A planned meeting to set the wheels in motion for the sale of Finn Harps FC has been deferred, Donegal Daily can confirm.
Shareholders of the Finn Harps Co-Operative Society Ltd were due to convene on Sunday evening, but the summit has been put back by two weeks following what Harps say was a “strong response”.
Members were due to vote to change the club’s structure from a Co-Operative Society to a private limited company – a key step in paving the way for a takeover by Filipino entrepreneur Freddy Gonzalez.
“Following a strong response from members and supporters, the Special General Meeting scheduled for Sunday 5 July has been rescheduled to Sunday 19 July at 4pm to allow everyone time to get home for the FIFA World Cup Final at 8pm,” Harps said.
“A large number of people contacted the club wishing to attend, but have not renewed their membership in time.
“To ensure the widest possible participation in this important decision, the board has decided to reschedule the meeting and reopen membership renewals until 5pm this Wednesday, 8 July.”
A second meeting – which could confirm the sale of Finn Harps Football Club to Gonzalez – has been scheduled for Sunday, August 2 at 7.30pm.
Harps added: “We are keen to hear from anyone who holds a share in the club from pre-2000. A small number of shareholders on our register have not been in contact with the club in recent years, and as part of our preparations for the meeting, we are updating our records for completeness.
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“If you are a shareholder, please contact secretary@finnharps.ie and provide your name, share number, current address, telephone number and email address so that our records are up to date and we can keep you informed.
“If a parent, grandparent or other relative held a share, or if you believe you may have inherited one, please get in touch, and we will help you check the register. Similarly, if you are aware of a relative, friend or neighbour who held a share and has since passed away, please notify the club so that we can update our records accordingly.”
Gonzalez has launched an ambitious multi-million euro bid to take over the struggling Donegal club.
He has pledged €1.6m to cover Harps’ total contribution to the development of the new stadium in Stranorlar and has also voted to stump up €213,000 to acquire the parcel of land in Stranorlar that the new stadium is on.
He will take on the club’s creditors – which stood at €511,325 in the last set of audited accounts, covering the 12 months to the end of December 2024 – and cover legal and commissioning fees.
Gonzalez has also undertaken to pump in a significant seven-figure sum in annual payments to cover the operational running of the club.
The 48-year-old, a former Philippines national team player and manager, told Donegal Daily earlier this week that he plans to be in it for the long haul.
“This is definitely something that I will be doing for the rest of my time here on earth,” he said “This is what I have always wanted to do. This is something I’m going to do and will spend a significant part of my time in Ireland doing.”