Johnny Ward has hit out at the decision by the Football Association of Ireland to snub the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland awards. 

The domestic league is widely regarded as being under-funded and Ward was keen to highlight the issues facing some clubs.

"In the League of Ireland, basically, the money for most clubs is gate receipts and very little else," he told Nathan on Saturday's Off the Ball. 

"So, no money from TV and no money basically from the governing body, who in their wisdom, have decided that they're going to snub the PFAI awards this year and not literally send one representative from the league or the FAI to the PFAI awards. 

"They just think that the players who have done more to promote the game than they ever did or ever will in this country aren't worthy of some lad turning up for 10 minutes and wishing them the best and leaving and scarpering out the door...I think they'd be better showing their face - it's an absolute scandal and I think it's a stupid diplomatic decision," he added.

"Why would it be in the PFAI's interest not to have a good relationship with the governing body in this country?  

"And where's it going now if John Delaney does get, there's talk he's going to get another 5 or 6 years or whatever - we've a situation where the League of Ireland champions get what - €110,000 for winning the league with no TV money - so this is the problem with the League of Ireland at the moment.

"Galway United basically have no money apart from the Comer brothers and gate receipts and gate receipts haven't been good this season. So it's really, really hard for the volunteers who are running the clubs when there's no money coming in."