Shamrock Rovers 2020 League Champions*****

[RathfarnhamHoop]

There's only one Stephen Bradley

KOH

[sbgawa]

Shame not to be able to celebrate it properly but it is a fantastic team performance all season that has done it.
Hopefull the first of a run of wins

[Neish]

Congrats Shamrock Rovers and up the Harps

[Scrufil]

Well done on your Project Mr. Bradley!

[nigel-harps1954]

Congrats to Rovers. All this nonsense of half a season aside, they're clearly the best side in the league this year and fully deserve the title.

[Buller]

Yes yes yes. All bow before your God, Stephen Bradley.

[Yossarian]

Fair dues to Rovers, can’t argue with them being the best team in this shortened season. I suppose it shows the benefit of having a board who stick by their man at the time a lot of the supporters wanted him out.

[Charlie Darwin]

Haven't even played a game in three weeks and we win the title. What a club.

[Scrufil]

Even more insane us the fact that in an 18 game season Shamrock Rovers won the league in just 14 games.

[Ezeikial]

Congratulations to Rovers. Deserved winners of the Astrerix league

[nigel-harps1954]

Congratulations to Rovers. Deserved winners of the Astrerix league

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/asterix/images/9/9f/Asterix%2C_Obelix_%26_Dogmatix.png/revision/latest?cb=20110324122229

[sbgawa]

The ultras have a 2020* tee shirt on the way, listening to this stuff just makes it all the sweeter.<br>
It is a pity that we couldnt play 36 games this season but other than for the deluded it didnt make any difference.<br>
Priority now is to agree a restart date and format to allow people plan.

I do think Harps are good enough to beat any of the first division teams, possibly Galway might give them a game with the momentum they have

[Calcio Jack]

Congratulations to Rovers.Deserved winners of the Astrerix* league

*Asterisk is the correct spelling

[Poor Student]

Congratulations to Rovers. They've demonstrably outperformed all other clubs over a full series of home and away games. Suitable circumstances to determine a champion. The truncated format probably just reduced their winning margin. Trolling aside the validity of the achievement can't be called into question. No asterisk necessary in my opinion.

[D24Saint]

Congratulations to Rovers. They've demonstrably outperformed all other clubs over a full series of home and away games. Suitable circumstances to determine a champion. The truncated format probably just reduced their winning margin. Trolling aside the validity of the achievement can't be called into question. No asterisk necessary in my opinion.

It would just be sour grapes suggesting anyone else was ever going to win the league no matter how many games played.

[Martinho II]

Fair dues to Shamrock Rovers for winning the league. Board deserves massive kudos for sticking by SB when he had his dodgy spell.

[Ezeikial]

*Asterisk is the correct spelling

I prefer the comedic slant

[Ezeikial]

Congratulations to Rovers. They've demonstrably outperformed all other clubs over a full series of home and away games. Suitable circumstances to determine a champion. The truncated format probably just reduced their winning margin. Trolling aside the validity of the achievement can't be called into question. No asterisk necessary in my opinion.

Fair comment, except the the asterisk

[Calcio Jack]

I prefer the comedic slant

Astrerix*

*incorrect spelling of Asterisk and also Asterix help for this condition can be provided by Getafix

[sbgawa]

Dundalk* 1 v 2 molde *.
:)

[Nesta99]

Ah here! Rovers are legit winners of what ended up as the 2020 league, but the league that commenced last spring is not what it should have been. There should be a note in the history books of this. Not a slight on the champions as it was still a level playing field of sorts. Cork will be the ones calling for asterick/asterix/ or whatever as over 36 games they wouldnt be relegated with game to go. If there had been 2 more games v Bohs and Dundalk the league wouldnt have been a forgone conclusion by July. Enjoy it Rovers fans, no doubts you will, but a wounded animal bites back! 'Astericks' are a badge on hounour in LoI - ask Pats, Shels and how many other fans!!

[DCWA]

. Not a slight on the champions as it was still a level playing field of sorts.!

It was not a level playing field “of sorts”. It was a level playing field. Each team play each other home and a way it could not be more of a level playing field.

No note in the history books required. Congrats Rovers some side and hard to see them not retaining it next season.

[Sonny]

The only asterisk needed is to note that Rovers would have won the league by a far wider margin over the course of 36 games.

[Nesta99]

It was not a level playing field “of sorts”. It was a level playing field. Each team play each other home and a way it could not be more of a level playing field.

No note in the history books required. Congrats Rovers some side and hard to see them not retaining it next season.

I dont think it was though as all clubs had to adjust, some paying players and other not. I wasnt suggesting that it wasnt a level playing field for just Dundalk. Ifs and buts, Cork getting rid of Fenn with half a full season to play Healy might have managed to change things by just enough to climb off the bottom of the table. Sligo got the opportunity to both strenghen and work on the problem that had them sitting bottom. I wasnt playing down the achievement of winng the title, just that it was all unprecedented and should be noted as such. Rovers may very well have grown the gap, with other clubs inconsistancy it may have been probable. I think its a shame that there is any ? over this season - be it a slagging point, winding up, or people really thinking it. Gauging how much team performances are affected by crowds is hard but would be interesting.

If I may add, when the league commenced initially teams were playing under a different set of circumstances eg losing away to Rovers wasnt a major setback due their being a few more opportunities to make up for it. By August or so a 9 point gap was game over, if there had been a full season of games 9 points could be reeled in. It was a level playing field in that everyone was impacted upon but not level when some games happened under a 36 game format and some with 18 games.

[sbgawa]

I get your macro point it is a different year and undoubtedly the changes to the league made it so but it was different in exactly the same way for everyone.
Dundalk were 3 points behind with 13 games left when the league restarted they only have themselves to blame.
Equally Cork have themselves to blame alone. , sligo were bottom with zero points at the restart and have an outside chance of a euro spot... that could have been Cork. Teams perform or don't perform in that respect i think it is no different to any other year.

IMO the big winners were Shels , they are a poor team and with a longer season Harps may have passed them, other than that i don't see anything different over 36 games.

[DCWA]

I dont think it was though as all clubs had to adjust
.

Your very first sentence in this post is in itself contradictory.

[EatYerGreens]

Ah here! Rovers are legit winners of what ended up as the 2020 league, but the league that commenced last spring is not what it should have been. There should be a note in the history books of this. Not a slight on the champions as it was still a level playing field of sorts. Cork will be the ones calling for asterick/asterix/ or whatever as over 36 games they wouldnt be relegated with game to go. If there had been 2 more games v Bohs and Dundalk the league wouldnt have been a forgone conclusion by July. Enjoy it Rovers fans, no doubts you will, but a wounded animal bites back! 'Astericks' are a badge on hounour in LoI - ask Pats, Shels and how many other fans!!

I don't know how you can claim a longer season would have saved Cork. It wouldn't have. It would have just made their demise even more painful. They've been consistently terrible.

[thebronze14]

The ultras have a 2020* tee shirt on the way, listening to this stuff just makes it all the sweeter.<br>
It is a pity that we couldnt play 36 games this season but other than for the deluded it didnt make any difference.<br>
Priority now is to agree a restart date and format to allow people plan.

I do think Harps are good enough to beat any of the first division teams, possibly Galway might give them a game with the momentum they have
Galway are the one I would like to avoid most...UCD also. Worried Mahdy would cause us bother

[CorribsideSteve]

Galway were destined to finish bottom of the 1st Division before Caulfield took over. I've had my misgivings over his 1990 era Mick McCarthy style of play with Cork before, but whatever he's done at Galway is remarkable. Outside chance of the playoffs. If they make it, it will be an incredible achievement. Would be a tricky opponent for Harps allright.
Edit: Since this is actually the Congratulatory SRFC Thread, I too want to praise them for being the stand-out team this year by far. Any notion of this campaign being a "half legaue" and thus half an achievement is nonsense.

[Martinho II]

Galway were destined to finish bottom of the 1st Division before Caulfield took over. I've had my misgivings over his 1990 era Mick McCarthy style of play with Cork before, but whatever he's done at Galway is rrmarkable. Outside chance of the playoffs. If they make it, it will be an incredible achievement. Would be a tricky opponent for Harps allright.

I dont know if you were at our game in Longford Corribside but I was very impressed with job JC and LK has done with ye. We deserved nothing from that game whatsever!

[blueblood]

Congratulations to Shamrock Rovers easily the best team this season they would have strolled to the title over 36 games. Maybe play next season 54 games, the usual 36 + 18 from this season just so some begrudgers will stop complaining 😁

[Nesta99]

Your very first sentence in this post is in itself contradictory.

All clubs had to adjust to different challanges, but dont hammer me on semantics. The impact of covid effected the likes of Cork with gate receipts their major income, Sligo wanted the league abandoned, Dundalk wanted 36 games etc etc. Again this is no slight on Rovers being champions. In February clubs set out their stall, some may have just wanted to keep in touch and use a July transfer window to strengthen and kick on. Those plans went out the window. Ive also said that if it were Dundalk top when the league was reduced I wouldnt have cared a dot (or asterick). The change to the league format created a lot of very different problems for clubs so in that regard imo I wasnt a level playing field. Maybe it never is with clubs having differing resources in general. All I am really saying is that it must be noted that 2020 is a 'unique' year. Not that the champions dont deserve to be champions. With the topsy turvy nature of results, with more games Cork could have gotten off the bottom.

[Calcio Jack]

All clubs had to adjust to different challanges, but dont hammer me on semantics. The impact of covid effected the likes of Cork with gate receipts their major income, Sligo wanted the league abandoned, Dundalk wanted 36 games etc etc. Again this is no slight on Rovers being champions. In February clubs set out their stall, some may have just wanted to keep in touch and use a July transfer window to strengthen and kick on. Those plans went out the window. Ive also said that if it were Dundalk top when the league was reduced I wouldnt have cared a dot (or asterick). The change to the league format created a lot of very different problems for clubs so in that regard imo I wasnt a level playing field. Maybe it never is with clubs having differing resources in general. All I am really saying is that it must be noted that 2020 is a 'unique' year. Not that the champions dont deserve to be champions. With the topsy turvy nature of results, with more games Cork could have gotten off the bottom.

Aside from delivering an overview that tells us nothing new i.e no season is a level playing field as you note above ... do you have some other relevant point ? Otherwise I’m genuinely not getting what you’re trying to say ?

[CorribsideSteve]

I dont know if you were at our game in Longford Corribside but I was very impressed with job JC and LK has done with ye. We deserved nothing from that game whatsever!
No, but I'll be watching them, hopefully live, a lot closer in the future. The last few monnths prior to his appointment were rock bottom. If they fall short this year, and he sticks around, they're in with a shout of going up next season.

[nigel-harps1954]

Derry v Rovers being postponed on Wednesday night..so..even if Bohs had won against Harps they'd still be a default league winner.

[2 Year Contract]

Derry v Rovers being postponed on Wednesday night..so..even if Bohs had won against Harps they'd still be a default league winner.

Does this mean they get 2 asterisks? One for it being a half season and one for not completing the same number of games as everyone else ;)

[sbgawa]

We get two * and 1 league win ;)
Derry must have a lot of contacts as well , they would hardly postpone the game for missing one player

[dundalkfc10]

The FAI have said they are awaiting further info from Derry. I wonder if they failed or can't play would they be not allowed play Sunday in FAI Cup and foefit that game too

[2 Year Contract]

The FAI have said they are awaiting further info from Derry. I wonder if they failed or can't play would they be not allowed play Sunday in FAI Cup and foefit that game too

Only fair solution there would be to let the last club to beat Derry in an FAI cup final to take their place in the cup

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

I get your macro point it is a different year and undoubtedly the changes to the league made it so but it was different in exactly the same way for everyone.
Dundalk were 3 points behind with 13 games left when the league restarted they only have themselves to blame.
Equally Cork have themselves to blame alone. , sligo were bottom with zero points at the restart and have an outside chance of a euro spot... that could have been Cork. Teams perform or don't perform in that respect i think it is no different to any other year.

IMO the big winners were Shels , they are a poor team and with a longer season Harps may have passed them, other than that i don't see anything different over 36 games.

Harps could still catch Shels I think. Ollie obviously disagrees and is talking about how tough the playoff will be.

[EatYerGreens]

My commiserations to Dundalk fans for qualifying for the group stages of such a compromised Europa League campaign this year.

Their worthy achievement shall forever be blighted by an asterisk in the history books to remind people that it wasn't actually a proper achievement.

[Nesta99]

There is no doubt that the adapted format helped Dundalk get to the group stages of the EL, as did the draw. I dont think we would have gotten past Sheriff over 2 legs. There also wasnt the fixture congestion that there would usually be. On the other hand we may not have had to go all out attack in the CL, not concede 2 late goals and take the tie home alive and done better in the home leg.