League Cup Future

With little or no interest from fans does the League Cup have a future? Unless teams get to later stages is probbaly costing them money to compete in the early rounds.

Cork City average 2500+ for league games but got 600 or so yesterday. I see Galway United got something like 150 when league games would be well over 1000.

What changes would you make to create some interest?

* All-Ireland Cup competition? I could only see that as a low cost alternative if the Setanta Cup is cancelled.
* 5 a side competition?
* Get FIFA to sponsor the trial of new rules or something?
* Virtual competition played on consoles with EA sports game?

Originally Posted by pete

With little or no interest from fans does the League Cup have a future? Unless teams get to later stages is probbaly costing them money to compete in the early rounds.

Cork City average 2500+ for league games but got 600 or so yesterday. I see Galway United got something like 150 when league games would be well over 1000.

What changes would you make to create some interest?

* All-Ireland Cup competition? I could only see that as a low cost alternative if the Setanta Cup is cancelled.
* 5 a side competition? Would never happen!
* Get FIFA to sponsor the trial of new rules or something?
* Virtual competition played on consoles with EA sports game?

I think the League Cup is a good competition, as it gives teams a chance of winning a trophy, who wouldn't normally be in the running. It gives the First Division clubs a chance to host sides they wouldn't usually play 9I'm sure the crowd in Wexford would have been much bigger had the game been in Ferrycarrig Park).

Originally Posted by pete

With little or no interest from fans

You think?

Little interest from fans of certain clubs, perhaps, but not all fans. It has given our club some of the best nights we've had, including last night. Maybe the FAI could try to promote it a bit more, but I don't see it dying just yet.

Originally Posted by pete

With little or no interest from fans does the League Cup have a future? Unless teams get to later stages is probbaly costing them money to compete in the early rounds.

Cork City average 2500+ for league games but got 600 or so yesterday. I see Galway United got something like 150 when league games would be well over 1000.

What changes would you make to create some interest?

* All-Ireland Cup competition? I could only see that as a low cost alternative if the Setanta Cup is cancelled.
* 5 a side competition?
* Get FIFA to sponsor the trial of new rules or something?
* Virtual competition played on consoles with EA sports game?

Id prefer an all Ireland knock out cup competition would be more interest and fans would be able to visit new grounds towns and meet new supporters.

Originally Posted by Sunny Jim

You think?

Little interest from fans of certain clubs, perhaps, but not all fans. It has given our club some of the best nights we've had, including last night. Maybe the FAI could try to promote it a bit more, but I don't see it dying just yet.

Absolutely agree with you and well done once more to Wexford Youths travelling to Cork again and winning! Monaghan up next... Mick must be on a high. Might even let Mons pre-match kick about on match pitch next week!
Fair play to all involved. Hope the attendances increase and continued success.

Dont have an official figure but with 10 minutes to kick off I counted 43 people
in the stand for Athlone Town v UCD tonight. Didnt look like a whole lot more
by the time kick off came! Probably between 70-100 I reckon

Scrap the league cup on both sides if the border and have an all Ireland competition with a European place for the winners.

I always thought that First Division clubs should be guaranteed a home game against Premier opposition (where possible) in the first couple of rounds. I think this is done on the continent somewhere. At least that would give the Div1 clubs a big game.

A few knock out cups (the French Cup for example) always give lower league sides home advantage. It's an interesting idea alright.

I like the League Cup, but that's maybe because we usually have a lot of good youngsters coming through. It was scarcely worth Athlone's while hosting the game last night, and I'm sure there's plenty other clubs in the same boat.

Originally Posted by Ram72

Scrap the league cup on both sides if the border and have an all Ireland competition with a European place for the winners.

How will this European place work? Will it be taken from those allocated to the winner's country in the first place? Or will UEFA just hand over another place to us?

Originally Posted by pete

With little or no interest from fans does the League
What changes would you make to create some interest?

* All-Ireland Cup competition?

I think the settanta cup and League cup games should be played on the same day and the clubs taking part in the settanta cup don't take part in the competition. Keep it regionilised as clubs don't wanna travel long distances on weeknights. This would give club not winning anything a opportunity to win something

Originally Posted by seand

I always thought that First Division clubs should be guaranteed a home game against Premier opposition (where possible) in the first couple of rounds. I think this is done on the continent somewhere. At least that would give the Div1 clubs a big game.

I agree with this.

Originally Posted by citybone

I think the settanta cup and League cup games should be played on the same day and the clubs taking part in the settanta cup don't take part in the competition. Keep it regionilised as clubs don't wanna travel long distances on weeknights. This would give club not winning anything a opportunity to win something

I think that's a good idea. It's Setanta though.

Originally Posted by Ash

Dont have an official figure but with 10 minutes to kick off I counted 43 people
in the stand for Athlone Town v UCD tonight. Didnt look like a whole lot more
by the time kick off came! Probably between 70-100 I reckon

105 was the attendance according to the attendance thread.

Originally Posted by citybone

I think the settanta cup and League cup games should be played on the same day and the clubs taking part in the settanta cup don't take part in the competition. Keep it regionilised as clubs don't wanna travel long distances on weeknights. This would give club not winning anything a opportunity to win something

That's just what the League Cup both sides of the border doesn't need to be fair - losing their 4 best teams, each who will most probably also be the best supported ones.

Thereby devaluing the League Cup even more as both a game of football and in attendnace and atmosphere terms.

It'd genuinely make more sense to just cancel it than to do the above.

But aren't the gate receipts shared in cup competitions making the takings even less to a club like Athlone considering they have to pay refs fee etc, security (for little or no crowd) and so on. Complete waste of time and money for a club who are working hard doing their best on a shoe string.

I think they should go back to the old structure, Groups of 4 teams and winner of each group progresses with best 2nd place teams. Also, in some years, it was the competition started before the league commenced, I think they should do that, fans want to see their new players and it could attract a few more fans to the games.

PS: Anyone now the dates of these Finals:
1992-93 Limerick 2-0 St. Patrick's Athletic
1993-94 Derry City 3-1 Shelbourne (2 legs)
1995-96 Shelbourne 2-2 Sligo Rovers (2 legs)