FAI Invites First Division Expressions of Interest

**NeverFeltBetter** · 17/09/2014, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

If Bray are struggling as much as some think they are, we could be back to scrambling for any teams again

Eh? Maybe its just because of the foot.ie exclusion zone, but hadn't heard anything about Bray being in enough trouble to be worried.

Edit: Never mind, saw the newspaper ad.

**Nesta99** · 17/09/2014, 12:49 PM

Wasnt there a committment to 3 years participation factored in to the Shams B project?

**NeverFeltBetter** · 17/09/2014, 12:50 PM

If there was, it mustn't have been a legal commitment.

**Charlie Darwin** · 17/09/2014, 1:29 PM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Wasnt there a committment to 3 years participation factored in to the Shams B project?

Not sure how informed Nutsy is but he doesn't seem to think so. It would be a disaster for the FAI if nobody else was able to fill the gap. Clubs in the FD will look at the prospect of a 7-team league and wonder whether senior football is worth it.

**WoodquayBoy** · 17/09/2014, 1:54 PM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

Eh? Maybe its just because of the foot.ie exclusion zone, but hadn't heard anything about Bray being in enough trouble to be worried.

Edit: Never mind, saw the newspaper ad.

can we ask what the ad is?

**outspoken** · 17/09/2014, 2:07 PM

If ever there was a motivation to get out of this grave yard of a division it is now

**Mr A** · 17/09/2014, 2:10 PM

http://www.newstalk.com/reader/47.302.347/31344/0/

Not sure how much to read into it.

**Bosco** · 17/09/2014, 2:39 PM

Anyone hear Stewie Byrne on Newstalk last night talking about it?For some reason his only response to Bray being in trouble was to say that he was at a game during the summer and there was a group of fans shouting and cursing throughout which really put him off. He said that kind of thing is part of the experience at Bohs and Rovers but not at Bray....think it could have been away fans he was talking about as well....complete and utter drivel coming out of his mouth...

**brendy_�ire** · 17/09/2014, 2:51 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

http://www.newstalk.com/reader/47.302.347/31344/0/

Not sure how much to read into it.

Doesn't help that our match down there will now be moved to midweek because of the cup semi-final.

**Charlie Darwin** · 17/09/2014, 2:54 PM

Was half-thinking of heading down there to the Pats match on Friday. It's no Crackbird, but they're offering €20 for a match ticket and an Eddie Rockets meal.

**Longfordian** · 17/09/2014, 3:00 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Was half-thinking of heading down there to the Pats match on Friday. It's no Crackbird, but they're offering €20 for a match ticket and an Eddie Rockets meal.

**Dodge** · 17/09/2014, 3:40 PM

It really is a brilliant deal. Hope it works out for them

https://www.facebook.com/BrayWandere...levant_count=1

**Neish** · 19/09/2014, 10:03 AM

Perhaps a solution but would take too much thought and effort for FAI/League. Also 3 Donegal teams wouldn't work

http://www.punditarena.com/football/...irst-division/

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/09/2014, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Neish

Perhaps a solution but would take too much thought and effort for FAI/League. Also 3 Donegal teams wouldn't work

http://www.punditarena.com/football/...irst-division/

Too many Cork teams. We're going to end up with seven teams again.

**pineapple stu** · 19/09/2014, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Neish

Perhaps a solution but would take too much thought and effort for FAI/League. Also 3 Donegal teams wouldn't work

http://www.punditarena.com/football/...irst-division/

Meh. Young and enthusiastic fan puts club names on a piece of paper and doesn't have to do any of the work involved. Seen it before (probably wrote it myself back when I was a whippersnapper), will see it again. It's not that easy in reality.

I do think the First Division would work better regionalised, but I have no idea how you'd get the interest from enough top junior sides to make the step up.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 19/09/2014, 3:10 PM

Is there any Junior side that would be both competitive on the field and financially stable upon entering the LOI? I mean, which Junior clubs get the highest attendances?

I just don't see any options there right now, viable ones anyway.

**Charlie Darwin** · 19/09/2014, 3:12 PM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

Is there any Junior side that would be both competitive on the field and financially stable upon entering the LOI?

There is talk that there have been a couple of combined-county expressions of interest (not applications) to the FAI for next year, as well as two B teams (probably Pats and Cork). Speculation the county teams are Kerry and Meath.

**Sheridan** · 19/09/2014, 3:38 PM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

Is there any Junior side that would be both competitive on the field and financially stable upon entering the LOI?

If there are, the last thing they'd want to do is enter the League of Ireland, because they soon wouldn't be.

**Roo69** · 19/09/2014, 3:42 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Was half-thinking of heading down there to the Pats match on Friday. It's no Crackbird, but they're offering �20 for a match ticket and an Eddie Rockets meal.

Do it ! For the sake of

I'm hearing a lot of conflicting stories about what's going on so i don't know what to believe... Best one yet is that the great Pat Devlin is planning a take over of the club!

**NeverFeltBetter** · 19/09/2014, 4:20 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

There is talk that there have been a couple of combined-county expressions of interest (not applications) to the FAI for next year, as well as two B teams (probably Pats and Cork). Speculation the county teams are Kerry and Meath.

I've heard Kerry rumours before. I would presume there are still a few people involved with Tralee Dynamos who think they could get make an application at the heart of that. But both them and Meath would struggle to last long I think.

If Rovers can't stomach the expenses, will Cork and Pats?