Just a quick note (I'm reading with delight at this discussion) the EL is dead so long as it is a closed shop, in my humble opinion, there has to be a pyramid structure of sorts in place with access to greater prizes that it would involve. For eg, my Uncle was a lifelong member of Tolka Rovers, they won the junior cup and had a ground and set up (with finances) that would have matched them up with the LoI, then Tony O'Connell went to Ashtownvilla and that club went from strength to strength (okay, a little weak now) with cup runs and the like. Should they, or Tolka, or St. Mochta's, Verona (naming local sides I know) have had a chance to progress up the ranks in a German format - 1st and 2nd div's, beneath them 2 regional leagues, below them feeder sub-regions and so on. I worked with clubs in Germany and see how little clubs with a good squad, investment or such, can battle up to the 2nd division and (like Aachen) get into Europe. But in the EL they "invite" clubs.