5th place play-off of sorts

**L.T.F.C.** · 17/10/2011, 4:58 PM

Originally Posted by outspoken

Your fighting a losing battle here LTFC your saying were not fit to go up just because of 1 meaningless game tonight. So if Shamrock Rovers or Derry or Sligo or anyone went out tomorrow morning and lost to Galway United would that mean their not fit for the premier division? And the way you go on youd swear it was the barclays premier league we were trying to get into. Theres not a massive gulf in class between a top 5 first div side and a lower end premier team sure look at shels drawing with pats last night and why has there been 2 first division teams in the last 2 ea sports cup finals? Theres no doubt in my mind if we were in the prem this season wed stay up ahead of Galway and take points off the likes of UCD and Drogheda and yes while next years 12 team league will be a lot tougher we would not disgrace ourselves in it sure this season we only lost maybe 2 games by a goal or more and we gave Bohs and Rovers and UCD frights over the last 2 seasons so your argument is totally flawed.. On the financial thing there are a lot of clubs just hanging in right now ie. Bohs so if we just keep a steady budget like were doing we wont struggle like you think especially with improved gates from playing in the top flight. Anyway wed be nearly in Dublin every week I'd say travel costs would be a lot less in the Premier than first (maybe someone could confirm that for me?)

This isn't a competition outspoken. There are no winners and no losers. There is nothing special about taking points off a truly diabolical Drogheda team, and I question whether or not we would take points from UCD. And giving teams "frights" is nothing to shout about either. Hanging in is no good for anyone.

Originally Posted by Massop 10

So L.T.F.C. you were at the game last night ? To let you know yes I was there. As I have been for 27 of the 29 league games plus our cup games this season ! Was doing my coaching badges for the other games. You will have noticed so that we were missing Salmon (many peoples player of the season) and Brady (one of the best wingers in the league this season) for starters. You are intitled to your opinion and I respect that as we all have one but I feel you are judging the Team souly on results and some games you have seen. I belive you have not made all of the games this season from reading your posts. Just to let you know that I am judging weather or not we are ready to go up by the PERFORMANCES that I have seen week on week where I have seen us play out of our skins to be caught be an unlucky goal or a bad referees call or a sending off that totally changes the game (Limerick away a few weeks ago for one !). Also the team we have this year has an average age of 21/22 years of age so IF we went up we could add a couple of experianced players and that would help to cut out some of the mistakes that the younger inexperianced players have made and help them to develop. To get experianced players though of any addition we need to be in the Premier Division. So for that reason (I feel) we could quite comfortably survive in the premier and build again as the attendances increse with the larger crowds coming from the bigger clubs. To be honest the first time we went up I remember lots of people saying " Oh They'll be back down next year cos they are a team of nobodies and are not good enough." Tell me did that happen ? It is all well and good been negitive or having that feeling but honestly, as you argueed earlier, if we went up only to come back down you said that we'd lose support. There was 80 approx at the game last night and 30 approx of them were from Salthill !!! A season in the Premier would 1. Improve the players we have as they would play at a higher level. 2. Generate a better matchday profit as away teams bring more support and more people in Longford would come out to se the teams they see on the TV. 3. The club would get more advertising revenue as they would have TV, newspaper and even computer game exposure (Fifa 13 by EA Sport) and 4. As said above travel costs would be lower. So I'm sure you can now see there are a lot more positives to even getting one year in the Premier than been stuck in the graveyard First Division. I would have no problem discussing my opinions with you in Cork next weekend.

I commend your support this season Massop, I have been away for much of this season so I'm not going to pretend that I was at as many games as you were. Yes, we were missing players, but that is still no excuse. The lads we were playing last night are rubbish, and we should have been hammering them. I am judging the team solely on results because that is how you judge teams. The league table doesn't show how much possession we had, it doesn't show how many sitters were missed. It shows who won and who lost. There is no denying that where the team, and every team in the division for that matter, deserve to be where they are. I remember many people saying that we would be back down the following year. Delighted we weren't relegated, but we stayed up on a penalty shoot-out. Stephen O'Brien diving another way, or that Finn Harps player burying it, sealed our fate for the next few years. Pure luck! People have told me how wrong I am/was and I was right on by far the most. I hope I am wrong. I can see us getting promoted next year, with a certain few things happening. But after that I can see us making a swift return. However, I hope that I am wrong.

**outspoken** · 17/10/2011, 6:01 PM

Originally Posted by L.T.F.C.

This isn't a competition outspoken. There are no winners and no losers. There is nothing special about taking points off a truly diabolical Drogheda team, and I question whether or not we would take points from UCD. And giving teams "frights" is nothing to shout about either. Hanging in is no good for anyone.

I know this isnt a competition LTFC I wasnt trying to make it into one it was just a figure of speech. If we took points off Drogheda, UCD, Bray and the lower scale teams lets say and we just about survived sure what would be wrong with it? You said yourself its a results business. And yes we would take points off UCD at home especially sure we would have bet them only for the lino this season in the EA Cup. We survived by a penalty shoot out all those years ago at it was a massive moment in our clubs history considering everything that followed so why not go up, hang on and create more history? *emotional speech over*

**Martinho II** · 17/10/2011, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by outspoken

I was given an attendance of 237 for the Salthill game....could that be right? And no way was there 30 Salthill fans Massop! Thats the only thing in your entire post I disagreed with the rest was 100% spot on.

I was at the club lotto tonight outspoken and the club confirmed to me that there was 250 people at the game.. a lot of people came in at half time..

**thelocal** · 18/10/2011, 10:38 AM

Everyone is just talking about the ifs, coulds and shoulds. We shouldnt be worried about who we would take points off if we were in the premier division because, the fact of the matter is, we're still a first dvision team. Id take more interest in who we'll be taking points off next year and whether or not were capable of mounting and maintaining a serious challenge next season. I heard that about 80% of the squad will be still at the club next year so things are slowly but surely beginning to look positive.

**outspoken** · 18/10/2011, 4:11 PM

Not bad so if we could get that for the sh1t games every week and 4-500 for the rest we'd be doing ok.

**Macy** · 30/10/2011, 1:52 PM

Going from the Dinner Dance speech, it appears TC shares the view that we should be pushing on and challenging for promotion next season.

**Longfordian** · 30/10/2011, 1:59 PM

Yeah Deans said something similar too. Limerick will be hard stopped next year, they have the money behind them to get better players in. Ourselves and Waterford should be up there contending with them though all going well.

**outspoken** · 31/10/2011, 8:20 AM

My biggest fear now is that the FAI change the promotion structure to say 1 team up. Hopefully they will look at how exciting the promotion race was this year and how boring the relegation battle was in the premier that theyl say right let's keep it 2 up auto and 1 play-off (but have the bottom 2 in premier go down auto and the 3rd bottom in a play-off) If it is like that then there's no reason we can't push Waterford for 2nd I can also see Mervue United, Finn Harps and Wexford been fairly strong if they keep their best and add a few while Athlone could also improve.

**Acornvilla** · 31/10/2011, 10:06 AM

Well from what I'm hearing wexford and salthill won't be around any more, and Bohs will probably go down in a blaze or something or other (or end up in the 1st division), the situation at dundalk is looking a bit bleak too, so god knows whats going to happen.

I assume tralee and cobh will get up so the 1st division, carlow/castlebar showed some interest too didn't they? it looks like its going to be a pretty small 1st div this year if all of that came to pass, so wouldn't be surprised if the leagues are combined or something.

If things don't go mad in pre season as usual, than we should be pushing for second and maybe even first if we keep the team together (and improve it), limerick will probably loose gamble to cork and i'm sure they will loose one or two others that direction too as will waterford. We should just be trying to pick the best players from the rest of the clubs really, Whats the chances we could see tom king back or is he still in college over in galway?

**Longfordian** · 31/10/2011, 10:26 AM

I think Gamble signed for more than just this season so Cork won't pay any fee for Gamble even if they did want him. Limerick don't need to sell either.

**El-Pietro** · 31/10/2011, 11:09 AM

Gamble is tied to Limerick for two more years

**Acornvilla** · 31/10/2011, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by El-Pietro

Gamble is tied to Limerick for two more years

I was chatting to Noah about it the other day, any Idea if anyone else would be on the move between the two?

I guess there is the chance Limerick might end up getting promoted by default anyway if Bohs fall on their own Sword.. well unless the FAI do some impressive fudging

**El-Pietro** · 31/10/2011, 12:13 PM

I don't know yet, haven't really heard many rumors yet. They definitely plan on going gung ho for promotion next year and will be looking to bring more players in and I don't see them releasing anybody.

I imagine one or two of our players who aren't needed next season may end up either there, or at Waterford. Maybe Cobh pick up some scraps as well.

Vinny Sullivan, Jamie Murphy those kind of players. Maybe Derek O'Brien. Quality player but terribly unfit. If he could get in shape he would definitely be offered a contract with us for next year, as things stand no one knows

**L.T.F.C.** · 31/10/2011, 1:14 PM

I've heard that Athlone Town are on the way out too. Fairly sad to hear!
Chatting the players the other night, I can see us going places next season.

**Longfordian** · 31/10/2011, 2:04 PM

They always seem to do enough to get a Licence each year I'm sure next year will be the same though I've no doubt things are grim over there. We're very lucky we have two excellent sponsors and a chairman willing and able to put his hand in his pocket if need be. Not forgetting those who put in the work each week selling lotto tickets etc.

**El-Pietro** · 31/10/2011, 3:12 PM

Longford have to be looking at top 3 next year - Limerick may be too strong for anyone in the division, but Id like to see Limerick battling it out with Waterford for promotion.

Longford were definitely the best of the rest outside the top 4 this season from what i've seen but you would expect Waterford to improve upon their showing.

If I had to guess (and everyone gets their license)

1. Limerick
2. Waterford
3. Longford Town
4. Finn Harps
5. Galway United
6. Mervue United

**Acornvilla** · 31/10/2011, 3:33 PM

Originally Posted by El-Pietro

Longford have to be looking at top 3 next year - Limerick may be too strong for anyone in the division, but Id like to see Limerick battling it out with Waterford for promotion.

Longford were definitely the best of the rest outside the top 4 this season from what i've seen but you would expect Waterford to improve upon their showing.

If I had to guess (and everyone gets their license)

1. Limerick
2. Waterford
3. Longford Town
4. Finn Harps
5. Galway United
6. Mervue United

and that could be the full size of the league too

**Martinho II** · 31/10/2011, 10:53 PM

for the first time in years theres a genuine buzz in our club again.. I spoke to one of the main movers behind the scenes at the dinner dance and they want us to push for promotion as we have it in us.. A lot of the players from what I heard want to stay.. Its getting better day by day!You could sense the positivity at the dinner dance.. Also a big well done to the club for organising the dinner dance as it was great to see the supporters relate to the players.. Remember ten years ago everyone when this was the norm with a super relationship between players and fans and ye all know what happened next?

**Acornvilla** · 31/10/2011, 11:06 PM

Originally Posted by Martinho II

ye all know what happened next?

**Macy** · 01/11/2011, 8:54 AM

Originally Posted by Acornvilla

I guess there is the chance Limerick might end up getting promoted by default anyway if Bohs fall on their own Sword.. well unless the FAI do some impressive fudging

All of this is just speculation at the moment, until the licences are sorted. However, if the Galway get a premier division licence, and bohs do go bang, the precedent is that Galway would stay up.

If all that talk about teams dropping out is true, then promotion is irrelevant - there'd have to be a one division league, for at least a season. All we can do is retain a premier licence and see how the cards fall.