DROGHEDA UNITED chairman Ben Boycott has confirmed that owners Trivela will cover the €525,000 hole in the club’s budget following their Conference League expulsion.
The Drogs learnt on Monday that their CAS appeal against being barred from European competition under multi-club ownership rules had been rejected.
And it meant that a shortfall of €525,000 – the minimum prize money – this year in expected revenue.
But Boycott confirmed that it will have no impact on Drogheda United this season.
In an open letter to fans, he wrote: “Trivela will cover the shortfall in revenue from missing Europe, and we are fully committed to seeing this project through.
“Day-to-day operations are unaffected. I will be meeting personally with our players and staff in the coming days, and I hope that we as a group can remain focused on the task at hand.”
Trivela also own Danish club Silkeborg, who also qualified for the Conference League and led to Drogheda United’s expulsion.
Under UEFA rules, the club with a lower league place is excluded where two clubs have the same owners.
But Boycott continues to argue that UEFA sticking with early deadlines and not allowing flexibility as was the case in previous years was harsh on the Drogs.
And he claims that UEFA contacted a number of clubs potentially impacted, but not Drogheda United.
Drogs submitted to CAS that UEFA gave “unequal treatment.” UEFA denied it and CAS agreed in a 2-1 majority vote.
He said: “It seems that some of those that were contacted and began taking steps before this deadline were then given time to implement structures after the deadline.
“We were not ever contacted directly, and Drogheda was not afforded that same flexibility.
“Worse still, historical precedent gave us every reason to believe that we would have a path to resolve any concerns post-assessment date.
“In recent years, multiple clubs have enacted share transfers, blind trust structures, and other remedies after the assessment date.
“Those precedents shaped our expectations—and we acted accordingly.
“I personally believe this decision makes an example of Drogheda so that UEFA can signal a change of approach to its regulation of MCOs (multi-club ownerships)
“It punishes a club that, just a year ago, was still part-time and operating without a CEO.
“It punishes a community-focused organization run with integrity, ambition, and limited resources—while major clubs with compliance departments and vast legal teams were granted direct communication and additional time to comply.
“That said, accountability ultimately falls on us at DUFC and at Trivela Group.
“The responsibility to navigate regulations—however murky or fast-changing—belongs to our leadership.
“And for that, I offer a personal, sincere apology to our players, staff, and supporters. This will never happen again.”
