Farense celebrated their return to the national second division this season and immediately announced that promotion will again be the objective for 2012/13.
Having survived the rapid fall from European Cup football to the region’s district leagues as well as near extinction in the space of a few years, the Algarve capital club’s president António Barão enthused: “It is a victory for the city, the fans, our sponsors and everybody who helped us in these difficult times”.
Faro were joined by Quarteira who will play at the third highest level in the country for the first time in 16 years while Lagoa’s most recent results ensured another season in the second division.
It now looks very much like these three Algarve teams will match forces with Portimão whose hopes of remaining in the Liga Orangina second tier were dashed when the Portuguese FA again dismissed league club proposals for an increase in the number of clubs for the first two divisions. That decision should offer the prospect of no less than four Algarve clubs represented in next season’s second division south, a scenario seldom encountered above district level football.
