16 Team Premier Division / Winter Season from 2012/13 TODAY'S DAILY MAIL

**Jofspring** · 10/11/2010, 9:11 AM

Supposedly he was saying it on TV3 last night.

**Shannonsider** · 10/11/2010, 9:15 AM

Originally Posted by peadar1987

Unfortunately, most of the Irish public would chose a Friday night English Premier League build-up show over League of Ireland.

Just like most of the Irish Public would chose watching the Late Late Show, going to the pub, anything at all instead of going to a League of Ireland. There will always be excusing until the League improves. Simple as. We will always have the loyal, hardcore support but nothing else will follow unless the League continues to improve and winter football will not solve or change anything. Just like there will be people going away for weekends etc.. in the summer there will also be people saying it is too cold, im watching tv etc.. in the winter.

**Dodge** · 10/11/2010, 9:34 AM

Have heard from a guy I know involved with Rovers that the 16 team league wis definitely happening.

Strangely it'll be 1 down, 7 up! Wiht the A league sides promoted to the first division (and they're hoping to entice two new sides in too).

**Mr A** · 10/11/2010, 9:46 AM

Sounds mad.

It'd make a lot more sense to have a two legged playoff between 7th in the first and last in the premier. I think it's important to have some prospect of relegation but it seems very harsh to finish to drop straight out of the 16 from there.

**Jofspring** · 10/11/2010, 9:49 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Have heard from a guy I know involved with Rovers that the 16 team league wis definitely happening.

Strangely it'll be 1 down, 7 up! Wiht the A league sides promoted to the first division (and they're hoping to entice two new sides in too).

It would be interesting to see how teams would set up for the season ahead in the First Division if this goes ahead. There is no point in teams spending money to try win the league if a top 7 would suffice.

If it was to have happened this year the league next season would have looked like this:

Premier:

Shamrock Rovers
Bohemians
Sligo Rovers
Sporting Fingal
St.Patricks Athletic
Dundalk
UCD
Galway
Bray
Derry
Waterford
Monaghan
Shelbourne
Limerick
Cork
Wexford Youths

First:

Drogheda
Finn Harps
Longford
Athlone
Mervue
Salthill
Cobh Ramblers
Tralee Dynamos
Castlebar
Tullamore Town
FC Carlow

A Championship:

"A" teams for the 16 Premier Teams and possibly invite a few more junior or senior league clubs that might be interested?

Nice spread of teams around the country there in both divisions and i think every game would be bigger as you would only play each other twice in the season. Could the licensing be a problem for some teams.

**gufct** · 10/11/2010, 9:59 AM

There will be no relegation next year.

**Dodge** · 10/11/2010, 10:00 AM

It seems mad to me that Athlone and Harps wouldn't be part of a 16 team premier given their history.

I realise that counts for nothing now.

**Jofspring** · 10/11/2010, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

It seems mad to me that Athlone and Harps wouldn't be part of a 16 team premier given their history.

I realise that counts for nothing now.

Ya true but they should be in a strong enough position to challenge for promotion their first year in the new division one i would think.

3 up 3 down the following season or 2 straight down, 2 up and a play off for 3 from bottom premier and 3 in division 1?

**shep** · 10/11/2010, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Have heard from a guy I know involved with Rovers that the 16 team league wis definitely happening.

Strangely it'll be 1 down, 7 up! Wiht the A league sides promoted to the first division (and they're hoping to entice two new sides in too).

Did he mention anything about if it would be Winter/Summer...or was it just 16 team he had heard

**stann** · 10/11/2010, 10:28 AM

Would it not be the case that it'll be the top 6 teams with a Premier licence that would go up?
If this year's licences carried through to next season Jofspring's list wouldn't look quite like it does there (I know ourselves and Mons have one, can't remember off-hand about the rest of the Div 1 clubs, think there was 5 in total though?).
Anyway, any club with aspirations to be in the six next year will have work to do for the next few weeks if it is the case.

**Macy** · 10/11/2010, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by stann

Would it not be the case that it'll be the top 6 teams with a Premier licence that would go up?

That's what I would've thought too, certainly licence depending. Although could just be wishful thinking given Longford had a premier licence this season.

**Jofspring** · 10/11/2010, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by stann

Would it not be the case that it'll be the top 6 teams with a Premier licence that would go up?

Would think the top 6 in the league would just go up and any that don't get a premier licence will be replaced by next in line. Would think all the teams would get a premier licence. We would be the only ones who might not but the Markets Field could be secured at that stage so that could help grant us one.

**Macy** · 10/11/2010, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Jofspring

We would be the only ones who might not but the Markets Field could be secured at that stage so that could help grant us one.

No club will fall on infrastructure - wishy washy plans has been enough for the ground part of a premier licence since the very start of bloody licencing!

**Jofspring** · 10/11/2010, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Macy

No club will fall on infrastructure - wishy washy plans has been enough for the ground part of a premier licence since the very start of bloody licencing!

Thats why i think we will get through purely on having the Markets Field either lined up or are moving into it already. Jackman would probably fail alright as there is only one entrance and exit in the ground and if there is bigger crowds to be expected from travelling fans or even from home fans then Jackman would not be up to it. I think this has held us back from getting one previously.

**legendz** · 10/11/2010, 11:01 AM

The Division One listed above has 11 clubs. With 16 clubs in the Premier, until they can get 16 clubs to play at a national level in Division One, this Division should continue to be played over 3 or 4 series. 8 teams would give 28 games ( 4 games x 7 clubs ), 2 less than the Premier ( 2 games x 15 clubs = 30 game season ). 10 team division would give either 27 ( 3 games x 9 clubs ) or 36 ( 4 games x 9 clubs ).
I would think it might be best to start with 8, in time look to expand to 12 and then 16.
For relegation/promotion, possibly have 2 up, 2 down and a play-off between 14th Premier and 3rd Division One. If the division expanded to 16 run the play-off between 14th Premier and 3rd to 5th in Division One.

**Dodge** · 10/11/2010, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by shep

Did he mention anything about if it would be Winter/Summer...or was it just 16 team he had heard

Not from him but apparently the winter thing is to be discussed more. Some clubs looking for studies into it apparently. The league will definitely change size within 18 months though

**pineapple stu** · 10/11/2010, 11:42 AM

FWIW on that last point, Gavin was quoted in the Mirror today as saying that the league may be 12 or 16 teams or somewhere in between. So it's not a definite that it'll be up to 16 teams (if you believe everything he says, which is obviously a bad idea). All he said on the summer/winter thing is that the FAI would be looking at it more closely.

**Jofspring** · 10/11/2010, 12:01 PM

Today FM sports news just said it is looking like a 12 team premier for 2012 with a view to expanding to 16 after that.

**legendz** · 10/11/2010, 12:09 PM

10 clubs to 12 clubs to 16 clubs is 36 games to 33 games to 30 games. Gradual progression.
If Division One ever gets expanded to 16 as well, back on the subject of the League Cup, the League Cup should be run as 8 groups of 4 giving Division One clubs more high profile games.

**Charlie Darwin** · 10/11/2010, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Have heard from a guy I know involved with Rovers that the 16 team league wis definitely happening.

Strangely it'll be 1 down, 7 up! Wiht the A league sides promoted to the first division (and they're hoping to entice two new sides in too).

Are there two more Galway teams there to entice?