For those of you who do

ANTIFA!

how did you end up supporting your LOI team? Our good friend Mr.Nice Guy claims ''in a football sense we are culturally immersed in following teams in Britain'' Great exuse I'll give it to ya however no doubt this kind of view would be scoffed at by the vast majority of real fans but I guess its a good exuse for the lazy barstooler.

I think the quote should actually be culturally immersed following teams in Britain from the television but anyway.

Me personally it just started when I liked football when i was 12. i had no real influence as such, i had most interest in real madrid and arsenal but kept bugging my dad to bring me to a game and so he did. from that moment i was instantly hooked.

flahavaj

Pride in your local area would be the big one.

Helix

my father (a lifelong arsenal fan) started bringing me to drogs games when i was about 7, and ive been a season ticket holder from 9-17 and 24-26

LuckyLloyd

Attended UCD and played some sport there. With my schedule the first two years in college, stopping to see home games was always convenient. And it stuck.

Xavi6

Oul lad took me to see Shels v Dundalk at Tolka in 1989. We lost.

He's also a Leeds fan and they used to come over every summer for a friendly so we always went. I got into Shels through that and have supported them ever since.

daithijjj

I supported my local loi team from a very early age (about 5 years old). My uncle had a hand in producing the clubs programme and i stood in pissing rain for hours selling it at home games from the age of 8 until i was 15.

In that time, as a young fella i travelled with my uncle to games everywhere, cobh, galway, waterford, dublin and i remember an away day at derry city very well because i was asked to get out of the car by a british soldier with a big gun at the border aged 10.

Always followed the clubs fortunes but moved country aged 18, just moved back.

The real debate with the LOI is its longstanding battle with popularity with GAA and not its battle with the prem (just my opinion). As a gaa player for a long time ive witnessed some rather 'inbred' views regarding 'foreign sports' such as the LOI. Theres still folk in this country fighting cromwell, its time to move on.

Theres nothing quite so ironic as being amongst a group of gaa fans at a game, and them almost celebrating the bad fortunes of the local LOI team, exclaiming 'delighted they lost, the soccer b***ards'. Then, almost in the same breath they will ask each other if they are going to watch united/liverpool (insert any prem club here on telly on sunday) in the pub. This kind of attitude is bewildering.

pablomakaveli

I supported Man Utd up until the age of 15 but lost interest in them. At 16 i became more interested in Cork City as it was around the time Pat Dolan took over and there was a buzz around the team. The first match i attended was against Shels which we lost 1-0. There was a great atmosphere at the match and i really enjoyed it and ive been supporting City ever since.

Nalz

Used to live near Dalymount 3 years ago, went to a few games. Caught the bug. Been following them ever since. Still follow United with passion too. Wish others did the same.

_blank_

I always knew there was an LoI, during the 80s and 90s I'd be in the car with my dad listening to Gabriel Egan of a Sunday afternoon. I remember that very clearly. I also remember a cousin and uncle who were passionate Rovers fans (not so much now, since they robbed a five figure sum from him :rolleyes:).

Anyway, I heard that Shels were playing Karpaty Lviv in Tolka Park, it's the nearest LoI ground to where I grew up, and went down to see that match. I was even on the back of The Star the next day. (So, I'm a Euro blow-in I suppose, only I stuck with it).

Went on and off for a few years, my Dad wasn't into it, so it was a case of finding mates and going when I could afford it.

Once I hit sixteen, you'd think then that it'd be get a job, get down to games. Not for me unfortunately. Any job I got wanted me working on Friday nights and/or Sundays. So it was a fallow period for me, until I got out of college and into a job with more normal hours.

Around 2001 I suppose is when I started going full-time.

I've actually fallen back big time this season, partly due to my disillusionment with the whole LoI/FAI thing. Partly due to my being made redundant and having to scrimp every penny, so fifteen quid for a First Division game sometimes isn't justifiable.

But I'll always be a Redsman.

oldyouth

After being a LOI 'absentee' for 20 years, I returned to the fold with the formation of Wexford Youths. The standard of football in LOI is obviously lower than most other European leagues but there is pure honesty, dedication and effort and that is football as it was intended.

Our owner, Mick Wallace, is determined to provide state of the art facilities to attract people to the game. Hopefully, the current economic situation is only a temporary glitch on that plan. I can't imagine what it would be like without the club now.

Mick always refers to The Youths as a 'community project' . We strive to play local players who the fans can relate to from schoolboy level

Kids under 12 are let in free. Adults are €10 with students and OAPs in for €5. You can't say fairer than that

Gavin "shels"

Me, my bro and the oul lad used to be all Utd fans with my dad having an interest in LoI when he moved up to Dublin, 27 or 28 years ago, used to just go to the matches when his mate was playing, Pats then onto Shels where his mate then moved up to Drogheda so my dad stayed with an interest in Shels, brought me to my first match when I was a few months old up in Harolds Cross against Pats, but my first proper match that I remember somewhat was the first game of the 2003 season (me being 13), so over time he started to drift away due to work so I'd go with a few mates and well for the past 3 season I've been a season ticket holder and I'd say over them 3 years I've missed no more than about 12-15 competitive matches.

GLaDOS

I only started following Bohs last year. A few of my friends were fans and I wanted to try live football, so I went along one day, it was a pre season friendly against Dundalk, I remember 'cause my maths teacher at the time was their captain .

Since then I've just been caught up with the passion and the excitment that nothing on tv can match.

Gavin "shels"

ScienceNerd wrote: »

the passion and the excitment that nothing on tv can match.

...and there you go barstoolers, that's what it's all about, the standard of football is part of supporting football, just only a section of it, passion and excitment is what supporting a football team is really about imo.

CantGetNoSleep

I support the EIRCOM League just so I can come on here and call myself a real football fan

dfx-

I am post-Milltown and pre-Tallaght, so a rare breed of Rovers fan. My dad has followed Rovers since the 1960s but only really come back to it this season. He brought me to Rovers v Athlone in Dalymount in 1989 and since then, I've been there and became a member in 2005..and to almost every ground since 2006. Last year was probably the most disillusioned I've been and faded badly towards the end of the Scully 'era'.

The RSC is the ground I've not been to and funnily enough Waterford is still a big game for my Dad as Waterford/Rovers was the top clash when he started following them in the 60s and has been to Waterford Rovers games more than anything else.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

I was just a United and Celtic fan up until July, when I went to see Rovers play Madrid, which is when I started supporting Rovers(call me a bandwagoner, I don't care), the quality of football is a lot lower but the fans at that FRIENDLY match were truly brilliant, lodest at any match I've been to, that's why I started supporting them.

getcover

Was taken as a child and never got interested in any other team. I don't think I'm a real football fan, but I've never had any interest in an English/Scottish/other team

Foxx92

I was an avid Liverpool fan up until I was about 12.:rolleyes: Had never been to Anfield or any live football game for that matter(most of my family isn't into sports). Few of us from school said we'd head to Terryland to see Galway United. My first game was vs Limerick in 2005/2006 i think. Terrible game but myself and a group of friends went to the majority of the games for the rest of the season, which involved a very exciting search for promotion to the PD;). The following season in the PD I went to most of the games and haven't looked back since.

HalloweenJack

As a kid, I didn't know how big Bray Wanderers were (in terms of Irish football). I was only two when we won the cup in '90, although my dad and my brother went to that one, which I only found out about in '99. I thought they were only a LSL side and never heard anybody talking about them.

First match I remember going to was sneaking into the last ten minutes of a game with my grandad against Bohs (I think) in '96 or '97. Around that time, I was aware of the LOI and, for some strange reason, I had soft spots for Pats and Dundalk (I'm probably just a gloryhunter ).

I remember watching the '99 cup finals on the telly and cheering on Bray. I first regulalrly started going to games the year after until about 2001. Then I stopped going for a few years and kind of lost interest in them.

I got a season ticket in 2005 when Bray came back up. Been a regular at home games since and rarely make a few away ones. I was a season ticket holder til last year and since then my job gives me free access.

dreamers75

Father used to bring me to Richmond, 1st game was vs Waterford, always stands out as it was early 80s and seeing a black person that wasnt a jackson 5 was weird :eek:

He stopped bringing when we went to the Cross, i still went with mates stopped for a while then went back for our 1st game back in Richmond going ever since. Have never completed a perfect season of every game home and away came close a few times tho.

Last night was the worst performance ever by a pats team EVER!! Still booked a half day off on friday to go to galway

LuckyLloyd

gosplan, villager please do not attempt to send the thread in that direction. Its is OT at best.

DSB

Was brought by a mates family to Shels vs. Sloga Jugomagnat back in the day, and it stuck.

1967

Always support my local club (Waterford) but although i do get to games not as often as i should or used to,which can bother me a bit as i regularly go to Anfield and also Easter Road where i will be this saturday watching Hibs and St.Johnstone.

tbh

Des wrote: »

Anyway, I heard that Shels were playing Karpaty Lviv in Tolka Park, it's the nearest LoI ground to where I grew up, and went down to see that match. I was even on the back of The Star the next day. (So, I'm a Euro blow-in I suppose, only I stuck with it).

was that a 3-2 agg loss? I was at that game myself. Used to live across the road from Tony McCarthy so always took an interest in his teams.

gosplan

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

gosplan, villager please do not attempt to send the thread in that direction. Its is OT at best.

Sorry but this thread went in that direction when you allowed the distinction between 'real fans' and 'lazy barstooler' to remain in the OP.

This thread had a dig from the beginning so I had a dig back. Can't see the problem with that.

If the OP simply said: How did you start supporting your LOI team, I wouldn't have a problem.

villains77

my young brother played with bohs from school boy to 21s but wnet to my first bohs game before he had trials with bohs been a bhos fans ever since

stovelid

I'm originally from Manchester but have been living here since I was 11. Brought up in Tallaght (which has always been a Hoops catchment area) and a few of my friends were/are Rovers supporters.

I still support United and always will, and they have been my team since I was a child, but it was a case of Rovers very slowly growing from a team you would look out for (and go to the odd match) to a team you support. I'm a member now.

It happened in tandem with feeling more and more detached from United - not so much the monopoly and lack of real competition in the EPL (although that has been somewhat of a factor), but just the distance from Manchester, growing up here and only being able to a few matches.

My da was no use. He loved United when we lived in Manchester and took me, but the minute he got home, he got back into the Gah, his true love. He views membership of Rovers as a little more acceptable than syphilis even though he won't come out and say it.

I know some people say local pride and all that, which is spot-on, but it's also fun. Few jars, watch the match, queue at the chip-van; see familiar faces and head for a few jars after. Something that match-going people do the world over in their millions. It's often made out to be a secret-society or some kind of grim obligation, but it's a good social outlet and a enjoyable and rewarding thing once you get into it. No big secret to it.

ANTIFA!

well said stovelid.

fh041205

Caught football fever after the world cup in 2002. Passive Liverpool supporter, never took a huge interest. My Dad used to go to Drogs matches in the old Lourdes Stadium and he took me along to United Park for the start of that season (had just been promoted). Never looked back since then been to almost every game.

What I loved was the people you'd meet at the games every week and the fact that the players were so approachable. You'd see them around the town and they'd always say hello back to you. Also, the fact that I could walk straight into the club any day of the week to get anything sorted made it feel like my club, something that was there for the town.

dannydiamond

ANTIFA! wrote: »

how did you end up supporting your LOI team? Our good friend Mr.Nice Guy claims ''in a football sense we are culturally immersed in following teams in Britain'' Great exuse I'll give it to ya however no doubt this kind of view would be scoffed at by the vast majority of real fans but I guess its a good exuse for the lazy barstooler.

This is a terrible way to phrase your question tbh, 'real fans'? good god man have some respect for people,don't immediately resort to insulting people from the get go!

orourkeda

Miller Powerful Economist wrote: »

I was just a United and Celtic fan up until July, when I went to see Rovers play Madrid, which is when I started supporting Rovers(call me a bandwagoner, I don't care), the quality of football is a lot lower but the fans at that FRIENDLY match were truly brilliant, lodest at any match I've been to, that's why I started supporting them.

Bandwagoner

chopperbyrne

orourkeda wrote: »

Bandwagoner

In Tallaght, we do not judge. The more the merrier.

GlasnevinRed

My family's always been huge footy fans. My grandad was a Southampton fan (lived there for years), then my dad was a United fan but one thing they always did was once a week go to see whichever Dublin team were playing at home that week (usually Pats or Rovers) but never really had any affiliation.

Then when I was getting more into football my dad started bringing me to Tolka and I've been hooked for the last 7/8 years.

fullstop

Living near the ground, started going when I was about 8 and have been ever since. Team - Harps

deisedevil

gosplan wrote: »

Sorry but this thread went in that direction when you allowed the distinction between 'real fans' and 'lazy barstooler' to remain in the OP.

This thread had a dig from the beginning so I had a dig back. Can't see the problem with that.

If the OP simply said: How did you start supporting your LOI team, I wouldn't have a problem.

My first memory of following my LOI team is when I...........hmmmmm.......when my father brought me to......no he didn't actually.....oh right ya....when I only had to go a few miles to the......no tis too far for a kid on his own and I don't live in Dublin......hmmmmmm....

I didn't have anyone bringing me to LOI games, I couldn't go on my own or with friends because it would be much too far away.

I could however see Man Utd playing on television so I watched that and followed them. I know, how crazy is that, I should have had my eyes scratched out. Now theres folk out there who look down on me for doing it. Maybe I should stop because they don't like it. Or maybe I should look up at them way up there on their high horse and tell them they can shove their holier than thou attitude!

Mods should have had OP changed, not on at all to leave that off. Can't understand why OP couldn't have just asked the question without getting in a dig at EPL only fans and can't understand why LuckyLoyd seen it and just left it off. Tis a shame.

applehunter

Went along to a match with friend one Sunday and after a while it was just something we did.

Been more lows than high. But the highs make it worth it.

These last 2 seasons despite some Cup success have not been enjoyable.

Iago

deisedevil wrote: »

Mods should have had OP changed, not on at all to leave that off. Can't understand why OP couldn't have just asked the question without getting in a dig at EPL only fans and can't understand why LuckyLoyd seen it and just left it off. Tis a shame.

What makes you think it's a dig at EPL only fans? Surely it's a dig at any fan who doesn't actually go to their professed teams matches?

I'm not an LOI fan, I don't like the standard of football, I didn't have a local club growing up and I still don't really have a local club now.

I'm a Man United fan for a lot of reasons I've goine into on numerous threads before, but I don't consider myself a barstooler. I see more United games live than I watch on the TV and I've travelled all over Europe watching their games, spent a small fortune getting to both Moscow and Rome in recent years to name just two. In fact I can't remember the last time I actually watched a United match from a barstool! I don't see the OP as a dig at me and yet I'm an EPL only fan.

stovelid

orourkeda wrote: »

Bandwagoner

I assume you're joking there....

iregk

Well I was taken to my first Rovers game aged 6 in Miltown by my older sister and her boy friend at the time. The family had just moved to Tallaght from Wicklow and my sister started going out with this guy who lived a couple of roads behind us. He was a Rovers fan and decided as a nice get in with the family he would take the youngest who was showing an interest in the game to see the hoops.

It worked. He is now her husband and happily 20 years married this year. I was fascinated by this world that was put infront of me. A young lad standing amongst men watching a football match. Up to now I'd only ever seen a football match in the field at the back of the house or on tv on a saturday afternoon.

I was drawn and loved it. Then I caught sight of a dog walking past me with a green and white hooped knitted body coat. Strange to say but Kitty and her dog won me over that day. There were tears at the last game against Sligo and the constant "were are we going to go now" got to the bro in law who could only answer "i don't know kid".

Something that day broke in me. I phased in and out of seasons for a long time and truth be told what broke was only ever really mended last March when for the first time in a long time I had tears in my eyes again at a Rovers game when we kicked off again of all teams, Sligo.

Nalz

deisedevil wrote: »

My first memory of following my LOI team is when I...........hmmmmm.......when my father brought me to......no he didn't actually.....oh right ya....when I only had to go a few miles to the......no tis too far for a kid on his own and I don't live in Dublin......hmmmmmm....

I didn't have anyone bringing me to LOI games, I couldn't go on my own or with friends because it would be much too far away.

I could however see Man Utd playing on television so I watched that and followed them. I know, how crazy is that, I should have had my eyes scratched out. Now theres folk out there who look down on me for doing it. Maybe I should stop because they don't like it. Or maybe I should look up at them way up there on their high horse and tell them they can shove their holier than thou attitude!

Good post. If you ever get a chance to take an interest in a team you should though, but 100% on the ball.

deisedevil

Iago wrote: »

What makes you think it's a dig at EPL only fans? Surely it's a dig at any fan who doesn't actually go to their professed teams matches?

I'm not an LOI fan, I don't like the standard of football, I didn't have a local club growing up and I still don't really have a local club now.

I'm a Man United fan for a lot of reasons I've goine into on numerous threads before, but I don't consider myself a barstooler. I see more United games live than I watch on the TV and I've travelled all over Europe watching their games, spent a small fortune getting to both Moscow and Rome in recent years to name just two. In fact I can't remember the last time I actually watched a United match from a barstool! I don't see the OP as a dig at me and yet I'm an EPL only fan.

There was a dig at barstool fans and tis getting a bit old at this stage, how about each to their own and their different circumstances.

If Manchester united were in Ireland I'd be a season ticket holder, no matter where they were in the country I could drive to games or get a train bus whatever. But because they are not I can't afford to get over to as many games as I would like so I watch them on tv. This disgusts some who go to LOI games regularly. I just can't see the logic in that and can't understand why the OP had to stick in the knife about barstool fans, get over it.

Mr. Presentable

Grandad brought me to see "Pat's Plane (sic) in Richmond Park" when I was six. I had no idea it would be a football match. But when the muddy ball landed in his lap during the game I was hooked.

GlasnevinRed

deisedevil wrote: »

There was a dig at barstool fans and tis getting a bit old at this stage, how about each to their own and their different circumstances.

If Manchester united were in Ireland I'd be a season ticket holder, no matter where they were in the country I could drive to games or get a train bus whatever. But because they are not I can't afford to get over to as many games as I would like so I watch them on tv. This disgusts some who go to LOI games regularly. I just can't see the logic in that and can't understand why the OP had to stick in the knife about barstool fans, get over it.

Not trying to turn this into another debate but this point caught my eye. I accept that you said you'd be a seaon ticket holder if United were here, but considering a season ticket can cost up to €1000 and you saying you can't afford to get over as much as you'd like would you be able to afford one?

I think this thread should be left "for those of us who do" and not for "those of you who don't" as there is a thread for that.

Edit: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055682150 There you go. :P

deisedevil

GlasnevinRed wrote: »

Not trying to turn this into another debate but this point caught my eye. I accept that you said you'd be a seaon ticket holder if United were here, but considering a season ticket can cost up to €1000 and you saying you can't afford to get over as much as you'd like would you be able to afford one?

I think this thread should be left "for those of us who do" and not for "those of you who don't" as there is a thread for that.

Edit: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055682150 There you go. :P

Prices range from £500-£900 sterling depending on what stand etc.

I can guarentee you that it would cost a hell of a lot more for flights, accomodation and match ticket for all those games.

"I think this thread should be left "for those of us who do" and not for "those of you who don't" as there is a thread for that." - I completely agree with that and that's why I think the original post shouldn't have had any reference to "barstool" fans.

Anyways, I'm out. Enjoy the walks down memory lane, wish I was in the same boat.