Bohs win the league?
- Thread starter wheelo
- Start date
Brian Shelley and Peter Gray have been revealed as the two players at the centre of a dispute with Bohemians over the non-payment of wages.
The players are seeking to have the club ‘wound-up’ because of the dispute and instructed their lawyer, Stuart Gilhooly, to lodge a petition with the High Court.
All parties involved must now wait for a court date to be set and Gilhooly stated yesterday that the fact that the club intend to make an approach to ten players still under contract with the club who are believed to be owed seven weeks’ wages will not affect the players' stance on the matter.
The Gypsies are believed to have some funds available, but will have to wait until licensing requirements are passed to release whatever cash they have available to pay their players.
Shelley and Gray were unprepared to wait, however and proceeded with the order to have the club wound up on the basis of their inability to pay their debts.
Shelley has travelled to Norway as part of an 18-man Irish squad competing in a FIFPro tournament in an attempt to impress watching scouts and earn a contract with a European club. Gilhooly dismissed suggestions that the 29-year old had agreed to join Australian side Ballarat Red Devils from the beginning of February.
"Brian has not agreed any deal to sign for Ballarat Red Devils," said Gilhooly.
"Furthermore, he has not spoken to any media, Australian or otherwise, about this club and the quotes attributed to him are entirely false.
"He remains contracted to Bohemians Football Club and will remain at the club until his contract expires or until the club makes such offer of settlement of his contract that is acceptable to him.
"In common with nearly all other Bohemians players, he has not been paid on foot of his contract in nearly seven weeks. As a result and without prejudice to the terms of his contract, Bohemians have given permission for him to speak to other clubs."
Other Bohemians players in similar situations to Shelley and Gray have refrained from going down the legal route in an attempt to claim money owed to them, meaning that Shelley and Gray will likely be the target of abuse from fans for putting the club in such a perilous situation.
The players’ representatives have defended both Shelley and Gray, however, insisting that they cannot go any longer without payment, while Professional Footballer’s Association of Ireland (PFAI) general secretary Stephen McGuinness believes that it is the Bohemians board, rather than the players, that should be the target of supporters’ ire.
"I spoke to people who gave the funds," McGuinness told the Irish Independent.
"They've got help from everyone within the game. I am 100pc sure that Bohemians are in funds to resolve the issue. They seem to want the players to push the club the next step. They've forced the players down this road.
"Staff have been paid, everyone else at the club has been at the club over Christmas, but our members are seven weeks outstanding. The supporters of the club need to vent any anger they have at their board."
The players are seeking to have the club ‘wound-up’ because of the dispute and instructed their lawyer, Stuart Gilhooly, to lodge a petition with the High Court.
All parties involved must now wait for a court date to be set and Gilhooly stated yesterday that the fact that the club intend to make an approach to ten players still under contract with the club who are believed to be owed seven weeks’ wages will not affect the players' stance on the matter.
The Gypsies are believed to have some funds available, but will have to wait until licensing requirements are passed to release whatever cash they have available to pay their players.
Shelley and Gray were unprepared to wait, however and proceeded with the order to have the club wound up on the basis of their inability to pay their debts.
Shelley has travelled to Norway as part of an 18-man Irish squad competing in a FIFPro tournament in an attempt to impress watching scouts and earn a contract with a European club. Gilhooly dismissed suggestions that the 29-year old had agreed to join Australian side Ballarat Red Devils from the beginning of February.
"Brian has not agreed any deal to sign for Ballarat Red Devils," said Gilhooly.
"Furthermore, he has not spoken to any media, Australian or otherwise, about this club and the quotes attributed to him are entirely false.
"He remains contracted to Bohemians Football Club and will remain at the club until his contract expires or until the club makes such offer of settlement of his contract that is acceptable to him.
"In common with nearly all other Bohemians players, he has not been paid on foot of his contract in nearly seven weeks. As a result and without prejudice to the terms of his contract, Bohemians have given permission for him to speak to other clubs."
Other Bohemians players in similar situations to Shelley and Gray have refrained from going down the legal route in an attempt to claim money owed to them, meaning that Shelley and Gray will likely be the target of abuse from fans for putting the club in such a perilous situation.
The players’ representatives have defended both Shelley and Gray, however, insisting that they cannot go any longer without payment, while Professional Footballer’s Association of Ireland (PFAI) general secretary Stephen McGuinness believes that it is the Bohemians board, rather than the players, that should be the target of supporters’ ire.
"I spoke to people who gave the funds," McGuinness told the Irish Independent.
"They've got help from everyone within the game. I am 100pc sure that Bohemians are in funds to resolve the issue. They seem to want the players to push the club the next step. They've forced the players down this road.
"Staff have been paid, everyone else at the club has been at the club over Christmas, but our members are seven weeks outstanding. The supporters of the club need to vent any anger they have at their board."
