FINN HARPS ARE LIKELY to consult with their shareholders should representatives from Derry City ask the Ballybofey club to consider a ground share arrangement for the start of the 2016 season.
Work has begun on a multi-million pound refurbishment of Brandywell Stadium with the destruction of the Glentoran Stand.
City are unsure of the exact timescale on the works to the Lone Moor Road venue and, in yesterday’s edition of the Derry Journal, the Derry City Chairman, Philip O’Doherty, suggested that the Candystripes may approach Harps for a ground share, should work not be completed in time for the kick-off of the 2016 campaign.
“We are going to look at all options including the possibility of talking to Finn Harps about using their ground for a short period,” O’Doherty was quoted as saying.
The idea appears a fanciful one by the Maiden City club with Harps already having had to put no-room-at-the-inn signs on Finn Park this summer, with the club inundated with requests for usage of the ground.
“We have read and become aware that Derry City are in discussions with the Council to see what their timelines are, but we have had no proposals put to us and it’s all entirely hypothetical,” Aidan Campbell, Finn Harps’ Commercial Officer, told Donegal Sport Hub.
“At the moment we haven’t been approached by anyone from Derry City or from the FAI.
“If something did come to us from Derry City, it would, obviously, have to go through the Board and something may have to put to the shareholders to see what their reaction is.
“There may also be licencing issues. Finn Park has a First Division licence at present and the new licencing process is due to start soon.”
Harps are in the hunt for promotion with Ollie Horgan’s team already having booked their place in the promotion play-offs with two games to spare in the first Division.
Harps have not been in the Premier Division since being relegated in 2008.
Their new stadium development in Stranorlar, which has been delayed significantly, has begun, meaning Harps are not keen to invest money into upgrade works at Finn Park.
However, Mr Campbell did admit that ‘significant improvements’ would be required were Finn Park to get the green light to host top-flight football in 2016.
“We don’t know the exact spec until we do an inventory of the ground,” he said.
“For the last number of seasons, we have been working within the parameters of the First Division specifications.”
The frustrations of Harps followers with the lack of haste at their own development has been increased this week with the commencement of work at the Brandywell.
“We’re waiting on the next drawdown from the Department and we have been assured that it is 100 per cent going ahead,” he said.
“It is taking an awful long time and the club expected to be out of Finn Park at this stage.
“We are patiently waiting and we understand the public’s frustrating.”
Structural work on the erection of the main stand and administration building on the new ground, located next to the Finn Valley AC complex in Stranorlar, began last year (pictured above).
“We do need work to progress quickly because, from our end, we have lost revenue and volunteers because of the delays,” Campbell admitted.
The idea of Harps moving to a new 6,600-seater ground was first mentioned at the AGM of the Finn Harps Co-Operative Society in 2004.
Planning permission for the new stadium was granted in 2005, while the tender for the project was awarded to Joseph McMenamin and Sons in 2006, with 2008 seeing the first sod turned on the site.
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