Crowds are a non issue for me, let big clubs be big clubs and small clubs be small clubs.

Clubs growth needs to happen organically. Put a basic framework in place and make sure clubs meet xyz, give them time to Grow finances and infrastructure, whilst participating in the division. It won't work if clubs are forced to overreach for the sake of a national division.

This is all under the assumption a second division gets given sweet fa by FFA.

I really like what you emailed to the AAFC Scott. Solid and sensible.

@ TSF

I didn't say they were the "most important"

Its a general observation that a lot of people are knocking a second div back purely on crowds. 

That dynamic will change with P & R especially after a few years. As A league fans we should ask ourselves an honest question, would you support your own A-league team once relegated in a second tier that is well run. 

If your relegated team has the opportunity to get promoted back up immediately I don't see why you would stop supporting your team, it's not like you take the year off and switch allegiances, or do you?

If you get relegated and have no chance of getting promoted you end up with what you have now, the npl with crowds in the hundreds hoping you pick up some scraps via the ffa cup.

let me stop you right there - the man said Souths should be in, I'll take it

Rofl. In what? A divisive first tier. What happens when it all falls apart? 

Wonder who they will blame?

you dont have a sense of humor do you

Can someone please paste photos

http://www.australianfootballclubs.org.au/uploads/9/8/8/1/9881717/mr-160717-final.pdf

If there are 32 interested teams then we form Div 2 and Div 3. Promotion between the two immediately.

Second-tier soccer clubs have hand up

Soccer clubs below the A-League have prepared a shopping list of concerns to FFA, with a national second division for both men and women among the highest priorities.

The inaugural board of the Association of Australian Football Clubs (AAFC) has met for the first time in Brisbane.

The organisation has pledged to fight for representation on the next FFA Congress, which is being reformed at FIFA's behest.

AAFC chairman Rabieh Krayem said support for a multi-tiered soccer system with promotion and relegation in Australia was palpable.

"We know that so many players and fans are interested in a second division ... it shows just how passionate people are, and that's a good thing," he said.

The organisation will undertake financial modelling to support the introduction of a second division and will report back in October.

©AAP2017

http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/07/16/17/48/second-tier-soccer-clubs-have-hand-up

Literally 16 in each. Perfect.

Agreed. Perfect. and 16 for the HAL and p/r between all three

It won't be easy but it will be perfect.

Exactly, and treat them the same way that League One and League Two are treated in England. Heck, we could even call them Australian League One (abbreviated as ALO or AL1) and Australian League Two (abbreviated as ALT or AL2). Simple and easy to remember. Also, it would differentiate the competition from the A-League and remove any connotations of being a second division (in reality it is, but it can be dressed up nicely).

@ holding bidfilder

I've a feeling if you keep going you'll come up with CTRL ALT DEL which would amuse the computer nerds.

The naming convention has changed to Premier and Championship in England/Scotland - I never heard the logic for that but can't say it bothers me but maybe they'd go that way? I'd hope we'd avoid NPL though, let's leave that at state level.

HAL, HAL2, A3 whatever, but 3 x 16 team divisions seems sweet whatever they're called

Finding 32 teams that are willing to participate wouldn't be too hard, here's what I can think of:
1) Blacktown City
2) Leichhardt Tigers
3) Sydney Olympic
4) Manly United
5) Sydney United 58
6) Wollongong Wolves
7) Bonnyrigg White Eagles
8) Sutherland Sharks
9) Marconi Stallions
10) Gold Coast City
11) Brisbane Strikers
12) Brisbane City
13) North Queensland Heat
14) Western Pride
15) Northern Fury
16) Southwest Queensland Thunder
17) Redlands United
18) Sunshine Coast Fire
19) Adelaide City
20) West Adelaide
21) Adelaide Blue Eagles
22) South Melbourne
23) Heidelberg United
24) Bentleigh Greens
25) Green Gully
26) Hume City
27) Bulleen Lions
28) Melbourne Knights
29) Devonport City
30) South Hobart
31) Hobart Zebras
32) Launceston City

That's 32 without even touching WA, ACT,  NT, NNSW, or any of the prospective new clubs like Patriots (Geelong) and Dandenong.

Swap Hobart Zebras for Olympia Warriors and drop Launceston City. I can't speak for them(LC) but unless they go and get a 'sugar daddy' in my opinion I don't think they could afford it.

What's Olympia's home ground like these days? Either way, they were one of the teams on the tip of my tongue that didn't come to mind the first time. No problems adding them to the list. 
I included Hobart Zebras since they've expressed interest and on the assumption that KGV Park is one of the places I know of that would be suitable for a second division club in Tasmania, but anyone with more expertise on football in Tasmania can provide better insight than me on whether that's correct or not.
Launceston is a tricky one. On one hand I think the city could sustain a club in the long run and I think that the rivalry with the Hobart clubs would do well, but on the other hand perhaps it would be better to leave them out for now until they can be sure to be sustainable. Launceston is definitely one to consider for the future though.

Brisbane City aren't a member of AAFC and can get f*****

It appears they are already approved for AL via City Gladiators

Wankers.

Are any of the Queensland AAFC members revealed yet except for Northern Fury? If City (Gladiators) are not, then I guess that shows how certain they are of being in the A-League. They better hope that the rumours of "Red Bull Brisbane" are nothing. Shame though, I liked the look of Spencer Park as a possible second division location.
How about Peninsula Power or Moreton Bay United as other possible options?

Now more clubs eligible because of the restructure. But BC aren't a member.

Lions may apply.

Just BC are the team revealed as NOT a member. Being a member is not necessarily the issue but the fact that City's CEO came out disrespecting the NPL, pro/rel ambition and the AAFC shows they are a disgrace.

It is funny of him to say those things when his club aren't in the A-League yet - it sure is easy to say no to relegation from the comfort of an ivory tower, eh? He must be very confident that they'll be getting in. He'll look like a daft fool if they don't. Still, if they get rejected and relent, the door should be open to them. It would add some character to the competition to have some teams in there that act like they have a god-given right to be better than the rest. Otherwise they'll be rotting in the NPL State League while all of their local rivals play in a competition above them.

Where did you hear that?

I agree, following on from the CEO comments on twitter recently, this news is pretty much confirmation for me they have been given a wink and a nudge. 

Sydney Beijing and Gladiators it is then.

From the AAFC themselves.

I hope they get rejected. It'll be a lesson in humility when they rejoin the AAFC.

Link?

Did they ever mention who was backing them financially? I know they said group of business that tried to buy Roar but were any names mentioned?

Can confirm AAFC confirmed they aren't a member.

The guy even rejected the claim that AAFC was trying to establish links for the actual Brisbane City FC to join the A-League via promotion, then went on a rant about passing criteria (which was weird because nothing has been released), that they could afford being relegated but has the best interest of football at heart and yeah something something 20 years.