Manager slams IFA’s ‘dismissive’ response to road safety concerns

DERGVIEW Football Club manager Ivan Sproule has criticised the Irish Football Association (IFA) for disregarding road safety after his team was thrown out of the Irish Cup for refusing to travel to a fourth-round tie in Larne due to hazardous weather conditions.

Back in September, the IFA signed up to the ‘Share the Road to Zero’ campaign, promoting road safety, but Sproule argues that this commitment was not reflected in the IFA’s response to Dergview’s decision not to travel due to severe weather.

On Saturday morning, players and staff struggled to reach the club’s departure point due to heavy snow and flooding caused by Storm Bert. After consulting with the Dergview Board, Sproule made the decision to cancel the trip in the interests of everyone’s health and safety.

Competition organisers (IFA) and opponents Wellington Rec were both informed and on Monday an email was sent to the IFA explaining that because of concern around the health and safety of everyone, the club had decided not to make the journey.

Hours earlier two young men from the area, one a former player, had died in road traffic accident across the border in Donegal.

But on Monday evening the IFA’s Challenge Cup committee dismissed Dergview from the competition and subsequently fined them £250 for failing to fulfil the fixture.

‘very dismissive’

Despite missing out on a lucrative fifth round tie against Linfield – the draw was made on Tuesday – Sproule and club stand by their decision.

“The circumstances at the weekend were extreme and that’s why we took the decision,” said the former Northern Ireland international.

“It was purely down to the severity of the weather conditions that we faced when we got up on Saturday morning.

“In terms of the decision to throw us out, I think it’s very dismissive of them to make this call so soon and ultimately it’s something that we are extremely disappointed with.

“We lost three young men in our town in the last couple of weeks.

“You’ve a decision to make and sometimes you have got to go with your gut.

“We were all listening to the warnings about the storm that came at the weekend and people were saying ‘essential travel only’. To make so many people travel from Donegal, Derry, Castlederg, etc, wasn’t essential it was nothing short of reckless

“If the IFA cannot see those reasons for not travelling then I think human compassion has gone out the window.”

Back in September, the IFA backed the launch of a new road safety campaign which was attended by Northern Ireland captain at the time Conor Bradley, from Castlederg, and President Conrad Kirkwood.

At the launch Mr Kirkwood said: “By signing up to Share the Road to Zero we hope we can play a part in reminding people to be responsible on the roads.”

However, Sproule questioned the IFA’s true commitment to road safety, given their role in the recent campaign. “It feels like a PR stunt,” he said.

“What good are these campaigns if the governing body won’t stand by them in practice?”