Licences 2011

[KevB76]

I haven't heard much talk of late about the expansion of the league to 24 clubs, 12 in each division. I still think 16 club Premier (2 series ~ 30 games) and 8 club First Division (4 series ~ 28 games) is the way to go.

It was in one of yesterdays papaers that the FAI have decided against increasing the premier to 14 or 16 clubs, but will be going back to 12 - 2 automatic promotions this season from 1st div and a play off between 3rd of 1st div and last in prem.

[legendz]

It was in one of yesterdays papaers that the FAI have decided against increasing the premier to 14 or 16 clubs, but will be going back to 12 - 2 automatic promotions this season from 1st div and a play off between 3rd of 1st div and last in prem.

That report, from what I heard, has not given any information on what's going to happen to the few A Championship clubs remaining. I've always wanted to see a Kerry club in the LoI, I hope it can happen in the next few years.

[BonnieShels]

Think I heard Fran Gavin say that this weekend will be the announcement.

[culloty82]

Given that Castlebar appear to have reverted to junior soccer, it might make more sense to have a national A Championship this year given that only three non-league teams will be involved, they could play each other once and the teams would ultimately have to play nationwide if promoted in any event. It makes sense to maintain the division under a ten-team Premier, but once it goes to 12, the First Division can be expanded up to 16 teams if any junior clubs are interested.

[legendz]

I agree on the idea of a national A Championship but for beyond this season. As I've said a few times, 3 first division clubs already field a reserve side in the A league, despite not being mandatory. A national A Championship will scare off some clubs but there will still be clubs who'll have a reserve set-up. A mixture of reserve sides and aspiring LoI sides equates to the need for the A Championship to remain. It's surely better for aspiring Junior clubs to test themselves in an A Championship before joining the First Division. It should at least bring a certain standard to the division.

On the LoI website is says, to be taken with a pinch of salt I'm sure:
For many years the Airtricity League was seen by others within Irish football as a closed shop, but recent developments have opened-up the league and placed it firmly on top of the football pyramid.
Central to this change has been the creation of the Newstalk A Championship. The Newstalk A Championship acts as the first stop for clubs hoping to move into the Airtricity League, giving them the opportunity to get used to the standards – both on and off the pitch – expected if they are to progress into the First Division and, ultimately, Premier Division.

In future clubs will be joining the second tier again without getting used to the expected standards on and off the pitch.

[poster]

Its not too long ago that we both were in the Premier albeit Monaghan only lasted the season but it has happened before! ;)

Ya, was that the year Monaghan had the sweet Pro-Star shirts with the stars on the sleeves?

[Magicme]

Yup that was them. There is still a kids one (signed by our players including John Lestor, hubba hubba) kicking about my house. Santa brought it that year for my eldest. It was his first mons jersey coz we had just moved back to Monaghan and I started bringing my boys to games.

[redobit]

Wasnt that Mons only like the Juve away jersey, if i remember right.

[Ezeikial]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0211/1224289522624.html




EMMET MALONE
SOCCER: DROGHEDA UNITED and Monaghan United have both indicated their firm interest in replacing Sporting Fingal in the Premier Division for the coming season after it was confirmed the Dublin club will cease trading as a result of failing to secure new financial backing ahead of this weekend’s licensing deadline.


According to the league’s rules, Drogheda are first in line to fill the vacancy with Monaghan and Waterford United second and third respectively but the FAI said last night that the decision on which club to offer the place to will be based on the outcome of Sunday’s Licensing Committee meeting.
News that Fingal officials had admitted defeat in their attempts to save the club prompted potential replacements to redraft their licence applications yesterday.
“We’ve applied for a Premier Division licence,” confirmed a Drogheda United spokesman last night. “We’ve revised our budgets based on Premier Division income and resubmitted them today.”
It was denied that the club, which has suffered a succession of financial problems itself in recent years, would simply be exposing itself to further difficulties by seeking to stay up after being relegated at the end of last season.
“No, we’ve been talking to potential backers in recent weeks and the message we’ve had back loud and clear is that everything changes if we’re in the Premier Division. If we can keep the playing budget low but increase our income then really everything becomes manageable.”
Having seen their side lose out in the play-offs to Bray Wanderers, meanwhile, Monaghan United officials are keen to avail of any opportunity to play at the higher level. “We would be very anxious to take the place,” said club chairman Jim McGlone last night, “and we feel we’re in a better position than most clubs to take it on; we’re confident that we would get through the season without any problems.”
McGlone added that while Mick Cooke had signed the majority of his squad for the coming season, the club had held back before completing its panel just in case. “We’ve been a bit cagey in relation to two or three players because we needed to be sure what division we’d be in before we made a decision,” he said.
Ironically, it means that the club, like Bohemians, could be in a position to sign released members of the highly-rated Fingal squad when other, ostensibly stronger clubs would not because they have already allocated their budget for the year. Ken Oman, having only signed for the club after the long running contractual dispute with Bohemians was sorted out recently, became the first player to move on yesterday when he joined Shamrock Rovers.
Though clearly a major blow to an already battered league, the timing of Fingal’s decision has at least spared the FAI the difficulties that followed the mid-season collapse four and a half years ago of Dublin City. Nevertheless, the league director, Fran Gavin, acknowledged that it was a setback and expressed his sympathy for the main figures behind the club.
“It’s disappointing news,” he said. “They informed us this afternoon. John O’Brien, the secretary of Sporting Fingal, said they were withdrawing their licence application. It’s very disappointing from a human point of view for the players, their families and Liam Buckley, who’s put five years of his life into this project, three years of which were very successful.”
He said that if Drogheda United receive a Premier Division licence this weekend then he sees “no reason” why the club should not take the place in the top flight and said that the question of whether the squad might be amateur was “a choice the club will have to make”.
Buckley, who along with O’Brien had been the driving force behind Sporting Fingal’s creation and remarkable success over the past few years – the club won both promotion to the Premier Division and the FAI Cup during its short existence – said he was “devastated” by the club’s collapse.
“Finding a replacement for our supportive backer was always going to be a major challenge but we were pleased with the progress made.
“Sadly, the suddenness and timing of last week’s sponsorship setback sent us back to the drawing board, a predicament we were simply unable to overcome so close to the season kick-off.”
The club’s place in the Europa League will now go to St Patrick’s Athletic who have until April to apply for the required UEFA licence.

[monsexile]

Here's an unofficial Monaghan take on things.
http://monaghanunited.tv/?p=291

[Lim till i die]

If that shambles of a jokeshop of a folly above in Drogheda is allowed into the Premier Division just days after tapping people pension books and piggy banks (again) it will be a disgrace.

[Mr A]

Nothing in the rules to prevent it though.

Except probably the ground criteria, and if they enforced those strictly it wouldn't just be Drogheda to suffer....

[sligoman]

Think I heard Fran Gavin say that this weekend will be the announcement.I think licences are out next Monday or Tuesday.

[Lim till i die]

Nothing in the rules to prevent it though.

I'm not saying there is but seriously how stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID, is this jokeshop of a league, where everyone trundles happily along and no one learns anything ever. Ever.

[Mr A]

I know what you mean. I could handle the craziness if after each thing happened the rules were tweaked/ tightened to prevent a recurrence.

But sure when that didn't happen after the Derry thing it never will.

[BonnieShels]

So if we know that Drogs got the pd place then we can take It as read that Bohs stay where they are and the fd will have one less team.

May I be the first to say "B0LLOX TO THAT"

[Ezeikial]

So if we know that Drogs got the pd place then we can take It as read that Bohs stay where they are and the fd will have one less team.

May I be the first to say "B0LLOX TO THAT"

No you can't assume that from any FAI utterances

Don't ya know that licencing decisions are completely independent of the FAI!!!!!

Some people......................

[Sam_Heggy]

So if we know that Drogs got the pd place then we can take It as read that Bohs stay where they are and the fd will have one less team.

May I be the first to say "B0LLOX TO THAT"

I'd guess Cobh are likely to be promoted to the FD.

[legendz]

I'd guess Cobh will be promoted as well. Fair play to them for being willing to take part in the A Championship and look to rebuild. It's a shame other clubs haven't done the same.

[BonnieShels]

I'd guess Cobh are likely to be promoted to the FD.

You would guess that. But again you fall into the trap of applying logic to anything the FAI do.

[sixesandsevens]

This whole license scheme sounded pretty reasonable to begin with, then the FAI got involved and decided to relegate/promote whoever they want willy nilly

[Doomofman]

When's the announcement of this? Tomorrow or Tuesday?

[BonnieShels]

The fourteenth Wednesday after St Swithin's day.

[Dodge]

This whole license scheme sounded pretty reasonable to begin with, then the FAI got involved and decided to relegate/promote whoever they want willy nilly

Who got relegated that didn't deserve to, and who got promoted that didn't deserve to

[micls]

Ah, licence day. One of the most exciting days in the league calendar. I wonder if it's like that in other leagues :D

[Doomofman]

Ah, licence day. One of the most exciting days in the league calendar. I wonder if it's like that in other leagues :D

I'm pretty sure in every league besides ours, it's a totally none event... But we're the LOI for gods sake... We must have drama... Kinda feel like our league is the football version of those Daz ads they show these days

[BonnieShels]

Ah, licence day. One of the most exciting days in the league calendar. I wonder if it's like that in other leagues :D

Sure, what else would we do in the offseason.

[corkery]

Who got relegated that didn't deserve to, and who got promoted that didn't deserve to

Remember when Dundalk beat Waterford United and finished higher than Galway. Both teams were left in the premier division.

[Sam_Heggy]

Sure, what else would we do in the offseason.

Start new threads on foot.ie about our favourite Pat Dolan impression?

[thischarmingman]

S7l6jbeG1ho

[peadar1987]

The fourteenth Wednesday after St Swithin's day.

You might be interested to know that's the 19th of October this year. How did people find out this vital sort of thing before google came along?!!

[sixesandsevens]

Who got relegated that didn't deserve to, and who got promoted that didn't deserve to

Let's wait and see, when the licenses are dished out, if the fai are daft enoughto give a premier licence (and place) to the frogs my point will be proved

[sixesandsevens]

That should be Drogs :)

[bullit]

Frogs was better ;D

[Dunny]

Bohs have been given a Premier license apparently.

[madblaa]

That's rediculous if they have, how many players have they signed?

[BonnieShels]

I think some people don't get what "getting a premier licence" means.
We have had premier licences for the last 3 years and still were in the fd.
A premier licence dictates a certain standard and not the positioning of the club in the league.
Now, don't get me wrong, Bohs getting this licence probably means they are in the pd. But recent talk about getting licences has been bugging me.

[Blue-Army]

Bohs have been given a Premier license apparently.
Honestly think a club is going to fold mid season this year if this is the case.
FAI are only shooting themselves in the foot.

[BonnieShels]

It's grand we'll just employ our old friend *

Problem solved.

[John83]

Start new threads on foot.ie about our favourite Pat Dolan impression?

S7l6jbeG1ho
kgMnkj8UxVU
If a mod would be so kind as to split this thread off...

[WindmillWarrior]

Whats with all the knicker twisting lads? If we get a Premier division licence we're in, if we don't we're not. I don't see the problem :-)

[passerrby]

did sporting get a premier licence

[Longfordian]

They're being announced today by the looks of things. Athlone have announced on their site that they've got a Premier Licence.

[Celdrog]

Right, let the outrage begin. The Drogs have been given a premier licence

[WoodquayBoy]

Galway United REFUSED a Premier Division licence, only awarded an A Championship one, "for failure to fulfill financial criteria"

[WindmillWarrior]

Time for a good froth at the mouth folks!!

http://www.droghedaunited.ie/news/2011/february/news_003.php

[iceman]

Issued 11:00 Monday 14th February 2011

Drogheda United FC is delighted to have learned this morning that it has been granted a Premier Division licence and place for the 2011 season.

The club had made a strong case for its inclusion in the top-flight after last week receiving official notification that it was next in line to fill the vacancy left by Sporting Fingal.

With the potential for increased sponsorship, commercial interest and gate income that life in the premier division affords, and following a strong start to its share issue scheme which in under a month has yielded over €80K, those now running the club look forward to building a stable and successful future.

“Taking our place in this season’s premier division gives us a terrific opportunity to move on from the turbulent times of the past, assuming our share scheme maintains momentum up to the start of the season” said Jim Agnew, club Director. “We’ve worked hard over the last few months on plans to make the club self-sustaining and to place ownership in the hands of the supporters and our community. We may not be winning the league or anything like that for a while but by the beginning of the season we believe we can have a club that is structured, vibrant and, most importantly, financially stable. Hopefully the award of this licence will encourage more people to become involved in our project and will boost membership of our Claret & Blue Club.”

Season tickets for this season’s campaign are on-sale immediately on www.droghedaunited.ie (http://www.droghedaunited.ie/) or from the Drogheda United club house from next weekend

[WoodquayBoy]

Premier: Bohs, Bray, Cork, Derry, Drogs, Dundalk, Mons, Shams, Sligo, Shels, Pats, UCD, Athlone and Longford First Division: Mervue, Wexford, Salthill, Waterford and Harps. Limerick awarded a "conditional" licence
A Championship: Cobh, Galway Utd, Fanad, Carlow, Tralee

[Longfordian]

So Mons to replace Galway? There's always a shock on Licence day!

[micls]

Wow, shock of the day.

So what happens now. Is there another A championship team to come up? Or will they leave Cobh where they are and have 2 divisions of 10.

Condolences to Galway fans and the lads that've worked hard to try and sort the club out. Hopefully this time will help ye take back ye're club and come back stronger.