The New IFA Premiership

**Mr_Parker** · 13/05/2008, 8:09 PM

The points rankings were announced tonight with the top 12 forming the new league.

Portadown were not considered as their application was late. Larne, Limavady and Armagh failed to get a Domestic Licence. That left 13 with Donegal Celtic missing out and 1st Division club Bangor joining the final 12.

1. Linfield - 1339 points
2. Ballymena United - 1054 points
3. Glentoran - 1016 points
4. Coleraine - 965 points
5. Cliftonville - 945 points
6. Dungannon Swifts - 855 points
7. Glenavon - 828 points
8. Crusaders - 826 points
9. Lisburn Distillery - 815 points
10. Newry City - 796 points
11. Bangor - 641 points
12. Institute - 632 points
----------------------------
13. Donegal Celtic - 543 points

**SolitudeRed** · 14/05/2008, 12:44 AM

Originally Posted by Mr_Parker

The points rankings were announced tonight with the top 12 forming the new league.

Portadown were not considered as their application was late. Larne, Limavady and Armagh failed to get a Domestic Licence. That left 13 with Donegal Celtic missing out and 1st Division club Bangor joining the final 12.

1. Linfield - 1339 points
2. Ballymena United - 1054 points
3. Glentoran - 1016 points
4. Coleraine - 965 points
5. Cliftonville - 945 points
6. Dungannon Swifts - 855 points
7. Glenavon - 828 points
8. Crusaders - 826 points
9. Lisburn Distillery - 815 points
10. Newry City - 796 points
11. Bangor - 641 points
12. Institute - 632 points
----------------------------
13. Donegal Celtic - 543 points

Surprised to see Coleraine so high up in the rankings I would have thought that the financial troubles they had would have lost them some points!

Morrissey · 14/05/2008, 8:24 AM

Our debt management is second to none.

**p�l-dcfc** · 14/05/2008, 10:36 AM

Although I have no love (or even like for that matter) for them, it's a shame to see DC out of the league. They do have potential to be bigger than they are, but obviously it was gonna take time to win the people of West Belfast over from the lure of English and Scottish football (not to mention the bogballers). Bangor don't seem to have anywhere near the same potential. Looks like they got in for having a first aid room and a drug testing room. Fair play to them for getting it sorted, but they'll be the whipping boys next season.

Surprised 'Stute didn't do better than them as well. The Riverside is a nice wee ground, and Institute's results over the past few years have been miles better than Bangor.

**Steve Bruce** · 16/05/2008, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by p�l-dcfc

Although I have no love (or even like for that matter) for them, it's a shame to see DC out of the league. They do have potential to be bigger than they are, but obviously it was gonna take time to win the people of West Belfast over from the lure of English and Scottish football (not to mention the bogballers). Bangor don't seem to have anywhere near the same potential. Looks like they got in for having a first aid room and a drug testing room. Fair play to them for getting it sorted, but they'll be the whipping boys next season.

Surprised 'Stute didn't do better than them as well. The Riverside is a nice wee ground, and Institute's results over the past few years have been miles better than Bangor.

Can I ask how you seem to think DC have more potential than Bangor? Bangor is a sizeable town and they have it to themselves(Ards share a ground but they have a different catchement)

Bangor have a far better stadium and far better history than DC.

DC have no history, have terrible facilities, terrible crowds and have a terrible team.

Whilst 3 years ago I would have agreed, seeing them first hand has blown this 'potential' right out of the water. Every club in NI has potential, but very few if any have reached it.

**p�l-dcfc** · 16/05/2008, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

Can I ask how you seem to think DC have more potential than Bangor? Bangor is a sizeable town and they have it to themselves(Ards share a ground but they have a different catchement)

Bangor have a far better stadium and far better history than DC.

DC have no history, have terrible facilities, terrible crowds and have a terrible team.

Whilst 3 years ago I would have agreed, seeing them first hand has blown this 'potential' right out of the water. Every club in NI has potential, but very few if any have reached it.

West Belfast is a massive area with a large population. If they could get even 5% of the area involved in supporting the club they would be huge.

It's not like Bangor have a huge amount of fans is it? They'll go straight back down next season, and then continually finish poorly in the Intermediate league, as has been the case for the past 12 years.

**Graemerz** · 16/05/2008, 5:29 PM

I would hazard a guess the only reason DC were excluded from the new league is solely down to their pathetic excuse for a stadium. They can have little to complain about and all the whining they're doing is just making themselves look more stupid. I'm awaiting the green card to be played.

**Carnloughred** · 16/05/2008, 8:20 PM

Most of the football fans in west Belfast who have an interest in Irish football support Cliftonville. Bangor when they were in the top flight before had a pathetic support despite having population of around 60000

**Graemerz** · 16/05/2008, 9:00 PM

Originally Posted by Carnloughred

Most of the football fans in west Belfast who have an interest in Irish football support Cliftonville. Bangor when they were in the top flight before had a pathetic support despite having population of around 60000

Possibly but at least they'd bring more than 300 to an Irish Cup Semi-Final.

**AnnaghRed** · 16/05/2008, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by Graemerz

I would hazard a guess the only reason DC were excluded from the new league is solely down to their pathetic excuse for a stadium.

I'd be astounded if the average attendance in the IL reaches 4 figures. Would guess that DC's is around
300, surely even the H&S mandarins running our game [into the ground] reckon they can cater for that?

Didnt Coleraine - apparently now our 3rd best supported team - publish average attendances for last season of round the 800 mark? [600 excluding the visits of Linfield & Glentoran] A truly sorry state of affairs.

And besides that, DC's ground is deemed suitable enough for Cliftonville to use next season.

**waide** · 17/05/2008, 10:18 AM

The average attendances of the new league are bound to improve now with the inclusion of sleeping giants like Bangor and Institute.

**Steve Bruce** · 17/05/2008, 1:11 PM

Originally Posted by Carnloughred

Most of the football fans in west Belfast who have an interest in Irish football support Cliftonville. Bangor when they were in the top flight before had a pathetic support despite having population of around 60000

Bangor had the ability to bring thousands to a game in the past when they where in the top flight (not every game obviously), DC has only ever shown this once and lets be honest, they where only there for a fight (both sets of supporters had these types)

**Steve Bruce** · 17/05/2008, 1:12 PM

Originally Posted by AnnaghRed

I'd be astounded if the average attendance in the IL reaches 4 figures. Would guess that DC's is around
300, surely even the H&S mandarins running our game [into the ground] reckon they can cater for that?

Didnt Coleraine - apparently now our 3rd best supported team - publish average attendances for last season of round the 800 mark? [600 excluding the visits of Linfield & Glentoran] A truly sorry state of affairs.

And besides that, DC's ground is deemed suitable enough for Cliftonville to use next season.

Lets be honest we do not know the average attendances of our league because very few release figures.

**Graemerz** · 17/05/2008, 4:26 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

Lets be honest we do not know the average attendances of our league because very few release figures.

Glentoran now release attendance figures on their official site. Hilarious.

**Buller** · 17/05/2008, 4:56 PM

Originally Posted by Mr_Parker

The points rankings were announced tonight with the top 12 forming the new league.

Portadown were not considered as their application was late. Larne, Limavady and Armagh failed to get a Domestic Licence. That left 13 with Donegal Celtic missing out and 1st Division club Bangor joining the final 12.

1. Linfield - 1339 points
2. Ballymena United - 1054 points
3. Glentoran - 1016 points
4. Coleraine - 965 points
5. Cliftonville - 945 points
6. Dungannon Swifts - 855 points
7. Glenavon - 828 points
8. Crusaders - 826 points
9. Lisburn Distillery - 815 points
10. Newry City - 796 points
11. Bangor - 641 points
12. Institute - 632 points
----------------------------
13. Donegal Celtic - 543 points

Yey!!!

**AnnaghRed** · 18/05/2008, 1:01 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

Lets be honest we do not know the average attendances of our league because very few release figures.

True, but those of us who attend games not involving Linfield or Glentoran would perhaps get a better perspective of the overall picture.

**AnnaghRed** · 18/05/2008, 1:03 AM

Originally Posted by Graemerz

Glentoran now release attendance figures on their official site. Hilarious.

Hilarious wouldn't be the adjective i'd use to describe the figures they release. That the Glens support has dropped to that level should be a major concern to anyone who gives a sh*t about the future of the IL

**waide** · 18/05/2008, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by AnnaghRed

Hilarious wouldn't be the adjective i'd use to describe the figures they release. That the Glens support has dropped to that level should be a major concern to anyone who gives a sh*t about the future of the IL

I would take yhe figure that the glens release with a large pinch of salt,that also applies to linfield.