Good Idea
Bad Idea
This nonsense was only for consideration. Given the universal distain shown here (and everywhere else) I would expect it to remain on a high dark shelf in Abbotstown (like so many others) while John, Fran etc sigh and say “we tried”
Oh sweet baby jayzus, I didn't remember there were so many seasons with just 8 teams in the First. Back in the glory days of the noughties when it was cool to be in the First Division it was a super dynamic glamorous 10 or 12 team division. Good times.
I don't remember the glamour to well but i do remember the scenic off the tourist route spots that you get to visit.
A year or so in the first division is a positive life affirming experience that makes you appreciate the good times...
2012-2017 was the the years of the seriously uncool 8 team First Division for any fans currently on the high point of their clubs standard circular journey through the LOI. Limerick did only suffer through two of them I will admit, winning both times.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
The agony and the ecstasy - the intense joy around the 2002 cup final win in Tolka over Bohs, quickly followed by the devastation of relegation to the graveyard. The scars of 2003 season are indelibly marked on my soul when Trevor Anderson led us on a mazy journey around the country finishing 10th in a 12 team division.
We have a vote in favour!
John Delaney must have signed up
I saw Johnny Ward saying the other day that it's going to be five months before there's another game at ED park. That's not ideal. Particularly when you want clubs coming up who are somewhat competitive. What sort of contracts can you offer when you've only games 58% of the year. 12 teams playing each other 3 times would give you 6 more games and leave it roughly in line with the Premier Division. You're not going to get clubs getting promoted and competing for Europe, Shels might be the exception next year who've a bit of money behind them. But if kids catch the LOI bug it's a hard sell for them to regain that after 5 months. You need a degree of consistency. So all in all I'm in favour of a 12-team First Division.
I think to achieve this though you need new teams. Kerry would be a fantastic addition as would one of Mayo or Monaghan. I know you need to make it desirable for clubs to join via prize money etc but that's another discussion for another day.
8 team premier is dreadful though. Imagine the repetition. There will be 5 Bohs-Rovers games this year because we drew them in the cup. It's a tad much if you ask me. Last year there was 3 between February and May as well with the way the fixtures fell. 10 teams as well drags up standards. Harps or whoever are last value the money they get from away fans travelling to their matches and as that team in tenth rotates every couple of years at least it spreads the wealth around.
In the mid 90s the Irish League had an 8 team league. It was the beginning of a terrible period for IL football. The early 90s their was a crowd boom then they split the league and had a top division of 8 teams, by the time this experiment finished our fanbase across the league dropped.
Supporters just got fed up of playing the same teams so often. You could literally have faced the same team 7 or 8 times a season (their where 5 trophies at the time). Since then we tried 10 teams playing each other 4 times, then 12 teams with a split, 16 teams playing twice then back to 12 teams with a split which we currently are now.
Personally I find the 12 team with a split for the last 5 games as the best solution for the Irish League. 16 teams was too many teams and not enough talent or support to go around.
But each to their own, but 8 team league is a massive mistake IMO.
The Hallion Battalion Molests football.:D
Getting slightly off topic here, but was there a reason the First Division clubs decided to restrict themselves to 3 rounds instead of 4? You're looking at just 13 or 14 home games, instead of a more manageable, budgetable 18.
Noel Mooney running all over twitter last night in the weirdest, sweatiest case of damage limitation I've seen in a long time.
The ball is round and has many surprises.
Until the league is attractive enough to push intermediate and junior teams to want to join (and keep the ones we have), re-arranging teams is pointless. I am guessing they only want to try 8 teams because maybe they wont have enough for the first?
I'd say that's bang-on. Limerick are in trouble, and there are probably a few others that are touch and go.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
Bookmarks