Tallaght

[mypost]

Now that fans of every club in the PD have visited Tallaght Stadium, what do you think?

[Philly]

After visiting it to watch KCFC play ye in the League Cup, I have to say that I wasn't overly impressed with the stand. Not that there was anything wrong with it, it's a fine stand, but it is still just a stand - reminded me alot of the Athlone one actually. I guess the ground will have more character when the additional stands are up. That'll help the atmosphere too.

Whar did really impress me was the facilities there. The club shop is something that I would imagine is the envy of every club in the league. The media facilities seemed to be really proper (anyone remember the old gantry in St Mels? Things have come a long way!). Catering was good, considering the game, and having Maldrons across the road in handy. I think that ye by far and a way have the best match-day and facilities set-up on this island, and probably a lot better than many clubs across the water.

[citybone]

We brought a big crowd up and tried our best to create a athmosphere but its a way too open, untill a 2nd/ 3rd stad are up the athmosphere wont be great. There was no banter between fans like.

Great facilities ill admit. Turners cross is a better ground in my view despite the club shop being in the city rather than the ground itself

[green army]

as it took such a long time to be built it could have been better. we could hardly hear the rovers fans singing at all yet they were constantly singing and vice versa. hate stands that are only half covered by the roof. it should cover all the seats. only looked into the rovers shop but only saw one rail of rovers items, the rest was all related to the national team. the drainage for the pitch looked dire.

on the plus side the disabled section is excellent. great view right on the half way line. we got a lift to the upper level (for want of a better word). car parking for loads of car which is great. great to watch a game without any obstructions.

[thischarmingman]

Now that fans of every club in the PD have visited Tallaght Stadium, what do you think?


After visiting it to watch KCFC play ye in the League Cup, I have to say that I wasn't overly impressed with the stand. Not that there was anything wrong with it, it's a fine stand, but it is still just a stand - reminded me alot of the Athlone one actually. I guess the ground will have more character when the additional stands are up. That'll help the atmosphere too.

Whar did really impress me was the facilities there. The club shop is something that I would imagine is the envy of every club in the league. The media facilities seemed to be really proper (anyone remember the old gantry in St Mels? Things have come a long way!). Catering was good, considering the game, and having Maldrons across the road in handy. I think that ye by far and a way have the best match-day and facilities set-up on this island, and probably a lot better than many clubs across the water.

I basically agree with everything Philly said. The stand is good but the ground needs the additional ones before it can really be judged. It did remid me of Athlone's stand. The club shop and media facilities are absolutely top notch (I've visited the ground both as an away fan and as press) and the view is superb. It was great to see so many kids and families at the game today, there was a real buzz around the ground outside and inside.

The overall matchday experience is great, it's a pity a lot of those who came today may never be back, not because of the ground or the team, but because they were just there to see the Magpies. Really annoyed me on the Luas there to see Irish adults going to a game between Shamrock Rovers and Newcastle decked out in black and white and talking about "We can beat this Shamrock Rovers team," apparently without any shame.

I do think there's a lot of potential there and I hope that the buzz around the ground and the team continues, although obviously not to the detriment of our (fading) title hopes.

[MeathDrog]

Yeah I'd basically agree with a lot of what's being said. Great stand, great pitch, great facilities. However, it cannot be judged until the opposite stand is finished.

The stadium is very poorly sign-posted though.

[MeathDrog]

I basically agree with everything Philly said. The stand is good but the ground needs the additional ones before it can really be judged. It did remid me of Athlone's stand. The club shop and media facilities are absolutely top notch (I've visited the ground both as an away fan and as press) and the view is superb. It was great to see so many kids and families at the game today, there was a real buzz around the ground outside and inside.

The overall matchday experience is great, it's a pity a lot of those who came today may never be back, not because of the ground or the team, but because they were just there to see the Magpies. Really annoyed me on the Luas there to see Irish adults going to a game between Shamrock Rovers and Newcastle decked out in black and white and talking about "We can beat this Shamrock Rovers team," apparently without any shame.

I do think there's a lot of potential there and I hope that the buzz around the ground and the team continues, although obviously not to the detriment of our (fading) title hopes.
I went to see Newcastle because I'm a fan but I'm also a Drogheda United fan so I will be back, but I do agree with you. I heard some idiot behind me complaining that the stadium was too small and wasn't the size of an EPL stadium. I mean the only reason why they aren't bigger is because barstoolers like him don't go to the games. There was a lot of Toon fans there today but I'd say 90% of them were Irish. A lot of them won't be back.

[KianD]

Really annoyed me on the Luas there to see Irish adults going to a game between Shamrock Rovers and Newcastle decked out in black and white and talking about "We can beat this Shamrock Rovers team," apparently without any shame.

They may be fans of other LOI clubs (unlikely I suppose...). I've been to Athlone both as a Brighton fan and a Harps fan in the past year.

[Mark Breen]

hate stands that are only half covered by the roof. it should cover all the seats. .

The reason the roof is the size it is, is due to the fact it's not rovers stadium, It's SDCC stadium and as such need's to cater for a number of sports including junior GAA games and Rugby, seens as the ball is played in the air in both sports (Not as much in rugby, but it does be) the roof is slopping up so the spectators have a better chance to see the ball in the air, this makes it impossible to cover the whole stand toward the pitch.

The stadium is nice, and when stand 2 is finished it will be better again. Shamrock rovers are very very lucky, but they better be good boy's for the next 5 years are they wont get to continue their lease when it expires then :)

[sheao]

Now that fans of every club in the PD have visited Tallaght Stadium, what do you think?
I thought the stand was fairly good when we were up there. It will be interesting to see what the ground is like when the 2nd stand is completed. Will the away support be based in the new stand when it is completed ?

[Paddyfield]

Why are there so many coloured seats?

Why not just green and white?

[HulaHoop]

The reason the roof is the size it is, is due to the fact it's not rovers stadium, It's SDCC stadium and as such need's to cater for a number of sports including junior GAA games and Rugby, seens as the ball is played in the air in both sports (Not as much in rugby, but it does be) the roof is slopping up so the spectators have a better chance to see the ball in the air, this makes it impossible to cover the whole stand toward the pitch.


What complete total utter garbage! Where in the name of jaysus did you pull this little gem from? SDCC had no input into the design of the roof of the main stand in Tallaght. That whole stand was designed by Rovers back in 1998 I think. It was half built by Rovers (including the roof supports that only extend halfway accross the stand) in 2000/1. SDCC came along 7 years later and finished it off for us but the design wasn't changed it was still finished as per the plans Rovers done in 1998. To suggest the roof is the way it is to accomodate GAA and Rugby is utter horseshi.t! Also the new east stand will have a roof that covers the whole stand so your last sentence is boll0cks too.

[Hairy Bowsie]

Probably a blessing more Rovers fans don't post here when the few that do just seem to post agressive, defensive, nonsense.

Mark Breen knows what he is talking about, he has had first hand experience with the Tallaght studium but i don't want to take all his glory. Mark, tell him what you do and why he is talking out his hoop (if you'll excuse the pun)?

[HulaHoop]

Hairy bowsie do you by any chance remember the many many pictures of a half built tallaght stadium in papers and on the net during the years 2002 to 2008 when building recommenced? If yot do you will remember the roof supports were already built in 2001. They were built then at the same angle and length as they are today. That roof was always designed like that it was not changed by sdcc for gaa or rugby. It was designed by rovers arcitects in 1998 exactly like it is today. The new stand designed by sdcc has a longer flatter roof so make of that what you will.

[dfx-]

Probably a blessing more Rovers fans don't post here when the few that do just seem to post agressive, defensive, nonsense

Aggressive maybe, defensive maybe, but in this case 100% accurate. The main stand is built to Rovers' original drawings. The new east stand will have a complete roof.


Why are there so many coloured seats?

Why not just green and white?

Don't mention the War :)

[OneRedArmy]

Tallaght and Turners Cross and Terryland to a lesser extent prove that LoI clubs have zero interest in infrastructure, whatever they say publicly.

If you want a stadium to be proud of, don't let an LoI team develop it.

Sad but true.

[Black and White]

Theres no real atmosphere in it as well as half the seats destroyed with bird sh!@t and a good few in the away section detroyed or ripped up already.

[placid casual]

I'll have you know those birds are paid a lot of money to do that job!!!:eek:
How's that for aggresive and defensive!

[Mark Breen]

What complete total utter garbage! Where in the name of jaysus did you pull this little gem from? SDCC had no input into the design of the roof of the main stand in Tallaght. That whole stand was designed by Rovers back in 1998 I think. It was half built by Rovers (including the roof supports that only extend halfway accross the stand) in 2000/1. SDCC came along 7 years later and finished it off for us but the design wasn't changed it was still finished as per the plans Rovers done in 1998. To suggest the roof is the way it is to accomodate GAA and Rugby is utter horseshi.t! Also the new east stand will have a roof that covers the whole stand so your last sentence is boll0cks too.

Firstly, Your correct, the roof is as per the original design by Michael Noonan architects, but the reason for the roof design remain the same, it is installed so as to allow the spectators to see as much of the play as possible, both when the ball is on the deck and when it's up in the air, now regardless of who designed it, the answer i gave still answers the question that was asked, WHY the roof was built as it was.

My referance to Rugby and GAA was one that the council mentioned when discussions re: playing other sports in their stadium were brought up, hence my mistake.

As for the 2nd stand, again this stand is not going to be straight, it will also be slopped upward's, yes it will cover all 18 row's, but when you are sitting in row's 1-4/5 it will still be very open you will feel like you are not covered, In order to keep these area's 'covered' you would have to go a meter or two pass row 1 which will not happen.

ps: my last sentance was 'Shamrock rovers are very very lucky, but they better be good boy's for the next 5 years are they wont get to continue their lease when it expires then' . . . . .I stand by those comments

[Mark Breen]

Probably a blessing more Rovers fans don't post here when the few that do just seem to post agressive, defensive, nonsense.

Mark Breen knows what he is talking about, he has had first hand experience with the Tallaght studium but i don't want to take all his glory. Mark, tell him what you do and why he is talking out his hoop (if you'll excuse the pun)?

Thanks HB, but i wont mention it on an open forum

[tiktok]

....Turners Cross ...... prove that LoI clubs have zero interest in infrastructure, whatever they say publicly

The MFA own Turners Cross

[tiktok]

ps: my last sentance was 'Shamrock rovers are very very lucky, but they better be good boy's for the next 5 years are they wont get to continue their lease when it expires then' . . . . .I stand by those comments

I didn't see anyone challenge it, so why repeat it and 'stand by it'?

I'm not a Rovers fan, but calling what they have 'lucky' seems like the sourest grapes [coloured envy green] imaginable, I've seen from a distance over a number of years what they have achieved and luck, if involved in any aspect, was surly miniscule compared to the huge amount of hard work, passion, money and skill they put in.

Fans of other clubs would be better placed to applaud them and emulate their model rather than sound like a jaded primary school teacher threatening to take a kid's sweets away.

[The Betting Man]

The family section is great in the stand,when we played there it was full of big kids who had there young kids with them who were teaching them a thing or two

[OneRedArmy]

The MFA own Turners Cross

Err, that was my point.

The three best grounds in the League (my view before the urination competition starts) aren't owned by the clubs themselves.

[Mark Breen]

I didn't see anyone challenge it, so why repeat it and 'stand by it'?

I'm not a Rovers fan, but calling what they have 'lucky' seems like the sourest grapes [coloured envy green] imaginable, I've seen from a distance over a number of years what they have achieved and luck, if involved in any aspect, was surly miniscule compared to the huge amount of hard work, passion, money and skill they put in.

Fans of other clubs would be better placed to applaud them and emulate their model rather than sound like a jaded primary school teacher threatening to take a kid's sweets away.

Hulahoop made a comment about my last line been bo ll ox

So i corrected him.....

And yes, ' the huge amount of hard work, passion, money and skill they put in' is fantastic, as it is at Shel's.... But to say we should emulate them is nonsence, they (Rovers) owed so much money, yet only paid a fraction of it...Why should we emulate that..... At least Shels are paying everyone back in full.....Still neither team should be emulated.... Teams run properly should be.... Althought most people hate them, UCD is run better than most in this country, as are Wexford Youths .... Cork,Shels,Bohs,Drogs,Sligo etc are a disgrace

[HulaHoop]

Firstly, Your correct, the roof is as per the original design by Michael Noonan architects, but the reason for the roof design remain the same, it is installed so as to allow the spectators to see as much of the play as possible, both when the ball is on the deck and when it's up in the air, now regardless of who designed it, the answer i gave still answers the question that was asked, WHY the roof was built as it was.

My referance to Rugby and GAA was one that the council mentioned when discussions re: playing other sports in their stadium were brought up, hence my mistake.

As for the 2nd stand, again this stand is not going to be straight, it will also be slopped upward's, yes it will cover all 18 row's, but when you are sitting in row's 1-4/5 it will still be very open you will feel like you are not covered, In order to keep these area's 'covered' you would have to go a meter or two pass row 1 which will not happen.

ps: my last sentance was 'Shamrock rovers are very very lucky, but they better be good boy's for the next 5 years are they wont get to continue their lease when it expires then' . . . . .I stand by those comments

So you're happy to admit that your original quote of "The reason the roof is the size it is, is due to the fact it's not rovers stadium" is factually incorrect since it was the Rovers architect who designed it that way in the first place and was built that way when the stadium was in Rovers ownership.

My comment re your last sentence was in relation to the last sentence I quoted you on which was "this makes it impossible to cover the whole stand toward the pitch." Yet now you are admitting that the roof on the new stand "will cover all 18 row's." So forgive me if I was agressive or defensive but I was just highlighting the factual inaccuracies in your post.

[Sheridan]

Can we not have one big thread for Rovers fans and their sympathisers to toss each other off in, rather than them starting one everytime they want a pat on the back? Or at least a "Club initiatives and marketing megathread" for everyone, or something...

[tiktok]

And yes, ' the huge amount of hard work, passion, money and skill they put in' is fantastic

I'm glad you agree with me.
As to the rest of the rambling.... Rovers are the best run club in the league now, and run by supporters, that should be emulated. How they got into the position they're in is irrelevant.

Also, if I hear one more person pretend that Shels didn't go into examinership for any reason other than the ownership of Tolka, I think my head will explode, it's up with Socrates playing for UCD as an LOI urban myth at this stage.

[placid casual]

Can we not have one big thread for Rovers fans and their sympathisers to toss each other off in, rather than them starting one everytime they want a pat on the back? Or at least a "Club initiatives and marketing megathread" for everyone, or something...

howya Sheridan.
Did you get up to much over the weekend ? See any good films ? :D:)

[Hairy Bowsie]

I'm not a Rovers fan, but calling what they have 'lucky' seems like the sourest grapes [coloured envy green] imaginable, I've seen from a distance over a number of years what they have achieved and luck, if involved in any aspect, was surly miniscule compared to the huge amount of hard work, passion, money and skill they put in.

Fans of other clubs would be better placed to applaud them and emulate their model rather than sound like a jaded primary school teacher threatening to take a kid's sweets away.

Don't be so ridiculous. They've gotten where they are through hard work and luck. They behaved disgracefully with regards to their tax bill and despite what you say, it should not be ignored. They ran up huge bills and had them wiped off for them, forcing creditors to close down their business because of those losses, things like that should never be ignored.

Of course fans will applaud them since but having a slate wiped clean and being handed a new stadium is shameful and lucky respectively. I know thats the model you hope to follow in Cork but how you can be so blantently biased is beyond me.

[pineapple stu]

Who's "they"?

The former directors ran up the debts and acted disgracefully. The fans kicked them out. That's too important a distinction to cover by "they" did the first bit and "they" did the second bit. If Shelbourne fans had reacted in the same way, you wouldn't need to be bleating on about how poor youz have to pay all your massive debts off.

Amuses me the amount of stick Rovers get for doing practically everything right since getting control of their club back.

[Hairy Bowsie]

How they got into the position they're in is irrelevant.

Also, if I hear one more person pretend that Shels didn't go into examinership for any reason other than the ownership of Tolka, I think my head will explode, it's up with Socrates playing for UCD as an LOI urban myth at this stage.

The reason why Shels are paying every cent owed, should then also be irrelevent and then the fact they are should be applauded by your logic anyway. You can't wave away one and criticise the other.

Shels don't want praise for paying debts owed, it's how it should be. If it wasn't that way i don't think i'd still be supporting Shels now. As you said, it's irrelevent why they are but at least they are.

[Hairy Bowsie]

Who's "they"?

Shamrock Rovers Football Club

[Dodge]

Amuses me to think that people think they've done nearly everything right

Remember that only last year they were asking for members to pay up to 5 years in advance to get them through the season. Something Bohs were lashed for doing this year. Gamble worked for them though

They have been lucky that SDCC wanted to egt involved, but every other club would dearly love their council to get involved so there's nothign wrong with that. Any investment (from local authorities or other) is good investment IMO

Posting a thread asking for people's opinions is ridiculous too IMO.

[Dodge]

Shels don't want praise for paying debts owed, it's how it should be.

Enough of their fans mention at nearly every oppurtunity though

[pineapple stu]

Shamrock Rovers Football Club
SRFC did nothing. A company can't do anything. Its officers did what you said, and got struck off, which seems fair. Rovers' fans took over and can't have what went before them held against them.


Remember that only last year they were asking for members to pay up to 5 years in advance to get them through the season.
Funny, that's exactly what I was thinking of when I qualified my statement slightly.

[DeNiro]

I was in the family Stand on Saturday and was thinking wouldn't it be a good idea to make it non-smoking. It seems consistent with the idea of it being a family stand.

Tallaght is an ok stadium but just that. There is no character there yet. That's not anyone's fault, but more due to the lack of stadium structure there! I can see why Rovers fans got excited about it after the long wait since Milltown, but Turner's Cross, at the moment, is a better stadium IMO. Credit to them on the pitch, it's in fantastic nick! An ideal stadium for International U18/U21 games, don't know if any have been there yet or not.

[brendy_éire]

I liked the ground on the whole. The club shop is great, the toilets are really good too.

I've two complaints though. The fact that around the back of the stand you can't walk it's length, meaning you have to go back up into the stand and then back down. Don't see the reason for this at all.

My other complaint is those metal things that look like they're meant to hold a sign or something. They just get in the way of your view of the pitch.
These things: http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/7899/img0151esy.jpg

[Macy]

Shels don't want praise for paying debts owed, it's how it should be.
So why the fook do youse keep bringing it up?

[Dotsy]

The family section is great in the stand,when we played there it was full of big kids who had there young kids with them who were teaching them a thing or two

A very small group of people who don't represent the vast majority of Hoops fans. I regularly sit in the family section with my two kids and the scum you are referring to haven't been there for any other match bar the Bohs one. When the new stand opens the family section won't be next to the away support anymore.

[tiktok]

The reason why Shels are paying every cent owed, should then also be irrelevent and then the fact they are should be applauded by your logic anyway. You can't wave away one and criticise the other.

Yeah, the logic follows and I do applaud them, my criticism of Shels fans has nothing to do with how that club is being run. I've nothing bad to say about Shels other than being increasignly annoyed when their fans try to turn every financial thread on here into a tantrum over the fact that they're paying their debts.

We get it, you're great, the moral high ground is all yours. Enough already.

[dfx-]

Remember that only last year they were asking for members to pay up to 5 years in advance to get them through the season. Something Bohs were lashed for doing this year. Gamble worked for them though

:rolleyes:

Rovers almost break even in one of the worst seasons in recent memory and a massive hit with Sunderland not playing. On a gamble. I might just ask our board to email me Wednesday's lottery numbers :cool:

[Dodge]

:rolleyes:

Rovers almost break even in one of the worst seasons in recent memory and a massive hit with Sunderland not playing. On a gamble. I might just ask our board to email me Wednesday's lottery numbers :cool:

So you're saying they didn't ask members to pay money upfront?

You might ask the baord this too...

[mypost]

Posting a thread asking for people's opinions is ridiculous too IMO.

The thread is about others first impressions of the stadium, we know that the stadium is still a wip and there are improvements coming along, and most of those that come back this season, will see those improvements on their return. It's good that despite the restricted capacity, and the small allocation for visiting fans, that most of their experiences have been positive so far. The stadium next Monday, will look a lot different to how it's looked so far, and a taster of what's to come.

The thread shouldn't go down the route over ours or other club's finances. There are a forumload of threads on those already.

[the-blue-harp]

i love the way when a thread gets bogged down in chat about how clubs should be run etc etc, up pops ucd fans to take their little moral high ground on the matter! :D

[Dodge]

The thread shouldn't go down the route over ours or other club's finances. There are a forumload of threads on those already.

There's plenty of threads on Tallaght too...

[dfx-]

So you're saying they didn't ask members to pay money upfront?

I'm not saying that at all. There were also other measures to cover the gate losses.

[Schumi]

The main stand is built to Rovers' original drawings. The new east stand will have a complete roof.Why did they design it with the roof like that?

[blackholesun]

Amuses me to think that people think they've done nearly everything right

Remember that only last year they were asking for members to pay up to 5 years in advance to get them through the season. Something Bohs were lashed for doing this year.

Did Pats not in the recent past ask for fans who bought lifelong tickets in Harolds Cross to surrender them and start paying in again?

Most clubs have in the past borrowed from tomorrow to pay for today!

bhs

[Sheridan]

Did Pats not in the recent past ask for fans who bought lifelong tickets in Harolds Cross to surrender them and start paying in again?

Most clubs have in the past borrowed from tomorrow to pay for today!

bhs
Not to have a go at Rovers (as if I'd do that) or anything, but while you're perfectly right that every club has done this, I think what galls some people (certainly me) is that Rovers are held up as a shining financial model for the league when they're having to adopt extraordinary measures to both stay competitive and stay alive, just like everyone else. Not that I think they, or any other club, should retreat into their shell and abandon all aspirations to better things. I think they are doing the right thing, by and large, but not to such an extent that they can afford to be sanctimonious about it (nor can any other club.)