London Irish

[TiltonTiger]

If Irish were to fail to field a team on Saturday, what might be the prospects of them being treated the same as Worcs and Wasps? And how might that affect the play off positions?

[TigerReggie]

I didn't realise they had a problem putting a team out. What is their issue?

[loretta]

Haven’t been paying their players. So we did the double over them, they did the double over Saints. Expunge those results, and things look a bit different for a start.

[wigworth]

I didn't realise they had a problem putting a team out. What is their issue?

Players hadn't been paid, the players gave a deadline of 5pm for payment, if they weren't paid by then they would not play on the weekend. From reports on twitter they have now been paid and the game is on.

[Pellsey]

Haven’t been paying their players. So we did the double over them, they did the double over Saints. Expunge those results, and things look a bit different for a start.

This would be horrendous. Especially having to play Sorries on their sorry fake pitch in their tiny ground with their tiny supporter base.

[CJ]

Their owners has promised to pay the wages. We’ll see.
Sad. Back in he good old days, London Irish were properly London and Irish and a terrific club.

[Ian Cant]

The new buyers were just finalising a few details on their deal to buy the club.
There was also a problem of getting the money transferred over due to the bank holiday.
Hope all goes well but I’m interested to see how it plays out with owners who don’t seem to know much about rugby!!

[loretta]

The new buyers were just finalising a few details on their deal to buy the club.
There was also a problem of getting the money transferred over due to the bank holiday.
Hope all goes well but I’m interested to see how it plays out with owners who don’t seem to know much about rugby!!

Well, that’s what they said was going on…

[ay2oh]

The Times reporting that wages have been paid

[Rugbygramps]

It’s a complete mess and the 2nd or 3rd month that the staff have been paid late.
Potential buyers from over the pond, I’m having deja vu about Rugby Lions.

To answer the original question I think they would just hand the points to Exeter which would mean they would leap frog Irish in the table

[sam16111986]

Apparently Irish's owner injected some money to cover the salaries. There was some suggestion that a couple of the players were ready to take action over the lack of payment. That might have made the sale of the club difficult as I imagine only the top players who were confident of picking up a deal elsewhere would be doing that.

[Pellsey]

Haven’t been paying their players. So we did the double over them, they did the double over Saints. Expunge those results, and things look a bit different for a start.

This would be horrendous. Especially having to play Sorries on their sorry fake pitch in their tiny ground with their tiny supporter base.

This is slightly tongue in cheek. I would honestly hate for the NotNots to go under. It is quite an upstanding club.

Really glad to hear that the wages have been paid. Let's hope that things change for them over the summer.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Summary of the situation as I see it.

- Current owner trying to sell the club not wanting to put any money in to the club

- Buyer has been found for the club

- Last month finances were tight and with the sale progressing but not through, the new buyer stepped in to help cover the wages. (We don't know how much they put in just it was stated they would)

- This month the sale still hasn't been completed, these things take time I suppose, once again not enough funds to cover wages.

- Players not paid at the end of the month.

- Players told at the weekend the new owners will put in the money for wages and they'll be paid Monday (1st)

- On Monday players still not paid, on Tuesday morning players have a meeting with club hierarchy who say sorry issues with the bank holiday, they hope to pay them by the end of that day (2nd)

- Wednesday (3rd) Morning another meeting called for the whole squad once again they are told issues with the bank holiday and money from overseas, still delaying it & they will get paid. Questions also raised on whether the players insurance has been paid, Rob Baxter says they are in the dark as the opposition.

- Thursday morning (today) game in doubt, LI captain comes out saying to the press they still haven't been paid, and that they have had verbal confirmation that insurance has been paid but they are insisting on both pay and written confirmation of insurance being paid by 5pm tonight or they won't play.

- Shortly before 5pm current owner stumps up the cash and pays everyone.


At a guess the current owner (who always had the cash to pay people) saw the new owners were willing to contribute to wages last month so was trying to avoid putting any more money in to something he's selling. Conversely the people hoping to buy the club who HAVEN'T bought it yet, have no rights to it, probably aren't comfortable with this idea they'll be the ones to put the money in to keep them afloat. At that point a game of brinksmanship begins between current and proposed owners as who puts the funds in, obviously with the current owner having a lot more to lose from things like administration the current owner is the one who had to bow and pay up. Meanwhile club staff are left unsure if they can pay bills while the rich argue about who is paying them.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

It's not a great look that the club itself can't pay the wages & "Daddy" has to pay.