FA still opposed to Wimbledon move

FAI officials have received confirmation from their counterparts in England that the game's governing body there will continue to distance itself from any proposals by Wimbledon to move to this country as long as Merrion Square continues to oppose such a move.

The matter was apparently discussed by the executive committee of the English FA earlier this week when Sam Hammam made a presentation to his fellow club chairmen regarding Wimbledon's ongoing plans to move to the west side of Dublin.

According to the minutes of the meeting, which were forwarded to the FAI after the meeting, "the Committee received and considered a written document from Wimbledon FC which set out their views. The Committee noted the objections of the Football Association of Ireland to the proposal remained as before.

"The Committee," it continues, "reiterated, therefore, that the Football Association would continue to respect the views of its sister Association in this respect and would not undertake any action in this matter unless and until the Football Association of Ireland removed its objections."

The line taken appears to back up the FAI's claim that it has the full support of the English body for its opposition to the proposed relocation, although the backers of the proposal have repeatedly said that, while it has plenty of support amongst other Premiership clubs most were reluctant to back them publicly until any potential legal clashes were out of the way.

National League representatives, meanwhile, will consider proposed changes to the senior game's structures here this afternoon when they gather for the league's AGM at the Green Isle Hotel in Dublin.

The League sub-committee which was established to look at ways that the current structures could be improved has recommended a number of substantial measures, including a radical overhaul of the league.

Under the proposals, the premier division would have 14 teams and the first division eight at the start of the season but after just one round of games the bottom four premier clubs would effectively be relegated for the rest of the season.

The top 10 clubs would then battle it out for the title, each team playing every other on a home and away basis which, when added to the earlier games played, would make a total of 31 games, while the first division would start from scratch after the split with the top four at the end of a 22 match campaign going up.

In order to facilitate the new structure, the Shield would be scrapped. Other proposed changes include a new "FAI Super Cup" which would be run during the summer, partly in order to gauge interest here in competitive football during what has traditionally been the close season, for teams in the process of preparing for European competition.