Derry City Football Club reveal they are seeking legal advice in a bid to stop a social club using its name any more

Derry City Football Club tonight said they are ‘not happy’ about a social club which is still using its name.

The Derry City Social Club was opened in Crawford Square several years ago in a bid to help the club’s finances.

However, the relationship between the two organisations has broken down.

Last month, it emerged that the football club’s board has issued an objection to the social club using its name.

The objection was revealed after the social club applied to Derry City and Strabane District Council for a renewal of an entertainments licence.

Derry City chairman, Philip O’Doherty, was asked about the issue at a fans forum tonight.

He said that at the minute ‘we have asked Derry City Social Club to relinquish our name’.

“We want to have a total split from what’s happening up there, we’re just not happy about it,” said Mr O’Doherty.

“We sent a letter which wasn’t acknowledged so we are seeking legal advice.

“We are looking for some sort of facility at the Brandywell for whenever it reopens so it’s the sort of work we need to do beforehand to get that done.

“They refused to give the memorabilia back that was contributed by the previous board and we’re not letting it rest there but it’s a difficult situation up there.

“There doesn’t seem to be a clear committee and the landlord seems to be running it.

“We’re trying to do it the nice way but we’re getting nowhere.

“The previous board made commitments up there with the owner that they would start a social club and the man had put a lot of money into it.

“Quite reluctantly Sean Barrett and I agreed to try it out on the basis that Derry City would get something out of it but really there were a few payments made and it just fell apart.

“There’s been no money paid in by us for at least four years.”

Mr O’Doherty said he was always ‘very sceptical’ about the location of the social club.

“Derry City never had any involvement in the running of it.

“Some of us were members, I was one for a year and a half, but we were never involved in the committee. We stayed absolutely clear from it.

“We supported it for a while but it didn’t go the right way and it’s time to move away from it and get some sort of facility opened at the Brandywell.”