League of Ireland

[Carheenlea]

We bemoan the Old Firm duopoly that Scottish Football has endured for the last 40 years, and imagine how exciting our game would be if we had a situation like we see in Ireland right now.

https://i.postimg.cc/x1M4P7FD/IMG-4640.jpg (https://postimg.cc/BjZpSh0M)

With three games remaining in the 10 team league, it’s a five-way title race with only 4 points separating the top 5.


The favourites for the title are 3rd & haven't been top once this year.

Now, I go along to see Galway Utd whenever I’m over during the season so I’m appreciative that the standard of football is not quite the same level as our top flight, but just comparing what excitement a similar sized league to our own can bring if competition was on a more level playing field.

[Gmack7]

I genuinely think through time our game could eventually thrive without the uglies, tradionally hibs hearts Aberdeen and Dundee United are the next 4 biggest and would eventually play to full houses in a close competitive league, I get the tv deal and coefficient would be effected but it has to be better than the status quo

[zitelli62]

I genuinely think through time our game could eventually thrive without the uglies, tradionally hibs hearts Aberdeen and Dundee United are the next 4 biggest and would eventually play to full houses in a close competitive league, I get the tv deal and coefficient would be effected but it has to be better than the status quo

Agree 100% yes we wouldn't have a great tv deal but full house's at 3pm on a Saturday with a chance of winning the league bring it on.

[Paul1642]

I genuinely think through time our game could eventually thrive without the uglies, tradionally hibs hearts Aberdeen and Dundee United are the next 4 biggest and would eventually play to full houses in a close competitive league, I get the tv deal and coefficient would be effected but it has to be better than the status quo

Completely agree. At least to start with, the league would be awesome. Us, Hearts and Aberdeen would be the three favourites but realistically absaty anybody could win it. No more 6-8 games per season which are almost guaranteed defeats. The reduced budgets and coefficient effect would mean we would suffer in Europe, both short and long term. A price I’d be willing to pay for competitive league, not to mention the removal of 95% of the leagues sectarianism.

I’m all for it, although do also accept that the % of out budget that comes from old firm fans is much lower than some other teams.

Unfortunately it’s never going to happen because they aren’t wanted down south anyway.

[Not In The Know]

I genuinely think through time our game could eventually thrive without the uglies, tradionally hibs hearts Aberdeen and Dundee United are the next 4 biggest and would eventually play to full houses in a close competitive league, I get the tv deal and coefficient would be effected but it has to be better than the status quo


Consistently sold out football matches week in week out in Scotlands capital city will over time become a massive thing

[Glory Lurker]

I get that it would weaken our league but our league’s standing has been on a downward slide since the 90s. It is not going to reverse that unless we radically change it. Or, maybe, we’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t. And if damned if we do involves no Old Firm, I’m very interested.

[wookie70]

We bemoan the Old Firm duopoly that Scottish Football has endured for the last 40 years, and imagine how exciting our game would be if we had a situation like we see in Ireland right now.

https://i.postimg.cc/x1M4P7FD/IMG-4640.jpg (https://postimg.cc/BjZpSh0M)

With three games remaining in the 10 team league, it’s a five-way title race with only 4 points separating the top 5.


The favourites for the title are 3rd & haven't been top once this year.

Now, I go along to see Galway Utd whenever I’m over during the season so I’m appreciative that the standard of football is not quite the same level as our top flight, but just comparing what excitement a similar sized league to our own can bring if competition was on a more level playing field.


Could Sligo still not win teh league if they win all three games and there is an unusual mix of results in other games. Not looked at fixtures though so perhaps impossible. What an amazing league, if only ours was remotely similar and I agree with others that it would be without the uglies.

[Donegal Hibby]

The idea of having a league without the uglies is good in it would be more exciting with a host of teams challenging for the league and cups though would it flourish or flounder without the OF in it as …

Sky money would be cut drastically, sponsorship deals and many more factors would come into play which would see us get nothing like the money we are now which would effect the quality in it .

The LOI isn’t without its problems as financially it’s not well backed because of not having two teams like the OF , quite a few of its clubs have found themselves in bother over the years with Dundalk being the latest ….

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/dundalk-takeover-latest-new-owner-33709818

There’s even been talk of an all Ireland league to maybe boast the leagues finances though that would probably bring in the same problems as we have with the OF as stated here in one reply…

https://www.reddit.com/r/ireland/comments/136yo36/the_sorry_state_of_the_league_of_irelands/

[ancient hibee]

Could Sligo still not win teh league if they win all three games and there is an unusual mix of results in other games. Not looked at fixtures though so perhaps impossible. What an amazing league, if only ours was remotely similar and I agree with others that it would be without the uglies.

Yes and probably with an even lower skill level as the TV money,advertising and kit sponsors disappear.

[Carheenlea]

Could Sligo still not win teh league if they win all three games and there is an unusual mix of results in other games. Not looked at fixtures though so perhaps impossible. What an amazing league, if only ours was remotely similar and I agree with others that it would be without the uglies.

Sligo seemingly needed to beat Derry City away from home last night in order to still be in the mix, but the game ended up 1-1.

[wookie70]

Yes and probably with an even lower skill level as the TV money,advertising and kit sponsors disappear.

Some of my favourite times watching Hibs are the First Divison/Championship campaigns. We had a chance of winning the leagueand it was usually more exciting because something was at stake. I'll take slightly less skill to have a league where you don't know who will win and where it is less likely it will be monopolised.

[Glory Lurker]

Does LoI not have a problem that a big number of RoI folk support English teams (and a few a Scottish one)?

[Eyrie]

The idea of having a league without the uglies is good in it would be more exciting with a host of teams challenging for the league and cups though would it flourish or flounder without the OF in it as …

Sky money would be cut drastically, sponsorship deals and many more factors would come into play which would see us get nothing like the money we are now which would effect the quality in it .



I'm not so sure about that loss of money when you consider just how much of the prize money is taken by the Ugly Sisters.

And I'd be very willing to find out how Scottish football gets on without them.

[Yorkshire HFC]

I'm not so sure about that loss of money when you consider just how much of the prize money is taken by the Ugly Sisters.

And I'd be very willing to find out how Scottish football gets on without them.

I can't see that the way to improve the game in Scotland is to remove the two best teams - surely it's the job of the other teams to raise their standard. What happens if Aberdeen win the first 5 titles - do you want to get rid of them as well?

[superfurryhibby]

I can't see that the way to improve the game in Scotland is to remove the two best teams - surely it's the job of the other teams to raise their standard. What happens if Aberdeen win the first 5 titles - do you want to get rid of them as well?

Two sides that strangle the life out of the game here and bring the baggage of bigotry with them? How can any side hope to compete. They have x10 budget over Hibs?

Given the relative parity of finances, Aberdeen winning 5 in a row is pretty unlikely, but in that event, it would be more realistic for the others to raise the standard.

I would love them to go.

[Yorkshire HFC]

Two sides that strangle the life out of the game here and bring the baggage of bigotry with them? How can any side hope to compete. They have x10 budget over Hibs?

Given the relative parity of finances, Aberdeen winning 5 in a row is pretty unlikely, but in that event, it would be more realistic for the others to raise the standard.

I would love them to go.

They also let me see Dalgleish, McStay, Laudrup, Gascoigne, Gough, Larsson, Sutton etc. Not to mention some of the players in the current Celtic team who are good to watch. Some of their managers have raised the standard and profile of the Scottish game -I can't think of many players or managers in Ireland who have done the same. Football needs stars - I bet loads of people were interested and inspired by Ronaldo last night. Who are the stars playing in Scotland just now?

Hibs had pretty much the same finances as Dundee United and Aberdeen in the 80s, but unfortunately we were not playing the same game as them then! We were as badly run then as we are now. But the answer has to be to get better - there's plenty of well paid people running the clubs and the game who should be looking at ways of reducing the gap between the OF and the rest - I just can't believe it's not possible.

[Pagan Hibernia]

We bemoan the Old Firm duopoly that Scottish Football has endured for the last 40 years, and imagine how exciting our game would be if we had a situation like we see in Ireland right now.

https://i.postimg.cc/x1M4P7FD/IMG-4640.jpg (https://postimg.cc/BjZpSh0M)

With three games remaining in the 10 team league, it’s a five-way title race with only 4 points separating the top 5.


The favourites for the title are 3rd & haven't been top once this year.

Now, I go along to see Galway Utd whenever I’m over during the season so I’m appreciative that the standard of football is not quite the same level as our top flight, but just comparing what excitement a similar sized league to our own can bring if competition was on a more level playing field.

Both the top two are now five games without a win. Nobody wants to win this league seemingly!

[Dalianwanda]

Just for us (Sligo) to get into Europe would be great. Sligo constantly punches about its weight and that’s mainly down to local fundraising. Impossible to get to your seat with passing through lines of volunteers shaking collection buckets. Stadium redevelopment has been approved too which is a massive achievement.

At the other end of the table it’s crazy to see Dundalk down the bottom. The money they made from Europe completely squandered when if used right they could have dominated league for years.

[lucky]

Scottish football would be irrelevant without the Old Firm. Yes the league might be competitive but future generations of fans would want to follow them in England. It’s bad enough with youngsters wearing premiership tops and TV being saturated with Premiership football. It would get worse without them. Our challenge is to get our act to together and challenge them more frequently. A decent Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen could make the league more competitive. But sadly Hibs have been nowhere for years and the other two struggle to get any real challenge. Look at Wales their league is nowhere as their 4 biggest teams play in England.

Surely Scottish fans want a Scottish league with our best teams in it.

[Pagan Hibernia]

Just for us (Sligo) to get into Europe would be great. Sligo constantly punches about its weight and that’s mainly down to local fundraising. Impossible to get to your seat with passing through lines of volunteers shaking collection buckets. Stadium redevelopment has been approved too which is a massive achievement.

At the other end of the table it’s crazy to see Dundalk down the bottom. The money they made from Europe completely squandered when if used right they could have dominated league for years.

I'm from Fermanagh originally and me and my dad try to get to a few Sligo games at the showgrounds every season. It really is a lovely, community club. And a football mad town. Always look forward to going. I was there the day they won the league in 2012, what a day that was!

[Carheenlea]

Does LoI not have a problem that a big number of RoI folk support English teams (and a few a Scottish one)?

There is an obsession in Ireland with English Premier League football, and I find that their own domestic game largely plays second fiddle. Even on the radio news when it comes to sport, it usually starts with something about Liverpool, Manchester United or the EPL in general before rounding up any LOI news.

All my nephews over there support either Man U or Liverpool, but while some go along to see Galway Utd they’d never claim them to be their main “club”.

Crowds are increasing, and Galway pull in around 3 thousand for home games while Shamrock Rovers have the highest average between 6 and 7 thousand. It’s obviously not big numbers, with only really Shamrock Rovers threatening 5 figures.

A brother in law was genuinely perplexed on a visit over here when he noticed that there was no mention of English football in the Scottish tabloid newspapers - In contrast to the Irish press where English football often dominates the sports pages when there is a lull in GAA activity.

[Donegal Hibby]

I'm not so sure about that loss of money when you consider just how much of the prize money is taken by the Ugly Sisters.

And I'd be very willing to find out how Scottish football gets on without them.

Sadly a league without them for the vast majority of people in Countries like England , Ireland and more would have no appeal or interest and financially many ways would set us back even if they are getting a bigger share of the money..

even trying to sign players from other countries would be harder with not having the incentive of playing against them too .. only ones that would have interest in it is fans like us ..

In truth like the LOI or Welsh league it just wouldn’t have any appeal for a wider audience.

[Dashing Bob S]

Unfortunately English clubs are as greedy and self-interested as the OF, and nobody down there would touch them with a bargepole. The only vague passing interest in them is the Victorian freak show appeal their sectarian pantomime brings. But no, you wouldn't want it on your doorstep.

Sadly, it's wishful thinking that they'll be going anywhere, though that will never stop the Daily Record pulling that nonsense out to massage the sensitivities of dumb, entieled glory hunters, usually after reality bites following another horsing in Europe.

[Just_Jimmy]

Sadly a league without them for the vast majority of people in Countries like England , Ireland and more would have no appeal or interest and financially many ways would set us back even if they are getting a bigger share of the money..

even trying to sign players from other countries would be harder with not having the incentive of playing against them too .. only ones that would have interest in it is fans like us ..

In truth like the LOI or Welsh league it just wouldn’t have any appeal for a wider audience.It's like that anyway.

Most of the non old firm players are absolutely dross and other than good young Scottish talent al la McGinn, there's not much to bother with.

Outside of Scotland, there's hardly a football fan can name you a team other than Celtic or Rangers. Having lived in England for almost a decade, they see us as a total joke.

Our league is a joke, we pander to them and because of that they own the league.

Them being gone would be great for competition but it would be akin to winning the championship, a lesser title.

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[greenpaper55]

Surely the way to go is to have an even distribution of the prize money which is chicken feed for the OF but would be a godsend to the rest ? As many on here have mentioned a bigger league would also help and we might not be talking of relegation in October with the added benefit teams could afford to play some younger talent instead of buying players from division two in England.

[Paulie Walnuts]

It's like that anyway.

Most of the non old firm players are absolutely dross and other than good young Scottish talent al la McGinn, there's not much to bother with.

Outside of Scotland, there's hardly a football fan can name you a team other than Celtic or Rangers. Having lived in England for almost a decade, they see us as a total joke.

Our league is a joke, we pander to them and because of that they own the league.

Them being gone would be great for competition but it would be akin to winning the championship, a lesser title.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

You’re surely not claiming hardly any football fan in England can’t name any other Scottish teams other than the OF?

[marinello59]

Scottish football would be irrelevant without the Old Firm. Yes the league might be competitive but future generations of fans would want to follow them in England. It’s bad enough with youngsters wearing premiership tops and TV being saturated with Premiership football. It would get worse without them. Our challenge is to get our act to together and challenge them more frequently. A decent Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen could make the league more competitive. But sadly Hibs have been nowhere for years and the other two struggle to get any real challenge. Look at Wales their league is nowhere as their 4 biggest teams play in England.

Surely Scottish fans want a Scottish league with our best fans in it.

Exactly. You don't strengthen your league by dumping the two strongest teams. Football is our national sport and our top league should be a showcase for the best we have to offer. Accepting lower standards simply lacks ambition. It's down to the non-Old Firm clubs to up their games.

[Just_Jimmy]

You’re surely not claiming hardly any football fan in England can’t name any other Scottish teams other than the OF?Many can't, and most don't care either. We're seen as a total joke. Many have no more interest in our league than I (we?) Do in the Welsh and Irish leagues. I could name a few teams but I certainly don't hold any interest in them.

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[Paulie Walnuts]

Many can't, and most don't care either. We're seen as a total joke. Many have no more interest in our league than I (we?) Do in the Welsh and Irish leagues. I could name a few teams but I certainly don't hold any interest in them.

Sent from my SM-G991B using Tapatalk

I don’t doubt they don’t care, much the same as I don’t care about what’s going on with Hull, Watford, Fleetwood etc. I can name them though and I’d be astonished if the vast majority of English football fans didn’t know at least 6 or 7 Scottish teams.

[easty]

I can’t stand either of them, but they’re Scottish teams, so should play in the Scottish league.

I can understand them wanting to move to the English leagues for the money, but I dinnae understand the other clubs wanting rid just cos they’re too good.

The vast majority of the English Prem have absolutely no chance of winning the league, should Everton and Villa and Brighton and Arsenal want to go have their own league where they could win it?

Same applies at most leagues. There are a couple/handful of clubs who can win and the rest do what they can.

We’re a similar sized country to Ireland (where it’s apparently good cos it’s competitive), but the average attendance over there is crap.

I’m no convinced in the slightest we’d increase attendances in Scotland without Rangers or Celtc. I think itd be more likely that even more folk would pick one of them to support.

[easty]

Further, people moaned about the football under various managers, folk complain that Newell is crap, Obita is diddy, Myko isn’t even good…

That standard of player would be long gone without the money they 2 clubs bring to Scottish football.

The standard here would be abysmal. Hibs and Hearts and Aberdeen would be fighting over folk like Drey Wright!

[Since452]

Would I take a lower quality player and lower standard in general if it meant I'd possibly see my team challenging for the league and cups every season? Absolutely. The Old Firm can't disappear quick enough for me.

[wookie70]

Further, people moaned about the football under various managers, folk complain that Newell is crap, Obita is diddy, Myko isn’t even good…

That standard of player would be long gone without the money they 2 clubs bring to Scottish football.

The standard here would be abysmal. Hibs and Hearts and Aberdeen would be fighting over folk like Drey Wright!

It is all relative though. Why support Hibs when you could watch Man City on TV if quality of player is the biggest part of supporting a team.

[easty]

Would I take a lower quality player and lower standard in general if it meant I'd possibly see my team challenging for the league and cups every season? Absolutely. The Old Firm can't disappear quick enough for me.

Would you also want Scotland to pull out the World Cup and play in a lower quality version with Trinidad and Kenya. So that we can maybe win?

[SickBoy32]

Would you also want Scotland to pull out the World Cup and play in a lower quality version with Trinidad and Kenya. So that we can maybe win?

Can you pull out of something you’re not in ? 😂

The current format of league football in Scotland needs changed, not sure that can really be argued.

The league must either be expanded to minimum 18 sides, so that teams aren’t playing the OF x 8. This could give others a real chance at going the course and looking to match them over the season, not at all feasible in the current format.

Failing that a radical overhaul in how the prize money is distributed could see the gap close a little between the OF / the rest.

Unfortunately with the direction of travel in football, the gap will only continue to widen.

[easty]

Can you pull out of something you’re not in ? 😂

The current format of league football in Scotland needs changed, not sure that can really be argued.

The league must either be expanded to minimum 18 sides, so that teams aren’t playing the OF x 8. This could give others a real chance at going the course and looking to match them over the season, not at all feasible in the current format.

Failing that a radical overhaul in how the prize money is distributed could see the gap close a little between the OF / the rest.

Unfortunately with the direction of travel in football, the gap will only continue to widen.

We’re always in it, the qualifiers at least. In a new Diddy World Cup we could play Liechtenstein, Vatican City and Comoros in the qualifiers. Easy wins.

I’d love the format to be changed, I dont like the way it is, I don’t like the split, but I’m not massively convinced there is another format that will work any better. A larger league would probably be great for a few years, then we’d have complaints about that too. There’s barely 12 teams “big” enough for top flight football in Scotland. Is adding another 6 teams beneficial?

[SickBoy32]

I’d love the format to be changed, I dont like the way it is, I don’t like the split, but I’m not massively convinced there is another format that will work any better. A larger league would probably be great for a few years, then we’d have complaints about that too. There’s barely 12 teams “big” enough for top flight football in Scotland. Is adding another 6 teams beneficial?

Perceived benefits of an 18 team league in my view:
Less games vs OF, greater chance to keep pace with them.
No split and the imbalances that brings.
Less immediate pressure of relegation on sometimes 50% of the league, could increase the likelihood of managers feeling willing to play more of the youths coming through. (Seen an article recently where SPL had one of the lowest %s in world football for this)
More variety for fans instead of StJ x 4 zzzzz.


Falkirk, Raith, Pars, Ayr, Morton, Patrick off the top of my head are decent sized clubs with a decent enough support IMO.

Cons:
Less £ in the TV deal due to less OF games.
Less £ from visiting bigots.

I think at some point we (non OF clubs) need to realise that expanding the league is absolutely a price worth paying, and accept the resultant drop in quality of player.

As a poster above touched upon, it’s all relative. We go to ER because it’s Hibs, not because of the quality of player. Folk that prioritise player quality tune into the fantasy league down south.

[easty]

It is all relative though. Why support Hibs when you could watch Man City on TV if quality of player is the biggest part of supporting a team.

I support Hibs cos my dad does. Only reason. It wasn’t ever a choice, and I’ve never considered changing it

Quality of player isn’t the biggest part, but it matters.

Where are the fans in the Irish league? Similar sized country. Naebody goes. Bet there’s a load of them make a point of supporting Celtc though. It’d be the same if they went to EPL. Edinburgh has already got too many Rangers and Celtc fans who’ve probably never even been to more than a couple of games of football in their puff.

[monarch]

Perceived benefits of an 18 team league in my view:
Less games vs OF, greater chance to keep pace with them.
No split and the imbalances that brings.
Less immediate pressure of relegation on sometimes 50% of the league, could increase the likelihood of managers feeling willing to play more of the youths coming through. (Seen an article recently where SPL had one of the lowest %s in world football for this)
More variety for fans instead of StJ x 4 zzzzz.


Falkirk, Raith, Pars, Ayr, Morton, Patrick off the top of my head are decent sized clubs with a decent enough support IMO.

Cons:
Less £ in the TV deal due to less OF games.
Less £ from visiting bigots.

I think at some point we (non OF clubs) need to realise that expanding the league is absolutely a price worth paying, and accept the resultant drop in quality of player.

As a poster above touched upon, it’s all relative. We go to ER because it’s Hibs, not because of the quality of player. Folk that prioritise player quality tune into the fantasy league down south.

I’m old enough to remember the previous 18 club league set up and the dead rubber “end of season” type games being played out from February onwards in front of low crowds and that was when six of the teams qualified for Europe. Too many teams had nothing to play for. (Mind you Hibs we’re always fighting it out for a top 3 place and Europe in these days :thumbsup:).

The current set up isn’t perfect but does maintain interest for a larger proportion of clubs for longer thanks to the introduction of the split and play offs. Attendances also healthy for these games resulting in improved finances.

[wookie70]

I support Hibs cos my dad does. Only reason. It wasn’t ever a choice, and I’ve never considered changing it

Quality of player isn’t the biggest part, but it matters.

Where are the fans in the Irish league? Similar sized country. Naebody goes. Bet there’s a load of them make a point of supporting Celtc though. It’d be the same if they went to EPL. Edinburgh has already got too many Rangers and Celtc fans who’ve probably never even been to more than a couple of games of football in their puff.

I think we have have larger attendances if we lost the uglies. Ireland has a few sports ahead of Football in terms of popularity so not exactly a like for like. Association Football isn't even the most popular football variant. No dispute on there being too many Uglies Supporters who don't attend games. Maybe if they lived half a mile from ER and we were about to win the league their glory hunting bat senses may be activated.

[ancient hibee]

I’m old enough to remember the previous 18 club league set up and the dead rubber “end of season” type games being played out from February onwards in front of low crowds and that was when six of the teams qualified for Europe. Too many teams had nothing to play for. (Mind you Hibs we’re always fighting it out for a top 3 place and Europe in these days :thumbsup:).

The current set up isn’t perfect but does maintain interest for a larger proportion of clubs for longer thanks to the introduction of the split and play offs. Attendances also healthy for these games resulting in improved finances.

Exactly right.

[marinello59]

I’m old enough to remember the previous 18 club league set up and the dead rubber “end of season” type games being played out from February onwards in front of low crowds and that was when six of the teams qualified for Europe. Too many teams had nothing to play for. (Mind you Hibs we’re always fighting it out for a top 3 place and Europe in these days :thumbsup:).

The current set up isn’t perfect but does maintain interest for a larger proportion of clubs for longer thanks to the introduction of the split and play offs. Attendances also healthy for these games resulting in improved finances.

Yeap. It was dreadful, an 18 team league would be a gigantic backwards step.

[Glory Lurker]

Who said bring back two points for a win? I really liked that. Good shout.

[Glory Lurker]

There is an obsession in Ireland with English Premier League football, and I find that their own domestic game largely plays second fiddle. Even on the radio news when it comes to sport, it usually starts with something about Liverpool, Manchester United or the EPL in general before rounding up any LOI news.

All my nephews over there support either Man U or Liverpool, but while some go along to see Galway Utd they’d never claim them to be their main “club”.

Crowds are increasing, and Galway pull in around 3 thousand for home games while Shamrock Rovers have the highest average between 6 and 7 thousand. It’s obviously not big numbers, with only really Shamrock Rovers threatening 5 figures.

A brother in law was genuinely perplexed on a visit over here when he noticed that there was no mention of English football in the Scottish tabloid newspapers - In contrast to the Irish press where English football often dominates the sports pages when there is a lull in GAA activity.

Thanks. That's really interesting and chimes with my limited experience of RoI fitba followers. It must be very frustrating for folk encouraging Thier game there. Hope none of them have trouble getting tickets for internationals.

[greenpaper55]

I’m old enough to remember the previous 18 club league set up and the dead rubber “end of season” type games being played out from February onwards in front of low crowds and that was when six of the teams qualified for Europe. Too many teams had nothing to play for. (Mind you Hibs we’re always fighting it out for a top 3 place and Europe in these days :thumbsup:).

The current set up isn’t perfect but does maintain interest for a larger proportion of clubs for longer thanks to the introduction of the split and play offs. Attendances also healthy for these games resulting in improved finances.

St’s take care of the lower crown argument and even with the split we have just now there are many meaningless games. For the split and play offs read fear of relegation and no young players being risked, do you think there are no meaningless games in other leagues ?

[Carheenlea]

Shelbourne won the title with a 1-0 win at Derry City to win their first title in 18 years. They were 25/1 to win the title at start of season.

Managed by Damien Duff, who has had various coaching roles before taking over at Shelbourne. Would he tick the boxes for a future Hibs manager or would it be another Pat Fenlon?

[The Harp Awakes]

Shelbourne won the title with a 1-0 win at Derry City to win their first title in 18 years. They were 25/1 to win the title at start of season.

Managed by Damien Duff, who has had various coaching roles before taking over at Shelbourne. Would he tick the boxes for a future Hibs manager or would it be another Pat Fenlon?

He's done a cracking job there to be fair. No idea if he would do a job at Hibs as he's still relatively inexperienced. I know a few Shels fans who regularly come over for the Hibs games. Would be interesting to get their take on him.

[Hibiza]

C'mon the ," Candy Men " .

[H18 SFR]

He's done a cracking job there to be fair. No idea if he would do a job at Hibs as he's still relatively inexperienced. I know a few Shels fans who regularly come over for the Hibs games. Would be interesting to get their take on him.

Some of his interviews have been brilliant.

[MWHIBBIES]

Won a 36 game league with 40 goals scored. Maybe the worst league winners ever?