lecale2 on April 28, 2013, 09:43:21 AM
QuoteWarren point are the equivalent of Gretna
Good luck to the Point but Gretna are not the model to follow. Where are they now?

The old Gretna FC are no more.

Gretna FC 2008 playing out of Raydale Park, former home of Gretna FC are in the East Of Scotland League.

In fact i'm going over to watch them on the 11th of May.

T Fearon · April 29, 2013, 10:57:15 AM

I was referring to the fact that Warrenpoint's meteoric rise is similar to that of Gretna. Obviously, unlike Gretna, who depended on a wealthy benefactor (just like Glasgow Rangers) I would hope that Warrenpoint can sustain this and at the very least do not go out of existence, like Newry did.

ranch · April 30, 2013, 04:00:30 AM

Quote from: T Fearon on April 28, 2013, 07:01:47 AM
It must nevertheless be a sore one for everyone connected to the old Newry Town/City club that Warrenpoint are on the brink of the Irish Premier League while they dont exist at the moment.I would suggest it is an extremely sore one given that they won't even allow W'point to use the show grounds for home games (how petty).

First of all you know fine rightly Newry have reformed, so they do "exist at the moment."

It's Newry's home ground and they'll be competing in the Mid Ulster Intermediate League next season. This means they'll also be in a heap of different cup competitions as well as their league games. With Warrenpoint being a potential top flight club the IFA would have sought assurances that their fixtures would take priority. They were in no position to do this. At least get your facts right before posting nonsense.

Quote from: T Fearon on April 29, 2013, 10:57:15 AM
I was referring to the fact that Warrenpoint's meteoric rise is similar to that of Gretna. Obviously, unlike Gretna, who depended on a wealthy benefactor (just like Glasgow Rangers) I would hope that Warrenpoint can sustain this and at the very least do not go out of existence, like Newry did.

It's widely accepted that Newry could have gone into administration and survived.
The chairman and a prominent director refused to budge however, not even attending the court hearings or allowing the trustees access to the books until it was far too late. Luckily the courts couldn't touch the stadium as it's owned by the club's supporters rather than the club itself!
Clubs like Glentoran are in a much worse situation financially, the IFA however are doing their utmost to keep them afloat.

T Fearon · April 30, 2013, 07:46:13 AM

Newry like Rangers and Gretna got into a mess due to over dependence on an individual benefactor.This should not have been allowed to happen.

I'm sure given modern technology Fixtures could be arranged to facilitate Warrenpoint's home games at the Shkwgrounds next year,instead of dragging their fans 30 miles to Dungannon.Assuming the Point make the Premiership,that is.