A 7-team league First Division Next Year

[bluemovie]

No way Limerick will have a second team in FD next year.

Ye spent long enough in the First Division the last time without volunteering to get back involved in it!

[gufc2000]

FAI had the chance to bring in Tralee along with Cobh at the beginning of 2012, and said they didn't meet licencing criteria. Hard to see how Tralee have met that criteria and sustained their interest in joining in the meantime

[NeverFeltBetter]

I thought Tralee had abandoned any hopes of being an LOI club after being rejected last year? Didn't that basically sour them on the prospect? And there was trouble with the Kerry league afterwards wasn't there?

[bluemovie]

They might fudge them in. Sure Salthill and Mervue couldn't be said to have met licensing criteria and wasn't Cobh's debt fudged to get them in? I think Tralee would have had the momentum and interest to come in two seasons ago, but weren't allowed. You're right that the interest may have waned since then, but the FAI might have to have a rethink and provide them with motivation.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I would wager that the FAI has burned their bridges with Tralee, rightly or wrongly.

[Cuyahoga]

How about a Polish L.O.I team wearing the Polish colours targeting the large Polish community in Ireland. The bulk of the team would be polish nationals. They could play out of Tolka park and call themselves Polska FC... Just an idea.

[bluewhitearmy]

How about a Polish L.O.I team wearing the Polish colours targeting the large Polish community in Ireland. The bulk of the team would be polish nationals. They could play out of Tolka park and call themselves Polska FC... Just an idea.

This was actually talked about when Danny Drew was involved with Limerick if im not mistaken. It was while we were in Hogan Park. The plan was supposedly to takeoever Limerick and change it to that if i remember correctly. Im sure the likes of LTID and Gael would remember.

[Sam_Heggy]

There was talk a while back of Carlow IT entering the LOI. Not heard much about it in the past year or so.

[nigel-harps1954]

I recall, when Athlone IT built the new pitch and running track alongside the full size astro pitch, there was talk around the college they were planning to eventually break into League of Ireland football. Crazy talk at the time and it never materialised. Obviously the link with Athlone Town ended it anyway.

I think the idea behind a Polish, or an eastern European team playing in the league is actually a fantastic idea and could well attract a large following right across the country if it was based in the right area and marketed properly. Can't see it happening though.

[atfconline]

It was simply going to be their team playing in the A League, under the Athlone Town name.

[legendz]

I think the idea behind a Polish, or an eastern European team playing in the league is actually a fantastic idea and could well attract a large following right across the country if it was based in the right area and marketed properly. Can't see it happening though.

At the moment it would appear the only option for an 8th team in the first division. Interesting how Tralee get mentioned but no mention of Kilkenny, Monaghan nor Kildare. Is it that they'd know full well what they'd be getting into?!

Is a 7 team division more preferable than B teams joining the division?

While the take up of first teams in the A Championship was low, 8 first teams played in the league over 4 years - Mervue United, Salthill Devon, Tullamore Town, Castlebar Celtic, Tralee Dynamos, FC Carlow, Cobh Ramblers and Fanad Utd. If an 8th team can't be found and B teams is not an option, I think a single tier division of 18/19 with a regionalised A type league below it should be explored as an option.

[Longfordian]

I recall, when Athlone IT built the new pitch and running track alongside the full size astro pitch, there was talk around the college they were planning to eventually break into League of Ireland football. Crazy talk at the time and it never materialised. Obviously the link with Athlone Town ended it anyway.

I think the idea behind a Polish, or an eastern European team playing in the league is actually a fantastic idea and could well attract a large following right across the country if it was based in the right area and marketed properly. Can't see it happening though.

Could share Dalymount. Lots of Polish/Eastern Europeans in the area and I'm sure Zurich would appreciate the cash!

[avvenalaf]

How about a Polish L.O.I team wearing the Polish colours targeting the large Polish community in Ireland. The bulk of the team would be polish nationals. They could play out of Tolka park and call themselves Polska FC... Just an idea.

It would be great to see football played in Tolka Park again.

[citybone]

If there was a polish team they could play away every week and every second game keep the gate receipt's or just split gate receipts every game like cup games. It would give the Polish outside Dublin a chance to go to games. Obviously they would need consent of every club to do this. but i think it would nearly increase there average attendance.

[outspoken]

If there was a polish team they could play away every week and every second game keep the gate receipt's or just split gate receipts every game like cup games. It would give the Polish outside Dublin a chance to go to games. Obviously they would need consent of every club to do this. but i think it would nearly increase there average attendance.

Their ultras would be quite something.

[JC_GUFC]

I too like the idea of Polska in Tolka

[A face]

I'd rather LOI clubs try and integrate the Polish communities in their area and get them supporting the existing clubs. Having a team from another community to make up the numbers is daft imo, but if it were to happen then SARI are already up and running.

[nigel-harps1954]

Having a team from another community to make up the numbers is daft imo,

Why? Genuine question. I'm all for social integration with the current clubs, but it doesn't seem to work any time it's been tried in Finn Park for instance.
Bringing along another junior club won't work. Starting a new club has failed already in the past. Why not bring in a club aimed at foreign nationals? What harm could it do?

[NeverFeltBetter]

The Irish Ice Hockey Association tried this idea, before the league basically went defunct, with the "Latvian Hawks" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latvian_Hawks

No idea how it worked out, but considering the sorry state of that sport in Ireland in general, probably not too well.

I don't see such an idea working. I think you guys might be overestimating the size of the Polish community, which as far as I know is on the decrease (I'm willing to be corrected on that if its not true), relative to the amount who would care about a football club built expressly for them.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Just on that, had a quick chat with a friend of mine who played in that league for another team while it was running

...like all the hockey teams in Ireland they're currently not in business because there are no rinks and no league in the Republic. But while they existed they were very successful IIRC, they had a huge member base and teams in all three league tiers. They were also quite involved in the general development of the sport because they were from countries with a more established hockey culture so they knew what they were doing.
And they had quite a fan base too, they got a lot of coverage online, sites like Baltic Ireland and such. Whether that's because of the sense of community in the team or because hockey is such a huge sport further east, is anyone's guess, but I presume its a combination of the two

So maybe there is something there.