Airtricity League of Ireland clubs have voted unanimously to renew the merger with the FAI when the current deal expires after the 2011 season.
Welcoming the vote this morning the FAI said it was “a strong endorsement from clubs of the improvements in standards, governance and funding that have occurred since the FAI took over the running of the Airtricity League in 2007.”
In that time, the FAI has implanted a €5 million spend on the running of the league; introduced a 65 per cent salary cost protocol; increased prize funds by 123 per cent; and assisted the sharing out of €8.14m on facilities through the Sports Capital Grants scheme.
It has also secured a “weekly prime time television programme” (Monday Night Soccer) on RTE.
The vote of confidence comes despite a high-profile dispute between clubs, notably Limerick FC, and the FAI over the staging of ‘glamour friendlies’.
Limerick were recently told by the FAI to cancel plans of hosting FC Barcelona at Thomond Park because it breached terms of contract the association has with an agent, preventing it from granting permission for games that might attract a crowd of more than 15,000 spectators.
Limerick claimed they and other clubs were never made aware of the agreement.