Four new clubs in eircom League of Ireland

**monutdfc** · 20/12/2007, 8:07 AM

Originally Posted by passerrby

only one club from first div belived to be limerick whick means 16 teams in new league but with three coming down only 14 next season.

I take it that means we are not entering passerby?
A pity imo. The costs to enter and then run a team in the A league are high though.

**harpskid** · 20/12/2007, 9:02 AM

Everyone who applied was not accepted - I know of at least one club who had an application declined. also, someone mentioned Letterkenny Rovers - they were initially very interested, but they have since pulled out their application.

**GuisaSaigon** · 20/12/2007, 9:29 AM

Ridiculous stuff from the FAI. Galway can hardly sustain 1 LOI club and now we will have 4 teams from Galway. The Genisis report recomended an 8 team premier division and to get rid of the rest the FAI seem to think they know better. We have to get our league back before these idiots fcuk it up completely.

**Jerry The Saint** · 20/12/2007, 9:44 AM

United certainly seem to have put in lot of effort into branding themselves as the senior team for Galway city and county. Important to remember that a much bigger city with a much longer soccer tradition couldn't support two league teams.

**Dodge** · 20/12/2007, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by GuisaSaigon

We have to get our league back before these idiots fcuk it up completely.

I seem to remember nothing but love for the FAI when Galway were elected to the premier division. Genesis should't be allowed near football in this country IMO.

I'm not disagreeing with your gripe about the 2 new teams BTW.

**incident** · 20/12/2007, 9:47 AM

This is not going to split support. If anyone thinks that 3 A-League teams (all playing against Galway United Reserves) are going to take support away from Galway United, then they're clearly insane.

Team at the A-League level just aren't going to be a factor. Does anyone on here seriously expect the average attendance at that level to even reach 100?

The A-League isn't being created for fans, it's all about the clubs and the players. It gives clubs a potential route into the proper league, and it gives players somewhere to play (in particular the squad players at the Premier clubs).

And if one (or more) of the Galway clubs do get promoted into the league, then good for them - it can only happen if they rightfully earn it on the pitch.

**Dodge** · 20/12/2007, 9:52 AM

Originally Posted by incident

This is not going to split support. If anyone thinks that 3 A-League teams (all playing against Galway United Reserves) are going to take support away from Galway United, then they're clearly insane

Its not about support. Its about galway Utd going out to sponsors and being told they're giving their money to Mervue instead. Its about having to share the pitiful amount of coverage they already get. Its about splitting the 30/40 players of anyway decent standard between 3 clubs. It absolutely impacts on Galway utd

**gufct** · 20/12/2007, 9:57 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Its not about support. Its about galway Utd going out to sponsors and being told they're giving their money to Mervue instead. Its about having to share the pitiful amount of coverage they already get. Its about splitting the 30/40 players of anyway decent standard between 3 clubs. It absolutely impacts on Galway utd

For once Dodge we agree.The FAI should have just left it as areserve league if they couldnt get enough teams to go forward. Geezers point about our 2 erstwhile colleagues have really turned up trumps is very true here absolute madness.

**paudie** · 20/12/2007, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Its not about support. Its about galway Utd going out to sponsors and being told they're giving their money to Mervue instead. Its about having to share the pitiful amount of coverage they already get. Its about splitting the 30/40 players of anyway decent standard between 3 clubs. It absolutely impacts on Galway utd

But surely plenty of businesses sponsor Mervue at the moment so GUFC are competing with them in that way anyway.

You could argue that Mervue languishing in the lower part of the A league could be less attractive to sponsors than if they were topping the Connacht Senior league.

I would like to hear Salthill and Mervue giving their reasons for joining the A league. If their long term aim is to join the "Senior" LOI it's hard to see how having 3 senior teams in Galway can be sustainable in terms of support and sponsor base and playing strength.

**incident** · 20/12/2007, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Its not about support. Its about galway Utd going out to sponsors and being told they're giving their money to Mervue instead. Its about having to share the pitiful amount of coverage they already get. Its about splitting the 30/40 players of anyway decent standard between 3 clubs. It absolutely impacts on Galway utd

Sponsorship? I presume that the clubs will already have sponsors in their existing leagues. Are they taking money away from GUFC at the moment? Anyone looking to spend a notable amount of money is most likely to do so because they want people to see their logo. Which leads to..

Coverage? How much coverage do you expect the A-League to get exactly? I'll be impressed if any national paper even bothers to print the results or table.. Indiividual teams might attract a bit of local coverage, but that happens anyway, with or without the A-League.

Fact is, the playing field is not level, and GUFC have a distinct advantage over the A League sides in every measurable way. If they end up losing any measurable support/sponsorship/coverage/players/etc to one of the A-League sides, then it can only be because GUFC are doing something very very wrong.

**Dodge** · 20/12/2007, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by incident

Sponsorship? I presume that the clubs will already have sponsors in their existing leagues. Are they taking money away from GUFC at the moment? Anyone looking to spend a notable amount of money

But mervue and salthill will need a massive injection of cash to pay for these two new teams to play in a national league (and I know its regional but its less regional than they're used to). salthill can compensate for it by dropping their u21 side but for mervue its a big step up. And the words notable and reasonable don't really apply to football fundraising when every euro matters

Indiividual teams might attract a bit of local coverage, but that happens anyway, with or without the A-League.

And now there's more teams, playing at a higher level. Are you saying they won't get any coverage at all locally?

Fact is, the playing field is not level, and GUFC have a distinct advantage over the A League sides in every measurable way. If they end up losing any measurable support/sponsorship/coverage/players/etc to one of the A-League sides, then it can only be because GUFC are doing something very very wrong.

Don't be ridiculous. Of course Galway have the edge but they can't stop people being sold raffle tickets by Mervue first, or insist that local press cover all their games only.

I've no great love for Galway but only the foolish thinks that this, at the very least, makes it harder for them

**GuisaSaigon** · 20/12/2007, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by paudie

You could argue that Mervue languishing in the lower part of the A league could be less attractive to sponsors than if they were topping the Connacht Senior league.

If such a thing as the connacht senior League existed, you could argue this

Today's Galway Advertiser has a big Photo and article announcing Salthill's new sponsorship deal with Mr Naughton and Mr Byrne of the FAI displaying Salthill's new shirt.
For 5 years Galway could not produce a team capable of promotion from the first division, neither the players nor the resources exist to support four senior teams within 10 miles of each other in Galway.

**incident** · 20/12/2007, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

But mervue and salthill will need a massive injection of cash to pay for these two new teams to play in a national league (and I know its regional but its less regional than they're used to). salthill can compensate for it by dropping their u21 side but for mervue its a big step up. And the words notable and reasonable don't really apply to football fundraising when every euro matters

It's all very well saying "every euro matters", but we both know that's not the whole story - eL clubs can and do turn away money.

If someone offered Galway United (say) 500 Euros a season for primary Shirt Sponsorship, then they'd most likely be turned down flat - whereas that figure could be a lot more realistic for a lower level club.

I won't claim that there's no overlap whatsoever, but for the most part GUFC will be chasing a different pool of potential sponsors to the A-League sides.

Originally Posted by Dodge

And now there's more teams, playing at a higher level. Are you saying they won't get any coverage at all locally?

I'm saying the coverage won't be significantly more than they get already - and that it won't reduce the amount of coverage GUFC get in the slightest. It'll be the clubs left back in the regional leagues that lose out on coverage.

Originally Posted by Dodge

Don't be ridiculous. Of course Galway have the edge but they can't stop people being sold raffle tickets by Mervue first, or insist that local press cover all their games only.

I've no great love for Galway but only the foolish thinks that this, at the very least, makes it harder for them

That's not really relevant to the A-League - any Football club, regardless of level, can sell raffle tickets. So can GAA clubs, and Rugby clubs for that matter - and they all do. Competition has been there all along. All the A-League does is marginally elevate certain clubs, but they're still not even approaching the same level as GUFC.

**jebus** · 20/12/2007, 10:48 AM

For once I actually have a degree of sympathy for Galway United, ridiculous to have that many clubs from what traditionally isn't exactly a footballing hotbed.

**gufct** · 20/12/2007, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by jebus

For once I actually have a degree of sympathy for Galway United, ridiculous to have that many clubs from what traditionally isn't exactly a footballing hotbed.

And that says it all for me.Genuine football fans who argue every toss of the coin as far as our 2 clubs are concerned agree that this is madness.

**MyTown** · 20/12/2007, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by jebus

For once I actually have a degree of sympathy for Galway United,

Ah Jebus you must've had a visit from the ghost of Christmas past or something.

If you're expressing sympathy for us we're really screwed

**jebus** · 20/12/2007, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by MyTown

Ah Jebus you must've had a visit from the ghost of Christmas past or something.

If you're expressing sympathy for us we're really screwed

It would be best not to bring up Christmas past (in particular last year) when I'm showing sympathy for you lot

**superfrank** · 20/12/2007, 11:06 AM

Best of luck to the sides going up.

**Dodge** · 20/12/2007, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by incident

I won't claim that there's no overlap whatsoever, but for the most part...

I'm saying the coverage won't be significantly more

marginally elevate certain clubs

The point I'm making is that Galway Utd lost 70k last year and very much living on the edge. Every small thing that lessens their appeal or even news worthiness has an unduly impact on them (and other LOI clubs) as we're already working with no comfort zone.

Of course this isn't a major issue in the grand league scheme. I just think its a waste having 3 teams in the league from such a small area, and it doesn't exactly tell clubs that the FAI will support them in marketing drives

**drummerboy** · 20/12/2007, 11:20 AM

This is typical of the FAI. Short-sighted policy which is mirrored in the Junior game too, to the detriment of existing clubs. Anybody can start a football club, anywhere in Ireland, even if there is already a club in that very area. It fragments the game and should not be allowed. This doesn't happen in the GAA, hence the magnificent facilities all over the country.