Football supporters have a strong emotional attachment to their stadia and it was with a heavy heart that Bohs agreed to vacate their home of 105 years. The proposed deal . . . a brand new stadium in Castleknock plus in excess of 20m in cash . . . is a fantastic opportunity for a club that was struggling to survive in Dalymount.

The ownership of Dalymount by the members of Bohs has given the club a unique edge over their Dublin rivals. Dalymount will be turned into apartments but, because of the membership structure, as opposed to private ownership, Bohs will flourish.

It is difficult in times like this not to remember the sale of Glenmalure Park by Louis Kilcoyne in 1987. Shamrock Rovers were left homeless and penniless after Kilcoyne perpetrated one of the greatest insults to Irish sport when he sold the famous stadium.

Thankfully, a similar fate will not befall Bohs.

The club now has a fantastic opportunity to restore pride in Irish football. The game has been starved of investment . . . by government, the FAI, business and the public . . .

for too long, while Irish investors pump millions of euro into English and Scottish clubs.

What could Niall Quinn and his 100m Sunderland consortium achieve for this country if they invested in the Irish game?

The path is not yet clear for Bohs. Already there has been talk of planning objections to the new stadium. Hopefully, Dalymount II will not go the way of the infamous Tallaght Stadium, rows about which have left Shamrock Rovers homeless since they left Milltown. Bohemians have already avoided the fate of Rovers once, let's hope they can do it again.