LOI match scores w/e Monday 20th August

[Partizan]

To a far greater extent than John O'Sullivans empty threats anyway.

It's going to be an 18 team league or remain as an 12 and an 8 for another year.

There's arguments to suggest both would be most likely.

The attendances thing is an absolute red herring as well, from both sides of the argument.

What if Mervue and Salthill withdraw which in likelihood will? will you still be insisting on the present set up which is farcical to begin with. Its not so long ago that Limerick fans were crying out for this much needed change.

The present set up is simply unsustainable. Where is the logic in denying Finn Harps and Derry City 2 derbies a year garnering the much needed cash that would make a big difference to their respective seasons.

[Lim till i die]

What if Mervue and Salthill withdraw which in likelihood will? will you still be insisting on the present set up which is farcical to begin with. Its not so long ago that Limerick fans were crying out for this much needed change.

Where am I insisting on anything?!

I said it will either go one division or stay the same for another year and that there's arguments for both to be most likely......

The present set up is simply unsustainable.

At the moment there's very little to suggest a new set up would be any more sustainable than the current set up.

Because the clubs are to a large extent ran by ( largely well meaning) daws who don't know their arse from their elbow and/or are bought and paid for by John Delaney.

Where is the logic in denying Finn Harps and Derry City 2 derbies a year garnering the much needed cash that would make a big difference to their respective seasons

Where's the logic in denying Rochdale a derby with Man United?!

Where's the logic in denying Barnet a derby with Arsenal?!

Where's the logic in denying Gateshead a derby with Newcastle?!

You're familiar with the concept of a league structure yes??

[sullanefc]

If Mervue and Salthill drop out and GUST come in, then as it stands, there will be a 12 team premier and a 6 team 1st. For those that say a single division league is unsustainable, then a 6 team 1st division is even more unsustainable.

Some people say that having 2 divisions is important as the threat of relegation keeps clubs competitive and honest in their endevours. But the becomes a moot point if you don't have enough teams to populate 2 divisions. At the current rate of losing clubs, we might have only 10 teams left in total in a few years. What happens then, do we have a premier of 6 and a 1st of 4 teams JUST to maintain 2 divisions?

I think it was Pat Devlin who made the point in the Independent article above that the big clubs need the small clubs to form a league and he is right. With the current number of teams that we will probably have next season, then an 18 team league is the only plausible and logical way forward.

[Lim till i die]

Can always wedge in two more teams for an eight team first.

If they want.

[sullanefc]

Can always wedge in two more teams for an eight team first.

If they want.

Who?

Even if they did get 2 more teams, an 8 team league is still farcical IMO. If there is to be 20 LOI teams and if we must have 2 divisions, then 2 10's would be better IMO.

[nigel-harps1954]

Can always wedge in two more teams for an eight team first.

If they want.

Just because Limerick might actually get promoted this season

[Sean South]

Any of the older fans on here have many memories of what a single tier 16 team division was like?

Sh*te

[Lim till i die]

Who?

Cobh and whoever, tis easily done if the FAI have the will, witness Kildare, Fingal, SD, Dublin City, Tralee and Carlow in the A League etc, etc, etc, there's a long history of clubs being used when it suits.

If there is to be 20 LOI teams and if we must have 2 divisions, then 2 10's would be better IMO

It would.

But it can't happen next season because the promotion and relegation has been set in stone.

Try to relegate two extra clubs.

Spend pre season in and out of the high court/funny pages.

Now that's farcical.

Just because Limerick might actually get promoted this season

My feelings on the whole thing have been clear on here for quite some time in fairness, I've done threads on it.

I'd be in favour of one main division, IF it was done correctly.

I just don't think the "we want one division because we need the money" argument holds much water. Nor does the "we want two divisions because Pats have 300 more away fans than Longford" argument while I'm at it.

Both arguments stem from the fact that the clubs are in large part a shambles. And while the clubs are a shambles, you can have one division of twenty, two divisions of ten, three divisions of six and a third or four divisions of five and the league will still be a jokeshop.

There's far bigger issues than the league structure to be dealt with.

[gufc2000]

Most likely you will have:

Shamrock Rovers
Sligo Rovers
St Pats Athletic
Shelbourne
Bohemians
Cork
Derry
Drogheda
Bray
UCD
Dundalk
Limerick
Longford
Waterford
Athlone
Finn Harps
'A Galway club'
Wexford

Thats 18. Cobh Ramblers have a team competing in the Elite Division of the U19 League. Surely this team is there to build a platform to regaining a senior team.

We've had potential clubs like Carlow, Fanad, Tralee, Castlebar, Tullamore, Portlaoise.

We've lost Monaghan, Kildare and Kilkenny.

Letterkenny have entered a team in the U19 League and apparently LOI ambitions.

There are no shortage of clubs to have two reasonably sized divisions. However, the astronomicaal cost of running an amateur club in the First Division is driving clubs away. The FAI are going nowhere until they assess affiliation fees, referee fees and fines. I mean it's ridiculous the cost of entering a team in the league, given the awful prize money on offer. You need to finish in the top half to at least get your money back.

[Olander]

Mervue and Salthill will not be paying senior football next season which could very well force the FAI's hand.

Why not?

Just curious, have not heard the same.

[Trainee]

Why not?

Just curious, have not heard the same.

Fai have said that their will be only one Galway club in the league next season.

Talks between Fai, Salthill, Mervue & GUST still ongoing

[Trainee]

They should try one league for 3 years.In the meantime FAI should try and recruit new team to a regionalised First div(easier to get new teams if it is regionalised as the cost for teams will be lower).

In 3 years time reduce the premier league down to 12. For the teams who get relegated from the premier league they will join the new clubs in a regionalised first div.

Run the first Div like the A league was, have groups, then have quarter finals, semi finial, and a final

Last in premier gets relegated, 2nd last plays runner up in First in a playoff.

This will only work if new teams come on board so thats why it will take a few years

[bluewhitearmy]

They should try a one team premier for 3 years.In the meantime FAI should try and recruit new team to a regionalised First div(easier to get new teams if it is regionalised as the cost for teams will be lower).

In 3 years time reduce the premier league down to 12. For the teams who get relegated from the premier league they will join the new clubs in a regionalised first div.

Run the first Div like the A league was, have groups, then have quarter finals, semi finial, and a final

Last in premier gets relegated, 2nd last plays runner up in First in a playoff.

This will only work if new teams come on board so thats why it will take a few years

Wouldnt be a very long season.

[Trainee]

Wouldnt be a very long season.

Cheers for that - edited post

[sligoman]

I'd be in favour of a one team Premier

Would certainly cut down on travel expenses, suppose you want Harps to be that team so ye can win it every year? :P

[nigel-harps1954]

Would certainly cut down on travel expenses, suppose you want Harps to be that team so ye can win it every year? :P

Easy prize money and all that.

[geezer]

Fai have said that their will be only one Galway club in the league next season.

Talks between Fai, Salthill, Mervue & GUST still ongoing

a man came down from the moon, spent an afternoon on Galway, he listened , he was a nice man seemingly,

diddly squat since. its the biggest long fingering project of the year to allow the league dream up some other daft variant of sd galway. At the rate of pace of this process there will be 2 days to prepare a club for re entry to the league and thats if we are lucky



There is a cute hoor 2 man committee in Galway deciding whats best for Galway as long as it suits their personal ambitions.

[Sam_Heggy]

Most likely you will have:

Shamrock Rovers
Sligo Rovers
St Pats Athletic
Shelbourne
Bohemians
Cork
Derry
Drogheda
Bray
UCD
Dundalk
Limerick
Longford
Waterford
Athlone
Finn Harps
'A Galway club'
Wexford

Thats 18. Cobh Ramblers have a team competing in the Elite Division of the U19 League. Surely this team is there to build a platform to regaining a senior team.

We've had potential clubs like Carlow, Fanad, Tralee, Castlebar, Tullamore, Portlaoise.

We've lost Monaghan, Kildare and Kilkenny.

Letterkenny have entered a team in the U19 League and apparently LOI ambitions.

There are no shortage of clubs to have two reasonably sized divisions. However, the astronomicaal cost of running an amateur club in the First Division is driving clubs away. The FAI are going nowhere until they assess affiliation fees, referee fees and fines. I mean it's ridiculous the cost of entering a team in the league, given the awful prize money on offer. You need to finish in the top half to at least get your money back.

The Irony of a Galway United fan looking to add a second and third Donegal side into the LOI.

[gufc2000]

The Irony of a Galway United fan looking to add a second and third Donegal side into the LOI.

Didn't propose that all 3 should be there at once, far from it! Know first hand the kind of problems it can generate. It just shows the interest is there, but while the costs remain as high as they are, there's little or no chance of new teams putting their futures on the line and joining the league.

[bluemovie]

Would certainly cut down on travel expenses, suppose you want Harps to be that team so ye can win it every year? :P

I still wouldn't fancy their chances