Fixtures for next season

**clarke** · 08/04/2002, 9:01 PM

Does anyone know when the league will be publishing the fixtures for next season?
I believe it runs from July to Jan 2003?

**Troy.McClure** · 09/04/2002, 8:59 AM

I think that it doesnt start until after the world cup. Id put money on it that we will be playing away on the last day though!

When was the last time we played at home for the last day? Rovers about 4 years ago?

**pete** · 09/04/2002, 9:03 AM

Thgink season starts on July 7 2002 & ends around mid January 2003. FAI Cup Final 2002a on October bank holiday weekend i think too.

**clarke** · 09/04/2002, 4:10 PM

I presume that we play each team twice as opposed to three times ?

**Schumi** · 09/04/2002, 4:14 PM

Three times but that's 6 games less because of the 10 team league.

**yan** · 10/04/2002, 10:39 AM

is it always going to be 3 times

wouldnt it be better to play everbody 4 times

**patsh** · 10/04/2002, 11:10 AM

Originally posted by yan
is it always going to be 3 times
wouldnt it be better to play everbody 4 times

27 games or 36?
I would think 36 games is too many. I also think it is going to get a bit boring with only 9 teams to play against............

**pete** · 10/04/2002, 11:15 AM

Only club i think that still wanted 4 rounds of games in the short season was $hel$. 36 league games in 7 months was obviously too much as would have meant as much as 10 mid week games even before cup replays included or european games.

When "summer season" proper starts from March-November 2003 it will be 4 rounds of games in the Premier division.

**Éanna** · 10/04/2002, 12:39 PM

this 3 games lark is a joke- it looks ridiculous! Bigger league and play each other twice is the obvious solution.

**Colm** · 10/04/2002, 12:45 PM

I think that when summer soccer is properly up and running we will have to play everyone 4 times, just like they do in Scotland.

**ccfcman** · 11/04/2002, 2:11 PM

Originally posted by COLM
I think that when summer soccer is properly up and running we will have to play everyone 4 times, just like they do in Scotland.

i was under the impression it was 4 times a season

**Troy.McClure** · 11/04/2002, 8:31 PM

Originally posted by Éanna
this 3 games lark is a joke- it looks ridiculous! Bigger league and play each other twice is the obvious solution.

The Idea of just one league was put forward, but I think that most people would be bored $hitl€ss if we got a run like: Limerick, Monaghan, Droughada, Sligo, Athlone... At least with a 10 team Prem there will be more 'attractive' ties, aswell as (supposedly) raising the standard of football.

Personally I think that 12 teams was just fine.

**patsh** · 12/04/2002, 7:07 AM

Originally posted by Troy.McClure
but I think that most people would be bored $hitl€ss if we got a run like: Limerick, Monaghan, Droughada, Sligo, Athlone...

[COLOR=darkblue]Yeah, when we can instead be bored sh*tless watching the Gunther UEFA Grade A Football System (GUGAFS)..............[/COLOR]

**Shelsman** · 12/04/2002, 8:27 AM

Originally posted by Troy.McClure

The Idea of just one league was put forward, but I think that most people would be bored $hitl€ss if we got a run like: Limerick, Monaghan, Droughada, Sligo, Athlone... At least with a 10 team Prem there will be more 'attractive' ties, aswell as (supposedly) raising the standard of football.

Personally I think that 12 teams was just fine.

Agreed. There will always be a number of crap teams at any one time and they should all be in the first division wherever possible.

I would like to see a more balanced Premier Division ( more countys represented ), but if the country clubs get a move on they will earn their place in the Premier Division. Having that said, the FAI should definitely be helping clubs like Limerick to buy / build proper grounds and training facilities -its a big City and deserves a good stadium -it's up to Limerick to put the good team in place.

Dublin contains just under a third of the population so a third of the premier division ( and no more ) should consist of Dublin teams ( ideally ). That said, there is no way the League can say to teams that you're in and you're out because of your location -does that mean Derry and Cork can never get relegated? Hardly fair.

**Dricky** · 12/04/2002, 9:29 AM

The FAI are useless, millions has been spent on GAA projects around the country, no while I have no problem with sport getting money I do have a problem with to whom it is given. Soccer has been neglected in Ireland for so long why the TD’s get nothing from it the soccer pundits. The GAA is their lifeline for votes but watch the promises over the next few months.
Secondly we are not professional, the league needs it and badly it has to be run as a business it has to be run to make money and it has to be run by people competent of the task at hand, each team should have an FAI rep on the board, account books should be open and soccer apprenticeships should be set up to keep the kids at home in their local team, keep them educated, and if they are good enough to go abroad make some money for the clubs, then and only then would a 10 team premier league work and the first division would be a viable interest for all clubs below and in the league, the premier would then become the premier.

**ccfcman** · 12/04/2002, 7:17 PM

Originally posted by Dricky
The FAI are useless, millions has been spent on GAA projects around the country, no while I have no problem with sport getting money I do have a problem with to whom it is given. Soccer has been neglected in Ireland for so long why the TD’s get nothing from it the soccer pundits. The GAA is their lifeline for votes but watch the promises over the next few months.
Secondly we are not professional, the league needs it and badly it has to be run as a business it has to be run to make money and it has to be run by people competent of the task at hand, each team should have an FAI rep on the board, account books should be open and soccer apprenticeships should be set up to keep the kids at home in their local team, keep them educated, and if they are good enough to go abroad make some money for the clubs, then and only then would a 10 team premier league work and the first division would be a viable interest for all clubs below and in the league, the premier would then become the premier.

take ur head out of the sand... the gaa will never budge

**Jim Smith** · 13/04/2002, 8:57 AM

A ten team league will be a disaster. Mark my words - yes I know I'm not the only or the first person to say this.

The only way that it will not destroy football in this country will be if the FAI and the love of going to the courts don't do it first.

Most of the games will be Dublin derbys which don't exactly draw massive crowds as it is. Familiarity breeds contempt - or is it children?

**ccfcman** · 13/04/2002, 9:11 AM

i'd like to see the 2 leagues emalgimated but then there would be nothing to lose at the end of the season

**Shelsman** · 13/04/2002, 9:26 AM

In the League there can only be one winner and a few other teams that qualify for Europe. These clubs will have seen their season as a success. If there was no First Division, the likes of Drogheda would NEVER win anything -they would be in a permanent state of mediocrity. I'm sure most Drogs fans would rather see them win the First Division ( every second season! )than finish 13th or 14th every year.

**Éanna** · 13/04/2002, 1:05 PM

Originally posted by ccfcman
i'd like to see the 2 leagues emalgimated but then there would be nothing to lose at the end of the season

Thats the best solution in my book, pat Devlin suggested one division for 2 years to give everyone a chance to sort themselves out and then decide on the future, that was the best idea I've heard. It'd be possible to introduce promotion from the CSL, MSL, USL or LSL to a one-division league, so that someone would go down.