AIL:Will it happen?

**OneRedArmy** · 04/01/2008, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by EalingGreen

I wouldn't be surprised if they attempt to impose additional "qualifying" criteria for Promotion to the AIL. That is, it might not be enough to win your respective Carnegie or Eircom League, or even a Play-Off between the two winners for one Promotion place.
It might be they will also require minimum facilities such as stadium capacity etc, or financial guarantees, or even minimum crowds? There may also be a geographical requirement (i.e. to try to spread the member teams throughout the island)?

You know that we already have used exactly such criteria to determine the make-up of last years EL Premier Division?

**holidaysong** · 04/01/2008, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Interesting post, but it misses the point in three respects (imo).

First, as proposed, the AIL is to be a breakaway "stand alone" League with one Division, comprising 12? 14? 16? clubs which happen to be from both sides of the border.....

Some very good point there EalingGreen. The more I think about it, the more I can't see this AIL happening for some of the reasons you have outlined. Smaller clubs just won't accept it. Personally, I can't say I'd be for this breakaway league as it is currently being proposed. I think the best course of action is to allow a natural expansion of the Setanta Cup until one day the IFA and FAI see the sense (perhaps with some pressure from the clubs) of having an all island premier division with regional divisions under that but regional divisions that are fully integrated into the the greater all island football pyramid. Smaller clubs must not be allowed to die a slow death while the 'elite' clubs break away.

**p�l-dcfc** · 04/01/2008, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by Blanchflower

Funny. Any time I've been it has been located outside the city. Clear countryside between Drumahoe and the edge of the city.

Maybe they themselves live in the city?

Why the inverted commas around Londonderry?

I live in Drumahoe. there is not any clear countryside between here and they city. Drumahoe ends at a park locally called the "banana park". Beside this there is another housing development, right the way to the hospital and Knightsbridge, whioch is connected to... and so on til you get to the bridge. Unless the Foyle is considered "clear countryside", you're wrong.

Londonderry was in inverted commas because that's what any fans of 'Stute I know say. I say Derry.

**holidaysong** · 04/01/2008, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

You know that we already have used exactly such criteria to determine the make-up of last years EL Premier Division?

And you want to see a repeat of such criteria being used again and again to stop clubs that were promoted on merit from gaining access to the higher divisions?

**ifk101** · 04/01/2008, 12:41 PM

I think LOI football has improved greatly over the last 10 years or so, both on and off the field, so I don't see the need to join with an "inferior league" that hasn't developed to the same extent. With the exception of Glentoran and Linfield, none of the IL clubs would be "crowd pullers" so what's the point of replacing current teams (where there are built-up rivalries) with part-time teams with "limited brand recognition" and who are unlikely to be able to fulfil matches regularly on weekdays.

As I see it, calls for an AIL are primarily driven by certain clubs who have over stretched themselves financially in the recent past and who view an AIL as the best way to ease financial strain.

**OneRedArmy** · 04/01/2008, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

And you want to see a repeat of such criteria being used again and again to stop clubs that were promoted on merit from gaining access to the higher divisions?

As long as my club are in I don't really care.

Obviously if we weren't in I'd be outraged.

Thats why I'm a fan

**pineapple stu** · 04/01/2008, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

As long as my club are in I don't really care.

Obviously if we weren't in I'd be outraged.

Pretty much sums up why your views should be ignored on the subject, to be honest.

**holidaysong** · 04/01/2008, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by ifk101

With the exception of Glentoran and Linfield, none of the IL clubs would be "crowd pullers" so what's the point of replacing current teams (where there are built-up rivalries) with part-time teams with "limited brand recognition" and who are unlikely to be able to fulfil matches regularly on weekdays.

I don't think it would take too long for new rivalries to develop in an AIL though. A lot of eL teams are always coming and going from the league therefore making it hard sometimes to sustain meaningful rivalries outside the top clubs anyway. I'd agree though that why play Dungannon Swifts for the sake of it when you could just play UCD. I know I'd rather play (and beat) Newry City than Wexford Youths on any day of the week however. Cliftonville would also be a crowd puller I feel. Sure Glentoran and Linfield are the big two pullers but I feel there is more to the IL than just these teams and other teams from north of the border would perhaps grow in stature as part of an AIL.

**holidaysong** · 04/01/2008, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Pretty much sums up why your views should be ignored on the subject, to be honest.

Agreed.

**Blanchflower** · 04/01/2008, 1:06 PM

Originally Posted by p�l-dcfc

I live in Drumahoe. there is not any clear countryside between here and they city. Drumahoe ends at a park locally called the "banana park". Beside this there is another housing development, right the way to the hospital and Knightsbridge, whioch is connected to... and so on til you get to the bridge. Unless the Foyle is considered "clear countryside", you're wrong.

The map says different.

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=GB|drumahoe

A clear break between the city and Drumahoe, and Drumahoe identified separately from the city of Londonderry.

The Royal Mail also considers Drumahoe to be separate in its official address of "Drumahoe, Londonderry".

**OneRedArmy** · 04/01/2008, 1:10 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Pretty much sums up why your views should be ignored on the subject, to be honest.

And yours. And everyone elses while we're at it.

Is anyone objective about this?

Need I remind you about your railing against the unfairness of the original infrastructure requirements of Licensing as they left your own club high and dry?!

At least I'm honest.

**ifk101** · 04/01/2008, 1:11 PM

Originally Posted by Blanchflower

The map says different.

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=GB|drumahoe

A clear break between the city and Drumahoe, and Drumahoe identified separately from the city of Londonderry.

The Royal Mail also considers Drumahoe to be separate in its official address of "Drumahoe, Londonderry".

P�l-dcfc lives there so he knows better than you.

And if Drumahoe was seperate from Derry there wouldn't be any need for the LondonDerry bit in its address now would there?

But maybe you can pm the Derry lads about this in future as it's clearly off-topic.

**OneRedArmy** · 04/01/2008, 1:15 PM

Originally Posted by Blanchflower

A clear break between the city and Drumahoe,

..........consisting of playing fields, which includes Institutes ground.

You knowledge of North West geography is similar to your knowledge of the Eircom League. Let me know when you are going to respond about all the centrally distributed funding EL clubs will lose out under the AIL proposals

**Blanchflower** · 04/01/2008, 1:21 PM

Originally Posted by ifk101

And if Drumahoe was seperate from Derry there wouldn't be any need for the LondonDerry bit in its address now would there?

So is Eglinton not a separate town/village from the city of Londonderry?

Is Coalisland part of Dungannon town?

Both Eglinton and Coalisland have Londonderry and Dungannon in their addresses.

Kilkeel's official address is "Kilkeel, Newry" - do you think that Kilkeel is part of Newry?

Londonderry is the "postal town" and is in the address because that is where the mail goes for delivery not only to Londonderry but surrounding towns and villages.

**p�l-dcfc** · 04/01/2008, 1:23 PM

Originally Posted by Blanchflower

The map says different.

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=GB|drumahoe

A clear break between the city and Drumahoe, and Drumahoe identified separately from the city of Londonderry.

The Royal Mail also considers Drumahoe to be separate in its official address of "Drumahoe, Londonderry".

Zoom in and you'll find you are wrong. There is no clear gap, there's an industrial estate, with a childrens park opposite. Faughan View Park there is still part of Drumahoe, and still connected to the rest of the city. Drumahoe is a suburb of Derry the same way as Ballymac, Springtown or Creggan are. It was a village of it's own previously, probably up until about 30 years ago when the surrounding area was developed.

**Blanchflower** · 04/01/2008, 1:23 PM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

..........consisting of playing fields, which includes Institutes ground.

Funny, when I was there in November, Institute's ground was on the left hand side of the main road to Derry. The map shows space on both sides of the road.

How do you explain the fact that Drumahoe is separately identified on the map if, in fact, it is part of Londonderry city?

How do you explain Royal Mail's policy of identifying Drumahoe as a separate town?

**OneRedArmy** · 04/01/2008, 1:27 PM

Originally Posted by Blanchflower

Funny, when I was there in November, Institute's ground was on the left hand side of the main road to Derry. The map shows space on both sides of the road.

Playing fields also, the posts are a dead give away

Now convinced you re-arranged the deckchairs on the Titanic btw.....

**Blanchflower** · 04/01/2008, 1:27 PM

Originally Posted by p�l-dcfc

Zoom in and you'll find you are wrong. There is no clear gap, there's an industrial estate, with a childrens park opposite. Faughan View Park there is still part of Drumahoe, and still connected to the rest of the city. Drumahoe is a suburb of Derry the same way as Ballymac, Springtown or Creggan are. It was a village of it's own previously, probably up until about 30 years ago when the surrounding area was developed.

I've zoomed in and the same amount of space is shown as in the wider view.

In any case, even if there is a children's park and an industrial estate between Drumahoe and Derry it doesn't mean that Drumahoe isn't separate. And being a suburb doesn't mean it's part of the city either.

Most of the suburbs of Belfast aren't actually in the city. Ever heard of Newtownabbey? Or Dunmurry?

**ifk101** · 04/01/2008, 1:39 PM

I take it Blanchflower you are not going to stop until everybody agrees with you.

The title of the thread is "AIL: Will it happen?"

The title of the thread is not "Ever heard of Newtownabbey? Or Dunmurry?"

Try to bear this in mind

**Blanchflower** · 04/01/2008, 1:41 PM

Originally Posted by ifk101

I take it Blanchflower you are not going to stop until everybody agrees with you.

The title of the thread is "AIL: Will it happen?"

The title of the thread is not "Ever heard of Newtownabbey? Or Dunmurry?"

Try to bear this in mind

I take it that means you concede that your argument about Londonderry being in Drumahoe's address is false?