Fixtures weekend 20/23rd Feb

[ontheotherhand]

All clubs whose fans let off flares. I'll be shocked if they don't come down hard on them after last weekend.

Maybe. But I doubt it. They had to act with drogs because drogs didn't act themselves. No harm was done at any game with flares last night. Starting to punish every club in the league wouldn't go very well for them imop.

[pineapple stu]

I feel it's hard to tell a Government Minister to "Get ****ed" and think absolutely nothing will happen tbh

[SkStu]

the sensible thing would be to figure out how to integrate flares into pre-game displays responsibly rather than banning them completely or making them illegal. They can add so much to a game, in my opinion, the look and the atmosphere.

[ontheotherhand]

I feel it's hard to tell a Government Minister to "Get ****ed" and think absolutely nothing will happen tbh

Is he going to pull more funding? He played his hand way too strongly imop. All he had at the end of the day was to threaten to pull funding for astros, of which none was planned anyway afaik.

Sure we will see. I'm guessing he will turn a blind eye, as he usually does with the league. The media narrative has already started to turn on him. He got his strong statement out and his bit of notoriety. Made his gaa friends happy as well. What's his win from here?

[ontheotherhand]

the sensible thing would be to figure out how to integrate flares into pre-game displays responsibly rather than banning them completely or making them illegal. They can add so much to a game, in my opinion, the look and the atmosphere.

They are already illegal TBF. I agree with you though.

[SkStu]

They are already illegal TBF. I agree with you though.

true, true, was just reacting to the headlines i saw... would be so much smarter to work with supporter groups and figure it out... always the heavy handed draconian approach to something...which to your point is actually just an enforcement issue...

[ontheotherhand]

true, true, was just reacting to the headlines i saw... would be so much smarter to work with supporter groups and figure it out... always the heavy handed draconian approach to something...which to your point is actually just an enforcement issue...

Yeah that's why I'm disappointed in Drogs. Although TBF it sounds like they did hand someone over. Our firework incident in Waterford was absolutely crazy but the lad was handed to the guards and we didn't have to deal with the minister for sport soapboxing for clicks. He and his mate were also rogue actors and not a cohesive group with a plan. Clubs need to take accountability. If it goes over the line, the law is on their side.

[Longfordian]

Maybe. But I doubt it. They had to act with drogs because drogs didn't act themselves. No harm was done at any game with flares last night. Starting to punish every club in the league wouldn't go very well for them imop.

It's not the government that I'd expect to do anything substantive, more the FAI. Haven't they already fined clubs for similar incidents on regular occasions in the past, when it wasn't as sensitive an issue? They made clubs put out statements about zero tolerance for pyros, it's their big public issue at the moment. I'll be very surprised if it's ignored.

[ontheotherhand]

It's not the government that I'd expect to do anything substantive, more the FAI. Haven't they already fined clubs for similar incidents on regular occasions in the past, when it wasn't as sensitive an issue? They made clubs put out statements about zero tolerance for pyros, it's their big public issue at the moment. I'll be very surprised if it's ignored.

They have of course. Particularly a season or two ago. They might again. And then they'll try to ignore it again because they know it's part of the attraction.

[ger121]

Are smoke bombs and cold flares illegal? Also, if flares are illegal how come you can buy them in marine shops.

[ontheotherhand]

Are smoke bombs and cold flares illegal? Also, if flares are illegal how come you can buy them in marine shops.

The context afaik. They are illegal in the way they are used at football stadiums but not necessarily in maritime emergencies.

No idea on smoke bombs or cold flares.

Mark Scanlon covered a lot of this on LoI Central last season I think? Maybe the one before last.

[brendy_éire]

The context afaik. They are illegal in the way they are used at football stadiums but not necessarily in maritime emergencies.

The use is what makes them illegal. Not sure what that covers though. I've seen them used at weddings and birthday parties, presumably legally.
They're easily available online. €300 for a box of 100.

[ontheotherhand]

The use is what makes them illegal. Not sure what that covers though. I've seen them used at weddings and birthday parties, presumably legally.
They're easily available online. €300 for a box of 100.

Well it's always someone's birthday at a game. Hopefully not too many people's wedding.

[Mr_Parker]

The use is what makes them illegal. Not sure what that covers though. I've seen them used at weddings and birthday parties, presumably legally.
They're easily available online. €300 for a box of 100.

Smoke bombs are regulated the same as any firework.

[Nesta99]

OTH forget about the pitch, someone was badly injured. Its not clutching a the old pearls, its something that was always going to happen, a matter of when not if someone got burnt. Imo if there is significant risk, ground regs ignored on it then its needs a heavy handed response. I dont think the minister was wrong in the context of him sitting there watching things unfold minutes after he cuts the ribbon. I think there is a general backlash at government for much broader issues when the story itself became about comments. You say he turns a blind eye to the league....yeah i probably would too if I wasnt a long term fan with a blindspot!! Talk about playing in to the naysayers hands...Until such time as there is 'safe' pyro, organised or cold flares or whatever than it should be zero tolerance. When people can drink in grounds without risk of lobbing cans at the officials running the line, no drink allowed in to spectator areas, until there is no risk of any crowd misbehaviour we need stewarding, Garda POUs, when South American footballers quit with racist comments we bin laws stopping games, when players cheat we need VAR and on and on. Own worst enemy and if people cant be basic sensible at the very least then they need nannying!! or banned and let the rest of us get on with it.

[ontheotherhand]

OTH forget about the pitch, someone was badly injured. Its not clutching a the old pearls, its something that was always going to happen, a matter of when not if someone got burnt. Imo if there is significant risk, ground regs ignored on it then its needs a heavy handed response. I dont think the minister was wrong in the context of him sitting there watching things unfold minutes after he cuts the ribbon. I think there is a general backlash at government for much broader issues when the story itself became about comments. You say he turns a blind eye to the league....yeah i probably would too if I wasnt a long term fan with a blindspot!! Talk about playing in to the naysayers hands...Until such time as there is 'safe' pyro, organised or cold flares or whatever than it should be zero tolerance. When people can drink in grounds without risk of lobbing cans at the officials running the line, no drink allowed in to spectator areas, until there is no risk of any crowd misbehaviour we need stewarding, Garda POUs, when South American footballers quit with racist comments we bin laws stopping games, when players cheat we need VAR and on and on. Own worst enemy and if people cant be basic sensible at the very least then they need nannying!! or banned and let the rest of us get on with it.

Your last line is exactly my point.

The rest I disagree with. We don't need VAR for example. It's a good example of a bad response to a serious issue. Same as the ministers response to flares.

[Nesta99]

Punitive measures are needed as a deterrent, sucks doesnt it when the minority ruins things. if there wasnt a clamp down on drink driving 20 odd years ago it wouldnt have become socially unacceptable. Its only one example and there are many that you could add, e-scooters, scrambling bikes, all now needing legislation because there are people who just wont listen and are risking others never mind themselves. I flipping hate j-walking when there is a pedestrian crossing meters away, try doing it in Canada, get a damn good fine, US it could get you deported. Government, football associations et al have had to intervene due to misconduct, betting and diving risked the sport, not to mentiom the 'English Disease'. I am obviously influenced by what I see day to day at work, burns being one of the hardest. If people dont behave expect a backlash. Id rather a rant and legislation than injuries and a roll back on funding and you can absolutely bet that for as long as this government lasts Drogheda United will struggle to get the sort of commitment that Sligo have on new stadium efforts. Bohs need to be careful, Rovers have their ground and can suck up cost of flares but there will be further backlash if problems persist, its is a given not an opinion. Anyway there is little more to be said, Im surprised at the blasé attitude, we can revisit next time someone is burnt.

[ontheotherhand]

Punitive measures are needed as a deterrent, sucks doesnt it when the minority ruins things. if there wasnt a clamp down on drink driving 20 odd years ago it wouldnt have become socially unacceptable. Its only one example and there are many that you could add, e-scooters, scrambling bikes, all now needing legislation because there are people who just wont listen and are risking others never mind themselves. I flipping hate j-walking when there is a pedestrian crossing meters away, try doing it in Canada, get a damn good fine, US it could get you deported. Government, football associations et al have had to intervene due to misconduct, betting and diving risked the sport, not to mentiom the 'English Disease'. I am obviously influenced by what I see day to day at work, burns being one of the hardest. If people dont behave expect a backlash. Id rather a rant and legislation than injuries and a roll back on funding and you can absolutely bet that for as long as this government lasts Drogheda United will struggle to get the sort of commitment that Sligo have on new stadium efforts. Bohs need to be careful, Rovers have their ground and can suck up cost of flares but there will be further backlash if problems persist, its is a given not an opinion. Anyway there is little more to be said, Im surprised at the blasé attitude, we can revisit next time someone is burnt.

Not sure you're reading my posts. Or you're certainly interpreting them in a strange way. Implying that I'm somehow ok with someone being burned is a bit much tbh. Drogheda should have taken the action. Criminal charges should have been brought (possibly were in one case?). A minister grandstanding is pointless nonsense and other clubs shouldn't be getting punished. He's now rightly being called out on it and had his "decisions" reversed. Celebrating that type of commentary on the league from a minister and hoping for government intervention is not something I agree with. The clubs have the power to handle it. It's up to them to use it before it's taken out of their hands.