St Pat's join move to ban release clauses

St Patrick’s Athletic have joined Cork City and Shelbourne by outlawing release clauses from player contracts.

Manager Jon Daly admits the issue came to a head recently when they were unable to prevent striker Tommy Lonergan moving to Fleetwood Town once the English League One activated the buy-out stipulation by offering the predetermined €60,000 fee.

There’s a separate gripe ongoing about the potential for Fleetwood’s sister club - St Pat’s’ rivals Waterford – being loaned the recently-turned 20-year-old but Blues boss Keith Long killed off that prospect, in the short-term anyway.

Both managers were speaking at the official launch of the SSE Airtricity League season which begins on Friday week for both the Premier and First Divisions. This Friday sees the President’s Cup, the traditional curtain-raiser, take place between champions Shamrock Rovers and Daly’s FAI Cup holders.

The Saints chief, whose flourished when promoted to the job in May after his boss Tim Clancy was sacked, has the backing of the club’s billionaire owner Garrett Kelleher to stand firm on contract policy.

Agents are particularly influential in demanding a low release clause to tempt bigger suits and maximise the player’s earnings.

“It’s something we have to learn from to make sure we don’t have clauses in contracts going forward,” former Rangers striker Daly said.

“Buying clubs can come in and take players for little to nothing and my biggest gripe with it is it devalues the league. Players in the league are worth more than their buy out clauses, especially when I compare them to players in European leagues. Though not at the same level, they’re going for fees of six and seven figures.

“Not just ourselves as a club, but as a league as a