Alan Hunter on Liveline now

[drummerboy]

Alan Hunter, the chairman of the phantom Irish Supporters Organisation is on liveline talking for all us supporters.

[Billsthoughts]

let us know what he says..

[paul_oshea]

seriouslly though does he have any backing? did he self appoint himself? how did he get recognised by everyone else in the media?

[NY Hoop]

Because rtengland are idiots. It never occurs to them to check who this guy is.

Ring up liveline and challenge him. One thing for sure is that the FAI have never heard of his Irish Worldwide Wrestling Supporters United franchise.

KOH

[wws]

Alan Hunter, Good Afternoooon to youuuuuu!

[Dublin12]

He's got a point though in fairness,too many suits are gonna end up at Croker with those prices and not enough real football fans.

[NY Hoop]

He's got a point though in fairness,too many suits are gonna end up at Croker with those prices and not enough real football fans.

So what happens if a real fan turns up in a suit?

KOH

[irishfan86]

So what happens if a real fan turns up in a suit?

KOH

If you're well off you're not a real fan.

The only way you can be a real fan is if you're a working class guy just trying to get by who spends more money following his football team than on his family.

[gustavo]

If you're well off you're not a real fan.

The only way you can be a real fan is if you're a working class guy just trying to get by who spends more money following his football team than on his family.

:confused: I'm presuming you are being ironic ?

[Student Mullet]

:confused: I'm presuming you are being ironic ?See here:
http://foot.ie/showpost.php?p=584166&postcount=18

[NY Hoop]

Only "well off" people own suits.:eek:

This guy is a miracle.

KOH

[strangeirish]

Jaysus, I must me a millionaire so:D

[iceman]

http://images.google.ie/images?q=tbn:S3nz8tEh6wuBgM:http://www.sportcentral.ie/images/stories/alanhunter.jpg (http://images.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sportcentral.ie/images/stories/alanhunter.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.soccercentral.ie/viewstory.asp%3Fid%3D7469%26mainheading%3DRepublic %2Bof%2BIreland%26viewstory%3Dyes&h=220&w=180&sz=9&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=S3nz8tEh6wuBgM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=88&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dirish%2Bfootball%2Bsupporters%2Bassoc iation%2Balan%2Bhunter%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr %3D%26cr%3DcountryIE%26sa%3DN)

[gspain]

RTE are well aware of who/what he is. They still persist in using him which is a total disgrace. It is disgraceful journalism.

[cavan_fan]

To be fair to RTE, if you have an article about football and fans what else can they do, interview them all individually? Run a best fan in the world competition?

[OwlsFan]

Was he the guy who appeared on RTE opposite Dunphy shortly after Saipan? There were so many clowns on view I thought it was a circus I was watching.

[Poor Student]

Does his group exist at all or is it just small and unrepresentative?

[NY Hoop]

Does his group exist at all or is it just small and unrepresentative?

Jesus man what do you think?:rolleyes: The guy is a fantasist walter mitty deluded clown and so fits the bill perfectly for rtengland.

Owlsfan that is funny:D

KOH

[pete]

RTE are well aware of who/what he is. They still persist in using him which is a total disgrace. It is disgraceful journalism.

I would expect this from tabloids but RTE have a broadcasters charter & I would expect they are breaking a lot in that list everytime they "interview" him.

[lionelhutz]

In relation to the ticket prices in Croke park, i think €50 (the cheapest ticket albeit) is a fair price to be paying for a seat in a world class stadium with world class facilities. I had a seat in the south bucket - which are €30 - of that dump lansdowne for 10 years and I'm over the moon to be moving to Croker. You'll find that all other decent European teams charge at least €50 a ticket for matches so i don't see why this should be a problem - especially with our roaring tiger

[Billsthoughts]

no way.
50 euro cheapest (and worst) seats is a rip off.
world class stadium?? are you havin a laugh?
nobody goes to sit in a stadium. and its not that bloody great anyways.

[eirebhoy]

I'd love to know if any other international FA charge as much as the FAI are going to charge. I just checked the French website and you can get a ticket for their games against Austria and Argentina for €32 (€18 each).

http://www.fff.fr/billet/340385.shtml

[Loadedscream]

no way.
50 euro cheapest (and worst) seats is a rip off.
world class stadium?? are you havin a laugh?
nobody goes to sit in a stadium. and its not that bloody great anyways.

Good Lord!!!!...have you ever stepped foot in Croke Park???

Are you havin a laugh?

[Donal81]

Firstly, Croker leaves Lansdowne in the shade. It's a class stadium while Lansdowne was a freezing, unsheltered wreck of a place. So you're paying for more from the start.

Secondly, I presume the FAI are paying a heftier rent for this than they were paying the IRFU. They're not going to absorb the costs themselves, they'll pass them on to the customer, like most businesses.

[pete]

I think the new lansdowne if it ever gets built has the potential to be better than Croke Park. Obviously it will suffer capacity wise but will look architecturally will be nicer as Croke Park isn't so asthetically pleasing...

The cost of living in France is much lower than Ireland (i.e. everything cheaper) so can't compare.

[drummerboy]

Firstly, Croker leaves Lansdowne in the shade. It's a class stadium while Lansdowne was a freezing, unsheltered wreck of a place. So you're paying for more from the start.

Secondly, I presume the FAI are paying a heftier rent for this than they were paying the IRFU. They're not going to absorb the costs themselves, they'll pass them on to the customer, like most businesses.

While I agree with most of your comments, have you ever sat on top of the new Cusack Stand? It can be a nice summers day, and you'll still get that brass monkey feeling.

[Donal81]

While I agree with most of your comments, have you ever sat on top of the new Cusack Stand? It can be a nice summers day, and you'll still get that brass monkey feeling.

I've been in the Cusack's nosebleeds a few times and it can get a bit chilly alright. Still, nothing in the new Croker I've ever experienced comes close to standing on the terrace watching Brian Kerr's Ireland draw 0-0 or 1-1 with Bulgaria (neither remember nor care about the result) in the rain.

Rugby fans are the ones getting really fleeced. Don't have time in work to go looking for the prices but I know that the cheapest tickets are a good deal more expensive than E50.

It's a pain in the arse but I don't think it's unreasonable on the FAI's part.

[Billsthoughts]

Good Lord!!!!...have you ever stepped foot in Croke Park???

Are you havin a laugh?

no
I just think its nuthin special. there is nuthin architectually amazing or interesting about the place.and in general the atmosphere is "tinny".
Doesnt compare with proper football stadiums around europe. as well as that the pitch for the football games will be (relatively)far away from the stands.
I dont think you should have to pay extra because the stadium looks nice.
I dont get that attitude at all.

[Mento]

Back to the idiot 'Hunter'
Alan Hunter isn't even his real name!

[Schumi]

Rugby fans are the ones getting really fleeced. Don't have time in work to go looking for the prices but I know that the cheapest tickets are a good deal more expensive than E50.€30..

[OwlsFan]

€30..


That's not really a fair comparison as there is no standing allowed at soccer games so all you can do is compare seating prices and the IRFU are much more expensive. Mind you a tenner for kids is very cheap but I wonder how many of these tickets do they print?

Ireland v France - 11th February, 2007 Kick off 15.00hrs
and
Ireland v England - 24th February, 2007 Kick off 17.30hrs

Premium - €110;
Stand - €80;
Terrace - €30;
Schoolboy/girls - €10

[geysir]

I'd love to know if any other international FA charge as much as the FAI are going to charge. I just checked the French website and you can get a ticket for their games against Austria and Argentina for €32 (€18 each).

http://www.fff.fr/billet/340385.shtml
Evidently the demand for tickets for the French games is not the same as for the Irish games
It's a very good deal for the French games, the individual match tickets range from €16 to €48, it's even cheaper if you buy tickets for both games, then there's a 20% discount. Plus you can buy a parking ticket!
At Stuttgart we paid €65 for a good lower tier central location plus a whopper €40 for the price of a postage stamp.
The bone I would pick with the FAI pricing is the high cost of what should be the lower price tickets and no discount for block booking.

[pete]

Ireland v France - 11th February, 2007 Kick off 15.00hrs and Ireland v England - 24th February, 2007 Kick off 17.30hrs

Premium - €110;
Stand - €80;
Terrace - €30;
Schoolboy/girls - €10

So cheapest rugby seat is €80 compared with footballs €50?

The IRFU have been charging €70 for seats at 6 Nations games including Italy for years. I know for a fact they couldn't give away Italy tickets a couple of years ago.

[el punter]

While I agree with most of your comments, have you ever sat on top of the new Cusack Stand? It can be a nice summers day, and you'll still get that brass monkey feeling.

Why don't you email the GAA and ask them can they install some heating for you or get your granny to knit you a scarf.

Tsk, complaining about it being cold at a football match is a whole new league of whining even for this place!

[onenilgameover]

seriouslly though does he have any backing? did he self appoint himself? how did he get recognised by everyone else in the media?

Yes he is self appointed....

he is another thread which discusses the great Mr Hunter

http://www.foot.ie/showthread.php?t=22097&highlight=alan+hunter

[DmanDmythDledge]

no
I just think its nuthin special. there is nuthin architectually amazing or interesting about the place.and in general the atmosphere is "tinny".
Doesnt compare with proper football stadiums around europe.
Then on what basis are you making you're judgement?

[Billsthoughts]

sorry
what are you on about?

[DmanDmythDledge]

You're judgement of Croke Park.

[Billsthoughts]

oh I see now.
the no was in response to the "are you out of your mind" question.
have been to croke park loads of times. I just think its funny how GAA propaganda would have us beleive its one of the best sporting arenas in the world when anyone who has ever been to a proper stadium can see its nuthin special.

[OwlsFan]

It's a great stadium by Irish standards. However, the maintenance of a terrace :eek: at one end really takes away from the overall effect and I certainly have been in many better stadiums following Ireland.

[reder]

In relation to the ticket prices in Croke park, i think €50 (the cheapest ticket albeit) is a fair price to be paying for a seat in a world class stadium with world class facilities. I had a seat in the south bucket - which are €30 - of that dump lansdowne for 10 years and I'm over the moon to be moving to Croker. You'll find that all other decent European teams charge at least €50 a ticket for matches so i don't see why this should be a problem - especially with our roaring tiger

This is typical GAA nonsense. I am not a GAA fan in anyway shape or form but given the fact that we were going to be playing there and I got offered free tickets for the game I decided to pay it a visit this Sept for the All-Ireland football game.

I am lucky to have visited stadia all over europe and found nothing world class about Croke Park. It an ordinary modern-day stadium. The terrace at the end is completely out of place and the atmosphere was very poor for 80,000+ people. I was sitting at the back of the centre of the Hogan stand lower tier and the view was ok but nothing special. If it rains at any of our games plenty of people will be getting very very wet. If Croke Park was truely world class they would have taken the irish weather into account and roofed the whole ground.

You cannot compare Croke Park to Cadiff, Cardiff is light years ahead in terms of look, feel and atmosphere and when the roof is closed Cardiff goes to a completely different level. The new emirates (another corporate wonderland), city of manchester, old trafford, stade de france and all of the german WC stadia are all well ahead of it.

Dont get me wrong Croke Park is miles ahead of lansdowne at the moment but im very sure Lansdowne will be well ahead when it is re-built.

As for the ticket prices, we (the fans) were always going to have to absorb the costs. I wasnt shocked when I opened the letter last week. The rates are in keeping with PL costs but are well above european standards. There will be plenty of spares flying about though, hopefully there will be a nasty atmosphere at the Wales game and the gaa-crossover type will run home with their tails between their legs and not come back again.

Also the tiger has roared for the middle and upper classes in the country, lionelhutz. Football is and ,(pray to god), will always be a working class game. I know 2 pensioners who have to put money aside each month to be able to go to ireland home games.

[lopez]

Does his group exist at all or is it just small and unrepresentative?My first experience of this clown was Sky news in the nineties following the 1995 Tans game. He rang up saying that he was from the Irish Football Supporters Association (somehting like that and a take off the FSA). My ears pr*cked up as I'd never heard of this organisation, even though I was on the committee of the London RISSC at the time and been going to games for 14 years then. He suggested that England should be disallowed from hosting the following year's EC. Fair enough I thought. Then he said the tournament should be given to Ireland to host. It was then that the alarm bells started going off. Fair play to him I thought, but this was obviously some bloke taking the p*ss out of the English media.

Since then I saw him on the show mentioned by Owlsfan with Dunphy. He looked seriously scary and so deranged that I thought he was going to chin La Dunf. The photograph kindly suggests he's a danger if he's not topped up regularly with alcohol.

[bennocelt]

I am lucky to have visited stadia all over europe and found nothing world class about Croke Park. It an ordinary modern-day stadium. The terrace at the end is completely out of place and the atmosphere was very poor for 80,000+ people. I was sitting at the back of the centre of the Hogan stand lower tier and the view was ok but nothing special. If it rains at any of our games plenty of people will be getting very very wet. If Croke Park was truely world class they would have taken the irish weather into account and roofed the whole ground.



to be honest the Ga crowd are always mostly quite in croker, only really the Dubs that bring it to life

[Jerry The Saint]

given the fact that we were going to be playing there and I got offered free tickets for the game I decided to pay it a visit this Sept for the All-Ireland football game.

the atmosphere was very poor for 80,000+ people.

Maybe the atmosphere was poor because, as with all showpiece events in Ireland, it was full of people going for the first time on freebies with no interest in the game (like it could well be for the Wales game unfortunately...)

I agree the roof is woeful and unsuited for the Irish climate (probably due to some compromise with the local residents but one they shouldn't have given in to). Keeping the Hill as a modern terrace is a major plus point in my view and elevates the ground above other major stadiums around Europe (something that the GAA stood firm on when the residents tried to make it all-seater).

[Dazzy]

Keeping the Hill as a modern terrace is a major plus point in my view and elevates the ground above other major stadiums around Europe (something that the GAA stood firm on when the residents tried to make it all-seater).

Does Dortmund not have a giant terrace?

[The Swordsman]

Because of the historic nature of foreign games :D being played at Croke Park, there will a bigger demand for tickets than if the games were at Lansdowne and the FAI are trying to exploit that.

A lot of people I know who have never been to Lansdowne or only rarely go have expressed an interest in going to the Wales game.

If these people want to go, let them pay for the privilege. However, the people who have supported all along eg current block bookers should be given a better deal.

I've no problem with the FAI maximising their revenue from these games but they should remember those fans who will still be around when the glamour goes out of playing in Croker/Lansdowne.

When LR reopens, we can expect another huge demand for tickets and possibly more price hikes.

[John83]

Does Dortmund not have a giant terrace?
Yeah, it does. The stadium is only about 30 years old, so it's not some crumbling old relic either.

[Schumi]

Dortmund's terrace is roofed and an integrated part of the stadium whereas the hill in Croke Park is neither and looks like an afterthought to the rest of the stadium.

[Stuttgart88]

Dortmund is the football ground I most want to visit. I've formed the opinion it's probably the best football ground in the world from what I've seen on TV and from an aeroplane window on the way from Prague to London (bit trainspotterish I know).

I agree about Croker being over-hyped, but it is a fine stadium nonetheless. I haven't been to Cardiff but my mate says it's the ''Bang & Olufsen of football grounds''.

I think some people (Bertie included) confuse size with quality. Give me an Anfield sized and shaped ground any day of the week. The 2 WC grounds I was at during the summer, Cologne & Kaiserslautern, were both of that style. Dortmund the same, just on a different scale.

[Jerry The Saint]

my mate says it's the ''Bang & Olufsen of football grounds''.



Is this your mate? :D