What if most LOI clubs did not go bust

[citybone]

Like for instance what if Mons never went bust or Kildare or Kilkenny, Newcastle West, Sporting Fingal, Clonmel, Drumcondra, Dublin City FC, St. Francis, St. James Gate, Salthill Devon, Mervue. Lets include some independent A championship teams like FC Carlow, Castlebar Celtic, Fanad United, Tralee Dynamo's, Tullamore Town. Lets not include all the Reincarnations of Cork teams cos that would be enough for a Cork League. Would not include Transport, YMCA, Olympia, Frankfort or Jacobs.

Thats 16 clubs to the current 20. With 36 teams you could have a 12 team Premier division 12 team Division one North and 12 team Division one South and maybe 2 of the other 36 could stay in the Provincial leagues.

I would go with the 2/3 way through the season split like in Scotland, Wales, Belarus, Norn Iron. I know many don't like the split idea but without it there could be 8 teams in both of the 1st divisions with nothing to play for half way through the season.

I mentioned Drumcondra. I would have them in Tolka and Shels still in Shelbourne Park.
I would not include all the previous Waterford, limerick clubs either. I could include a 2nd Cork club playing in Flower lodge most likely Cork Hibs. This might be better than some of the smaller clubs above.

The league cup would become more interesting, especially for the 1st division teams around the middle of the country who would not play teams in the other first division often. As in Athlone might not play Longford in the league but still play in the first round of the league cup. I would let the top 4 Premier teams have a bye for the first round and play a league tie against each other instead so that they can have a weekend off between European ties when the other 8 teams play a league game.

Im not saying this will happen or should but It would have been nice.

[Charlie Darwin]

Think you're pushing it with the Cork team, all 54 incarnations would have pretty much drawn from the same support base.

It certainly would be an interesting idea. If Drums had never gone bust, Bohs would never have had the success they had and might not have stayed professional for so long, and arguably Pats mightn't have become the force they were (although they're a bit more out of the way).

[BonnieShels]

And we'd need a team in the true home of Irish soccer...

[Charlie Darwin]

There's already a team in United Park.

[cheifo]

Going bust and starting up again means you don't have to pay your historical debt, don't burn out valuable volunteers trying to repay debt and you can outbid neighbouring clubs for the better players thus getting more revenue in the gate.

I know its veering off the point but in LOI terms going bust really can be the start a whole new beginning.

[Nesta99]

I know its veering off the point but in LOI terms going bust really can be the start a whole new beginning.

Yup, Shels fans would totally agree with you!?!

[BonnieShels]

Most would.

[legendz]

Well if Monaghan, Kildare County and Kilkenny City came back to the League of Ireland family, the league will be back to it's previous default position of 22 first teams.

[sadloserkid]

Well if Monaghan, Kildare County and Kilkenny City came back to the League of Ireland family, the league will be back to it's previous default position of 22 first teams.

I'm surprised you didn't start this thread. :)

[David BOHie]

Maybe it was for the best some of the Dublin clubs went bust but I think the LOI would be a much better place with a well support Kildare, Kilkenny, Newcastle West team etc. It would add a geographical spread and you would not be left with the repetitiveness of playing UCD 3 times a season + any time you meet them in the several cups.

[pateen]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing