Derry football crisis sorted out

Paddy Crozier was appointed to the Derry job in October

The crisis in the Derry football team is over after the management and the players said they will return to county training on Tuesday.

Paddy Crozier and his backroom staff resigned last week after a dispute with the county board and the players later announced support for the management.

However, a joint-statement from management and players on Monday night spoke of a "satisfactory resolution".

"The issue of player welfare has been fully addressed," said the statement.

County board chairman Seamus McCloy said he was pleased that the issue had been "sorted out".

Efforts to convince Crozier and his backroom staff to reverse their decisions to quit the Derry football management had continued throughout the weekend and into Monday.

Crozier and his entire backroom team resigned on Thursday after the county board scheduled a full round of club league games for Friday evening.

Following a squad meeting on Monday 1 May and after a weekend of negotiations the players and management have agreed to return to full training Statement from Derry management and players

On Saturday, the Derry players withdrew their services to support Crozier.

A management spokesman emphasised that the two-sentence statement had been issued on behalf of both management and players.

"The Derry senior management and players would like to confirm that following a squad meeting on Monday 1 May at 7pm and after a weekend of negotiations that they have agreed to return to full training and preparation for the the Ulster Senior Football Championship game on 28 May.

"Both management and players are happy that a satisfactory resolution has been reached and that the issue of player welfare has been fully addressed."

It is believed the main area of dispute had been player welfare, particularly the number of matches for county and club that players are asked to take part in.

The issue came to a head last week when Crozier was annoyed that a round of club fixtures had been scheduled for Friday evening in advance of a challenge game between Derry and Dublin in Lusk on Saturday.

The intercounty challenge did not take place because of the row.

Derry face All-Ireland champions Tyrone in their Bank of Ireland Ulster Championship opener on 28 May.

The Oak Leafers' scheduled challenge game against Fermanagh now seems certain to go ahead.