What flag if any was used....

[third policeman]

More than happy to call time on the exchange as I really dont want to fall out. Rest assured I will be totally behind NI on Wednesday and hope you keep on track for qualification.

[ArdeeBhoy]

I am seriously not trying to revive a futile discussion about the merits of a united football team, but your suggested parallels avoid one significant and differentiating fact. A very large section of the NI population dont identify with the NI football team rightly or wrongly, they support RoI and we all meet them on a regular basis at RoI games.

This worries me, because contrary to your and EG's blinkered and unsustainable platitudes about the non-sectarian ambience at NI games, football on this Ireland has become polarised in an increasingly ugly way. (This includes RoI fans abusing Rangers players and hard-line Republicans in the North wearing RoI shirts as some sort of alternative fashion accessory to black berets). Perhaps a united team is not the answer but neither is Panglossian complacency.

To be fair to TP, he later comes out and says he supports both teams.
Which personally would find very hard, given the amount of bigots I've encountered from that community over the years (though to be fair, much of it was not football-related) which is obviously off-putting.

And would only make any association with The North's team similarly so, though realise it has at least some 'nationalist' input at least on the playing side. Though those players who've risked alienation within their own communities and beyond, would be the ones I'd have most respect for and be happiest for if they make it to SA?

Finally returning to the original subject, on their fans site, some brave soul has come with an alternative flag for the North, basically a St.Patrick's cross with a green backgound and un*******ised red hand in the centre which I'll try and post a link to later.