LOI Supporters Meeting

Gavin "shels"

"Potential meeting to discuss representation of LoI supporters"
"This past week has seen the collapse of another senior club in Ireland's top division with the frustration of League of Ireland fans expressed online and through banners at grounds up and down the country.

Having been involved in a very limited way in the past and seeing the good work done by supporters trusts, ultras, bloggers and volunteers, I wanted to see if there would be interest in a meeting about what fans can do to help address the problems the league faces together. A date and location can be set later on.

If you are interested in doing so, please click on attending so we can get an idea of numbers. If you have thoughts please share them below while keeping them civil and positive. Thanks

You can get in touch with me at xrockridgex@gmail.com. In the interests of full disclosure, I'm a Shels fan who has blogged on the league in a few different places.
LEE

Most likely going to be a in a pub in Dublin City Centre. If anyone wants more information PM me and also if you can spread the word.

Omackeral

Gavin shels wrote: »

Most likely going to be a in a pub in Dublin City Centre. If anyone wants more information PM me and also if you can spread the word.

In a pub eh? Barstoolers!!!


Only kidding, Bohs season ticket holder here so I'll defo keep an eye on developments. I'd love if even a fraction of the hysteria and momentum from the people at the Euro's could translate to our own league. I was over in Poznan myself and saw a fair few LOI shirts and flags. I wonder if any of our boys were recruiting and converting while over there!? There can be similar buzz had in our stadia and it doesnt just have to be every few years. I wish people knew this!

Saint_Mel

Pity the old National League United isnt still in operation.

Darkglasses

I'm very interested, however unlike most of the League of Ireland, I'm not in Dublin.

Hard Worker

Pointless.
Fans blaming the FAI for clubs going under is a joke.
Monaghan were given a grant of 20000 last year, plus a loan of 150000. They closed shop owing the FAI 100000.
Roddy doesn't come cheap.
Can't blame the FAI for Cork City, Rovers, Drogs, etc financial problems. Certainly can't blame them for the money squandered by bohs.

CSF

Hard Worker wrote: »

Pointless.
Fans blaming the FAI for clubs going under is a joke.
Monaghan were given a grant of 20000 last year, plus a loan of 150000. They closed shop owing the FAI 100000.
Roddy doesn't come cheap.
Can't blame the FAI for Cork City, Rovers, Drogs, etc financial problems. Certainly can't blame them for the money squandered by bohs.

You CAN blame them for the fact that if you finish 4th in the league you've made a loss on the league entrance fee, and their general shoddyness in the running and promotion of the league. The clubs in question must shoulder some of the blame, but when its the whole league, you have to look at those shoddy men at the top.

Hard Worker

CSF wrote: »

You CAN blame them for the fact that if you finish 4th in the league you've made a loss on the league entrance fee, and their general shoddyness in the running and promotion of the league. The clubs in question must shoulder some of the blame, but when its the whole league, you have to look at those shoddy men at the top.

So, your problem is that there isn't enough prizemoney. I agree with you there. If the clown at the top was cut half his salary, that might help.
However, the banners last week were about Irish fans and Monaghan going bust. That has nothing to do with lack of prizemoney or the league being run badly.

CSF

Hard Worker wrote: »

So, your problem is that there isn't enough prizemoney. I agree with you there. If the clown at the top was cut half his salary, that might help.
However, the banners last week were about Irish fans and Monaghan going bust. That has nothing to do with lack of prizemoney or the league being run badly.

Nothing to do with it? Are you sure about that?

Ebbs

Hard Worker wrote: »

Pointless.
Fans blaming the FAI for clubs going under is a joke.
Monaghan were given a grant of 20000 last year, plus a loan of 150000. They closed shop owing the FAI 100000.
Roddy doesn't come cheap.
Can't blame the FAI for Cork City, Rovers, Drogs, etc financial problems. Certainly can't blame them for the money squandered by bohs.

All of which the FAI approved of. They are the "experts" and should be offering advice.

Many things the FAI get wrong, the list goes on and on.

Gav, what's the point of this meeting? Is it sort of a union thingy to sit down with Fran Gavin or what?

dreamers75

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/soccer/2012/0624/1224318601664.html

paddy978

Not saying JD is blameless but people blaming him for all of the LOIs problems are laughable. The FAI only took over the league 5 or 6 years ago and it was as bad then as now.

CSF

paddy978 wrote: »

Not saying JD is blameless but people blaming him for all of the LOIs problems are laughable. The FAI only took over the league 5 or 6 years ago and it was as bad then as now.

I don't think anyone blamed him for ALL the league's problems.

Corholio

Hard Worker wrote: »

So, your problem is that there isn't enough prizemoney. I agree with you there. If the clown at the top was cut half his salary, that might help.
However, the banners last week were about Irish fans and Monaghan going bust. That has nothing to do with lack of prizemoney or the league being run badly.

What? Who was mentioned on nearly all the banners? Who runs the league? Who decides the prizemoney?

Corholio

paddy978 wrote: »

Not saying JD is blameless but people blaming him for all of the LOIs problems are laughable. The FAI only took over the league 5 or 6 years ago and it was as bad then as now.

The word 'all' seems to be only used by people who want to make the league look bad. Delaney and the F.A.I. are part of the reason the league has problems like this.

dreamers75

Think the clubs are more to blame than the FAI tbh.

dan1895

Heard some Drogs fans have been barred because of that banner. There seems to be a real level of disgust at the FAI amongst loi fans across all clubs.

stovelid

The FAI are to blame in many ways. But the clubs are hugely to blame for the fact that they are so catastrophically unable to manage themselves that the clowns in the FAI were the only show in town to run the league.

Both are to blame.

dreamers75

stovelid wrote: »

The FAI are to blame in many ways. But the clubs are hugely to blame for the fact that they are so catastrophically unable to manage themselves that the clowns in the FAI were the only show in town to run the league.

Both are to blame.

Clubs more so than the FAI, all the shelegated and dead clubs brought it onto themself. Noone is to blame for their demise other than them.

if the FAIs plan is to let us die out one by one well its working ( and we nearly died due to our players).

stovelid

dreamers75 wrote: »

Clubs more so than the FAI, all the shelegated and dead clubs brought it onto themself. Noone is to blame for their demise other than them.

if the FAIs plan is to let us die out one by one well its working ( and we nearly died due to our players).

I hear you. I don't like this culture of blaming the FAI for everything even though I think they are corrupt wretches.

But they can enforce licensing a lot more strictly than they do and let more money trickle down to the league.

But you're right: hardly a single club in here can say they didn't once take the piss or don't still take the piss now. I will be amazed if we make the summer's end without another club (or two) in trouble.

dreamers75

stovelid wrote: »

I hear you. I don't like this culture of blaming the FAI for everything even though I think they are corrupt wretches.

But they can enforce licensing a lot more strictly than they do and let more money trickle down to the league.

But you're right: hardly a single club in here can say they didn't once take the piss or don't still take the piss now. I will be amazed if we make the summer's end without another club (or two) in trouble.

I dont think fan run clubs are way forward ala that english thingie, but we need to have a say with how our clubs are run via a man on the board.

I honestly dont think the FAI has done anything wrong with the league, but i never thought they would do anything in the 1st place so maybe im content with nothingness.

Up to the fans and clubs to sort ourselves out, we live to survive.

Rhys Essien

A couple of negatives with the FAI : John Delaneys and Traps salary should be slashed.(although I imagine it cant be touched now with the contract given)

Could the FAI not have upped the prize money considering they got 10-15 million for EURO 2012 qualifying.

They are stopping clubs organising a moneyspinner against a 'Big' club,example being Limerick v Barcelona at Thomand Park,which Barcelona had agreed to play.

They should be implementing a sell on clause of at least 30% for any players going to a Premiership or Championship.Cork City lost out badly because of this although it was their own doing.

Thats a few I can think of at the minute.

overshoot

there is no doubt that the clubs have a lot to answer for themselves in their overall running but the FAI havnt done a good job since they took over the league.
as mentioned things like 4th place not even making their entrance fee back in the prize money, i saw it said on another thread about the FAI keeping tv revenue and not giving it to clubs who would have moved k/o times (even days on occasion) and taken a hit on revenue. the likes of that and delaney making 4x the premier division champions prize money and throwing out fines when they are criticised just leaves a sour taste at the thought of them.

the u19 league was a good step (and took a lot of work to put in place) but with the A championship now dispanded where do these players go when they are overage... often they are still shy of full senior level but where can they go. i believe there is a limit on the games they can play in the USL/MSL/LSL before they would be ineligable for the seniors.
with mons gone, dundalk and bray in bad trouble a single tier looks likely next year. it may help the repetative nature of games for a start, i would be in favour of a reinstated A championship below it as a link between regional and national levels

going to throw out one big one though... summer soccer. while as a shams/sligo/whoever it was year on year fan it may give you a better chance in europe, has it benefitted the league as a whole?, especially as a national league. we are a nation of band wagoners and there is no bigger band wagon than the gaa championship which it must compete with. (plus think of the sales of soup back in the day;)). the break for the euros and world cup alternating every 2 years leaving clubs with no revenue for a month. its one im not sold on either way, but to be honest i lean more and more back to winter soccer as it goes on

BKC

overshoot wrote: »

its one im not sold on either way, but to be honest i lean more and more back to winter soccer as it goes on

If clubs aren't getting the fans in the door when the evenings are long and the weather is cool, what do you expect the attendances to be like on a cold, dark night when it's lashing rain in the middle of winter?

Gavin "shels"

Ebbs wrote: »

Gav, what's the point of this meeting? Is it sort of a union thingy to sit down with Fran Gavin or what?

The format or aim isn't set out 100%, but presume the idea is to get together and then approach the FAI.


BTW it's not against the FAI for the failing of clubs, it's about everything. Fines, entrance fee to the League/prize money, lack of interest shown by them, etc...

overshoot

BKC wrote: »

If clubs aren't getting the fans in the door when the evenings are long and the weather is cool, what do you expect the attendances to be like on a cold, dark night when it's lashing rain in the middle of winter?

worked for many years didnt it, jesus im 23 and i remember winter football pretty well! double socks, not hard to dress accordingly, bit of soup/chips does the job! if they want to go they will go, most stadiums still have a roof over part of it and i know a lot of people who dont like summer football and its left them less able to get to matches. the main point though was what it competes with, wc/euros gaa championship (which is lets face it all 90% people care about) they arent there in winter. which puts people of more a bit of rain or having to choose between games

geeky

overshoot wrote: »

worked for many years didnt it, jesus im 23 and i remember winter football pretty well! double socks, not hard to dress accordingly, bit of soup/chips does the job! if they want to go they will go, most stadiums still have a roof over part of it and i know a lot of people who dont like summer football and its left them less able to get to matches. the main point though was what it competes with, wc/euros gaa championship (which is lets face it all 90% people care about) they arent there in winter. which puts people of more a bit of rain or having to choose between games

In fairness, summer soccer also means it competes less with the EPL, which is the same game with better overall standards, and easy enough to access. This trumps the GAA issue for me.

homerjay2005

has their ever been an official supporters group set up to liase with the FAI for the problems that are in existence?

Gavin "shels"

http://www.scribd.com/doc/98227151/Loi-Fan-Forum

Plans for a meeting on Sat. Space is limited so if people want to go they have to get in touch with the organiser first to book a spot.

Ashbourne hoop

overshoot wrote: »

worked for many years didnt it, jesus im 23 and i remember winter football pretty well! double socks, not hard to dress accordingly, bit of soup/chips does the job! if they want to go they will go, most stadiums still have a roof over part of it and i know a lot of people who dont like summer football and its left them less able to get to matches. the main point though was what it competes with, wc/euros gaa championship (which is lets face it all 90% people care about) they arent there in winter. which puts people of more a bit of rain or having to choose between games

Can't believe anyone is suggesting a return to winter football. Its bad enough having to stand in most of the ****heaps that pass for football grounds in the "summer" without having to do it in the winter. Add in the fact that summer football has improved results in European competitions and its a no-brainer. The league has many, many problems, the format of the season is not one of them.

stovelid

I assume the clubs with an agenda for winter football get fuck all families at games apart for the generational hardcore. It's all very well getting an horn about the floodlights and Bovril but its hard enough attracting new families to some of the pigsties of grounds in the league without making then do it in the winter as well.

Witchie

Hard Worker wrote: »

Pointless.
Fans blaming the FAI for clubs going under is a joke.
Monaghan were given a grant of 20000 last year, plus a loan of 150000. They closed shop owing the FAI 100000.
Roddy doesn't come cheap.
Can't blame the FAI for Cork City, Rovers, Drogs, etc financial problems. Certainly can't blame them for the money squandered by bohs.

Whoa whoa whoa! We were given a loan 4 years ago for building an Astro pitch so that our ground could become a Regional Development Centre for the FAI and to provide an income for the club by hiring it out to local teams/leagues for use.

This income hasn't been as good as expected and the FAI are taking hours of the time to use the pitch each week while the loan is being paid back. This has very little to do with the LOI team which is only one aspect of our club and the only aspect that we have pulled out of.

The grant was from the government not the FAI and was part of the building costs for the full sized Astro, not to benefit the league team but to benefit football facilities in Monaghan.

The smoke and mirrors propaganda of the FAI has confused these issues in people's minds when there is very little correlation, the only being that more income from the pitch would have led to more money available to the LOI team.

The FAI are not entirely to blame for our pulling out of the league but they have to shoulder some of the blame for the costs involved in taking part, the lack of promotion of the league, the lack of advice and support given when we told them we were broke, the unjust manner in which they treat some clubs while treating others well not to mention the obstacles they put in the way in relation to sponsorship.

Monaghan United committee are to blame for thinking that people in Monaghan would give a dam that they had a Premier Division team, thinking that the high profile we were receiving would increase sponsorship and for being optimistic that they believed we could make it through the season.

Roddy cost no more than any other manager in the Premier would have. He was on the same wages as Mick Cooke when we were in the first. He didn't bring the club down. Anti Roddy people will have to get a grip and blame him for the war in Syria instead.

dan1895

Did this go ahead yesterday? If so, did anything of note come out ofit?