LOI Club History Discussion

[wonder88]

Maybe a small problem LoI clubs have in getting more fans is that their team names are not inclusive/grounded in locality enough. I would rather have the original Galway Rovers than the current Utd for example. Do the City in Corks name exclude those in the county?
Could some of the stats lads on here tell us who and what year we had the first United club in the loI ? Bit off topic but I think Bohs had an offer from some company, Phillips?, to change their same for a 10 year sponsorship deal in the 1970's before name on shirts was allowed, but they turned it down I think.

[oriel]

Maybe a small problem LoI clubs have in getting more fans is that their team names are not inclusive/grounded in locality enough. I would rather have the original Galway Rovers than the current Utd for example. Do the City in Corks name exclude those in the county?
Could some of the stats lads on here tell us who and what year we had the first United club in the loI ? Bit off topic but I think Bohs had an offer from some company, Phillips?, to change their same for a 10 year sponsorship deal in the 1970's before name on shirts was allowed, but they turned it down I think.

I`m pretty sure Cork United won 3 in a row league titles in the 40's.

[seand]

Maybe a small problem LoI clubs have in getting more fans is that their team names are not inclusive/grounded in locality enough. I would rather have the original Galway Rovers than the current Utd for example. Do the City in Corks name exclude those in the county?
Could some of the stats lads on here tell us who and what year we had the first United club in the loI ? Bit off topic but I think Bohs had an offer from some company, Phillips?, to change their same for a 10 year sponsorship deal in the 1970's before name on shirts was allowed, but they turned it down I think.

Dublin United were founder member 1921. Followed by Shelbourne United in 1922 (not the same club as Shelbourne FC)

[stann]

Could some of the stats lads on here tell us who and what year we had the first United club in the loI ?

Ha, beaten to the punch!
Yep, Dublin United played the first two seasons of the Free State League, and Shelbourne United also took part in the second and third seasons, that's in addition to the original Shelbourne FC.
And of course there was the Reds United alter-ego of Shels for one season in the mid-30s, and as stated above the first Cork United, which was a League side for most of the '40s.

[wonder88]

Thanks folks for the info on the Dublin, Cork and Shelbourne Uniteds, I will have to find out more about them clubs sometime. Of course the name is only a small/tiny part of what attracts fans to go support a team, but there is a strong county loyalty is Ireland(despite them being a British imposition) and along with county colours I think clubs should use them in order to create an identity. Would Wexford change from the pink to the yellow bellies, Cork go red etc.

I was abroad during most of the Dublin City project, so don't have great knowledge of what went on, but in terms of name and colours the guy seemed to have an interesting concept. I remember reading that he was hoping that tourists would purchase the replica jerseys in Corrolls shops etc and it would be a good revenue stream for the team. Also Dubs might know, but was their a story a while back that the GAA unhappy with Leinster rugger crowd trying to latch on to their popularity by bringing out similar jerseys to theirs.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Once wearing a Limerick jersey to five a side in Dublin, I received a puzzled query along the lines of "Why not green?". I'll admit I have wondered on occasion if something like that might help attach locals more to a side, but at the end of day I like that Limerick FC have their own colors unique of the GAA team and Munster.

[oriel]

So in the modern era, well going back maybe since the 70's, who was the first of the then LOI clubs to be called 'United'

I've decided not to google, from memory I do recall Galway Rovers in oriel park around 1980, almost sure Waterford only changed to United around 82, they definitely won their leagues as Waterford in the incredible era from mid 60's to early 70's. Limerick, tough one, almost sure they were Limerick FC in the 1977 cup final v Dlk, but United when they won the league in 1980. Drogs, another tough one, I just about recall 'Drogheda FC' so I think United might have been around 1980-81 also.

Have I missed any club that went from 'FC' to 'United' around this era? I still don't know who was the first for this era to be called United, I think it's Limerick.

Ps just remembered Limerick traded as City around 85/86 ??? decent side too, they wore yellow & green. I remember a superb MF battle one season between Barry Kehoe and Tommy Lynch. 2-2 draw. If that result is true, I need to seriously get a life.

[seand]

So in the modern era, well going back maybe since the 70's, who was the first of the then LOI clubs to be called 'United'

I've decided not to google, from memory I do recall Galway Rovers in oriel park around 1980, almost sure Waterford only changed to United around 82, they definitely won their leagues as Waterford in the incredible era from mid 60's to early 70's. Limerick, tough one, almost sure they were Limerick FC in the 1977 cup final v Dlk, but United when they won the league in 1980. Drogs, another tough one, I just about recall 'Drogheda FC' so I think United might have been around 1980-81 also.

Have I missed any club that went from 'FC' to 'United' around this era? I still don't know who was the first for this era to be called United, I think it's Limerick.

Ps just remembered Limerick traded as City around 85/86 ??? decent side too, they wore yellow & green. I remember a superb MF battle one season between Barry Kehoe and Tommy Lynch. 2-2 draw. If that result is true, I need to seriously get a life.

We're going WAY off topic here, but Drogs have been United since they joined the league, I think. For my own entertainment as much as anything else here's all the Uniteds:
Dublin United 1921-23
Shelbourne United 1922-24
Reds United 1935-36
Cork United version 1 1939-48 (ex Fordsons/Cork/Cork City (first version), replaced by Cork Ath etc)
Evergreen United 1951-59 (then Cork Celtic)
Drogheda United 1963 to date
Cork United version 2 1979-82 (ex Albert Rovers/Cork Alberts, replaced Cork Celtic etc)
Limerick United 1979-83 (ex Limerick, then City/FC/37 etc)
Galway United 1982 to date (ex Galway Rovers)
Waterford United 1983-2016 (ex Waterford)
Monaghan United 1985-2012
Newcastle United 1985-6 (then renamed Newcastlewest)

All of which reminds me of my favourite Irish pub conversation .... someone says 'I support United' I say 'Galway or Waterford?'

[The Donie Forde]

We're going WAY off topic here, but Drogs have been United since they joined the league, I think. For my own entertainment as much as anything else here's all the Uniteds:
Dublin United 1921-23
Shelbourne United 1922-24
Reds United 1935-36
Cork United version 1 1939-48 (ex Fordsons/Cork/Cork City (first version), replaced by Cork Ath etc)
Drogheda United 1963 to date
Cork United version 2 1979-82 (ex Albert Rovers/Cork Alberts, replaced Cork Celtic etc)
Limerick United 1979-83 (ex Limerick, then City/FC/37 etc)
Galway United 1982 to date (ex Galway Rovers)
Waterford United 1983-2016 (ex Waterford)
Monaghan United 1985-2012
Newcastle United 1985-6 (then renamed Newcastlewest)

All of which reminds me of my favourite Irish pub conversation .... someone says 'I support United' I say 'Galway or Waterford?'

Don't forget Evergreen United, later Cork Celtic.

[ciaraa]

We're going WAY off topic here, but Drogs have been United since they joined the league, I think.

It was Drogheda FC for the cup final against Limerick. Not too sure when the United bit came on board but it wasn't long after that.

[seand]

Don't forget Evergreen United, later Cork Celtic.

Ah come on, you can't expect me to remember ALL the Cork clubs ;-)

[oriel]

Drogs were definitely 'FC' from when they joined in the early 60's, and this was right up the late 70's I think.

[seand]

It was Drogheda FC for the cup final against Limerick. Not too sure when the United bit came on board but it wasn't long after that.

They were United before the 71 cup final v Limerick anyway, or contemporary programmes and newspapers were way ahead of the game! Limerick Leader online archive of papers from 1971 refers to Drogheda United with respect to 71 cup final. I thought they changed to United when joining the league or just before when applying to join. I could be wrong.

[EatYerGreens]

We're going WAY off topic here, but Drogs have been United since they joined the league, I think. For my own entertainment as much as anything else here's all the Uniteds:
Dublin United 1921-23
Shelbourne United 1922-24
Reds United 1935-36
Cork United version 1 1939-48 (ex Fordsons/Cork/Cork City (first version), replaced by Cork Ath etc)
Evergreen United 1951-59 (then Cork Celtic)
Drogheda United 1963 to date
Cork United version 2 1979-82 (ex Albert Rovers/Cork Alberts, replaced Cork Celtic etc)
Limerick United 1979-83 (ex Limerick, then City/FC/37 etc)
Galway United 1982 to date (ex Galway Rovers)
Waterford United 1983-2016 (ex Waterford)
Monaghan United 1985-2012
Newcastle United 1985-6 (then renamed Newcastlewest)

All of which reminds me of my favourite Irish pub conversation .... someone says 'I support United' I say 'Galway or Waterford?'

Don't forget the latest addition either = Mervue United !

[The Donie Forde]

Ah come on, you can't expect me to remember ALL the Cork clubs ;-)

Sure we've only had 2 Cork Uniteds and 1 Evergreen United - how hard can that be? :-)

[Partizan]

Don't forget the latest addition either = Mervue United !

Ah! Mervue, how could we not forget thee.

[Partizan]

It was Drogheda FC for the cup final against Limerick. Not too sure when the United bit came on board but it wasn't long after that.

Isn't the current DUFC (1975) an amalgamation of two clubs, Drogheda FC (1962) and a non league Drogheda United (1919)?

[Straightstory]

Very DEFINITELY, Drogheda became Drogheda United in 1975.

[holidaysong]

Any Lilywhites remember that we were down as 'Dundalk United' on an away game match programme either last year or the one before?

That counts, right?

[Yossarian]

Any Lilywhites remember that we were down as 'Dundalk United' on an away game match programme either last year or the one before?

I recall "Dundalk United" being announced as Pats opponents over the tannoy once or twice in Inchicore.