REPRESENTATIVES of all the clubs from the National League will meet in Dublin this morning to consider the various options which have been proposed for the future format of the league.

A number of different possible formats emerged when the clubs last met the most popular suggestions put forward cent red on either cutting the Premier Division back to 10 teams or expanding it to 16 over the next few seasons.

A total of 44 representatives from the 22 clubs will discuss all of the options this morning and it is hoped that a single proposal can be agreed upon which will then be recommended to next year's league agm in June.

St James's Gate, meanwhile, have informed the FAI and the National League that they wish their expulsion from the First Division to go to arbitration in accordance with the association's and FIFA's rules.

The club had received no reply to their initial letter requesting that their case be clarified but they have been told by FIFA that if they receive no response this time that they will be free to go to court over the issue.

The domestic game lost one of its most loyal servants yesterday with the death of Dundalk president Jim Malone after a short illness.