programme vs S.P.A.

[thecorner]

didnt get it last night but can anybody shed some light on lennox's notes

read this over on corkcityfc.ie

2) His notes about a few City fans being troublesome at recent away games? What is he on about? Is it just the throwing of a few smoke flares on the pitch at Waterford? I haven't seen anything else really.

[Éanna]

yeah, i was wondering what the story with that was? I read them and can't think of any particular incident

[Colm]

Some guy on Corkcityfc.ie reckons that Tom the Gom gave him his version of events about what happened at the Dublin City game.

Now I think Lennox is far too smart to listen to Tom so I'd say someone else was filling him with this crap. I wonder who that could be! :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Seriously, it's very stupid for Lennox to come out with something like that.
To critisise the real hardcore fans who actually bother to travel to away games is insulting to the clubs most loyal supporters and you'd think he'd know better.

Anyone here, who goes to most of the away game will know that there has not been one incident of serious hassle at any away game this season so I don't know what the hell he's on about.

[thecorner]

u think he keep his comments until he starts travelling to away games... they are very rarely seen at away games

what odds though that all the "board" will be there next friday

[adamd164]

Lennox is just acting the **** with comments like that, I don't even see him @ the away matches I make.

[niamh]

Maybe he is just reacting to the fact that another eL chairman publically criticised some fans behaviour. I don't personally have a problem with what went on during the Dublin City match, but alot of other people would.

A few City fans that are knocking around are no angels when it comes to voicing their opinion at referees and linesman - I think several people over reacted during the game in Drogheda for example.

However there is a very think line between acceptable and not, and I think most of the difference is down to personal opinion tbh.

[Fair_play_boy]

I would be really disappointed if Lennox said anything unless he has something rock solid to go on. He knows that he has the number 1 fan base in the EL. That is not something that you can buy like a good midfielder! If it is the smoke signals in ratland, or the verbals at the Dublin City game, let him come out and say so, that way we can relax and see it for what it is.

[City Hero]

From what I can see on this thread, nobody knows exactly what his comments were directly referring to. Maybe he could have been clearer, or maybe he just wanted poeple to know that they represent the club home or away. But why is he being critisised for not being seen at away games. Does he go to every away game? Only Brian himself knows that, but he does have his own business to run.

The complete text of the paragraph relating to fan behaviour is;

"It must be said, though, that in recent weeks there have been a small number of incidents involving a few of our fans which do not reflect well on the club, on us or on our proud tradition. There is no question that the overwhelming numbers of you, our fans, are a credit to the game and bring credit on the club. We are the Rebel Army! But I must ask that you remember what you stand for, when you do go away to support the club; you are our ambassadors. And, if necessary, remind those around you by your own behaviour and actions that the club is made up of both the players and the supporters, and only if we all perform to the highest standards, will we win in the end."

I don't think anyone can acuse Lennox of being stupid or missinformed, and he certainly isn't criticising the real fans.

Here is a summary of incidents that I am aware of in recent weeks;
Drogheda away - abuse of match officials.
Shamrock Rovers away - 1 person removed from the ground at half time by Gardai.
Bohs away - City fan entered the dressing room after the game.
Dublin City away - Public criticism by Ronan Seery.
Waterford away - smoke bombs thrown on pitch and at least 1 person removed from the ground by Gardai.

Some of the above have been discussed before, and they are only general comments as I don't know the exact circumstances of a number of them. The who's & why's of all the above are not what is being discussed here, but there is a trend, and any publicity arrising from these incidents is bad regardless of who was at fault.

[Colm]

Drogheda away - abuse of match officials.

That happens at every football match at every level everywhere in the world. The City fans were quite loud and persistant in their portests that day but nobody really did anything wrong. The Gardai even asked the muppet stewards to stop antagonising the City fans.


Shamrock Rovers away - 1 person removed from the ground at half time by Gardai.

That was for throwing a ball around in the crowd, happens every second week in the shed. There were loads of people doing it, this was a combination of an unlucky City fan and an over-reaction from a grumpy Garda.


Bohs away - City fan entered the dressing room after the game.

Did that actually happen?
If it did it's totally unacceptable and unwarranted. It's the only semi-serious incident you've mentioned.


Dublin City away - Public criticism by Ronan Seery.

We all know or have heard what happened here. Let's just say that Seery was the only person removed by the stewards.


Waterford away - smoke bombs thrown on pitch and at least 1 person removed from the ground by Gardai.

Smoke bombs are for creating atmophere. The Waterford fans used them themselves in the Cross earlier this season.
The guy removed was a drunk youngfella who got a bit lippy with the Garda. Probably an overreaction by the cop but certainly not a reflection on the City fans.

None of these incidents warrant a critisism from Lennox and I still maintain that he should have thought about his comments more and had a little bit more respect for ALL the City fans who make the effort travel regularly to away games.

[City Hero]

None of these incidents warrant a critisism from Lennox and I still maintain that he should have thought about his comments more and had a little bit more respect for ALL the City fans who make the effort travel regularly to away games.

As i said in my earlier post, the who's & why's of these incidents are not the issue. Sure they are all minor incidents, but when you look at the bigger picture, there have been regular incidents at away games for a number of weeks and Lennox has clearly stated that the "overwhelming" number of fans are part of the club and are a credit to the club. Maybe Lennox was offering a word of advice for the individuals involved in these incidents, before something serious happens.
And I think that Brian Lennox has the utmost repect for the real fans. After all they are the paying customers.

[Éanna]

City hero, I'm inclined to agree with a lot of what you've said, but i still think Lennox could have thought the comments out a bit better. Iwon't deny that there have been any of these incidents, but there has been nothing in anyway serious at all IMO, and being honest, I would have liked the club to demand Seery retract his comments in the interest of fairness.

[thecorner]

rebel and colm

ye beat me to it :mad:

[Colm]

I would have liked the club to demand Seery retract his comments in the interest of fairness.

I agree totally.
A public show of support like this would have earned the club a lot of goodwill from the fans.
Everyone knew that Seery was at fault and that the fans were wrongly accused so, like Eanna, I would have liked if the club pursued the issue and asked Seery to apologise.

[Fair_play_boy]

About two months ago, there was an idea floated that a fans forum be held to allow the club management the opportunity to air and share their views with fans. This is just the type of thing that can be discussed openly in a setting like that.

[patsh]

1. There was an ott reaction in Drogheda.....I know as I was one of those who over-reacted....:o

2. Does it occur to anyone that 20 or so people dressed in City jersies, getting off the bus on an open road, and p*ssing for all to see might have attracted a complaint or two from passers-by?

3. SOME fans going on away trips are fairly jarred up by the time they get to games, and are a little more aggressive and abusive than is necessary.

We are not a bunch of choirboys, and its no harm to be reminded that, particularly on away trips, our behaviour is watched by those who are only too eager to cause controversy and its the club that gets the bad name IF anything happens.

[Éanna]

1. There was an ott reaction in Drogheda.....I know as I was one of those who over-reacted....:o

2. Does it occur to anyone that 20 or so people dressed in City jersies, getting off the bus on an open road, and p*ssing for all to see might have attracted a complaint or two from passers-by?

3. SOME fans going on away trips are fairly jarred up by the time they get to games, and are a little more aggressive and abusive than is necessary.

We are not a bunch of choirboys, and its no harm to be reminded that, particularly on away trips, our behaviour is watched by those who are only too eager to cause controversy and its the club that gets the bad name IF anything happens.
good point patsh. there's no call for fella's climbing off a bus and ****ing on the street and certainly no call for the kind of agression that some people display after they've been drinking. that said, nothing has actually happened really, maybe lennox was trying to nip it in the bud?

[tiktok]

As someone who goes to most away games I was a bit disappointed in Lennox's comments. Having said that, there have been a collection of little incidents recently. While individually they might not amount to much, as a collection, they're worth considering.

Tiktok dons 'devils advocate' hat....

Rovers away.
City fan ejected. We say lads having a laugh, neutral might have noticed an old man being bundled over and the City fan tackling the Garda in question as he tried to pick up the ball.
Bohs away.
City fan reportedly has to be escorted out of the team dressing room (although I stayed on late after that game and didn't see it).
Dublin City away.
We've debated both sides, but Tom the Gom (regardless of your opinion of him), the one neutral in the ground, thought we were a disgrace.
Waterford away.
Smoke bombs thrown on pitch, we all know they're outlawed. Another City fan ejected (who reportedly threw a punch at a steward and then a Garda).

Fact is, a lot of people (lads and ladies) are turning up at City away games p1ssed now, and it IS making them more aggressive, even if that only manifests itself in abuse of officials.

[Hecko]

I agree that Drogheda was ott - and did City no favours when we had a great away support and a great atmosphere.

But apart from that there hasn't been any real probelms that I've seen at any of the games in Dublin this year. There's one or two out there who are more than a 'bit jarred' when they get to Richmond, Dalyer or Tolka and maybe we coudl all do a bit more to keep them under control... It usually only takes a quiet word

[ccfcman]

There were also a load of cheepy ads in the middle, last minute job I'd think

[NorthoftheLee]

Another City fan ejected (who reportedly threw a punch at a steward and then a Garda).

That is definitely not true. The lad in question gave a bit of lip twice to a garda. A bit stupid but no violence there...



I think lennox should have given the examples he was on about because it tars everyone who travels with the same brush as no one knows what "incidents" he was talking about and it also gives no way for the fans to give their side of the story. All we are talking about now is thing we might think it is. None of us know what exactly he was talking about and that is what dissapointed me about the piece. Its easy to generalise and fob it off as a few...but who are those few...was it the people in the stand at waterford who ran towards reynolds shouting abuse when he got sent off?? I dont know, no one knows and thats because the piece was generalised. He should have stated the incidents so at least people would be aware of what he is deeming unacceptable behaviour and then act on that.

[NorthoftheLee]

The Rat gave us the finger....what other way were people supposed to react to carry on like that....



Thats the point i was making...his generalised comments leave them open to hearsay etc,....

[razor]

I thought those ads were a special deal the club were offering to advertise in both the Rebel Army race night programme and the programme for the Pat's game. Good idea I thought.

From a financial perspective, maybe but in my opinion it lowered the standard of an otherwise excellent publication.
I counted 9 pages of uninterrupted ads at one point.

[The Donie Forde]

From a financial perspective, maybe but in my opinion it lowered the standard of an otherwise excellent publication.
I counted 9 pages of uninterrupted ads at one point.

As mentioned above it was a tie-in with the Race Night from the previous evening. A few bob riding on it I assume, but otherwise I agree it killed one of our better recent productions... :(

Donie

[City Hero]

This thread has gone totally off topic.

Poeple have their own opinions about all the incidents mentioned above. Some of them closer to the truth, some of them way of the mark, and we cetainly don't need to spend another 100 posts trying to decide who is closest to the truth.

Lennox's comments in the programme were aimed at a small number of individuals, not the majority of fans, and he clearly stated that. Instead of asking who, what and why? maybe we should have just had a look in the mirror and think about things a bit more, and some poeple have done that and have been honest. Others chose to ignore it and accuse Lennox of critising the real hardcore fans.

The bottom line is that if the incidents mentioned above didn't happen, then Lennox's comment would not have been printed, and this thread would be about poeple who hate George or something like that.

[thecorner]

Waterford away.
Smoke bombs thrown on pitch, we all know they're outlawed. Another City fan ejected (who reportedly threw a punch at a steward and then a Garda).

.

i saw this person being thrown and would love to know where he got a step-ladder so fast ;)