Madam, - We were quite dismayed by the tone of Tom Humphries's remarks on Shamrock Rovers and the stalled Tallaght stadium development (Locker Room, March 19th).
While complimenting the voluntary community efforts of others, he described Rovers as "a professional soccer club, a commercial enterprise", completely ignoring the fact that it is a not-for-profit, community-based football club owned and run by its members.
While our first team is professional, the rest of the club is almost exclusively run by volunteers, and our schoolboy section caters for hundreds of youngsters across South Dublin. Shamrock Rovers has also established a range of scholarship schemes offering educational opportunities to students at primary, secondary and third level.
Shamrock Rovers is a model employer and taxpayer. Since its supporters took over in 2005, the club has been run on sound business principles and by the end of this season will have contributed around €500,000 to the national coffers. We even turned a small profit last year which was, as a matter of course, reinvested in the club.
Mr Humphries writes that "nobody feels Rovers have given enough to the community to merit the amount of State aid being allocated" for Tallaght. Considering that our club's package of sporting, educational and employment opportunities are unique, not just in South Dublin but in Irish sport, we would beg to differ. And not just in word but in deed. - Yours, etc,
MARK LYNCH, (On behalf of Shamrock Rovers FC board of directors), Centrepoint Business Park, Dublin 12.