Shamrock Rovers fans cancel bus services to Derry

[Aaron]

Press Release:
For immediate Release :
General
05.07.11
10pm : No embargo.

‘Shamrock Rovers fans cancel bus services to the Brandywell’

'It is with great regret that the various Shamrock Rovers’ supporters groups have decided to cancel all buses to Friday’s away game against Derry City at the Brandywell. This unprecedented measure has been taken because of genuine fears for the safety of Shamrock Rovers’ fans, the potential damage to hired transport and the frontline risks involved for coach companies’ staff.'

This unprecedented move comes on the back of several clearly premeditated attacks in the recent past on Shamrock Rovers supporters’ buses in and around the Brandywell, which remains a no-go area for the local police.

This alarming situation needs to be immediately addressed by Derry City FC, especially as the club enjoys a unique and privileged position in that it is based in a jurisdiction governed by Northern Ireland’s Irish Football Association and yet plays in the Republic of Ireland’s FAI Airtricity League.


Tallaght Hoops SC
Northside Hoops SC
Hoops SC
Pride of Ringsend SC
Derek Tracey No. 1 Crumlin Hoops SC
Ballyfermot Hoops SC

Interesting. Saying as they also boycott this forum I dont expect many replies from them;)

[Rasputin]

I think the most important question to raise here is whether Myposts spaceship will be making the journey?

[osarusan]

This alarming situation needs to be immediately addressed by Derry City FC, especially as the club enjoys a unique and privileged position in that it is based in a jurisdiction governed by Northern Ireland’s Irish Football Association and yet plays in the Republic of Ireland’s FAI Airtricity League.

Why does their location/jurisdiction make it 'especially' important that the situation be addressed?

[marinobohs]

Typical kneejerk reaction by shams or indicitive of issues at Brandywell ? Would hope Derry take possible fan concerns seriously as shams are not the only fans to have encountered problems at the Brandywell. Shame, as it was one of the best away games to visit and always a bit of crack with home fans.

Have shams - or other club(s) raised any concerns with Derry City FC ?

[Aaron]

Typical kneejerk reaction by shams or indicitive of issues at Brandywell ? Would hope Derry take possible fan concerns seriously as shams are not the only fans to have encountered problems at the Brandywell. Shame, as it was one of the best away games to visit and always a bit of crack with home fans.

Have shams - or other club(s) raised any concerns with Derry City FC ?

It seems the issue is outside the ground, and it has already been pointed out that is the PSNI's problem

[Lim till i die]

I heard Pat O'Sullivan bought all the buses.

He wants a bear on a honda 50 to jump them for his amusement.

That's the real reason.

[marinobohs]

It seems the issue is outside the ground, and it has already been pointed out that is the PSNI's problem

Fair enough CTID but clubs usually cooperate to minimise any possible risk to visiting fans (its in everyones interest). As you can imagine this is a constant factor when shams visit us (or vice versa). Have heard some bad reports concerning temporary stewards that Derry take on for certain (bigger) games (not wearing any ID, overly aggressive etc) not sure if there is much/any truth in the stories but they do keep arising, perhaps some further training might be a help ?

[Hibs4Ever]

Shams are the only club that has "problems"up in Derry (or anywhere tbh), yet this is Derry's fault?

[Macy]

It seems the issue is outside the ground, and it has already been pointed out that is the PSNI's problem
Not aimed directly at you, but if that's generally accepted then there's a fair amount of double standards going on. When incidents happen outside the ground involving Rovers or Bohs, I don't recall too many people agreeing with it when this kind of thing is said.

Was there dialogue, or attempted dialogue since the last visit in preparation for this game? My recollection is that there was coaches attacked after the last game? I generally agree with what happens outside the ground isn't really the clubs responsibility, but at the same time Derry can't really have it both ways - if they don't want the police presence around the ground, then they have to take a greater responsibility for outside too.

[brendy_éire]

Maybe it's a "boycott" because the match on TV, that a European away trip is coming up, loads of people on holidays or that Derry is the furthest Shams have to travel this season?

"Clearly premeditated attacks" or a provoked reaction from some local scumbags to certain songs?
I'm not saying the local scumbags are right, but certain songs really don't help matters. Will the same songs be sung on the Cliftonville Road next time they're up visiting their Belfast muckers?

"Brandywell...which remains a no-go area for police". Where does this inaccurate assumption come from?

Did the SCs contact the club regarding any concerns they may have had? Perhaps an agreed plan could be put in place?

The whole release seems like it could have come straight from Linfield release from the 1970s. Especially the last paragraph about our "priviledged" position in the LoI.

I assume Shamrock Rovers fans will also be boycotting Bohemians, Dundalk and Sligo due to the goings-on outside these matches.

Or maybe this is all to do with the Zayed incident last month? Still annoyed about that, methinks.

[placid casual]

Maybe it's a "boycott" because the match on TV, that a European away trip is coming up, loads of people on holidays or that Derry is the furthest Shams have to travel this season?

"Clearly premeditated attacks" or a provoked reaction from some local scumbags to certain songs?
I'm not saying the local scumbags are right, but certain songs really don't help matters. Will the same songs be sung on the Cliftonville Road next time they're up visiting their Belfast muckers?

"Brandywell...which remains a no-go area for police". Where does this inaccurate assumption come from?

Did the SCs contact the club regarding any concerns they may have had? Perhaps an agreed plan could be put in place?

The whole release seems like it could have come straight from Linfield release from the 1970s. Especially the last paragraph about our "priviledged" position in the LoI.

I assume Shamrock Rovers fans will also be boycotting Bohemians, Dundalk and Sligo due to the goings-on outside these matches.

Or maybe this is all to do with the Zayed incident last month? Still annoyed about that, methinks.

Well done on being wrong on every single misjudged utterance there.must be close to a record,even for this forum
You want explanations i'd assume?
How about getting your head out if your ar$€.

[marinobohs]

Maybe it's a "boycott" because the match on TV, that a European away trip is coming up, loads of people on holidays or that Derry is the furthest Shams have to travel this season?

"Clearly premeditated attacks" or a provoked reaction from some local scumbags to certain songs?
I'm not saying the local scumbags are right, but certain songs really don't help matters. Will the same songs be sung on the Cliftonville Road next time they're up visiting their Belfast muckers?

"Brandywell...which remains a no-go area for police". Where does this inaccurate assumption come from?

Did the SCs contact the club regarding any concerns they may have had? Perhaps an agreed plan could be put in place?

The whole release seems like it could have come straight from Linfield release from the 1970s. Especially the last paragraph about our "priviledged" position in the LoI.

I assume Shamrock Rovers fans will also be boycotting Bohemians, Dundalk and Sligo due to the goings-on outside these matches.

Or maybe this is all to do with the Zayed incident last month? Still annoyed about that, methinks.

Seems a tad OTT alright but hope Derry would make every effort to ensure safety of fans travelling to the Brandywell. shams (for all their many faults :o) have a resilient fanbase and most are decent fans (REMINDER TO SELF - wash out mouth) that travel the lenght and breath of the country so I would not be as quick to dismiss this as just some stunt.

[Dave_SRFC]

Wouldn't say its anything to do with the songs, those local knackers are there after every game and Derry are happy to do feck all about it even though the club know all about it... Do you think people wouldn't be put off by buses getting stoned previously? Anyway seems like you dont want the hassle of having away fans going by the way your mutton headed stewards behave.

[born2bwild]

The time is right for an all-Ireland league.

[Aaron]

Wouldn't say its anything to do with the songs, those local knackers are there after every game and Derry are happy to do feck all about it even though the club know all about it... Do you think people wouldn't be put off by buses getting stoned previously? Anyway seems like you dont want the hassle of having away fans going by the way your mutton headed stewards behave.

Hold on, what do you want the club to do? Ban them from the area? Its a problem for the PSNI, the club can only ensure fans safety inside the ground. Outside its a different matter. The club is no more responsible for fans outside the ground as they are for fans in the middle of the town.

[born2bwild]

Hold on, what do you want the club to do? Ban them from the area? Its a problem for the PSNI, the club can only ensure fans safety inside the ground. Outside its a different matter. The club is no more responsible for fans outside the ground as they are for fans in the middle of the town.
The club should liaise with the cops to stop scumbags pelting buses with bricks. There should be a PR offensive by the club too so that message gets out that that kind of carry on is not acceptable.
I agree, the Shams' comment about Derry's 'privileged' status is not helpful but you have to man up as a club and accept your responsibility in this matter. Saying that it's not your responsibility is wrong. It is your responsibility because what affects the league and its clubs is, by definition, your responsibility.

[dfx-]

Why does their location/jurisdiction make it 'especially' important that the situation be addressed?

Possibly because they have appear to have specialist dispensation that they can police the ground themselves and that the local police are not to be found in the area. The sort of steward behaviour that marinobohs has mentioned..

If the situation will continue to be ignored either way as has been done, then at least the safety of the bus drivers, the bus companies' property and the safety of the fans can only be guaranteed by not going up.

[Jicked]

Its not a "boycott", its the supporters clubs who organise buses to Brandywell saying people will have to organise their own way up to this game. The stonings do happen, and its been getting worse. If it does get much worse the bus companies they travel with wont be willing to take them there or elsewhere in future. Once a few of the buses pulled out, they all pretty much had to since if one went alone it would be pelted even worse. Hardly knee-jerk, and completely understandable that the people who give up their time and money organising these buses dont think its worth the effort/risk to future trips if the PSNI or ahem, other "security" operating in the area helps them out a bit.

[Flexy]

wouldn't say its anything to do with the songs, those local knackers are there after every game and derry are happy to do feck all about it even though the club know all about it... Do you think people wouldn't be put off by buses getting stoned previously? Anyway seems like you dont want the hassle of having away fans going by the way your mutton headed stewards behave.
get a grip dave and speak sense

[SkStu]

Hold on, what do you want the club to do? Ban them from the area? Its a problem for the PSNI, the club can only ensure fans safety inside the ground. Outside its a different matter. The club is no more responsible for fans outside the ground as they are for fans in the middle of the town.

only you cant even do that with the goons you employ as stewards up there. The stories i heard directly from good friends of mine over the recent trip to Derry were pretty damning of Derry City FC. I didnt post any for fear of an infraction.

I have to say i am in full agreement with the Supporters Clubs right to cancel the trips for the reason outlined in their release. Damage to 3rd party property, injury to fans and others are all valid concerns given the history of Shams visits to Derry. I also feel that Derry have a responsibility to cooperate with the PSNI in this regard about these issues if and when possible. Would co-operation with the PSNI be out of the question for Derry fans?

[MariborKev]

No one deserved to be attacked to or from a game. Period.

I have real problems with the "clearly pre-meditated" attacks phrase of that statements. The clear implication of that sentence if you didn't know the scenario is that Derry City fans are those carrying out the attacks. Having seen on the Ultras Forum who drafted the statement I am surprised he didn't have more sense.

As Brendy's says, yet more bolix about the Brandywell being a no-go area for cops. The PSNI are the police force, if they decided to be in the area, there is nothing the club or anyone else can do about it. In fact, myself and Brendy were in a car last Friday at around 1am on the way back from Drogheda passing through the Brandywell. What did we see? A police mondeo, covered in the stickers and logo. But here, I am sure the Rovers fans know better than us.

If the game was going to be tasty before this, this just added a bit to it.

[Aaron]

The club should liaise with the cops to stop scumbags pelting buses with bricks. There should be a PR offensive by the club too so that message gets out that that kind of carry on is not acceptable.
I agree, the Shams' comment about Derry's 'privileged' status is not helpful but you have to man up as a club and accept your responsibility in this matter. Saying that it's not your responsibility is wrong. It is your responsibility because what affects the league and its clubs is, by definition, your responsibility.

I agree that the club should liaise with the PSNI, BUT people forget that the scumbags doing this don't care about Derry City. Anything Derry City would say would simply be laughed off by them.

How can we "man up" over matters out of our control? The simple fact is if stewards from inside the ground came out and tried to deal with youths around the ground, they could so easily be accused of assaulting a minor.

The club can say all they like but until the PSNI take control of outside the ground, there is nothing the club can do


only you cant even do that with the goons you employ as stewards up there. The stories i heard directly from good friends of mine over the recent trip to Derry were pretty damning of Derry City FC. I didnt post any for fear of an infraction.

I have to say i am in full agreement with the Supporters Clubs right to cancel the trips for the reason outlined in their release. Damage to 3rd party property, injury to fans and others are all valid concerns given the history of Shams visits to Derry. I also feel that Derry have a responsibility to cooperate with the PSNI in this regard about these issues if and when possible. Would co-operation with the PSNI be out of the question for Derry fans?

Absolutely not. What people dont realise is that there is always undercover police inside the ground, there has to be for an event that size.

[Sam_Heggy]

This has to be the strangest thread ever.

Bohs fans backing up Rovers fans posts and now a Harps fan about to defend Derry (kind of anyway). Is there a full moon tonight?

We have rarely had a problem in or out of the Randywell in the past few years. In 2008 there was a huge crowd there, everyone mixed no segregation and no trouble whatsoever.
You do tend to run into the odd gobsheen standing outside shouting stupid things trying to get a rise but more fool to anyone who takes them on. They are muppets and nothing more.

[Finlay Harp]

Agree with Sam. We have had many a big game at Castle Greyskull and bar a few minor issues nothing much to write home about. I have to say Harps fans have probably encountered more bother at other grounds around the country. Does this refusal to travel apply to all grounds that Rovers have been 'attacked' at before? Dalymount, Oriel etc.

[Jicked]

You're missing the point. Its not just about people being attacked outside Dalyer or wherever. We don't bring 5+ buses to the Northside of Dublin. We do to Derry and a few other places. If they get continously or badly damaged, the third parties they're hired from wont allow Rovers fans use them. (That's before you get in to the safety concerns of individuals, and the potential liability the organiser of a SC bus might face if a kid gets glass in his face, which is the more serious though more unlikely issue, the other one is one which will come to pass)

[CSFShels]

We've had similar issues in Derry so I can't say I blame Rovers for this one.

[mypost]

....which ends the "songs" justification theories.

There is no reason to justify what does happen, it's simply local youths choosing easy targets to strike. When we were last there, the attacks were clearly co-ordinated. Every single bus, including the team bus, was attacked, with varying degrees of damage. Other clubs have the same travel issues up there. The concern for this and future visits is justified.

[Charlie Darwin]

I have real problems with the "clearly pre-meditated" attacks phrase of that statements. The clear implication of that sentence if you didn't know the scenario is that Derry City fans are those carrying out the attacks. Having seen on the Ultras Forum who drafted the statement I am surprised he didn't have more sense.
You're reading too much into it. "Clearly pre-meditated" means the people who stoned the bus last time clearly weren't just locals passing by who took the occasion to throw a rock or two. It was people who went out of their way to plan and attack and are therefore likely to do it again.

[A N Mouse]

There gob****es and toerags everywhere.

Visiting supporters have been 'attacked' or had their property damaged outside grounds up and down the country, irregularly, for as long as I remember.

People made their minds up on whether or not to travel based on past experiences.

But you either go or don't go. This press release malarkey is nothing but stupidity.

Apart from the questionable rhetoric employed. Giving the cretins, who cause enough trouble without excuse of a high profile football match, this kind of publicity becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Or was the intent to paint a bigger target on any rovers fan now still fool enough to travel?

[MariborKev]

You're reading too much into it. "Clearly pre-meditated" means the people who stoned the bus last time clearly weren't just locals passing by who took the occasion to throw a rock or two. It was people who went out of their way to plan and attack and are therefore likely to do it again.

And I'm telling you that if they want to premeditate an attack on you lot, there would have been fireworks and everything else up.

"People who went out of their way to plan and attack". Obviously the "Art of War" that the dissies are distributing round the door is being avidly read by the tween and disillusioned teen market......

[hoopy]

Sorry to have to miss the game as it has all the hallmarks of a cracker. I'd be very surprised if any of the yahoos who have been attacking our buses actually go to the games so it's unfortunate for Derry to miss out on a few grand at the gate. But it's hard to convince bus drivers that this won't happen again anywhere else when you're driving back to Dublin with no windows in the freezing cold. These buses/drivers are needed for other away venues. Also some of the guys doing security in the ground seem to be itching for a row at the best of times. Anyhow Radio Foyle between 8-8.30am tomorrow is doing a piece about it with contributions from one of our guys and a Derry City councillor.

[Jicked]

There gob****es and toerags everywhere.

Visiting supporters have been 'attacked' or had their property damaged outside grounds up and down the country, irregularly, for as long as I remember.

People made their minds up on whether or not to travel based on past experiences.

But you either go or don't go. This press release malarkey is nothing but stupidity.

Apart from the questionable rhetoric employed. Giving the cretins, who cause enough trouble without excuse of a high profile football match, this kind of publicity becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Or was the intent to paint a bigger target on any rovers fan now still fool enough to travel?

I think pretty obviously its done to shine a bit of light on the problem, and hope that the PSNI and/or Derry City could give a bit more assistance in getting our fans out of Derry safely.

[Charlie Darwin]

And I'm telling you that if they want to premeditate an attack on you lot, there would have been fireworks and everything else up.

"People who went out of their way to plan and attack". Obviously the "Art of War" that the dissies are distributing round the door is being avidly read by the tween and disillusioned teen market......
It sounds like you know who "they" are. Maybe you can fill us in.

[Aaron]

It sounds like you know who "they" are. Maybe you can fill us in.

Of course we know, its local hoods from the Brandywell/Bogside area.

[Dodge]

Wonder how many will travel independently?

[Charlie Darwin]

Of course we know, its local hoods from the Brandywell/Bogside area.
He seemed to be implying they were some sort of organised crime syndicate who are incapable of premeditating anything less than a complete bloodbath.

[MariborKev]

CD,

Fact of life up here. If you grow up with it, you can fairly quickly evaluate whether something is organised by "elements" or if it is recreational rioting(that's the term, I kid you not).

Hence my reference to the tween and disillusioned teen market.

These are literally people who go "There's a bus, here grab some stones and we'll have a go at it". You are dealing with the same mentality of people who burn out tourist buses, burn out musicians vans when they are in town for the jazz festival and then complain that there is "nothing to do in Derry".

It would do yer head in.:mad:

[Aaron]

He seemed to be implying they were some sort of organised crime syndicate who are incapable of premeditating anything less than a complete bloodbath.

"You're reading too much into it" ;)

[MariborKev]

I think pretty obviously its done to shine a bit of light on the problem, and hope that the PSNI and/or Derry City could give a bit more assistance in getting our fans out of Derry safely.

And the same couldn't have been achieved by contacting the club directly and expressing the concerns that way?

[Charlie Darwin]

CD,

Fact of life up here. If you grow up with it, you can fairly quickly evaluate whether something is organised by "elements" or if it is recreational rioting(that's the term, I kid you not).

Hence my reference to the tween and disillusioned teen market.

These are literally people who go "There's a bus, here grab some stones and we'll have a go at it". You are dealing with the same mentality of people who burn out tourist buses, burn out musicians vans when they are in town for the jazz festival and then complain that there is "nothing to do in Derry".

It would do yer head in.:mad:
Perhaps your experiences have led you to exaggerate the word premeditated then :p

My point is that you can premeditate something five minutes before it happens. That's all the time it takes to get organised and from what I've been told it sounds like the kids involved were at least organised enough that they were able to ambush all the buses more or less at once. We Tallaght folk are quite innocent and naive you see.

[MariborKev]

That's all the time it takes to get organised and from what I've been told it sounds like the kids involved were at least organised enough that they were able to ambush all the buses more or less at once.

They were all coming out the one gate, one after each other.....

[Charlie Darwin]

I'm just going by what I've been told, that they were all attacked at once. They were coming out of the gate one by one so obviously the people attacking the bus would have had to picked the right time to strike.

What I'm saying is that the statement wasn't accusing Derry fans of planning the attack. Nobody apart from a few loony ultras think they were and nobody would interpret it that way.

[MariborKev]

I'm just going by what I've been told, that they were all attacked at once. They were coming out of the gate one by one so obviously the people attacking the bus would have had to picked the right time to strike.

"Picked the right time to strike". Jesus, give me strength.

So the three people in work today who have no interest in the LOI who asked me about Derry fans fighting Rovers fans were ultras then?

[Charlie Darwin]

I assume they're people who have no interest in the LOI and just assumed they were Derry fans.

[MariborKev]

Aye,

And that's what the press release has done.....

[Charlie Darwin]

I think we've taken this as far as we can go.

[MariborKev]

Agreed.

We'll adjourne this thread to next season so...

[Finlay Harp]

Wait til Nolan gets going about this one! Sensationalism journalism!

[DannyInvincible]

Possibly because they have appear to have specialist dispensation that they can police the ground themselves and that the local police are not to be found in the area. The sort of steward behaviour that marinobohs has mentioned..

If the situation will continue to be ignored either way as has been done, then at least the safety of the bus drivers, the bus companies' property and the safety of the fans can only be guaranteed by not going up.

The Brandywell area isn't a "no-go" area for the PSNI. The insinuation of the release, however, is that Derry City are at fault for the actions of hoodlums outside the stadium, whatever about the behaviour of the stewards within it. The club can't be held responsible for the lack of police presence outside the ground or some subsequent lack of order.

As for within the stadium itself, it's my understanding that the club does liaise with the PSNI and there are officers in plain clothes observing every game. And that bit about Derry "enjoying a unique and privileged position..."; that's just petty and stupid. It comes across as a juvenile swipe, if not some sort of veiled, but ultimately impotent, threat.

[born2bwild]

The PSNI could sort it out. Still, there are other options. Maybe Martin McGuinness can defuse this bomb as well?