By Andrew Balfour

Copyright derryjournal

Last week Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, revealed that neither Derry City and Institute Football Club had successful in their bids to receive funding from the NI Football Fund, a government programme to invest in Northern Ireland’s football infrastructure. At September’s Health and Community Committee meeting, Sinn Féin councillor Sandra Duffy said people were “absolutely shocked” by the decision. “It was a sad day for the north west that the Minister has decided to overlook the two clubs that went forward for the funding,” she added. “And there is anger out there in the community as well.” “We have a huge interest in here as a committee and as a council area, we are really disappointed at that decision. We had huge hopes for the Brandywell being redeveloped and we know the huge ambitions that Derry City Football Club have themselves, particularly over recent years. We have seen the club grow… so we are just really disappointed. “The Minister has indicated a further fund, but at this stage we have absolutely no details of what that fund might be or when it might come. We will wait to see what the Minister decides to announce around a further phase. I don’t know if I’ll be holding my breath.” SDLP councillor Brian Tierney asked that council write to Minister Lyons about his decision and noted that, in 2017, he proposed that council prepare a business case around the Fund, which was then known as the Regional Substadia Fund. He added: “That’s how long this council, Derry City Football Club, and its supporters are waiting on this funding,” he said. “And I think there is complete anger out there today by fans and everyone connected to the club, and it’s just and it’s right. “We were told in 2017 that Derry City would get money from this fund. We were told at that time, and the bubble has been bust. “The amount of work that has gone on by this council, both clubs, volunteers, and everybody to develop these plans and business cases, for the north west once again to be let down by Stormont and by a DUP Minister for Communities, is disgraceful and shocking. “This council and the clubs involved need to challenge that very, very strongly.” Sinn Féin councillor Aisling Hutton chaired the Committee meeting and clarified that a meeting among council Officers, Institute FC, and Derry City FC was planned, with a letter to Minister Lyons to follow. People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin agreed that council must work with the clubs and remain on “the front foot challenging this decision”. He concluded: “The fans expect an Institute stadium and they want to see the Brandywell properly upgraded, and this is a setback. “It bodes very badly for how Stormont’s functioning right now and it’s an unacceptable way to treat the football teams, but also to treat the district. Very disappointing and I think we should work with the clubs to try and salvage this and to progress the ambitious plans that they have.”