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Dublin City F.C.

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Dublin City
Full nameDublin City Football Club
Nickname(s)Dubs and Vikings
Founded1999
Dissolved2006
GroundTolka Park
Dalymount Park
Morton Stadium
Richmond Park
Whitehall Stadium
ChairmanRonan Seery
Websitedublincityfc.com
(archived)

Dublin City Football Club was a former Irish association football club based in the Northside of Dublin. The club played in the League of Ireland. They were formed in 1999 after a split within Home Farm Everton and they originally played as Home Farm Fingal before changing their name for the 2001–02 season. They disbanded in 2006 due to financial problems.

History

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Home Farm is one of the biggest junior football clubs in Ireland and their senior team, from 1970 up to the late 1990s, played in the League of Ireland. However, the link between Home Farm and the senior team was severed in the late 1990s. The senior side was briefly known as Home Farm Fingal in an effort to identify it with the north Dublin area. In 1999, Home Farm Fingal CEO Ronan Seery took over the club and renamed it "Dublin City". The club was based in Dublin and in 2006, its final year of operation, played their home matches at Dalymount Park. The last manager was Dermot Keely.

Nicknamed "The Vikings", they adopted the same colours as the Dublin GAA team. Their shirt sponsor was Carrolls of Dublin, a chain of tourist souvenir shops, which sold club-branded merchandise at its stores in the city centre and Dublin Airport.

The club was twice promoted to the League of Ireland Premier Division, winning the 2003 League of Ireland First Division and then defeating Shamrock Rovers in a promotion/relegation play-off in 2005. In addition to its small following, the club had no permanent home ground, playing at various times in Tolka Park, Dalymount Park, Morton Stadium, Richmond Park, and Whitehall Stadium. However, they failed to cultivate a significant fan base, and very low attendance was reported at their games.[1] As a result of these factors, the club experienced financial problems and as of July 19, 2006, Dublin City FC ceased trading and resigned from the league. The results of all their games to that point in the season were expunged from the record.

Ronan Seery issued a statement saying, "Due to ongoing difficulties, our continued existence within the Eircom League simply became untenable and while extremely difficult to make, it is the most prudent and honourable decision and course of action to take."[2] However, the club was heavily criticised in some quarters, for example by Damien Richardson and Roddy Collins for failing to complete their league fixtures.[3] Roddy Collins, who managed Dublin City in 2004 but left abruptly on bad terms, called the club's actions "disgraceful."[4]

Honours

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League of Ireland First Division

References

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  1. ^ "Numbers just don't add up for Eircom's needy teams". Times Online. London. 23 July 2006. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
  2. ^ "Dublin City FC bow out of eircom League". RTÉ Sport. 19 July 2006. Archived from the original on 26 December 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
  3. ^ "Richardson hits out at Dublin decision". 21 July 2006. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
  4. ^ "Collins blasts "disgraceful" Vikings". 21 July 2006. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
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