New clubs and grounds in the League of Ireland in 2009

[dcfcsteve]

I hope Kildare win the play-off.

No disrespect to Mervue United, but the league needs a team in Kildare more than it needs another team in Galway.

Also - it's hard enough for new teams to get established within football anywhere as it is, without constant promotion and relegation out of the senior game making that dynamic even harder.

[oldyouth]

I hope Kildare win the play-off.

No disrespect to Mervue United, but the league needs a team in Kildare more than it needs another team in Galway.

Also - it's hard enough for new teams to get established within football anywhere as it is, without constant promotion and relegation out of the senior game making that dynamic even harder.
I fully agree. But a few of the A Championship teams are really gearing up for entry to the LOI and it would be nice to see the best out of such teams as Mervue, Kerry League, Wayside Celtic, Tullamore, Salthill Devon and our old friends Kilkenny make up a 16 team 1st division with only a straightforward home and away game against eachother.

You have to have the fear of relegation to keep the season going though, no matter how big the club

[blackholesun]

I have always thought that one major strength of the english club system is the pyramid structure, whereby e.g. Wimbledon in the late 70s early 80s and AFC Wimbledon now can rise up and up if the keep winning. I do think two clubs in Galway is a joke as at times the country / city can barely sustain one but sure if they beat Kildare they will deserve their place and I'll welcome them to the first division.

bhs

[dcfcsteve]

I have always thought that one major strength of the english club system is the pyramid structure, whereby e.g. Wimbledon in the late 70s early 80s and AFC Wimbledon now can rise up and up if the keep winning. I do think two clubs in Galway is a joke as at times the country / city can barely sustain one but sure if they beat Kildare they will deserve their place and I'll welcome them to the first division.

bhs

I agree that promotion and relegation is a good thing from a footballing standpoint. Particularly in a league where the game is very developed (e.g England).

My concern is around the fact that it takes literally decades for a club in the EL to build itself a decent fanbase and and thereby sow the seeds of stability. Look at all the teams who've entered our league since 1985 (I think it's 12 in total - will check later). The only one of them that gets decent support is City - and that's only because it was the revival of a pre-existing club.

Building up support takes years/decades/generations. So if the likes of Kildare, Monaghan, and Kilkenny find themselves yo-yoing in and out of senior football, I fear it'll really reduce their ability to bed-down and grow a longer-term fan-base and stability. And the same for the new clubs who take their place if they can't maintain a senior place.

Though it would be great to see Kerry League or Tullamore go all the way from the A League to the Premier and make a place for themselves there. That's the plus-side of having a 'pyramid' for Irish football.

[L.T.F.C.]

The FAI have never made up a team

Alright then. Less of the nitpicking. Why have the FAI let Limerick FC and Dublin City be dissolved and letting new teams with no history or fanbase such as Sporting Fingal and Wexford Youths and Limerick 37 into our leagues?
It wasn't too long ago Limerick were playing in Europe against teams such as Real Madrid!!
Or even helping an already formed team in the A league?
Like 'Sporting'? Give me a break!! A traditional name there!

[dcfcsteve]

Alright then. Less of the nitpicking. Why have the FAI let Limerick FC and Dublin City be dissolved and letting new teams with no history or fanbase such as Sporting Fingal and Wexford Youths and Limerick 37 into our leagues?

Firstly - the FAI has only taken over responsibility for the league in recent years, so they technically haven't let anything happen re the league prior to that. The league ran itself up to then.

Secondly - the above happened for the same reason that they let numerous Limerick clubs (FC, United, City) and numerous Home Farm Clubs (FC, Fingal, Everton) be dissolved and morph into the teams you mentioned above. Because that's the situation the teams got themselves into, one way or another, and the League needed to ensure it had suficient teams for season's-start (although the Limerick 37 story is a bit more sordid).


It wasn't too long ago Limerick were playing in Europe against teams such as Real Madrid!!

It was 28 years ago, so wasn't that recently either. And that was a different Limerick side - they've had a series of name changes since then.


Or even helping an already formed team in the A league?

Are you suggsting the FAI should be interventionist - picking 'favourites' it wants to help ? How would they chose which clubs to help ? What would all the other clubs have to say about it ?


Like 'Sporting'? Give me a break!! A traditional name there!

I'm not aware of a single club in the League with an innovative appendage to their name : City, United, Rovers, Wanderers, Ramblers. Only arguably Harps - although there are 'Harps' sides in GAA circles.

Anyways - are you suggesting teams seeking entry to the league should be rejected on the basis of their name ? :confused:

[Dodge]

Or even helping an already formed team in the A league?


Like Mervue or Tullamore? Can't force teams to join a league they don't want to

[Lamper.sffc]

Alright then. Less of the nitpicking. Why have the FAI let Limerick FC and Dublin City be dissolved and letting new teams with no history or fanbase such as Sporting Fingal and Wexford Youths and Limerick 37 into our leagues?
It wasn't too long ago Limerick were playing in Europe against teams such as Real Madrid!!
Or even helping an already formed team in the A league?
Like 'Sporting'? Give me a break!! A traditional name there!

Ah Sporting Fingal bashing, Something new for foot.ie. Its not as if this hasnt been done to death:rolleyes:

[Flexy]

any new pics of rovers stadium in tallaght

[sadloserkid]

Possible ground share? From seeing Mervue play I wouldn't be too worried if I was the bottom side in First Div but, in a once off game anything can happen.

What about in a two off game?


Otherwise, Tullamore's set up is really nice, but they'll need a bit of time to get things together on the pitch.

It's still a junior set up and wouldn't be anywhere near good enough as it is.

[gspain]

As far as I'm concerned the clubs in Limerick are still the senior football club in the city. We've had a few different entities but it's still the same essential club to me.

Wexford youths and Sporting fingal have met the criteria and they are new clubs with an opportunity to build a fanbase.

[fionnsci]

any new pics of rovers stadium in tallaght


http://www.srfcultrasforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6914

New photos uploaded here regularily.

[Cymro]

You mean like in Manchester, Sheffield or Dundee....?

Dundee and Dundee United haven't been in the same division for a good few years now. ;)

[sadloserkid]

Dundee and Dundee United haven't been in the same division for a good few years now. ;)

And they're not likely to be for a good few years more. :D

[Cymro]

I take it you support DUFC in Scotland, SLK?

[dcfcsteve]

As far as I'm concerned the clubs in Limerick are still the senior football club in the city. We've had a few different entities but it's still the same essential club to me.

Which is a fair stance to take.

However - the switch from Limerick FC to Limerick 37 was undoubtedly a break in the actual chain. The whole idea of L37 was to keep a club in the city whilst getting rid of the rump of the old LFC club.

[dcfcsteve]

Dundee and Dundee United haven't been in the same division for a good few years now. ;)

He said 'League' - as in the Eircom League. Not division...

[sadloserkid]

I take it you support DUFC in Scotland, SLK?

I watch out for them alright, they'd be my Scottish team, might be stretching it slightly to say I'm a 'supporter'. I'm a fan alright.

[Lim till i die]

It's still a junior set up and wouldn't be anywhere near good enough as it is.

Hast thou been to Jackman Park :eek: :p

[sadloserkid]

Hast thou been to Jackman Park :eek: :p

The Jacks has at least one covered area. :)

[gspain]

Which is a fair stance to take.

However - the switch from Limerick FC to Limerick 37 was undoubtedly a break in the actual chain. The whole idea of L37 was to keep a club in the city whilst getting rid of the rump of the old LFC club.

you could say that about a few of the breaks. The club wa sin thr high court in 1983 and Limerick City was allowed to takeover from Limerick United. When Pat Grace elft we got rid of the "city2 and dumped his racing colours to go back to blue and white.

There has been one senior football team in the city since 1937. It's not a sif Pike rovers or Fairview suddenly went senior.