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

**Sam_Heggy** · 12/12/2010, 2:01 PM

No harm lads but yer chatting through your rings.
The current established LOI clubs can't even get big enough gates to support them never mind some of the new sides.
The likes of Fanad are a fine Intermediate side with a good tradition in Junior football but they would not get more than 50/100 at home games. For me that's not good enough for senior football.
Also, this talk of having FORMER Derry and Harps players is bull. Fanad have a few former Harps lads, only one of which really featured, Paddy McGrenaghan (who is well past his best). The rest of them are lads that never made the grade at senior level, what makes them suddenly become good enough now?

I have seen Castlebar and Tullamore A League games with about 20 in attendance. What is there to suggest that they would magically improve the gates by going into the first division and, in all reality, getting whipped each week?

**Sam_Heggy** · 12/12/2010, 2:02 PM

Originally Posted by MariborKev

Eh, not what I heard Sam.

Meeting is due the 15th AFAIK.

So, they're not giving the League cup winners a place in the Champions League either?

**legendz** · 12/12/2010, 3:36 PM

Chatting through rings and comments like... Champions League places for the League Cup... Some form of pyramid for Division One!!

It's a fair point that attendances are low in the A Championship. Football has to come on in these areas and it will take time I'd imagine.
While I cannot see why established clubs like Athlone Town or Harps will want to join a regional set-up, I think it will be a good move for the A Championship sides. The A Championship has a low profile and a regionalised First Division will give them more higher profile games.
The only way I'd support the split is if it's done with a view to look at expanding the Premier more in the future to 14 or 16.

**Dodge** · 15/12/2010, 9:57 PM

Clubs have voted to retain the summer season. A 12 team premier division in 2012

**oriel** · 15/12/2010, 10:09 PM

Good news, although increasing to 12 is not exactly ground breaking, even 14 would have made a big difference, but its better than 10, and I`m pleased to see the Summer retained.

Any news on the dreaded split Dodge ?

**Dodge** · 15/12/2010, 10:25 PM

According to mark McCadden (who with dan McDonnell are the most on the ball journos) the split is happening.

12 teams in the first division too

**culloty82** · 16/12/2010, 8:04 AM

So, if this is confirmed, the A Championship's staying. Will be interesting if they promote the top team in each section, or just the two clubs with most points.

**legendz** · 16/12/2010, 8:13 AM

Is the First Division of 12 going to have a split as well? Is the A Championship safe?
If the Premier of 12 is being done with a view to look at expanding in the future, I'm ok with it. If the lower section is labelled a relegation group after the split, from a marketing point of view, it's a negative name. I think it should adopt the title: Premier Division Shield. Shield for the winner and a place in Europa League play-offs as done in Wales with the split, so that the top side in the lower section has something worth while to play for.

**pineapple stu** · 16/12/2010, 8:39 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Clubs have voted to retain the summer season. A 12 team premier division in 2012

Any word on whether it's 2 up 0 down or 3 up 1 down? Or play-offs?

**Dodge** · 16/12/2010, 8:46 AM

Not that I saw. Again, it was only mcCadden tweeting about it. Came too late for today's papers I'd imagine

**gufct** · 16/12/2010, 10:08 AM

Its in todays Star Teams wanted 16 team league our esteemed league council or whatever its called have gone with 12 team league and split which was a disaster last time and will be this time as well.

**passerrby** · 16/12/2010, 12:32 PM

never heard of a league council but would expect that clubs had no say in whatever format is /has been decided, was told by a rovers fan yesterday that he heard that regionising is no longer in the plans

when you read somethiing in the star be prepared to use large amounts of salt

**Dodge** · 16/12/2010, 12:43 PM

Star is usually bang on for the LOI in fairness.

The problem is some peiople read a line like "teams wanted" and read that as "all teams"

**legendz** · 16/12/2010, 1:23 PM

A report in Scotland on proposals on how their league can move forward is suggesting that their top two leagues have 10 clubs in each. The report suggests regionalising their lower leagues and the formation of a pyramid structure.

**John83** · 16/12/2010, 8:57 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

A report in Scotland on proposals on how their league can move forward is suggesting that their top two leagues have 10 clubs in each. The report suggests regionalising their lower leagues and the formation of a pyramid structure.

Is it by those morons at Genesis?

**legendz** · 16/12/2010, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by John83

Is it by those morons at Genesis?

It seems to have been an individual who was put in charge of the report. It has the support of the Scottish manager. I don't think the practice of it will work. Scotland like Ireland had a 10 team Premier before but the clubs sought an expansion to 12 which led them to the current split format.

**Dodge** · 17/12/2010, 9:25 AM

The split format which they're now admitting has failed.

**legendz** · 17/12/2010, 11:05 AM

It's hard to know until they put into practice but if they go to a 10 team Premier, some clubs feel left out and then there's pressure to increase the numbers again.

**bluemovie** · 18/12/2010, 10:25 PM

What we really need is less consistency. Why keep a settled format like the most successful leagues? I propose we feed dozens of possibilities that have already been tried into a randomised computer programme and see what comes out. That would solve all our problems. For example, in 2014 we could have a winter season with an 8 team top flight, a split half way through the season, 4 points for an away win, goal difference to count at the bottom of the table but not the top and points deductions for bad penmanship. Pat Grace might be enticed back as a sponsor.