Football: Clydebank press move to Dublin

CLYDEBANK yesterday outlined their ambitious plans to relocate to Dublin by the start of next season - and insisted it was their only option to survive.

The Bell's Second Division club informed the Scottish Football League this morning that they have reached an agreement with the Royal Dublin Society to rent their arena, once the home of the League of Ireland club Shamrock Rovers, near Lansdowne Road in the Ballsbridge district of Dublin.

The club made their announcement at simultaneous news conferences in Dublin and Glasgow, with the chairman Sandy Moffat hosting the latter while their manager, Ian McCall, and a director, Colm McCarthy, were in Ireland.

Moffat said: "Following the disposal of Kilbowie stadium [the club's former home] by the previous board, a return to a new stadium in Clydebank cannot be undertaken on financial grounds. Continuation of the current tenancy at Dumbarton was also ruled out because of poor attendances - we have concluded relocating to Dublin is the only way forward."

McCarthy said: "There are precedents for this move. Derry City, located in Northern Ireland, play in the Republic's national league and Cardiff City play in the English League."

Harri Kampman has been given another 24 hours by Motherwell to decide if he wants to take up the vacant manager's job at Fir Park. The Finn, who coaches FC Lahti, has asked for more time to discuss the offer with his wife.