Shelbourne FC Demoted to First Division - All Purpose Thread [Archive] - Page 7

paul_oshea

01/02/2007, 9:01 AM

I'm pretty disappointed this evening. Not because Shels are going out of business or could be, but because the league I have devoted so much of my time to seems to be partly rejoicing about Shels demise. I am not blind to the fact people anger about Shels buying the league, and Shels were spending above their abilities to fund and that the trouble is self made. That is grounds to be a bit ****ed off about Shels behaviour. However a club of such long history and its support and presence to the league over the years should be remembered for their history and not their immediately present.

And herein lies the problem with the EL, and with Irish society in general. When you look at two teams from limerick city going against eachother, for whatever reasons, there should be one team with everyone behind that team from limerick. Until this starts happening in irish football the problem are always going to exist as you will never have the support/fan base you need for a club to exist and build on. It really is sad to see how people laugh at a club going out of business and the rest, like what happened when the same happened dublin FC, genuine supporters of league of ireland football would be getting behind eachother and helping eachother out, not begrudging and "told you so" attitude we see from every corner.

BohsPartisan

01/02/2007, 9:10 AM

genuine supporters of league of ireland football would be getting behind eachother and helping eachother out, not begrudging and "told you so" attitude we see from every corner.

YAWN.
This is getting so old. If you are getting into a thread at least read what was said before. There have been many examples where EL supporters helped other clubs out with donations but the Shels case is different because they got where they are now through shafting everyone else.
I don't like to see the corner shop down the road who's owner has worked hard and honestly, going out of business but I'm f'ckd if I'm going to lose any sleep over Enron. Get it now?

MyTown

01/02/2007, 9:15 AM

Wow, I see what you did there, that's really, really, really, really, really clever. Good boy :rolleyes:

To think some people question the legitimacy of Galway supporters attitudes when they contain within their ranks such fine intellects as the example above.

Sorry Lim 'till i die, Your response to Saigon went right over my head, so maybe you're spot on to ast aspertions on our intellectual capabilities...

On the other hand, it was Socrates (not the former Brazilian medic & World Cup star who offered the follwoing food for thought:

"The first step to wisdom is to acknowledge my own ignorance";)

bohs til i die

01/02/2007, 9:16 AM

And herein lies the problem with the EL, and with Irish society in general. When you look at two teams from limerick city going against eachother, for whatever reasons, there should be one team with everyone behind that team from limerick. Until this starts happening in irish football the problem are always going to exist as you will never have the support/fan base you need for a club to exist and build on. It really is sad to see how people laugh at a club going out of business and the rest, like what happened when the same happened dublin FC, genuine supporters of league of ireland football would be getting behind eachother and helping eachother out, not begrudging and "told you so" attitude we see from every corner.

This is minnowism of the highest order. Shels fans have repeatedly been told they were heading for a very big crash and they chose to ignore the warnings and gloated about how great they were, how they were the true leaders of Irish football and how they were the model for other clubs to follow.

12 Months ago Bohs and Shels were in talks about a groundshare at Dalymount and this was posted by Comical Cassidy on the Shels MB.....

A mixture of rumour, speculation & wishful thinking by Bohs that Shels will bail them out of their financial difficulties.

Shels are committed 100% to moving out to Lissenhall
http://forum.shelbournefc.ie/chat/viewtopic.php?t=4278&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

There are many other posts on the Shels forum gloating about how Shels buying in to Dalymount will be the saviour of Bohemian FC. Its amazing how the tables have turned.

If Shels go to the wall then I wont be upset in the least. They were committed to contracts to the tune of nigh on �2,000,000 a year knowing damn well they couldnt afford them so they could deny other clubs spending more realistic sums a title and a shot at achieving in the CL.

All the time they were accusing other clubs of rule breach's and threatening court action for whatever reason, and behind it all they were the biggest cheats of all. I dont want Shels to die now. I'd prefer to see them slowly die in the First Division over the next 5 or 6 years.

In November 2004 Ollie Byrne slated Bohs on national TV for not playing Crowe, Hawkins and Ryan in Cork. His words were "small club with a small mind". I'll resist the temptation to say something really nasty but if the guy was more interested in what was going on in his own club and not interfering with every other club's business then maybe he wouldnt be were he is and Shels wouldnt be �10M+ in debt.

http://irishfootballonline.com/news_story.php?newsid=2376

Lim till i die

01/02/2007, 9:29 AM

Sorry Lim 'till i die, Your response to Saigon went right over my head

Yet you still felt this strange compulsion to reply :confused:

khoop

01/02/2007, 9:29 AM

As far as Shels were concerned, the Champions League place was theirs and only theirs and always theirs.

Anyone who came near to challenging for it - by fair and legal means - was threatened with court action.

That's what dragged the name of the league down. Nothing else.

paul_oshea

01/02/2007, 9:36 AM

I don't like to see the corner shop down the road who's owner has worked hard and honestly, going out of business but I'm f'ckd if I'm going to lose any sleep over Enron. Get it now?

I did read it, and i took most of one point from what gareth said, one man with 99% control, not listening to the genuine fan. I also understood the "attitude" of many fans to your club, having read your posts, but as a genuine follower, without small-minded mentality getting in your way, you would realise the bigger picture would look a lot better with a club as well known across ireland. that is why I based what I said around. Good man, as ever you have to give the stupid socialist attitude, the corner shop man existed in the town enron were formed, about 20,000 of them ( "corner shop men" - ill explain for ye, working hard to survive with little knowledge of what to do with any little money they might have to invest ) to be precise, they lost out of retirement money, pension plans, share dividends etc because of a "few" men in this case, so don't be giving another crap example. This can be completely parralled to the genuine and fair-minded shelbourne supporters and who ran their club.

bohs til i die

01/02/2007, 9:45 AM

I did read it, and i took most of one point from what gareth said, one man with 99% control, not listening to the genuine fan. I also understood the "attitude" of many fans to your club, having read your posts, but as a genuine follower, without small-minded mentality getting in your way, you would realise the bigger picture would look a lot better with a club as well known across ireland. that is why I based what I said around. Good man, as ever you have to give the stupid socialist attitude, the corner shop man existed in the town enron were formed, about 20,000 of them ( "corner shop men" - ill explain for ye, working hard to survive with little knowledge of what to do with any little money they might have to invest ) to be precise, they lost out of retirement money, pension plans, share dividends etc because of a "few" men in this case, so don't be giving another crap example. This can be completely parralled to the genuine and fair-minded shelbourne supporters and who ran their club.

Shels are a big club and a well known name, but its Shels, and if they vanish as a result of their own reckless behaviour then tough. Not too many of their support were worried about how they were paying for the titles so I wont worry about what they'll do if/when the poxy little club folds.

The bigger picture is if this league is to flourish we need strong, well run clubs with proper facilities. Shels certainly werent looking at the bigger picture when they threatened court action over every decision that went against them.

Shels fans accused Bohs of cheating in August 2006 when we played a suspended player. The cheek of them, accusing us of cheating when they were cheating their way to a title. We cheated our way to 3 points that we ultimately lost [i think] in a season we finished 9th.

wws

01/02/2007, 9:49 AM

I did read it, and i took most of one point from what gareth said, one man with 99% control, not listening to the genuine fan. I also understood the "attitude" of many fans to your club, having read your posts, but as a genuine follower, without small-minded mentality getting in your way, you would realise the bigger picture would look a lot better with a club as well known across ireland. that is why I based what I said around. Good man, as ever you have to give the stupid socialist attitude, the corner shop man existed in the town enron were formed, about 20,000 of them ( "corner shop men" - ill explain for ye, working hard to survive with little knowledge of what to do with any little money they might have to invest ) to be precise, they lost out of retirement money, pension plans, share dividends etc because of a "few" men in this case, so don't be giving another crap example. This can be completely parralled to the genuine and fair-minded shelbourne supporters and who ran their club.

nobody has a problem with genuine fair minded shels supporters, what they do object to is fraudulent trading, unfair competitive advantage via falsefied records and illegal payments and above all the subsequent damage that did to every other club as it pushed up wages to untenable levels and left the rest with problems that could very well obliterate them too. They cheated, and they cheated in a way that threatens more than just the future of their own club. On a fan level I genuinely hope they get their club sorted (under a new guise - with a realistic financial grounding and ambition). But anyone who champions their activities over the last 5 years as beneficial to irish football should be told to stay behind after school and take extra lessons. As they is clearly a stupid head!*

*deliberately dumbed down for the thickos at the back of the class.

number16

01/02/2007, 9:53 AM

It's called survival of the fittest, and from my perspective Shels don't look strong enough to survive - tough, but in life, fair. The real lesson to be learned for all genuine supporters of eL clubs is - focus on your own club, support them, be opinionated and be careful not to crow too much now about the demise of Shels- danger for many eL clubs, and Galway especially is that they don't over extend themselves, as Shels have.

paul_oshea

01/02/2007, 9:53 AM

Shels are a big club and a well known name, but its Shels, and if they vanish as a result of their own reckless behaviour then tough. Not too many of their support were worried about how they were paying for the titles so I wont worry about what they'll do if/when the poxy little club folds.

The bigger picture is if this league is to flourish we need strong, well run clubs with proper facilities. Shels certainly werent looking at the bigger picture when they threatened court action over every decision that went against them.

Yes, and that is right but most importantly fan base and support, and strategic and change management is required, to my mates and most people I know ( non EL followers ) seeing the most recognised club folding smacks to them of a sh1te league. Why? Because they never knew of how hte club was run, its not common knowledge outside of EL circles, but who is fairly well known outside of EL is Shelbourne, as being a team capable of doing well in europe and of being successful in the league over the last 3 - 4 years. When these people see ( who your clubs need to be attracting ) the "best club in the EL" folding, it will confirm in their minds how badly run and sh1te the league and standard of football really is!!!

GuisaSaigon

01/02/2007, 9:56 AM

Isnt it funny how the people who have a problem with Galway being a well run club are (or is that were "till I die") fans of a club that was such a shambles that they werent even fit for the 1st division.
The league needs well run clubs not pathetic organisations that rent a field with with a truck trailor off a priest, or gansters with dodgy accountants.
All that intellect didnt do much to save your club or did you even try?

dcfcsteve

01/02/2007, 10:19 AM

Gareth,

There's plenty of EL goodwill around. Over the years many posters here will have morally or financially supported fellow clubs when they've been in trouble (as many of our clubs have been). But I doubt you'll feel much of that love down Tolka way.

And the simple reason for that can be summed up in 2 words. *Ollie*. *Byrne*.

Ollie is an evil little man who has made an absolute sham of our league in order to ensure that his own club is always pushed to the top of the sh!t-pile. He is like the maddest crab in a bucket - continually climbing all over eveyone else in there with him, in the vague hope that it might save his ass at their cost.

He has bought definitely one, and probably as many as 3 league titles in the last 4 years through cheating - spending money his club simply didn't have. That is clear as day. He has also bullied and threatened to get his way on every single issue. He has been more than happy to drag the league's public reputation through the mud again and again, as part of his petty little tactics to get his own way. And he has been involved in incidents with fans, fellow managers, and God knows who else.

The man is a petty-minded thug, a convicted criminal, and borderline insane. the fact he is currently ill doesn't change any of this.

And the reason why all of this has converted into a dislike of Shels is that, for so many years now, Ollie Byrne IS Shelbourne. In recent times(since anyone with a brain and ability fled your Board) he has been the one and only voice of Shelbourne. When there have been complaints in the press, it's always been from Ollie. When there have been threats of court action, it's always been Ollie. When there have been altercations with Managers and fans, its always been Ollie.

And ratehr than see the danger the man presented, Shels fans were delighted to have him as Mr Shelbourne. How lonbg have people on here and else well been telling you that Ollie Byrne is a liability, and was unhelathy for your club ? How many times have fans of other clubs pointed out that Shel's financial position was completely untenable ? And in return, how often did you and other Shels fans brush off such comments as mere jealousy, constantly singing Ollie's praises - 'He's saved us before, I have faith in Ollie to do it again'. Well Gareth - you can tell from the festering pile of sh!t currently smothering Tolka that the chickens have finally come home to rest en masse....

To summise - I personally have no issues with Shels as a club per se, just as I don't with any other club. It's the individuals involved with clubs who tend to colour your judgement of them, and none more so than Ollie Byrne. Through his attitude, his actions, his words and his deeds, Ollie has consistently turned the world of Irish football against him. And as he and the fans have crowned him 'Mr Shelbourne' and made the club inseparable form him as an individual, he has likewise turned the world of Irish football against your club.....

BohsPartisan

01/02/2007, 10:25 AM

Good man, as ever you have to give the stupid socialist attitude,

Paul you have a real chip on your shoulder don't you. You feel the need to drag my politics into every post you make regardless of the topic. This is flaming. I'm sick of your jibes at this stage..

dcfcsteve

01/02/2007, 10:32 AM

Paul you have a real chip on your shoulder don't you. You feel the need to drag my politics into every post you make regardless of the topic. This is flaming. I'm sick of your jibes at this stage..

To be fair BP - your signature drags your politics into every post you make yourself.....! :)

paul_oshea

01/02/2007, 10:36 AM

its not bohs, but you did it by analogy, of bringing in supporting the little man in the corner shop, and then throwing the capatlist analogy of enron in there. thats what gets my goat, you having to throw in irrelevant analogies to your ideoligies( idioligies ) when they are of no importance to the issue at hand.

I am a well balanced individual. I have a chip on both shoulders :D

And ratehr than see the danger the man presented, Shels fans were delighted to have him as Mr Shelbourne. How lonbg have people on here and else well been telling you that Ollie Byrne is a liability, and was unhelathy for your club ? How many times have fans of other clubs pointed out that Shel's financial position was completely untenable ? And in return, how often did you and other Shels fans brush off such comments as mere jealousy, constantly singing Ollie's praises - 'He's saved us before, I have faith in Ollie to do it again'. Well Gareth - you can tell from the festering pile of sh!t currently smothering Tolka that the chickens have finally come home to rest en masse....

ok so how would you get rid of him, assuming here the fans didnt have the money to buy him out?

BohsPartisan

01/02/2007, 10:43 AM

NY Hoop

01/02/2007, 10:46 AM

Hope shels dont go to the wall as it is bad publicity for the league to have such tradition go.

But I have no sympathy for a club that let a convicted criminal run it into the ground. Relegation to the graveyard should be the solution and I'm glad to see a gentleman like Finbarr Flood restore some class to a club that has been lacking it for a long time.

Someone else mentioned CHF here. They deserved no goodwill at the time of their death simply because they were a franchise, a joke that should have never been foisted on us. No comparison.

Limerick 37 are a welcome replacement for the Rathbane outfit and a genuine football man like Mick Wallace could be a fine advertisment for the league.

KOH

paul_oshea

01/02/2007, 10:46 AM

PS. I have no interest in your goat.

i was going to share its milk with the village, and then make it government property, are you sure about that ;) :D

Well we covered this already, but the shels fans are much like the 20,000 enron locals who got screwed by a few powerful people. I thought that analogy was obvioius from above!

BohsPartisan

01/02/2007, 10:50 AM

but the shels fans are much like the 20,000 enron locals who got screwed by a few powerful people.

I agree but we've been warning them about it for years and they simply laughed at us and said look how rich we are, look at how successful we are you peasants. Or words to that effect.

Macy

01/02/2007, 10:50 AM

Gareth, I'm still not really sure of the difference between your situation and the Rovers fans. I mean they were in the same position - a club owned/ in debt to property sharks, club sitting on a potentially valuable asset, club on the verge of bankruptancy. Maybe the fans would've been in more of a position of strength if they had fought the regime instead of proping it up?

I do have sympathy for some of the shels fans, unfortuantely they've been defined by Ollie Byrne and those fans that brought his lines hook, line and sinker over the years while all around were saying it wasn't sustainable. They certainly weren't the only club, (my avatar is another club that followed that well trodden path), but they were also largely responsible for the crazy wage inflation in the league as other clubs struggled to remain competitive.

pete

01/02/2007, 10:52 AM

[I]Setanta Cup Regulations 2007:
Entry Process
The Tournament shall be on invitational basis only and invitations shall be issued by
both Associations to four clubs under their jurisdiction taking into account the following sporting criteria listed in order of priority:

Clubs under the jurisdiction of the FAI:
� 2006 season Premier Division League championship winners.
� 2006 season FAI Cup winners. In the event of a club winning the Premier Division League championship and the FAI Cup, then the runner-up club in the FAI Cup shall be invited.
� 2006 season League Cup winners.
� 2006 season Premier Division League championship runners-up.

Where did you find that? The bit in bold seems different that seen previously... :confused:

paul_oshea

01/02/2007, 10:53 AM

I agree but we've been warning them about it for years and they simply laughed at us and said look how rich we are, look at how successful we are you peasants. Or words to that effect.

DCFCSTEVE usually takes a good 20 mins to word and correct the grammar and spelling in his responses, I respond straight away without giving much thought, but I have asked him that question previously when I was also responding to your post about flaming. so what would you have proposed? I am not in the know of how you could do this and I would like to see how one ( or many ) would/could?

Macy

01/02/2007, 10:59 AM

Paul_oshea - Your Limerick comparison isn't right, as Limerick 37 are backed by the majority of football people in Limerick from what I can see, and Limerick FC only has the support of one man. To use that as a stick to beat the league does show a fair bit of ignorance to the facts

The shels fans are not like enron workers, as they've been told for years that their club wasn't sustainable but continued to buy in, enron workers were consistently told how great enron was.

Part of what defines football fans imo is who they hate. Some here hate Shels. I don't see this as wrong or surprising or in anyway disappointing, even as someone who hopes they do survive, hopefully as a fans run club (something football world wide needs more of).

paul_oshea

01/02/2007, 11:03 AM

Paul_oshea - Your Limerick comparison isn't right, as Limerick 37 are backed by the majority of football people in Limerick from what I can see, and Limerick FC only has the support of one man. To use that as a stick to beat the league does show a fair bit of ignorance to the facts

Note, in my post i used "for whatever reasons", obviouslly i was trying to point out one team should be there, I wasn't saying which one ;). its how people not involved will see it, that "are ignorant to the facts", such as myself I spose, I have only spoken to one fella and read whats been on here so I dont know, fair enough!

not enron workers, small town enron investors. anyhow again that doesn't really matter too much.

I read your last post after I had posted and I have to agree with this point:
". Maybe the fans would've been in more of a position of strength if they had fought the regime instead of proping it up?"

If that were the case, then my previous question is irrelevant as there was NOBODY there to do what dcfcsteve was proposing.

BohsPartisan

01/02/2007, 11:07 AM

hopefully as a fans run club (something football world wide needs more of).

If that happened I would say fair play to them and I wouldn't mind them surviving (once it took them a few years to recover). Can't see it happening as there doesn't seem to be the will. I'm also not sure if the Schooligans junior cert business studies will prepare them for running a major football club ;)
Paul, what people were proposing was that they do what the rovers fans did and take over the club as above. Which reminds me of another example of EL good will. Rovers, our fiercest rivals had a battle on their hands against the GAA to secure their home in Tallaght. More or less everyone including Bohs fans supported them. If we were just being small minded and petty we'd have been supporting the GAA.

wws

01/02/2007, 11:11 AM

When these people see ( who your clubs need to be attracting ) the "best club in the EL" folding, it will confirm in their minds how badly run and sh1te the league and standard of football really is!!!

how do you equate the badly run part with the "standard of football"

players dont run clubs - they are of a standard which is already quantifiable by objective measurements via performance in UEFA competition and the increased fees that their services command. I take your point in the last paragraph - all bar the last 6 words - which is not connected and related.

WeAreRovers

01/02/2007, 11:11 AM

Gareth, I'm still not really sure of the difference between your situation and the Rovers fans. I mean they were in the same position - a club owned/ in debt to property sharks, club sitting on a potentially valuable asset, club on the verge of bankruptancy. Maybe the fans would've been in more of a position of strength if they had fought the regime instead of proping it up?

That sums it up for me. I don't want Shels to go to the wall but the fans sat back and watched Ollie lie and cheat his way to the top and did nothing.

Why didn't you do something about it? It truly baffles me and I'm left with very little sympathy for you.

Someone on Shelsweb even berated me when I suggested that you should have demanded the club off Ollie. That attitude explains why you're fooked.

To put it simply, when the crap hit the fan at Rovers I and countless others were incandescent with rage and we used that rage to make positive changes. I've seen no anger from Shels fans. You made your bed....

KOH

khoop

01/02/2007, 11:15 AM

Gareth, I'm still not really sure of the difference between your situation and the Rovers fans. I mean they were in the same position - a club owned/ in debt to property sharks, club sitting on a potentially valuable asset, club on the verge of bankruptancy. Maybe the fans would've been in more of a position of strength if they had fought the regime instead of proping it up?

The 400C was set up to build up Rovers and make the club successful again.

When it became clear that the old regime under Magoo was raiding the 400C coffers to pay for day-to-day expenses instead of doing their job properly and creating normal revenue - the 400C first withdrew their cooperation with the Rovers board - and then changed the rules to ensure that Magoo couldn't get his hands on the 400C money anymore.

That's when Rovers starting turning the corner.

paul_oshea

01/02/2007, 11:20 AM

how do you equate the badly run part with the "standard of football"

I didn't think I had to explain everypost in detail, I thought people were astute enough to read and understand what I was saying. If you were to ask the average soccer supporterer in ireland ( that doesnt attend EL matches ) that would be what they would say about the EL. that given along with the other 2 things they would probably say directly relates to seeing shels folding!! Mr pedant :D As I say I dont need to think about my posts for 10 or 15 mins before I reply.

wws

01/02/2007, 11:24 AM

I didn't think I had to explain everypost in detail, I thought people were astute enough to read and understand what I was saying. If you were to ask the average soccer supporterer in ireland ( that doesnt attend EL matches ) that would be what they would say about the EL.

look, i'm pulling you up here, because you are talking fluent arce.
The standard of football played is in no way connected with the issue of how Ollie Byrne ran SFC into debt and destruction. The financial strategy is not connected to the football issue - if anything it led to the creation of the greatest pool of full time players available to one Irish club - thereby increasing the footballing standard.

Now you've made a demonstrably incorrect point here. So lose the smart alec tone it just paints you in an even more ignorant light.

pete

01/02/2007, 11:28 AM

I think the vast majority of eL fans here want Shels to survive. Theres obviously some dublin rivalry but thats to be expected.

The main reason Shels have & were hated is Ollie Byrne. Everything he did & said encouraged others to hate him. I remember when groups of eL fans from the JW message board went to Shels european games but then Ollie p!ssed on the goodwill & most stopped going...

It now looks like he has destroyed Shels as evidenced by the completely realistic way Finbar Flood has run the club since he took over.

BohsPartisan

01/02/2007, 11:32 AM

I remember when groups of eL fans from the JW message board went to Shels european games but then Ollie p!ssed on the goodwill & most stopped going...

.

Yep, I was that soldier

Dodge

01/02/2007, 11:32 AM

It now looks like he has destroyed Shels as evidenced by the completely realistic way Finbar Flood has run the club since he took over.

Finbar was Shels chairman until last March, so he's hardly blameless in the whole mess.

paul_oshea

01/02/2007, 11:36 AM

look, i'm pulling you up here, because you are talking fluent arce.
The standard of football played is in no way connected with the issue of how Ollie Byrne ran SFC into debt and destruction. The financial strategy is not connected to the football issue - if anything it led to the creation of the greatest pool of full time players available to one Irish club - thereby increasing the footballing standard.

i never said it did, are you really that ignorant that you cna't understand what i am saying, to the outside circles of the EL, those average soccer supporters supporting english teams, that is what they beleive of EL soccer so when they see the "best" club in EL going down, what do you think they will think? That is what I am getting at, I never once tried to directly infer that the "crap" standard of football and ollie byrne running shels were directly related!!! come on wws, that wumin doesnt work with me, your points are never valid to what I am trying to get across either because:
a) you dont understand what I am trying to say
or
b) you dont know how to respond in any informed way and therefore pull out a phrase and take it completely out of context to the point a( the ) post was achieving to make. End of please leave it there.

khoop

01/02/2007, 11:41 AM

so when they see the "best" club in EL going down, what do you think they will think?

They will think that Ollie Byrne should never have been let near Shels, because he wouldn't even be capable of running a stall on Moore Street.

And they'll be right.

wws

01/02/2007, 11:42 AM

"When these people see ( who your clubs need to be attracting ) the "best club in the EL" folding, it will confirm in their minds how badly run and sh1te the league and standard of football really is!!!"

best club folds - confirms in their minds how sh1te the standard of football really is

eh no - it doesnt

incorrect point

STOP TALKING COMPLETE AND UTTER SH1TE

and crying "wumming" - the get out clause of anyone pulled up on talking sh1te

dcfcsteve

01/02/2007, 11:42 AM

ok so how would you get rid of him, assuming here the fans didnt have the money to buy him out?

Firstly - unfortunatelty he's doing a fairly good job of it himself....

Secondly - does anyone honestly thing Ollie Byrne will return to overall control of Shelbourne FC after all that's unfolded ? I know their fans and creditors are stupid, but really - that stupid....?!?! :eek:

Thirdly - a football club does not exist without fans. Ollie's time and financial investment in Shelbourne would turn to dust without the supporters. The supporters should therefore get organsied, create some strength and use it to twist Ollie's arm. They don't even have to get all apocalyptic from the start on this. Begin by 'passive resistance' that wouldn't damage the team's perdformances in the shorrt-term :

- Withdraw voluntary stewards, programme sellers, half-time draw sellers etc
- Refuse to buy, sell or write for the programme or work in the club shop;
- Refuse to buy merchandise or display banners/flags at games etc etc.

All very minor actions that - if a club saw them starting to be implemented - would provide a real matchday headache, make them realise who really has the power, and make them concerned about what could happen next ! Then make it clear that that is only Stage 1 of an ongoing campaign, with later stages escalating a boycott of games, protests, media campaigns etc if Ollie doesn't agree to meet the supporter's reps to talk about an honourable way to reduce his involvement.

Give yourself some strength, display that strength, make it clear that there is worse to come, and then offer the target of your efforts an honourable way out of the mess before it gets any worse. This isn't rocket science, and in its early stages is very easy to do without genuinely damaging the club. I can't believe things like this seem so difficult for people to come up with...! :confused:

As for the money to buy him out - Shelbourne is worth less than absolutely fcuk all ! It's allegedly €10m in debt !!! The fans wouldn't need a penny to 'buy Ollie out' - they'd be doing him a favour. If their debts are anywhere near what media reports suggest, then there is absolutely no way Shels can trade out of such a situation this side of the next century. They will inevitably at some stage have to do a Rovers - go into administration, cut a cheap deal with their creditors/the revenue, and then reform as a legally separate entity under the control of the fans this time. But do Shels have the depth, passion and ability of support to do that......? :confused:

BohsPartisan

01/02/2007, 11:44 AM

Brilliant post Steve.

dcfcsteve

01/02/2007, 11:48 AM

PS. I have no interest in your goat.

I'm in the market for a goat.....!

I'll give you 20 shekels.....

Magicme

01/02/2007, 11:52 AM

I'm in the market for a goat.....!

I'll give you 20 shekels.....

And what do you plan to do with this self same goat???

mypost

01/02/2007, 11:58 AM

I'm pretty disappointed.

Isn't that a bit of an understatement? :confused:

Shels are effectively gone. There's no way they can clear �12 million of debt now. Playing lower division football is no help either, as there is no money to be made on the desert island. They're the third club to go in roughly 6 months. The only thing they can do now is close up shop, take a couple of steps back, reform the club, and start from scratch in the A league in a couple of years time. With the astronomical debt, no players, and no manager, there's no way they will play any football this year.

BohsPartisan

01/02/2007, 11:58 AM

And what do you plan to do with this self same goat???

If Derry get you lot in the league cup, they're going to bring the goat along with a J€alou$? banner.

dcfcsteve

01/02/2007, 11:58 AM

The main reason Shels have & were hated is Ollie Byrne. Everything he did & said encouraged others to hate him. I remember when groups of eL fans from the JW message board went to Shels european games but then Ollie p!ssed on the goodwill & most stopped going...

And not just that long ago ! I remember looking into the cost of the Eurostar from London to Lille and hotels for Shels's UEFA Cup game after they lost to Deportivo in the CL in 2004...... :o

Nothing I or a lot of other posters wouldn't do for any other EL club though. Reitoir and myself headed up to mid-Wales to watch that Longford UEFA Cup match against Carmarthen 2 years back. But I wouldn't do that for Shels under their current mainfestation (even though some of their fans were good enough to come and support us against Gretna....).