Following a proposal from the Premier Clubs Alliance (PCA), the Board of the Football Association of Ireland has ratified the SSE Airtricity League switching to a 10-team, two division structure from the 2018 season.
The FAI has been in discussions with the PCA, and their legal representative Michael Cush SC, over recent months regarding all aspects of the SSE Airtricity League.
At the end of the 2017 season, the First Division champions will be promoted, while the bottom three teams in the Premier Division will be relegated.
Over the last two years, the FAI Board has placed the future of the SSE Airtricity League at the top of its list of priorities by commissioning two independent reports, to look at the overall structure of the League (Consultation Process Report) and the League as a Brand (Branding Review Report).
From the Consultation Process Report, a number of recommendations have started to be implemented, including:
- Aiding clubs with Strategic/Business Plans
- Focus on Facility Development
- Recruitment of a Marketing Executive
- Establishment of a Marketing Group with club representation
- Restructuring of the League format
- New official SSE Airtricity League website for 2017 season
The next meeting with Michael Cush and the PCA will take place on January 16.
The Local fixtures to start for Longford Town and Athlone Town
The fixtures for the 2017 SSE AIRTRICITY League Premier and First Divisions were released this afternoon with a change in the structure of the league confirmed for the 2018 season with the 12 team Premier Division being reduced to 10 teams and the 8 team First Division increased to 10 teams.
The structure change means that next season, 3 teams will be relegated from the top-flight with just the first division league champions earning promotion to the top tier.
This will be the third time that this structure change has happened and it will be the 7th season in total that this format will be implemented since 2002.
Turning to the 2017 fixture list and the Midlands derby between Longford Town and Athlone Town will be in the 3rd series of matches at the Athlone Town Stadium on Friday, March 10th.
Longford Town’s first four fixtures will be:
Away to Shels on Friday, February 24th
Home to Cobh on Saturday, March 4th
Away to Athlone Town on Friday, March 10th
Home to UCD on Saturday, March 18th
Athlone Town’s first four fixtures will be:
Home to Waterford United on Friday, February 24th
Away to Wexford on Friday, March 3rd
Home to Longford Town on Friday, March 10th
Away to Cobh on Saturday, March 18th
