Finn Harps seek new membership scheme to aid stadium funding

As the clubs seeks to make up a €1.5 million funding shortfall for its new stadium in Stranorlar, Finn Harps will hold a Special General Meeting this weekend.

Shareholders of the Finn Harps Co-Operative Society Ltd will convene on Sunday evening.

Harps have confirmed that the club is seeking to implement an annual charge on members. If such a proposal is adopted, the club's Board of Directors would be given discretion in relation to the rate of membership.

Last week, Harps Chairman Ian Harkin confirmed the plans to implement an annual membership fee.

Harps are understood to have refined the initial plans and the membership scheme will now be a stand-alone payment of €15 per month. Under the proposed plan, existing members of the 500 Club would receive discounted membership fee.

“The vast majority would represent a donation to the building of the new stadium,” Harkin told Donegal Live.

The current 500 Club has around 300 members and has served as a valuable cog in keeping the club afloat.

Harps' endeavours to see the Donegal Community Stadium constructed have been beset by a series of roadblocks since the project was first mooted in 2004.

The cost of the stadium, which will be a modular build, is now €7.3 million and Harps have a funding deficit of some €1.5 million.

“The only way now we can make this happen is by doing it ourselves,” Harkin said last week.

The club has, so far, been awarded funding of €4.7m from the Large Scale Sporting Infrastructure Fund, €0.5m each from Donegal County Council and the FAI and has €0.1m remaining on a Sports Capital Grant.

Harps' need for the new stadium has been further highlighted by the recent failure of the floodlighting system at their existing home at Finn Park.