Time for Mayo football to get behind its flagship club

The League of Ireland third tier is at the risk of becoming something of a non-event before it has even begun.

We can attempt to break down the particulars here, but with such limited information emerging from the top brass in LOI headquarters, many potential fervent Mayo FC fans remain on tenterhooks.

An official announcement is still awaited, the regrettable drip-feed of information leaving everyone in limbo.

We know the Milebush outfit will be there. The manager is lined up.

Anthony O’Neill and the Under 20s will be a tantalising proposition in the league over the season to come, with the bulk of that side set to make further history in the third-tier condensed calendar in autumn.

But it seems the wider footballing public will have to wait much longer to find out whether the campaign for a senior third tier will actually commence in September under the condensed calendar.

League of Ireland attendances are on the rise nationwide.

The game is in good stead across the country and the FAI are keen to fill a geographic hole in the west, with Mayo FC identified as the preferred option over a single-club entity such as Castlebar Celtic or Westport United.

That makes sense. However, the recent comments from Mark Scanlon, who has stated that the third tier will initially resemble a top level of grassroots junior amateur football rather than a bottom rung of the national league pyramid, have raised eyebrows.

There will be no relegation or promotion into the third tier to begin with in order to allow teams to ease into the new structures.

Scanlon has hinted at 2027 as the likely date for the introduction of a fluid system between the third tier and the First Division.

Clubs like Mayo FC, if they want to be promoted to the First Division, will need to acquire a licence for that league.

That would require further investment into Umbro Park, Milebush, and increased seating for home and away supporters.

That is a problem for the future.

For now, an unpleasant reticence has crept into the Mayo Football League regarding the nascent Mayo FC project.

It was reported from the annual general meeting that the top clubs in the county are dissatisfied with the concept of Mayo FC.

There is a fear, whether justified or not, that league officials should concentrate solely on the Mayo League while League of Ireland matters should be handled only by Mayo FC officials.

Growing pains were always inevitable when creating a brand new club.

I would implore those involved in clubs across Mayo to take note of the national mood that is developing around Mayo FC.

It is a project gaining momentum. Westport United have top-class facilities and Castlebar Celtic remain one of the best junior clubs in the country, possibly the best side the Mayo League has ever seen.

Those involved in the game outside the county are well aware of the immense potential within Mayo to see a successful club take shape, but it will require all individuals and clubs to row in the same direction.

News remains sparse regarding which other clubs will join Mayo FC in the new division. Early indications suggested that 67 clubs had submitted expressions of interest.

Mark Scanlon runs a tight ship alongside his colleagues in the League.

He noted on the LOI Central podcast that we do not see clubs here go bust, as happens in wealthier leagues, pointing to Boavista in Portugal.

The requirements for entry are clearly strict. They demand a level of professionalism, which is somewhat ironic given the league is expected to be entirely amateur, but Scanlon is evidently keen to accept only clubs capable of progressing into the First Division.

Limerick FC look set to return from the ashes, a positive for Mayo FC in terms of travel, as many of the other rumoured clubs are based in Dublin. Initially, the talk centred on a model similar to the English Conference, with north and south divisions to reduce travel and safeguard amateur status.

What may be causing the delay in announcing the third tier is the lack of suitable clubs meeting the league’s high threshold.

Ultimately, it is far better to have a well thought out third tier with clubs that are truly ready than to rush teams in that have little local support, poor infrastructure and limited resources.

Mayo FC is not a new idea. It has been in the making for decades.

Those involved at the highest level of the game in the county have long understood that this is the next logical step.

It is brave and it is daunting, especially for local clubs who understandably fear being swallowed up in the process.

There will be gripes when players sign forms, there will be frustrations, but in the end, would you not prefer to see the best Mayo footballers in green and red, competing as a side the entire county can get behind?