Shelbourne turn down Di Stefano

Published on Tuesday 25 April 2006 02:31

IRISH club Shelbourne revealed yesterday they had cancelled a meeting with the controversial lawyer and former director of Dundee, Giovanni di Stefano, after intense media interest.

Shelbourne chief executive Ollie Byrne, in a letter to Di Stefano published on the Dublin club's website, said he was "astonished" the Anglo-Italian lawyer had spoken to the media before meeting the cash-strapped Eircom League outfit over his interest in buying a stake.

Di Stefano has been dubbed "Devils' Advocate" by parts of the media for working with some of the world's most notorious figures, including Saddam Hussein and former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic.

He was interested in investing under 1 million in Shelbourne. "Regrettably, I do not believe that it is now possible for me to take your expression of interest any further," said Byrne in his letter. They had been due to meet yesterday.

Shelbourne, joint second in Ireland's Premier League, were champions in 2003 and 2004, when they also narrowly missed a place in the Champions League group stages after a defeat by Spain's Deportivo Coruna.

"I'm coming to Ireland for clients in prison, and Shelbourne is only a bonus if it happens," Di Stefano told the news agency Reuters in a text message en route to Dublin. "In any case, there are other clubs," he added.

Di Stefano is this week meeting two of his clients, convicted drug dealer John Gilligan and Patrick "Dutchy" Holland, the man named in court as the killer of journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996.