Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories A view of Cobh's St Colman's Park.Tommy Dickson/INPHO Freeramblers rumblings Cobh tell fans they remain 'united and positive' as doubts grow around club's new backers Cobh’s new American owners this week pulled funding from the Austrian club in their portfolio. 12.00pm, 4 Apr 2025 Share options Gavin Cooney COBH RAMBLERS HAVE today issued a statement stressing they believe in the “strength” of the club, as doubts emerge regarding their new US-based backers, FC32. Fan-owned Cobh first appealed for investment in 2022, and a long process culminated in the club’s acquisition by the FC32 group in October last year. Cobh was the second group to be added to the group’s portfolio, as they had already acquired Austrian second-tier side SKN St. Polten. In February this year, FC32 added a third club to their stable: Italian Serie B club Spezia. This week, however, FC32 abruptly withdrew their funding to SKN St. Polten. “We were surprised last Sunday with the information that FC32 Holding will stop all payments with immediate effect,” said the Austrian club’s managing director, Matthias Gebauer, adding the move was “totally unexpected.” Advertisement Paul Francis, a former Nike executive and CEO of FC32, resigned his position as vice-president of the Austrian club. Amid this backdrop, Cobh today issued a statement to clarify their position, stressing that the club remains independent of FC32 and that their operations continue under the leadership of the previously elected committee, which includes CEO Deanna Brown, who is the president of the FC32 group. “We would like to clarify recent developments regarding FC32 Global Holdings Inc,” reads the Cobh club statement. “FC32 Global Holdings is separate to Cobh Ramblers FC Limited with no bearing on the club’s future operations. “The club remains independent, and its operations continue under the leadership of the previously member elected committee, along with Deanna Brown, CEO, and Bill O’Leary, Chairman. “At the heart of Cobh Ramblers is our community who have always formed the backbone of this club. “With the continued support and the broader Cobh community, we will continue to be successful both on and off the pitch. “We believe in the strength of our club. We stay united and positive.” Upon their takeover of Cobh, FC32 committed to setting up a women’s team by 2026, and investing in player development. “Our focus is on player development and high performance,” said Francis last year. “We aim to partner with Cobh Ramblers to build a world-class talent pipeline and elevate the club to new heights.” The takeover preceded a significant investment in Cobh’s first-team squad, with the 2025 playing budget believed to be three to four times larger than it was last season. The club are currently second in the League of Ireland first division, five points behind leaders Dundalk. Gavin Cooney Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Cobh tell fans they remain 'united and positive' as doubts grow around club's new backers”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Cobh tell fans they remain 'united and positive' as doubts grow around club's new backers”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel. Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs. Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts. Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Cobh Ramblers League of Ireland ramblers rumblings News in 60 seconds FreeFarewell Kevin De Bruyne to leave Manchester City at the end of the season 17 mins ago FreeDates For Diary Here's the fixtures and TV-streaming coverage for the 2025 GAA football championship 44 mins ago Freegreatest diplomacy in the world FAI hit back at 'false' Kerry FC accusations of intimidation in player eligibility row Ronan Maher: 'We had to take ownership as players. There was hard conversations' Here's your essential TV guide for the weekend's live sport FreeNothing To See Here Postecoglou insists controversial cupped ear celebration was misinterpreted Curry's 37 points helps Warriors claim crucial win over LeBron's Lakers Rising Stars 7 young footballers to watch in this summer's All-Ireland senior championship Freecouple goals Jamison Gibson-Park may not be the only elite sportsperson in his household Motivator, innovator, leader: What made Mick O’Dwyer great? Brian Hayes named to start as Cork reveal side for league final with Tipperary more from us Investigates Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine Money Diaries The Journal TV Journal Media Advertise With Us About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2025 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The 42 supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online Sign in or create a free account To continue reading create a free account Or sign into an existing account