Teams who plan to take the league to court if they get screwed

[holidaysong]

Pete - an easy position for a CCFC fan to be in. Would you feel the same if you were a fan of a team that will be directly affected such as Dundalk or Galway?

[hoopy]

Our crowds are the best we have had in years. We have shown before that in the Premier Division we have and can sustain a loyal and voal fanbase.

A lot of clubs outside Dublin get bigger crowds when they are doin well in the first rather than struggling in the Prem. People want to see a winning team whatever div it is in. I have always thought that any team that wins it's league deserves promotion and that doesn't change. However every club knew the score before a ball was kicked this season so there's no point in any manager/chairman moaning just after they go top. I'm delighted our manager has a bit more class. See you next week

[holidaysong]

Well how a homeless club can expect to pass on the ground/facilities criteria is beyond me. Next week will be fun.

[superfrank]

With the way we are going we might give the League a very good excuse to relegate us.

Imo, UCD are the only club in the Premier that the FAI have their eyes on. This is not fair at all, it's just my instinct.

No offence meant to the UCD fans, I think when you take the "criteria" into account they seem to be the weakest link.

[pineapple stu]

No offence meant to the UCD fans, I think when you take the "criteria" into account they seem to be the weakest link.

Don't see how that can offend at all. We're saying it, sure!

[Sheridan]

No point in any club which supported the proposals complaining now. They knew perfectly well what they entailed, they knew of the assurances given to the likes of Galway and Shamrocks (or could have surmised it from their public utterances) and were given adequate warning here and elsewhere.

Delaney's bluff was there to be called, and instead they granted him carte blanche.

[Poor Student]

No point in any club which supported the proposals complaining now. They knew perfectly well what they entailed, they knew of the assurances given to the likes of Galway and Shamrocks (or could have surmised it from their public utterances) and were given adequate warning here and elsewhere.

Delaney's bluff was there to be called, and instead they granted him carte blanche.

I agree. We voted for it and we have no leg to stand on. I think you're (not you, Sheridan) silly if you think we actually agree with the proposals. We clearly have nothing to gain by it and everything to lose.

[OneRedArmy]

Lets cut to the chase.

Those clubs who know they are in voted yes, as they have nothing to lose. They see a potential pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and they are all running helter skelter towards it (note the use of the word "potential").

Likewise, the clubs who know they haven't a chance of getting within an arses roar of the super-duper Premier Division voted yes, as in the true FAI way, they'll be looked after for going within the consensus, or alternatively, punished for going against the grain.

That leaves a small rump of clubs that have hedged their bets, voted yes not to rock the boat, but are keeping the Get Out of Jail card (aka next stop the High Court) firmly lodged in their back pockets when the cards are dealt at the end of the season.

Do people expect anything else?!

[Poor Student]

but are keeping the Get Out of Jail card (aka next stop the High Court) firmly lodged in their back pockets when the cards are dealt at the end of the season.

Does having voted for it not seriously negate any chance of a successful appeal?

[mypost]

even when the clubs vote for it, they didnt!!!

note that came from one of the UCD boys.

I don't think there is a thread on this issue without a whinge from Belfield.

All clubs will get what they deserve for a FAI Christmas present. Congratulations for qualifying for the Premier Division, or Good Luck in the First Division in 2007.

[Partizan]

Despite the ominous shrieking from Pinneapple I think UCD are safe. Despite their lack of any substantial fanbase, they will wing it on the grounds of facilities - the new Bowl, scholarships, coaching set up, track record etc. UCD have/and will offer alot to Irish soccer and are a well respected nursery club. Ok there maybe a desire by Delaney to jettison one of the Dublin based clubs but I think the demise of Dublin City made the job a helluva lot easier. Bray, the other Dublin based side will almost certain now get the chop.

Who will go up? Many hear say Rovers and Galway go up, but if Talaght isnt sorted out by December/January we could see the Hoops in a spot of bother and perhaps see one of the likes of Dundalk/Cobh or even Athlone given the nod. However I do think sense will prevail and the GAA obstructionist tactics will be given the firm boot by the High Court allowing Rovers back in.

Premier next season: Waterford are a shoe-in. Their 5 year record is quite good, good catchment area, youth set-up, facilities and of course John Delaney . UCD safe. Bray will go down leaving Rovers and Galway to replace them. If any of the clubs do take their legal appeals to the courts of the land I do think they should at least take proper legal advice beforehand as their objections simply would not stand up in court.

[Poor Student]

If you look closely at the paramaters, they're fiarly ill-defined and vague and could easily be bent against UCD. I don't know why you think Bray are such dead certs to go down. The whole structure of the thing leaves the impact of placings this season to have a minimal effect. To be fair to Bray, they're sorting out their ground and have further work to do. The released information doesn't say much about whether it's the current state of your ground at the time of evaluation (the Bowl will not be quite ready due to planning objections) or future plans. If it's at time of evaluation, Bray now have one up on UCD. They have a bigger fanbase and we're both close enough in terms of placing over the last 4 years.

What the FAI do with UCD is really going to be the acid test of how fair this process will be. In any event, whether we are chosen to stay up or not, I still see no reason not to use league placings to decide the entrants to the new league. Nonsense.

[Magicme]

We abstained.

Athlone will go up.

[harpskid]

Athlone will go up.

....Come again....

[Magicme]

Of course they will...do u think that they would b pumping so much money into their new stadium if they hadnt a wink & a nod....and with the eL chairman being an Athlone man you would be mad to think that they werent going to be part of the new premier league.

[Schumi]

My decision to vote for Fianna Fail doesn't reflect my views on their policies as a whole.

I support Fine Gael

Did 99.5% of Iraqis support Saddam Hussein in his last 'election'?

Regardless, appealing something to the courts after voting for it is ridiculous.

[bluemovie]

Why would the FAI have put in the criterion of last five years performance if they were going to let Athlone in?? I don't think Athlone have any chance. However, if they top the First Division in 2007, then they will be promoted if their new ground is in order and they meet the other criteria.

I'd say nobody was happier than the FAI when the Blues beat Bray on Friday. I've never thought we were in danger of missing out unless we finished about 20 points behind the second-from-bottom team (which was a distinct possibility at one stage). If Bray, as looks likely, finish bottom, they will have very little defence if the FAI relegate them.

If they want a regional spread of teams, then I'd imagine the masterplan was for Waterford, Galway and Limerick to be represented (and Rovers back up for other reasons). Limerick seem to have blown their chances for next season. I reckon Delaney wants Rovers and Galway up at Bray and Dublin City RIP's expense. The big problem would have been justifying that if those clubs finished miles ahead of Waterford.

As for UCD, I feel they might just have enough to convince the FAI to keep them up. They're very well-run and have consistently been in the top division (apart from the one year out). The FAI might have some grand bullsh*t plan of how to attract a bigger support from the campus.

Dundalk could have a decent case for promotion too, but I'm not sure if the smallest county in Ireland having 2 of the 12 Premier clubs will fit the geographical spread they were looking for. As for Cobh, Kilkenny, Monaghan, Kildare or Harps, I can't see how any of them could have a strong enough case to be promoted for next season.

[BohDiddley]

Bray will go down leaving Rovers and Galway to replace them. If any of the clubs do take their legal appeals to the courts of the land I do think they should at least take proper legal advice beforehand as their objections simply would not stand up in court.

Bray have a huge catchment area, their own ground, and fantastic potential in terms of fans, with all of north Wickla and much of south Dublin. Also have strong roots in schoolboys, with Joey's link etc.
I think it'd be a shame to lose the outing to the seaside.

[DmanDmythDledge]

If any of the clubs do take their legal appeals to the courts of the land I do think they should at least take proper legal advice beforehand as their objections simply would not stand up in court.

Their objections would stand up as it is in UEFA rules that league placings can only be decided on league postions, or something to that effect.

[OneRedArmy]

Their objections would stand up as it is in UEFA rules that league placings can only be decided on league postions, or something to that effect.

You seem not to have grasped that this is irrelevant to the FAI's plans.

The Eircom League as we know it is being DISBANDED, as voted by its members.

It is being replaced by an entirely new League, which as one of its entrance criteria, has past performance in the prior League structure.

I don't see how this breaches UEFA rules in any way.