Irish UK Club Football Bangwagon Jumpers -Irish Footballs Number 1 enemy [Archive] - Page 3

stampp

18/04/2007, 1:17 PM

A rather naive question about Irish clubs there Stampp. Of course Irish teams have generational support. We're not Australia or America - competitive senior association football has been around in Ireland since the late 1800's. The island even gave the game key developmental things like penalties and corner kicks.

...

So that's why I said to enjoy the sound of Irish accents round the Stadium of Light whilst you can. They'll all be gone within 5 years....

Good point about the penalty kick and history in Ireland. I just never saw that much interest in football when I lived there in the 70s and 80s - it all seemed to be about the 2 main gaelic games, so I wondered if there was really the same depth and history of passion and support for the football teams. But tbh, I just don't know.

The abrupt response to your last point - and don't jump to take this the wrong way - is that, viewed as a Sunderland supporter, it really doesn't matter much. As I said before, it's a traditional club with deep local support - at the end of the day if a few hundred fans come from Ireland to join 40000 mackems it's absolutely great and we'll really enjoy having them and hope they'll stay, but if they don't - well they'll be missed, but a few hundred isn't going to make much difference to the club, is it?

gspain

18/04/2007, 1:52 PM

nedder

18/04/2007, 6:15 PM

stampp, football is the biggest sport in the country by a long way. This may not be true in Offaly where you lived but very obvious in Dublin etc.

However this translates into support for the national team and for a premiership club as opposed to a local team. This support can be fickle too hence the huge recent interest in your club and in Reading (Kevin Doyle etc). Liverpool an dMan Utd would normally be the big 2 with Leeds very strong also

The Darlington analogy is a good one. The only benefit we have here is that these "fans" are as likely to change their allegiance much quicker. Some are incredibly loyal and do go to great lengths (and expense) to follow their team but others will jump on bandwagons.

I think this thread is throwing up more questions than answers. football is the biggest sport participation wise, but gaelic games has a far larger following throughout the country. I think for many people football is entertainment, not a passion. I t was mentioned earlier in this thread about sunderland having a deep rooted history in their area, and unfortunately a lot of eL clubs don't have the same history or ties with the local community, I believe that this is the first area that should be worked upon to increase crowds and interest.

BohDiddley

18/04/2007, 7:29 PM

I t was mentioned earlier in this thread about sunderland having a deep rooted history in their area, and unfortunately a lot of eL clubs don't have the same history or ties with the local community, I believe that this is the first area that should be worked upon to increase crowds and interest.
If you take a shorter view, and choose to ignore the disparities in national populations, it is possible to say that many Irish football clubs don't have the roots spoken of (and that is easily supported by the paltry attendances) and then move on to dismiss the sport as dead or dying.
But if you look at it in the context of the span of club histories, it is patently false. Bohs was founded in 1890 (11 years after Sunderland). For most of its time, it has had significant support and has been an integral part of north Dublin.
The collapse in support came in the 70s and 80s, with the advent of televised British football and, especially, the similarly media-hyped rise of Gaelic games in Dublin. But Bohs hasn't gone away: the club, like many in the league, is revitalising itself, and the game can be rebuilt. In spite of Niall Quinn's beaming endorsements of Irish football, Sundireland, founded 2006, and with its roots in investor portfolios, isn't helping that process.

stampp

19/04/2007, 6:48 AM

In spite of Niall Quinn's beaming endorsements of Irish football, Sundireland, founded 2006, and with its roots in investor portfolios, isn't helping that process.

I'm still having problems understanding this attitude - which has been expressed a few times on this thread, and indeed was the point of the thread's title.

It's not Sunderland's or Niall's responsibility to help Irish football. Niall has to do his very best for the club he is chairman of - and that's his full-time job. It's great if Irish investors are involved, and Irish fans, but the club is Sunderland - we don't exist to 'help the process' - we exist to be successful as Sunderland.

It seems self-evident, and yet there seems to be a feeling of resentment among some, that Niall is 'letting the side down'. Niall's side is Sunderland, and he is absolutely not letting them down - he has rescued them from the edge of oblivion.

Colie

19/04/2007, 8:03 AM

There's a load of Irish players there. If in the Premiership who over here wouldn't want them to do well. Irish players competeing at the top level can only be good for the international scene so why wouldn't ya support them. Personally I'm up for whatever team on the day has most Irish players & after that I'm just hoping that any Irish lads over there have a good match. It's gonna come down to the fact (like every bloody LOI Vs foreign footy argument that has ever taken place here) that some of us actually support LOI & some support anything else. Quinny/ Sunderland ain't the cause/ reason for Irish footballs demise, sure it's been going on for years! I don't know why we even bother engaging in discussions like that of the last few pages cos in the end it always comes down to the same thing.

BohsPartisan

19/04/2007, 8:12 AM

Personally I don't care. I hate Niall Quinn and I hate Irish Sunderland "fans", but not out of bitterness because Niall didn't invest in an Irish club, lets face it no one is going to invest in Bohs outside of sponsorship because - as we are a not for profit members club there will never be a return on that investment. I hate Niall Quinn because he is a gobsh'te plain and simple. Along with the likes of Bono he symbolises the side of Ireland I hate. (I'm obviously a begrudger) Why do I hate Irish Sunderland "fans"? For the same reason. They're morons. I don't want people like that anywhere near a league of Ireland ground. There was enough of them out when Shels played Deportivo in the third qualifying stage of the CL. Where are they now? (thats a rhetorical question by the way)

gspain

19/04/2007, 8:16 AM

I'm still having problems understanding this attitude - which has been expressed a few times on this thread, and indeed was the point of the thread's title.

It's not Sunderland's or Niall's responsibility to help Irish football. Niall has to do his very best for the club he is chairman of - and that's his full-time job. It's great if Irish investors are involved, and Irish fans, but the club is Sunderland - we don't exist to 'help the process' - we exist to be successful as Sunderland.

It seems self-evident, and yet there seems to be a feeling of resentment among some, that Niall is 'letting the side down'. Niall's side is Sunderland, and he is absolutely not letting them down - he has rescued them from the edge of oblivion.

OK i think the title of the thread is totally wrong. I don't think many people on here agree with it. I've no problem with Niall Quinn investing his and his investors money whereever he wishes. He is entitled to do that and he has a huge emotional attachment to Sunderland FC. I wish him well at Sunderland and thank him for his fantastic service to our national team.

However I and many others would prefer if he invested in a local club. In reality I think it is up to us here to promote our own domestic game. If one club here got half the hype Sunderland got then it would be a huge help.

stampp

19/04/2007, 8:35 AM

OK i think the title of the thread is totally wrong. I don't think many people on here agree with it. I've no problem with Niall Quinn investing his and his investors money whereever he wishes. He is entitled to do that and he has a huge emotional attachment to Sunderland FC. I wish him well at Sunderland and thank him for his fantastic service to our national team.

However I and many others would prefer if he invested in a local club. In reality I think it is up to us here to promote our own domestic game. If one club here got half the hype Sunderland got then it would be a huge help.

Yep - good sense, IMHO. Niall has also said - more than once - that he doesn't envisage being chairman of Sunderland for as long as our last chairman. It may be that he will be looking for new challenges in a few years time. He may still get involved in the EL at some stage.

As you say - surely the best approach is to improve the domestic product - make it more exciting/comfortable/affordable/interesting/marketed... Casting envious eyes over the water just doesn't move anything forward.

stampp

19/04/2007, 8:45 AM

I hate Niall Quinn because he is a gobsh'te plain and simple. Along with the likes of Bono he symbolises the side of Ireland I hate.

Eh? :eek:

The side that comes back to a club simply because he loved it and the people, and wanted to do something about it?
The side that stuck up for his supporters when some over-reacting air-stewardess got them thrown off a plane and arranged for a fleet of taxis to take them home?
The side that sent the team bus to pick up more supporters at another away game after their own bus had been smashed by bricks thrown by some local thugs?
The side that makes him go round pubs and clubs around Sunderland meeting and talking to, and drinking with ordinary supporters?

So what side of Ireland do you prefer? ;)

As you may gather, he's a legend around here - and gives a highly positive image for things Irish. Is that bad?

Stuttgart88

19/04/2007, 9:02 AM

I live in London. I subscribe to The Irish Times online to keep in touch with news at home. I clicked on this morning's home page to see one of the headlines "Chelsea keep up pressure on United". Why should this be a front page headline in an Irish paper?

It's nothing tangible, but I always get the impression the best newspaper in Ireland treats the English league as being de facto our own league. Emmet ("The Republic" or "the South") Malone does a decent domestic piece from time to time. I think yer man in the Indo, McDonnell, does a decent job.

I'm as interested in English football as the next man, consider myself an Arsenal fan (predominatly of the armchair variety), but this emphasis is all wrong and drives me mad. Even if the focus was still markedly in favour of UK football, but if the emphasis was on any Irish involvement it'd be more appropriate.

I think Irish media interest in Sunderland is natural and for as long as they have several Irish internationals or near internationals in the team I'll wish them well. Even without the Irish, it's the type of club I like.

The thing is I see no reason for eL support and English support to be mutually exclusive. Why not go to your local club's games a dozen times a year and every few weeks go to England to catch better grounds, bigger crowds and world famous players? It's the polarized "eL good, Premiership evil" or "Premiership rules, eL is an embarrassment" that I find hard to understand. Even when I was a regular LOI goer I still had a big interest in English and Scottish football. 11-a-side.com has an editorial saying something like "Irish Devotion to Sunderland is all wrong". Who's "devoted"? Interested maybe, but are people really "devoted"?

BohsPartisan

19/04/2007, 9:04 AM

The side that comes back to a club simply because he loved it and the people, and wanted to do something about it?

Ah come on now do you really believe that?
Plus he's a member of Shamrock Rovers so theres another reason to hate him :p

What side of Ireland do I prefer? The side that supports Irish football. The side that doesn't go and live abroad to dodge tax on their millions.

stampp

19/04/2007, 9:10 AM

Ah come on now do you really believe that?
Plus he's a member of Shamrock Rovers so theres another reason to hate him :p

.

Yep. I think nearly all Sunderland supporters do - we buy into Niall just as Niall buys into us. We believe in one another - it's a bit of a marriage!

Ha'way, man - why leave the comfortable and easy TV studios for all the hassle of being a club chairman of the worst-ever Premiership team? You'd be mad...

BohsPartisan

19/04/2007, 9:15 AM

Yep. I think nearly all Sunderland supporters do - we buy into Niall just as Niall buys into us. We believe in one another - it's a bit of a marriage!

Cue the Home and Away music.

Just like Tom and Pippa, this will end in tears! ;)

charliesboots

19/04/2007, 9:17 AM

Ha'way, man - why leave the comfortable and easy TV studios for all the hassle of being a club chairman of the worst-ever Premiership team? You'd be mad...

Perhaps its to do with the 48,000 seater stadium and the huge amount of land around it that's owned by Sunderland, very easily developed and close to the metro line.

There wouldn't be a property developer or two among Big Niall's consortium by any chance would there?

galwayhoop

19/04/2007, 9:18 AM

The side that supports Irish football. The side that doesn't go and live abroad to dodge tax on their millions.

quinn is hardly living in sunderland to avoid paying millions in tax now is he :rolleyes:

BohsPartisan

19/04/2007, 9:23 AM

quinn is hardly living in sunderland to avoid paying millions in tax now is he :rolleyes:

Was qualifying throwing Bono in there.

stampp

19/04/2007, 9:26 AM

Cue the Home and Away music.

Just like Tom and Pippa, this will end in tears! ;)

By, but there are some cynical lads on here! ;)

It's not like Niall has just suddenly arrived and charmed us all with his Irish blarney. The relationship has been on-going for a long time - we've 'lived together' many years before settling down... :)

It was several years ago, long before any thoughts of a takeover when he said, despite spells at Arsenal and Man City, that is was Sunderland that 'got under his skin'.

galwayhoop

19/04/2007, 9:27 AM

have to agree with stampp - i reckon that quinn has a serious affection for sunderland.

NeilMcD

19/04/2007, 9:33 AM

Was qualifying throwing Bono in there.

Bono does not live abroad. Part of his company has operations abroad.

NeilMcD

19/04/2007, 9:34 AM

By, but there are some cynical lads on here! ;)

It's not like Niall has just suddenly arrived and charmed us all with his Irish blarney. The relationship has been on-going for a long time - we've 'lived together' many years before settling down... :)

It was several years ago, long before any thoughts of a takeover when he said, despite spells at Arsenal and Man City, that is was Sunderland that 'got under his skin'.

Maybe Sunderland fans and Quinne should do a duet of the Sinatra song like Bono and Sinatra did.

stampp

19/04/2007, 9:36 AM

have to agree with stampp - i reckon that quinn has a serious affection for sunderland.

Maybe that's the bit I have been missing in this discussion? Maybe many people in Ireland think that his involvement was simply a business decision, therefore why not make a business decision to invest in an Irish club instead? If so, then I believe that does miss the point - I really think this is a personal involvement in one particular club.

drummerboy

19/04/2007, 9:41 AM

I have to say I've always admired Quinn from afar. He is a very lucky man in that he gets to pursue challenges most of us only dream of aka his interest in the bloodstock industry and his chairmanship of a large football club. He seems to be a very ordinary, affable guy. He is without doubt a great ambassador for Ireland and football in general. He puts his money where his mouth is. He is probably a bit naive compared to some of his piers but I won't knock him for that, as thats not a particularly bad thing to be accused of. He has always served his country well and deserves to persue any interest he cares to. I don't see people here demanding Keane comes back and manages Cobh instead of plying his trade with an English club. In time I think Quinn may well eventually end up in Delaney's job. It might be 10 years away but I think he would be ideal for the job.

Stuttgart88

19/04/2007, 9:55 AM

I think people like their heroes to have a bit of an edge. Rock stars need to have drink or drug problems, or you need to be like Paul McGrath, Roy Keane etc.

Quinn is a straight-down-the-middle guy and hence that's why he's not as popular as he could be at home I reckon. The fact that he's "one of us" just attracts extra scrutiny too.

Bono can be a bit of a **** alright, but Quinn's just a regular guy who's done well and is articulate and well mannered. His affection for Sunderland is obvious. He says Arsenal and City will always be in his affections but Sunderland was always the club that he really loved. Fair play to him in that regard.

I'd still love to see new Irish money being invested at home. I mean this guy Darragh MacAnthony buying Peterborough - what's that all about? Real estate or football?

galwayhoop

19/04/2007, 10:49 AM

I'd still love to see new Irish money being invested at home. I mean this guy Darragh MacAnthony buying Peterborough - what's that all about? Real estate or football?

I think he just liked the TV show :eek:

stampp

19/04/2007, 12:21 PM

For those who may be interested, with all the Irish connections that exist just now:

The tour, sponsored by Irish airline Aer Arann, who will fly the team during the tour, sees Roy Keane's side take on Bohemians, Cork City and Galway United in a week-long stay in Ireland.

The games take place as follows:

* Saturday July 28 2007, Bohemians FC v Sunderland AFC (7.45pm kick-off)
* Monday July 30 2007, Cork City FC v Sunderland AFC (7.45pm kick-off)
* Wednesday August 1 2007, Galway United FC v Sunderland AFC (8.00pm kick-off)

Risteard

19/04/2007, 1:03 PM

CCFC have told Sunderland fans to contact their club for tickets.
Some hope.

OwlsFan

19/04/2007, 1:46 PM

Monday July 30 2007, Cork City FC v Sunderland AFC (7.45pm kick-off)

That will be some love-in :ball:

NeilMcD

19/04/2007, 1:57 PM

* Saturday July 28 2007, Bohemians FC v Sunderland AFC (7.45pm kick-off)

Reckon we can take them.

osarusan

19/04/2007, 1:57 PM

Does anybody else think there is a contradiction on this thread in tems of.............

On one hand...
Quinn and his ilk, and all those Premiership teams are a disgrace because they take fans away from Eircom league teams, fans which we need to improve our league.

But on the other hand...
Anybody who would choose to support a foreign team instead of their local side knows nothing about football and we dont want their support anyway?

reder

19/04/2007, 1:58 PM

I hate Niall Quinn because he is a gobsh'te plain and simple. Why do I hate Irish Sunderland "fans"? For the same reason. They're morons. I don't want people like that anywhere near a league of Ireland ground.

Why are you so anti-Quinn? That doesnt make sense BohsPartisan. He is one of the few former internationals who gives some of his hard earned cash to EL clubs. Has he not brought the Sunderland over here to play EL clubs thus actually generating revenue for the clubs? Sunderland probably have plans to play pre-season friendlies here and if/when the make the PL, the games will probably sell out and make a nice chunk of money for the EL club.

Whether you like it or not there is huge potential for Sunderland to make money off the backs of football fans here through merchandise or ticket sales. Thats not his fault, surely?

Also like it or not, those Sunderland 'irish' fans are your target audience and are the exact people your club needs to attract to grow!! I sincerely hope the powers that be in your club dont also have the same chip on their shoulder as you or your gonna be left lagging behind.

Sumac

19/04/2007, 2:01 PM

Has he not brought the Sunderland over here to play EL clubs thus actually generating revenue for the clubs? Sunderland probably have plans to play pre-season friendlies here and if/when the make the PL, the games will probably sell out and make a nice chunk of money for the EL club.
Whether you like it or not there is huge potential for Sunderland to make money off the backs of football fans here through merchandise or ticket sales. Thats not his fault, surely?

While I am a big fan of Niall Quinns, don't forget that Sunderland are charging a hefty appearance fee to play in these friendlies

reder

19/04/2007, 2:03 PM

While I am a big fan of Niall Quinns, don't forget that Sunderland are charging a hefty appearance fee to play in these friendlies

Hefty, how does it compare with with the fee they would charge if they decided to play Celtic, Rangers or one of the big euro clubs in a friendly? I'd image its a fraction of what that would be.

charliesboots

19/04/2007, 2:06 PM

While I am a big fan of Niall Quinns, don't forget that Sunderland are charging a hefty appearance fee to play in these friendlies

I'm sure there coming over here is nothing to do with raising the club's profile here. I'm sure they have the eircom League clubs welfare at heart!!

dcfcsteve

19/04/2007, 2:08 PM

Perhaps its to do with the 48,000 seater stadium and the huge amount of land around it that's owned by Sunderland, very easily developed and close to the metro line.

There wouldn't be a property developer or two among Big Niall's consortium by any chance would there?

Your cynicism is in hyperdrive here CB I'm afraid !

Firstly - whilst the Stadium of Light (SOL) is on an approach road into the city and is fairly central, it's not as great a plot of land as you might think. It was a colliery before it became the stadium, and they weren'tt exactly flushed with ideas on what to do with the site. Sunderland actually wanted to build their new stadium elsewhere in the city in the first place anyway. And whilst there is a Metro station there - it's a new station only there because of the Stadium, and it doesn't serve much of a catchment area otherwise.

Secondly - you're making a lazy assumption that any football stadium is ripe for property development. In reality, very few are. The key thing that would make the SOL a poor property proposition is the fact that it is only 10 years old, is extremely modern, has good infrastructural access, was designed specifically so that it can be increased in size quite easily, and is in a relatively isolated little chunk of land (being a former colliery). The usual trick for developers is to distress-purchase the stadium of a struggling club (which Sunderalnd aren't) in a prime bit of land (which SOL isn't) that isn't up to the job or aspirations of the club in terms of capacity, modernity or infrastructure (which SOL is) and then make a case to supporters and planners that it is in the club's interest to move to a new location. Omne where land is dramatically cheaper.

If you tried to suggest to anyone in Sunderland, let alone the local Planning Authority, that the club needed to move out of the SOL you'd be literally laughed at. There are no grounds on which to justify moving the stadium, and as a resuilt it woudl have the support of neitehr fans nor the Planners who have the final say on it.

So there is no property deal to be done there, and to claim there is is just pure cynicism, ungrounded in the reality of the situation there.

Risteard

19/04/2007, 2:11 PM

That will be some love-in :ball:
Tell me about it.
Think I'll pass.

Reading game will be more of it.
At least we'll get a few bob.

dcfcsteve

19/04/2007, 2:12 PM

Why are you so anti-Quinn? That doesnt make sense BohsPartisan. He is one of the few former internationals who gives some of his hard earned cash to EL clubs. Has he not brought the Sunderland over here to play EL clubs thus actually generating revenue for the clubs? Sunderland probably have plans to play pre-season friendlies here and if/when the make the PL, the games will probably sell out and make a nice chunk of money for the EL club.

English and Scottish clubs don't visit Ireland out of the goodness of their heart - in some Robin Hood-esque gesture to pump money into the teams they play.

They come purely for self-interest, are usually very well paid for it, and I have no doubt benefit more financially overall from their visits than the Irish clubs who host them do. *

Don't try to paint them out as being heroes for playing friendles, when they're clearly not.

(* Unless, of course, you're a glamour club like Derry City, with the ability to pull in top names like Man U, Celtic, Barcelona and Real Madrid for friendlies at no cost to yourselves....... :D )

BohsPartisan

19/04/2007, 2:15 PM

Also like it or not, those Sunderland 'irish' fans are your target audience

I disagree. They were the type of fan Shelbourne tried to attract and it didn't really work out. Our main target audience are the people who have an allegience to Bohs but don't really bother going to Dalymount much, plus kids to build a fanbase in the future. On top of that you can add anyone else untainted by anti-el prejudice. I am blue in the face trying to convince Premiership fans (most of them, I am well aware many EL fans also follow an English side, me included) but all I get back is quips like "the EL is shoite" and the like. The type of fan that will jump so easilly from one bandwagon to the next is not the type of fan you can build with the future. That was why I made the point about Shels in the deportivo game. 20 odd thousand game out for that one. You could see the creases still on their straight out of the packet Shels jersey. Shels next game was a cup game against Derry I think, the attendance was less than 500.

jebus

19/04/2007, 2:28 PM

Jesus lads keep the talk of this tour down, what with all that was said in the now renamed Niall Quinn thread, Cork, Galway and Bohs could be accused of aiding the scourge of Irish football. And we thought Michael Collins got rid of all the Brit informers all those decades ago :p

charliesboots

19/04/2007, 2:43 PM

Your cynicism is in hyperdrive here CB I'm afraid !

Firstly - whilst the Stadium of Light (SOL) is on an approach road into the city and is fairly central, it's not as great a plot of land as you might think. It was a colliery before it became the stadium, and they weren'tt exactly flushed with ideas on what to do with the site. Sunderland actually wanted to build their new stadium elsewhere in the city in the first place anyway. And whilst there is a Metro station there - it's a new station only there because of the Stadium, and it doesn't serve much of a catchment area otherwise.

Secondly - you're making a lazy assumption that any football stadium is ripe for property development. In reality, very few are. The key thing that would make the SOL a poor property proposition is the fact that it is only 10 years old, is extremely modern, has good infrastructural access, was designed specifically so that it can be increased in size quite easily, and is in a relatively isolated little chunk of land (being a former colliery). The usual trick for developers is to distress-purchase the stadium of a struggling club (which Sunderalnd aren't) in a prime bit of land (which SOL isn't) that isn't up to the job or aspirations of the club in terms of capacity, modernity or infrastructure (which SOL is) and then make a case to supporters and planners that it is in the club's interest to move to a new location. Omne where land is dramatically cheaper.

If you tried to suggest to anyone in Sunderland, let alone the local Planning Authority, that the club needed to move out of the SOL you'd be literally laughed at. There are no grounds on which to justify moving the stadium, and as a resuilt it woudl have the support of neitehr fans nor the Planners who have the final say on it.

So there is no property deal to be done there, and to claim there is is just pure cynicism, ungrounded in the reality of the situation there.

One of the men involved in the Drumaville consortium (and in fact the only man with real money) is Sean Mulryan of Ballymore Properties despite it being denied.

It is not a lazy assumption on my part Steve I have actually heard from people very close to Mulryan that he has plans to develop the land surrounding the stadium.

You, in fact, are assuming that any development would involve the demolition of the SOL, that is quite frankly ridiculous. I have also visited the land myself so no need to bring me up to speed.

The plan will involve a mixed development of residential, retail and office units. Planning is not seen to be an issue given that the area is served by the metro (linking it directly with Newcastle and the airport among other areas) and the road infrastructure as mentioned.

The land surrounding the stadium was one of the primary reasons for the takeover although Mulryan was also influential in Keane agreeing to become manager.

stampp

19/04/2007, 3:55 PM

CCFC have told Sunderland fans to contact their club for tickets.
Some hope.

Now you've lost me - why?:confused:

stampp

19/04/2007, 4:05 PM

One of the men involved in the Drumaville consortium (and in fact the only man with real money) is Sean Mulryan of Ballymore Properties despite it being denied.

It is not a lazy assumption on my part Steve I have actually heard from people very close to Mulryan that he has plans to develop the land surrounding the stadium.

You, in fact, are assuming that any development would involve the demolition of the SOL, that is quite frankly ridiculous. I have also visited the land myself so no need to bring me up to speed.

The plan will involve a mixed development of residential, retail and office units. Planning is not seen to be an issue given that the area is served by the metro (linking it directly with Newcastle and the airport among other areas) and the road infrastructure as mentioned.

The land surrounding the stadium was one of the primary reasons for the takeover although Mulryan was also influential in Keane agreeing to become manager.

I hope it is developed - it was just derelict land left over from the pit anyway, so why not? If that was the incentive to get Sean Mulryan on board then great - we get our club saved and revitalised, and derelict land developed, providing jobs, housing and an improvement of the area - it's win/win for Sunderland.

charliesboots

19/04/2007, 4:13 PM

I hope it is developed - it was just derelict land left over from the pit anyway, so why not? If that was the incentive to get Sean Mulryan on board then great - we get our club saved and revitalised, and derelict land developed, providing jobs, housing and an improvement of the area - it's win/win for Sunderland.

Absolutely and I'm not saying otherwise.

I originally just wanted to point out why some of the investors may have invested before Steve went off on one.

GavinZac

19/04/2007, 6:52 PM

how do cork/bohs/galway fans feel about playing friendlies mid season?

we have a few of them. i would imagine either the matches would be played at snails pace as a training session with added cash, or by the u21s. its a pity, because a lot of big-day-out people will reckon thats what city matches are like.

reder

19/04/2007, 6:54 PM

You have to bear in mind that the reason why soccer clubs in places such as Sunderland, Sheffield, Blackburn, etc get huge crowds to games is because these cities are provincial dreary ****holes and the local football club is often all there is to do.

Now compare that with Dublin which is a major European capital city, extremely wealthy and the citizens have at their feet world class cultural, entertainment, recreational opertunities and earn the kind of salaries which would be way above what the average person in Sunderland would even dream about and Dubliners can hop of a RyanAir flight at Dublin Airport and spend it anywhere in Europe.

I am not trolling, this is how it is. Have you ever been to Sunderland! Makes Limerick City look like Barcelona.

I will list out my points in reply to this

- I have been to Sunderland on a few occassions. Attended Liverpool games at the stadium of light. Never visited Roker Park. For the record, the stadium is fantastic.

Sunderland is a city. Just like Dublin or Liverpool it has its good and not so good areas. Judging by your username you are a Bohemians fan. I would hardly call Summerhill and most of the areas in Dublin's north inner city
extremely wealthy and the citizens have at their feet world class cultural, entertainment, recreational opertunities and earn the kind of salaries which would be way above what the average person in Sunderland would even dream

- Blackburn probably have one of the lowest level of attendances in PL. They offer away fans 7,000 tickets per game to try and fill their stadium. Also given that these places are such
provincial dreary ****holes and the locals can never be
extremely wealthy like the irish natives, I think its quite logical to assume that the ticket prices which is about �30-�35 (€50) is well beyond their means.

- I have deleted the paragraph regarding the BNP & chip butties as it is pathetic.

- I have been to Limerick city and its actually nice, got pick pocketed on Las Ramblas in Barcelona though unfortunately!!