LoI Club Hinterlands [Archive]

culloty82

26/08/2022, 6:59 PM

Philosophizer

26/08/2022, 7:11 PM

I've said it before but depending what part of Meath you're in your closest club could be Drogheda, Dundalk, Longford, Athlone, Pats, Bohs or Shels.
Anything but straightforward.

ger121

26/08/2022, 7:36 PM

Living in the middle of Wicklow for the last 3 years and I have never heard anyone mention the LOI. Had not even thought about it till now. Bray about a 30-40 minute drive from me. Strangely, the local football team get good crowds. Seen a couple of games myself. They made a final recently and the buzz around the village was like it was a team in a Gah county final.

Martinho II

26/08/2022, 7:40 PM

My club has a few of Co Roscommon players playing for them over the years. We have had players from Strokestown,Ballyleague ,Rooskey. They would all be on the east side of Co Roscommon bordering the river Shannon.

Nah Nah Nah Nah

26/08/2022, 8:08 PM

Lots of Rovers fans from Leitrim and North Roscommon

EalingGreen

26/08/2022, 9:41 PM

... both Sligo and Harps are fairly near Leitrim.

Lots of Rovers fans from Leitrim and North Roscommon

Yet the whole population of Leitrim is only 35k.

oriel

26/08/2022, 9:58 PM

If some LoI clubs have huge catchment areas simply within their own county (Cork, Galway, Finn Harps), others have more opportunities due to the absence of senior teams in neighbouring areas. Some cases are straightforward:

Waterford (South Tipp, Kilkenny)
Treaty (Clare)
Dundalk (Monaghan)
Drogheda (Meath)

But others are less so - would Roscommon be more Longford or Athlone? Laois doesn't appear to be notably close to any club, and both Sligo and Harps are fairly near Leitrim. Likewise, Kildare would appear to be up for grabs for any Dublin team.

Good question, in Louth almost all of the county north of the toll plaza supports Dundalk, including small towns of Ardee, Dunleer, Castlebellingham and north towards Carlingford. Further north Dundalk also has support from South Armagh.

Drogs would be traditionally looking south and west.

Nah Nah Nah Nah

27/08/2022, 5:26 AM

Yet the whole population of Leitrim is only 35k.

Our average attendance is about 2.5k so not really sure what your point is

WexCar.

27/08/2022, 9:19 AM

What would be the catchment areas for each of the dublin clubs?

Are there any parts of Dublin that would be unrepresented and therefore present an opportunity for one of the existing clubs to exploit or dare I say the possibility of another dublin club joining the league?

legendz

27/08/2022, 12:14 PM

If some LoI clubs have huge catchment areas simply within their own county (Cork, Galway, Finn Harps), others have more opportunities due to the absence of senior teams in neighbouring areas. Some cases are straightforward:

Waterford (South Tipp, Kilkenny)
Treaty (Clare)
Dundalk (Monaghan)
Drogheda (Meath)

But others are less so - would Roscommon be more Longford or Athlone? Laois doesn't appear to be notably close to any club, and both Sligo and Harps are fairly near Leitrim. Likewise, Kildare would appear to be up for grabs for any Dublin team.

Waterford (South Tipp, Kilkenny)
Treaty (Clare, North Tipperary)
Dundalk (Monaghan)
Drogheda (Meath)
Sligo (Leitrim, North Roscommon)
Athlone (South Roscommon, North Offaly)
Longford (Mid Roscommon)

Kerry, Carlow-Kilkenny, Mayo, Cavan-Monaghan, Kildare, Laois-Offaly and Meath are the standout areas for a wider geographical spread. Laois-Offaly and Meath are the only two of these areas not to have joined the youth leagues.
There is a place in Dublin for youth representative teams at the very least with the support of Fingal council and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown council.

EalingGreen

27/08/2022, 5:20 PM

Our average attendance is about 2.5k so not really sure what your point is
My point, not a pop, was that even though SRFC draw support from their Leitrim hinterland, it still cannot amount to many extra fans.

Thats all, really.

sadloserkid

27/08/2022, 7:14 PM

I lived in Ballinrobe for a year close to a decade ago and there were some there who spun up to Sligo regularly. Again, not in huge numbers, but it is the sort of thing that this thread is built for. 🙂

ToberonaTornado

27/08/2022, 8:30 PM

Good question, in Louth almost all of the county north of the toll plaza supports Dundalk, including small towns of Ardee, Dunleer, Castlebellingham and north towards Carlingford. Further north Dundalk also has support from South Armagh.

Drogs would be traditionally looking south and west.

Also in South Down(Newry,Warrenpoint and Bambridge) and Monaghan(Carrick,C'Blayney)
In Ardee,Dundalk have a really,really good following.
Dunleer is 50/50 Dundalk/Drogs according to a good Drogs friend of mine :D (it annoys him that it not all Drogs)

Neish

28/08/2022, 10:53 AM

Harps draw decent support in areas of Tyrone & Fermanagh
Derry would have a lot of support up in Inishowen

Nah Nah Nah Nah

28/08/2022, 12:44 PM

My point, not a pop, was that even though SRFC draw support from their Leitrim hinterland, it still cannot amount to many extra fans.

Thats all, really.

Well it does but sure you’d know better obviously

EatYerGreens

28/08/2022, 1:57 PM

My educated guess on this would be as follows :

- Sligo Rovers ( North Mayo, North Roscommon, Leitrim).
- Finn Harps (West Tyrone)
- Derry City (Inishowen, north-west Tyrone, and a bit of north Derry e.g. Limavady).
- Drogheda United (Meath)
- Dundalk (Monaghan, South Down).

Kiki Balboa

28/08/2022, 2:00 PM

Also in South Down(Newry,Warrenpoint and Bambridge) and Monaghan(Carrick,C'Blayney)
In Ardee,Dundalk have a really,really good following.
Dunleer is 50/50 Dundalk/Drogs according to a good Drogs friend of mine :D (it annoys him that it not all Drogs)

I would say Dunleer has far more Dundalk fans than Drogheda- it would also nearly be easier to get to Oriel Park than United Park from the village, even if its physically further away. Droghedas fan base doesnt extend too far north of the Town. Clogherhead would be the last village that is more Drogheda than Dundalk, but even still its probably around 50/50 (ableit thats a GAA village). Annagasan and Togher would be fairly staunchly Dundalk.

The traditonal rural soccer clubs north of Drogheda, Albion Rovers (Monsterboice/ Collon) and Walshestown (outside Clogherhead) would both be split between Dundalk and Drogheda. I know the last couple of chairmens of Walshestown have cycled through season ticket holders of either Dundalk and Drogheda!

It was only in the mid-00s, Drogheda first made inroads into the area, but Dundalk still had a strongish base, especially with more traditonal soccer families. I know for my fathers generation it was also common enough to go to both Dundalk and Drogheda, but not sure that happens too much anymore.

So, to summerise, in my anecdotal opinion, Dundalk represents most of Louth soccer fans outside of the town of Drogheda and a couple of villages north of it. Droghedas base outside of the town is definitely south of the Boyne, especially east Meath (which is a fairly densely populated area).

......
I love questions like this, and would love data to see. German and Dutch clubs publish some great maps of club memberships, and you can really see where support begins and stops. https://www.tubantia.nl/integratie/voetbalkaart

EatYerGreens

28/08/2022, 2:01 PM

My point, not a pop, was that even though SRFC draw support from their Leitrim hinterland, it still cannot amount to many extra fans.

Thats all, really.

Leitrim has a population of 35,000 - which makes it bigger than places like Coleraine, Ballymena, Larne, Newry etc. Yet those places seem able to turn out football supporters, so I fear your point was a bit misguided really (beyond telling us all the obvious news that Leitrim isn't the biggest county on the island). If only 10% of the population of Leitrim went to a Sligo game (they don't), it would still more than double the gate - so it's hardly a village we're talking about here.

SeanDrog

28/08/2022, 2:07 PM

Good question, in Louth almost all of the county north of the toll plaza supports Dundalk, including small towns of Ardee, Dunleer, Castlebellingham and north towards Carlingford. Further north Dundalk also has support from South Armagh.

Drogs would be traditionally looking south and west.

I lived in dunleer (blow in) for a while a found it more of a neutral territory with a guesstimate 50:50 split (maybe slightly more Dundalk 60:40) between the clubs with south of dunleer being Drogs and north Dundalk.

Of course this is pure subjective lol

Nesta99

28/08/2022, 8:38 PM

The traditional support bases in the likes of Dunleer and Ardee, even Louth Village have been blurred over the years with the movement of people out of urban areas on the northern commuter belt. You would meet fans of Dublin clubs living in Dundalk now also. Dunleer was almost totally Dundalk if not GAA pre 2000-05, i think simply as most seemed to head to school in Dundalk. Glen Dimplex was a big employer that drew people from Dundalk and would sway the natives. The split could well be heading in the direction of 50-50 but i'd i says its not yet much past a 3:1 ratio in Dundalks favour, not that there has been much effort by either club to keep or gain hold of catchments in mid-Louth. Success in more recent times for Dundalk also tips the scales. The sooner Drogheda United moves in to County Meath the better for us all:p

nigel-harps1954

28/08/2022, 9:08 PM

Harps draw decent support in areas of Tyrone & Fermanagh
Derry would have a lot of support up in Inishowen

My educated guess on this would be as follows :

- Sligo Rovers ( North Mayo, North Roscommon, Leitrim).
- Finn Harps (West Tyrone)
- Derry City (Inishowen, north-west Tyrone, and a bit of north Derry e.g. Limavady).
- Drogheda United (Meath)
- Dundalk (Monaghan, South Down).

Inishowen would be fairly split in half between Derry and Harps to be fair.

Shinkicker

29/08/2022, 6:44 AM

Leitrim has a population of 35,000 - which makes it bigger than places like Coleraine, Ballymena, Larne, Newry etc. Yet those places seem able to turn out football supporters, so I fear your point was a bit misguided really (beyond telling us all the obvious news that Leitrim isn't the biggest county on the island). If only 10% of the population of Leitrim went to a Sligo game (they don't), it would still more than double the gate - so it's hardly a village we're talking about here.
Ballymena, Coleraine and Larne are three very protestant towns and therefore draw their fans from the protestant community. These clubs would only have a tiny amount of Catholics if any. For years Larne couldn't get protestants to go to games until Kenny Bruce took over and completely rebuilt the stadium and the team went professional. Ballymena have a great stadium owned by the council and with David Jeffery at the helm they come in expectation. Coleraine are relatively successful. Top three or four in the league and Cup finals or semi finals. Lets see how Newry do this year before commenting on their support. They are new to the league this year and people are coming out of curiosity and most likely to see the big name teams Linfield, Crues, Glen's and Chickenville. If they are in the bottom two they'll go back to two men and a dog.

NavanBohs

29/08/2022, 9:10 AM

County Meath is the 4th biggest area of Bohs members behind Dublin 7, 15 & 11.

Peaky Blinder

29/08/2022, 10:52 AM

County Meath is the 4th biggest area of Bohs members behind Dublin 7, 15 & 11.

Dublin 15 is a bizarre one, clearly located closer to D7 & Bohs than Rovers in Tallaght, yet has one of the highest areas of Rovers members & Season ticket holders outside of Tallaght. Huge amount of Hoops from that part of Dublin.

EatYerGreens

29/08/2022, 1:52 PM

Ballymena, Coleraine and Larne are three very protestant towns and therefore draw their fans from the protestant community. These clubs would only have a tiny amount of Catholics if any.

On what basis are you making this claim? I know nationalists who watch Coleraine.

For years Larne couldn't get protestants to go to games until Kenny Bruce took over and completely rebuilt the stadium and the team went professional.

This is an even ballsier claim ! On what basis are you saying protestats wouldn't go to watch Larne ? It's two-thirds protestant as a town. What has their religion got to do with it ?

Lets see how Newry do this year before commenting on their support. They are new to the league this year and people are coming out of curiosity and most likely to see the big name teams Linfield, Crues, Glen's and Chickenville. If they are in the bottom two they'll go back to two men and a dog.

I watched Newry a few times when they were in the second tier over the last few years - both home and away - and they had a lot more than two men and a dog. Have you actually bene to watch them, as it sounds like everything you've said in the above post is based on unfounded personal opinion/prejudice rather than actual fact ?

Philosophizer

29/08/2022, 2:04 PM

Dublin 15 is a bizarre one, clearly located closer to D7 & Bohs than Rovers in Tallaght, yet has one of the highest areas of Rovers members & Season ticket holders outside of Tallaght. Huge amount of Hoops from that part of Dublin.
I used to live in D15 for years and it's very handy to get to numerous grounds. Spin around the M50 to Tallaght. In the Navan road to Dalymount, or through the park and you're almost at Richmond.
I'd also say that D15 is largely a soccer stronghold. I know Castleknock has rugby but most of D15 (blanch, clonsilla, corduff, huntstown, coolmine, hartstown, ongar, mulhuddart, tyrellsrown)
would be much more into soccer than any other sport. It's a massive Dublin suburb and surprisingly wasn't all that well served by gaa clubs either - I believe Castleknock gaa club was only set up relatively recently.

Philosophizer

29/08/2022, 2:07 PM

I used to live in D15 for years and it's very handy to get to numerous grounds. Spin around the M50 to Tallaght. In the Navan road to Dalymount, or through the park and you're almost at Richmond.

Bohs would be closest but it's not that much longer to Tallaght, Richmond or Tolka.

Philosophizer

29/08/2022, 2:15 PM

EalingGreen

29/08/2022, 2:25 PM

We obviously have enough clubs in Dublin as it is, but if there was ever an area where a new club could take off you'd imagine it would be Blanchardstown. A reboot of Sporting Fingal perhaps? ��
Accept the emoji, but hasn't the whole lesson of LOI expansion/contraction been that you can't succeed by just parachuting a brand new club into an area, solely because it has a large population but no other LOI club nearby?

Surely clubs have to grow organically from the grassroots up?

ger121

29/08/2022, 3:33 PM

Was just doing some googling of D15 and saw a Fingal Co co page stating they expect the population of D15 to hit 140K by 2029. I knew it had a big population, but my god!
We obviously have enough clubs in Dublin as it is, but if there was ever an area where a new club could take off you'd imagine it would be Blanchardstown. A reboot of Sporting Fingal perhaps? 😁 I know they had plans to move to Swords but I reckon Blanch would have been a better bet.

Worked out there for years, with many people who were from or lived in the area. First thing I noticed was now many people supported the LOI. The 2nd thing was that it was spread around the 3 main Dublin clubs, and Shels. I would have expected it to be mainly Bohs.

Philosophizer

29/08/2022, 5:13 PM

I would have expected it to be mainly Bohs.
Maybe Bohs are missing a trick by not winning more fans from that area.
I know rovers have a link with Corduff and one of the young lads getting game time recently is from Corduff.

placid casual

29/08/2022, 5:33 PM

The 2nd thing was that it was spread around the 3 main Dublin clubs, and Shels..
I have to admit, you made me chuckle there Get. Nice one. 👍

El-Pietro

29/08/2022, 8:21 PM

We have had some fans from South Tipp and East Kerry over the years, and we have had a few players come through from both areas. We currently have three Tipp players, two of whom (Cian Murphy and Cian Bargary) came through the academy, following in the footsteps of Stephen Napier and Ollie Cahill who both came back from the UK I believe in the 90s and Shane Long who also came through the academy.

Shinkicker

30/08/2022, 8:13 AM

On what basis are you making this claim? I know nationalists who watch Coleraine.

This is an even ballsier claim ! On what basis are you saying protestats wouldn't go to watch Larne ? It's two-thirds protestant as a town. What has their religion got to do with it ?

I watched Newry a few times when they were in the second tier over the last few years - both home and away - and they had a lot more than two men and a dog. Have you actually bene to watch them, as it sounds like everything you've said in the above post is based on unfounded personal opinion/prejudice rather than actual fact ?
I'll reply to each of your points.
1. I worked in Coleraine for several years and the people I knew said they would travel to Derry City before going to Coleraine. I'm not saying nationalists dont go, in saying if they do go they are very few.
2. Before Kenny Bruce took over Inver Park was a total sh1t hole and the team were a mess. Larne were 3 days from quiting as a club when KB walked in and saved them. Larne were lucky to get 100-150 people. Religion had nothing to do with it, any sane person wouldn't went to it. Now that facilities have improved the people are coming back. The 2 new stands behind the goals are fantastic and will bring even more.
3. Regarding Newry, I will admit that my contact was between 2013 and 2017 when they were in the mid ulster league and their attendances were approx 40 - 60 people. Yes they have improved a been promoted and credit to them. Their stadium holds in the region of 2,000 - 3,000 but, can you honestly tell me they fill this every week or even half fill it. I think not!!. Regarding prejudice I can assure you this is not the case. I lived in NI for 25 years and played and coached football. I have been to and played on these grounds and everything I say is based on what I've saw, heard first hand or participated in.

ger121

30/08/2022, 8:42 AM

I have to admit, you made me chuckle there Get. Nice one. 👍

I aim to please😉

A N Mouse

30/08/2022, 10:30 AM

I'll reply to each of your points.
1. I worked in Coleraine for several years and the people I knew said they would travel to Derry City before going to Coleraine. I'm not saying nationalists dont go, in saying if they do go they are very few.
2. Before Kenny Bruce took over Inver Park was a total sh1t hole and the team were a mess. Larne were 3 days from quiting as a club when KB walked in and saved them. Larne were lucky to get 100-150 people. Religion had nothing to do with it, any sane person wouldn't went to it. Now that facilities have improved the people are coming back. The 2 new stands behind the goals are fantastic and will bring even more.
3. Regarding Newry, I will admit that my contact was between 2013 and 2017 when they were in the mid ulster league and their attendances were approx 40 - 60 people. Yes they have improved a been promoted and credit to them. Their stadium holds in the region of 2,000 - 3,000 but, can you honestly tell me they fill this every week or even half fill it. I think not!!. Regarding prejudice I can assure you this is not the case. I lived in NI for 25 years and played and coached football. I have been to and played on these grounds and everything I say is based on what I've saw, heard first hand or participated in.

I don't think there anything wrong with what you're saying. But, in fairness to EYG, the choice of words may have been misinterpreted.

1) The three areas mentioned are majority unionist, and draw fans mainly from that community.
2) For years Larne couldn't get people to go and watch.
3) Don't see issue with what you originally said here, suppose depends on your definition of two men and a dog. What exactly is the appetite for senior football in Newry? No point comparing it with next door at Parc Esler. What kind of crowds are they getting down the road at Warrenpoint?

None of these things should be controversial.

Buller

30/08/2022, 10:52 AM

Accept the emoji, but hasn't the whole lesson of LOI expansion/contraction been that you can't succeed by just parachuting a brand new club into an area, solely because it has a large population but no other LOI club nearby?

Surely clubs have to grow organically from the grassroots up?

Might be the exception rather than the rule - but Wexford FC cant be ignored. Parachuted in a brand new club into Wexford into a new area where no LOI had been before and they're doing okay. Average between 350-550 the last 10 seasons and are standing on their own two feet now.

Clubs don't have to grow organically, although its probably favoured.

EatYerGreens

30/08/2022, 12:13 PM

I'll reply to each of your points.
1. I worked in Coleraine for several years and the people I knew said they would travel to Derry City before going to Coleraine. I'm not saying nationalists dont go, in saying if they do go they are very few.
2. Before Kenny Bruce took over Inver Park was a total sh1t hole and the team were a mess. Larne were 3 days from quiting as a club when KB walked in and saved them. Larne were lucky to get 100-150 people. Religion had nothing to do with it, any sane person wouldn't went to it. Now that facilities have improved the people are coming back. The 2 new stands behind the goals are fantastic and will bring even more.
3. Regarding Newry, I will admit that my contact was between 2013 and 2017 when they were in the mid ulster league and their attendances were approx 40 - 60 people. Yes they have improved a been promoted and credit to them. Their stadium holds in the region of 2,000 - 3,000 but, can you honestly tell me they fill this every week or even half fill it. I think not!!. Regarding prejudice I can assure you this is not the case. I lived in NI for 25 years and played and coached football. I have been to and played on these grounds and everything I say is based on what I've saw, heard first hand or participated in.

This is literally what you said =

For years Larne couldn't get protestants to go to games until Kenny Bruce took over and completely rebuilt the stadium and the team went professional.

You made Larne's lack of support a religious issue, when it clearly wasn't. Very clumsy wording here and on the other points, when you'd epxect someone who'd lived in NI for so long to be more aware of how they say things.

EatYerGreens

30/08/2022, 12:17 PM

Clubs don't have to grow organically, although its probably favoured.

Sure look at Glasgow Rangers. Formed in 2012, climbed through the ranks of Scottish football and have now reached the Champions League group stages - all in only 10yrs of existence. An inspiration to football clubs everywhere.

EalingGreen

30/08/2022, 12:53 PM

This is literally what you said =

Ballymena, Coleraine and Larne are three very protestant towns and therefore draw their fans from the protestant community. These clubs would only have a tiny amount of Catholics if any. For years Larne couldn't get protestants to go to games until Kenny Bruce took over and completely rebuilt the stadium and the team went professional.

You made Larne's lack of support a religious issue, when it clearly wasn't. Very clumsy wording here and on the other points, when you'd epxect someone who'd lived in NI for so long to be more aware of how they say things.
I took 'Shinkicker' to mean that: "For years Larne couldn't even get Protestants to go to games, never mind Catholics, until Kenny Bruce took over..."

And as such, I thought his comments entirely unexceptional.

Meanwhile, to get back to Hinterlands etc, Larne's may actually be somewhat limited by being so close to Carrick R and Ballymena U, and not so far from Belfast.

Which itself shows that with decent investment in both players and facilities (esp), you can still grow support from your home patch, assuming that your patch has a solid base (what I always call a "proper footballing town")

EatYerGreens

30/08/2022, 2:16 PM

I took 'Shinkicker' to mean that: "For years Larne couldn't even get Protestants to go to games, never mind Catholics, until Kenny Bruce took over..."

And as such, I thought his comments entirely unexceptional.

Call me old fashioned, but I think you should take what people write as read, and not have to interpret or mind read to understand the true meaning. I think that's an entirely unexceptional approach to the written word :D

Shinkicker

30/08/2022, 2:57 PM

This is literally what you said =

You made Larne's lack of support a religious issue, when it clearly wasn't. Very clumsy wording here and on the other points, when you'd epxect someone who'd lived in NI for so long to be more aware of how they say things.
Constable! OK I apologise and take it back. I'll rephrase it.
"Larne couldn't even get the locals to go"