New IFA Premier League

[dublinfella]

If that is the case, why are they worrying about Portadown being late - they would be the biggest outside Belfast (I think) and more than match the set criteria. If they are being that choosey, why don't they just overlook Poradown's faux pas? Is it the threat of legal action? 

I think the idea is, like the LoI two years ago, to eliminate the backroom deals and looking the other way culture and run the thing right. If that means making an example of Portadown, so be it.

[Our Nail Loney]

Not fair having DC's ranking points drop so drastically in the last year, especially having a team which finished third in the first division ahead of them?? Stupid

Also puts their hopes of expanding the stadium in jeapordy, whats the point of having a load of emtpy seats/terrraces for an intermediate club?

[doire na raithe]

Did Newry make into this Premier League yeah?

[SammyG]

Not fair having DC's ranking points drop so drastically in the last year, especially having a team which finished third in the first division ahead of them?? Stupid

Also puts their hopes of expanding the stadium in jeapordy, whats the point of having a load of emtpy seats/terrraces for an intermediate club?

The problem is that they keep announcing plans to do things but haven't got round to doing any of them. They knew exactly what the criteria were and what things would get them extra points but didn't bother to do any of them. DC are claiming that they were denied some grant or other and if that's true then they might be able to appeal, on the grounds that they wanted to do the work but the IFA didn't provide the money.

[Main Street]

lads lads, settle down now!  I'll repeat the question.  Are the attendance figures used by the IFA available to Joe Public?

At a guess from TV pictures, press reports and attendance at some down the years
Linfield - 3,000
Glens & Ports- 2-3,000
Ballymena - 1500 - 2000
Coleraine - 1200 - 1500
Newry & Distillery circa 1000
Cliftonville 2-3,000
DC - 1000 - 1500
Armagh & Larne - 250 - 300 maximum
Dunganon & Glenavon 750 - 1000

Strange that owcees didn't jump on these figures and make some corrections.
I think you are being very generous with those figures.
It was reported somewhere that Coleraine had about 800 average.
Would DC have any more than a few hundred?
How many fans did DC bring to the Irish cup semi final?

[MW]

lads lads, settle down now!  I'll repeat the question.  Are the attendance figures used by the IFA available to Joe Public?

Simple answer is "No". I suspect this is because the IFA/Irish League would be embarrassed by it becoming public how much soccer crowds in NI have declined in recent years under their watch, whilst soccer crowds elsewhere have at least stabilised, if not grown.

Wouldn't be entirely surprised if there was a bit of a tax fiddle going on at some clubs.

[slow corner back]

lads lads, settle down now!  I'll repeat the question.  Are the attendance figures used by the IFA available to Joe Public?

At a guess from TV pictures, press reports and attendance at some down the years
Linfield - 3,000
Glens & Ports- 2-3,000
Ballymena - 1500 - 2000
Coleraine - 1200 - 1500
Newry & Distillery circa 1000
Cliftonville 2-3,000
DC - 1000 - 1500
Armagh & Larne - 250 - 300 maximum
Dunganon & Glenavon 750 - 1000

Strange that owcees didn't jump on these figures and make some corrections.
I think you are being very generous with those figures.
It was reported somewhere that Coleraine had about 800 average.
Would DC have any more than a few hundred?
How many fans did DC bring to the Irish cup semi final?

I work in coleraine alongside a number of coleraine fans they say the average gate at coleraine would be 5-600. Linfield and the glens bring a good crowd with them maybe 1200-1500 at those two games. Most other sides bring less than 100 fans. The coleraine ones did bring a fair few to the irish cup semis they guessed about 1500 to 2000 coleraine but only about 400 DC fans turned up on the Saturday and less on the wednesday night. Irish league fotball is dying on its ass with attendances plummeting. Those figures above look about right for 10-15 years ago but not now with live premiership on saudi satellite TV in every bar in every town across the north on a saturday afternoon.

[Main Street]

I work in coleraine alongside a number of coleraine fans they say the average gate at coleraine would be 5-600. Linfield and the glens bring a good crowd with them maybe 1200-1500 at those two games. Most other sides bring less than 100 fans. The coleraine ones did bring a fair few to the irish cup semis they guessed about 1500 to 2000 coleraine but only about 400 DC fans turned up on the Saturday and less on the wednesday night. Irish league fotball is dying on its ass with attendances plummeting. Those figures above look about right for 10-15 years ago but not now with live premiership on saudi satellite TV in every bar in every town across the north on a saturday afternoon.

So even if attendances were not released as suggested, because of a fiddle rather than embarrassment, it would be a fiddle of petty cash proportions.

[corn02]

Yes Dnr , they made it in handy enough.

[ifa fan]

Ports to face Rangers in friendly 


Portadown will face a Rangers side in a glamour pre-season friendly at Shamrock Park on Thursday 30 July.

The Scottish champions will bring a fringe squad to Northern Ireland for the game, with the Ibrox club's first team regulars on duty in Germany.

The game is likely to attract thousands of fans.

Portadown will begin their pre-season training on 5 July as they prepare for their return to the top flight of local football after a one-year absence.





Good fixture for the ports to secure. Should be a good boost to the clubs finances.

[rootthemout]

Cannt wait,whens the tickets out?

[ifa fan]

Glens to face Rangers in friendly  

Alan McDonald's side will face SPL champions Rangers

League champions Glentoran have become the second Irish League club to arrange a pre-season friendly against a Rangers XI this summer.

The Glens will host the high profile match at The Oval on Sunday 2 August, with a 1500 BST kick-off time.

Portadown will play the SPL champions three days earlier, on Thursday 30 July, at Shamrock Park.

Rangers will bring a fringe squad to Northern Ireland for the games, with first team regulars on duty in Germany.

[Hoof Hearted]

Glens to face Rangers in friendly  

Alan McDonald's side will face SPL champions Rangers

League champions Glentoran have become the second Irish League club to arrange a pre-season friendly against a Rangers XI this summer.

The Glens will host the high profile match at The Oval on Sunday 2 August, with a 1500 BST kick-off time.

Portadown will play the SPL champions three days earlier, on Thursday 30 July, at Shamrock Park.

Rangers will bring a fringe squad to Northern Ireland for the games, with first team regulars on duty in Germany.

Can you expect a heavy DUP and bible bashing idots with placards outside the ground

[ifa fan]

Glens to face Rangers in friendly  

Alan McDonald's side will face SPL champions Rangers

League champions Glentoran have become the second Irish League club to arrange a pre-season friendly against a Rangers XI this summer.

The Glens will host the high profile match at The Oval on Sunday 2 August, with a 1500 BST kick-off time.

Portadown will play the SPL champions three days earlier, on Thursday 30 July, at Shamrock Park.

Rangers will bring a fringe squad to Northern Ireland for the games, with first team regulars on duty in Germany.

Can you expect a heavy DUP and bible bashing idots with placards outside the ground

yea, not everyone agrees to football on a sunday, and its within their rights to protest against it.

[Archie Mitchell]

Should they not be at Mass or something instead of complaining about it?