Windsor Park dispute continues

Linfield Football Club (LFC) are seeking legal advice following recent concerns shown by the Irish Football Association (IFA) over the safety and condition of Windsor Park, home to both Linfield and Northern Ireland.

A statement was released this week by LFC in response to a letter from the IFA that purported to terminate their existing contract.

The contract signed in 1984 has 80 years left to run and Linfield are questioning the IFA’s motives for recent public concern over the safety and condition of the stadium.

The IFA claim that LFC has: “failed to comply with its obligation to ensure that the stadium at Windsor Park is maintained in good order, repair and condition.”

In response to this claim, LFC have said: “LFC accepts that it has a legal obligation to maintain the stadium at Windsor Park in good order, repair and condition (as set out in the 1984 agreement). LFC has complied, and continues to comply, with that obligation. In common with many stadia of a similar age, aspects of LFC’s facilities inevitably require repair, upgrade and renewal with the passage of time. LFC has co-operated in every respect with the current review of the ground being undertaken by the Miller Partnership and awaits with interest the outcome of that report when it is issued in final form. To say that the stadium requires instances of repair, upgrade or renewal is entirely different however from saying that the ground is not currently in working order, repair or condition.”

The Miller Partnership is due to publish a report that is understood to say that the stadium doesn’t meet with safety standards and is in a poor state of repair.

IFA Chief Executive Howard Wells has called for government funding to maintain the stadium and return it to a substantial state of repair.

However, as recently as June 18, 2007, Linfield received a new UEFA Licence stating that under UEFA regulations international matches can be played at Windsor Park. One of the signatories of the UEFA licence was in fact Mr Wells.

As LFC have passed the matter to its legal advisors, the club do not wish to make any further comment on the matter at this stage.

(SB)