The FAI eircom League of Ireland (Irish: Curadh na hÉireann Cumann Peile na hÉireann) is the Republic of Ireland's new national football league system created following the merging of the FAI and the League of Ireland. It is a revamped continuation of the old league. The merger brought an end to the administration system that was inaugurated in 1921 and run by the league's clubs. It replaced it with a new one under the sole auspices of the FAI. The league contains a total of 22 clubs split into the 12-teamed Premier Division and the 10-teamed FAI First Division. The league is due to kick off in March 2008.

The new league is managed and marketed entirely by the FAI and improved standards are expected. All clubs participating in the old league were invited to apply for inclusion in the new Premier Division. Those that did not make the cut played in the FAI First Division, so long as they are were possession of the required licence.

The league includes one club from Northern Ireland, Derry City. Derry City formerly played in the Irish Football League, but voluntarily left that league following the 1972-73 season because of safety and security concerns. Derry City joined the Republic's league at the second level in 1985, after a special dispensation from the Irish Football Association (IFA) and UEFA. It won promotion in 1987, and has stayed in the top flight ever since, being granted entry to the new Premier Division also. No teams from the Republic play in the northern league.

Bohemian F.C.
Bray Wanderers A.F.C.
Cork City F.C.
Derry City F.C.
Drogheda United F.C.
Galway United F.C.
Longford Town F.C.
Shamrock Rovers F.C.
Sligo Rovers F.C.
St. Patrick's Athletic F.C.
UCD A.F.C.
Waterford United F.C

Rules and Regulations

There are twelve participating clubs in the Premier Division (although the FAI is planning to reduce this to ten clubs by 2009) and the plans are to have ten clubs in the First Division for 2007. During the course of the 2007 season (which will last from March to November) each Premier Division club will play the respective others three times. A pre-season draw will decide which clubs will have the benefit of two home games in these matches. First Division sides will play each other four times throughout the season - two games at home and two games at the stadium of the opposition. Each team in the Premier Division will play 33 matches in total during a season, while those in the First Division will play 36 games. Teams will receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points will be awarded for a loss. Teams will be ranked by total points, then goal difference and then goals scored. If there is equality in points, goal difference and goals for tallies the clubs involved must partake in a play-off to decide their finishing positions. At the end of the season, the club with the most points in their division will be crowned as champion of that division. The lowest placed team in the Premier Division is automatically relegated into the First Division and the top team from the First Division will be automatically promoted to the Premier Division. In addition, the 2007 winner of the First Division will have a once-off play-off with the winners of the FAI League Cup for a Setanta Cup place. Furthermore, the second-last placed team in the Premier Division will play either the second-best or third-best placed team in the First Division in a two-legged promotion/relegation play-off after the second-placed and third-placed teams play each other in a once-off play-off match. The second-placed team in this pairing will have home advantage with the winner of the game having the chance to play the 11th-place finisher in the Premier Division both at home and away (with the First Division side being given the choice of home advantage in the first or second leg of the series). The aggregate winner of this two-legged tie will play the following 2008 season in the Premier Division with the loser resigned to playing in the First Division. The team that finishes last in the First Division must re-apply to the FAI for membership to the following season's league.

32 Bosnia Herzegovina
33 Lithuania
34 Ireland
35 Moldova
36 Liechtenstein

2nd sending off - suspended for 1 match
3rd sending off - suspended for 2 matches
4th sending off - suspended for 4 matches


So all in all the Eircom League is'nt a bad place to gain some experience on FM. Plenty of competition as teams are not that far apart in terms of quality. Should provide even the most seasoned FM'r with a different challenge.




Guide written by MUFCRULZ @ FMFormation.net, just pm me if ya wanna use this else were