THERE will be no promotion or relegation in the Eircom League next season if a radical proposal is adopted.
However, there is no guarantee that any of the 12 clubs playing in the Premier Division this season will still be there when the 2007 campaign kicks off. The motion, which will be placed before the Eircom League Management Committee on Saturday, is the first formal step on the road towards a full merger between the FAI and the Eircom League and the advent of a totally revamped Eircom League in 2007.
Under the terms of the merger, the 22 existing members of the Eircom League would wind it up at the end of the 2006 season and then re-apply for membership of the new FAI-run National League in 2007.
The FAI intends to retain the two-tier league system but will impose stringent criteria for acceptance into the Premier Division, with the 2006 league placings only forming part of that criteria.
Under their proposal, the top two teams in the First Division would be ranked 11th and 12th in the League with the bottom two in the Premier Division ranked at 13th and 14th.
Saturday's motion will require a two-thirds majority before proceeding to a special general meeting of the clubs in February where it will need the same two-thirds majority to get it through.
That doesn't sound too bad, If Rovers do well Financially this year you would have to say that they could claim a place in the new Prem league even if they finished bottom. Some of the Dublin teams might feel this, some of their criteria might be location, I think this was mentioned in the Genisus report.
26/01/2006, 4:01 PM
marktis
To me this sounds like a plan to ensure the so called big clubs of dublin retain their place in the premier division no matter what. I do not see this plan helping football outside the capital.
From the Rovers perspective though - they should be able to be ranked within the top 10 based on set up and finances.
