First Away Trip Following Ireland

[OwlsFan]

Can't remember if we've had a similar thread before. Anyone able to beat 1978 ?

1978
(UEFA Group 5)
17.Nov 76 FRANCE 2-0 Rep. of Ireland

..........................P W D L Gls Pts
1.FRANCE............4 2 1 1 7- 4 5
2.Bulgaria............4 1 2 1 5- 6 4
3.Rep. of Ireland ..4 1 1 2 2- 4 3

Groups were much smaller then and I think Stapleton (might be wrong) had what appeared to be a good goal ruled out. It was my first time abroad ever and Paris - ou la la!! Big Irish following there.

[Noelys Guitar]

Can't remember if we've had a similar thread before. Anyone able to beat 1978 ?

1978
(UEFA Group 5)
17.Nov 76 FRANCE 2-0 Rep. of Ireland

..........................P W D L Gls Pts
1.FRANCE............4 2 1 1 7- 4 5
2.Bulgaria............4 1 2 1 5- 6 4
3.Rep. of Ireland ..4 1 1 2 2- 4 3

Groups were much smaller then and I think Stapleton (might be wrong) had what appeared to be a good goal ruled out. It was my first time abroad ever and Paris - ou la la!! Big Irish following there.

Remember that match well. Had to watch it on the TV. The disallowed goal (Stapleton?)and Giles and Martin messing up for the French second goal. How many Irish went to that game Owlsfan? I can remember hearing the Irish crowd singing just after the disallowed goal. My first away game was the Euro 80 qualifier against England at Wembley. 2-0 to England. Giles played Fran O'Brien in midfield. Horrible match.

[stojkovic]

My debut was;

Rotterdam Sept 1982
Holland 2-1 Ireland
Euro 1984 Qualifier

[MariborKev]

My debut was

Ireland v England
Cagliari
June 11th, 1990.

Given I was only seven and still on crutches from a double leg fracture, I nearly gave me da a heartache as I toppled over during the celebrations for Sheedy's goal.....

[Ash]

Away to Holland in the WC2002 Qualifiers.
Phillo and Peader (from JW's old site) were working over there at the time
and I think Phillo organised accomodation for us.

Went to Nijamegen for the U21 match and my pic from that game appeared
in the next home programme!

[Junior]

Upton Park -Tony Gale Testimonial '93
Giants Stadium vs Italy Jun94
Riga vs Latvia Sep94

[pineapple stu]

Away to Portugal in 1995. A present for doing well in my Junior Cert. :)

Next game was Switzerland in 2003.

[Calcio Jack]

Wembley Sept 1976, 1-1,

[OwlsFan]

Wembley Sept 1976, 1-1,

I should remember that game but I don't :(

ENGLAND vs REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Ray Clemence Liverpool
Colin Todd Derby County
Paul Madeley Leeds United
Trevor Cherry Leeds United
Roy McFarland Derby County
Brian Greenhoff Manchester United
Kevin Keegan Liverpool
Ray Wilkins Chelsea
Stuart Pearson Manchester United
Trevor Brooking West Ham United
Charlie George Derby County

1 KEARNS 2 MULLIGAN 3. Holmes, 4 Martin, 5 O'Leary, 6 Brady, 7 Daly, 8 Conroy, 9 Heighway, 10 Giles, 11 Givens. Daly scored.

Not a bad side. I see there is a dvd of the game on sale on the internet if you want to go down memory lane.

http://www.specialistauctions.com/auctiondetails.php?id=1223536

[Noelys Guitar]

Wembley Sept 1976, 1-1,

Terry Conroy coming back on with the big bandage on his head. That was a great game. Gerry Daly was the peno king.

[stojkovic]

Upton Park -Tony Gale Testimonial '93

I was at that too. But it was 94 about 3 weeks before the World Cup.

[OwlsFan]

How many Irish went to that game Owlsfan? I can remember hearing the Irish crowd singing just after the disallowed goal.

I would say maybe 3k but it's been a while so not sure.

[jbyrne]

V england italia 90, aged 17

[Noelys Guitar]

I would say maybe 3k but it's been a while so not sure.

I went to the away WC82 qualifyer against France in 79. Another away game. Another disallowed goal (Kevin Moran?). About 3k travelled to that game.

[gspain]

Holland 81 was my first trip. We had about 5,000 there. I recall France 76 being the first time we brought a big crowd to the continent. 2,000 was the figure I heard. We had brought a few hundred there in 1973. We did bring decent support to Goodison in 49 and Wembley in 57.

In contrast we had 13 fans at the playoff v Spain in Paris in 1965.

[Noelys Guitar]

Holland 81 was my first trip. We had about 5,000 there. I recall France 76 being the first time we brought a big crowd to the continent. 2,000 was the figure I heard. We had brought a few hundred there in 1973. We did bring decent support to Goodison in 49 and Wembley in 57.

In contrast we had 13 fans at the playoff v Spain in Paris in 1965.

A guy who lived across the road from me went out to the Bulgaria match 1977( the only Wednesday fan I ever knew existed in Dublin until foot.ie came along). 400 went out. He said it was a very scary experience in the ground. Brought me back a programme which I still have.

[gspain]

A guy who lived across the road from me went out to the Bulgaria match 1977( the only Wednesday fan I ever knew existed in Dublin until foot.ie came along). 400 went out. He said it was a very scary experience in the ground. Brought me back a programme which I still have.

2 guys from Limerick were there too. one of them still travels. the other got married.... There used to be quite a few from Kerry travelling i nthose days as well.

4 guys actually drove to Sofia in 1977. It took them 2 weeks.

Switzerland 75 saw a few hundred travel as well. There was an organised air trip and there was also an organised bus.

[NeilMcD]

You would love to speak to the guys who were at the Spain game in Paris. A documentary of that would be interesting. Talking to FAI, players and fans about it.

[gspain]

You would love to speak to the guys who were at the Spain game in Paris. A documentary of that would be interesting. Talking to FAI, players and fans about it.

Very very sensitive topic in FAI circles. Nobody will probably ever know the true story re the venue choice.

I don't think I know any of the 13. I recall a journalist a long time back speaking to one of them.

The programme for that game is probably the rarest known postwar Ireland programme.

There were organised trips (presumably with the team) to some away games in the 60's. Seville 64 or maybe 65 springs to mind (maybe both). Florence 70 also. I imagine the numbers then were quite small.

As a kid in the Markets Field in the 70's I used to love hearing the tales of trips to Berne, Paris, Sofia and Copenhagen.

[Noelys Guitar]

You would love to speak to the guys who were at the Spain game in Paris. A documentary of that would be interesting. Talking to FAI, players and fans about it.

What a great idea. Some great characters and stories. A 3 part series starting as far back as fans and players are alive. 1940's up to WC2002. I would really like to hear about the 60's trips as mentioned by Gspain.

[Junior]

I was at that too. But it was 94 about 3 weeks before the World Cup.

Yeah you're probably right I wasnt sure of the exact date and it was pre world cup after we had qualified. Got back stage with Oasis the night before the game, they played a gig in Windsor (about 500 people there - think they had just released their first ever single, supersonic?)

I was in the end opposite the Bobby Moore stand, the Centenary stand I think its called. 'Gonna send you a post card..sendddd you a postcard' was one of the ditties we taunted the local hammers with:D

I bought one of those crappy white t-shirts outside the ground

"Big Jack Cracked it"
"Taylor **** it"

Do I not like that!!!

Still have it somewhere as a momento.......

[Paulie]

Latvia in 1994. A 3-0 win as far as I remember. Aldridge scored his customary brace against them with John Sheridan (I think) getting one from outside the box.

[OwlsFan]

Latvia in 1994. A 3-0 win as far as I remember. Aldridge scored his customary brace against them with John Sheridan (I think) getting one from outside the box.

I was at the one in the previous campaign where we won 2-0. A happy hunting ground :cool:

[DeLorean]

Beautiful Bratislava:eek: way back in September 2007

[OwlsFan]

Beautiful Bratislava:eek: way back in September 2007

Have yet to see the good days then? I patiently waited 34 years before we qualified for anything. Could happen again.

[Hibernian]

I have to say I have enjoyed this thread asd much as any from fans old enough to remember the great, good bad and ugly days in Irish international football

My first experience was France October 2004 (I suppose half the country was there that day) what a great weekend that was and really made me realise what I had missed out on when younger. I was in college in Swansea at the time and myself and 2 mates got bus which was full of O.A.P getting bus tour around Paris for weekend as we were going for the ****up and the football of course.

I remember the french people shaking our hands at end of game saying what great side we were and what a laugh the whole experience was..

My only other away days were the double header against Czech and Slovakia.

One thing that did surprise me was ye guys saying as many as 5,000 people going to some of the Ireland games etc. That sounds like huge crowd considering the luck of the team at the time etc..

Can I ask ye guys what was your feelings after games against Belgium in (1981 I think the one where ref was supposed to have given the home side everything)

Just interested to know what yer best and worst experiences were.

thanks in advance

[NeilMcD]

My first home game was Jack Charltons first game against Wales and my first away trip was Scotland away in 2003 which was Brian Kerr's first game.

[Docboy]

First away game was the 2-2 draw with the Dutch in Amsterdam in October 2000. Remember being up in the stands rather the worse for wear and commenting to my pals that the local smoke was really rather fine as it made it seem as if we were playing the Dutch off the park. And to think Kilbane was through on goal before dragging his shot wide. Happy days even if we should have won

[gspain]

Can I ask ye guys what was your feelings after games against Belgium in (1981 I think the one where ref was supposed to have given the home side everything)

Just interested to know what yer best and worst experiences were.

thanks in advance

There was no supposing about it.

http://www.tribune.ie/archive/article/2002/apr/28/i-wanted-ireland-to-win-this-game/

It was subsequently proven years later that Belgium's leading club Anderlect were bribing referees at the time. They beat Nottm Forest 3-0 when Forest were a top european side subsequently proved to be thanks to a bribed referee. I have no doubt Raul Nazare was bribed by the Belgians. I've seen plenty of bad refereeing in my time and even blatant biased referees but nothing even close to this one.

We were done v Bulgaria in 77 thanks to a perfectly good goal being disallowed at 1-1. However France were also done there too.

My worst experience away was definitely Cyprus 2006.

[Hibernian]

There was no supposing about it.

http://www.tribune.ie/archive/article/2002/apr/28/i-wanted-ireland-to-win-this-game/

It was subsequently proven years later that Belgium's leading club Anderlect were bribing referees at the time. They beat Nottm Forest 3-0 when Forest were a top european side subsequently proved to be thanks to a bribed referee. I have no doubt Raul Nazare was bribed by the Belgians. I've seen plenty of bad refereeing in my time and even blatant biased referees but nothing even close to this one.

We were done v Bulgaria in 77 thanks to a perfectly good goal being disallowed at 1-1. However France were also done there too.

My worst experience away was definitely Cyprus 2006.

I remember Anderlect getting punished and all for that and remember Eoin Hand mentioning it few times about the Belgium result..If we had got draw in that game would Ireland have qualified for Wc 82..I think they would am I right

same with Bulgaria was that goal disallowed to stand would Ireland have got too Wc 1978?

Were any of ye on the Russia trip in 2002 away when ireland lost 4-2? im sure its been brought up but i heard it was scary experience for many?

[Sumac]

First away game was Macedonia, the night they scored the last minute equaliser - Not the greatest memory!
I thing it was 1999

[gspain]

I remember Anderlect getting punished and all for that and remember Eoin Hand mentioning it few times about the Belgium result..If we had got draw in that game would Ireland have qualified for Wc 82..I think they would am I right

same with Bulgaria was that goal disallowed to stand would Ireland have got too Wc 1978?

Were any of ye on the Russia trip in 2002 away when ireland lost 4-2? im sure its been brought up but i heard it was scary experience for many?

In 82 we would have topped the group and qualified with France had we drawn in Brussels and all other results stayed the same. We still had to gain a draw in Holland and beat France in Dublin after the trip to Brussels so extra pressure and expectation would have ensued. With Stapleton's disallowed goal, Gerets dive and the push on McDonagh a draw was the least we deserved. We deserved to qualify ahead of the Belgians in 82. France also caught a break as they put 7 past Cyprus on their then new grass pitch in Limassol whereas the Dutch, Belgians and ourselves scrambled wins on sand in Nicosia. They only beat us on goal difference.

In the 78 campaign we had another perfectly good goal disallowed in Paris which would have made it 1-1 with 20 minutes to go. However the French were denied by a dodgey last minute penalty in Sofia too. We should have gone 2-1 up in Sofia too. Bulgaria subsequently drew in Dublin but we were already out and they needed 2 draws to qualify but the French beat them. In fairness France were probably the best team in the group then.

WC82 and Euro76 were the two campaigns for me where we deserved to qualify. We blew it in 76 losing to a bad Swiss team and in 82 Raul Nazare takes the blame.

[OwlsFan]

The worst experience away: losing to the Dutch in Gelsenkirchen in Euro 88. For a start the game was right on the Dutch border which was a disgrace and about 8/10ths of the ground was a mass of orange bedecked supporters. We held out for most of the game and then they score with a lucky goal. Heart break. Many Irish fans in tears at the end of that one - so close and yet so far.

I was also at that Belgian game we lost. Miserable night weather wise and result wise. Didn't think we were robbed at the game as you don't see as much. It was only the TV viewers who said so afterwards.

[DeLorean]

the game was right on the Dutch border which was a disgrace and about 8/10ths of the ground was a mass of orange bedecked supporters

Why was this a disgrace? wouldn't the venues and stuff been organised in advance? am I missing something, probably I suspect:confused:


Have yet to see the good days then?

I guess. Don't know why I didn't start going to away matches earlier to be honest. Prague made up for Bratislava as a place alright but obviously the result didn't improve:(


I have to say I have enjoyed this thread asd much as any from fans old enough to remember the great, good bad and ugly days in Irish international football

Excellent thread, completely agree

[mypost]

Moscow 2002. We invaded the place.

Crazy trip in many ways. Only been to Bratislava in 2007 since. I was in Prague as well, but for numerous reasons, didn't get to see the game in the ground, and had to watch it in the hotel room instead.

[Mayo Red]

My first away match was against Norway at USA '94 in the Giants Stadium, 0-0 draw to qualify for the knockout stages. Big Jack was serving his touchline ban for his row with the officials in Orlando, but he got some reception when he came out on the pitch after the match had finished! The match itself was nothing to write home about and I would have loved to have been there for the Italy game, but it was still an amazing experience to be there and see Giants Stadium crammed full of Irish!!

[jbyrne]

Were any of ye on the Russia trip in 2002 away when ireland lost 4-2? im sure its been brought up but i heard it was scary experience for many?

was in russia 02. i heard more bad stories than i actually saw. after the game we were encouraged not to go out of the hotel as there were reports of trouble. at one stage a rumour went round that 2 Irish fans had been stabbed and killed (proved to be untrue) and another rumour went round that a gas canister was thrown through a mcdonalds window were a lot of our fans were eating at the time. think i am correct in saying that the russian government sent a letter to an Irish paper apologising for what Irish fans had to endure. result apart i enjoyed the trip

[Junior]

was in russia 02. i heard more bad stories than i actually saw. after the game we were encouraged not to go out of the hotel as there were reports of trouble. at one stage a rumour went round that 2 Irish fans had been stabbed and killed (proved to be untrue) and another rumour went round that a gas canister was thrown through a mcdonalds window were a lot of our fans were eating at the time. think i am correct in saying that the russian government sent a letter to an Irish paper apologising for what Irish fans had to endure. result apart i enjoyed the trip

Yeah was at that myself with the mrs. Saw zero trouble whatsoever but on the day of the game some Irish fans on our bus had got a beating the night before. Also our hotel foyer had been trashed by some football hoolies whilst myself and herslef were out having a meal. We were just very lucky not to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Result was a shambles but we really enjoyed Moscow as a city.....

If you pull up the old thread on this site after the game you can read all about the fans experiences - there was uproar when we got back, most fans claiming they would never set foot in Russia again.......


As for worst experience, well there has been a few but Id say Skopje in 99 probably tops the lot. We went from 1st place automatic qualification to 3rd place nada with the flick of a head in the 93rd minute....absolutely gut wrenching stuff. The Macedonain fans celebrating like theyd won the world cup didnt help, I suppose they had effectively put Yugoslavia through at that point and the majority probably still had an affinity with them (simply put I know!!)

[OwlsFan]

Why was this a disgrace? wouldn't the venues and stuff been organised in advance? am I missing something, probably I suspect:confused:

Totally biased choice of ground to favour the Dutch. It would be like, hmmmm, us playing in the Finals in the UK and we get to play our final game (which was always going to be the decider) in Belfast or Newry.

[jbyrne]

Totally biased choice of ground to favour the Dutch. It would be like, hmmmm, us playing in the Finals in the UK and we get to play our final game (which was always going to be the decider) in Belfast or Newry.

but surely the venues were chosen before the qualifiers were known? also, why on earth would the germans want to accomodate one of their biggest rivals?

[mypost]

Totally biased choice of ground to favour the Dutch. It would be like, hmmmm, us playing in the Finals in the UK and we get to play our final game (which was always going to be the decider) in Belfast or Newry.

Going on that basis, we "arranged" for the 96 play-off to be held 200 miles from Dublin. :rolleyes: Didn't help much.

The venues and dates were chosen long before teams qualified and the groups were drawn. Germany borders 9 countries, Holland is one of them. Obviously Schalke's old ground is going to favour them much more than us. We were clinging on for dear life in that game, and almost made it, but that's football, not a conspiracy theory.

[KK77]

First trip away was Wembley 91 EC Qualifier then USA 94 and play-off for Euro 96 at Anfield.

[OwlsFan]

I felt aggrieved at the time and still do when I look back on that sea of orange we had to face. Was the choice of grounds chosen for each group before the draws were made? The venues no doubt were but did they allocate the venues to specific games after the draw? It just annoyed me at the time. The Dutch were the better team on the day (they went on to win it) but we weren't being murdered. I can still see Paul McGrath collapsing in a heap when the goal went in.

Good point about Anfield though - the sea of green didn't help the ageing Irish team that day.

[Stuttgart88]

First away trip for me was Hampden in '87. We won 1-0, Lawrenson.

Got a boat, coach & ticket for £45 via Dave Bacuzzi Travel I think. I had no accomodation booked but some lads I met on the bus let me crash on their floor.

We were in the standing area in front of the old wooden stand. We were there well over an hour early and this 14 year old Glaswegian arrived beside us decked head to waist in Scotland gear. We gave him strange looks. He then took it all off and put it in a bag, revealing his Ireland kit. "Where I live I'd be beaten up for wearing it" he explained. The vast terrace at one end (the end we scored into) was empty until very near KO and then suddenly hordes of Celtic fans turned up all decked in green and white & tricolours, many of the flags bearing Republican slogans and some pretty sinister drawings and logos. All very educational for me at the time.

I have a vague recollection of a lot of Irish fans waiting in the car park for ages after the game waiting for Big Jack to come out and give us a wave which he eventually did, through a glass door in SFA reception I think.

On the way home we got an RUC escort through Belfast, possibly all the way from Larne, and all the way to Newry I think. They said there were concerns we'd get stoned from an overpass approaching Belfast. They told us to take down our flags and draw the curtains through Belfast. Some wag with a broad Dublin accent said "But they're fcucking orange"* and the RUC all laughed, but held firm nonetheless.

* pronounced "Oddange" in light of comments in another thread.

[HarpoJoyce]

Travelled around Yorkshire in 1991 during the World Student Games (Universade) based in Sheffield. The Universities side represents all students in Ireland. They played USA, Iran (IIR) and GB in the groups, and then played further ranking games finished around 12th. Coby Jones (USA) is the only footballer I know that has played WSG, Olympics and World Cup. There was alot of double-header matches from two different groups in the one evening so I saw about 13 teams of the 16 sides. The South Korea versus North Korea match was interesting to compare the sides. An Irish referee officiated, he had a poor reputation at home. But was giving a advantage whenever he could during that game. Including some dodgy decisions in favour of Sth Korea.
I missed the USA :Iran (IIR) game as the Ireland were playing GB in Scunthorpe's newish ground. Ireland just needed a draw, but lost 5:0 and Jon McCarthy GB striker that scored 4 goals later played some full Internationals for Northern Ireland. Its also funny because when he was substituted a few locals were turning around and saying "McCarthy?, that's an Irish name is'nt it?"

(IIRC, Ireland did the double in the 1500 athletics, Sonia O'Sullivan and some bloke both won their events.)

Tirane 2003 was the first away game for RoI. Landed in Budapest and spent three weeks traveling around until I got to Tirana. The first seven Irish fans I met had never been to an Irish game abroad before either. One chap had being in Albania before though. For me it scuppers the 'only regulars go to the difficult places' argument.

[Stuttgart88]

Jon McCarthy GB striker that scored 4 goals later played some full Internationals for Northern Ireland. Its also funny because when he was substituted a few locals were turning around and saying "McCarthy?, that's an Irish name is'nt it?"I think he played for Oldham and got a lot of attention from Irish media & fans, but got overlooked by management, or maybe just wasn't eligible which wouldn't surprise me as eligibilty or availability never put our press off clamoring for a guy's selection.

[Noelys Guitar]

I can clearly remember fans planning to Travel to Argentina 78 if we had qualified. I've always wondered how we would have fared at the 78/82 World cups and how many fans would have gone. Argentina would have been the incredible. Junta in power. Hard and expensive place to get to in 78. And yet I reckon at least 5,000 would have somehow got there. We might even have qualifed for the knockout stages. Our opening game would ahve been against Argentina only for that cheating ref in Bulgaria.

[mypost]

I felt aggrieved at the time and still do when I look back on that sea of orange we had to face. Was the choice of grounds chosen for each group before the draws were made? The venues no doubt were but did they allocate the venues to specific games after the draw?

The times, dates and venues were, like all tournaments, decided before the draw was made. No team got to play all their games in the one city.

Russia had, for obvious political reasons, practically no fans at the tournament. They still got to the final, beating the Dutch in our group along the way, in Cologne.

[DeLorean]

Our opening game would ahve been against Argentina only for that cheating ref in Bulgaria.

There would have probably been another cheating ref against them!! especially at that tournament

[geysir]

My first away game was that 1-1 Wembley friendly already mentioned, in the long hot summer of ´76.
Wasn't really away though as I was parked in a squat in London working the building sites. If there is a dvd of that game and you're curious then watch it. Maybe my memory is selective but we had a great team firing on most cylinders that night. Giles was supreme along with Brady, Daly and Heighway in midfield. Not only did we outplay England, controlled the game, passed it elegantly around the hoof ball English but we also had clearly the better players. O'Leary was the new kid on the block and Stapleton up front.
I think there were about 15 from our building site at it, the hod carriers from Galway were not to be messed with and even though we were in a hostile section, I never felt safer:)
I couldn't begin to describe our despiration not to get beat. When Daly slotted home that penalty, a nation within a nation rose to their feet.
Can't remember much afterwards, except we all got in the Ford Transit and headed like the hammers to the Spread Eagle in Camden, in good time, the place was rocking as the game was being shown on the BBC, about an hours worth of the game delayed transmission.