Hunger strike in Ericeira (provoked by the sale of Sporting)

Former president of Ericeirense, now “homeless”, alleges debts that the club owes him. At issue is the transfer of Portuguese international Matheus Nunes from Sporting to Manchester City.

The former president of Ericeirense Antonio Mano Silva started this Wednesday a indefinite hunger strikealleging debts that the club from the municipality of Mafra owes you. The club claims a lack of evidence.

“I started an indefinite hunger strike in protest against the club’s directors, who received 2.3 million euros for transfer of Matheus Nunes from Sporting to Manchester City and refuses to pay what the club owes me”, António Mano Silva told the Lusa agency.

Evicted from home, he is now “homeless”

The former manager explained that, between 2001 and 2015, when he was president of Grupo Desportivo União Ericeirense, he was a guarantor for bank loans that the club took out for the construction of the sports complex. Due to not obtaining enough income to pay the financing, saw his personal assets, valued at more than six million euros, seized.

António Mano Silva also said that, in 2015, the club’s then management “received and validated all the documentation” proving the debts, leading him to appoint his representative in a deal involving the sale of the current football field for 4.5 million euros. , “to pay off debts”.

In 2023, with another board, Grupo Desportivo União Ericeirense received 2.3 million euros from the transfer, from Sporting to Manchester City, of Portuguese international midfielder Matheus Nunes, who played for Ericeirense between 14 and 19 years ago. to continue to Estoril Praia.

Despite there being revenue, the current management refused “any understanding between the club” and António Mano Silva, who accuses current leaders of “falsifying accounts” to hide the club’s debt to you.

The former manager also added that, in March 2024, was evicted of his house, the only asset he had left, and is now in a situation of “homeless”.

There is no proof, says club

Questioned by Lusa, Grupo Desportivo União Ericeirense clarified that “it promoted several attempts for António Mano Silva to materialize the amount allegedly owed by him claimed, as well as the circumstances in which this credit emerged”.

“Interpellated, more than once, to present the elements to prove the aforementioned credit, never managed to prove documentary and accounting where his credit emerged from“, he added. Therefore, “he cannot make any payments”, encouraging the former director to go to court to resolve the dispute.

This is not Mano Silva’s first hunger strike

Already in 2009António Mano Silva, at the time president of Ericeirense, went on hunger strike for several days to ask the Government and the Mafra City Council, which “were part of the problems” of the club, to be “part of the solution”.

The then leader accused the municipality of Mafra of not having authorized the installation of a commercial area on land attached to the stadium so that the club could generate revenue and pay its debts. The city hall and the Government also did not give Ericeirense public utility status, a necessary condition for the installation of a bingo hall, with the same purpose.