Words fail me..

Ronan|Raven

eagle eye wrote: »

Obviously you don't live in Strokestown or else you drive a tractor or something because its not that far.

Where did I say I lived in Strokestown?

stovelid

eagle eye wrote: »

If you look for people to say something you really want to hear you will find them.:pac::pac::pac::rolleyes:

I was born in Manchester and moved here when I was 11, 26 years ago. My family and friends (all first generation Irish) there all support their local cubs, and most find the Irish self-hatred for their own league weird. As life-long City and United fans, they are just used to outsiders wanting to gatecrash their party.

That said, support for EPL teams is an Irish phenomenon, but why not do both? My two best (Dublin born) LOI mates combine being fanatical Spurs and Liverpool supporters with a Rovers season ticket. I myself (still) am a life-long United supporter gradually drawn into the LOI because I missed the belonging and closeness of a local cub, as united became super-duper.

What you should understand is that LOI fans are not cranks. We are the normal fans. 90% of global football fans would totally sympathize with the complaints of the LOI fans here.

vote4pedro

bobbysands81 wrote: »

I used to be an ardent Shamrock Rovers fan, even went 2 years without missing a home game... but I stopped mainly cos of all the knackers that were only interested in starting fights, I couldn't understand why Dublin people wanted to kick the **** out of other Dublin people because they supported a different soccer team.

Really? I've never heard of someone so in to Rovers that they dont miss a game for two years, only to throw it away over (the now gone) problems with a few knackers? Pray tell, what two seasons were it that you went to every single home game? As a Rovers fan I'd love to discuss the seasons which obviously enthralled you so. Unless you're speaking out of your hole that is...

therecklessone

OPENROAD wrote: »

I have gotten to know lots of English people over the years at Highbury, when they found out I was Irish I got pints bought for me and always given a great welcome everytime they saw me.

That would be my experience, so much so that I am considered a regular by the punters in one of the closest pubs to White Hart Lane.

pablomakaveli

stovelid wrote: »

I was born in Manchester and moved here when I was 11, 26 years ago. My family and friends (all first generation Irish) there all support their local cubs, and most find the Irish self-hatred for their own league weird. As life-long City and United fans, they are just used to outsiders wanting to gatecrash their party.

That said, support for EPL teams is an Irish phenomenon, but why not do both? My two best (Dublin born) LOI mates combine being fanatical Spurs and Liverpool supporters with a Rovers season ticket. I myself (still) am a life-long United supporter gradually drawn into the LOI because I missed the belonging and closeness of a local cub, as united became super-duper.

What you should understand is that LOI fans are not cranks. We are the normal fans. 90% of global football fans would totally sympathize with the complaints of the LOI fans here.

If most english football supporters even just attended one or two LOI games a year that would be a help. If people want to support an english club thats fair enough it's their right to do so but even just a little support for an irish team could be very helpful to that club and could end up benefitting irish football as a whole.

Töpher

eirebhoy wrote: »

Maybe read this thread:
http://foot.ie/forums/showthread.php?t=52692 ...

I'll have to stop you there, Ted! That's like quoting Stormfront or something, absolute drivel! :pac:

Loving the double-standards from the government! One second we're unpatriotic for bombing up the M1 for a bargain in Newry, and next they're pleading to have an Irish team in the English league system - will they be persuading any supporters such a venture would gain not to travel to away games so as to reduce the money heading to Buckingham Palace?

Töpher

stovelid wrote: »

90% of global football fans would totally sympathize with the complaints of the LOI fans here.

The other 10% are out buying Liverpool shirts in China! :eek:

_blank_

I caught the end of The Premiership on Sunday, on RTE.

The presenter and Ray Houghton were having a nice little laugh at Manchester playing in the WCC, the smug looks on their faces when they said "well I'm sure all the loyal fans all the way over in Asia were excited to see their heroes".

Hilarious irony, I thought.

Gavin "shels"

pablomakaveli wrote: »

I supported Man Utd from a young age up until a few years ago.

Exact same boat as me. I changed my ways about 4 years ago at the age of 14.

_blank_

Gavin shels wrote: »

Exact same boat as me. I changed my ways about 4 years ago at the age of 14.

I always had an interest in Shels, was at the Karpaty Lviv game even, but fell by the wayside when I started working on Friday nights.

pablomakaveli

Des wrote: »

I always had an interest in Shels, was at the Karpaty Lviv game even, but fell by the wayside when I started working on Friday nights.

I can sympathize. I missed loads of games this season because of work.

bobbysands81

DSB wrote: »

Excellent point.

So both yourself and stovelid support sectarianism and racism? Cos that's where your logic is taking you if you follow through the thought process...

bobbysands81

vote4pedro wrote: »

Really? I've never heard of someone so in to Rovers that they dont miss a game for two years, only to throw it away over (the now gone) problems with a few knackers? Pray tell, what two seasons were it that you went to every single home game? As a Rovers fan I'd love to discuss the seasons which obviously enthralled you so. Unless you're speaking out of your hole that is...

I'd say I could give a good go of naming the team...

Dave Henderson, Wayne Cooney, Dave Connell, Dave Campbell, Derek Swan, Peter Eccles, some lad Bacon, another fella Keogh (who I don't think hung around too long) was there a Gus Irwin or something similar? I can even remember being at a pre-season friendly somewhere in Stillorgan where there were probably only about 5 supporters present. Circa 1992/93 and playing in the RDS. Same bouncers watching the crowd... Mr Sheen.

Why you would think I would bother going to the lengths of making this up I don't know.

stovelid

bobbysands81 wrote: »

So both yourself and stovelid support sectarianism and racism? Cos that's where your logic is taking you if you follow through the thought process...

I oppose it, but i don't have to reinvent myself as a hard-done-by Glaswegian to do so.

bobbysands81

stovelid wrote: »

I oppose it, but i don't have to reinvent myself as a hard-done-by Glaswegian to do so.

So then you feel exactly the same way about it as I do.

stovelid

bobbysands81 wrote: »

So then you feel exactly the same way about it as I do.

But the sectarianism in a foreign league (between two Scottish clubs) is as relevant to me as, say, a Spanish or Palestinian team. I don't like to see it, and oppose it, but I don't see how it is of special football interest to Irish people.

Of course, a lot of Irish fans could row behind Cliftonville or Derry for the same reasons, but political comradeship is so much more convivial in a 60,000 seater stadium with regular Champion's league football, I guess

vote4pedro

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Why you would think I would bother going to the lengths of making this up I don't know.

Because the rubbish you come out with makes me suggest you would. That comment about sectarianism in Glasgow (in combination with your username) I find toe-curlingly embarassing.

DSB

Some of the posts in this thread make me really worry about the mindset of the Irish sporting public, and not just in the barstooling sense.

eirebhoy

SligoBrewer wrote: »

Every second week I see plenty of people from Mayo in the Showgrounds.
The club extends its community work into not only the Sligo/Leitrim leagues, but also in the Mayo one too. I can't see how its any less unreasonable for a person to travel an hour to see a game when in reality these same people travel by air, rail and road to see whoever in the epl.

It's nothing to do with the travelling. The club is representing Sligo. There's no doubt about that. If Sligo won the league the parties wouldn't be in Mayo. Every Tom Dick and Harry from Sligo would be celebrating.

It's easy for a Sligo person to support Sligo, Galway person to support Galway. It's natural just like it is with the GAA. There's no comparison like that with the Dublin clubs. For one, Dublin people tend not to care as much about their county as the rest. Damien Duff to me is Irish, Roy Keane to a Cork person is a Corkman. But that's not even mentioning the fact there isn't one club representing my county.

If you're from Dublin and weren't brought up a fan of any club there's .0001% chance of you growing an affinity for a club. If you're from Longford, Drogheda, Cork, Derry, etc. there's a big chance you'll support them (as long as they're succesful, like everything). So it'd be great if fans of Pats, Shels, Bohs and Rovers got off their high horse.

SectionF

eirebhoy wrote: »

If you're from Dublin and weren't brought up a fan of any club there's .0001% chance of you growing an affinity for a club. If you're from Longford, Drogheda, Cork, Derry, etc. there's a big chance you'll support them (as long as they're succesful, like everything). So it'd be great if fans of Pats, Shels, Bohs and Rovers got off their high horse.

That makes us extra special :P

stovelid

eirebhoy wrote: »

If you're from Dublin and weren't brought up a fan of any club there's .0001% chance of you growing an affinity for a Dublin club, but a 99.99% chance of growing an affinity for a club that is 300 miles away.

FYP.

SligoBrewer

eirebhoy wrote: »

If you're from Dublin and weren't brought up a fan of any club there's .0001% chance of you growing an affinity for a club. If you're from Longford, Drogheda, Cork, Derry, etc. there's a big chance you'll support them (as long as they're succesful, like everything). So it'd be great if fans of Pats, Shels, Bohs and Rovers got off their high horse.

You should do what the rest of us do, even us culchies.

1)Pick up a map.
2)Look and see which ground is closest to you.
3)Pick the club belonging to that ground.

Sorted.

You'll have the best sustainable standard of football possible beside you.
And not some ****ing stupid FC Celtic United del Eire going on to drag this back on topic. We are not ****ing Monaco.

It's what I've done. It's what every football supporter should do.

themont85

SligoBrewer wrote: »

You should do what the rest of us do, even us culchies.

1)Pick up a map.
2)Look and see which ground is closest to you.
3)Pick the club belonging to that ground.

Sorted.

You'll have the best sustainable standard of football possible beside you.
And not some ****ing stupid FC Celtic United del Eire going on to drag this back on topic. We are not ****ing Monaco.

It's what I've done. It's what every football supporter should do.

Sorry to tell you but your attitude will not put bums on seats. People need glitz, glammer ect to just pick up something completely new. You'll always get a few newbies who'll be interested because they're quote 'real fans'. People want to see quality to be entertained. The mistake a lot of people who bang on about the cheapness of the LoI is that watching football is entertainment for most people and most people want to see quality(and they'll pay for it). This ain't like Lidl or Aldi for food where a cereal costs 2 quid in Lidl and 3 in Dunnes so a person goes for Lidl(and the quality whilst not been the same is near enough thanks to food regulation, wish we could have some regulation of the standard of football in this country too), food is an essential and being cheap draws the punters in. When a person wants to be entertained they'll pay for the quality, LOI ain't that.

We will never get such quality with our current league. If LoI want thousands at their games and this board devoted to Shamrock Rovers or whoever, it will not happen. The only way it can happen is the rationalisation of clubs into franchises/regions like Leinster Rugby or Munster Rugby. I suspect that is a no no with the average LoI so maybe instead of pissing money away to full time club players, they should go part time and use excess funds to improve facilities in this country.

Gavin "shels"

themont85 wrote: »

We will never get such quality with our current league

And there's only 3 ways I can think of that quality being there:
1. People get off their barstools
2. Franchises
3. Let Sky rape us like they done to the EPL in the early 90's.

themont85 wrote: »

If LoI want thousands at their games and this board devoted to Shamrock Rovers or whoever, it will not happen. The only way it can happen is the rationalisation of clubs into franchises/regions like Leinster Rugby or Munster Rugby. I suspect that is a no no with the average LoI so maybe instead of pissing money away to full time club players, they should go part time and use excess funds to improve facilities in this country.

So you would proprose a Leinster FC, Munster FC, Ulster FC and Connaught FC, all franchised regional teams. And me like most other LoI fans will tell you and anyone who backs that idea to go crawl back under that rock of your's with you Sky Sports, inflatable tri-colour hammer, lephrecan outfit and along with your chosen foreign team's jersey(ies).

kraggy

redout wrote: »

Sure it nearly happened before. Wimbledon were in talks to come here in the 90's while in the premiership.

No. A couple of cute Irish hoors were allegedly thinking of bringing them to the ball.

It's one thing to be asked and then get dressed and put on the make up.

But it's another thing to be brought and then to be rode in the car park.

robz150

kraggy wrote: »

No. A couple of cute Irish hoors were allegedly thinking of bringing them to the ball.

It's one thing to be asked and then get dressed and put on the make up.

But it's another thing to be brought and then to be rode in the car park.

Jaysus:eek:

shane86

Gavin shels wrote: »

3. Let Sky rape us like they done to the EPL in the early 90's.

Dont you think enhanced tv coverage might help the LOI attract new fans? Who cares if it is on a subscription channel- RTE doesnt have enough channels to give time to every game so where else can you put them?!!? The near lack of tv coverage is the biggest problem they have in attracting interest.

with you Sky Sports, inflatable tri-colour hammer, lephrecan outfit and along with your chosen foreign team's jersey(ies).

This is why so few people on boards care about LOI. Foreign jerseys- ffs are fans to blame for the fact many LOI clubs engage in pretty much zero self promotion? A few months ago I saw pats jerseys in Lifestyle Sport, afaik it is the first time I had actually seen an LOI jersey on sale in a regular shop, rather than team shops/outside grounds. The LOI has only began promoting itself in recent years, and even now it is limited. Ask a class full of 10 year olds to name a few English teams and they will no problem. But LOI? I doubt most 10 year olds know we have our own league, due mainly to the lack of self promotion.

Jazzy

Gavin shels wrote: »

Real football fans have the urge and need for live football and atmosphere. Football fans who have the urge for football on TV's are nothing but imitations.

its wat i love.
ppl with the want to put limitations on supporting to make themselves feel better.



the funniest part is that in reality those who support spurs, arsenal, utd dont really give that much of a sh!t. but apparantly we should... cos as Des (the most influential person in irish football on these boards) says we have to go to every game, even if we dont care about them... simply cos.


and the best method of convincing us.... make us look like we are doing football supporting wrong. its pathetic. like it or not... pathetic. i want irish football to advance, but the FAI and the LOI do nothing to make me want to and the fans that post here just seem to want to make me feel inferior (not necessarily their intention, but who am i to think of what words actually mean?).

it has been said once and ill say it again. to all the smug asswh!pes who want to make themselves feel better - get your head out of your asses, it is as simple as that. you might not want it to be that simple, but it is... no amount of "my opinion" will stop that. your head is either in ur ass or no. gavin "shels" sig is a pure example of how much better you want to make yourselves feel............. at football supporting. but then, some of you will point out how u will have highs and lows far beyond wat i experiance. to those i say, who the f**k are you? who are you to judge my life through a football team? if u really wanna feel better then you actually are, beat me at something that counts... if ya can

can i sum it up in a word?
no

in a sound?
w@nker



merry xmas to the frauds, let your opinion be your shield against judgement

eirebhoy

SligoBrewer wrote: »

You should do what the rest of us do, even us culchies.

1)Pick up a map.
2)Look and see which ground is closest to you.
3)Pick the club belonging to that ground.

Sorted.

You'll have the best sustainable standard of football possible beside you.
And not some ****ing stupid FC Celtic United del Eire going on to drag this back on topic. We are not ****ing Monaco.

It's what I've done. It's what every football supporter should do.

I've done it. It failed. I couldn't grow any affinity for Pats and really didn't care too much when they won or lost.

I've already posted a very relevant stat showing the reasons why 61 people started supporting their club. 90% of them support their club because they were brought up fans of that club or because the club is representing their home town.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=58354732&postcount=43

I'd say the actual figure would be higher than 90%. That shows me that if you were born on the street I was born there's very little chance you'd be a LOI fan.

It's not only LOI fans btw. Fans of Liverpool, Celtic, etc. would have started supporting them as a child. It's very rare that you'll find someone that started supporting a club in their 20's or 30's and now love that club. Unless the club is actually representing something you care about (ie. Sligo).

Jazzy

i feckin knew it! god damn drunken rants... great fun tho!