Greatest League in the World 2026 [LOI Thread]

From what has come out so far that would be my take too. Shams claiming they discovered a potential issue last August and brought it to FIFA only for David Sneyd to report that they've known since last February, right after Noonan joined, isn't a great look.

Unless it's completely legal to do a deal with an agent agreeing to give them a % of a future transfer fee if they move their U18 player to your club? Sounds dodgy though.

I saw a report somewhere (might have been facebook) linking Andy Lyons with Pats. Haven't seen anything on it since. Anyone else hear anything ?

Unless his contract was terminated before Sunday evening, he can’t be signed.

He was an amateur with Pats (legally couldn’t sign a pro deal until 16) so none of this is relevant to them

They’ll get a “development”’ cut of any transfer as he was there for 3 years before signing his pro deal with Rovers

5 game away ban (or more if they draw Dundalk away in the cup for Drogheda fans. Disgusting behaviour from the FAI. How many innocent fans are having a large portion of their number 1 hobby (often vulnerable people with not much else going on in their lives) taken away over behaviour that they had nothing to do with.

What other section of the world would you be able to punish a few thousand people over something done by a handful? Third world dictatorship kind of behaviour.

Yeah I’m certainly not suggesting that it’s the first time it has happened, but it’s truly shameful behaviour.

5 game ban for all the fans over flares being thrown on the pitch and an (admittedly extremely regrettable where the perpetrator should be found and dealt with by the correct means) incident where a young lad was hit by a flare.

I knew Drogheda were getting a ban because Shels and Bohs did get 1 game bans over incidents where individuals were hit by flares. But 5 games is insanity.

Fans of clubs nationwide need to be fighting back on this. Could be your club or my club next time. The persecution of ordinary football fans is not acceptable.

I think it’s a bit unrealistic to think that government funding is going to be linked to that. The government provide funding to the league for one reason and one reason only, public will and the votes that come with that. I don’t think there is a moral bone among them.

Even the Taoiseach came out and said it would be wrong for LOI funding to be affected over what happened. They know that taking on football would not be good for them. Not as bad as taking on GAA or rugby, but still.

They mentioned these dogs in the statement they put out earlier but it seems a bit far fetched. Might have them at a few games and then we'll never see them again when national attention shifts, but 180 games a season from next year? Not a hope.

Drogs punishment is harsh on other clubs missing out on potential income from the away fans.

I don't like collective punishment but unless fangroups give up the perpetrators that's what's going to happen.

After Derby Riots: Fine and Partial Stadium Closures for Rapid Vienna - VOL.AT https://share.google/tsEVczPPwXb14HZ7p

Here's the punishment Rapid Vienna got for some trouble at the recent Vienna Derby. Fine is much higher and there's a ban on the Ultras section for home matches.