Promotion / Relegation Play - Offs 2012

**blue til i die** · 12/09/2012, 1:35 PM

Originally Posted by harps1954

He (and yourself Nigel) are 100% wrong. The First Divison play-off is over two legs.

One of the reasons for this is because the FD ends two weeks before the PD. FD ends on 13th October. So, while the PD clubs are playing their last two games of the season on weekends of 19th October and 26th October, the two FD clubs in the play-offs will be playing the two legs of the play-offs. This has been in the fixture list since the start of the season.

FD play-off dates are:

Fri/Sat 19th/20th Oct - 3rd v 2nd
Fri/Sat 26th/27th Oct - 2nd v 3rd

No dates in the fixture list for the play-off final though.

According to two clubs I've spoken to about it, it's been changed to just one leg between the FD teams, as I've said. FAI don't want to confirm anything about it yet tho.

**Mr A** · 12/09/2012, 2:16 PM

Originally Posted by oriel

Then again, will there be a need for a FD next year ?

There will be a need.. whether there will be enough clubs is the real question.

**blue til i die** · 12/09/2012, 2:46 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

There will be a need.. whether there will be enough clubs is the real question.

They need to make a decision very early. Fear is (as always) that the FAI will wait and wait and wait, then made a decision last minute and mess teams around. Cant see Premier Division teams wanting the FD teams in a one league system so there'll definitely be a need for a FD next season imo.

**Dodge** · 12/09/2012, 3:47 PM

It'd be pretty funny to see Dundalk lose a play off and stay up, having previously won a play off and not been promoted

**holidaysong** · 12/09/2012, 6:06 PM

And possibly also against Waterford.

**adamd164** · 12/09/2012, 9:15 PM

If it's staying as a 12 team PD for next year, then I'd like to see Waterford up.

As it is, we are the only team from Munster (or indeed anywhere south of Bray) in the division which is ridiculous. It'd cut down on our travel costs to have Limerick and Waterford in there.

**Longfordian** · 12/09/2012, 9:30 PM

Limerick are certs for automatic promotion. Not optimistic on us beating Waterford, and/or Dundalk or UCD. We're certainly capable of beating Waterford if we play to our best but it seems a long time since we turned in a 90 minute performance and we've a lot of injuries. Dreading the thoughts of another year in the First.

**nigel-harps1954** · 12/09/2012, 11:19 PM

Originally Posted by adamd164

If it's staying as a 12 team PD for next year, then I'd like to see Waterford up.

As it is, we are the only team from Munster (or indeed anywhere south of Bray) in the division which is ridiculous. It'd cut down on our travel costs to have Limerick and Waterford in there.

Try having Athlone, Longford and the 2 galway junior teams as your local derbies and then get back to me. It's a lot quicker to get from Cork to Dublin than from Ballybofey to Galway.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 12/09/2012, 11:55 PM

If the two tiers are retained I'd put money on Finn Harps going up in 2013.

**Longfordian** · 13/09/2012, 12:28 AM

If two tiers are retained I'd put money on all teams going up in 2013. Unless there's a sudden surge in interest in joining the league.

**harps1954** · 13/09/2012, 11:34 AM

I heard at the Harps match on Saturday night that the FAI are looking at making up the numbers in the First Division with three 'Reserve Premier Divison teams.' So, next season we could be looking at Harps playing the likes of Shamrock Rovers reserves in a senior League of Ireland game. A senior FAI official (don't want to name him here) said that there will definitely be two divisions next season, and the PD will have 12 teams as thats what is in the Participation Agreement. It's what they do with the First Division that is toughest and the reserve team option is a likely option.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 13/09/2012, 12:26 PM

If it's a choice between that and a 7 (or 6) team division I'd take it. Speaks to the disdain the lower tier is victim of though.

**A face** · 13/09/2012, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by harps1954

I heard at the Harps match on Saturday night that the FAI are looking at making up the numbers in the First Division with three 'Reserve Premier Divison teams.' So, next season we could be looking at Harps playing the likes of Shamrock Rovers reserves in a senior League of Ireland game. A senior FAI official (don't want to name him here) said that there will definitely be two divisions next season, and the PD will have 12 teams as thats what is in the Participation Agreement. It's what they do with the First Division that is toughest and the reserve team option is a likely option.

Could a player play for the Prem Div team one week and with the First Div team the next i wonder?

**Charlie Darwin** · 13/09/2012, 1:23 PM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

If it's a choice between that and a 7 (or 6) team division I'd take it. Speaks to the disdain the lower tier is victim of though.

How so? Barcelona and Real Madrid's reserve sides compete in Spain's second tier, and it's arguably one of the reasons so many of the former's youth players rise through the ranks. If there are teams with big squads and players not getting experience, it could easily be a success and help the league as a whole.

**Spudulika** · 13/09/2012, 1:38 PM

There are equal positives and negatives for allowing reserve teams in the 2nd tier, imagine the sniggering from the nodding heads if 3 reserve teams filled the top 3 spots and the 4th placed team went up.

**Dodge** · 13/09/2012, 1:47 PM

Originally Posted by Spudulika

imagine the sniggering from the nodding heads if 3 reserve teams filled the top 3 spots and the 4th placed team went up.

If its not that it'll be something else, so **** what they think

**Sam_Heggy** · 13/09/2012, 2:01 PM

Does the Spaniards not allow reserve teams into the lower tiers?

As has been said, if there's going to be 2 Divisions then allow in 3 or 4 reserve teams into the 1st Div what have we to lose?

You would obviously have to name 2 separate squads for it though.

**bluewhitearmy** · 13/09/2012, 2:21 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

If its not that it'll be something else, so **** what they think

Spot on, I wouldnt be worrying about people that will only ever complain about the league complaining.

**Spudulika** · 13/09/2012, 2:30 PM

BWA and Dodge, you're both right. Supporting a LOI team is like cross dressing, it's a minority thing, you know others who do it and meet regularly and the central complaint is that nobody understands why you do what you do. Or something like that.

It was mentioned in the restructuring thread about letting reserve teams into the pyramid, it is good in a short term way, though if there is to be a greater restructuring in Irish football it will have to change, but there are always ways to accommodate. Most countries in Europe allow reserve teams (usually age group specific) into the national leagues.

**Sam_Heggy** · 13/09/2012, 2:37 PM

I think we can all agree, the most worrying thing about this thread is not only the structure of the league but the fact that we are now being likened to Cross-dressers.