It could be a useful addition to give third tier teams a chance to play first and premier teams – gain experience, boost a couple of home gates, get a bit of marketing traction, that kind of thing. Smaller match day squads, say 16, with only three subs allowed and with a sliding requirement for starting a minimum number players aged under 21 – more for Premier teams, half the number for first division, no minimum for third tier – might cut costs, help player development and level the playing field a bit. With 40 teams (eventually) in the three tiers, eight groups of five in a round robin gives eight quarter-finalists: seven games to win it. Might be too many (and definitely would be if second placed teams qualified), so you'd look to byes and knockout single-tie rounds, but still need up to six games to win it (though more likely 5: prelim round of 16 with 24 byes, to get to a last 32, then 16, quarters, semis, final).
I’d be against a play-off for a European spot, but a double-header with the President’s Cup, a President’s Shield as it were, with the league cup winners playing the first division champions could have some merit – a bit of additional revenue for both if nowt else. Would there be enough in two games to justify staging them in the Aviva as a season curtain raiser (sorry to rain on Bohs parade there!)?
