'It can't continue like this': Derry City chairman expresses concern over season ticket sales

Derry City chairman Philip O’Doherty has expressed his dismay at the dwindling support for the club in recent years, insisting it simply cannot be allowed to continue.

Mr O’Doherty (pictured) was speaking after it was revealed season ticket sales for the forthcoming season were at a desperately low level, the FOURTH successive year that sales have gone down.

Speaking following the club’s annual general meeting with shareholders, Mr O’Doherty revealed his concerns, insisting that supporters must begin to show their loyalty to the club through ticket sales.

“We’re disappointed with the level of season ticket sales,” he explained. “People are saying they want to know what’s happening with these games before they buy season tickets.

“We need them to support this club regardless because the budget is based upon the same level of season tickets we sold two years ago.

“It has dropped every year for the last four years and it can’t continue.

“We badly needed the fans to support the club.

“They can’t let us down this year of all years because we want European football at the new Brandywell next year and we want to be opening the Mark Farren stand at the new Brandywell with a much bigger attendance than we’ve had these past four years.

“At the minute, the sales are totally unacceptable; it’s really bad. I know people will say the football club is not good or whatever but if they want to support the club they have to support it in good times and bad times.”

With the new League of Ireland season now seven days away, the club are no nearer discovering where they will be playing their football once redevelopment work begins on the Brandywell Stadium.

However, Doherty believes a final decision should be reached within a matter of weeks.

“Maginn is looking to be the favourites at the minute, but we’re still looking at the possibility of the Riverside,” he explained.

“They are meeting the PSNI to look at the security aspect. The FAI have approved both so we’re in a good place.

“The other reason we haven’t pushed a wee bit more is that when a contract is appointed, if they can shorten the amount of time we have to move out of the Brandywell, we may not have to play all of those six games at those grounds.

“That tendering process is ongoing and won’t be finalised for the next three or four weeks.”