The second round of the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup produced little fanfare, but it did confirm one thing to me: the First Division clubs are dying on their feet.
That might sound a little drastic, but look at the facts. From the eight teams involved, one side progressed in Athlone Town's narrow 3-2 victory over Liffey Wanderers.
Three sides crashed out of the competition to non-league opposition. This fact is all the more concerning considering there was only one win for a non-league side in the previous two seasons combined.
"I have a lot of sympathy for the First Division clubs. To put it simply, nobody cares."
I'm not taking anything away from those non-league sides that progressed. Well done to them, but should they really be beating First Division teams?
And I'm not trying to make any excuses for the results of Waterford United, Cobh Ramblers or UCD, but I do feel there are contributing factors.
The standard of football on show in the league has regressed, with the exception of Dundalk.
The gap between league teams and non-league teams is getting smaller by the day and if we are serious about football in this country, that shouldn't be happening. If anything, the gap should be widening.
I don't just include the second tier teams in that – there are Premier Division teams falling into that category also. So why is this happening?
Obviously, all the clubs have had to curb their spending in recent years. I don't think it's a bad thing but the standard of player we saw during the Celtic Tiger times is not there any more.
Smaller wages means reduced quality. There are very talented players dotted around the League of Ireland, don't get me wrong, but generally I do feel the standard has regressed.
Focusing on the First Division clubs, they have even less money to spend due to the fact that they are cast aside as some kind of black sheep of the SSE Airtricity League. It's an even tougher battle.
The clubs are so reliant on young kids coming through the ranks and they almost have to be taught the game all over again when they get there.
As has been highlighted, grassroots level football is so behind the times. Thankfully it is beginning to change but the 18, 19 and 20-year-olds are trying to make their way in league football when they are just not ready in many cases.
They should be arriving at their respective clubs from schoolboy football already having a fair understanding of the game, but instead they are having to be taught the basics all over again and in turn everything is getting jammed.
Managers that want to work on tactical or technical stuff have to walk players through the basics and the whole development of the player and the team is slowed down.
I have a lot of sympathy for the eight teams involved. To put it simply, nobody cares. It's a terrible shame considering some of them have a history and tradition that deserves much more.
It's a sad indictment of Irish football that Waterford, Shels and others are left to suffer such a slow death. They are not living, not even existing, they are dying.
I’ve mentioned previously about how these sides need help, and a move to a one-tier division.
I really thought it was a good idea a couple of years ago. Since then, the standard of football overall in the league has got worse so I'm not sure if it would be a good change.
But something needs to happen and at least then the First Division teams may feel a part of something because right now they are a part of nothing.
They may be there on paper, but certainly not in soul. Their existence is one of loneliness, isolation, with little prospect of getting better. It's like anything that is unwanted and unloved, it quickly goes away.
I didn’t play in the First Division but I know lots of people involved in it and exactly how much it means to them to be involved and just how much they care. There are great people doing Trojan work with little or no thanks and it shouldn’t be this way.
All sports have their problems - you only have to look at the hot topic in the Gaelic games world with the Leinster Football Championship.
But the reason these debates crop up is because current systems are not working.
Ironically enough one of the suggestions I heard for changing our league structure was to make it provincial.
I'm open to any ideas or suggestions that can improve the game and most importantly improve the clubs because right now there is nothing.
I've always heard of the fabulous Waterford United teams with the great Alfie Hale.
It would be great to see them in that light again. My best experience in football came when I played at Shelbourne but those days are a far cry away now.
I often look in from the outside at the people who put the money into the clubs and find myself asking the same question, why do they do it?
They do so because they absolutely love the game and love their club, so it's high time those in the second tier got something back, and at least, a bit of hope.
