I've lost faith in Ireland.

[peadar1987]

No-one ever sees the irony in, on the one hand, bemoaning that people support English football over the Irish game - and then on the other hand, arguing in favour of people 'supporting'/using the English language over the Irish version.

After all, the arguements often trotted out for not speaking the Irish language, and the sentiments behind them, are in many ways similar or identical to those for not supporting Irish football.


I see where you're coming from, but it's not as if all those people who have no interest in Irish are off learning Basque at the weekend, and claiming it is a much better language.

[Acornvilla]

Football isn't about something that is nice to watch. If you want to look at something spectacular and impressive, look up videos of parkour on youtube. Football is a tribal sport. I get infinite amounts more pleasure watching Bray or Stoke score the scrappiest goal in the world than I do watchin Lionel Messi beat 3 Albacete players before firing one into the top corner from 30 yards. It's a natural thing to want something you can legitimately associate yourself with to flourish, and it's hardwired into our brains by evolution from the days we were competing with Neanderthals for wooly mammoths to eat. Not many people who have arbitrarily adopted an English club, or a continental club, simply because they play "nice football" will ever experience the highs and lows I've felt in the Carlisle or the Britannia over the years. That's why people support, and I mean properly support, football teams, not just because they want to look at something pretty and intricate on the TV for an hour and a half every Saturday afternoon.

And despite what happened tonight, I still have immense pride in my club and my town. And we will be back.
yea we just cant get rid of you shower :D hope ye do well next year

[dcfcsteve]

I see where you're coming from, but it's not as if all those people who have no interest in Irish are off learning Basque at the weekend, and claiming it is a much better language.

No - but they learn and grow up surrounded by and immersed in the English language. In Ireland.

Just like they grow up surrounded by and immersed in English football. In Ireland.

Why is one so unacceptable to everyone on here, but not the other ?

[Rovers1]

Needless to say, she was of a contrary opinion, so he ended the argument by saying she wouldn't understand, as she probably was a protestant!?!

It's a common problem we have. We don't beleve in round-abouts either.

[Acornvilla]

It's a common problem we have. We don't beleve in round-abouts either.
haha thanks for that :)

[dcfcsteve]

I think the comparison is facile. I can stop going to UCD games, stop going to Ireland games, stop buying jerseys, watching games on TV, playing the sport (badly) - never think twice about it. Maybe you think you're too big a Derry fan to do that. But you're thinking it in English.

Not facile at all, as the same sentiment and mentality rests behind approaches to both 'our' league and 'our' language.

You choose to follow Irish football. So few other Irish people do so that if you want to discuss Irish footbal with other supporters, you generally have to make a bit of an effort (i.e. your work-place/school/college/street/whatever won't be wall-to-wall with fellow Irish football followers).

Likewise, you could learn Irish and similarly chose to use that when you could/wanted to. Though invariably the search for another Irish speaker to converse with in Ireland would be no different a numerically challenging experience than the search for another LOI supporter. (Actually - you're probably more like to find a fellow Irish speaker... :eek:). And just like people would sneer at you for being an LOI supporter, the same mentality would drive them to sneer at you for being an Irish speaker.

And someone who speaks Irish doesn't have to think in English - regardless of what they buy.

[rerun]

Where are you going in Germany?

Apparently the football is better there, LOI is rubbish... ;)

[pineapple stu]

Football isn't about something that is nice to watch.
Whole post endorsed 100%.

One point Murfinator made earlier is that the LoI is boring because it has a low goals-per-game ratio compared to the rest of Europe. I don't have time to check that stat out, but in any case, it's irrelevant. If goals-per-game makes entertainment, the UCD Superleague would be selling out to thousands every game.


In my opinion, football supporters, those of us who go to watch our local (and national) team play, who support them independent of merit or success, don't have a monopoly on football. The peak of the game, technically, can be aesthetically amazing at times. I can appreciate the game from this perspective too[...]I'm okay with someone being a fan of the game in this sense.
Absolutely. But Murfinator's point was that -

I can also understand why someone would rather watch the game played at its finest and support a side like Barca.
(My emphasis)

There's a difference between being "a fan of the game in this sense" and being a supporter. I'm a fan of Barca's play, but I wouldn't consider myself a Barca supporter. The Espanyol v Villerreal I (and you) saw last year is by far the best game technically I've ever been at, but it pales in comparison with UCD pummeling Longford to win with two late goals.

For right or wrong, whenever I read Murfinator's posts, all I can think of is that appalling Sky Sports (I think?) ad where the taxi-driver tries to come across really knowledgeable on football just by trotting out random stats they picked up from Sky Sports during the week.

[GypsyBlackCat]

I said it on here before, we not a football loving nation, we're a glory hunting nation.

Look at the amount of people in Ireland who follow the big four. Not many would follow lesser English clubs. How many Chelsea shirts do you see now. How many did you see in the mid-eighties? Remember post 1992 when nearly eveyone had a Newcastle jersey. Where have they all gone? Same with Sunderland. Although its more of a exception than rule with Sunderland!

My mates in Sunderland don't understand why people in Ireland don't follow LOI. It seems natural to follow your local club. Most of them would follow Blyth Spartans or Durham City as well as Sunderland. Plus the season runs opposite to the EPL we've the best of both worlds.

[BohDiddley]

Why should it be either/or? It isn't for most.

ManU and Liverpool replica shirts are a common sight at any LoI ground. It's not realistic to expect people raised on EPL and MOTD before it to abandon British football. It may be possible to persuade them that their own national league is also worth supporting.

[marinobohs]

Why should it be either/or? It isn't for most.

ManU and Liverpool replica shirts are a common sight at any LoI ground. It's not realistic to expect people raised on EPL and MOTD before it to abandon British football. It may be possible to persuade them that their own national league is also worth supporting.


Totally agree, as long as LOI seeks to "compete" with EPL we will lose. better to remind them they are football fans and so having an Irish AND English team is twice as good :) LOI and EPL should be made complimentary and not competing. Telling "fans" they should give up Man U/Liverpool etc and support a local team is not going to generate much interest in the LOI unfortunately and may chase off potential customers. Get them to go to a few games and the addiction kicks in........ ;)

[Macy]

No it's not, but it is another nice handy excuse for them to use.
I just thought it might as well be me that post the feeble excuse than some randomer trying to justify themselves. People will try and justity why they ignore irish football - best to ignore them (it's them that's missing out) and enjoy what we've got.

[peadar1987]

One point Murfinator made earlier is that the LoI is boring because it has a low goals-per-game ratio compared to the rest of Europe. I don't have time to check that stat out, but in any case, it's irrelevant. If goals-per-game makes entertainment, the UCD Superleague would be selling out to thousands every game.


Here are the statistics from the most recently completed seasons of major European leagues:

Bundesliga: 2.92 goals/game
La Liga: 2.897 goals/game
Evedivisie: 2.84 goals/game
Norwegian Premier: 2.77 goals/game
Danish Superliga: 2.75 goals/game
Swedish Allsvenskan: 2.65 goals/game
Serie A: 2.6 goals/game
Turkish Super League: 2.57 goals/game
Premier League: 2.48 goals/game
Football League Championship: 2.44 goals/game
SPL: 2.4 goals/game
Russian Premier League: 2.4 goals/game
League of Ireland 2009: 2.32 goals/game
Ligue 1: 2.26 goals/game
League of Ireland 2008: 2.22 goals/game
Super League Greece: 2.15 goals/game
Portuguese Liga: 1.15 goals/game

Okay, so the LOI is towards the bottom of the list, but come on! Look at the two major leagues people choose to follow instead, the SPL and the EPL. If you watched 10 EPL games instead of 10 LOI games, you would probably have seen one extra goal in 15 hours of football! Even less if you chose to watch the Scottish league.

[peadar1987]

I just thought it might as well be me that post the feeble excuse than some randomer trying to justify themselves. People will try and justity why they ignore irish football - best to ignore them (it's them that's missing out) and enjoy what we've got.

A fair point, but I'd prefer to enjoy what we've got, and be fairly certain it will all still be around in 12 months time!

[Riddickcule]

I get a fair bit of stick for supporting Bray,

For a while though there was a big "fad" about going to Bray games, when they were doing well of course, mid-table those times , good times, lol
Anyway when our form dipped and never picked back up ppl stopped going to games, they ask me "You still going to Bray games" i say yeah why don't you anymore?
"Well, coz they're **** now arn't they?" "Why would you go now i'd rather be shot"

Bandwagoners of the highest order, i tell you, if we made the Cup Final, then say we won it and got into europe, the amount of bandwagoners we'd have is unthinkable, all of a sudden this "buzz" will be back in the town!

Every item would be bought the scarves, shirts etc.

Once we're done in europe, 70% of those ppl would never set foot in the Carlise again.

[Macy]

A fair point, but I'd prefer to enjoy what we've got, and be fairly certain it will all still be around in 12 months time!
It will, and it won't have anything to do with the knobs that write the league off if it isn't.

[John83]

...Norwegian Premier: 2.77 goals/game
...Premier League: 2.48 goals/game
...League of Ireland 2009: 2.32 goals/game
That's it, I'm becoming a Sandefjord (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandefjord_Fotball) fan. They even sound like where I'm from (Sandyford).

[endabob1]

I get a fair bit of stick for supporting Bray,

For a while though there was a big "fad" about going to Bray games, when they were doing well of course, mid-table those times , good times, lol
Anyway when our form dipped and never picked back up ppl stopped going to games, they ask me "You still going to Bray games" i say yeah why don't you anymore?
"Well, coz they're **** now arn't they?" "Why would you go now i'd rather be shot"

Bandwagoners of the highest order, i tell you, if we made the Cup Final, then say we won it and got into europe, the amount of bandwagoners we'd have is unthinkable, all of a sudden this "buzz" will be back in the town!

Every item would be bought the scarves, shirts etc.

Once we're done in europe, 70% of those ppl would never set foot in the Carlise again.

Hardly unique to Bray or indeed Ireland, despite what many fans think.

Northampton average about 6k for their home games but took something like 30k to Wembley a few years ago or the auto-windscreen thingy final.
I know people who went who wouldn't have seen the inside of sixfields but they were there with their scarves and jerseys..

[davidatrb]

I think that I have given the League of Ireland a fair crack. But now my team is gone so I'm back to supporting Man Utd. Now I really enjoyed following Kildare around for years but I wouldn't blame anyone for not supporting LOI.

A. Not everyone has a "local" team. 22 teams in the league, 6 from dublin, 3 from galway and 2 from louth - means that only 14 of the 27 counties (including County Derry!) have an LOI team. So I understand how for a large proportion of the population, supporting an LOI team was never an option.

B. The clubs are being run poorly. Since I began supporting the League Kildare County, Kilkenny City, Dublin City and Cobh Ramblers have dropped out. Shels, Derry have almost gone bust and have been demoted. Cork, Drogheda have gone into administration. Limerick FC were refused a license and so kicked out too, coming back as Limerick 37. Shamrock Rovers were decucted 10 points and hence relegated for financial irregularities. I can understand that people who did follow a club don't any more because of the actions of their board or because of the fact their team just does not exist any more.

C. Lack of anything in the media about the LOI. Every kid knows about the English League by the time they are 5. Probably takes another 5 years before they hear about the LOI. Shows like MNS are good and Sacar Beo and LOI live, but will take at least a decade of media exposure for shows like this to make any impact on attendances I would imagine.

D. Facilities.

Like people have said there is no reason why people can't support both an LOI team AND a premiership team. There are many valid reason why ppl prefer not to attend LOI games and ppl should be respected for whatever choices they make. I've always found it very disrespectful on here how ppl go off at "barstoolers".

[pineapple stu]

That's it, I'm becoming a Sandefjord (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandefjord_Fotball) fan. They even sound like where I'm from (Sandyford).
And their manager's Irish. What more do you want?

[PartySaint]

In Derry I remember seeing a fight break out between to rival gangs of Liverpool and Manchester United 'fans.' In. Derry.


You win this round


I witnessed a conversation between an Irish woman and a Russian barman in a pub in Salthill, just 3 weeks ago.
.

When he started talking to a woman about football you should have known the conversation was going anywhere interesting

[Magicme]

If I move to Beligum I will support La Magie Mons RAEC Mons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.A.E.C._Mons)

[Magicme]

When he started talking to a woman about football you should have known the conversation was going anywhere interesting

Oi, why is there not a "kick up the butt" smilie when you need one?

[peadar1987]

I think that I have given the League of Ireland a fair crack. But now my team is gone so I'm back to supporting Man Utd. Now I really enjoyed following Kildare around for years but I wouldn't blame anyone for not supporting LOI.

A. Not everyone has a "local" team. 22 teams in the league, 6 from dublin, 3 from galway and 2 from louth - means that only 14 of the 27 counties (including County Derry!) have an LOI team. So I understand how for a large proportion of the population, supporting an LOI team was never an option.

That's why I think the FAI should really be encouraging teams in places like Mullingar, Laois and Tipperary, who don't have a local team to support. And I don't have any problem with someone from Bantry not adopting Cork City as their team. My main problem is with people who live within a few miles of an LOI ground, and still choose to ignore the team that play there. Most of Dublin, Galway, Limerick etc. (I worked in Galway for a while at a watersports centre. I used to ask the kids if they supported United, then ask which one. Always Manchester. Except for one who was West Ham)



B. The clubs are being run poorly. Since I began supporting the League Kildare County, Kilkenny City, Dublin City and Cobh Ramblers have dropped out. Shels, Derry have almost gone bust and have been demoted. Cork, Drogheda have gone into administration. Limerick FC were refused a license and so kicked out too, coming back as Limerick 37. Shamrock Rovers were decucted 10 points and hence relegated for financial irregularities. I can understand that people who did follow a club don't any more because of the actions of their board or because of the fact their team just does not exist any more.

I can understand that. That's why the FAI need to show a bit of balls, and maybe make a joke of a season or two of the league, but ultimately stop it from being a joke in future. This topic has been discussed to death though



D. Facilities.

This is a poor excuse. The Carlisle is widely acknowledged as one of the worst grounds in the league, but the only things I would change as a supporter would be to build better toilet facilities, sort out the obstructions to the view (The floodlights, the dugout, and the roof supports in the Rehab Bingo Stand), and cover the away supporters for when it rains. If you're watching football, all you need is a seat to sit on and preferably something to keep the rain off you. Gourmet food and a big screen are pretty secondary to the whole matchday experience.



Like people have said there is no reason why people can't support both an LOI team AND a premiership team. There are many valid reason why ppl prefer not to attend LOI games and ppl should be respected for whatever choices they make. I've always found it very disrespectful on here how ppl go off at "barstoolers".
I don't have any problem with someone following an English team. I support Stoke, because my Dad's from there. I've actually been following them longer than I've been following Bray. My problem is when they follow an English team, rationalising it with all sorts of daft excuses, or just acting like a complete onanist, like that fella from my course, instead of picking a team they actually have a real connection with.

Don't tell me it never annoyed you when people asked you "Kildare? Why would you want to support them", and you had to give the stock answer "Because I'm from Kildare", only to be greeted with a blank look of incredulity.

When people who are from Bray slag me because Bray lose, but "their" team Liverpool or Arsenal have won, I feel very tempted to cheer for France on Wednesday night, and when challenged say "Ireland? Why would I want to support them? They're ****"

[bennocelt]

A. Not everyone has a "local" team. 22 teams in the league, 6 from dublin, 3 from galway and 2 from louth - means that only 14 of the 27 counties (including County Derry!) have an LOI team. So I understand how for a large proportion of the population, supporting an LOI team was never an option.

D. Facilities.

.


No team in my local area - but thats no excuse for me not to make the effort to support my league - the LOI. How is supporting a team in Manchester or Glasgow better than getting off your arse and on a bus/train and heading to a LOI game.

Facilities? Its the football I'm mostly interested in, not the standard of the toilets or if the stand has a cover, or the quality of the meat pies at half time?

But fair enuff -I guess you are still hurting over Kildare town!:p:)

[John83]

And their manager's Irish. What more do you want?
I'm sold. Where can I get a Sandefjord crest put on the site?

[WoodquayBoy]

Irish people dont support the Eircom League.
I'll join this debate late, and my contribution will be brief as the likes of PineappleStu, thischarmingman, Marinobohs and Peadar 1987 have said it all as far as I'm concenred.
Anyway, my point is this: none of us support the Eircom League anymore.
Get it right.
Thank you.

[SkStu]

I said it on here before, we not a football loving nation, we're a glory hunting nation.

Look at the amount of people in Ireland who follow the big four. Not many would follow lesser English clubs. How many Chelsea shirts do you see now. How many did you see in the mid-eighties? Remember post 1992 when nearly eveyone had a Newcastle jersey. Where have they all gone? Same with Sunderland. Although its more of a exception than rule with Sunderland!

My mates in Sunderland don't understand why people in Ireland don't follow LOI. It seems natural to follow your local club. Most of them would follow Blyth Spartans or Durham City as well as Sunderland. Plus the season runs opposite to the EPL we've the best of both worlds.

it really is as simple as this. Ireland is not "sports mad", never has been and nver will. Unless there is glory by proxy we just dont want to know generally. I always thought i loved footie until i went to my first Bohs game against UCD and then i realised that what id had before was merely liking to watch the game on telly. Bohs was true love. Live football is where is at - and if you truly love football, you will want to watch it live no matter who is playing, no matter what the goal per game ratio is, no matter what the teams are.

Any other excuses is just bullsh!t masquerading as laziness being defended as consumerism.

[ArdeeBhoy]

No matter what team you support, you should at least back your country.

Otherwise yer in danger of sounding like a couple of Irish players who play/played for PL clubs in Manchester who obviously would have preferred internationals never existed?

And the irony is, even though the most well-known one is capable of being a self-indulgent tw*t, he looks like Mother Teresa compared to the most recent example.

And the comments about Dublin & West Brits are laughable;Did some of you actually go to school? Or ever spent any time in O'Connell Street? Or know why it's the capital?

If you don't, get your parents or family to sue your local education board.....

[peadar1987]

And the comments about Dublin & West Brits are laughable;Did some of you actually go to school? Or ever spent any time in O'Connell Street? Or know why it's the capital?

If you don't, get your parents or family to sue your local education board.....

Refresh my memory. Isn't it some sort of giant conspiracy against Cork?

[Kildare Lad]

Excellent thread this is btw, some great points from both sides of the argument.

Don't know where I stand really, as david said above I have also given the League of Ireland a fair crack, now personally I have really enjoyed it, fallin in love with it even. I genuinely think that people who do not follow their local side are missing out on a tremendous feeling of live football, the passion, the loyalty, amazing feelings like these that I have experienced following Kildare county.
But, also like david, I cannot blame someone if they do not follow the League of Ireland. I think some people are being harsh towards some followers of foreign clubs, there are people out there who do end up following sides purely based on the fact they play nice football, for example, I enjoy watching Brazil play and whenever they are on the box I would try and watch it, I have done since the 2002 World Cup (when I first saw them play), over time and after watching them play a few games I developed a soft spot to them and now it is at the stage where I would hope they win all their games (bar v Ireland obviously), this must surely be a form of "supporting" them no?

Now I am just using that as an example, but it is possible that there are other people out there who have developed a liking of teams in England or Spain or wherever based on the same way I would like to see Brazil win. I would gladly watch any good game of football, since the fall of county I would now just be more of a fan of the sport than any one club in particular, and, for example, if it happens that Barcelona are a team I begin to watch on sky every couple of weeks and they play nice attractive flowing football, would I be wrong in taking an interest in them? I think not.

However, its when people begin to follow clubs for no apparent reason and feel the same "pride" when their beloved Man United or Chelsea win a game as I did when Kildare won a game, that is what confuses me about football fans in this country.

[kennedmc]

England (UK) is a country with huge influence on global culture - probably only beaten by the states globally. As they are our nearest neighbour its only natural they have an impact on us.

Some people on this thread seem to suggest that supporting an English club somehow dilutes their Irishness - what a laughable thought!

Also why stop at football? How many people like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones? How many people have enjoyed comedies like Porridge, Only fool and Horses and Faulty towers? Own up I'm sure some of you watch Cornation Street and Eastenders!

If so in your eyes it surely makes you as culpable in your betrayal of Ireland(ha!) as me - an Irishman who supports Liverpool as my club.

Also ever been to Scotland, Wales, Denmark, Finland, Norway etc. There is huge support for English football in particular in there countries aswell as African, Asian countries etc. Ireland and Irish people are no way unique in there support of Irish football and of general cultural trends globally.

The level of small mindedness displayed by some people who appear to only support LOI so it affords them the opportunity to b!tch and moan about everthing else is astounding;) Ok I'm joking about the lasr bit but sometimes I wonder.

[SkStu]

England (UK) is a country with huge influence on global culture - probably only beaten by the states globally. As they are our nearest neighbour its only natural they have an impact on us.

Some people on this thread seem to suggest that supporting an English club somehow dilutes their Irishness - what a laughable thought!

Also why stop at football? How many people like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones? How many people have enjoyed comedies like Porridge, Only fool and Horses and Faulty towers? Own up I'm sure some of you watch Cornation Street and Eastenders!

If so in your eyes it surely makes you as culpable in your betrayal of Ireland(ha!) as me - an Irishman who supports Liverpool as my club.

Also ever been to Scotland, Wales, Denmark, Finland, Norway etc. There is huge support for English football in particular in there countries aswell as African, Asian countries etc. Ireland and Irish people are no way unique in there support of Irish football and of general cultural trends globally.

The level of small mindedness displayed by some people who appear to only support LOI so it affords them the opportunity to b!tch and moan about everthing else is astounding;) Ok I'm joking about the lasr bit but sometimes I wonder.

its not about Irish or English - its about going to see some footie. Most posters here and LOI fans in general have an english or foreign team that they follow. The point is that they support their local club too.

[PartySaint]

England (UK) is a country with huge influence on global culture - probably only beaten by the states globally. As they are our nearest neighbour its only natural they have an impact on us.

Some people on this thread seem to suggest that supporting an English club somehow dilutes their Irishness - what a laughable thought!

Also why stop at football? How many people like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones? How many people have enjoyed comedies like Porridge, Only fool and Horses and Faulty towers? Own up I'm sure some of you watch Cornation Street and Eastenders!

If so in your eyes it surely makes you as culpable in your betrayal of Ireland(ha!) as me - an Irishman who supports Liverpool as my club.

Also ever been to Scotland, Wales, Denmark, Finland, Norway etc. There is huge support for English football in particular in there countries aswell as African, Asian countries etc. Ireland and Irish people are no way unique in there support of Irish football and of general cultural trends globally.

The level of small mindedness displayed by some people who appear to only support LOI so it affords them the opportunity to b!tch and moan about everthing else is astounding;) Ok I'm joking about the lasr bit but sometimes I wonder.

Most people here dont mind people supporting a English club as long as they support their local team aswell, theses people who support Man utd or Liverpool dont support Englnad over Ireland when it comes to International matches so why not support a Irish club?

You used Norway and Scotland as a example of other countries who support English teams but most of these people would support their local team aswell as a EPL team

[peadar1987]

England (UK) is a country with huge influence on global culture - probably only beaten by the states globally. As they are our nearest neighbour its only natural they have an impact on us.

Some people on this thread seem to suggest that supporting an English club somehow dilutes their Irishness - what a laughable thought!

Also why stop at football? How many people like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones? How many people have enjoyed comedies like Porridge, Only fool and Horses and Faulty towers? Own up I'm sure some of you watch Cornation Street and Eastenders!

If so in your eyes it surely makes you as culpable in your betrayal of Ireland(ha!) as me - an Irishman who supports Liverpool as my club.

Also ever been to Scotland, Wales, Denmark, Finland, Norway etc. There is huge support for English football in particular in there countries aswell as African, Asian countries etc. Ireland and Irish people are no way unique in there support of Irish football and of general cultural trends globally.

The level of small mindedness displayed by some people who appear to only support LOI so it affords them the opportunity to b!tch and moan about everthing else is astounding;) Ok I'm joking about the lasr bit but sometimes I wonder.

In Scotland, there's little interest in English football. Not compared to Ireland anyway. They have their own league, it fills all the sports pages, and it's the one that will come into the mind of every Scot when they hear the word "fitbaw". In Scandinavia, there is a lot of interest in the English game, but people still turn out in huge numbers to support their local clubs.

In Africa and Asia, the game at a local level is in absolute disarray because people would rather watch foreign football than their own leagues. I'm sure you remember a while back in Nigeria when a group of Barcelona fans were killed when a Man United fan deliberately ran them over in his van. As far as I am aware, neither of these sides has ever had a Nigerian play for them. No offence to the countries involved, but I wouldn't want to go modelling our society on them.

[Acornvilla]

ah sure look at all the clubs i follow :) the town will always come first thou ever since i was a mascot and got to sit ion the dugout for the finn harps first leg ive been hooked lovely orange slices in the dessing room at half time and the ref gave me a tenner :D

[Bluebeard]

If I move to Beligum I will support La Magie Mons RAEC Mons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.A.E.C._Mons)

Well for some.

I'm stuck with the other Waterford United (http://www.waterforduc.org/)...

[holidaysong]

At least the other Dundalk (http://www.dundalksoccerclub.com/) play football or eh 'soccer'...

[PartySaint]

the ref gave me a tenner :D

Its supposed to be the other way round

[bennocelt]

Some people on this thread seem to suggest that supporting an English club somehow dilutes their Irishness - what a laughable thought!

If so in your eyes it surely makes you as culpable in your betrayal of Ireland(ha!) as me - an Irishman who supports Liverpool as my club.

.


The way you choose Liverpool is because 1) They were good and you like glory hunting 2) you copied your friends/family members who supported them. 3) they had a few Irish players or 4) you liked their shirt?

Why did you not choose Macclesfield or Tranmere (for example)?

There is no way in hell you can argue that you are a true football fan if you have no interest in your own LoI, or local team.

And i bet you wrapped the Irish flag around you last saturday? Arent brazil a better team to follow for you - thery are good and have nice shiny jerseys
I bet you cheer against England too at football

[Acornvilla]

The way you choose Liverpool is because 1) They were good and you like glory hunting 2) you copied your friends/family members who supported them. 3) they had a few Irish players or 4) you liked their shirt?

Why did you not choose Macclesfield or Tranmere (for example)?

There is no way in hell you can argue that you are a true football fan if you have no interest in your own LoI, or local team.

And i bet you wrapped the Irish flag around you last saturday? Arent brazil a better team to follow for you - thery are good and have nice shiny jerseys
I bet you cheer against England too at football
am i the only irish person who likes to see the 4 british nations do well?:o

[crc]

When people who are from Bray slag me because Bray lose, but "their" team Liverpool or Arsenal have won...
That kind of attitude really annoys me (especially from a friend of mine who "supports" Sunderland) :mad:

[crc]

am i the only irish person who likes to see the 4 british nations do well?:o
Oh, please! :rolleyes:

[thischarmingman]

That kind of attitude really annoys me (especially from a friend of mine who "supports" Sunderland) :mad:

It's been posted before but always worth posting:

xN1WN0YMWZU

[bennocelt]

am i the only irish person who likes to see the 4 british nations do well?:o

you mean 5, yeah?:p

[Acornvilla]

you mean 5, yeah?:p
.....:rolleyes:

[Torn-Ado]

What a tedious thread. Running down the whole nation of Ireland because not everyone supports a certain football team. Believe it or not there are people who don't give a flying f*ck about football or sport for that matter. Are they all horrible people too.

Change the self loathing record ffs.

[thischarmingman]

What a tedious thread. Running down the whole nation of Ireland because not everyone supports a certain football team. Believe it or not there are people who don't give a flying f*ck about football or sport for that matter. Are they all horrible people too.

Change the self loathing record ffs.

In case you're wondering, that faint whizzing noise you just heard was the point of the thread whoosing past some several miles distant.

[Stevo Da Gull]

What an interesting time to stumble across this thread. At the moment, I'm living in Sydney, and have made the decision to go (back) to University. As reality hits that I could never afford the internatonal student fees to study here in Australia, I have to cast my eyes back to Ireland.. and I hold off a fear.. a dreading in my gut.

The prospects of folowing the Wanderers in person again and seeing my old friends are heartening.. but that's about where the good stuff ends for me. I try not to waste time with hatred and loathing, because it achieves little.. but Irish society doesn't give me the warm and fuzzys! Society in general can wreck my head a bit, but Irish society more so than the norm.

At the same time, I am Irish. I am (or was and will be when I return) a part of Irish society.. I can make a difference. "I can make a difference".. I hear myself say it, and I believe it.. but then I look at the LOI. How many good people have put their all into lifting this league, only for their efforts to go unnoticed and seeminlgy provide little or no progress. At the same time though, people have had their lives changed by the league.. many of us on foot are examples.

I've not got much, if any, faith in Ireland. But if/when I do return (shudders down spine) I intend to go at life there full throttle.. because it's a better option than giving up*

*Unless you can leave the country.. in which case.. GET THE FUDGE OUT..GO.. Be freeeee :D

[Macy]

The hardcore fans of the clubs they "support" hate them for inflating prices and taking tickets from local fans. Unappreciated where ever they are, except by the moneymen who see the €/stg£ signs. It's them that are missing out - they deserve pity not hate. Patronise them to death, or just leave them to it.