Institute boss Sean Connor calls for financial compensation from IFA

The Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) confirmed that the season would be declared null and void after a majority of clubs backed the proposal at a meeting of both the Championship and Intermediate League Management Committees last Monday night.

The Championship start date had been delayed after clubs were refused elite status during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Connor claims the cancellation of the league programme didn't come as a surprise as clubs were left in an 'unenviable position' by NIFL and the IFA but he wants the league's governing body to offer financial support to those clubs affected.

"I'm not surprised," he said. "I'm disappointed, but I'm not disappointed by the reaction from some Championship clubs because I think the clubs have been placed in an unenviable position.

"Until elite status is awarded to Championship clubs this will be never ending and that's the issue.

"The IFA and NIFL now agree that elite status should be given to Championship clubs. The fact remains, they made a mistake in not doing it in the first place."

Connor believes the decision will have 'all sorts of ramifications' as he fears both the financial implications of the decision and the very real prospect of losing his playing staff.

"As a club we wanted elite status for the Championship. We wanted to complete 22 games, we wanted promotion and relegation and that stance has never changed.

"There are all sorts of ramifications now," adds Connor. "That decision back in May, or whenever it was made, will resonate with Championship clubs for the next two or three years."

With no relegation from the Irish League Premiership this season, Connor believes the financial gap between clubs will only widen.

"You're now looking at a Premiership club who would've been getting relegated. They're now not getting relegated and having another year's Premiership money. Therefore the gap widens between the Premiership and the Championship.

"The ramifications for this will linger on for one or two seasons. We go into the summer months looking ahead to the new season but why would you want to sign for a Championship club that doesn't have elite status and with the possibility you could be told you can't play again. That's a big problem. One hundred per cent, I would fear for keeping my squad together.

"It's also another year of us not being able to access the financial benefits of being a Premier League club. The increase in crowds, prize money and the European funding for your academy. That's another year we're without that. As a club, we need to be looking for some sort of compensation. All Championship clubs need to be looking for it.

"The fact there will be no promotion or relegation, there needs to be some sort of financial compensation coming down the line."

The request from clubs to develop an alternative cup competition for Championship and Premier Intermediate League teams remains under consideration by NIFL while the format for this year's Irish Cup has not yet been confirmed.

While Connor claims Institute Football Club's Board of Directors will discuss its stance on these issues, the Belfast man insists he personally wouldn't be interested in taking part in the Irish Cup unless elite status is granted.

"They're talking about these regional fixtures and alternative cup competitions and we're not taking anything off the table right now because I have to give the Institute Board time to discuss it. Those sort of decisions need to be a club decision or a board decision.

"Right now, as a club, we're taking a step back. We're going to reflect and see where we are. We're going to speak to our players, the coaching staff and with the Board and we will all have an input and then make a decision.

"My attitude is that unless we have elite status then we're not interested in the Irish Cup. I think all we're doing there is helping people fulfil fixtures. The fact they want to push on with the Irish Cup shows the disregard they have for the other clubs.

"Everything goes back to the decision that was made last year regarding elite status and I think the people who made it know they made the wrong decision."

With the league campaign officially over before it had started, Connor also believes now is the perfect opportunity to discuss the potential move to summer football.

"I think everything needs to be put on the table and this is the perfect opportunity for those discussions. If they want to start the Championship a bit earlier and test out the appetite and product of summer football then I'm all for that."