Gaelic League

[Austinho]

Purely hypothetical, but is a merged Scottish, Irish, Northern Irish and Welsh Premiership something that would improve our game and something the fans could get behind?

Imagine for example an 18 team league, 10 teams from Scotland, 4 from Ireland, 4 from Wales and 2 from NI. Playing away against teams from Dublin, Belfast etc once a season to me is a more exciting prospect than 2 trips to Hamilton.
Dundalk performed miracles in Europe recently, and other teams like Shamrock Rovers have performed better than we have over the years, so perhaps a combined coefficient would improve the overall game. In Wales, I doubt Swansea or Cardiff would be interested, but no doubt Newport County and Wrexham would see it as a bigger opportunity than playing in League 2.

Would fans travel to away games in numbers, or would the novelty soon wear off? Could Rangers be trusted in Dublin, or Celtic fans away to Linfield? The strong rivalries could either help create a lot more interest and elevate the league to new heights or destroy our reputation entirely.

Below the Premiership, it would make sense to retain the separate Scottish Championship, Irish, Welsh and NI Championships, with a moneyspinning playoff to decide promotion and relegation. The Scottish Cup etc could remain regional too, to avoid too much excessive travel throughout the season.

I think it would make it a more competitive league, be a more exiting prospect for TV coverage, and sponsors might take more interest with exposure in 4 countries instead of 1.

Thoughts?

[AND An E]

Take the current level of sectarian bile in Scotland, chuck in three more countries and multiply it by 100. Utter disaster waiting to happen.

[Austinho]

Take the current level of sectarian bile in Scotland, chuck in three more countries and multiply it by 100. Utter disaster waiting to happen.Then implement severe sanctions, point deductions and stadium bans for that kind of behaviour to ensure it eventually doesn't happen.

[SouthMoroccoStu]

Take the current level of sectarian bile in Scotland, chuck in three more countries and multiply it by 100. Utter disaster waiting to happen.

Who said sevco and Celtic would be invited to join?

They have threatened to dump the rest of Scottish at the drop of a hat several times over the past 2 decades.

Great idea - in theory

[jgl07]

Seems to work ok for the Rugby.

Anything is worth a crack to get away from the current stultifying league system. So Hibs get promoted next year it will be back to playing the likes of Partick Thistle three or four times a season.

[BH Hibs]

If that was allowed to happen then Sevco and Celtic would be off to England if of course England wanted them.

[Callyballybe]

Quite an interesting idea in theory. Surely a Gaelic/Celtic league like this would generate improved interest, which would then generate more fans/tv money long term.

Couple of obvious hurdles; and I can't see the ugly sisters being invited to England anytime soon. So they may want a big say in how this is set up, and unfortunately I'd say for the Irish and Welsh teams, having them two there would be a big pull.

Not an idea to be ignored though, I think there is definitely potential.

[Ozyhibby]

I don't think any of those leagues have a team with crowds as big as Falkirks? Not sure what they would bring to the table?
If we want to improve the finances of our game we need to look more at an Atlantic league type set up.


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[Baader]

Huns in Dublin? Absolute carnage.

:worried:

[Waxy]

Might as well just go the whole hog and have a UK league.

[NAE NOOKIE]

There would be a potential there and in an ideal world its definitely something that would be worth considering, but there are so many difficulties to overcome to make it happen its unlikely it ever will.

Rugby has run a Celtic league for some time, but as far as I know its a game that has never had the sectarian problems football has and I just cant see the local authorities in Dublin or Belfast welcoming particularly The Rangers making visits once or twice a year.

If the league extended as far as Cork in the south of Ireland it would present travel difficulties for clubs on small budgets like St Johnstone and Hamilton .... in fact quite a few of their matches would have to involve hotels etc and that all costs money ... the same would apply to Irish clubs heading in the other direction.

I do think there is the potential for some of the Irish clubs in big cities like Dublin, Belfast or Cork to see a dramatic rise in crowds and attract the money to build suitable stadiums to house them on the back of being in a league containing far bigger clubs than the one they play in just now and with a far bigger TV audience as well they would attract more money as would the Scottish clubs perhaps .... but what I cant see is clubs like Kilmarnock or Dundee seeing a rise in home attendances wanting to watch them play Crusaders, St Pats or Bohemians, the same probably goes for us.

If we want to dip a toe in the water over this the best way to go about it would be to re jig the League Cup and invite some of the Irish and Welsh clubs to take part .... the southern Irish league season ends in October which would be perfect for the league cup ... considering how well some of their clubs have done in Europe lately I wouldn't put it past one of them to go and win the bloody thing at the first time of asking :greengrin

[worcesterhibby]

Imagine for example an 18 team league, 10 teams from Scotland, 4 from Ireland, 4 from Wales and 2 from NI.



Errrrr that's 20 TEAM LEAGUE !

I like the idea, but I can't work out how promotion and relegation would work. If a welsh team got relegated it would need to drop into a welsh league...so does that mean that a welsh team automatically gets promoted ? if not..what league would have a space for them? It would also mean that you could only get promotion if a team from your country got relegated.

[AndyM_1875]

Interesting and possibly worthwhile idea provided you keep the ugly sisters out of it.

Question would be if there is space in the calendar for the fixtures.

[marinello59]

I can't see how diluting our league with three inferior ones would make our game in any way more attractive to sponsors, TV etc.

[Mathias Jack]

100% agree with this^^^^^^^^^^^^

I wasn't overly excited at Welsh and Northern Irish teams joining the diddy Irn Bru Cup, never mind playing them on a week to week basis. In the same breath, playing Partick 4 times a season doesn't either! ha ha

[Valencia]

Terrible idea can see no merits whatever

[Waxy]

I can't see how diluting our league with three inferior ones would make our game in any way more attractive to sponsors, TV etc.

Well spot on. Close thread.

[18Hibee75]

Think about the Inverness and Ross County fans away at Barry Town in Wales, they get no away fans anyway...

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[O'Rourke3]

Are the teams in the league a fixed uni?. 3 countries. How does promotion/relegation work. 1 team from each country? So every Welsh and Irish team finish below a Scottish Team and so get relegated from 10th spot? Or the league gets dominated by 1 country? Not slagging off the idea but the practicalities probably make it a non starter.

[Dalianwanda]

Even getting to where I live is a bit of a treck..sligo from Dublin on the train 3 hours then you have to flight back..you could fly to knock but not that many flights to choose from and you really need a car for the 50 min drive (no public transport system)

[CMurdoch]

Very caq idea
Non runner.
e.g. The Welsh team that St Mirren beat in the Semi Final of the Challenge Cup get average home attendances of 250

[Jag7]

Do t want anything called Gaelic too much money wasted on stupid signs already, let those who speak it keep it and don't force it on the rest of us !! So no to a GAELIC league.

[frazeHFC]

I'm guessing the highest crowds in each of those countries is below the lowest in the Prem (or at least very close). The SPL is bad enough without adding a further bunch of diddy teams to it. Would make for some pretty class away days though!

[Keith_M]

Who's the biggest supported team from those three leagues just now and what size are their attendances?

[jdships]

" Pie in the Sky"
Another non-starter - why not sort our own leagues out and make it 16 team " Premier league " ?

[beensaidbefore]

Might as well just go the whole hog and have a UK league.


I think the point would be to try and put out a product that would take some of shine away from the English game.

[beensaidbefore]

" Pie in the Sky"
Another non-starter - why not sort our own leagues out and make it 16 team " Premier league " ?

Even better idea. When us huns and tarts were down it proved it could work.

[beensaidbefore]

Do t want anything called Gaelic too much money wasted on stupid signs already, let those who speak it keep it and don't force it on the rest of us !! So no to a GAELIC league.

I don't think it would be compulsory.😂

[LancsHibs]

Who's the biggest supported team from those three leagues just now and what size are their attendances?

A bit of reasearch the a best average attendance for the last RoI league season was Cork City 2843
Best Irish league average this season is Linfield 2543
Best Welsh league average is Bangor City only 496
Newport in league2 is 2556 and Wrexham in the National league is 3919

[Ozyhibby]

A bit of reasearch the a best average attendance for the last RoI league season was Cork City 2843
Best Irish league average this season is Linfield 2543
Best Welsh league average is Bangor City only 496
Newport in league2 is 2556 and Wrexham in the National league is 3919

Compared to the potential of the Atlantic league.

2/ 18 team leagues

Ajax 49,403
Feyenoord 45,419
Celtic 44,849
New Rangers 45,415
PSV 32,465
FC Twente 28,518
Hammarby (Sweden) 25,507
Club Brugge (Belguim) 24,430
Herenveen 24,314
AIK (Sweden) 20,983
Anderlecht 20,675
Genk (Belguim) 20,590
Standard Liege (Belguim) 20,415
Groningen 20,193
NAC Breda 18,112
Rosenborg (Norway) 18,039
Malmo (Sweden) 17,332
Vitesse 17,212
Utrecht 16,646
Hearts 16, 423
AZ Alkmaar 15,512
Djurgardens IF (Sweden) 15,484
FC Copenhagen (Denmark) 15,448
Brondby (Denmark) 15,143
Hibs 15,000
IFK Gothenborg (Sweden) 14,350
Aberdeen 13,094
PEC Zwolle 12,213
Willem II 12,099
ADO Den Haag 11,976
IFK Norkoping (Sweden) 10,296
Viking FK (Norway) 10,272
SK Brann (Norway) 10,124
KV Mechelan (Belguim)10,160
Valerenga IF (Norway) 10,099
KAA Gent (Belguim) 10,090

Tv market
Holland 17m
Belguim 11m
Sweden 10m
Denmark 5.6m
Scotland 5.5m
Norway 5.1m
Total 52mi


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[BoomtownHibees]

Do t want anything called Gaelic too much money wasted on stupid signs already, let those who speak it keep it and don't force it on the rest of us !! So no to a GAELIC league.

Can I nominate this for post of the year so far??

Just for how random it is

[Lancs Harp]

The French and the Italian leagues are considering an amalgamation.

The Garlic league.

[AZhibee]

Like new ideas, just doesn't seem like this one would improve the situation. If Scotland were looking to merge it would be in their interests to find more attractive partners; cue thread about the Atlantic league from a while ago.

[lord bunberry]

I don't think it's a particularly good idea. The only way it would have a chance of success is if the welsh and Irish teams joined together and became regions like in the rugby. I very much doubt they'd want to do that in order to play in a league that could fall flat on its face in a couple of years.

[SanFranHibs]

And good luck getting Swansea and Cardiff out of the English league :greengrin

[SRHibs]

It would be interesting for a couple of seasons, then the novelty of playing a load of ***** Welsh/Irish teams will wear off, and all it will do is leave us with more expensive away trips. Will also do nothing to help usurp the OF from being miles ahead of the rest - well, just Celtic for the moment.

In terms of quality and size, the Scottish leagues are probably closer to the English leagues than they are the Welsh and Irish ones.

[Jag7]

Can I nominate this for post of the year so far??

Just for how random it is

Just wandered off the relevant subject to get one of my pet hates aired 😂

[Forza Fred]

Even getting to where I live is a bit of a treck..sligo from Dublin on the train 3 hours then you have to flight back..you could fly to knock but not that many flights to choose from and you really need a car for the 50 min drive (no public transport system)

Make it sound as onerous as a Wellington Phoenix supporter going to an away game in Perth😋

[Dalianwanda]

Make it sound as onerous as a Wellington Phoenix supporter going to an away game in Perth[emoji39]

Haha..that's way beyond my comprehension..



I see Sligo are one of the Irish teams in next years Petrofac Cup next season..will be interesting to see how that goes if the get one of the more remote Scottish teams


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[CMurdoch]

Compared to the potential of the Atlantic league.

2/ 18 team leagues

Ajax 49,403
Feyenoord 45,419
Celtic 44,849
New Rangers 45,415
PSV 32,465
FC Twente 28,518
Hammarby (Sweden) 25,507
Club Brugge (Belguim) 24,430
Herenveen 24,314
AIK (Sweden) 20,983
Anderlecht 20,675
Genk (Belguim) 20,590
Standard Liege (Belguim) 20,415
Groningen 20,193
NAC Breda 18,112
Rosenborg (Norway) 18,039
Malmo (Sweden) 17,332
Vitesse 17,212
Utrecht 16,646
Hearts 16, 423
AZ Alkmaar 15,512
Djurgardens IF (Sweden) 15,484
FC Copenhagen (Denmark) 15,448
Brondby (Denmark) 15,143
Hibs 15,000
IFK Gothenborg (Sweden) 14,350
Aberdeen 13,094
PEC Zwolle 12,213
Willem II 12,099
ADO Den Haag 11,976
IFK Norkoping (Sweden) 10,296
Viking FK (Norway) 10,272
SK Brann (Norway) 10,124
KV Mechelan (Belguim)10,160
Valerenga IF (Norway) 10,099
KAA Gent (Belguim) 10,090

Tv market
Holland 17m
Belguim 11m
Sweden 10m
Denmark 5.6m
Scotland 5.5m
Norway 5.1m
Total 52mi


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2 18 team leagues.
Hibs would be in the second tier, the Championship if you like.
Hibs.net guys wouldn't be happy with that after a couple of seasons.
Only up is we would get rid of the uglies and Hearts would be stuck in the Championship with us.
2 20 team leagues would give us a chance to get into the top tier

[jgl07]

Compared to the potential of the Atlantic league.

2/ 18 team leagues

Ajax 49,403
Feyenoord 45,419
Celtic 44,849
New Rangers 45,415
PSV 32,465
FC Twente 28,518
Hammarby (Sweden) 25,507
Club Brugge (Belguim) 24,430
Herenveen 24,314
AIK (Sweden) 20,983
Anderlecht 20,675
Genk (Belguim) 20,590
Standard Liege (Belguim) 20,415
Groningen 20,193
NAC Breda 18,112
Rosenborg (Norway) 18,039
Malmo (Sweden) 17,332
Vitesse 17,212
Utrecht 16,646
Hearts 16, 423
AZ Alkmaar 15,512
Djurgardens IF (Sweden) 15,484
FC Copenhagen (Denmark) 15,448
Brondby (Denmark) 15,143
Hibs 15,000
IFK Gothenborg (Sweden) 14,350
Aberdeen 13,094
PEC Zwolle 12,213
Willem II 12,099
ADO Den Haag 11,976
IFK Norkoping (Sweden) 10,296
Viking FK (Norway) 10,272
SK Brann (Norway) 10,124
KV Mechelan (Belguim)10,160
Valerenga IF (Norway) 10,099
KAA Gent (Belguim) 10,090

Tv market
Holland 17m
Belguim 11m
Sweden 10m
Denmark 5.6m
Scotland 5.5m
Norway 5.1m
Total 52mi


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If the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian Leagues cannot make a merger stick and neither can the Dutch and Belgians, what chance would this one have?

[Ozyhibby]

If the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian Leagues cannot make a merger stick and neither can the Dutch and Belgians, what chance would this one have?

Money would be the glue to make it stick.


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[Ozyhibby]

2 18 team leagues.
Hibs would be in the second tier, the Championship if you like.
Hibs.net guys wouldn't be happy with that after a couple of seasons.
Only up is we would get rid of the uglies and Hearts would be stuck in the Championship with us.
2 20 team leagues would give us a chance to get into the top tier

I'd fancy our chances of promotion and bigger crowds at Easter road in such an event.


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[Lancs Harp]

The cost of having an away season ticket would be a bit pricey

[jgl07]

Money would be the glue to make it stick.

They have been talking this up for the last 25 years. Nothing has happened. No sign of the money arriving.

I don't see the proposal being that attractive to the TV companies. The League would still be unbalanced with a number of very big clubs (Celtic, Ajax, Feyenord) and a lot of the size of Hibs.

The TV companies would still prefer to screen English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A and the Bundesliga.

The ideal scenario would be a British League. Hibs would potentially be a far bigger club than either Cardiff or Swansea.

It isn't going to happen though!

[Keith_M]

A bit of reasearch the a best average attendance for the last RoI league season was Cork City 2843
Best Irish league average this season is Linfield 2543
Best Welsh league average is Bangor City only 496
Newport in league2 is 2556 and Wrexham in the National league is 3919


Cheers for that.


So the best supported team has an average attendance lower than 18 Scottish Clubs.

http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/avesco.htm

[BullsCloseHibs]

Huns in Dublin? Absolute carnage.

:worried:

Aye, the friendly Dublin lads would see to them nicely 😉

[Dalianwanda]

Aye, the friendly Dublin lads would see to them nicely [emoji6]

There are a few...even a supporters club!

I my village two streets and the only other scots a Hun 🤺


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[CMurdoch]

I'd fancy our chances of promotion and bigger crowds at Easter road in such an event.


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I think an Atlantic League would work and we would see a lot more money coming our way.
UEFA are currently looking after the elite English, Spanish, Italian, German and French teams who are getting richer and stronger with every season. So nothing to stop the others leaving them to it and setting up their own organisation which will put their interests first

[Michael]

Why is it all about money? Football clubs should be for football not business.

I hope we never see merged leagues.

[Iggy Pope]

I grew up with Scottish Football and I love it.
I cannot stand hipsters.
Welsh and Irish football I have always found to be as irrelevant as rugby unless it involves a day or two away for a friendly. And I'm waiting on the Welsh one.

[Iggy Pope]

The cost of having an away season ticket would be a bit pricey

At the risk of a whoosh the away ticket price would be the same. Your train ticket would be cheaper though. "Loyalty" on the other hand........

[Ozyhibby]

I grew up with Scottish Football and I love it.
I cannot stand hipsters.
Welsh and Irish football I have always found to be as irrelevant as rugby unless it involves a day or two away for a friendly. And I'm waiting on the Welsh one.

Me too but if there has to be change we need to make sure we are ready for it and involved.


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[Iggy Pope]

Me too but if there has to be change we need to make sure we are ready for it and involved.


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Why does there have to be change?

[Lancs Harp]

At the risk of a whoosh the away ticket price would be the same. Your train ticket would be cheaper though. "Loyalty" on the other hand........

Whoosh indeed.

I did say the cost of having an away season ticket (as oppose to the cost of an away season ticket). Which with travel to various parts of Europe (it was a reference to the Atlantic league) would be a little more expensive I would have thought.

[Ozyhibby]

Why does there have to be change?

There doesn't have to be but we may not be in control of that. If there is to be change we should make sure we are helping to shape that change.


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[Iggy Pope]

Whoosh indeed.

I did say the cost of having an away season ticket (as oppose to the cost of an away season ticket). Which with travel to various parts of Europe (it was a reference to the Atlantic league) would be a little more expensive I would have thought.

You did indeed my Lancastrian friend, apologies.
I stand whooshed.

[Iggy Pope]

There doesn't have to be but we may not be in control of that. If there is to be change we should make sure we are helping to shape that change.


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I'd be in opposition to the sort of change being discussed here and so would many others. That might be one of the shapes involved.