Bray Wanderers Shocked Over First Division Spot

Bray Wanderers have lashed out at the FAI’s decision to include Cork City in their official League of Ireland Premier Division fixture list, despite the club not having a Premier Division licence

Cork’s future is still up in the air, with a potential takeover still uncompleted and the club due back before the High Court and licencing committee next week.

Bray General Manager Jack O’Neill said: ‘We are absolutely dismayed that the League of Ireland has issued a set of fixtures which places Cork City who currently have no licence to play in the League of Ireland for the coming season in the Premier Division while Bray Wanderers who obtained a Premier Division licence have been placed in the First Division.

‘As the 10th ranked team to receive a Premier Division licence from the Independent Licence Committee we find it staggering that the fixtures have been released in such a fashion.

‘It is our belief that the release of these fixtures in such a format is inherently flawed and should not have been released in this format in advance of the outcome of the High Court case involving Cork City and the decision of the Independent Club Licensing Committee on Monday 22 February.’

Should Cork end up being denied a Premier Division Licence, Bray will be unable to sign new players to prepare for a Premier Division campaign as the transfer window closes on the same day as Cork are due back before the Licensing Committee.

Bray are not the first club to go public on the Cork situation, with Dundalk claiming that they should be awarded a Europa League place instead of City.

Daniel "Pitchside" Pitcher Twitter: @DanFM104Sport About: Dan "Pitchside" Pitcher provides insight and commentary as the chief soccer and rugby correspondent for Sportspeak.