things must be ok down in Cork behind the scenes as R.Collins is taking the managers job... Will or have Cork City had a 2nd team in the A-league?? If derry can sort there problems then the leagues should be the same as last season, apart of course of the teams goin up and down.
Any more teams confirmed for entering in the A-League for next season?
Sorry for the delay, but first thought it best to see what happened, and then haven't been on the site over Christmas. I've plenty of friends living in Cork so I wish them well, but hard to see them paying back €150k, so Cobh could well be bumped up. No more word on new clubs, but Dynamos could also find themselves in the First Division if there are any developments with other clubs.
Will Bray and Derry be keeping their clubs this year in the A league? Limerick will have a team this year.
The A league would need Derry to strengthen the northern section, so if they can't field a B team, the only option will be to put in a few of the Dublin sides. As for Bray, they'll only enter if they end up back in the Premier in the coming weeks.
Any word on when things will be finalised for the A-League this year?
I'd imagine nothing will be decided before Licensing Day next month, but after that you'd expect the groups to be announced in early March.
Fair play thanks.Originally Posted by culloty82
I am a newcomer to the site. Looking in from Wales where I follow my local team Haverfordwest County in the Welsh Premier League. As a hobby, for many years, I also have kept a note of the attendances and levels of support for teams operating at all levels in Britain and Ireland where the figures or guide figures can be found.
I wonder if any of the teams mentioned on this thread has much support in terms of attendance at ordinary league games? I haven't seen any figures for the A Championship so don't know what sort of figures they should be getting in order to stand a chance of matching the reserve outfits or the likes of Tralee Dynamo, Castlebar Celtic etc.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the figures in the A Championship and which up and coming teams might have enough support to step up in the next few seasons?
You're very welcome, always good to have new members on board. Unfortunately, none of the A Championship teams kept official attendances last year, but Castlebar and Tralee both roughly averaged 150 last year, which isn't far off the 200 of smaller First Division teams like Mervue and Monaghan, and because both teams are from counties with a strong regional identity and sporting tradition, they would be expected to make the breakthrough in 2-3 years. Cobh were a League club until they went bankrupt, and if Cork City are liquidated in two weeks, they will apply to rejoin the League and gain the Cork support. There's no English-style pyramid below the A Championship, so any interested team in regional or county leagues can join the division if they meet the licensing conditions.
so with salthill taken the option to join the 1st division how will this affect the number of teams in last years group, or is there many teams entering to cover for them moving up. also if the LOI is starting the 1st week in March, will the A-League be startin the same weekend?
All that's certain is that the A League will be starting 1st of April. Don't know how the groups will be arranged, but there will have to be changes as Derry mightn't have a reserve team, the other section would be largely unchanged as adding in Limerick B will be cancelled out by Cobh/new Cork in Division 1.
Pending licences, these are the teams likely to be in each section (based on the groups last season).
Northern Section:
Castlebar
Derry B (if their squad is big enough)
Drogheda B
Dundalk B
Finn Harps B
Galway B
Sligo B
Fingal B (moved to replace Salthill)
Tullamore
Southern Section:
Bohemians B
Bray B
Carlow
Cork/Cobh (depending on takeover/licence)
Limerick B
St Pats B
Shamrock Rovers B
Tralee
UCD B
when are the licences confirmed? or is there to much goin on with the likes of cork and derry before they can confirm anymore??
Last year, it was the 16th of February or so. That's the day we should know the Premier and First Division constitutions. The A Championship groups will only be announced later.
The licences are confirmed the 14th of February, Derry should be OK, but as they're still cobbling a squad together for the First Division, the A league wouldn't be their top priority. As for Cork, let's just say that by tomorrow week, FORAS could still be starting off in the A Championship under that name. In that scenario, you can be pretty guaranteed that Cobh would move up to replace them as Tralee wouldn't be ready in time. The groups shouldn't be much different either way though.
Derry have a seperate manager signing players for the A League so I doubt very much if Kennys transfer dealings have any bearing on the A League.
Its the same at Harps, although the managers are in regular contact, it's essentially Paddy Foys decision.
Will Harps have a team in the A Championship this year?
Afaik, Harps are the only First Division side to have an A League squad this season, so looks like Derry, Limerick and Bray can be taken out of the above lists.
Only included Bray on the assumption they'd be promoted to replace Cork, but seems that could be Waterford or Shelbourne now. Interestingly, the master fixture list on Dynamos' site has 18 league games scheduled, so with 10 Premier reserves, Harps B and the five senior teams from last year, that suggests we can expect four new clubs this season.
Bumping this thread up again so people will post news on licences, new clubs etc as it comes in today.
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