By Gary Ferry
Sports Reporter

STEPHEN Kenny has revealed that some Derry City players have had to borrow money from their parents to pay debts as a consequence of the current shortfall at the club.
The club’s Board of Directors have until December 21 to raise all monies owed by players, who are still awaiting three week’s earnings from August and who will find out today if they can receive October’s pay packet.
The directors remain hopeful that they can provide every single penny of October’s wages by this Friday but it is the other money that is proving to be the problem for the club and Kenny admitted that his players have been struggling.
He said, “It’s hard for the players. Barry Molloy is getting married in a couple of weeks and Mark Farren is getting married. We’re now two months without wages and there are not great prospects. So if that’s the case, and you’re getting married, it obviously impacts. There’s players paying mortgages and the players are worrying. Some are borrowing off their parents and they’re supposed to be professional footballers. People think these fellas are earning big money. They’re absolutely not. That’s not the case. But obviously the expenditure is more than we can afford. That’s why we’re in the situation.”
The City manager also moved to refute suggestions that the players had refused to train prior to the game against St. Patrick’s Athletic on Friday, describing it as ‘nonsense’.
He explained, “It has been a difficult few months. We were a point behind Bohemians when the revelations came out. We’ve had a lot of injuries as well. It’s been a difficult few months. To be fair to the players, they’ve given everything.
“There was a lot of stuff that they refused to train before the match which was nonsense as I cancelled training. We just had a breakfast because obviously they had been given some devastating news the night before. We decided to just have a breakfast rather than train because it was also our third game in a week and the lads are really fatigued so I didn’t really see the benefit of that. We let them put their feet up. That was wide of the mark saying that. I didn’t like that. That’s been doing the rounds but that’s nonsense.”
What isn’t nonsense however, is the stark reality of the situation facing all members of staff at Derry City, not just the players. Although payment of their wages until the end of their season remains uncertain, what is certain is that a large number of the current playing staff will be leaving the Brandywell. But what of the manager himself?
“I wouldn’t particularly want to be managing against Derry City,” he said. “I would find that quite difficult. I would like to go the course. I’m under contract and I want to be here. I’m passionate about the club. It’s a fantastic club. We’ve had a period where the budget is a lot lower, so I have to adapt. I started off with the first budget at Longford was £1000 a week, which included myself and all the players. So I’ve worked in different situations but the main thing is that the club is ok. Everyone’s got to rally around now.”