Derry City have been denied a cash injection equating to at least €110,000 after Uefa decided to ban the club from the Europa League next season.
The Candystripes’ third place finish in the League of Ireland last season should have been enough to see them qualify for Europe at the end of their first year back in the Premier Division.
However, a three-year European ban which was put in place when the club went into liquidation at the end of 2009 meant their place was uncertain – and pleas for clemency have fallen on deaf ears.
Participation in the tournament would net a guaranteed six-figure return, while progress would have seen those earnings sky-rocket – Shamrock Rovers pocketed an estimated €1.5m for reaching the group stages of the Europa League last year.
Derry City chairman Philip O’Doherty told the BBC, “Because the new club has only been in existence for two years – not three years – we had to apply for a derogation of the rule.
“We paid a lot of football debts that were nothing to do with us, but from the previous club but apparently we’re not going to be accepted. I’ve just spoken to the manager (Declan Devine). He’s absolutely gutted as are the rest of the board.
“We did a very, very good application and the questions we were asked, they were answered positively.
“The amount of money we have spent taking care of previous responsibilities, I would have thought would have been enough to basically bend the rules … It’s a big, big disappointment for everyone involved.”
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