Thank you bigpoppa!

I started to look on my phone but didn't have the CNTRL F function to find the exact location.

Thanks for doing the leg work for me.

That is the principle and method for p/r where it occurs but it doesn't proscribe where and when it must happen.  The FFA has 1 League that it runs.  If there were two divisions then movement between them would be done in accordance with that principle.  The State Feds have multiple divisions so that principle applies between each division.  At some point those State Feds choose not to apply p/r and that is perfectly fine.

There is nothing you will find that requires p/r between Leagues in different bodies.  If the two bodies agree to have p/r then the principle would apply.

Based on this I think the only real argument(albeit a long one) that the NPL clubs can throw at FFA/FIFA is that their is no clear cut criteria which gives them an opportunity to earn a licence for the 'Championship".

There has been talk though that AFC has asked us to have promotion/relegation isn't there?

If anything, we would be the South Melbourne Dim Sims!

South Melbourne Quality Meats Gyros! lol

Council support...tick
Boutique stadium (10k - 15k)...tick
Derby match...tick

Council to throw full resources behind A-League bid

IT IS official.

Ipswich City Council is set to throw its resources behind the Western Pride's bid to enter an expanded A-League competition, hopefully as soon as 2018-19.

A council report by the Strategic Partnerships Coordinator, dated January 27 of this year, was tabled with the city works, parks, sport and environment committee that Cr David Morrison overseas.

That report was approved by the full council meeting in February with the Ipswich council agreeing to assist the Western Pride Football Club in their bid to secure an A-League license.

Western Pride general manager Pat Boyle and a delegation from the club met with Mayor Paul Pisasale and Cr Morrison last month.

A council officer has also held talks with Marcel Creed, the founder of the Facebook site called 'Ipswich A-League Inspiration', about the Pride's plans.

"What we are saying is that we will dedicated our resources to help with the Western Pride's proposal to go forward in the A-League," Cr Morrison said.

"The A-League has still not put out its criteria for new teams but if Football Federation Australia's criteria fits the Pride then council officers will work with them to put forward a detailed proposal to enter the A-League," Cr Morrison said.

"One of the things we have heard verbally is that Ipswich will not even be considered if they use Suncorp Stadium as a home game.

"The A-League wants to have those derby games at a local stadium."

North Ipswich Reserve has been identified as the site for upgraded facilities.

Cr Morrison said if the A-League called for a 15000 seat stadium moves would be made to achieve it.

Depending on time frames, he said that may need to happen in a staggered fashion with a 10000 capacity initially.

"Hopefully North Ipswich Reserve will fit their requirements, but we can progress towards what is needed," Cr Morrison said.

"But we have to wait and see what the A-League is proposing and then logistically move towards that."

Asides from bringing a national sporting team Ipswich can support, Mr Creed and Mr Boyle have also pointed to the economic and infrastructure benefits the city will gain if an A-League side is based in Ipswich.

Starting to sound legit. Some of the big clubs from the other states look to be on board.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/soccer/national-second-division-is-kicking-off-with-or-without-ffa-20170311-guw6lx.html

82 odd clubs haven't joined yet. they better get their arses into gear and get at least half of the clubs before the meeting. 

I can't understand why all of them haven't signed already. 

Just read an article that Canberra's population is projected to rise to 420,000 by 2020. Surely a big enough population size, which would unite behind a single brand, to justify investment/willingness from the FFA to consider the merits of a Canberra club

I think the way things are going, both Canberra and Tasmania will end up with a football Team.

Probably, in Canberra's case, in Tier 2 to start off with, but its only a matter of time before this competition is inducted into a fully integrated pyramid structure just below the A League with promotion/relegation. 

^ just on that it's a shame australian football doesn't have a tier 2 level which could be used to justify expansion. just looking at usa and with teams such as sacramento and cincinnati flourishing in second division making them safe bets for expansion , whereas all we can base ourselves off are socceroos games against countries ranked in the 100s and when ccm or sydney fc take a game on the road

The following mls story should be an inspiration to those that run football in australia. MrGallop, take note what can be achieved with a vision and commitment...

http://www.scout.com/stadium-journey/story/1762720-soccer-has-come-a-long-way-in-minnesota

Soccer Has Come a Long Way in Minnesota

MARC VIQUEZ12:25 AMMinnesota United FC made its Major League Soccer debut in front of 35,043 fans under snowy conditions and 20 degree temperatures on Sunday. Professional soccer has changed drastically in the Twin Cities this century; a crowd such as the one at TCF Bank Stadium could never have been fathomed by local supporters only a few short years ago.Back in 2003, things were a little bit different in the Twin Cities regarding the beautiful game. Sure, there were passionate fans and perhaps many dreamed about having a club in MLS, but the home opener that year took place at the Metrodome under much different conditions. The USL A-League game was held on May 4, 2003, between the Minnesota Thunder and the Cincinnati Riverhawks. It was the first game held at the stadium since 1984 when the Minnesota Strikers played in the old North American Soccer League. The concept of the game was part novelty and part practical according to Thunder GM Jim Froslid who was hoping to set the record for team attendance and eliminate the remote possibility of playing in snow in early May.  It didn’t snow, but a steady rain descended upon the Twin Cities as the game started. An attendance record was not set that night, but a respectable crowd of over 5,893 showed up to watch the home team edge Cincinnati 1-0. It was the largest home opener for the team and the club would average 4,101 fans per game the rest of the season playing out at its home field National Sports Center. Compare those numbers to the 35,043 people who watched the Loons on a snow blanket field and it’s amazing how much the game has grown the last 14 years. Perhaps a few fans wished they were playing back at the dome under much warmer conditions.  The game at the Metrodome did not feature a supporters section with hundreds of fans shouting, singing, cheering, and blowing smoke after each goal. Today it’s the norm at almost all MLS and lower division soccer stadiums. It also featured an AstroTurf surface, causing the balls to bounce somewhat higher than normal on the pitch.  “It was like playing on a carpet; it was horrible,” said Riverhawks midfielder Marcel Matis who despised playing on it. After the season, the more modern synthetic FieldTurf would be installed. The game itself was of curious fashion with the larger than life home of the Minnesota Twins and Vikings substituting as a soccer stadium in an era where many soccer teams in the USL were playing in less than desirable venues.  The Riverhawks themselves played out of Town & Country Sports, a facility designed for recreational adult soccer leagues about 15 miles south of Cincinnati in Wilder, Kentucky. It is interesting to point out that in 1984 the dome was home to four teams, the Twins, Vikings, Golden Gophers, and Strikers. Today, all four of these sports either have or are building their own separate stadium. The Loons new stadium broke ground this past December and is expected to open for the 2018 MLS season. The times have changed in Minneapolis since that game, and even for the sport in Cincinnati. The Metrodome is no longer around having been razed in 2014. Its location now houses the magnificent glass football stadium U.S. Bank Stadium. The city skyline reflects brilliantly off its panels and its stunning shape mimics a Viking ship. The Thunder are also no longer around having played their last game in 2009, making way for new ownership that eventually renamed the team United FC in 2012, introducing the colors of sky blue and black with the loon logo. The Riverhawks would cease operations after the 2003 season, but when soccer returned to Cincinnati last year in the form of FC Cincinnati, it roared like a lion attracting an all-time USL attendance record of 259, 437 customers in 15 games at Nippert Stadium and establishing a single-game playoff record of 24,376. FCC also has aspirations of one day joining Minnesota in MLS. This past Sunday’s historic game in Minneapolis was among the coldest games in league history, but it did not damper the thousands who descended upon TCF Bank Stadium to watch the Loons drop a 6-1 game to Atlanta United FC.  For those of you who were sitting in your seat at the Metrodome on May 4, 2003, envisioning a day like this, your wishes have come true.Enjoy it.

I have inside knowledge on this.

FFA have told Belteky and Stamoulis their bid is good for almost anywhere else except Tasmania.

If the new NPL National Association appeals directly to the AFC upper echelons, who want FFA to create a Div 2 promo/releg, AFC might exert external pressure on FFA to implement it.

That's a shame for Tasmania. It would have been good to see provincial representation. 

But all is not lost because Tasmania could join the AAFC and future NPLA and from there, who knows? 

Neither are you. 

Really disappointing if this is the case, FFA missing a huge opportunity! Seems odd they would dismiss so quickly with no idea how the new financial model will look.

If this is the case I would love to see Belteky and co. own/sponsor a combined Tassie side in this mooted NPL 'First Division'. I realise the HAL was their priority but being football people one would hope they could still see the benefits in this new league. Who knows it might lead to future promotion to the HAL if FFA can see a Tassie team function in the NPL 'First Division.

It's hardly a secret, FFA has been pretty clear on this for a while now.  There was zero chance that one of the next two teams was going to come from Tassie.

I agree but its still severely disappointing. Excluding the financials behind say a Red Bull bid, Tassie would have been one of the better bids out there(what we have seen of the bids so far)

2/3rds of NPL clubs nationwide are now behind the push for the second division. Next meeting is on Monday in Melbourne.

Looks like FIFA is keen on the idea too. Time to stop fighting it FFA - they're not even asking for promotion to the A-league!

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/ffa-under-pressure-from-npl-clubs-as-fifa-backs-plans-for-national-second-division-20170315-guyudr.html

"FFA has been in touch with the organisers of Monday's meeting and is keen to understand more about what any national NPL organisation would hope to achieve in the short, medium and long-term," the spokesman said. "It is important to note that NPL clubs are already at the core of the representation structures of member federations in the governance structure of Australian football."

Doesn't sound like they're keen to do anything but question their motives and  "it's important to note" they think their proposal for representation is redundant. 

Yeah exactly. They need to start embracing it. ID rather it not get to the stage where they make a rebel league as they State it might come to.

PS: think you might have misread it Bohemia
Fifa behind it
FFA unsure.

There's as much chance of being a rebel league as there was the HAL clubs forming a separate super league with Asian clubs............remember the secret meeting in Dubai lol.

That at least had real FIFA and AFC backing. 

Gets me every time. They should differentiate the names so we know what branch of corrupt pigs we're reading. Maybe FFA can become FOAD instead. 

On Friday morning, Southern Districts and Macarthur football associations will unveil a joint venture football club seeking entry into the proposed second division that will be tabled to FFA by more than 80 current National Premier League clubs, as part of the Association of Australian Football Clubs.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/southwest-sydney-football-bid-puts-pressure-on-ffa-to-build-national-second-tier-20170323-gv51gr.html 

Im launching South West United Football Club "The Bees". Personally I would just call them Bees Football Club, but in Straya teams need geography in the name otherwise people get confused. I would use yellow on the emblem, but honey or mustard on the kits so its not the same colour as CCM or PG gold. 







Home kit inspired by Boca and away kit by Wasps

Club song


Im really buzzing over this bid

Its certainly a region for the future and its good that the two District Associations are clubbing together.  The latest figures I have for player registrations is 18k but that is for the 2015 season.

There are 2 NPL1 clubs in the region, SU58 and Bonnirigg.  2 NPL2 clubs, Macarthur and Mounties.  No NPL3 clubs this season but 2 State League clubs, Camden and SD Raiders.  Often the Bankstown area is considered to be part of SW Sydney and there are a number of NPL clubs there.

In one sense the District Associations entering a club is going back to how Sydney was before the split in 1957.  Before that the majority of the Division 1 clubs were aligned with the District Associations and there wasn't the divide between the elite clubs and the grassroots that came about quite quickly after the split.

the article says

With the push for a national second tier below the A-League already boasting the support of the Asian Football Confederation and world football's governing body, FIFA, a new team representing more than 22,000 registered players will add more fuel to the debate surrounding promotion and relegation in the future for Australian football. 

SFC and WSW will still be bigger than potential Southern and SW. They will stilll be able to poach the best talent. But having 4 professional acadamies in Sydney would be a good thing not bad. (without the p/r arguement).