Finn Harps should have accepted 1996 takeover bid: Dermot Keely

Former manager Dermot Keely says Finn Harps could have a ‘high-class stadium in Ballybofey’ had the club backed a takeover bid in 1996.

During Kelly’s brief spell as manager of Harps, the club won promotion to the Premier Division, but subsequently became embroiled in a boardroom power struggle.

Just last week, Harps legend Kevin McHugh - now the assistant manager - called for what he says would be a ‘legacy investment’. Work on a new stadium that was first presented to shareholders almost 20 years ago has long-since stalled while dilapidated Finn Park continues to age.

Keely feels Harps are stuck in rut and could be out of existence were it not for the longevity of former managers Patsy McGowan and Ollie Horgan.

“Finn Harps is in my opinion the same now as it has always been, run by people who do not know how lucky they are to have had two great and loyal managers,” Keely writes in ‘Better Without The Ball’, his new autobiography written by Irish Sun Chief Sports Writer Neil O’Riordan. 

“I do not doubt the level of volunteering goes on behind the scenes but, without the commitment, effort and loyalty of those two men (McGowan and Horgan), I am not sure there would be a Finn Harps.

“It might be about to change in the near future with a new stadium but, until then, it is hard to discern any noticeable difference between Harps now and when I first went up to Ballybofey in 1975.”

Keely recalls how he “inherited a good squad but a bad board” when he was appointed Harps boss in February 1996. Charlie McGeever had been caretaker for almost two months after McGowan was removed.

The 1995/96 season began with Geoff Carr’s TNT Express agreeing a lucrative sponsorship deal, reported at the time to have been worth £30,000 – but the sponsor made it clear that he wanted a return on the investment.

Jonathan Speak was bought from Ballymena United for a club record £14,000 – and the Sion Mills man netted 22 goals in all competitions in his first season.

On April 20, 1996 Harps finally won promotion as a double by Maurice Toland and another from Alan Doherty secured a 3-0 win over Waterford United. Keely ticked the box that had been asked - but all was not rosey.

By the time Keely arrived down Navenny Street, Paul Hegarty - who started the season as club captain - left in protest over McGowan’s treatment and signed for Derry City.

While Harps won promotion, a turbulent summer followed, including a failed takeover bid by a consortium. Chairman Jimmy Harte was among several board members to resign and Keely, too, departed.

He wrote: “In my opinion, there were two factions, the first who were old-school, happy for the status quo to be preserved and for things to have been done how they had always been done. 

“The second was a new generation led by Jimmy Harte, who was a Fine Gael councillor who went on to become a Labour Party senator. Jimmy was an insurance broker from Letterkenny and, as far as I was concerned, had a vision for the future.

“In my brief spell in charge I was really impressed by him. If things had gone differently then I believe they would have gotten out of ramshackle Finn Park years ago.

“I was very much in the Jimmy Harte camp and I felt it was the only way forward but things got messy, amid claims that Jimmy wanted to move the club from Ballybofey to his hometown.”

Keely insists that a move from Ballybofey was never mentioned to him. At a third vote in the committee room, Harps directors went against a takeover.

Keely recalls: “I sat in Jacksons Hotel in Ballybofey for the afternoon and Jimmy lost. I believe to this day there would be a high-class stadium in Ballybofey already if he had come out on the right side of that vote but it was not to be.”

Keely quit as manager soon after and was appointed as Athlone Town manager a few days later.

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