Third Tier Talk - A Championship Mk II

**nigel-harps1954** · 28/06/2023, 11:13 AM

It would be a totally pointless league if there were no promotion/relegation.

**pineapple stu** · 28/06/2023, 11:15 AM

Yep - I don't see how that would be/was a criticism of it either?

**EalingGreen** · 13/07/2023, 2:36 PM

Kinda related to a Third Tier in the LOI comprising a mix of separate clubs and Reserve teams was a proposal to introduce a new "Conference League" in the fifth tier of Scottish football (i.e. between the SFL and the Highland/Lowland leagues), which would have had 3 or 4 Reserve teams competing - Celtic, Rangers, Hearts etc. This was roundly rejected in a vote at a recent meeting of the SFA.

Mark Wotte, Dutch former Performance Director at the SFA explains here why he felt it a bad decision to reject it:
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport...-b-team-block/

While Craig Telfer, Stenhousemuir fan and presenter of the BBC's "View from the Terrace", argues why it was the right decision:
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport...st-power-grab/

**culloty82** · 30/09/2023, 1:23 PM

Is the third tier still going ahead next year? Perhaps we may hear details when licences are awarded in November, but surprising that nothing has leaked out so far.

**GUFCghost** · 30/09/2023, 3:17 PM

I think we're more likely to see a new County FC type club added every so often then a revamp of the pyramid anytime soon.
FAI is broke, so whatever incentives they need to offer clubs to compete over a wider area isn't there

**nigel-harps1954** · 17/12/2023, 1:34 PM

This is certainly interesting.

**Buckett** · 17/12/2023, 2:04 PM

Hopefully they'll reach the Cup final every year and lose in proper Mayo tradition!

**legendz** · 17/12/2023, 6:54 PM

If all the city clubs fielded a second team in the third tier, should it finally come about, it will possibly consist of:
1. Bohemians II
2. CK United
3. Cork City II
4. Derry City II
5. Galway United II
6. Klub Kildare
7. Mayo
8. Shamrock Rovers II
9. Shelbourne II
10. St Patrick's Athletic II
11. Treaty United II
12. Waterford II

**2 Year Contract** · 17/12/2023, 7:41 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

If all the city clubs fielded a second team in the third tier, should it finally come about, it will possibly consist of:
1. Bohemians II
2. CK United
3. Cork City II
4. Derry City II
5. Galway United II
6. Klub Kildare
7. Mayo
8. Shamrock Rovers II
9. Shelbourne II
10. St Patrick's Athletic II
11. Treaty United II
12. Waterford II

And what would happen if Treaty got relegated from the first division?

**legendz** · 17/12/2023, 8:10 PM

Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract

And what would happen if Treaty got relegated from the first division?

No more Treaty United II until Treaty United get back into the First Division.

**Buckett** · 17/12/2023, 8:18 PM

Why just city clubs?

**2 Year Contract** · 17/12/2023, 8:23 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

No more Treaty United II until Treaty United get back into the First Division.

Not ideal that a whole team of players (Treaty United II) have nowhere to play because a different team (Treaty main team) performed badly. It would also leave an odd number of clubs in the league too

**nigel-harps1954** · 17/12/2023, 8:33 PM

Why would Treaty, one of the few amateur/part time sides in the league, look to add the cost of a reserve team to their finances?

**culloty82** · 17/12/2023, 8:38 PM

Indeed - if there were to be reserve teams participating, it's more likely to be Premier clubs involved, as in the A Championship era, purely on a financial basis, rather than for urban v rural reasons.

**legendz** · 17/12/2023, 9:01 PM

Originally Posted by Buckett

Why just city clubs?

Doesn't have to be just city clubs. Just selected city clubs for example purposes.

Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract

Not ideal that a whole team of players (Treaty United II) have nowhere to play because a different team (Treaty main team) performed badly. It would also leave an odd number of clubs in the league too

Not ideal but if Treaty United were relegated, there is no other option in that scenario.
If the Third Tier is to have an open door for new clubs or second teams, there is a high probability of ood numbers of clubs.

Originally Posted by culloty82

Indeed - if there were to be reserve teams participating, it's more likely to be Premier clubs involved, as in the A Championship era, purely on a financial basis, rather than for urban v rural reasons.

Some Premier Division clubs detested having to field a team in the A Championship while some First Division clubs embraced it.

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Why would Treaty, one of the few amateur/part time sides in the league, look to add the cost of a reserve team to their finances?

Treaty have four district leagues at their doorstep. Two in Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary. Ideally city clubs should have the resources to field a second team but you are indeed quite right that Treaty aren't best placed at the moment to field a second team.

**legendz** · 19/12/2023, 5:46 PM

https://www.finalwhistle.ie/soccer/oscar-traynor-cup/

18 league are competing in the Oscar Traynor Cup. There hasn't been any games played in the Ulster section yet.
3 from Leinster and 2 from Munster progress to the quarter-finals. Guessing 2 from Connacht and 1 Ulster are also to progress to the quarter-finals.

**nr637** · 21/12/2023, 11:48 AM

All quiet with this idea and the FAI!

**Buckett** · 23/12/2023, 10:02 AM

https://www.extratime.com/articles/3...ned-for-meath/

**legendz** · 23/12/2023, 10:26 AM

League of Ireland expansion planned for Meath

Originally Posted by Buckett

https://www.extratime.com/articles/3...ned-for-meath/

Interesting news that Meath are looking to join the League of Ireland. Joining the national youth leagues should be an important first step. Kerry League and now Kerry FC have set the blueprint for rural regions where there isn't one big urban town that cannot support an LoI club on it's own.