The season Longford and Monaghan are in the Premier would probably be the greatest season in the LoI's history.Originally Posted by Martinho II
I haven't heard much talk of late about the expansion of the league to 24 clubs, 12 in each division. I still think 16 club Premier (2 series ~ 30 games) and 8 club First Division (4 series ~ 28 games) is the way to go.
Its not too long ago that we both were in the Premier albeit Monaghan only lasted the season but it has happened before!
8 club 1st Division? Are you mad? 10 is bad enough for fook sake.
sam please dont get him started again.... legendz please dispel the notion that clubs /supporters, media have any say in the make up of the league now or in the future, it is at the sole discretion of the one who must be obeyed.
I wish i did not know then what I dont know now
Ha ha, I've no interest in starting again tbh. I've had my say on it.
I just want to highlight that maybe the mooted 16 team Premier should be put back on the agenda.
what agenda... read the last part of my post the clubs have been putting options forward to the league since the merger they dont care what anyone thinks..
I wish i did not know then what I dont know now
The agenda, as I put it, is to do with the clubs vote last season and the meetings that were to be held before Christmas about it. I thought the conclusion was an expansion of the Premier to 12? Whoever the powers that be are, they should listen to the clubs and go with a Premier of 16. Before Delaney quenched talk, talk of a 16 team Premier, seemed to be well received in many quarters.
I accept your point though re. those putting options forward etc.
Do you want a 10 Prem and 10 1st Div?
or
16 team Prem and 8 team 1st Div?
Depending on what day it is you say something different!
Fair comment. Based on the 22 clubs at the moment, reduce to 20, 10 and 10. Long-term if clubs can be invited from the A Championship to make 24, 16 and 8. This is with a view that in time the First Division will expand to 10, 12 or more if clubs can come on board, while the Premier Division as the flagship league will remain a constant 16 club league.
It was in one of yesterdays papaers that the FAI have decided against increasing the premier to 14 or 16 clubs, but will be going back to 12 - 2 automatic promotions this season from 1st div and a play off between 3rd of 1st div and last in prem.
LTID
That report, from what I heard, has not given any information on what's going to happen to the few A Championship clubs remaining. I've always wanted to see a Kerry club in the LoI, I hope it can happen in the next few years.
Think I heard Fran Gavin say that this weekend will be the announcement.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
Given that Castlebar appear to have reverted to junior soccer, it might make more sense to have a national A Championship this year given that only three non-league teams will be involved, they could play each other once and the teams would ultimately have to play nationwide if promoted in any event. It makes sense to maintain the division under a ten-team Premier, but once it goes to 12, the First Division can be expanded up to 16 teams if any junior clubs are interested.
I agree on the idea of a national A Championship but for beyond this season. As I've said a few times, 3 first division clubs already field a reserve side in the A league, despite not being mandatory. A national A Championship will scare off some clubs but there will still be clubs who'll have a reserve set-up. A mixture of reserve sides and aspiring LoI sides equates to the need for the A Championship to remain. It's surely better for aspiring Junior clubs to test themselves in an A Championship before joining the First Division. It should at least bring a certain standard to the division.
On the LoI website is says, to be taken with a pinch of salt I'm sure:
For many years the Airtricity League was seen by others within Irish football as a closed shop, but recent developments have opened-up the league and placed it firmly on top of the football pyramid.
Central to this change has been the creation of the Newstalk A Championship. The Newstalk A Championship acts as the first stop for clubs hoping to move into the Airtricity League, giving them the opportunity to get used to the standards – both on and off the pitch – expected if they are to progress into the First Division and, ultimately, Premier Division.
In future clubs will be joining the second tier again without getting used to the expected standards on and off the pitch.
Ya, was that the year Monaghan had the sweet Pro-Star shirts with the stars on the sleeves?Its not too long ago that we both were in the Premier albeit Monaghan only lasted the season but it has happened before!
Yup that was them. There is still a kids one (signed by our players including John Lestor, hubba hubba) kicking about my house. Santa brought it that year for my eldest. It was his first mons jersey coz we had just moved back to Monaghan and I started bringing my boys to games.
Wasnt that Mons only like the Juve away jersey, if i remember right.
Manager: Fergal, have you your boots with ya?
Fergal: Ya, I have them here.
Manager: Ah good stuff, well give them to this man so, he forgot his!
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...289522624.html
EMMET MALONE
SOCCER: DROGHEDA UNITED and Monaghan United have both indicated their firm interest in replacing Sporting Fingal in the Premier Division for the coming season after it was confirmed the Dublin club will cease trading as a result of failing to secure new financial backing ahead of this weekend’s licensing deadline.
According to the league’s rules, Drogheda are first in line to fill the vacancy with Monaghan and Waterford United second and third respectively but the FAI said last night that the decision on which club to offer the place to will be based on the outcome of Sunday’s Licensing Committee meeting.
News that Fingal officials had admitted defeat in their attempts to save the club prompted potential replacements to redraft their licence applications yesterday.
“We’ve applied for a Premier Division licence,” confirmed a Drogheda United spokesman last night. “We’ve revised our budgets based on Premier Division income and resubmitted them today.”
It was denied that the club, which has suffered a succession of financial problems itself in recent years, would simply be exposing itself to further difficulties by seeking to stay up after being relegated at the end of last season.
“No, we’ve been talking to potential backers in recent weeks and the message we’ve had back loud and clear is that everything changes if we’re in the Premier Division. If we can keep the playing budget low but increase our income then really everything becomes manageable.”
Having seen their side lose out in the play-offs to Bray Wanderers, meanwhile, Monaghan United officials are keen to avail of any opportunity to play at the higher level. “We would be very anxious to take the place,” said club chairman Jim McGlone last night, “and we feel we’re in a better position than most clubs to take it on; we’re confident that we would get through the season without any problems.”
McGlone added that while Mick Cooke had signed the majority of his squad for the coming season, the club had held back before completing its panel just in case. “We’ve been a bit cagey in relation to two or three players because we needed to be sure what division we’d be in before we made a decision,” he said.
Ironically, it means that the club, like Bohemians, could be in a position to sign released members of the highly-rated Fingal squad when other, ostensibly stronger clubs would not because they have already allocated their budget for the year. Ken Oman, having only signed for the club after the long running contractual dispute with Bohemians was sorted out recently, became the first player to move on yesterday when he joined Shamrock Rovers.
Though clearly a major blow to an already battered league, the timing of Fingal’s decision has at least spared the FAI the difficulties that followed the mid-season collapse four and a half years ago of Dublin City. Nevertheless, the league director, Fran Gavin, acknowledged that it was a setback and expressed his sympathy for the main figures behind the club.
“It’s disappointing news,” he said. “They informed us this afternoon. John O’Brien, the secretary of Sporting Fingal, said they were withdrawing their licence application. It’s very disappointing from a human point of view for the players, their families and Liam Buckley, who’s put five years of his life into this project, three years of which were very successful.”
He said that if Drogheda United receive a Premier Division licence this weekend then he sees “no reason” why the club should not take the place in the top flight and said that the question of whether the squad might be amateur was “a choice the club will have to make”.
Buckley, who along with O’Brien had been the driving force behind Sporting Fingal’s creation and remarkable success over the past few years – the club won both promotion to the Premier Division and the FAI Cup during its short existence – said he was “devastated” by the club’s collapse.
“Finding a replacement for our supportive backer was always going to be a major challenge but we were pleased with the progress made.
“Sadly, the suddenness and timing of last week’s sponsorship setback sent us back to the drawing board, a predicament we were simply unable to overcome so close to the season kick-off.”
The club’s place in the Europa League will now go to St Patrick’s Athletic who have until April to apply for the required UEFA licence.
Here's an unofficial Monaghan take on things.
http://monaghanunited.tv/?p=291
Posting Permissions
Quote
Bookmarks