Provincial concerns behind Premier expansion

Worries over the growing "Dublin-ization" of the eircom League Premier Division was the key reason behind the decision to increase the eircom League’s top flight to 12 teams for the 2005 season, FAI chief Fran Rooney explained on Saturday evening.

As a result of the change to the league’s structure, there will be no promotion/relegation play-offs in the coming season, with the bottom side in the Premier dropping through the trap-door and the top three in the First Division moving up to the top table.

And the key reason for the change was to allow for a Premier Division that is better-represented around the country.

Bray Wanderers, Finn Harps, Dundalk and Galway United are expected to be among those challenging at the top of the table, and FAI Chief Executive Fran Rooney pointed out that a geographically-strong league was central to the health of domestic soccer.

He said: "A lot of the provincial clubs felt that the Premier Division had a Dublin bias so now with 12 teams from next season, provided that it is provincial clubs that are promoted, [it] will mean a greater spread of clubs in the Premier Division throughout the country."