LOUIS KILCOYNE stood alone as the last of the FAI's five officers after an extraordinary meeting between the National League clubs and the officer board last night. Extraordinary in every sense.

It had been widely reported that Kilcoyne had resigned sometime before 11.00 p.m., but there was no confirmation to this effect by the association's press office. The FAI president subsequently confirmed that he was remaining in office. Though considering his position, it is expected that Kilcoyne will make his case at Friday's 52 member senior council meeting.

So a muddled day ended on a muddled note. Reflecting on the "worst day" in his 28 year administrative career within the FAI, the departing vice president and honorary secretary, Des Casey, last night acknowledged that the beleaguered association now needed a fundamental overhaul.

"If one stands back and looks at it, given that we are now a multi million pound business, then our constitutional rule book is maybe a little bit archaic for the modern organisation it should be. Certainly we need to look at a number of areas which I've already mentioned at council meetings."

A radical overhaul, overseen by an interim management committee and perhaps incorporating recommendations by professional management consultants, now appears inevitable. Proposals to that effect at last night's special meeting of National League clubs and an ever dwindling officer board were widely supported.

This followed last night's resignations by Casey, FAI treasurer Joe Delaney, National League president Michael Hyland and senior vice president Pat Quigley.

Both Casey and Quigley had left the special meeting at 7.00 between the 22 National League clubs and the remaining three officers, Kilcoyne, Delaney and Hyland, after tendering their resignations to all present.

Casey, the association's honorary secretary, and Quigley, president elect in succession to Kilcoyne, confirmed that they had both sought the resignations of Kilcoyne and Delaney over the weekend.

According to a lengthy, 10 point statement issued on behalf of Quigley, "in the interests of the FAI and of soccer in Ireland, I have over the past 48 hours requested Mr Louis Kilcoyne and Mr Joe Delaney, Treasurer, to tender their resignations. Neither has taken this course of action to date. I now consider my position to be untenable, and resign forthwith.

Quigley (50), a medical representative who has risen through the ranks of the FAI from the Mayo Junior League, echoed Casey's approval of the external, audited investigation being conducted by Barstow Charleton chartered accountants. He anticipated that it would "completely exonerate my good name and confirm that any action taken by me in the past 20 years is beyond reproach." He added "My record speaks for itself."

Quigley's statement continued "Soccer in Ireland has always been and will continue to be my primary concern. The most important matters at this stage are for truth and clarity to emerge. It is absolutely essential that the recommendations which we hope to receive from the examiners will be adopted swiftly," in order to restore the FAI's image and their relationships with its members and sponsors alike, as well as ensure that "its leaders are beyond reproach".

Neither man ruled out the possibility of putting their names forward again, while Quigley also alluded to the fundamental overhaul which the association now requires. "We must all be prepared to undertake significant changes, some of which may be unpalatable. Soccer in Ireland demands and deserves this."

Regarding his own resignation, Casey revealed that his meeting with a representative of Barstow Charleton "was not a significant factor. I just couldn't come to terms with having duped the public."

This was in reference to "incorrect information" inadvertently given by him at last Wednesday week's press conference when Casey, by way of minutes from a finance committee meeting, had reported that no monies were owed by officers, nor did any of them meet any shortfall. This was contradicted within two days by Joe Delaney's admission that he had met a shortfall of £110,000.

Thereafter Casey's comments were replayed on television. "My integrity was the object of debate. It was humiliated. I said at the press conference that evening that I don't tell lies. I try to tell the truth, and to have misled both yourselves and the public to me was the worst crime of all."