Dundalk win the play-off

[pineapple stu]

2-1 win in Waterford, with two late goals from Trevor Vaughan after Waterford went 1-0 up.

That's put the cat among the pigeons for the FAI's new Super-Duper league next season...

[sligoman]

Aertel still have:


Waterford Utd 1-1 Dundalk 7.10
Kavanagh 69 Vaughan pen 76

Despite this on their main football page(220):


VAUGHAN SCORES TWICE IN DUNDALK WIN
:rolleyes:

[dublin15bohs]

good lets make it diffucult for the F.A.I

[Poor Student]

Is that good or bad for UCD?

Was that UCD legend Ciarán Kavanagh who scored or has he retired?

I think Reynolds and McCarthy were already on their holidays before this game.

Congrats to Dundalk.

[dfx-]

I said it to one Dundalk wan - who was insisting they should go up - coming home from Cobh last week that I can see Dundalk beating Waterford and it throwing a spanner in the works..

Insisting on a play-off makes it difficult for themselves at the FAI..

[oriel]

I didnt go tonight, but even with the late goals, i am not one bit surprised. What did surprise though was the standard of waterford on wed night in oriel, fitness, skill, running off the ball, overall shape and tactics were not anything near what i expected of a premier lge team.

What does it all mean. A hard decision for the fai hopefully.....................

A massive well done to the dundalk team and supporters for a great 2006, they`ve done their bit.

[Mr A]

This has very little bearing on what will happen for next year. When the 50% for football is added up it moves Dundalk into 15th place overall with a fair gap to Harps in 13th, and a massive one to the likes of Bray, Waterford and Sligo.

[Bully Bull]

Time will tell the significance of this result.For the leagues sake i hope Waterford are reinstated.Dundalk will gain a few points through winning the tie ,however due to the complex points structure it is hard to tell who will benefit.The league needs more provincial teams and less teams from Dublin and it's hinterland(Dundalk,Drogs,Athlone) to be popular national league.

[pineapple stu]

Time will tell the significance of this result.For the leagues sake i hope Waterford are reinstated.The league needs more provincial teams and less teams from Dublin and it's hinterland(Dundalk,Drogs,Athlone) to be popular national league.
Now, this is the sort of drivel that has the league in the position it faces at the moment. What the league need is strong teams capable of providing an entertaining and competitive Premier Division. With the greatest of respect to Waterford, their points tally this year was one of the worst ever - they didn't even catch Dublin City, who went broke five months ago - and Dundalk, who have baeten them fair and square - are evidently the better team and the ones who deserve to be in the Premier. Waterford, I've no doubt, would (all hypothetically) go down, regroup and be able to come back stronger than ever in the next couple of seasons. It helps neither the league nor Waterford themselves to have clubs being so outclassed in the Premier, and to say that Waterford's geographical location means they would bring more to the Premier ahead of a side who's just proven themselves better is utter nonsense.

[forza]

Not our fault country clubs squandered money in the past and are now Divison 1 or arent up to it on the pitch :p

[gael353]

Not our fault country clubs squandered money in the past and are now Divison 1 or arent up to it on the pitch :p

Just on that id like to point out that due to us never owning our own ground or ever having any major debts, Limerick FC/City/United or AFC have ever recieved any monies by way of grants, loans or other.In short we've never recieved any monies to squander in the first place.

[Bully Bull]

I note your retort pineapple ,but the main point im trying to get across is that a league whose majority of teams are located in the Dublin and Leinster will generate very litte excitement for a Limerickman or Tribesman for example.I cant deny the fact mine is a simplistic view and the establishment of a football club is financially draining and geographic location can not guarantee a clubs league position.

[pineapple stu]

I too would love to see the country teams stronger, but it's up to them to do that. The clubs aren't strong, and that's up to them to change. Back in the real world, Dundalk would be a better addition to the Premier to Waterford (again, with respect to Waterford), and you can't justify refusing them a place in the Premier on the basis that yuo'd like country teams to be stronger one day, and maybe by giving them a helping hand, they'll get there.

[teckno]

Lads sorry to break the bubble about this game suddenly changing everything about next season. The reality is the result tonight does not matter a jot. Waterford United will be a Premier Division side next year FACT!!. Do we deserve to be a prem side, on this years performances obviously not but the reality is that the IAG group are looking at the clubs over 5 years performance and prospects for the future.

Premier League season 2007 should read as follows
Shels, Bohs, Cork, Drogheda, Waterford, Longford, St Pats. Shamrock Rovers, Galway United, Derry City, Sligo Rovers,

Final Place a toss up between
UCD, Bray, and Dundalk
My opinion is the final place should go to DUNDALK as we already have four Dub clubs and one peripheral dub club in Drogheda, league cannot have Bray or UCD because then almost half the league is based in Dublin!! Ucd are well organised etc, but reality they have no supporters and the future league has to see growth in attendances for it to succeed!!

[pineapple stu]

Good man teckno. Back to this old chestnut again. Naturally, clubs going broke every other month is far better for the league than a small, well-run club. :rolleyes:

[sonofstan]

The league needs more provincial teams and less teams from Dublin and it's hinterland(Dundalk,Drogs,Athlone) to be popular national league.

I know Dublin is becoming mega city 1 but Athlone? hinterland? its half way to Galway.

[pineapple stu]

Back on topic - 11 minutes of injury time, according to the Waterford website (http://www.waterford-united.ie/nextpage.php?subaction=showfull&id=1164480272&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3&)! 4 minutes had been signalled, and in that time, Dundalk had a player stretchered off, which delayed things for six minutes!

[Billy Lord]

It just shows that the top three in the First Division are probably as good as anyone outside of the top four of the Premier. Not that it's anything to shout about . . .

[Dodge]

It just shows that the top three in the First Division are probably as good as anyone outside of the top four of the Premier. Not that it's anything to shout about . . .
No it doesn't. The worst two teams I've ever seen in the premier have been Bray andWaterford this year. Its disgraceful that they won't be relegated tbh

[mypost]

The league needs more provincial teams and less teams from Dublin and it's hinterland(Dundalk,Drogs,Athlone) to be popular national league.

:confused:

Last time I looked, Dundalk, Drogheda, and Athlone, like Waterford, were not from Dublin and never were either. Not even Bray are from Dublin.

There are 5 teams from Dublin in the league, and 4 are going in, with one club in the first division. Everyone knows which ones at this stage.

As for Kilkenny, Kildare, and Monaghan, they should be demoted to the A league.

[SeanDrog]

of course we are not from dublin but I think some of these lads lack an education system on top of lacking decent football teams. The patectic attempt to try and bloster their argeuemnt by trying to call Drogs dubin is just plain thick. Sure if you want to use that argument then all of Leinster might as well be Dublin. Aright coming from bohs trying to wind us up but for proplr to try and use it in a factual argument - well what can I say :(

If these rral teams wee good enough then they would be fine - its not Leinster teams fault that Limerick CITY does not back is own club.

Back to the main point about Dundalk - a little fact they seem to ignore - their club agreed to the new structureand selection porcess - you cannot now cry foul just cause you wn a worthless playoff.

Now some might argue that they beat Waterford - but so what, they signed up to the new format and they knew at the start of the season that it was a worthless format.

Should duns replace a team who performed better on the field over the last five years ?

[Partizan]

Back to the main point about Dundalk - a little fact they seem to ignore - their club agreed to the new structureand selection porcess - you cannot now cry foul just cause you wn a worthless playoff.

Now some might argue that they beat Waterford - but so what, they signed up to the new format and they knew at the start of the season that it was a worthless format.

Should duns replace a team who performed better on the field over the last five years ?

In a normal season, yes Waterford would go down and on last nights performance they should simple as. Dundalk were the better team. They approached this game with a professional attitude while we just left Cawley and Reynolds go on holidays and treated the tie as a pre season friendly. There were so many of our players last night just totally switched off with the exception of Kavanagh, Browne and Hayes.

Gareth Cronin was never going to claw back the damage left by Kerley (13 game consecutive losing streak) and Dundalk with the win momentum behind them all season were always going into this game on the upper hand.

if Dundalk do feel aggrieved at the end of the day they have right to be, however they signed up to the agreement, for good or bad and now it must be adhered to.

Over the last 5 years we have done alot of work on and off the pitch. The plans to develop the RSC are at an advanced stage, scholarship set up with WIT, financially sound and concrete plans are afoot to set up the youth academy and underage teams. Our record in the last 4-5 years is quite goodwith the exception of this season of course.

Dundalk and to John Gill's credit have been putting in some solid work but alas the agreement that we all signed up to, will be points based and ourselves will be judged on that. I know it will be rough justice for Dundalk but that unfortunatley is how it has turned out.

[gael353]

Gareth Cronin was never going to claw back the damage left by Kerley (13 game consecutive losing streak) and Dundalk with the win momentum behind them all season were always going into this game on the upper hand.

financially sound and concrete plans are afoot to set up the youth academy and underage teams. Our record in the last 4-5 years is quite goodwith the exception of this season of course.


a lot of soundbites (concrete, solid, sound) here in your post, and financially sound my fukin arse, the reason Kerley had to go on a shoestring budget for his part of the season was that ye were very financially crap! a certian first div club also ran with soundbites throughout the season and watch which div they end up with next season :rolleyes:
every club has plans in their licence documents (youth progs, stadium dev etc) and im sure waterford are no differant but their not the exception.

[Mental Man]

TOTAL AND UTTER CRAP GEAL, i personally spoke to some of the players that are now with other clubs and the reason they left is because the MC left it to Kerley alone to re-sign the players, the clown obviously thought he was still with Limerick FC by the way he acted, 1 player in particular left over 50euro and others were disgusted by the reduced offer in wages Kerley was offering them and they left too.
I spoke also to a director who wanted to sack Kerley over the way he treated the players with negotiations, he was perhaps the most inept and useless manager i personally have ever witnessed stand on the sidelines at WUFC, thank Christ he is gone.
As regards back to the topic, yes we are on a very sound and financial footing cos i know this for a certain fact so before you go spouting crap i suggest you go and give Danny Drew a lecture on how to run a club before you come on here and slate other clubs.
And YES we will be in the premiere division next year as it was confirmed to me at the WUFC dinner dance on friday night by a certain person ye all know and its not down to favouritism , its down to meeting all the IAG's criteria, actually we rank 9th or 10th in the points table, we all signed up for it so now we have to adhere to the rules.

[Philly]

Mypost, why should Kildare be demoted? Because we are living within our means and developing young local talent, unlike most clubs? Because we are one of the only clubs that made a profit last year? Maybe, like other Rovers fans, you are just still bitter about the fact is was raining when you visited here in the first match last season and that the Gardaí shut down the pub?

And may I point out that Waterford aren't a "country" club. It's a city. There are other developed areas outside of Dublin believe it or not, and it is these areas that ought to be tapped into by the new League. Waterford will probably have a much stronger team next season.

UCD will go down due to very bad attendances, unmarketability, and the odd season in D1. I hope Galway go up as they are the most professionally run club in the league. The fact that they have managed their affairs so well, even when languishishing in D1, is a testament for them.

Dundalk have probably spent to long in D1 to get enough points from their results to go up unfortunately.

[pineapple stu]

UCD will go down due...the odd season in D1.
Dundalk have probably spent to long in D1 to get enough points from their results to go up unfortunately.
Slight inconsistency there, Philly.

Also, crowds are marked out of 60 in total, I think, and we score about 35. General range for marks there is 30-50. 15 marks isn't going to screw us over, always provided the criteria are applied correctly.

[Philly]

Hows that inconsistent? I think both clubs will be in the First Division next year.

[Da Real Rover]

Ireland is not an isolated case whereby a Mega City that dwarfs all others has the stranglehold on football in the country, You see the same in Russia, there Lokomotiv, Cska, Spartak, Dynamo have all dominated the Russian league, with the exception of the new occurance of Zenit St Petersburg. There they have realised that to increase popularity of the Russian domestic game they must try and spread football out to the provinces, give it a new lease of life. I feel the same would be beneficial in Ireland. There is relative popularity of LOI football in the minor urban centres outside of Dublin. We see this in Dundalk, Drogheda, Waterford, Sligo, Athlone, etc. Some of these clubs are of the oldest in Ireland, the reason for this is there was a sufficient popularity in these urban centres to sustain LOI football. I feel it would be beneficial for the domestic game in Ireland to exploit these untapped markets in the first division, such as Dundalk, Galway, Athlone etc nd remove some of the smaller Dublin teams. It is certainly not fair on clubs such as UCD and Bray but it would certainly enhance the League.

[steno]

:confused:

Last time I looked, Dundalk, Drogheda, and Athlone, like Waterford, were not from Dublin and never were either. Not even Bray are from Dublin.

There are 5 teams from Dublin in the league, and 4 are going in, with one club in the first division. Everyone knows which ones at this stage.

As for Kilkenny, Kildare, and Monaghan, they should be demoted to the A league.

So.....Lets see 10 (Div1)+11 (Prem Div)=21 clubs at present-myposts favourite 3= 18 clubs...

So who are you going to replace them with mypost or do you suggest replacing them?.What are you exactly suggesting ?. Replace them with three other clubs in other areas?, If so where may I ask?.

There are already clubs in every densely populated area of Ireland that have the capability or interest needed in sustaining an eircom league club. All three clubs you have mentioned have the facilities in place or have plans to do so. With the population increasing in two of these areas (Kildare and Kilkenny) the clubs will and do have the potential to attract a fanbase the problem is realising this potential.

Setting up new clubs for Div One will involve the developement of facilities in areas where there are none which requires money not to mention the fact that most other areas without a eircom league club (but not all) will have to compete with GAA and rugby in areas where both sports are already well developed a struggle which can be witnessed with the three clubs mentioned.

All three clubs are totally within their right to be in the eircom league and ARE of the few clubs that live within their means unlike other clubs who have, will and should suffer for their fianancial lunacy.

[gael353]

TOTAL AND UTTER CRAP GEAL, As regards back to the topic, yes we are on a very sound and financial footing cos i know this for a certain fact so before you go spouting crap i suggest you go and give Danny Drew a lecture on how to run a club before you come on here and slate other clubs.
And YES we will be in the premiere division next year as it was confirmed to me at the WUFC dinner dance on friday night by a certain person ye all know and its not down to favouritism , its down to meeting all the IAG's criteria, actually we rank 9th or 10th in the points table, we all signed up for it so now we have to adhere to the rules.

I wasnt for one sec saying Kerley was totally blameless, you naturally would know more of the inside dealings at your club then i would so calm down a little. But how many times in the last few years have waterford and other clubs ran into financial trouble mid season etc? Im looking there in my earlier post where i "slated" your or other clubs, and where i said ye (waterford) wouldnt be in the new star studded league. Im lost as to where to find it

[pineapple stu]

Hows that inconsistent? I think both clubs will be in the First Division next year.
You think Dundalk will be in the First Division for a long spell in the First Division and we'll be in the First for an "odd season". So lots of time in the First gets relegation, and little time in the First gets relegation. Maybe inconsistent is the wrong word - nonsense is a better one.

If every club were who had the same "odd season" in the First as we did - that's one season in twelve now - were relegated, you'd be relegating Drogheda, Longford, Waterford and Bray as well, and you'd be left with half a Premier. Which, obviously, is nonsnse.

[Philly]

The odd season in D1 is coupled with poor attendances and poor marketability. Basically, I feel there are too many clubs better than UCD for them to be put in the Premier Division. I suppose you guys will get some Marketing students to draw up a huge marketing plan and all though, so you never know :)

[Poor Student]

For those obsessed with the notion of reducing Dublin clubs, the natural order will be restored even if its artificially tinkered with. This exercise is utterly pointless and senselessly damaging to UCD if we happen to be relegated.

[oriel]

Sean Drog

You really have some neck 4 good(ish) seasons out of the last 44 in business (a grand total of 1.5 trophys) and you think you have the right to point out what we need to aspire to ?

The ONLY valid point you and your lets support drogs from 2003 mates * have is our admitably dreadful performances from 2002 - 2004. (no argument here on that)

Only this am I am a call from a good mate who`s been a drog fan for over 20 yrs, he was delighted at at hearing the result v Waterford 'i`d love if you got promoted, superb gates and excellent competiton for BOTH clubs each season'

Also he reminded me Drogs best ever domestic gate was still the cup replay v us in 2004

Its in the best interest of football in louth and indeed evry other part of ireland to have a good standard of competition between close rivals, same applies to rovers/bohs, derry/harps, galway/sligo, maybe even cork/cobh, etc etc.

So grow up mate, and leave your childish bigotary views aside and let football be the winner.


* Source, Drogs v Dlk Dec 2000, Utd Park, First Div, Attendance 410

[Philly]

We'll all have to just wait and see I guess.

[Conor H]

And YES we will be in the premiere division next year as it was confirmed to me at the WUFC dinner dance on friday night by a certain person ye all know and its not down to favouritism , its down to meeting all the IAG's criteria, actually we rank 9th or 10th in the points table, we all signed up for it so now we have to adhere to the rules.

Does that mean you were told that the FAI would be selecting the teams for next years premier based entirely on the IAG's reccomendations?
Everyone can have as many opinions as they want but it's all very simple.The FAI will announce on December 11th all 12 teams who've made into the Premier league.Whether people/clubs are happy or not-tough.That's the way it will be.The FAI now run the league and can by in large do what they want.Any club(including GUFC) can have no complaints if they're not in it.It simply means that based on all the criteria they weren't good enough.I for one will be waiting with bated breath for the next 2 weeks.

[DmanDmythDledge]

I think both clubs will be in the First Division next year.
Just read the bloody criteria ffs.

[Celdrog]

Sean Drog
You really have some neck 4 good(ish) seasons out of the last 44 in business (a grand total of 1.5 trophys) and you think you have the right to point out what we need to aspire to ?
The ONLY valid point you and your lets support drogs from 2003 mates * have is our admitably dreadful performances from 2002 - 2004. (no argument here on that)
Only this am I am a call from a good mate who`s been a drog fan for over 20 yrs, he was delighted at at hearing the result v Waterford 'i`d love if you got promoted, superb gates and excellent competiton for BOTH clubs each season'
Also he reminded me Drogs best ever domestic gate was still the cup replay v us in 2004
Its in the best interest of football in louth and indeed evry other part of ireland to have a good standard of competition between close rivals, same applies to rovers/bohs, derry/harps, galway/sligo, maybe even cork/cobh, etc etc.
So grow up mate, and leave your childish bigotary views aside and let football be the winner.
* Source, Drogs v Dlk Dec 2000, Utd Park, First Div, Attendance 410
How did we manage to win 1.5 trophies. The Setanta cup must be only half a trophy:confused:

[SeanDrog]

Oriel you really do seem to be dim. If you read my post (or get someone to read it for you), my point is that your club signed up to this selction process so no point in giving out about it now and trying to play the victims. i don't givre two hoots about your history (note the word history), your club signed up to the terms and now are trying to wriggle out of it (not really surprised by that TBH).

Moan moan moan - why did you moran officials sign up to it only to now cry foul?

Based on the criteria (WHICH YOU CLUB AGREED TO), you DO NOT DESERVE to come up. (can you grasp that concept - you guys agreed and signed up to this).

Try being honest with yoursleves and balme your club for agreeing to this format rather than blaming everyone else (truth hurts).

Enjoy the new look first div next season.

The other way I suppose of looking at it , is are Dundalk trying to breach their contract with the new league by tyring to breach the agreement on the club selection criteria that they agreed to? if this is the case should they then be thrown out of the new league and another cluiba sked to join in their place? (perhaps one who knows how to keep the terms of an agreement and just as importantly one that UNDERSTANDS what they are signing.

[green-blood]

its not about coming up, and the sooner people get that throught their heads the better

its about applying to a new league, a completely new entity

Well done Dundalk... 2nd is the first loser

[stann]

you naturally would know more of the inside dealings at your club then i would so calm down a little. But how many times in the last few years have waterford and other clubs ran into financial trouble mid season etc

Think Mental Man was a touch irate because it was a lazy assumption you made. You rubbished his point about Waterford being financially sound, but they are. They have f*ck all, but they don't owe anything. Because they have f*ck all people just lazily assume they're up to their eyes in debt, but not so.
How many times in the last few years have Waterford ran into financial trouble? I'd say once, when the previous but one chairman left and took what he was owed from a high-profile transfer with him. A period of turmoil accrued from this but things are now on an even keel again, and have been for some time. They've never been unable to pay players, for example, something even the best aren't able to say.

[MyTown]

This thread is interesting for the debate about Dublin Clubs versus a support base in the country. (I've lost all interest in who will be in what league and will wait 'till this day 2 weeks before I start jumping up and down eiother in rage or joy).

Rightly or wrongly, we used to slag off the likes of Drogheda, Dundalk, Lonfgord, Athlone, Monaghan and Kilkenny on the basis that their team coaches for HOME games left from Clondalkin, Swords, Finglas or any other Dublin suburb you care to name.

There was no great malice in this. It was part & parcel of match banter, (especially when we were losing:( )

Also, we benefitted plenty ourselves over the years from Dublin based players doing their bit for us - not least when we won our only trophy of note.

Sorry to be long winded, but the bottom line is a lot of clubs field teams that have a high percentage of Dublin based players reagrdless of their location around the country & I don't think this helps their support base - UNLESS of course they are winning all the time!!!

[Magicme]

Mytown I have had people whinge at me nonstop bout the lack of Monaghan Lads playing for the club but that has been changing and our crowds have been increasing as a result so there is something in it. This season there were 11 local lads used regularly on the squad with 4 or so being used consistently. Next season that will be increased further. The change is so much so that we dont use a bus to bring our players from Dublin, those that play for us car pool now. Having said that one of our most consistent Monaghan lads is in college in Dublin now and we have lost 2 other locals to Dublin teams for college or work reasons so whilst we may do our best to have locals, they may still be based in Dublin!

[oriel]

Sean Drog there is no denying that you're views are clearly influenced by your total dislike towards Dundalk, not once in my post or previous one on this thread did i state that we should be 'selected' for the new premier lge, I was making a point of a job well done in the play off. Now add this to the great work the club did in making progress in ground improvements (past and future), tax compliance, marketing, overall improving how we do run the club, etc etc, then MAYBE we have now made it difficult for the FAI/IAG to make their final selection.

For my money we needed to have won the divsion to have any chance as our on the field record was so poor for the past 3 years. For whats its worth, I do think we have left it too late and that we wont be invited.

My points are valid and honest. In comparsion no matter what boxes we tick, your clouded view is you simply do not WANT Dundalk invited.

Its as simple as that, why dont you admit it.

[stann]

The worst two teams I've ever seen in the premier have been Bray andWaterford this year. Its disgraceful that they won't be relegated tbh

How can Bray be relegated when they finished outside the relegation places?
Waterford were relegated in the play-off, or hadn't you noticed?

As regards getting invited to the new Premier division, if it happens for Bray or Waterford it'll be because they finished in the top 12 based on the criteria laid down by the FAI and agreed by all clubs except Monaghan and, I think, CHF. Disgraceful doesn't come into it. I personally think it's a disgrace that night follows day, week in week out, with never a bit of variety in the sequence, but what are you going to do?

[bluemovie]

A few points to clear things up for certain people:

- Waterford were godawful this season.

- We were going to be in the new 'Premiership' even if we lost EVERY game this season (I think Mike Kerley set out spoecifically to prove this theory:o ).

- As much fun as it was to wind up Dundalk by singing "Thank you very much to John Delaney, thank you very much, thank you very, very much", that eejit has NO loyalty to the Blues. Milo Corcoran is a Blue, neither Delaney nor Bob Breen are. We were just a stepping stone to higher office. If they didn't get a job at Waterford, they would have gone to Kilkenny or somewhere else - proffessional bureaucrats, expect no favours from them.

- There is a NEW league next year. Entry to this league is determined by a number of criteria which were set out (vaguely) at the start of the season and which Waterford have attempted to satisfy.

- Our weekly wage bill for the first half of this season was, I would imagine, less than that of the combined weekly wages of Alan Moore and Glen Crowe.

- We no longer have any debt and only pay the wages that we can afford.

- Unlike other clubs, we have received full clearance from the Revenue, have not had winding-up orders and are not losing money every week.

- Dublin City had a good half season and would have been even better if they had signed Ronaldinho, Henry and other players they couldn't afford to pay.

- Dundalk looked a decent side in the play-offs and would have been even better if they had signed Ronaldinho, Henry and other players they couldn't afford to pay.

- The play-off was worth something in the region of 10 to 20 of the 1000 entry points.

- By finishing bottom of the Premier, we were ranked 13th of the 21 teams for this season's 200 entry points. Dundalk were 12th. The play-off gave us the opportunity to take 12th place ahead of them which we failed to do.

- This may p*ss people off, but the truth is the play-off was of less consequence than things like the parking and disabled facilities at the RSC.

- Call us lick**ses if you like, but we did everything the FAI asked us to do. We stopped spending money we didn't have, we are adding new turnstiles, a new stand, separate toilets for away fans, etc.

- I repeat: we were godawful this year.....but there was a reason for it - we were remaining within budget and putting a huge effort into preparing the club for next season's Premiership.

- While we could badly do with a sugar daddy and will be operating within a strict budget, there is money for us to assemble a decent team for next season which should see us competing well in the division.

- Congrats to Dundalk on winning on Saturday night and I hope that injured player at the end is alright because it looked to be a very serious situation.

[Mr_T]

No it doesn't. The worst two teams I've ever seen in the premier have been Bray andWaterford this year. Its disgraceful that they won't be relegated tbh

Worse than Harps last year!!! :eek:

[pineapple stu]

The odd season in D1 is coupled with poor attendances and poor marketability. Basically, I feel there are too many clubs better than UCD for them to be put in the Premier Division. I suppose you guys will get some Marketing students to draw up a huge marketing plan and all though, so you never know :)
Yep, the whole of south Dublin means we've got poor marketability compared to, say, Longford or Sligo. Our attendances are woeful compared to Longford, Bray or Waterford. And as for the length of time we've spend in Division One...

[Mental Man]

Well done Bluemovie i think u have summed it up completely, and let this be now cos this could go on and on and on and still some people out there will still argue about it, every club signed up for it at the start of the season so it cant be changed now.

[monkey magic]

tbh, i think dundalk fans have something to complain about here, lets not forget that the reason they were in the first division in the first place was cos the league was cut to ten teams and they finished eleventh, just a whisker behind us... even one more season in the prem div would have made a huge difference to them as regards their final standing in the rankings and in terms of history thay are after all one of the most famous names in irish football.. just a thought.