PFAI and FAI in contract deal

After a decade-long battle to win agreement for a standard form of contract for its members, the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland yesterday announced it had struck a deal with the FAI on the issue.

"It's been a long time coming," said PFAI chief executive Fran Gavin yesterday, "but after 10 years and over 50 meetings we've finally got we wanted. It's a milestone for the PFAI and every Irish footballer."

Gavin maintains the new form of contract will help curb many of the disputes that have traditionally arisen between clubs and players here in relation to pay and conditions. "In the past we have found ourselves involved in disputes where there has been anything up to four contracts in existence. This should mean the end of that sort of situation once and for all," he said.

The union also announced it had reached agreement with the FAI on the development of the Retired International Players Fund into a benevolent and educational fund for all Irish professional footballers, and on its own relocation to the proposed "House of Football" on the new Abbotstown campus.

"The idea of the fund is it will be run for the benefit of all Irish footballers . . .," said Gavin. "Being a professional footballer in Ireland today is about as insecure a livelihood as anyone could have but we hope that by helping to provide players with alternatives for the future we will help to enable them to concentrate their energies on their football careers while they are still playing."

Asked about the move to Abbotstown from the union's base in Parnell Square, Gavin, who paid tribute to the FAI chief executive John Delaney's positive role in the talks, said, "By being out there we will be at the heart of where the decisions affecting the future of the game are being made and we believe that can only be good for our members."