Sligo Rovers have today released a lengthy statement critical of a fixture schedule which leaves them eleven weeks without a home game in the middle of the season. Owing to Dundalk's progress in Europe this week, the Lilywhites' game at the Showgrounds on Sunday has been postponed.
This means, as Sligo have elucidated in their statement, that the club will go 77 days without having a home game. This has been down to a few factors: the mid-season break, obviously, along with the fact that the club came to an agreement with Derry City to switch venues earlier in the season to facilitate the development works on the Brandywell.
The club say that this compromise with Derry was the right decision, but added that they had hoped that games would not be postponed in July owing to other clubs' European commitments. The club refused a number of requests from Dundalk that the game be postponed, but the game was ultimately cancelled by the FAI.
Sligo say that the fact Dundalk are playing consecutive home games in Europe means the game should be played. Here are some excerpts from the statement, which you can read in full on Sligo's website.
The postponement means 77 days will be the gap between our last home game with Waterford (30th June) and the next one St Patrick's Athletic (15th September). Eleven weeks is simply a remarkable period to go without a home league fixture.
The lack of home league gates creates a challenge for the club. As always we understand our supporters will be concerned, firstly knowing they cannot enjoy watching the team in league action for 11 weeks, and then the clear financial strain it puts on us without gate receipts for such a time.
Given the importance of the game to our club, for gate receipts, for bridging the gap of lack of home games, we refused numerous requests from Dundalk FC to postpone the game. The FAI were made aware we refused to postpone the game.
Several games have been played in the middle of European fixtures in recent years, including involving ourselves.
It is clear that a free weekend will give Dundalk FC an additional help in Europe and we understand the benefit. We respect it and wish them well next week.
Dundalk played at home last night (Thursday) and will do next Thursday so they face no travel issues. It was our belief the game could be played. It must be said our circumstances too were acknowledged by Dundalk FC in discussions.
Last Saturday, league officials opted that any team that progresses in Europe would have a free weekend regardless of circumstance. We were very disappointed by this decision.
Sligo Rovers have conveyed our disappointment to the FAI and the long period between home league games which has been added to now.
These concerns will be reiterated and that it is not just clubs in Europe that need to be given priority in order to be successful. Clubs in our position simply cannot function with such logic.
