Are we the only league that does this?

[Poor Student]

Are we the only league who's fans sit around and constantly question the right to smaller club's rights to exist in the league. People often harp on about UCD offering nothing to the Premier or even more noteably Dublin City pointing to our comparatively low attendances. In Scotland Livingston and Inverness Caley have very small fan bases and attendances by comparison to the other clubs yet you rarely if ever hear people harping on about how they shouldn't be there. A similar club in England would be Wigan who I think only sold out their ground the other week for the first time since it was built against Arsenal. Their attendances were even poor by Championship standards last season. Why are we so obsessed with scrutinising and bashing other clubs and keep talking about ridiculous things like dumping teams with small average attendances? The Scottish Premier League in fact had to adjust their rule on the stadium size requirement to let Inverness in as they realised it was pointless to force a team with such a small fanbase to build a 10,000 seater stadium. They accepted that in fact you couldn't hold a team back who has done the business on the field. Why do we club's with low attendances when in fact we should be encouraging them to try and attract more?

[gustavo]

Best post on the matter ever. I echo your sentiments .

[Lim till i die]

Poor Student, a man after my own heart. By the logic of some of the posters on here I wouldn't have a club to support because of our small attendance in the previous few years. All the small-minded, parochial, my clubs bigger than yours, nonsense has to stop people. The league in general is a great,big, poorly attended joke and people claiming bragging rights and calling for the winding up of other clubs either have very short memories or a loose grip on reality :ball:

[pete]

I've given up criticising UCD as at least they develop their own players. CHF offer absolutely nothing to the entire league. They just pick up the usual yoyo players from around the pale, don't have own ground, don't bring any new support into the league & they move grounds like nomades - played in Inchicore, Tolka & Whitehall this year - maybe also Dalymount?

When people at in Tolka/Dalymount/Richmond/Whitehall next season with 200 fans fans watching CHF i think will be more threads about them.

Scottish football is different as they have 4 divisions where as we have 2 with teams stuck near the bottom of the 1st divsion in limbo...

[pineapple stu]

Aberdonian Stu says that while he was over in Scotland, he found Livingston to be the most unpopular team outside the Old Firm partly because they had low attendances (although partly also because they were seen as a rich man's plaything). I remember Wimbledon and Luton coming in for a lot of stick because of their low crowds (about 7000 in the top flight) after the novelty of them in the top flight had worn off, though I think the English are more accepting of the underdog's success and all that. Other countries - not a clue. In eastern Europe in particular, there's often a small club from the capital who get much smaller crowds than the rest (e.g NK Ljubljana in Slovenia - you'd know about them more than me).

[pineapple stu]

I've given up criticising UCD as at least they develop their own players.
Yayyy!:)

[Poor Student]

I'm sorry Pete, but I think frustrated eL fans have totally lost scope here. Frustrations of poor league wide attendances are being taken out on the smaller clubs. This seems to be a very inorganic way of talking about football. Do people want to construct a perfect Premier Division with the correct formula of clubs to produce the most optimum average attendance?

Pineapple I am aware of the unpopularness of Livy, but it's really nothing by comparison. It does not occupy very regular discussion with the solution of some being to throw them out. NK Ljubljana (now dead and relaunched as FC Ljubljana in the Slovenian 5th flight) had less fans than Dub City and struggled just as bad but no Olimpija fans called for their head either.

I think this is misguided and misfocused discussion. We should be looking at how to get people going to the small clubs as well as the big ones. Football will always inevitably have its poorer relations but in a league as small and popular as this it makes from some pretty imporverished ones.

[BohDiddley]

Are we the only league who's fans sit around and constantly question the right to smaller club's rights to exist in the league. People often harp on about UCD offering nothing to the Premier or even more noteably Dublin City pointing to our comparatively low attendances. In Scotland Livingston and Inverness Caley have very small fan bases and attendances by comparison to the other clubs yet you rarely if ever hear people harping on about how they shouldn't be there. A similar club in England would be Wigan who I think only sold out their ground the other week for the first time since it was built against Arsenal. Their attendances were even poor by Championship standards last season. Why are we so obsessed with scrutinising and bashing other clubs and keep talking about ridiculous things like dumping teams with small average attendances? The Scottish Premier League in fact had to adjust their rule on the stadium size requirement to let Inverness in as they realised it was pointless to force a team with such a small fanbase to build a 10,000 seater stadium. They accepted that in fact you couldn't hold a team back who has done the business on the field. Why do we club's with low attendances when in fact we should be encouraging them to try and attract more?

I can see where you're coming from, but I think you are missing the point. It's not about size.
UCD occasionally can put on a good footballing show, but they can't get away from the awkward fact that they are a college team. It just doesn't feel right: you're never sure what exactly you're playing against (viz. the Dublin hurling controversy) and, of course, a college team has a bigger cushion against off-field realities.
Worse, CHF is an opportunistic attempt to cash in on a name and a blue shirt in an already crowded city club scene. Anyone who follows them and doesn't have a previous personal association with the club is being suckered, just the same as those unsuspecting tourists they sell their kit to in Carroll's.
I'd rather play a real club like Limerick or Athlone, even if it had fewer supporters, than this outfit.
Think of it like this: we might have a less tolerant reaction from the Scots if a 200-supporter Glasgow City somehow managed to get it together on the field!

[pineapple stu]

UCD occasionally can put on a good footballing show, but they can't get away from the awkward fact that they are a college team. It just doesn't feel right: you're never sure what exactly you're playing against (viz. the Dublin hurling controversy) and, of course, a college team has a bigger cushion against off-field realities.
Now we get to thorny areas. The debate about the UCD hurling team is entirely different and centres around the facts that (a) the players can play for their home club as well (I think) and (b) the hurling is a regional competition and it's unfair for clubs who pick purely from their town to compete against clubs who can "sign" anyone. This doesn't apply to the eircom League.
UCD have no extra cushion against off-field realities - in fact, we're very stringently regulated by the college authorities, so we had to keep our house in order while the rest of yez have been off squandering money and running up huge debts. We're also not a college team in the sense that the players are the best XI from the college - we can sign who we want. Any misperceptions by other fans on these matters are unfortunately their problems, not ours.

[Gareth]

I think the problem with UCD in people's minds is that they are a college team that seemingly have very little potential in maintaining support. If you go to UCD with an interest in EL you probably already support a team. Its not as thou many people around the area go and support UCD as their local team?

Dublin City are disliked for reasons above.

Personally people think the league has too many teams. I personally would not be too upset with UCD or Dublin City going, compared to that of Pats or Bohs.

[pineapple stu]

It's not as though many people around the area go and support UCD as their local team?
Actually, since we gave up on trying to get students to games, we have had some success in getting locals to games. There's now a good many locals - many more than go to games, obviously, as with any football club - who consider UCD to be their local team. I often have people recognise me - kids mainly, but not exclusively - and say that they go to games and enjoy it and who's coming or going, etc., etc.

[Speranza]

The only teams with average attendaces above 1000 in the IL are Glentoran and Linfield so we shouldn't be critical of clubs trying to get a foothold in their communities. It is harder to go and support a club with 100 other fans than it is to go and jump on a bandwagon.

If the attendances are to be slated then at least respect the few fans who do make an effort.

[lefty]

Fair play to u, thats a mature attitude

[Block G Raptor]

If the attendances are to be slated then at least respect the few fans who do make an effort.


Excellent Point. to berate fans who go to games about poor attendances is just plain stupid. What are they expected to do? force everyone they know at gunpoint to the ground every friday night? ffs

[pete]

As said already its not just attendances but potential.

I really couldn't care less what happens in the 1st division which i suspect would be close to SPL example. Is that a better approach to have?

Lowest UCD crowd i've been at would be around 500 wheras last CHF game had 150-200 including 50 away fans.

[Drumcondra Red]

Pete, would you get down off your high horse and stop trying to belittle DC and their fans! Sure they may be a reletivly new club, but Cork City have hardly got a long history have they??? Do Cork own their own ground? No! I think DC have as much right as anyone to be where they are, I wonder what people would be saying about them if they were located in an area lacking an EL team???

[NY Hoop]

Have no problem with UCD (though some of their anti Rovers stuff here is baffling) but CHF bring nothing to the league. For the zillionth you cannot have a club without support.

KOH

[Ronnie]

Every club gets **** crowds, Cork included - 4,000 out of a population of 150k is no great achievement, its the same as Monaghan getting 180 out of 7000! Its even worse in Dublin - less than 1% of the population go to games.

[Wiseguy]

It's all crap about who deserves to be in the Prem div. and who dosen't.All the teams that are in it are there on merit and that's what counts and rightly so.It's a shame that Rovers have gone down but they just didn't get it right on the pitch and they had the chance even with their points deducted.Some people need to get down off their high horse and realise that DC have earned the right to play prem div football so leave them be.

[Buller]

Worse, CHF is an opportunistic attempt to cash in on a name and a blue shirt in an already crowded city club scene. Anyone who follows them and doesn't have a previous personal association with the club is being suckered, just the same as those unsuspecting tourists they sell their kit to in Carroll's.
I'd rather play a real club like Limerick or Athlone, even if it had fewer supporters, than this outfit.
omg, what is wrong with me?! for once i actually agree 100% with something boh diddley said...:eek: :eek: :eek:

[EnDai]

If the attendances are to be slated then at least respect the few fans who do make an effort.

Exactly. Any team in the Premier is there on merit, and thats all that matters. They can do the business on the pitch, ergo the football is good.

[Poor Student]

Worse, CHF is an opportunistic attempt to cash in on a name and a blue shirt in an already crowded city club scene.


And if they are, so what? Not all football clubs can have eons of tradition and have existed before the dawn of time commanding the loyalty of masses. Some clubs are new and have to start off from humble beginings. Modern new born clubs can't become massive overnight.

Football clubs believe it or not are different. Different colours, stadiums, fansbases, financial bases, ethos etc. All countries have small clubs but our small ones just happen to be really tiny and people seem to take offence to that.

[Philo]

Actually, since we gave up on trying to get students to games, we have had some success in getting locals to games. There's now a good many locals - many more than go to games, obviously, as with any football club - who consider UCD to be their local team. I often have people recognise me - kids mainly, but not exclusively - and say that they go to games and enjoy it and who's coming or going, etc., etc.

I can just imagine you lot knocking on doors along Foster's Avenue and getting reactions like you're Jehovah's Witnesses... "It's them smiling football fans again Gerald!"

I've nothing against UCD as such but I think they and Dublin City are the two expendable teams if football in the capital were to be rationlised and strengthened. It might be harsh on their supporters but with those clubs having the fewest fans it's just damage limitation.

[BohDiddley]

And if they are, so what? Not all football clubs can have eons of tradition and have existed before the dawn of time commanding the loyalty of masses. Some clubs are new and have to start off from humble beginings. Modern new born clubs can't become massive overnight.

Football clubs believe it or not are different. Different colours, stadiums, fansbases, financial bases, ethos etc. All countries have small clubs but our small ones just happen to be really tiny and people seem to take offence to that.
Tradition matters, although not as much some unfortunates might think, but let's leave that one for other threads.
Of course clubs have to start somewhere, but why does Dublin, with Bohs, Pats, Rovers and Shels, need another? By your logic, should we support the next proposal for another, even tinier outfit in Drogheda or Sligo, Galway or Athlone? Cobh Wanderers or Bray Ramblers anyone? As it is, the powers that be want clubs to ground-share, something which, in my view, is a dangerous experiment that could lead to the extinction, Cork-style, of at least one Dublin club. (At which point some overpaid suit is bound to turn around and marvel at the 4,500-strong crowd in Dalymount).
CHF do not have 'different' colours -- they adopted the name and colours of a city and misrepresent themselves accordingly; Rovers are closer to having a stadium; they stretch the meaning of 'fanbase', and if you can point to anything of merit under ethos etc., then I'd certainly be interested to hear what it is.

[Poor Student]

I can just imagine you lot knocking on doors along Foster's Avenue and getting reactions like you're Jehovah's Witnesses... "It's them smiling football fans again Gerald!"

The local area targeting is done through soccer camps and schools not through door to door calling. The eL needs to get to kids while they are young and impressionable before the EPL gets a strong root in them.


I've nothing against UCD as such but I think they and Dublin City are the two expendable teams if football in the capital were to be rationlised and strengthened. It might be harsh on their supporters but with those clubs having the fewest fans it's just damage limitation.

How are we expendable? We're the only club in the whole South Eastern quarter of Dublin. What do you mean rationalised and strengthened? If Dub City and UCD are so irrelevant then their elimination would make no difference as we don't detract from the other clubs.

BohDiddley, I am not saying to squeeze another club into another Irish town. We're talking about 1 extra club in Dublin. There's more than enough room for these clubs. People in Dublin and indeed Ireland are not really willing to travel far to see their nearest club so extra clubs in untapped areas of Dublin are no harm. That is why Rovers earmarked Tallaght for a move, no? Similar sized cities can support as many clubs, bigger ones too. The problem is not too many clubs in Dublin but too little interest from Dubs (or indeed Irish people in general).

[Roverstillidie]

the issue, for the millionth time is not their crowds being woeful per say.
Its the fact they are a franchise, a fake football club with no history, underage structures, ground, or support. By all means start a club frm scratch. In the LSL. Its a bad precedent to set. Why didnt he invest in Cherry Orchard or TEK Utd if he thought there was room for another Dublin club?
Franchises have no place in football, thats why most genuine fans have nothing but contempt for them.

[Slash/ED]

Ideally for me UCD and Dublin would both be in the first division. But they're in the premier division on merit alone, and anyone who whinges about it is being foolish. If you don't like it, it's up to the other so called bigger clubs to get their acts together and relegate them. Afterall, if they have so much more potential, why can't they?

[dancinpants]

the issue, for the millionth time is not their crowds being woeful per say.
Its the fact they are a franchise, a fake football club with no history, underage structures, ground, or support. By all means start a club frm scratch. In the LSL. Its a bad precedent to set. Why didnt he invest in Cherry Orchard or TEK Utd if he thought there was room for another Dublin club?
Franchises have no place in football, thats why most genuine fans have nothing but contempt for them.

I might be way off the mark here, but don't we all slag the sh!t out of Dublin City for being, in essence Home Farm (Everton, Finglas)? So would it not be fair to suggest that Dublin City have been involved in LOI football (albeit in one guise or another) for quite a long time? :o

[Philo]

The local area targeting is done through soccer camps and schools not through door to door calling. The eL needs to get to kids while they are young and impressionable before the EPL gets a strong root in them.

OK so Jehovah's Witnesses have a better sense of humour.


How are we expendable? We're the only club in the whole South Eastern quarter of Dublin. What do you mean rationalised and strengthened? If Dub City and UCD are so irrelevant then their elimination would make no difference as we don't detract from the other clubs.

Dublin has too many teams - there isn't the interest to realistically support 6 teams (plus Bray who draw support from Dun Laoghaire/Shankill/Cabinteely etc). Cutting two teams would strengthen Dublin football by taking away the Dublin derbies ad nauseum factor. The two teams I'd propose be cut are UCD and Fingal City as fewer supporters would be upset. Not none, just fewer... you can't make omelettes without breaking eggs.

[Poor Student]

OK so Jehovah's Witnesses have a better sense of humour.

I got the joke.:rolleyes: I just wanted to make it clear it is nothing remotely like that.




Dublin has too many teams - there isn't the interest to realistically support 6 teams (plus Bray who draw support from Dun Laoghaire/Shankill/Cabinteely etc). Cutting two teams would strengthen Dublin football by taking away the Dublin derbies ad nauseum factor. The two teams I'd propose be cut are UCD and Fingal City as fewer supporters would be upset. Not none, just fewer... you can't make omelettes without breaking eggs.

In your wonderful ideal world there is going to be the big 4 from Dublin in the Premier, that already gives you your derbies ad nauseum. Wiping us out is not going to make it any better. You're not going to strengthen "Dublin football" by this. It would have no effect. "Dublin football" is only a construct of your mind too. You remind me of Cork fans talking about the health of "Munster football". In the eL there is only national football and that is where the problems of low crowds need to be addressed, not at the narrow sight of your local surroundings.

[Maynard]

It's unfortunate that the extremely sensible post that started this thread is going to descend into the unsual bowels of b()llox that it always does.

Suffice to say I agree wholeheartedly with the inital logical and considered views posted initially.

Also (once again) for the record- Dublin City FC do not receive one penny (cent, dollar,yen whatever) from the sales of Dublin City shirts. Not one.

[Poor Student]

It's unfortunate that the extremely sensible post that started this thread is going to descend into the unsual bowels of b()llox that it always does.

Suffice to say I agree wholeheartedly with the inital logical and considered views posted initially.

Thanks Maynard.


Also (once again) for the record- Dublin City FC do not receive one penny (cent, dollar,yen whatever) from the sales of Dublin City shirts. Not one.

So how does it work? One lump payment from Carrolls for the right to sell your shirt and they take all the profits?

[Philo]

I got the joke.:rolleyes: I just wanted to make it clear it is nothing remotely like that.

In your wonderful ideal world there is going to be the big 4 from Dublin in the Premier, that already gives you your derbies ad nauseum. Wiping us out is not going to make it any better. You're not going to strengthen "Dublin football" by this. It would have no effect. "Dublin football" is only a construct of your mind too. You remind me of Cork fans talking about the health of "Munster football". In the eL there is only national football and that is where the problems of low crowds need to be addressed, not at the narrow sight of your local surroundings.

What's all this about the big four being in the Premier? shamrocks have already taken one for the team... good work fellas.

I've heard all the UCD arguments before and it doesn't change a thing. Like I said, some people will be upset (hint: you) but many more won't be. I'm honestly not ruubbishing your club or judging you as a person, just saying what I think.

[Bald Student]

We'd all like to see strong clubs in Limerick, Galway and elsewhere but it's not the fault of Dublin City that they weren't promoted. If DCFC can sell 50,000 shirts there's no reason why Galway and Limerick can't do similar.

In a way this reminds me of the debate surrounding UCD and Dublin hurling. You don't improve hurling in the county by chopping off the better clubs to help the weaker ones. The weaker clubs need to up their game to meet the challenge. If UCD or DCFC were to leave the league it wouldn't strengthen the weaker teams one bit, it would just make them more complacent of their position.

[Philo]

It's unfortunate that the extremely sensible post that started this thread is going to descend into the unsual bowels of b()llox that it always does.

Suffice to say I agree wholeheartedly with the inital logical and considered views posted initially.

So instead of arguing your case, you proclaim the thread has turned to bollócks. Winner all right.

[Poor Student]

I've heard all the UCD arguments before and it doesn't change a thing. Like I said, some people will be upset (hint: you) but many more won't be. I'm honestly not ruubbishing your club or judging you as a person, just saying what I think.

I'm not saying you are. I am saying what logic actually tells you that somehow it will benefit the other four clubs by getting rid of us, and why should the other 4 be helped?

[Philo]

I'm not saying you are. I am saying what logic actually tells you that somehow it will benefit the other four clubs by getting rid of us, and why should the other 4 be helped?

Are you studying English as a foreign language?

I'm not suggesting we get rid of you by Christmas or anything. Just saying that in my opinion the two most expendable clubs in Dublin are UCD and Thingy FC and that ain't changing. I'm not saying UCD don't have a right to exist but they, along with Dublin City, would be my logical choice for the chop should such a situation arise.

As for the title of the thread, I should imagine the Austrian league as a whole hates the idea of Red Bull reinventing Austria Salzburg and having a "new" team suddenly appear on the scene. MK Dons are treated as a joke. Dunno about anywhere else. Try putting a few questions to supporters from other countries on a forum such as this one (http://www.bigsoccer.com). I'd guess in most struggling leagues there are teams which are considered "non essential" by other fans.

[Roverstillidie]

I might be way off the mark here, but don't we all slag the sh!t out of Dublin City for being, in essence Home Farm (Everton, Finglas)? So would it not be fair to suggest that Dublin City have been involved in LOI football (albeit in one guise or another) for quite a long time? :o

fair point, but as the CHF fans repeat ad nauseum, they are a 'new club'. but they took another clubs licence and stadium and just changed the name and slightly changed the shirts. we refer to them as home farm to remind them they are not considered, nor never will be, a genuine club. team wise, they deserve EL football, but the club is a farce.

i refer to them as CHF, ICBINHF or whatever because i am fundamentally opposed to a US style franchise system for our game. I didnt opposed dons for dublin to allow a team to just appear from nowhere in the top tier of Irish ball while numerous clubs work their arses off to inch towords an EL berth.

and to answer the question, we are the only league that would have allowed CHF in in the first place, so the question is irrelevant
And when the money runs out and he has ran up debts, will he change the club name to Dublin Utd and start 'from scratch' again?

[Poor Student]

Are you studying English as a foreign language?

No need to get cheeky. I am asking you what would be the positive benefits of eliminating UCD and DCFC. You just keep repeating you'd do it if you could. Why ask me if I can speak English?:confused:


I'm not suggesting we get rid of you by Christmas or anything. Just saying that in my opinion the two most expendable clubs in Dublin are UCD and Thingy FC and that ain't changing. I'm not saying UCD don't have a right to exist but they, along with Dublin City, would be my logical choice for the chop should such a situation arise.

But no such situation would ever arise. We're talking contrary to football logic here. Placing teams on the merit of non-footballing criteria. You're telling me it'll benefit Dublin football (i.e. the big 4). I am saying how, and why is Dublin football (i.e. you mean the big 4) something that deserves such aid?


As for the title of the thread, I should imagine the Austrian league as a whole hates the idea of Red Bull reinventing Austria Salzburg and having a "new" team suddenly appear on the scene. MK Dons are treated as a joke. Dunno about anywhere else. Try putting a few questions to supporters from other countries on a forum such as this one (http://www.bigsoccer.com). I'd guess in most struggling leagues there are teams which are considered "non essential" by other fans.

The title of this thread is not exclusively about DCFC. It's also about your UCDs, Longfords, Kilkennys, Monaghans etc.

[Bald Student]

I'm not saying UCD don't have a right to exist but they, along with Dublin City, would be my logical choice for the chop should such a situation arise.I think this is the nub of our disagreement Philo. There is no need to chop any team so for us to debate which team to chop should the situation arise is a bit silly. This is especially true since, according to the Genesis Report, the league will be looking for eight new teams in two years time. While I don't think your opinion on who would get a hypothetical chop is stupid I do think it's completly irellavant.

P.S. While I'm sure that there are some spelling and/or gramatical mistakes in this post there's probably no need to point them out.

[Roverstillidie]

UCD have a niche and proved their worth over the years. are they the biggest small club or the smallest big club? they organically progressed through the intervarsity side of things to the point where they could compete in the LOI. But that happened over years.

Longford, Kilkenny and Monaghan are the senior clubs of large towns with a junior st up underneath them. Longord are a shining example of what ccan be done on and off the pitch.

CHF are none of the above. They just appeared with no dynamic behind them, just 'no-one else was interested'. That is pathetic and I fear that genesis will encourage 8 other ego trips as opposed to the 8 biggest towns/areas that have no EL side's biggest teams stepping up.

[Derek]

Yes you are all right, I will call the Chairman in the morning and insist that he disbands the club asap.

Get a grip the lot of, Nobody duped me or fooled me. I feel part of the club, had no ties before supporting The Dubs and hate Homefarm. I knew very little about the EL before supporting the Dubs.

Shamrock Rovers:
Went to a lot of their games but didn't enjoy the atmosphere because of all the wanabe brit hooligans who make supportting them if you have kids a joke as you would fear for thier safety.

Bohs:
Similar support to Rovers but just not as many mentle cases:

If you don't believe me about the nutters then you should have been at the playoff with Dublin City and Rovers last Friday

Example 1.
200 Bohs fans to my right in Tolka constantly shouting rubbish at the Rovers Fans, Rovers Fans shouting back just waiting for the final whistle so the could square up and cause trouble, muppets the lot,

Example 2.
End of the game waiting for the Rovers fans to leave the area outside Tolka so I could bring the kids home three Rovers fans walk past me, I'm standing thier with my five year old, my nine year old and my twelve year old all wearing Dublin hats etc and one of the nobends gestures his hand in the motion of having a waank, then lets out some verbals of the same variety to me and the kids, know I know the garda did a good job keeping the waring factions apart but are you trying to tell me that they needed to have a fight that badly they needed to have ago from my gang of Dublin City Ultras. What a scalp that would be went they get back to the rehab centre and tell all their mates.

Shels:
Good club with plenty of decent fans, almost picked these but they have enough fans already.

Cork:
Based on the fans ignorance that I come across from their fans on foot.ie I'm glad I live so far away although the distance would not have stopped me supporting.

Derry City:
Good fans, no, Great fans, great atmosphere and a good night out when you go to the Brandy well.

Pats:
Didn't feel anything when watching these.

UCD.
Never actually went to see UCD before I picked my team, Sorry.

Wanderers.
Never actually went to see Wanderers before I picked my team, Sorry.

So that left Dublin City, from the very first game I went to see them I felt at home, Good atmosphere even though the games can be a bit quite. You can be sure your kids will not have to listen too or watch your own fans throw abuse of objects at the opposition.

If I left anyone out sorry but you get the gist of my response, Just because some of the posters on this site say such rubbish about Dublin City doesn't mean it's true but the idea of constantly running down clubs for what ever reason is silly, give Dublin City time.

[HarpoJoyce]

I do know there are no big clubs in this country. Having few fans doesn't mean that a club is not ambitous. If promotion is a measure of success then Dub City have done it twice already. ( how clever of them to mimic Home Farm Everton's promotion in 1996 which eased UCD's second season-in-a-row in the Premier Division.)

But I do know, that larger clubs' supporters prefer not to associate their clubs with small club anecdotes. While I prefer to emphasise with most of the worlds supporters.

http://www.wsc.co.uk/archive/wsc44.html
Tadek Kospzywa’s eulogy of life as an East Stirlingshire supporter is also a classic WSC piece, extolling the virtues of being "free from the ruthless ambition which spoils the atmosphere at places like Falkirk and Airdrie".
Recalling the consequences of the 1979-80 season, when ES had moved up a division, Kopszywa laments having been introduced to a world "where opposition supporters talked amongst themselves of promotion as though it were vital for human survival. They also sneered at us simply because there were not that many of us. The upshot of this was to make the supporters hateful of success and even more so of those who long for it." Looked at that way, the years since have certainly been kind to him.


PS. Flamengo of Brazil claim to have 35million fans, maybe bigger clubs supporters do outnumber the smaller clubs.

[tiktok]

I think everyone would have a lot more time for Dublin City if they were called Home Farm, simple as that, the main problem is that they're perceived as an opportunistic franchise, though I don't particularly care for the club, they'll be in the top flight on merit and fair play to those who turn out to support them, they get a lot of Sh!t over it.

I dislike their chairman/benefactor greatly however, based on first hand experience of him.

Part of me has always liked the fact that UCD are in the top flight of the EL, having a 'university side' playing top level football is interesting, UCD have long since earned their status, I think the point that attracting support is always going to be a problem for them is fair, especially wrt students, any student interested in the LOI will most likely already have 'their' team.

Belfield depresses the fcuk out of me though.

[patsh]

Yes you are all right, I will call the Chairman in the morning and insist that he disbands the club asap.

Get a grip the lot of, Nobody duped me or fooled me. I feel part of the club, had no ties before supporting The Dubs and hate Homefarm. I knew very little about the EL before supporting the Dubs.

Shamrock Rovers:
Went to a lot of their games but didn't enjoy the atmosphere because of all the wanabe brit hooligans who make supportting them if you have kids a joke as you would fear for thier safety.

Bohs:
Similar support to Rovers but just not as many mentle cases:

If you don't believe me about the nutters then you should have been at the playoff with Dublin City and Rovers last Friday

Example 1.
200 Bohs fans to my right in Tolka constantly shouting rubbish at the Rovers Fans, Rovers Fans shouting back just waiting for the final whistle so the could square up and cause trouble, muppets the lot,

Example 2.
End of the game waiting for the Rovers fans to leave the area outside Tolka so I could bring the kids home three Rovers fans walk past me, I'm standing thier with my five year old, my nine year old and my twelve year old all wearing Dublin hats etc and one of the nobends gestures his hand in the motion of having a waank, then lets out some verbals of the same variety to me and the kids, know I know the garda did a good job keeping the waring factions apart but are you trying to tell me that they needed to have a fight that badly they needed to have ago from my gang of Dublin City Ultras. What a scalp that would be went they get back to the rehab centre and tell all their mates.

Shels:
Good club with plenty of decent fans, almost picked these but they have enough fans already.

Cork:
Based on the fans ignorance that I come across from their fans on foot.ie I'm glad I live so far away although the distance would not have stopped me supporting.

Derry City:
Good fans, no, Great fans, great atmosphere and a good night out when you go to the Brandy well.

Pats:
Didn't feel anything when watching these.

UCD.
Never actually went to see UCD before I picked my team, Sorry.

Wanderers.
Never actually went to see Wanderers before I picked my team, Sorry.

So that left Dublin City, from the very first game I went to see them I felt at home, Good atmosphere even though the games can be a bit quite. You can be sure your kids will not have to listen too or watch your own fans throw abuse of objects at the opposition.

If I left anyone out sorry but you get the gist of my response, Just because some of the posters on this site say such rubbish about Dublin City doesn't mean it's true but the idea of constantly running down clubs for what ever reason is silly, give Dublin City time.
From an ignorant City supporter's point of view, this sums up DCFC perfectly.
You don't go shopping around for a club to follow,the club picks you.

[LFC in Exile]

Worse, CHF is an opportunistic attempt to cash in on a name and a blue shirt in an already crowded city club scene.

Kind of like Dublin clubs adopting a light blue shirt and navy shorts as their change strip. That would be really cashing in wouldn't it. :rolleyes:

[bigmac]

From an ignorant City supporter's point of view, this sums up DCFC perfectly.
You don't go shopping around for a club to follow,the club picks you.

Great attitude to get people interested in El football Patsh
"Don't come unless you hear the call!" It's not a fcuking vocation, fair play to Derek for taking an interest - who's to say that DC didn't pick him anyway.

[LFC in Exile]

This is an interesting debate and about time.

I agree with the thrust of the original post. It is surprising that eL supporters in particular would take the "small clubs don't bring anything to the league" attitude. If taken to its logical conclusion of course the eL could be disbanded for "bringing nothing to Irish sport", if we base it solely on attendances, which seems to be the deciding factor on a club's contribution.

Fair play to Derek for getting involved in an eL club and bringing his kids along to eL games. I couldn't care less what club he supports if his kids are walking around wearing merchandise for an eL club rather than a foreign one. And I bet they loved last Friday night. Already I guess they're hooked.

[Derek]

From an ignorant City supporter's point of view, this sums up DCFC perfectly.
You don't go shopping around for a club to follow,the club picks you.

Didn't go shopping around, just wanted to watch homegrown football but never felt the calling you talk about until I went to Dublin City, That's when I got hooked on one team, simple realy. And another thing I think the standard of football is about right for the size of the league and the money it generates, the only way we can improve is to hope that TV takes off and we can get more bums ons seats for all teams. This will all equate to money with means more to spend on players which means that the likes of Doyler who went to Reading might actually stay. It's a catch 22, people in Ireland have just gotten out of the habit of doing something other than watching TV in the pub watching the English crap.

I would love to know what the viewing figures were for the reglegation playoff on Setanta last week, or the final **** v Derry game, anybody any ideas on how to find the figures out?

[Derek]

Fair play to Derek for getting involved in an eL club and bringing his kids along to eL games. I couldn't care less what club he supports if his kids are walking around wearing merchandise for an eL club rather than a foreign one. And I bet they loved last Friday night. Already I guess they're hooked.

They all have DC flags, hats, full kit and wahtever else they can buy.
For example, the great thing about Dublin City being small at the moment is the access to the whole club, Robbie Collins gave the nine year old his boots after the win in Athlone, the two boys were mascots at the City v Rovers playoff game in Tolka and I had a few pints with the players after the game, I mean for fcuk sake what team in the english muck can you get involved to such an extent. The kids go around the house singing Dublin songs all day long, pay almost no attention to Man U or what ever, we have a little foosball table, one team wears blue and the other wears yellow, so the five year reckons that when he playing with it the teams are Dublin City and Kilkenny. That has to be a good thing even if some consider Dublin City to be a francise, I reckon my kids and kids like them are the future of the EL,
They spread the word in their schools and remember all PR is good PR.