shels or linfield

[Slash/ED]

Yeah it'll confuse the hell out of Finbar Flood, gaurenteed!

[pete]

Yeah it'll confuse the hell out of Finbar Flood, gaurenteed!

"Convict Chairman/CEO/Secretary/Publican/Disco King" doesn't have the same ring to it does it?

[Fortuna1886]

Ah come on now you are takin the p!ss ;)

I haven't seen any Linfield fans coming on here with sectarian comments. Only people with those comments have been people trying to show how bigoted Linfield fans are supposed to be.



Oh they do exsist but they are the type who can't write proper ulster ;) let alone use Computer.

Sorry to say i'll be suprised if I dont here a few party songs on Saturday, fuelled by an all day drinking session. I for one will be down hoping we aren't humilated on and off the pitch. Have to say though i'm a lot more confident after our perfromance against the Glens, but I have a feeling we will see a Shels victory.

[eirebhoy]

I hate Linfield but that's a pretty sweeping statement by anyone's standards!! :eek:
Ok, sorry, "hate" was the wrong word to use. :) I would have thought the majority would be anti-Irish though. I don't mean they wouldn't talk to an Irishman. I'm anti-Rangers but I could still have a good night out with a Rangers fan. I keep my eye out on FollowFollow (a Rangers forum with over 10,000 members) and most of them can't figure out whether they want Celtic or Ireland to win on the 29th.

[harpskid]

Who was it that hoped it'd be a 0-0 draw and Setanta kept the money?

Whoever it was, I agree. Can't stand either $hel£ or Linfield!

[harpskid]

Oh, can someone add in a "neither" option on that poll for those of us who will be neutrals

[Da Real Rover]

Linfield and football in general didn't cause the problems in our society up here, but it does reflect them.

One poster here says he wouldn't treat us as a normal club or words to that effect which saddens me
Exactly what i was saying, that football clubs represent the fans that follow them and that obviously the fans political opinions are represented through the medium of there club. Linfield are not the cause of the problems up there by any stretch of the imagination but just a by product of the feelings up there.

I did not mean to single out Linfield as not a normal club, its just in my mind a normal club does not have any significant political leaning and by that reckoning alot of the teams on the continent are not 'normal'. This was probably the wrong word to use, unconventional would probably have been better.

The reason why alot of southern fans still hold resentment towards Linfield is cause of the reputation it has built over the years and i know attempts have been made to eradicate the bigoted element but it will take a some time for southen fans to fully respect Linfield fans, just as it took a long time for that reputation to be built up over the years.

[wintz]

Who was it that hoped it'd be a 0-0 draw and Setanta kept the money?

Whoever it was, I agree. Can't stand either $hel£ or Linfield!

Looking forward to meeting up with Tony Gorman again.....

[harpskid]

Looking forward to meeting up with Tony Gorman again.....

I'm sure Anthony will be delighted to see yourself at some stage too!

[steveyg2004]

I'm sure Anthony will be delighted to see yourself at some stage too!

:D :D :D Nice One!!

[dcfcsteve]

Sorry to say i'll be suprised if I dont here a few party songs on Saturday, fuelled by an all day drinking session.

Fortuna - why do Loyalists insist on using the phrase 'party songs' to sanitise what are essentially sectarian songs with either anti-catholic lyrics and/or that are sung with an anti-Catholic context/intent? They're bigoted songs - not something you'd hear at a McDonalds kid's birthday bash !

I can never get my head around this. The phrase 'party songs' attempts to portray them as something completely harmless, which they're not...

[steveyg2004]

Fortuna - why do Loyalists insist on using the phrase 'party songs' to sanitise what are essentially sectarian songs with either anti-catholic lyrics and/or that are sung with an anti-Catholic context/intent? They're bigoted songs - not something you'd hear at a McDonalds kid's birthday bash !

I can never get my head around this. The phrase 'party songs' attempts to portray them as something completely harmless, which they're not...

Aye, its definitely a bit of spin right up their with good ole Tone's best efforts, it's not just a turn of phrase or anything. :rolleyes: I think Fortuna 1886 should be more insulted at your assumption that he is a loyalist.

DCFC Steve, I have long been of the opinion that you find the most politically minded people in all of Ireland hailing from Derry/Londonderry (not everyone from the Maiden City, but a few), some of whom who are complete and utter gurning pedants.

Perhaps this is fuelled somewhat by a w*nker from Derry in the Ulster Scots Agency phoning up my work and lambasting me for sending a publication he requested to his home address adressed to 'Derry'. This sort of politically fuelled point scoring pedantry infuriates me no end, especially when the name is now interchangable since the Maiden City's Council became 'Derry City Council'.

Well Im sorry DCFC Steve but your little rant was up there with the 'best'/worst pedantry.

I read the thread about the Longford Linfield match with interest, and what I took from it was the Longford lads were not politically minded and played down a few of the Linfield support making bigoted arses out of themselves - It took your good self DCFC to try and exploit the minor incidents and take the subject of the thread away from football and into Northern Ireland politics - This annoyed me greatly at the time, but by the time I arrived the thread had been closed. In terms of biased, one sided views, yours should have won an award, claiming that all trouble, violence, sectarian song singing emenated from proddy clubs, with the one exception of this being Celtic. I wonder why you didn't post this view on ILF instead of Foot.ie, or indeed a lot of your opinions, because you know on ILF you wouldnt get away with them because there are too many fair minded individuals who also know more than most on here about football up North. You have a captive audience on here, and one which isnt going to be able to argue with alot of what you say, or to put it another way argue with how unbalanced your views and 'exampes' are.

Euphemisms are part of life - Im sure you could think of many more examples were 'nice sounding words' are used to describe pretty horrible acts.

Unless we agree to ban the terms 'rebel' and 'party' songs and use the phrase 'sectarian, hatred filled songs', I don't know what could be done, but then you didn't mention the 'rebel' songs, did you Steve! ;)

[BleusAvantTout]

For once, I have to agree with a glenman! ;)

[gspain]

Exactly what i was saying, that football clubs represent the fans that follow them and that obviously the fans political opinions are represented through the medium of there club. Linfield are not the cause of the problems up there by any stretch of the imagination but just a by product of the feelings up there.

I did not mean to single out Linfield as not a normal club, its just in my mind a normal club does not have any significant political leaning and by that reckoning alot of the teams on the continent are not 'normal'. This was probably the wrong word to use, unconventional would probably have been better.

The reason why alot of southern fans still hold resentment towards Linfield is cause of the reputation it has built over the years and i know attempts have been made to eradicate the bigoted element but it will take a some time for southen fans to fully respect Linfield fans, just as it took a long time for that reputation to be built up over the years.

I first saw Limerick play in Sligo in 1975 and have been many times since. I've the utmost respect for the club and supproters. Would you then accept that Sligo Rovers FC reflects the bunch of teemagers in the Shed back in the late 80's that greeted Limerick's arrival onto the pitch with "Stab City W&*K W%^K" and some obscene gestures."

No I thought not. Nor are Sligo a Fianna Fail club because Ray McSharry used to go to games.

Linfield are not a sectarian anti Irish club because 50 of their fans sing sectarian songs. Linfield are a football club - They have as many political views as Sligo Rovers. Linfield Football Club this year wore black armbands and flew their flag at half mast as a mark of respect after the death of Pope John Paul II. They allowed a West Belfast GAA team to use their facilities.

[Mr_Parker]

I first saw Limerick play in Sligo in 1975 and have been many times since. I've the utmost respect for the club and supproters. Would you then accept that Sligo Rovers FC reflects the bunch of teemagers in the Shed back in the late 80's that greeted Limerick's arrival onto the pitch with "Stab City W&*K W%^K" and some obscene gestures."

No I thought not. Nor are Sligo a Fianna Fail club because Ray McSharry used to go to games.

Linfield are not a sectarian anti Irish club because 50 of their fans sing sectarian songs. Linfield are a football club - They have as many political views as Sligo Rovers. Linfield Football Club this year wore black armbands and flew their flag at half mast as a mark of respect after the death of Pope John Paul II. They allowed a West Belfast GAA team to use their facilities.

50? :rolleyes:

Linfield have actually officially stated (1996) that they were proud their Unionist background and ethos of their club. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong in stating this nor does that in itself make it Sectarian.

[crc]

Its nothing really to do with politics. The majority of Linfield fans hate us Irish. I don't know how any Irishman could support them.Bullsh*t. This is a ridiculous cave-man like pre-conceived notion that is based on hyperbole rather than fact. Nobody is arguing that Linfield don't attract a small hard-line following, but it really is a minority - NOT a majority.

What about all the Cork fans at the City-Ports game on Monday who shouted "Huns" the whole way through the match, or shouted "west-Brit" at Arkins? Or the Rovers fans who jeered Lee Feeney during their first game against Bohs? Or the fans at Republic of Ireland games who did the same to Rangers players?

Any Linfield fan I have ever met hasn't hated me because I'm Irish, simply because they are Irish too. I'm not denying their identity - they are also British and proud of it - but they are normally at pains to point out that Linfield is the most succeful club ever in Ireland!

And the half-wits who base their hostility to Linfield in the Setanta final because the prize money will go to the GB, or 'English' economy need their unreconstructed 'chuckie' views challenged. It doesn't make sense in a sporting (let alone political) sense. Linfield are a club with the same challenges as Shels, Bohs, Derry, Cork - they are not Liverpool, Man Utd, Celtic or Rangers! And its not the same as supporting a European team over an eL one, because the success of the Setanta Cup will be beneficial for all local football fans, north and south.

So who will I be supporting - I go for chips

[LFC in Exile]

simple as this: shels have more money than us, if ye win this, ye get even more money. It's a no-brainer

Yep, typical Cork - it all comes down to money..

Now, I wonder what is wrong with this league? :rolleyes:

[dcfcsteve]

Aye, its definitely a bit of spin right up their with good ole Tone's best efforts, it's not just a turn of phrase or anything. :rolleyes: I think Fortuna 1886 should be more insulted at your assumption that he is a loyalist.

DCFC Steve, I have long been of the opinion that you find the most politically minded people in all of Ireland hailing from Derry/Londonderry (not everyone from the Maiden City, but a few), some of whom who are complete and utter gurning pedants.

Perhaps this is fuelled somewhat by a w*nker from Derry in the Ulster Scots Agency phoning up my work and lambasting me for sending a publication he requested to his home address adressed to 'Derry'. This sort of politically fuelled point scoring pedantry infuriates me no end, especially when the name is now interchangable since the Maiden City's Council became 'Derry City Council'.

Well Im sorry DCFC Steve but your little rant was up there with the 'best'/worst pedantry.

I read the thread about the Longford Linfield match with interest, and what I took from it was the Longford lads were not politically minded and played down a few of the Linfield support making bigoted arses out of themselves - It took your good self DCFC to try and exploit the minor incidents and take the subject of the thread away from football and into Northern Ireland politics - This annoyed me greatly at the time, but by the time I arrived the thread had been closed. In terms of biased, one sided views, yours should have won an award, claiming that all trouble, violence, sectarian song singing emenated from proddy clubs, with the one exception of this being Celtic. I wonder why you didn't post this view on ILF instead of Foot.ie, or indeed a lot of your opinions, because you know on ILF you wouldnt get away with them because there are too many fair minded individuals who also know more than most on here about football up North. You have a captive audience on here, and one which isnt going to be able to argue with alot of what you say, or to put it another way argue with how unbalanced your views and 'exampes' are.

Euphemisms are part of life - Im sure you could think of many more examples were 'nice sounding words' are used to describe pretty horrible acts.

Unless we agree to ban the terms 'rebel' and 'party' songs and use the phrase 'sectarian, hatred filled songs', I don't know what could be done, but then you didn't mention the 'rebel' songs, did you Steve! ;)

We'll just have to agree to differ on all of this then Steveyg.

Firstly - numerous people on here, north and south, have posted who they will be supporting in the final. Some have used footballing reasons for who they're backing - but a significant number (north and south) have used 'politics' as justification for them not backing Linfield. I didn't mention political reasons at all on my 2 posts re who I'd be supporting - and in fact my intitial post said that I wasn't even sure who I wanted to win (i.e. I hadn't ruled-out backing Linfield) ! Yet when I raise a question -albeit pedantically - on the topic of 'party songs', all of a sudden it's "let's all look at the bigoted Derry man trying to bring politics into it all......." ! :confused:

Ironically - I DID mention Rebel Songs in my original post, but deleted it when I thought people would take it the wrong way when I said that 'at least that's what they were to a closer extent - songs about rebellion'. It doesn't make them any better, but at least they're labelled in a more honest way.

I take your points about pedantry, though as this is something that genuinely annoys me we'll just agree to differ. I have both mentioned and debated this point on the ILF previously - but gave up to be frank. Many of the Linfield fans on there didn't see anything wrong with singing the Billy Boys etc against Catholic supporters, and if they don't see anything wrong then there really is no point trying to give them the alternative view. There appears to be a level of tolerance of sectarian singing at Linfield that I haven't seen at any other club outside the Old Firm and possibly Cliftonville. I'm not saying every other club has fans with halos, but at the same time I'm not aware of other clubs who have this problem persistent. The singing of 'rebel songs' would just not be tolerated by the ordinary fans at a Derry game, for example (and please don't come-back with the stoning of buses away from our ground as a suitable response to this). It hasn't always been that way - but that's been the case for the last decade or so. That is the simple truth. The phrase 'party songs' is part and parcel of the tolerance bit I mentioned - making it all sound a bit more tolerable and normal than it should be. But I take your point that it's difficult/unlikely that the title will get changed.

As for me looking to stoke-up political and religious contention - far from it. I stand-up for what I think and believe - which is why I was shocked to hear Longford supporters tolerating anti-Catholic songs being sang at them. They may think it's a bit of fun from the security of their Midlands homes, but as a Derry man born and bred I don't. Likewise, any Derry fans who I heard singing sectarian songs would genuinely get shouted down by me, regardless of how big they were (For example - I almost got into a fight at an Ireland game in Basel with a Cork guy who I had a go at for inserting the 'Sinn Fein/IRA' bit into Fields of Athenry). But sure, I'm only an aul' bigot anyway....

As for my own personal political and religious views - I'm genuinely about as liberal a Derry man as you're ever likely to meet, as anyone on this site who's met me could hopefully concur. No doubt that'll inspire a few rolled eyes in responses, but there we go anyway....

P.S. When did I claim that "all violence, trouble, sectarian song emanated from proddy clubs, with the exception of Celtic" ? Regardless - I'll play along for a bit anyway. So- which other clubs apart from Cliftonville WOULD have a history and a reputation for this sort of behaviour ? There probably are others, but I can't think of any.

[corkharps]

$hels for me. I'll always support a team from the 26 counties against someone from another league! ;) :p

[LFC in Exile]

The concern over Shels money and what they'll do with it misses one point. Is there a rule in the Setanta Cup that the prize money can't be used by IL teams to buy top class eL players?

Cork fans might just as well worry about Linfield getting the money. Think Georgie would look good in blue?

By the way the LFC in my name is not Linfield FC. :)

[rebs23]

Couldn't shout for Linfield. Couldn't shout for Shels. How about an option don't care as long as the before and afters doesn't end up in mayhem.
A 7.30pm KO is just pure crazy. Imagine if it was a City v Linfield final!

[dcfcsteve]

The concern over Shels money and what they'll do with it misses one point. Is there a rule in the Setanta Cup that the prize money can't be used by IL teams to buy top class eL players?

I don't know for sure, but I doubt there is Exile, to be honest.

Would be difficult to enforce anyways. "Oh - that's not the Setanta money - we spent that on new toilets. This is a different chunk of cash - honest !". :)

[patsh]

Yep, typical Cork - it all comes down to money..

Now, I wonder what is wrong with this league? :rolleyes:
And what else does it come down to?
Where would your club be now, if someone hadn't put money in?
Do Limereick play in some fantastical league, where everybody and every club play for the honour of it all and the Corinthian spirit?
When you figure out how the rest of us can continue to play week in, week out and challenge for honours without money, let us know, ok?

[Éanna]

Yep, typical Cork - it all comes down to money..

Now, I wonder what is wrong with this league? :rolleyes:
It doesn't all come down to money, it comes down to me wanting my club to win things. Shels are our main competitors for silverware and more money for them makes it harder for us to win things. It's glaringly obvious really!

[pete]

MODERATOR WARNING:

Drop the Politics. Stick to football or at least non-politics.

[Mr_Parker]

MODERATOR WARNING:

Drop the Politics. Stick to football or at least non-politics.

Once Northern teams are involved in debate, politics are inextricably linked, as with most aspect of life here. Sad but fact.

[eirebhoy]

Bullsh*t. This is a ridiculous cave-man like pre-conceived notion that is based on hyperbole rather than fact. Nobody is arguing that Linfield don't attract a small hard-line following, but it really is a minority - NOT a majority.

What about all the Cork fans at the City-Ports game on Monday who shouted "Huns" the whole way through the match, or shouted "west-Brit" at Arkins? Or the Rovers fans who jeered Lee Feeney during their first game against Bohs? Or the fans at Republic of Ireland games who did the same to Rangers players?

Any Linfield fan I have ever met hasn't hated me because I'm Irish, simply because they are Irish too. I'm not denying their identity - they are also British and proud of it - but they are normally at pains to point out that Linfield is the most succeful club ever in Ireland!

And the half-wits who base their hostility to Linfield in the Setanta final because the prize money will go to the GB, or 'English' economy need their unreconstructed 'chuckie' views challenged. It doesn't make sense in a sporting (let alone political) sense. Linfield are a club with the same challenges as Shels, Bohs, Derry, Cork - they are not Liverpool, Man Utd, Celtic or Rangers! And its not the same as supporting a European team over an eL one, because the success of the Setanta Cup will be beneficial for all local football fans, north and south.

So who will I be supporting - I go for chips
Eh, you mustn't have read my most recent post. The majority of Linfield fans are anti-irish imo, same goes for Rangers fans. They cheer on the opposition when we (Ireland) are playing. Therefore, that is good enough for me to cheer on the opposition no matter who they are playing.

[joey B]

Perfectly good thread ruined by Cork/Shels bulls*it and sectarian rhetoric :mad: :rolleyes:

[Éanna]

Eh, you mustn't have read my most recent post. The majority of Linfield fans are anti-irish imo, same goes for Rangers fans. They cheer on the opposition when we (Ireland) are playing. Therefore, that is good enough for me to cheer on the opposition no matter who they are playing.
What you mean like the majority of Irish people cheer on whoever England are playing? Does this mean Irish people are "anti-english" or does it just mean it's part of the rivalry that exists?

[Dublin12]

The majority of the world cheer on whoever England are playing :D

[anto eile]

The Garda will be prepared and everyone in Ireland knows about Linfield FC and their heritage, security will be tight at this game - I would be very surprised if there was any trouble on Saturday.

i dont care about the result. Rovers arent in it sp it doeesnt matter to me. though if i had to choose,i would choose to not see shels receive a cheque for E150,000 , regardless of their opposition,be it cork or linfield

i doubt therel be trouble on saturday,but if there is i doubt the gards will manage to stop it given theri poor record in "policing" Rovers and bohez

[anto eile]

Or the Rovers fans who jeered Lee Feeney during their first game against Bohs?

wtf is that. no Hoops jeered lee feeny. thats a completely stupid idiotic comment

[wws]

theres probably no team in the setanta cup that I WANTED to win the damn thing this year but who do i think will win it? has to be a northern team. Setanta has shown up the EL as a bit backward hasnt it???? we're meant to be the full time league but they look better than us with willing part timers

fair play to the prods, they play a good game a ball!

[Fortuna1886]

I dont think we played that well against Longford but we did in our games against the Glens. Fitness has to be a huge factor on Saturday night and with that in mind i'm not overly confident.

[btid1]

Only two words needed to be added to this thread:

"C'mon Linfield"!!!!!!

Bohs Till I Die!

P.S. Ollie and his little dwarf Fenlon will never get my support after their behaviour in Dalymount on their last visit.As for Jason Byrne's slut well the less said the better I dont want to get barred!

[Fortuna1886]

The Irony being we Love Fenlon here, Legend.

[Da Real Rover]

I first saw Limerick play in Sligo in 1975 and have been many times since. I've the utmost respect for the club and supproters. Would you then accept that Sligo Rovers FC reflects the bunch of teemagers in the Shed back in the late 80's that greeted Limerick's arrival onto the pitch with "Stab City W&*K W%^K" and some obscene gestures."

No I thought not. Nor are Sligo a Fianna Fail club because Ray McSharry used to go to games.

Linfield are not a sectarian anti Irish club because 50 of their fans sing sectarian songs. Linfield are a football club - They have as many political views as Sligo Rovers. Linfield Football Club this year wore black armbands and flew their flag at half mast as a mark of respect after the death of Pope John Paul II. They allowed a West Belfast GAA team to use their facilities.
Allright i will repeat this again for you gspain. The fans make a club and so what if we jeered your team and im sure yev done the same and some alot worse. The fact is that the club is represented by the fans who support it whether the board or other fans like it.

That has got to be one of the most stupid arguments i have ever heard. What the **** does Ray Mc Sharry got ta do with Rovers. So what he goes to the games, ive said this before that on the whole, irish clubs dont have any real political allegiance because on the whole irish fans dont give a **** about politics, but on the continent its different.

You dont honestly believe that its just 50 fans that have given Linfield one of the most notorious names in Irish football, its just ridiculous thinking its only 50. As i said before Linfield have made an effort to eradicate its bigoted element and so have some of the fans. just like Lazio they have gone to pains to remove the hardcore right wing element in its club, but everyone still sees the Swatstikas and hears the hissing noise of the fans. Now im sure the majority of Lazio fans are not Fascist but that does not mean we expect Jews to go to the games and treat it like any regular club. Im not being a bigot by having a bias against Linfield and if you think i am then i guess your calling Jews being bigots against Lazio and blacks being bigots agains Real Madrid.

[BohDiddley]

theres probably no team in the setanta cup that I WANTED to win the damn thing this year but who do i think will win it? has to be a northern team. Setanta has shown up the EL as a bit backward hasnt it???? we're meant to be the full time league but they look better than us with willing part timers

fair play to the prods, they play a good game a ball!
Sorry wws, but you've given me an irresistible excuse for a foray into one of my pet themes and, unfortunately, one that upsets those among us who want to have it both ways (in sport, not religion I mean).
Prods don't play GAA. :eek:
Yes, yes, yes, I know that there are bound to be exceptions, but the old bogball is largely preserve of the pro-Pope lot.
That gives the monarch-lovers something of a headstart at the beautiful game, don't you think?

[Andyh]

Sorry wws, but you've given me an irresistible excuse for a foray into one of my pet themes and, unfortunately, one that upsets those among us who want to have it both ways (in sport, not religion I mean).
Prods don't play GAA. :eek:
Yes, yes, yes, I know that there are bound to be exceptions, but the old bogball is largely preserve of the pro-Pope lot.
That gives the monarch-lovers something of a headstart at the beautiful game, don't you think?

What has it got do with protestants and catholics??? Surely the southern especially Dublin clubs have a much bigger population to choose from anyway, so that would allow for people choosing to play gaelic.

[Speranza]

Despite what Mr Parker has said I applaud the board of Linfield for their absolute condemnation of the minority of neandrothals who spout their rubbish, they have the dunfield project with Dundalk and let that GAA team use Windsor. The modern board seems to have moved away from their clear anti-cathlolic nature of the past. The problem still seems to be the fans and the toleration (check ILF) of songs which will disgust any right thinking person. Like why do Linfield have supporters clubs throughout the 6 counties including places with Irish league teams? It's because they are still seen as a Rangers feeder club and that is sad.

On this occasion and only this occasion I will support the $heliban while being utterly disgusted with myself.

[gspain]

Allright i will repeat this again for you gspain. The fans make a club and so what if we jeered your team and im sure yev done the same and some alot worse. The fact is that the club is represented by the fans who support it whether the board or other fans like it.

That has got to be one of the most stupid arguments i have ever heard. What the **** does Ray Mc Sharry got ta do with Rovers. So what he goes to the games, ive said this before that on the whole, irish clubs dont have any real political allegiance because on the whole irish fans dont give a **** about politics, but on the continent its different.

You dont honestly believe that its just 50 fans that have given Linfield one of the most notorious names in Irish football, its just ridiculous thinking its only 50. As i said before Linfield have made an effort to eradicate its bigoted element and so have some of the fans. just like Lazio they have gone to pains to remove the hardcore right wing element in its club, but everyone still sees the Swatstikas and hears the hissing noise of the fans. Now im sure the majority of Lazio fans are not Fascist but that does not mean we expect Jews to go to the games and treat it like any regular club. Im not being a bigot by having a bias against Linfield and if you think i am then i guess your calling Jews being bigots against Lazio and blacks being bigots agains Real Madrid.

The vast majority of Linfield fans are decent football fans as are the vast majority of Sligo Rovers fans.

It was about 50 in Longford singing sectarian songs - maybe there is a hardcore of 200-300 that do this regularly and cause trouble. Shamrock Rovers and Bohs have similiar issues with a minority of their fans.

Linfield FC do not have any sectarian or racist policies (they most likely did have a sectarian policy from 1950-1988 possibly 93). They are now actively involved in community projects such as Dunfield.

After the Longford game they club put a hard hitting editorial in their programme condemning the minority of bigots who sang those songs.

I want Shels toi win on saturday night ebcause they represent our league.

[gspain]

Sorry wws, but you've given me an irresistible excuse for a foray into one of my pet themes and, unfortunately, one that upsets those among us who want to have it both ways (in sport, not religion I mean).
Prods don't play GAA. :eek:
Yes, yes, yes, I know that there are bound to be exceptions, but the old bogball is largely preserve of the pro-Pope lot.
That gives the monarch-lovers something of a headstart at the beautiful game, don't you think?

Not that it matters but Linfield will probably field 4 or 5 Catholics tomorrow night

There are plenty of other topics on here highligting GAA bigotry rather than drag this one down that rathole.

[gspain]

Despite what Mr Parker has said I applaud the board of Linfield for their absolute condemnation of the minority of neandrothals who spout their rubbish, they have the dunfield project with Dundalk and let that GAA team use Windsor. The modern board seems to have moved away from their clear anti-cathlolic nature of the past. The problem still seems to be the fans and the toleration (check ILF) of songs which will disgust any right thinking person. Like why do Linfield have supporters clubs throughout the 6 counties including places with Irish league teams? It's because they are still seen as a Rangers feeder club and that is sad.

On this occasion and only this occasion I will support the $heliban while being utterly disgusted with myself.

While I agree with most of what you are saying your statement on Supporters Clubs beggars belief.

Linfield have Supporters clubs all over NI because they are the big team - the glamour team and they are successful. Mamchester United have SCs all over Kewnt, Milton Keynes etc. Juventus have fans all over Italy, Real Madrid all over Spain.......

[BohDiddley]

Not that it matters but Linfield will probably field 4 or 5 Catholics tomorrow night

There are plenty of other topics on here highligting GAA bigotry rather than drag this one down that rathole.
Sorry. You're quite right. I was just indulging my pet rant. Got pulled out of position a bit, so to speak!

[BohDiddley]

maybe there is a hardcore of 200-300 that do this regularly and cause trouble. Shamrock Rovers and Bohs have similiar issues with a minority of their fans
I agree with the general thrust of what you're saying. But I don't think this is a fair comparison. We certainly do not have a 'hard core' of 200-300 hooligans. Maybe 20 dimwit tops, who appear to be mostly famous for being rather fleet of foot and who are regarded as a joke at best by others Bohs fans.
I can't speak for the shams, but the only time we see dogs, horses and riot gear is when we play them.

[Andyh]

I don't really know much about Shels, but from what people are saying they are pretty well off, and Linfield aren't short of a pound or two (i.e 15% of revenue from every NI international at Windsor). So would it be true to say that the two clubs in Ireland who LEAST need the money are in the final?? :confused:

[Mr_Parker]

Despite what Mr Parker has said

Like to explain what you are refering to?

[Slash/ED]

I don't really know much about Shels, but from what people are saying they are pretty well off, and Linfield aren't short of a pound or two (i.e 15% of revenue from every NI international at Windsor). So would it be true to say that the two clubs in Ireland who LEAST need the money are in the final?? :confused:

I don't think there's a team in this Island that doesn't need the money to be fair.

[Speranza]

Mr Parker, I was refering to your comment on the Linfield board stating their pride in their unionist past. I know you don't like Derry but we're not all out to get you :)

[Mr_Parker]

Mr Parker, I was refering to your comment on the Linfield board stating their pride in their unionist past. I know you don't like Derry but we're not all out to get you :)

My post was not so much a comment but a statement of fact.

As for Derry, after Cliftonville finally received their long overdue payment from DC I might start to like you "wans" just a little ;)