Fallout continues in Derry saga

Derry City fans have been briefed on their team's expulsion

The fallout after Derry City's removal from the League of Ireland continued on Monday with claims and counter-claims coming in the wake of the decision.

FAI Chief John Delaney claimed that Derry had withheld details of payments to players over a period of years.

He also warned Derry players to disclose details of their pay or face the prospect of not being registered "at home or abroad" next season.

Derry chairman Pat McDaid again denied the allegations levelled by the FAI.

Hundreds of fans arrived at the Candystripes new clubrooms on Monday for a briefing on the club's expulsion from the League or Ireland at the weekend, only to find there was no suitable public address system.

They had to re-locate for a re-convened meeting at a city centre hotel. There the fans were given a briefing by the club solicitor on expulsion.

FAI and League of Ireland officials claim to have uncovered evidence that over 20 Derry players held under-the-table contracts with the club.

Delaney added that in those circumstances, the club would not be awarded its £71,000 prize money for finishing fourth in the league.

He also said that Derry's players had until next Thursday to give full financial information about their pay to the FAI or the Player's Union.

The only contracts we have are the standard player contracts and the FAI have all these contracts Derry City chairman Pat McDaid

Failure to give the information would result in the FAI not registering players at home or abroad next season, Delaney added.

Responding to Delaney's latest comments, Derry chairman Pat McDaid said that "no such allegation" had ever been made to the club at any stage, "including Saturday's hearing".

Earlier, League of Ireland director Fran Gavin said that it had received a "full admission" from Derry that the club had been operating "a two contract system".

However this was strenuously denied by the Derry chairman.

"The only contracts we have are the standard player contracts and the FAI have all these contracts," said McDaid.

"I've been asked what the system was 10 years ago and 20 years ago. Twenty years ago, I was 12 years old so I don't know how I can answer those questions," added the Derry chairman.

"The only contracts we have with the players, the FAI have them all.

"They are all registered and all lodged and we are quite happy to stand over them."

The Derry chairman made his comment on Monday amid speculation that the club's debts could be as high as £500,000.

They can apply to play in the league next year - albeit in the First Division or A Championship League of Ireland director Fran Gavin

A further development to add to the mix was the statement by Derry City legal representative Des Doherty that the club would be launching a separate legal action against the FAI over the non-payment of the 80,000 Euro scheduled to go the fourth-place finisher in the League of Ireland.

Doherty told BBC Radio Foyle that he had given the FAI a deadline of 1700 GMT on Monday to pay Derry City that money.

League of Ireland director Gavin was adamant on Monday that there had been a "full and free admission by the (Derry) chairman and vice-chairman that they had been operating a two-contract system within the club".

Gavin added that the under-the-table contracts applied to over 20 players at the club.

"Therefore, the players had two contracts - one which was lodged with the FAI and one which we were unaware of."

Gavin also said that the "misleading information" provided by Derry had led to a breach of the League of Ireland's salary cap rules.

"That only allowed clubs, within the last two years, to spend 65% of their turnovers on players' wages.

"Those figures are based on the player contracts lodged with us and they were misleading."

FAI chief John Delaney warned Derry's players to reveal details of their pay

Derry chairman McDaid described Saturday's verdict as "a travesty, an absolute witch-hunt and a complete annihilation".

However, Gavin told BBC Sport that the club had not made any response or raised any questions after receiving the judgement at Saturday's emergency FAI board meeting in Dublin.

Gavin did reiterate the FAI's intention to meet Derry City officials in the coming days to discuss the club's future in the League of Ireland.

"They can apply to play in the league next year - albeit in the First Division or A Championship - and they will be treated like any other club," added the League of Ireland director.

"We want Derry City in the League of Ireland. The FAI has nothing to gain from not having Derry City in our league.

"They are a very, very good club. Their support is one of the best we have around.

"They bring terrific colour and terrific football and we want them as part of the League of Ireland but unfortunately, that is the position we were put in and the FAI board had no choice but to do what it did."

The Derry players have not been paid wages for over two months.