GALWAY UNITED are believed to be considering legal action in the event they are refused compensation from Dundalk after the Louth club unveiled Ian Foster as their new manager at a press conference last night.

Foster and Dundalk officials had approached the United board for permission to hold talks as the Englishman had another year to run on his contract with the Terryland Park club but the requests had been turned down.

By yesterday afternoon it became apparent a deal had been done anyway and Foster said last night he would be “astonished” if the matter was pursued by his former employers as there had been a “fundamental breach” of his contract, relating to payments he was due, and that he had been free to leave on that basis.

Whatever happens between the clubs now, Foster has a busy few weeks ahead of him as he seeks to put together a squad for next year. He inherits just one player under contract – Scottish goalkeeper Peter Cherrie – and says he will start talks with a number of the club’s other players from last year as soon as possible.

“I know who the good players from last year were because Galway played Dundalk four times,” he said. “The team did well but the budget’s been cut for next season so I’ll see who might be willing to come back on reduced terms and then work from there.

“We also need to address the image of the club because certain things happened over the last year that raised a few eyebrows and that’s something I also want to get going on very quickly.”