2006 Shelbourne F.C. season

In the 2006 season, Shelbourne were crowned League of Ireland Premier Division champions.

Overview
Despite having battled with dire finances for much of the 2006 season, mainly due to market risk-taking in the drive for success, over-expenditure on player-purchase fees, high wages, low home attendance rates and continuing tax debts, Shelbourne actually managed to win the title. However, they had been hit with three winding-up orders by the Revenue Commissioners within a spell of nine months but just about managed to gather enough funds and investment to keep the tax collectors off their backs and keep the club running on each occasion. This was at the expense of the players, though, who had gone for weeks without their wages and it seemed that the only thing keeping them performing at the club was the season's climax and the drive for the title, as well as promises (which ultimately turned out to be empty) of a remedy. Once the season came to a close the rot set in and the general public were made fully aware of the true extent of how poor a state the club were in. Due to the finances, many found it extraordinary that Shelbourne had been awarded a Premier Division licence for 2007 by the Independent Assessment Group a few months earlier. They saw it as another chance to criticise the lack of transparency within the organisation that appointed the Group who were supposed to dispense licences to clubs who were solvent and financially stable for the foreseeable future - the Football Association of Ireland. The association has been well used to criticism of its administration in the past, but clearly, the Group could not have been said to have performed their role effectively.

Manager Pat Fenlon tendered his resignation from Shelbourne on 5 December 2006. This was in spite of Shelbourne winning the title on goal difference from Derry City. Fenlon's departure precipitated a widescale exodus from Tolka Park, as players, unhappy with the wage situation, departed to rival clubs - many having their contracts rescinded by law.

Managerial/backroom staff
Manager: Pat Fenlon Assistant Manager: Eamon Collins

2006 squad members
(Captain)

Transfers In
The following players joined Shelbourne for the 2006 campaign:

First round
Shelbourne won 5 - 0 on aggregate

Second round
OB Odense won 3 - 1 on aggregate

Player appearances/goals
As of 17 November 2006.


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