All-Ireland League not practical – Jeffrey

**A face** · 21/02/2007, 9:45 PM

All-Ireland League not practical – Jeffrey

Linfield manager David Jeffrey feels the establishment of an All-Ireland League is a non-runner, saying the idea would not be practical for clubs on either side of the border. Jeffrey was speaking at the launch of this season’s Setanta Sports Cup, held in Belfast on Monday afternoon.

His Blues side lifted the first Setanta Cup competition two years ago, overcoming Shelbourne at Tolka Park. But while he is pleased with the success of the cross-border competition, Jeffrey reckons moves towards an all-Ireland are unrealistic. He told the Irish Independent: “The facts are that, if we had one league, eight places in Europe would suddenly be reduced to four. Apart from the historical thing, I don’t think it’s practical.

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**A face** · 21/02/2007, 9:47 PM

Originally Posted by David Jeffrey

“I was pleased that the Setanta Cup was extended to four teams from each league and think it would be good if it was extended again to five teams, with the games being played home and away on a Saturday. That would be my own dream.”

He makes a good point here about have the games played on Saturdays, cant see it hapening as Setanta only wants it midweek to fill in the gaps, but it would definitely be alot better for the competition.

**Raheny Red** · 21/02/2007, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by A face

He makes a good point here about have the games played on Saturdays,

If that did happen it would be amazing

in fact if it happened all competitions in Ireland

**BohsPartisan** · 21/02/2007, 11:01 PM

I'd be against expanding Setanta. Its just the right size now. Expand it and it is effectively a league but with no European carrot at the end of the rope. Think of the fixture problems.

**DmanDmythDledge** · 21/02/2007, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

I'd be against expanding Setanta. Its just the right size now. Expand it and it is effectively a league but with no European carrot at the end of the rope. Think of the fixture problems.

Agree. Also would you be able to get a 5th team good enough from N. Ireland? No me thinks.

**Poor Student** · 22/02/2007, 9:44 AM

The current top 5 in the league are Linfield, Cliftonville, Glentoran, Portadown and Crusaders. It looks as strong a leading pack as there has been for a while up North.

**Schumi** · 22/02/2007, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by A face

He makes a good point here about have the games played on Saturdays

How would you fit them in around the league games?

**SwiftsSupporter** · 22/02/2007, 3:59 PM

Used to think it was a good idead but if we both improve our leagues and keep the Setanta going I think that would be great. Also when you think about it there are more wrongs than rights for an All Ireland league and you wouldn't get anywhere near the travelling support especially for IL teams.

**BleusAvantTout** · 22/02/2007, 11:50 PM

We, in all my years following the Blues, have always taken a very commendable support to away games in the Republic. If we had been allocated more than 450 tickets for Drogheda, we would probably have taken up to 1,200!

**David** · 23/02/2007, 6:56 AM

There does seem to be a different mentality in the Eircom with regards to travelling to away games. For the majority of Bluemen it is simply a case of Linfield are playing so we go but this does not seem to be the case in the Eircom. I know that at times that distances can be greater but I still think that Bluemen would travel even with those distances. Therefore it seems a lot of Eircom League club are not in a position to accomodate the demands of a travelling Linfield support.

**SwiftsSupporter** · 23/02/2007, 1:16 PM

Originally Posted by BleusAvantTout

We, in all my years following the Blues, have always taken a very commendable support to away games in the Republic. If we had been allocated more than 450 tickets for Drogheda, we would probably have taken up to 1,200!

In Setanta games yes as all Northern clubs bring healthy away supports but if you playing there everyweek it'd be a different story.

**David** · 23/02/2007, 1:27 PM

Originally Posted by SwiftsSupporter

In Setanta games yes as all Northern clubs bring healthy away supports but if you playing there everyweek it'd be a different story.

Honestly don't think so. It does not take much longer to get to Dublin than it does to Londonderry, Limavady or Coleraine and Linfield have always maintained a large support to these venues.

**lofty9** · 23/02/2007, 1:29 PM

Originally Posted by David

There does seem to be a different mentality in the Eircom with regards to travelling to away games. For the majority of Bluemen it is simply a case of Linfield are playing so we go but this does not seem to be the case in the Eircom. I know that at times that distances can be greater but I still think that Bluemen would travel even with those distances. Therefore it seems a lot of Eircom League club are not in a position to accomodate the demands of a travelling Linfield support.

For me a Friday night away match is virtually impossible to get to. It's the same for most fans in the Eircom League. A big effort has to made to travel the distances from Derry especially with the terrrible road network coming out of this place, add that to the traffic problems when you hit Dublin on a Friday evening at 5. It tends to be students, shift workers and retired folk who get to most of the away games from Derry. I can only think of Longford who play on a Saturday, and that is always a handy enough trip.

**SwiftsSupporter** · 23/02/2007, 1:53 PM

Originally Posted by David

Honestly don't think so. It does not take much longer to get to Dublin than it does to Londonderry, Limavady or Coleraine and Linfield have always maintained a large support to these venues.

It's a right while longer and thats one of the short trips.

**NY Hoop** · 23/02/2007, 3:08 PM

Jeffrey is protecting his job here. With linfield he can win trophies season after season. And be in European competition every year (albeit fleetingly). In an AIL this wont be the case.

The travelling excuse is hogwash too. Derry fans travel to Cork and vice versa. Fans of IL teams have it handy cos of the distances involved. Plus as mentioned most clubs play friday nights here too. That doesnt happen in the IL except for Newry.

KOH

**pete** · 23/02/2007, 3:56 PM

Originally Posted by David

There does seem to be a different mentality in the Eircom with regards to travelling to away games.

Majority of Linfield games are within 1 hours travel on a saturday afternoon.
The eL play matches on friday nights. Our closest game is 2 hour drive & next is 3+ hours.

The IL has about 2 half decent teams but the rest would get beaten badly over a full league season.

**David** · 24/02/2007, 12:00 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Majority of Linfield games are within 1 hours travel on a saturday afternoon.
The eL play matches on friday nights. Our closest game is 2 hour drive & next is 3+ hours.

The IL has about 2 half decent teams but the rest would get beaten badly over a full league season.

Agree with all of that but still feel we would consistently travel in large numbers in AIL. We took over 1000 to Tolka for a Monday night group game, took over 600 to Longford despite restrictions on who could go, took in the region of 2000 to Tolka for Setanta final, sold out Derry last season and tickets for Drogheda sold out within an hour and a half of going on sale to season ticket holders for Drogheda. We could easily have sold our allocation for Drogs game three times over.

**David** · 24/02/2007, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by SwiftsSupporter

It's a right while longer and thats one of the short trips.

Tp get to Institute takes an hour and a half. If, as has been done in the past, we are forced to go via Coleraine it takes two hours plus. Belfast to Dublin could be done in that time.

**David** · 24/02/2007, 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by lofty9

For me a Friday night away match is virtually impossible to get to. It's the same for most fans in the Eircom League. A big effort has to made to travel the distances from Derry especially with the terrrible road network coming out of this place, add that to the traffic problems when you hit Dublin on a Friday evening at 5. It tends to be students, shift workers and retired folk who get to most of the away games from Derry. I can only think of Longford who play on a Saturday, and that is always a handy enough trip.

I understand the difficulty, particularly for Derry supporters but with the exceptions of yourselves nobody from Eircom League has brought substantial numbers up here for Setanta games whereas ourselves and Glentoran have consistently travelled in numbers.

**Lux Interior** · 24/02/2007, 1:01 AM

Originally Posted by David

Agree with all of that but still feel we would consistently travel in large numbers in AIL. We took over 1000 to Tolka for a Monday night group game, took over 600 to Longford despite restrictions on who could go, took in the region of 2000 to Tolka for Setanta final, sold out Derry last season and tickets for Drogheda sold out within an hour and a half of going on sale to season ticket holders for Drogheda. We could easily have sold our allocation for Drogs game three times over.

56 in Europe and 200 at Harlow throws new light on that travelling support, one would think.