Kennedy Hangs Up His IFA Boots

The beleaguered Irish Football Association (IFA) President, Raymond Kennedy has agreed with the wishes of the body's ruling Council and has this afternoon stepped aside from his current role with immediate effect.

However, Mr Kennedy will continue to serve on the IFA Council and fulfil a number of previously arranged engagements over the coming days.

Raymond Kennedy said: "I have given over 50 years of service to football in Northern Ireland and I have enjoyed every minute.

"It has been an honour and privilege to represent the Association locally and internationally and I would like to wish the Irish FA all the best in the years ahead.

"I would like to thank the Council members, member clubs, the staff at the Irish FA and the football fans for all the support they have given me in the past. I fully understand the concerns of all regarding future funding and as I have always maintained in the past I will never put this in jeopardy," he said.

Now the IFA will put in motion the process to elect a successor after today's 'final score' in a battle of wills on who runs local soccer.

Last night, members of the IFA Council passed a vote of no confidence and Mr Kennedy asked members for time to review his position and said that he would inform the Chief Executive, Patrick Nelson, of his ultimate decision by Wednesday morning.

That news has come sooner rather than later and follows last night's confirmation that Terry Pateman had been elected as Vice President and Neil Jardine has been elected as Treasurer.

The controversy over Raymond Kennedy's job meant that it was virtually untenable after his peers voted 29-14 in favour of a proposal of no confidence in Kennedy remaining in the job.

NI Sports Minister Nelson McCausland has said that £23m earmarked for football in Northern Ireland could not be handed over while Mr Kennedy remained in the role.

Mr Kennedy was criticised by an independent report into the unfair dismissal of the previous chief executive Howard Wells which cost the IFA £500,000 in an unfair dismissal case that led to the DUP Executive Minister Nelson McCausland saying he could not approve Government funding unless there were changes at the IFA.

(BMcC/GK)