Fifa VP contradicts himself on SSN

[simplythebest 11,453]

Wales isn't a country. Never has been never will be.

In football terms it is.

[VERITAS VOS LIBREBETS 3,321]

On a plate for you Charlie - go get em!

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!

[CanadianBacon 2,088]

http://en.wikipedia....another_country

United Kingdom and Ireland

As a result of the history of football in the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom has four FIFA member countries instead of one. Clubs that play outside what would be regarded as their 'home country' include:

[edit]England / Scotland

English in Scotland

• Berwick Rangers play in the Scottish football league system (Scottish Football League Third Division as of 2011–12), due to its proximity to the Scottish border.
  

Scottish in England

• None at present.
  
• Gretna played in the English football league system until 2002 when they were elected to the Scottish Football League. They folded in 2008.
  

[edit]England / Wales

English in Wales

• The New Saints (formerly Total Network Solutions), one of only two fully professional clubs in the Welsh Premier League, represents both the Welsh village of Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain and the English town of Oswestry (the two places are 8 miles/13 km apart), since its merger in 2003 with financially troubledOswestry Town, an English club which played in the Welsh football structure. Since the 2007–08 season, they play in Oswestry, while previously playing in Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain. As regular contenders to the Welsh Premier League title and Welsh Cup, The New Saints have represented Wales in European competitions.
  
• Trefonen play in the Welsh football league system (Montgomeryshire League).
  
• Newcastle from Newcastle, Shropshire play in the Welsh football league system(Mid Wales South League).
  
• Bucknell from Bucknell, Shropshire play in the Welsh football league system (Mid Wales South League).
  
• Bishop's Castle did play in the Montgomeryshire League, but moved to the Shropshire County League (in the English football league system) in 2010.
  

Welsh in England

• Swansea City play in the Premier League
  
• Cardiff City play in the Football League Championship
  
• Newport County play in the Conference National
  
• Wrexham play in the Conference National
  
• Colwyn Bay play in the Conference North
  
• Merthyr Town play in the Southern Football League South & West Division
  

Although all the above clubs play in the English football league system and are allowed to compete in the FA Cup, Newport County, Wrexham, Colwyn Bay andMerthyr Town are under the jurisdiction of the Football Association of Wales for disciplinary and administration purposes. Swansea City and Cardiff City previously had the same governance until an arrangement was made with the FA for the 2011–12 season onwards.^[1]

Cardiff City (1921–29, 1952–57 and 1960–62) and Swansea City (1981–83) have played in the old Football League First Division, the top division of English football at that time. Cardiff City are also the only non-English side to have won the FA Cup, winning it in 1927; they again reached the final in 2008, prompting the English FA to change the rules to allow Welsh clubs to represent England in UEFA competitions should they qualify to do so.^[2] Swansea City won the 2012–13 Football League Cup, and should become the first Wales-based club to qualify for European competitions through a place reserved for the English Football Association.

The following Welsh clubs have also played in the English football league system:

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• Bangor City
  
• Barry Town
  
• Bridgend Town
  
• Caernarfon Town
  
• Newtown
  
• Rhyl
  
• Treharris^[3]
  

The following defunct Welsh clubs also played in the English league system:

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• Aberdare Athletic
  
• Abertillery Town^[3]
  
• Lovells Athletic
  
• Mardy^[3]
  
• Merthyr Tydfil
  
• Ton Pentre^[3]
  

Until 1995, the above clubs were allowed to participate in the Welsh Cup, and represented Wales in the Cup Winners' Cup if they won. Clubs playing in those parts of England close to the Welsh border could also play in the Welsh Cup by invitation, but could not represent Wales if they won.

• In addition, Deva Stadium, home to Chester and previously to the defunct Chester City, straddles the England-Wales border, and its entire pitch is in Wales (though the club offices, which are part of the stadium complex, are in England).
  

[edit]Republic of Ireland / Northern Ireland

Northern Irish in the Republic of Ireland

• Two different clubs bearing the name Derry City have played in the Republic of Ireland football league system:
  
  • The original club, founded in 1928, played in the Northern Ireland football league system until 1972, when it was expelled from the Irish Football Leaguedue to issues related to The Troubles. The club then spent 13 years without a league until being admitted to the second level of the League of Ireland in 1985. Two years later, they earned promotion to the League of Ireland's first level, and continued there until their expulsion in 2009 for financial mismanagement. The club was dissolved shortly thereafter.
    
  • A new Derry City club, which considers itself to be a continuation of the original, was founded in January 2010, and was admitted to the second level of the League of Ireland starting with that season. They returned to the top flight at the first opportunity by winning the First Division title.
    

Derry City have won the league titles of both Northern Ireland (1964–65) and theRepublic of Ireland (1988–89, 1996–97), and also the cup titles of both Northern Ireland (1948–49, 1953–54, 1963–64) and the Republic of Ireland (1988–89, 1994–95, 2002, 2006, 2012), and have represented both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in European club competitions.

[edit]Guernsey / England

→ : Guernsey in England

• Guernsey F.C. play in the Combined Counties League Premier Division.
  

The Guernsey Football Association has no international recognition; it has county status with the English Football Association.

[edit]Continental Europe

Andorran in Spain

• FC Andorra play in the Spanish football league system (Segona Catalana).
  

Spanish in France

• UE Bossòst play in the French football league system (Liga Haute Garonne Comminges - Categoría Excellence).
  

→ : German in Switzerland

• FC Büsingen play in the Swiss football league system, as Büsingen is a Germanexclave surrounded by Switzerland.
  

→ : Italian in Switzerland

• AP Campionese play in the Swiss football league system, as Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave surrounded by Switzerland.
  

→ : Liechtensteiner in Switzerland

• FC Balzers
  
• USV Eschen/Mauren
  
• FC Ruggell
  
• FC Schaan
  
• FC Triesen
  
• FC Triesenberg
  
• FC Vaduz (played in the Swiss Super League for the 2008–09 season, the first Liechtenstein club to play in the top level of Swiss football; now in the second-levelChallenge League)
  

All clubs in Liechtenstein play in the Swiss football league system, as Liechtenstein has no properly recognized league of its own. These clubs also compete in theLiechtenstein Football Cup, which is effectively the championship of Liechtenstein, with the winner representing Liechtenstein in the UEFA Europa League. Liechtenstein clubs do not play in the Swiss Cup, and are not eligible for qualification to European competitions via the Swiss league system.

→ : Monegasque in France

• AS Monaco FC play in the French football league system (Ligue 2 as of 2011–12), as Monaco does not have a professional league. They are one of the most successful clubs in France having won seven Ligue 1, five Coupe de France and one Coupe de la Ligue titles, and have also represented France in European competitions, reaching the final of the now-defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in1992 and of the UEFA Champions League in 2004.
  

Additionally, Evian Thonon Gaillard applied in 2010-11 to play across the border in nearby Geneva, Switzerland (sharing with FC Servette), due to its own facilities being inadequate for top division French football; however, despite French Football Federation support, UEFA denied it, and Evian ended up playing in Annecy, sharing with Annecy F.C.

→ : Sammarinese in Italy

• San Marino Calcio play in the Italian football league system (Lega Pro Seconda Divisione).
  
• A.C. Juvenes/Dogana played in both the Campionato Sammarinese di Calcio and the Italian amateur levels until the 2006-07 season. Now they play only in the Sammarinese league. Juvenes/Dogana was founded in 2000 after the merger of S.S. Juvenes and G.S. Dogana: both clubs played in Italy at the time of the merger.
  

The home league of San Marino was established only in 1985. Before that year, other Sammarinese teams have competed in the Italian system (i.e. A.C. Libertas and San Marino Calcio forerunners Libertas-Tre Penne), though only San Marino Calcio is allowed to take part to the system and also to Coppa Italia exclusively.

→ : Swiss in Italy :

• FC Chiasso played in the Italian league system between 1914 and 1923.
  

→ : Cypriot in Greece

• Olympiakos Nicosia played in Greece in 1967–68, 1969–70, and 1971–72.
  
• AEL Limassol played in Greece in 1968–69.
  
• EPA Larnaca FC played in Greece in 1970–71.
  
• AC Omonia played in Greece in 1972–73.
  
• APOEL F.C. played in Greece in 1973–74.
  

From 1967 to 1974, the champion of the Cypriot First Division was promoted to theGreek First Division.

→ : Austrian in Germany

• SV Kleinwalsertal has played in Germany since the 1960s, playing in the tier twelve B-Klasse Allgäu 6 in 2011–12.^[4]
  
• From 1938 to 1945, Austrian clubs participated in the German Gauliga system because Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany. Additionally, a number of clubs from France, Luxembourg, Czechoslovakia and Poland also played in the German league system during their occupation.
  

→ : Finnish in Sweden

• IF Fram 1999-2011 and possibly earlier
  
• IF Östernäskamraterna 2004-2007
  
• Eckerö IF 2005-2009
  
• Jomala IK 2000-2005 and possibly earlier
  
• Lemlands IF 2011- still plays in Swedish league system
  
• IF Finströmskamrater 2002-2003
  
• IF Start 2004
  

[edit]North America

Many North American sports leagues are made up of teams from different countries—three of the four largest professional leagues in Anglophone North America have teams representing cities on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. This phenomenon can also be seen in soccer leagues. Although foreign clubs can and do participate inleagues based in the United States, no such team is eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup, which is only open to teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation. They are also not eligible to represent the United States in theCONCACAF Champions League. Those teams that do participate in U.S. leagues also participate in various competitions under their local federations to gain entry into the Champions League.

→ : Antiguan in the United States

• Antigua Barracuda FC have played in the third-level USL Pro since that league's creation in 2011.
  

→ : Bermudian in the United States

• Bermuda Hogges play in the USL Premier Development League, having decided to self-relegate from the USL Second Division (the effective predecessor to USL Pro) after the 2009 season. Many of the players appear for the Bermuda national team.
  

→ : Canadian in the United States The top two levels of the Canadian soccer pyramid, Major League Soccer (MLS) and the current North American Soccer League (NASL), are both leagues based in the United States.

• Toronto FC have played in MLS since 2007.
  
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC joined MLS in 2011. A member of the USL First Divisionthrough 2009, the Whitecaps broke away from the USL to join the new NASL for 2010. However, after neither the NASL nor USL-1 received official sanctioning, they played the 2010 season in the temporary USSF Division 2.
  
• The Montreal Impact joined MLS in 2012. Their predecessors of the same namehad played the previous three seasons in three different leagues—the USL First Division in 2009, the temporary USSF Division 2 in 2010, and the new NASL in 2011.
  
• FC Edmonton started playing in the new NASL in 2011.
  
• Several Canadian clubs played in previous incarnations of the NASL, including:
  
  • Calgary Boomers
    
  • Edmonton Drillers
    
  • Montreal Manic
    
  • Montreal Olympique
    
  • Toronto Blizzard (also known as Toronto Metros and Toronto Metros-Croatia)
    
  • Toronto Falcons
    
  • Vancouver Royals
    
  • Vancouver Whitecaps
    

  [*]Abbotsford Mariners, Forest City London, Hamilton Rage, Ottawa Fury, Thunder Bay Chill, Toronto Lynx (played in the USL A-League/First Division until 2006),Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, Victoria Highlanders and WSA Winnipeg play in the USL Premier Development League.

The top four professional clubs in Canada (Toronto FC, Montreal Impact, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and FC Edmonton) contest the Canadian Championship for theVoyageurs Cup to determine Canada's entrant into the CONCACAF Champions League.

→ : Puerto Rican in the United States

• The Puerto Rico Islanders have played in the new NASL since it began play in 2011. They had played in the USL First Division in 2009 and USSF Division 2 in 2010. Even though Puerto Rico is a dependent territory of the United States, it has a separate football federation, the Puerto Rican Football Federation. The highest level of competition within Puerto Rico is the Puerto Rico Soccer League, which the team do not usually participate in (however, they played in the 2010 seasonwhen it was played in a shortened format). The Islanders have represented Puerto Rico at the CFU Club Championship and the CONCACAF Champions League.
  
• Sevilla FC Puerto Rico, Club Atlético River Plate Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico United were initially going to play in USL Pro in the 2011 season, but were removed due to severe economic difficulties.
  

[edit]Asia

[edit]China / Hong Kong

→ : Mainland Chinese in Hong Kong

• Lanwa FC played in the Hong Kong First Division League for three seasons from 2005 to 2008. While Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, it has its own football federation and professional league.
  
• Sheffield United and Xiangxue Eisiti were both reserve teams of clubs based in mainland China which played in the 2008–09 Hong Kong First Division Leagueseason. However, both teams actually played their home games in Hong Kong.
  

[edit]Singapore / Malaysia / Brunei

→ : Singaporean in Malaysia

• The Football Association of Singapore used to enter a team in the Malaysian league, but pulled out after the 1994 season following a dispute with the Football Association of Malaysia over gate receipts, and launched its own S.League. From 2012, a new Singapore representative side, based around the Under-23 team will participate in both the Malaysia Super League and the Malaysia Cup.
  

→ : Malaysian in Singapore

• As part of a two-way arrangement with the Football Association of Singapore, theFootball Association of Malaysia will enter a representative side based around theUnder-23 team in the S-League from 2012.
  

→ : Bruneian in Malaysia

• DPMM FC played in the Malaysia Premier League in 2006, and the Malaysia Super League in 2007 and 2008.
  
• The Football Association of Brunei Darussalam used to enter a team in the Malaysian league.
  

→ : Bruneian in Singapore

• DPMM FC play in the S.League, starting in 2009, after getting kicked out theMalaysia Super League for the 2009 season (see below). They were also invited to take part in the Singapore Cup in 2007. Since the FIFA ban on the Brunei FA in 2009, DPMM FC have suspended their participation and resumed it only in 2012.
  

Besides DPMM FC, a number of "foreign" teams have also played in the S.League. These clubs, while playing their home games in Singapore, are either satellite teams of foreign clubs or are made up exclusively of foreign players:

• Albirex Niigata Singapore FC (a satellite team of Albirex Niigata, a top-level professional club in Japan's J. League)
  
• Beijing Guoan Talent Singapore FC (a satellite team of Beijing Guoan F.C., a top-level professional club in China's Super League)
  
• Dalian Shide Siwu FC (a satellite team of Dalian Haichang, a top-level professional club in China's Super League)
  
• Etoile FC (made up of players of French origin)
  
• Liaoning Guangyuan FC (a satellite team of Liaoning FC, a top-level professional club in China's Super League)
  
• Sinchi FC (a team made up of players from China)
  
• Sporting Afrique FC (made up of players of African origin)
  
• Yishun Super Reds FC (made up of players from South Korea)
  

As of 2011, only Albirex Niigata Singapore FC and Etoile FC play in the S.League. The foreign teams are not allowed to represent Singapore in AFC club competitions such as the AFC Champions League and the AFC Cup. Moreover, due to the presence of foreign teams in the S.League, the AFC does not allow S.League teams to participate in the AFC Champions League since 2011.^[5]

In recent years, foreign clubs from other countries have also been invited to participate in the Singapore Cup.

[edit]Oceania

→ : New Zealander in Australia

• Wellington Phoenix play in the A-League, starting from the 2007–08 season.
  
• New Zealand Knights played in the National Soccer League from 1999 to 2004 (as Football Kingz FC) and in the A-League from 2005 to 2007.
  

As New Zealand is a member of OFC and Australia is a member of AFC since moving from OFC in 2006, Wellington Phoenix are playing in the league of a member of another football confederation. As per agreement with FIFA, AFC and OFC, Wellington Phoenix are not allowed to participate in the AFC Champions League.^[6]They also do not participate in the OFC Champions League, as New Zealand is represented by clubs from its football league, the New Zealand Football Championship.

Note that it is not uncommon for New Zealand teams to play in Australian professional sports leagues—the National Rugby League (rugby league) and National Basketball League both have one team from New Zealand, and the Women's National Basketball League had a New Zealand team in the 2007–08 season. This phenomenon is most pronounced in rugby union, in which the Super Rugby competition, a joint enterprisebetween the governing bodies of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, has had five teams from each of the three countries since 2011.

Not this old chestnut again.

[nachothelegend 1,932]

Remember the Key words are British.

I am convinced we will some Day Play in the EPL .We are a British Club, and I am sure that's the Issue we could Push .IMO.

[Loyal Bear 72 363]

people need to face facts - they don't want us there so we won't get there despite all the cries of discrimination etc.

they have no wish to further water down the money they receive - the EPL is one of the worlds largest debts.

Absolutely mate. No point in wanting to play football where you are not wanted. However, it does show that there is a precedent for clubs to NOT play in their domestic football setup.

In my opinion we should forget about England. We should be building links with clubs in Europe who have similar ambitions but play in declining leagues. Hopefully, we would eventually have enough of these clubs to form a new League.

[Sandy Jardine 17]

Jim Boyce is happy to get in front of the cameras.´talk shite and sit down for a free lunch.His role within football is a lot less important than it is in his imagination.

[TheBluenose1972 1,405]

What about Berwick Rangers then?????

Gretna also played in the English league then moved into the Scottish league.

[thedarvelmarvel 796]

How good would the EPL be if they got rid of the dross like QPR, Wigan, Swansea, Reading and got in Rangers, Celtic, Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday!

swansea ,dross ? where have you been.leeds have never recovered the position since 1992. and sheffield wed. who?

[TheFarmer 260]

swansea ,dross ? where have you been.leeds have never recovered the position since 1992. and sheffield wed. who?

Yeah, didnt put that across very well.

What I mean is that Swansea, Reading, Wigan have nothing on Rangers, Celtic, Leeds, Wednesday when it comes to fanbases. The teams I mentioned, if in the EPL, would be among the top clubs for both taking fans to away games and for home attendances.

You want teams that have big a attraction in the top league, Swansea/Wigan would pump us right now, doesn't make them a bigger team or a bigger attraction.

[AlCapone 7,678]

Not this again, cardiff and swansea along with other clubs around the world have special dispensation because their own leagues werent developed enough when these clubs were formed

Seroiusly JBJ.....It really does ma man boobs in when somesone says but theres Welsh teams in England....Like no ones fcuking noticed! Its simple anyone playing in another countries league prior to the formation of UEFA/FIFA can stay there, end of story

If a new Welsh club was formed and wanted to join the English leagues they would not be allowed.

[AlCapone 7,678]

Gretna also played in the English league then moved into the Scottish league.

They were in the English leagues prior to UEFA/FIFA so were allowed to stay. The crucial difference is that they moved to Scotland....their home country!!! The new Gretna were not allowed to apply to the English leagues and had to remain in their own country which is why they are in some Scottish amateur league

[Spectre 1,663]

Australia being alowed to move to Asia sticks out for me.

Vancouver Whitecaps formed in 2009 and allowed in the MLS sticks out for me.

[carrickblue 322]

it's a pity Jim Boyce couldn't even remember the special dispensation given to Derry City....truth is is the English Premier League want it to happen, it'll happen. Money talks.

[Laudo 31]

"Sheffield United and Xiangxue Eisiti were both reserve teams of clubs based in mainland China which played in the 2008–09 Hong Kong First Division Leagueseason. However, both teams actually played their home games in Hong Kong."

A chinese reserve team called Sheffield united, could Mr Green have been behind this??

[LegendofCoop 17,273]

Pretty sure there was something mentioned by the F. A last time this was raised that said: any club competing in the EPL had to have a Stadium that was situated either in England or Wales.

[Laudo 31]

"Sheffield United and Xiangxue Eisiti were both reserve teams of clubs based in mainland China which played in the 2008–09 Hong Kong First Division Leagueseason. However, both teams actually played their home games in Hong Kong."

A chinese reserve team called Sheffield united, could Mr Green have been behind this??

Edit: Forget this, seen it was 10 years earlier Charlie was in control at united!!

[YorkshireBear 222]

Pretty sure there was something mentioned by the F. A last time this was raised that said: any club competing in the EPL had to have a Stadium that was situated either in England or Wales.

I think we should move to York then!

[soulboy 2,518]

I think we should declare Ibrox as being in England

[TheBluenose1972 1,405]

Yeah, didnt put that across very well.

What I mean is that Swansea, Reading, Wigan have nothing on Rangers, Celtic, Leeds, Wednesday when it comes to fanbases. The teams I mentioned, if in the EPL, would be among the top clubs for both taking fans to away games and for home attendances.

You want teams that have big a attraction in the top league, Swansea/Wigan would pump us right now, doesn't make them a bigger team or a bigger attraction.

Would love to see a strong Wednesday again, Does not feel right that the top tier of English football does not have them in it.

[Jimbo13 9]

No welsh team, that play in any of the english leagues, can represent Wales in Europe, because they are regarded as English, do we really wish this on Rangers?