The Future of the League

**Martinho II** · 22/09/2011, 8:57 PM

I dont think that groupin in the under19 league is right as longford town played sligo rovers away last week? I would like to see some new teams in it like Tralee Dynamoes whose manager is ex LTFC coach Noel White and FC Carlow to freshen it up a bit.

**legendz** · 22/09/2011, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Martinho II

I dont think that groupin in the under19 league is right as longford town played sligo rovers away last week? I would like to see some new teams in it like Tralee Dynamoes whose manager is ex LTFC coach Noel White and FC Carlow to freshen it up a bit.

It was an article during the summer before the groupings were finalised.

**CraftyToePoke** · 23/09/2011, 2:38 AM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Just out of interest question for other posters here. How did you get in to LoI eg dragged along by parents, simple curiosity, following mates etc. What keeps you going back apart from some wierd masochistic streak?

It started for me watching Newcastle West in their brief time at LOI standard when I was very young, I would see their results in the six o'clock news along with the countrys big sides and I remember wanting to see this for myself, I pestered my dad into bringing me and after a 3-4 FAI Cup game Vs Harps I was hooked, I thought it was the most exciting thing I had ever seen. I remember when Derry came as well, with all their air horns and flags, and our FAI Cup run being ended by non league St Francis in the year they made the final, and the rivalry of sorts with Cobh. Id meet several of my friends there and we would have kickaround after, great memories.

When the club dropped out of LOI and ended up dropping to a level I would later play at myself, naturally, interest waned and nearest other LOI side, Limerick began to get my attention, and I have watched Limerick in several of their homes around the city since and always enjoyed it. I will hopefully finally get to see them in The Markets Field next season. Its funny, all these years later, I now live in England but my dad, who I used to have to drag to Ballygowan Park in the late 80's to watch NCW, is now a regular at Jackman Park in Limerick and will text me the updates each Friday night as it happens. He would have been more of a GAA man at one point.

I have brought some bar stooler friends along at times but they never developed any affinity, even when they have been pleasantly surprised and well entertained, but I suppose LOI does not provide the reflective glory and super slow motion multi angle replay carry on that Celtic and the EPL sides give them, that sense of occasion, however artifically hyped and vacuous it may be.

I have always maintained there was real talent in LOI and the recent years movement of lads to cross channel sides has confirmed something most of us knew for a long time, but its also something which sustains my interest now, the opportunity to see the next Coleman, Doyle or Gaynor in their early days.

And the final deciding factor when planning the visit home is the Limerick fixtures, always, no Ryanair booking completed untill the home game is confirmed.

**srfc1928** · 23/09/2011, 9:39 AM

As Mr A said about donegal, Sligo got no benefit from the Celtic tiger at all.
But now with the recession the NW area is really struggling.
Emmigration/ migration has had a negative effect on attendances and revenue,
we lose so many fans through this, and of course unemployment.

Now to dissappoint the shams conspiracy theory that we are in debt, we're not.
Things are extremley tight, and we survive from month to month like we always have for the last 82 years, always paying our debts.
Since our inception we've nearly always had to have full time pro's on our books to have a team due to our location so its nothing new for us.
You can still have full timers and be fiancially frugle, we've built a club around it.

**legendz** · 23/09/2011, 9:52 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Cool, thanks. Pity about the attendances though.

Yeah it's a pity. The A Championship never caught the public's attention really. It was a good idea by the FAI but could have been implemented better. I mean like, last year there were 5 teams Cobh, Carlow, Tralee, Tullamore and Castlebar. It'd have been better if all these teams were playing against each other than a split. The Harps lads have made good points regards travel but Tralee to Castlebar would've been the furthest and manageable. There would've been enough optional reserve teams to make a decent league, the likes of Limerick, UCD and Shelbourne did ok at that level. There wasn't any onus on Limerick and Shels when they were involved.

Anyways it's neither here not there now, the clubs themselves never really lobbied for anything.

**Dodge** · 23/09/2011, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

I hope the league futures lies in being expanded from the current 21 clubs to 24. Cobh, Tralee and Carlow have been working hard these last few years. The league should open the door for these 3 clubs.

As the thread is, primarily, about clubs struggling. How do you think these 3 clusbw ill help the existing ones?

**Dodge** · 23/09/2011, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

There would've been enough optional reserve teams to make a decent league, the likes of Limerick, UCD and Shelbourne did ok at that level. There wasn't any onus on Limerick and Shels when they were involved.

Limerick competed in 3 of the 4 years, never going above 6th in the group tables

Shels only competed in one league, finishing 6th in their group

Even UCD, who have always treated reserve and underage leagues with great respect didn’t enter when they didn’t have to.

Cork and Derry dropped their A team when they weren’t obliged to have it (and Dundalk didn’t have it for their year in the first either).

The only club that put out an A league when they didn’t have to for each of the 4 years was Finn Harps.

**legendz** · 23/09/2011, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

As the thread is, primarily, about clubs struggling. How do you think these 3 clusbw ill help the existing ones?

This thread is about the future of the league as well. The attitude above is part of the problem with the league. There seems to be a reluctance to welcome or invite new regions into the league. The league is not going to have a strong footing nationally if more regions are not involved. At least with the A Championship there could be no argument that the league was a closed shop.

**legendz** · 23/09/2011, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Limerick competed in 3 of the 4 years, never going above 6th in the group tables

Shels only competed in one league, finishing 6th in their group

Even UCD, who have always treated reserve and underage leagues with great respect didn’t enter when they didn’t have to.

Cork and Derry dropped their A team when they weren’t obliged to have it (and Dundalk didn’t have it for their year in the first either).

The only club that put out an A league when they didn’t have to for each of the 4 years was Finn Harps.

I wouldn't blame Shels or anyone for pulling out this year when the league was ending anyway. You could well be right that no reserve team would get involved but can we say that for sure?

**pineapple stu** · 23/09/2011, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

This thread is about the future of the league as well. The attitude above is part of the problem with the league. There seems to be a reluctance to welcome or invite new regions into the league.

You've completely misrepresented Dodge's post. He asked how inviting new clubs - like Mervue or Salthill - would help the existing ones. He didn't show any reluctance to invite new clubs or regions. You, however, said you hoped the league's future lay this way. The likes of Mervue, Salthill and Wexford - with the greatest of respect to them - haven't improved any other club in the league.

**legendz** · 23/09/2011, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

As the thread is, primarily, about clubs struggling. How do you think these 3 clusbw ill help the existing ones?

Ok, I'll answer this question. If these clubs are invited, the league will have full representation nationally of regions that want to be part of the league. All other areas not involved cannot have complaints when they have the same opportunity to work at A Championship level towards being fully involved in the League of Ireland. From there at the end of the day it is down to every club to get their own structures right. Limerick have been doing good work in the community in recent years. While not all clubs are going to be lucky with the backing Limerick have, getting involved in the community like that has to be central to what clubs are about.

Personally, it'll be fantastic to see 8 or 9 of the current first division clubs coming to Tralee next year.

**pineapple stu** · 23/09/2011, 1:04 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

Ok, I'll answer this question. If these clubs are invited, the league will have full representation nationally of regions that want to be part of the league. All other areas not involved cannot have complaints when they have the same opportunity to work at A Championship level towards being fully involved in the League of Ireland.

None of that will have any bearing on UCD.

**legendz** · 23/09/2011, 1:11 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

None of that will have any bearing on UCD.

If Tralee are in the league, it'll increase the league's profile in Kerry. A good number of people from Kerry will go to UCD. They might be more encouraged to take in UCD's games when they are in the capital then as well as a result.

**Mr A** · 23/09/2011, 1:13 PM

I get what you're saying legendz and agree with letting in new clubs.

But if anything they slightly hurt the clubs already there- clubs that are unknown in League of Ireland terms are a hard sell in terms of getting people interested. (Fortunately we get around that problem by being completely pish and putting punters off via our own ineptitude rather than the unknown nature of the opposition.)

**pineapple stu** · 23/09/2011, 1:15 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

If Tralee are in the league, it'll increase the league's profile in Kerry. A good number of people from Kerry will go to UCD. They might be more encouraged to take in UCD's games when they are in the capital then as well as a result.

Didn't happen with Wexford. Won't happen with any other new club. And that's taking into account that we may be a special case because we're a college.

I've no problems with other clubs joining the league, but there's no point saying they'll revolutionise things.

**culloty82** · 23/09/2011, 1:17 PM

Like Wexford, the three clubs, if selected, will hopefully prove that it is fully sustainable to run a League of Ireland club on an amateur, locally-centred basis, driven by a solid youth structure from the earliest ages right up to senior level. That, at the very least, would be the lesson for existing clubs, and if an added benefit is greater interest in and affinity with the League through a more "national" representation, then that can only boost attendances.

**legendz** · 23/09/2011, 1:17 PM

I see what you're saying Mr A. I think as a once off though if the league is revamped to being two divisions of 12, the new clubs coming in will be a breath of fresh air and give some new energy and buzz to the league. From there then the league needs a stable structure and time to bed in. There will be slight hurt initially but in the long run I think it'll be looked back on as a good move for the league.

**legendz** · 23/09/2011, 1:19 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Didn't happen with Wexford. Won't happen with any other new club. And that's taking into account that we may be a special case because we're a college.

I've no problems with other clubs joining the league, but there's no point saying they'll revolutionise things.

I'm not suggesting they will revolutionalise anything. As I suggested in my last post, I just think this once as a one off it can work.

**pineapple stu** · 23/09/2011, 1:20 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

As I suggested in my last post, I just think this once as a one off it can work.

Define "work"?

**osarusan** · 23/09/2011, 1:25 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

As I suggested in my last post, I just think this once as a one off it can work.

But it isn't a one off. Lots of clubs have joined the league, and none of them have 'been a breath of fresh air' for the league. Each club that joins will become, instantly, just another club in the league.