Shelbourne CEO David O’Connor has said he is “proud” that the club, which only returned to the Premier Division this season, has been able to continue to honour its financial obligations to players and staff since the League of Ireland shutdown
And while there is a daily review in place, O’Connor said: “our aim and intention is to honour all contracts and staff while ensuring the sustainability of the club going forward”.
He added: “We’re still awaiting full confirmation from the Government of the support structures that hopefully will be available to us to utilise and until that’s made 100% clear, we’ll just have to treat it on a day-to-day basis.”
Meanwhile, the Tolka Park club have launched a new Patreon service through which an exclusive podcast, as well as video and archive material, will be available to supporters. There will be two tiers of membership for fans, with Shelbourne adding that consideration will be given to those out of work, while also seeking to provide high-quality value in the service.
The podcast-only service will cost €5 per month, while a premium service including video, archive material, and articles will be €15 per month, with the club pointing out that this is the price of a match ticket. Eir Sport’s Shane Dawson and broadcaster Darren Cleary will host the podcast – titled ‘The 1895’ - interviewing players, staff, and club legends on a weekly basis.
In a statement, Shels said: “The Covid-19 coronavirus crisis has left the country, along with the rest of the world, facing its biggest challenge in decades, with many of our supporters losing their jobs, and leaving the vulnerable in our society exposed.
“The club is looking to maintain its momentum while also providing supporters with a great opportunity to keep engaging with their team throughout turbulent times. While the club has not got vast sums of money, we are proud to have such a talented volunteer team who can make such ventures possible.”
Episode one of ‘The 1895’ features insight from O’Connor into Shelbourne's operations since the league suspension and an interview with last year’s play-off winner Oscar Brennan. Further material will be released on the platform after its launch today. To subscribe go to patreon.com/shelsfc.