Mayo FC

[pineapple stu]

Talk of them joining the LoI from 2026 - https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41168977.html

A pity we're still following the questionable franchise model, but be interesting to see how it goes!

(Have already seen online that Mayo can now have two football teams to let them down)

[culloty82]

Probably the only way you'd maximise all the available talent in the county, as if Castlebar applied, there wouldn't be any buy-in from Westport, and vice-versa.

[yurt]

I agree with Stu's general concern around the franchise model but it wouldn't concern me too much when it comes to Mayo.

GAA's support model means that pride of county if first and foremost in this country. Would be ideal if they were to start off in a third tier and could build toward promotion instead of starting off losing the majority of weeks like Kerry have had to endure this year.

Would be huge for the west to add another club.

[outspoken]

There's no other way to launch a team like this other than "the franchise model." Zero point in the likes of Castlebar etc entering on their own, need to get the entire county behind it to succeed. This is a good thing for LOI. Two huge sporting counties setting up shop in recent times (mayo & Kerry)

[legendz]

There seems to be some snobbery within traditional League of Ireland circles towards the elite licencing model. There are many recreational clubs within Mayo. If an elite club is being established, it will be a great opportunity for the elite players. Professionalism is more attainable an elite club. Elite clubs and recreational clubs can coexist. People can support their local recreational club and their local elite club.

[outspoken]

There seems to be some snobbery within traditional League of Ireland circles towards the elite licencing model. There are many recreational clubs within Mayo. If an elite club is being established, it will be a great opportunity for the elite players. Professionalism is more attainable an elite club. Elite clubs and recreational clubs can coexist. People can support their local recreational club and their local elite club.

Great shout

[pineapple stu]

There seems to be some snobbery within traditional League of Ireland circles towards the elite licencing model.
The problem - as it always is with you - is that you completely ignore the points made against this franchise model (not least Kerry's struggles this year which are already hitting the initial momentum and goodwill and the turnstiles) and dismiss it as snobbery with no evidence whatsoever. It's not snobbery, as a consideration of the arguments would clearly indicate.

Your post isn't really a strong argument nor a great shout

[legendz]

The problem - as it always is with you
The elite licencing model is not the reason for Kerry's struggles. Mayo, Kildare, CK United and anyone else seeking to join the League of Ireland should be building through the youth leagues and a third tier. Kerry should have joined a third tier. That third tier does not currently exist. An opportunity presented itself and Kerry were first in line through the youth leagues since 2016 to apply for the First Division.
If Kerry are the last club to join the League of Ireland like that, it will be progression. The next new club joining the First Division should be after reaching an agreed qualifying position in the third tier and beating the 10th placed team in the First Division in a playoff.

[pineapple stu]

It is part of the reason for Kerry's struggles. It meant a club utterly unprepared for LoI football was elected - just as happened with Cabo and others before them. But we've had this discussion ad infinitum here at this stage but you don't really seem to engage in the arguments made.

Asking to join a third tier is no difference to asking to join a second tier - hence the three teams in Galway fiasco.

[legendz]

Asking to join a third tier is no difference to asking to join a second tier - hence the three teams in Galway fiasco.Have the youth leagues repeated the three clubs in Galway fiasco? If the third tier is the next level of progression from U19, it is the tier for non league clubs to build for a First Division licence and earn a First Division place on the pitch as well.

[pineapple stu]

Why is that relevant?

And why the insistence that a solid 19s team is a good basis for a solid senior setup? That also makes no sense

[nr637]

Talk of them joining the LoI from 2026 - https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41168977.html

A pity we're still following the questionable franchise model, but be interesting to see how it goes!

(Have already seen online that Mayo can now have two football teams to let them down)

Maybe they realise the GAA model is not working and its time to get behind the real game that matters, they must have been watching the Kerry model and don't want to be left behind!

[outspoken]

It is part of the reason for Kerry's struggles. It meant a club utterly unprepared for LoI football was elected - just as happened with Cabo and others before them. But we've had this discussion ad infinitum here at this stage but you don't really seem to engage in the arguments made.

Asking to join a third tier is no difference to asking to join a second tier - hence the three teams in Galway fiasco.

You're telling us Killarney or Tralee would have been better prepared as opposed to Kerry FC?

[pineapple stu]

Not sure where you got that from tbh.

[Nesta99]

Talk of them joining the LoI from 2026 - https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41168977.html

A pity we're still following the questionable franchise model, but be interesting to see how it goes!

(Have already seen online that Mayo can now have two football teams to let them down)

Got a laugh from that. Having Mayo in laws that gave fierce abuse on Louth football I had to eventually strike the low blow that Louth had won and All Ireland more recently than Mayo....I wasnt popular for a while but thoroughy enjoyed the response!

Its hard to shake the old LoI fear factor of things going pear shaped - it was in the realms of 'if only' to have greater geographic spread, teams in regions under represented, GAA losing much of the clout to stunt 'the garrison game', national underage leagues for LoI with the stranglehold of youths football on wider development broken, sold out senior games, seeded teams in Europe with clubs getting to groups stages, infrastructure development plans, a functioning FAI, over paid CEO and cronies with personal slush funds ousted, limited or not an Ireland side full of players with LoI backgrounds. Its not miles off a full wishlist from the earliest days of Foot.ie

[Nesta99]

It is part of the reason for Kerry's struggles. It meant a club utterly unprepared for LoI football was elected - just as happened with Cabo and others before them. But we've had this discussion ad infinitum here at this stage but you don't really seem to engage in the arguments made.

Asking to join a third tier is no difference to asking to join a second tier - hence the three teams in Galway fiasco.

Kerry aside as as you mentioned the issues have been well discussed, its still to early to compare with past clubs like Kildare imo - my sense of this Mayo proposal is that it is being thought through, it is a phased plan, medium to long term, negotiations that may well have targets to be met and there is liason with a club that they can learn from, especially the pitfalls. The timescale allows for additional criteria to be included as part of the plans and I doubt the negotiations are already setting things in stone. I see it as generally positive overall. Its no Irish Sea FC which not so long ago were a genuine risk of being elected on pure BS and seemingly it was Athletics Ireland saying Morten Stadium wouldnt be available that put a stop to a very likely fiasco. This has a different air to it even just simply on the level of engagement and longer term planning. Maybe I'm being naive but FAI nua might just be a bit more serious about potential damage done to LoI if clubs fail as in the past.

[legendz]

Why is that relevant?

And why the insistence that a solid 19s team is a good basis for a solid senior setup? That also makes no sense If/when Kildare, CK United and Mayo players get to U19. A team in a third tier would be the next step after U19s?

[pineapple stu]

Not if they can't compete at third tier level - either on the pitch or off it.

A senior team in whatever senior league best suits them is the next step, and the senior team can build and progress from there.

[legendz]

A senior team in whatever senior league best suits them is the next step, and the senior team can build and progress from there.
Are you referring to recreational leagues?

[nigel-harps1954]

Something worth considering is the distance of the ground from the town as well. Milebush Park seems a basic enough ground, one seated stand, fence around the rest of the pitch. Has a lot of room for growth though. But importantly, it's about 2.5km outside of the town centre of Castlebar. Hard to get a match night buzz going outside the town, similar enough to the likes of Wexford and Longford in that regard.

[pineapple stu]

Are you referring to recreational leagues?
Why would you think I was going that?

[legendz]

Why would you think I was going that?
I was seeking that clarification from yourself. Are there recreational clubs expressing an interest in obtaining an elite licence?

[JC_GUFC]

It is part of the reason for Kerry's struggles. It meant a club utterly unprepared for LoI football was elected - just as happened with Cabo and others before them. But we've had this discussion ad infinitum here at this stage but you don't really seem to engage in the arguments made.

Asking to join a third tier is no difference to asking to join a second tier - hence the three teams in Galway fiasco.

Kerry this season had a choice of whether to go with their u19s and a couple of other Kerry players around the league to add experience, which they did, or to pay bigger wages and bring in journeymen to bolster the team and make them somewhat competitive, which is kind of the approach Cabo took.

The one major difference between Cabo and Kerry is that Cabo were representing an area in which League of Ireland clubs already existed and they actually weren't even playing their home games in Cabinteely!

Other than on the pitch I wouldn't say Kerry are struggling at all - yes their crowds have fallen off from the original novelty - but having been there a few times it's a lot more families and kids who don't necessarily care as much about challenging for promotion but are just going for a nice match day experience - and to their credit it is that.

I brought my niece and nephew from Castleisland (about 15k from Tralee) to the game against Finn Harps when I was down there but they've also been to games against Treaty and Wexford as well as coming to the Galway United game and they've loved the experience even though Kerry lost every match - getting a photo with the keeper after losing 0-6 to Wexford did make me laugh!

The three teams in Galway fiasco completely goes against your point. Salthill & Mervue were established Galway clubs, the two best senior clubs in the city at the time but once they earned League of Ireland status there was absolutely no support behind them. When Galway United dropped out of the league in 2012 GUFC fans didn't suddenly start going along to matches of the other clubls. Salthill rebranded themselves as 'SD Galway' played in maroon and moved games to Terryland Park. They were obviously aware that the Salthill Devon name wasn't going to attract sufficient support for League of Ireland levels.

This is exactly the point others have made if Castlebar Celtic were to join the league instead of Mayo FC. People wouldn't travel the 20k from Westport to support Castlebar because there is a big rivalry between the towns but Mayo FC represents the county and you'd hope they'll draw support and all players from Belmullet down to Ballinrobe.

[pineapple stu]

The one major difference between Cabo and Kerry is that Cabo were representing an area in which League of Ireland clubs already existed and they actually weren't even playing their home games in Cabinteely!
In fairness, Stradbrook is as near as damnit to Cabinteely. It's certainly nearer to Cabinteely than, say, Longford or Wexford's grounds are to their towns, and the distance in between isn't open countryside with nobody there. I don't think you can on the one hand criticise Cabo for representing an area where LoI clubs already existed (South Dublin) and also for not playing in Cabinteely (which wasn't represented in the LoI).

Cabo also started off as a good crowd of family and kids who were going for a matchday experience and weren't all that worried about promotion.

The three teams in Galway is very relevant to the current broken setup though - the "put your hands up" format allowed it to happen. Adding a third tier to the LoI again is just an extension of the current broken format, not a revolutionary new idea that's going to change things.

[JC_GUFC]

In fairness, Stradbrook is as near as damnit to Cabinteely. It's certainly nearer to Cabinteely than, say, Longford or Wexford's grounds are to their towns, and the distance in between isn't open countryside with nobody there. I don't think you can on the one hand criticise Cabo for representing an area where LoI clubs already existed (South Dublin) and also for not playing in Cabinteely (which wasn't represented in the LoI).

Cabo also started off as a good crowd of family and kids who were going for a matchday experience and weren't all that worried about promotion.

The three teams in Galway is very relevant to the current broken setup though - the "put your hands up" format allowed it to happen. Adding a third tier to the LoI again is just an extension of the current broken format, not a revolutionary new idea that's going to change things.

What are your issues with what's happened at Kerry FC though? I could be wrong but assume you haven't been down to it?

You support a club where gate receipts are pretty much irrelevant and for the moment that appears to be the case at Kerry. Obviously it is slightly different as it is private investment and like all clubs when the investor decides to pull away - what then?

I think your reservations about this "franchise" are ill-founded. Do you think Tralee Dynamos or Killarney Celtic should have joined instead?

I'm all for having proper pyramid structures and teams get promoted on merit but how many years away is that? The Leinster Senior League is the only properly structured league in the country in any way suitable to be a feeder league. The MSL isn't fit yet as it's just a Cork league, there is no CSL or USL. It will take years for those to happen - so should we just stick with the 19 teams we had last year?

What are your thoughts on Treaty United btw?

[pineapple stu]

I'm all for having proper pyramid structures and teams get promoted on merit but how many years away is that?
I mean, this is really the core of my point, and it's frustrating seeing us continue on a tried and tested (and failed) route while this bit stagnates. And I acknowledge a pyramid is years away for various unfortunate reasons.

I've nothing against Kerry (in fact, have a soft spot for them as I'm originally from there) but they've already been hamstrung by this system in the same way that Cabo in particular were before them. The similarities are too close to avoid pointing out.

And the league gets hamstrung then. The First Division has suffered too long for having really uncompetitive teams in it (Kilkenny, Athlone, Monaghan, St Francis, etc, etc), and those clubs also suffer by not being able to drop to a competitive level and rebuild on and off the pitch. UCD are crap in the Premier this year and doing the league and ourselves no good really, but at least we'll be competitive next season again.

Other than that, my points are general arguments against such points as you've made in your previous post.

[nigel-harps1954]

To be fair, Cabinteely was a very different admission to the league than Kerry FC. I have been to Kerry during their debut season, and I was at Stradbrook during Cabinteely debut season, and it was an altogether different experience at both.

There was no effort at match day experience with Cabo. They focused solely on the squad and nothing off the pitch. Kerry are going about it the opposite was, building the club and fan experience before wasting money on players.

My first visit to Stradbrook saw a confused bunch of stewards and club staff unsure what to do about a bus load of away fans arriving. One small 50 seater stand closed off with a bit of red and white tape, next to nothing in the away of catering or facilities for supporters, and little effort to dress up a rugby pitch.

Kerry FC were welcoming, loads of stewards dotted around the ground, loads of catering facilities, toilet facilities, and clear enough instructions on where to go, where to park, and how they operate on a match night.

It's small things like that which will ensure they keep at least a decent base of supporters around, and for at least their opening five or six home games saw either over 1,000, or close to it, through the gates.

If Mayo FC can follow a similar example, there's no reason they shouldn't do well too. The only worry is that Tralee is double the size of Castlebar, so Mayo FC really need the buy in of surrounding towns and areas, as a town of 12,000 people could struggle to get regular decent crowds.

[pineapple stu]

In fairness, the ground thing is a factor of how soon before the start of the season Cabo were elected to the league. I've seen you giving out about Mounthawk Park being not really suitable too - it may be less unsuitable, but it's still a similarity. Made-up clubs shouldn't be dropped into the league at short notice. It's not fair on them above all else.

I think you're being harsh on Cabo in terms of promotion too - when I was there there was a clubhouse and I think things like balloons and stuff; even branded chocolate bars (well, Animal bars with "Cabinteely FC" bar wrappers put on them). It was clear where the shop was (there was a gazebo for it). From the 2015 attendances thread they had 1,420 at their first game against Wexford, and it dropped slowly off after that (down to 500-odd by June), like we're seeing at Kerry. They didn't really waste that much on players (certainly to start with, before Devo arrived); it was mostly internal.

[Buller]

I mean, this is really the core of my point, and it's frustrating seeing us continue on a tried and tested (and failed) route while this bit stagnates. And I acknowledge a pyramid is years away for various unfortunate reasons.


So you'll blindly complain and be frustrated about all new teams joining the LOI until a pyramid is established?

[nigel-harps1954]

In fairness, the ground thing is a factor of how soon before the start of the season Cabo were elected to the league. I've seen you giving out about Mounthawk Park being not really suitable too - it may be less unsuitable, but it's still a similarity. Made-up clubs shouldn't be dropped into the league at short notice. It's not fair on them above all else.

I think you're being harsh on Cabo in terms of promotion too - when I was there there was a clubhouse and I think things like balloons and stuff; even branded chocolate bars (well, Animal bars with "Cabinteely FC" bar wrappers put on them). It was clear where the shop was (there was a gazebo for it). From the 2015 attendances thread they had 1,420 at their first game against Wexford, and it dropped slowly off after that (down to 500-odd by June), like we're seeing at Kerry. They didn't really waste that much on players (certainly to start with, before Devo arrived); it was mostly internal.

I think it was May or June before we visited Cabo that year, admittedly, so novelty had probably worn off by then, but little effort seemed to be made at that time.

There was even one game we arrived there where the clubhouse wasn't open to any supporters because Blackrock college rugby had some black tie event in there on the same night as a Cabo home game.

I have said Mounthawk needs work, and stand by it, but it's mostly in away areas. It's far from perfect, but they're making a big effort, which was the point I was trying to make.

[pineapple stu]

So you'll blindly complain and be frustrated about all new teams joining the LOI until a pyramid is established?
Does everyone on this thread have to try argue a point I haven't made?

[joey B]

I think it was May or June before we visited Cabo that year, admittedly, so novelty had probably worn off by then, but little effort seemed to be made at that time.

There was even one game we arrived there where the clubhouse wasn't open to any supporters because Blackrock college rugby had some black tie event in there on the same night as a Cabo home game.



The only time I’ve drank pints in a gym at a LOI game!!

[EalingGreen]

So you'll blindly complain and be frustrated about all new teams joining the LOI until a pyramid is established?You will never have a (genuine) pyramid while you continue to be sidetracked by this "Third Tier" experiment.

Consider it this way. Let us assume that Kerry FC become established as a solid, competitive Senior club.

Let us assume that both Mayo FC and CK United also become established as envisaged. Assume also that six* Senior LOI clubs commit to their Reserve teams joining this Third Tier.

All well and good in itself, but whatever emerges, this league will NOT be a genuine next step of a pyramid, since NONE of the normal features of a pyramid will apply.

Chief amongst these is that each and every team in each division is competing on the same terms. Can you really compare eg (f-t professional) Shamrock Rvrs Reserves with (amateur) Mayo FC?

Similarly, each participant should aspire, in theory at least, to rise up the pyramid via Promotion on the field, to the next level (FD) and ultimately to the PD. Clearly that could not apply to the Senior Reserve teams.

By the same token, any team relegated from the FD should not have to fear for their very existence at the lower level (finances, facilities, sponsorship, ability to attract supporters etc). That is, the step from one level to the next, whethert up or down, should not be so steep as to be insurmountable.

While if any team should fall out of the system, for whatever reason, you might expect there to be candidate clubs available to replace them, at Third Tier level at least. Are there any more Kerrys/Mayos/CKs out there?

The barriers to building a genuine pyramid, from the bottom up, are obvious to everyone - and that's before we get to the Summer/Winter season issue. But even if the correct road to your ultimate destination is incredibly long and difficult to navigate etc, with all sorts of problems along the way, that is no reason to proceed along another road where the going is easier, if it's taking you in entirely the wrong direction instead.


* - Eight clubs (i.e. six reserve teams plus Mayo and CK), is the absolute minimum for any division to work - ideally you'd have at least ten.

[Buller]

To be fair, Cabinteely was a very different admission to the league than Kerry FC. I have been to Kerry during their debut season, and I was at Stradbrook during Cabinteely debut season, and it was an altogether different experience at both.

If Mayo FC can follow a similar example, there's no reason they shouldn't do well too. The only worry is that Tralee is double the size of Castlebar, so Mayo FC really need the buy in of surrounding towns and areas, as a town of 12,000 people could struggle to get regular decent crowds.

Yeah thats the worry - hopefully can draw support from Westport nearby as their name will allow. Two towns only 15 mins from each other.

I'm very excited at the prospect of national underage leagues and senior football being established in Mayo. Raff Cretaro in particular is a great boon for their U15 team.

Great work by all involved getting it off the ground.

[Buller]

You will never have a (genuine) pyramid while you continue to be sidetracked by this "Third Tier" experiment.


I don't think creating a pyramid by somehow reforming provincial leagues + securing funding for nationwide travel, and creating a third tier league, are mutually exclusive.

All other development shouldn't cease until provincial leagues are aligned with LOI.

[JC_GUFC]

You will never have a (genuine) pyramid while you continue to be sidetracked by this "Third Tier" experiment.


I totally agree with that and I do agree in part with Pineapple Stu's non-franchise approach but there is so much politics involved in Irish football it will seriously take years to sort this out.

Firstly just to note that CK, Mayo, Klub Kildare and Kerry have firstly joined the National Academy Leagues. Cabo and Kildare County previously went straight in to senior football (along with Cabo entering their academy sides).

I certainly think for academies I would support this approach of establishing as many academy clubs geographically around the country. Now not all of these may want to enter Senior LoI but certainly as a means of keeping the best underage players at a relatively local club instead of taking up GAA because their nearest 'elite' football club is 100 miles away is a good thing.

In terms of the pyramid there's an active thread on Cork Junior football. They're saying the Champions Coachford are miles ahead of the rest - I have no idea about the Cork AUL but asked why they wouldn't just join the Munster Senior League, to me that would be the next progressive step but like so much of football in this country they appear happy at being the big fish in a small pond.

Even a simple thing of joining he MSL and Cork AUL, in similar manner to what's happened in the LSL (mainly due to the AUL effectively imploding) will take a number of years due to the politics of it, never mind joining the Limerick, Waterford, Kerry and Tipp Leagues in... Then aligning those to League of Ireland.

It's definitely worth doing but I would be very surprised if within 10 years there's anything like that in place.

[Buller]

Even a simple thing of joining he MSL and Cork AUL, in similar manner to what's happened in the LSL (mainly due to the AUL effectively imploding) will take a number of years due to the politics of it, never mind joining the Limerick, Waterford, Kerry and Tipp Leagues in... Then aligning those to League of Ireland.



Yeah MSL and Cork AUL need to be merged - madness they exist together! People involved in them obviously happy doing their own thing.

[EalingGreen]

I don't think creating a pyramid by somehow reforming provincial leagues + securing funding for nationwide travel, and creating a third tier league, are mutually exclusive. Then don't call it the "Third Tier", since that implies third tier of a pyramid.


All other development shouldn't cease until provincial leagues are aligned with LOI.Except that by moving forward with this proposal, there is a danger that the distraction and diversion of resources etc could make the development/alignment of the provincial leagues with the LOI even harder than it already is.

For example, should Mayo FC get off the ground and become established in this new league, then that would kill whatever tiny chance there is of a club eg in Castlebar, Ballina or Westport aspiring to Senior LOI status at some future date stone dead.

While if Mayo FC were to develop sufficiently to be able to somehow transfer to the LOI, where would that leave the new league they had just left? Remember, there's nothing coming up behind it.

[legendz]

For example, should Mayo FC get off the ground and become established in this new league, then that would kill whatever tiny chance there is of a club eg in Castlebar, Ballina or Westport aspiring to Senior LOI status at some future date stone dead.So it's better to have 3 recreational clubs than 1 elite club with the potential to attain professional status?


While if Mayo FC were to develop sufficiently to be able to somehow transfer to the LOI, where would that leave the new league they had just left? Remember, there's nothing coming up behind it.A proper implementation of the mooted third tier will see Mayo FC promoted to the First Division via a playoff against the 10th placed team in the First Division, should they of course have a First Division licence, meet the qualifying criteria from the third tier and win the playoff.

[EalingGreen]

So it's better to have 3 recreational clubs than 1 elite club with the potential to attain professional status?No, it's better to have a system which rewards ambitious Junior clubs which aspire to achieving Intermediate status, and ambitious Intermediate clubs which aspire to Senior status, with all the facilities, resources, finances and on-field achievement which each level requires, regardless of where they are located. As happens in just about every other comparable country in Europe.

Besides which there is no good reason why, if one of those three should achieve professional status, the other two cannot continue playing recreational football at the same time. I mean, there are four professional clubs in Dublin, plus UCD, but that doesn't mean there cannot also be hundreds of other clubs in the same locality, playing football of varying standard.


A proper implementation of the mooted third tier will see Mayo FC promoted to the First Division via a playoff against the 10th placed team in the First Division, should they of course have a First Division licence, meet the qualifying criteria from the third tier and win the playoff.So let us assume an amateur Mayo FC were to finish 6th or 7th in this Third Tier i.e. "best of the rest" behind half a dozen Reserve teams and somehow scrape through a playoff. How do you imagine they would do in the FD? What would they bring to the party?
And what happens to the club which got relegated from the FD? Any half-decent semi-pro FD club which just happened to have had a particularly bad season on the pitch could easily find that a season or two down amongst the stiffs in the Third Tier could bust them. For any pyramid to work, there cannot be nearly so great a gap between the different levels as you would see between this Third Tier and the FD, never mind the PD.

Meanwhile, what do you think should be the criteria in order to obtain a Third Tier licence, never mind a FD one? We know from eg Kerry FC or Cabo that the FAI is famously "flexible" when it comes to stadia etc, and I guess they could extend that to CK Utd or Mayo etc. But what has that lax approach done for off-field standards in domestic football in ROI? No harm to any particular club, but the facilities in the LOI are an embarrassment, as eg Damien Duff has averred.

Of course, NI domestic football is hardly any better in this regard in absolute terms, but when you look at the context within which we have to operate (population, wealth, politics, sectarianism etc), I think it fair to say that stadia and other off-field facilities are relatively better. And there is no doubt that the introduction of a genuine pyramid, with correspondingly higher standards imposed incrementally, has benefitted our game enormously.

By contrast, parachuting a few amateur/youth clubs from here or there into a Third Tier will do very little for the domestic game in ROI in this regard.

[legendz]

Besides which there is no good reason why, if one of those three should achieve professional status, the other two cannot continue playing recreational football at the same time.
Very difficult for one recreational club to make the leap to professional status. There is no one size fits all. Kerry League and Mayo League have embraced representative football. The formation of a club with the support of district league clubs is a natural enough evolution. It is not the solution for others, e.g. an Athlone - Mullingar rivalry might suit in the midlands, if Mullingar had interest.



So let us assume an amateur Mayo FC were to finish 6th or 7th in this Third Tier i.e. "best of the rest" behind half a dozen Reserve teams and somehow scrape through a playoff. How do you imagine they would do in the FD? What would they bring to the party?
And what happens to the club which got relegated from the FD?
The qualifying criteria is yet to be determined. The top half capped to 5th place might suit. 5th in the FD do qualify for a playoff.
The relegated club will be relegated to the third tier! The worst case scenario for the promoted club is that they finished 10th are in a playoff the following year.


Meanwhile, what do you think should be the criteria in order to obtain a Third Tier licence, never mind a FD one?
Whatever criteria currently applies for U19s. Clubs should not be hindered from joining the third tier if they meet that existing criteria. It is from there that they need to make the step up to earn a First Division licence.

[EalingGreen]

Very difficult for one recreational club to make the leap to professional status.Very difficult for one recreational club to make the leap to professional status in one leap.

Which is precisely why you need a proper pyramid i.e. a series of leaps (steps), with each one reasonably attainable from the level below. This is all the more important when talking about youth clubs which aspire to adult football such as Kerry or Mayo, or brand new clubs entirely, such as Sporting Fingal.


There is no one size fits all. Eh? That is the very antithesis of an agreed set of criteria i.e. applicants should have to meet the criteria, not the other way round.


Whatever criteria currently applies for U19s. Clubs should not be hindered from joining the third tier if they meet that existing criteria. It is from there that they need to make the step up to earn a First Division licence.No offence, but that sounds like making it up as you go along.

Which when you consider the number of LOI clubs which have gone into Examinership, or Bankruptcy followed by new "phoenix" entities, or even disappeared entirely, is no way to administer a league such that the game develops, rather than stagnates.

[legendz]

Very difficult for one recreational club to make the leap to professional status in one leap
How many professional clubs are there in Northern Ireland?

[cláirseach]

Three, as far as I know - Linfield, Glentoran and Larne. Cliftonville are transitioning from part-to-full time (or possibly hybrid). Crusaders and Coleraine operate hybrid models. Open to correction on all.

[EalingGreen]

How many professional clubs are there in Northern Ireland?All 24 clubs in the top two tiers of the NIFL are professional, in that they sign/employ players on UEFA/IFA-approved (paid) contracts. And as 'clairseach' says, 3 of these are fully f-t, with another two or three (unsure about Coleraine) operating a hybrid model i.e. some players f-t, some p-t. The remaining clubs are p-t.

Anyhow, this explains why many Southern/LOI players sign for NIFL clubs, even the smaller ones like Warrenpoint, Newry, Ballinamallard, Institute and Dungannon etc, especially if the players live in or near border counties and so have an easy commute from their day jobs etc - you can guarantee they're not doing it for nothing! (Applies to managers and coaches too, sometimes).

Beneath that level, afaik the majority of clubs in the Premier Intermediate League (trhird tier) are "professional" in that they too pay players (and managers), though many amount to little more than generous expenses, or signing-on fees.

There is also a bit of money sloshing about at certain clubs below the third tier, but it's hardly enough to count as "professional", at least in the generally accepted sense of the term. Sometimes if an amateur player (or officially "amateur" at least!) begins to attract a bit of attention from Senior clubs, his club will put him on a "professional" contract to prevent another club just snapping him up for them there and then, without compensation.

I suspect all professional contracts, f-t and p-t, have to be registered with the IFA, i.e. their existence at least, if not the actual terms.

[legendz]

Shamrock Rovers 6,011
St. Pat's 4,360
Cork City 4,150
Bohemians 4,263
Derry City 3,371
Shelbourne 3,184

Glentoran 3,019
Linfield 2,676
Coleraine 2,740
Larne 1,952
Cliftonville 1,819
Crusaders 1,538

I'm trying to picture Castlebar, Ballina or Westport getting some of the attendance figures above compared with what might be attainable for Mayo FC with all local district league clubs being supportive of an elite club. An elite club and district league clubs can coexist. It seems to be the best approach for Kerry and Mayo. It might not be the approach for an ambitious Mullingar 2001, Fanad United 2011 or Bernard O'Byrne's plans for Athboy Celtic.

[EalingGreen]

Shamrock Rovers 6,011
St. Pat's 4,360
Cork City 4,150
Bohemians 4,263
Derry City 3,371
Shelbourne 3,184

Glentoran 3,019
Linfield 2,676
Coleraine 2,740
Larne 1,952
Cliftonville 1,819
Crusaders 1,538

I'm trying to picture Castlebar, Ballina or Westport getting some of the attendance figures above compared with what might be attainable for Mayo FC with all local district league clubs being supportive of an elite club.Whether Mayo FC or any of the three clubs you mention, none of them needs to achieve those sorts of attendances to sustain a semi-pro club - see eg nigel-harps1954's figures for Athlone, Bray, Longford or Wexford in the Attendances thread.

While Finn Harps averaging 1,370 after relegation, with the twin towns having a population of fewer than 5k in a county at least as geographically remote from the rest of the country as Co.Mayo, shows what can be done. Of course, they rose to Senior status, and maintained it, from their base as an existing community club, not some dreamt-up county or region.

[GUFCghost]

I'm very interested in how we're going to get a new pyramid set up but my god this conversation is running in circles.
At present intermediate clubs aren't willing or ready to promote themselves to the LOI, as such clubs like Mayo & Kerry have been set up to provide elite football to those areas without waiting ten years for local club sides to step up.
I don't see why we can't let a few county teams join the league while we're in this slow, arduous process of developing a pyramid. It probably suits the Irish sports fan's mindset anyway.

Building up junior & intermediate football to the point where they can promote the LOI is alll well and good, but it'll take years and in the meantime we badly need opportunities for under 19s graduates who aren't ready yet.

[wonder88]

County teams is the way to go for the likes of Mayo (and Clare hopefully in the future). It is ok for Sligo, Cork, Galway and Waterford etc as the name of the big town is the same as the county. Identity is important when creating a fanbase and name, shirt colours are key here. Cork should play in red and Limerick in green I feel.

[JC_GUFC]

County teams is the way to go for the likes of Mayo (and Clare hopefully in the future). It is ok for Sligo, Cork, Galway and Waterford etc as the name of the big town is the same as the county. Identity is important when creating a fanbase and name, shirt colours are key here. Cork should play in red and Limerick in green I feel.

I'm genuinely not really sure what I think - it does make sense in some ways - but I do kind of like the idea that Longford Town aren't the same colours as Longford GAA (though I think they do tend to go with county colours for their away kit).

Kerry seem to have done a good job of having the same colours but it also does appear distinct enough at the same time.

I suppose Wexford have done similar changing to the purple this season, however they've managed it Wexford FC's jersey is nicer than any other Wexford GAA jersey in history. I used to like the Pink & Black but I realise that has strong connections to Mick Wallace and I'd imagine there was a fairly conscious effort to disassociated themselves from him!