Irish Sunderland fan here. Debate very interesting [Archive] - Page 4

Red&White

01/05/2007, 1:15 PM

Totally agree with you there. You can hear them in pubs referring to an english team as we and us etc.

True story: A friend went for a cure sat lunch time in a certain northside hostelry unaware that the premiersh1t was on that early. At the bar ordering where he stumbles upon a debate between 2 locals. One was slagging the other over who was the better manure fan!

Rainman 1 was saying that he was a real fan cos he had been to sold trafford twice this year and rainman 2 hadnt:eek:

Anyway things got heated enough for one rainman to chuck his pint at the other mensa candidate and for the 2 savants to get thrown out.

The sunderland manager is a traitor but he is joined by legions here.

KOH

In Derry I believe there have been fights between rival groups of Liverpool and Man United supporters.

I'm sorry, I'll just repeat that again, let the words sink in...

In Derry I believe there have been fights between rival groups of Liverpool and Man United supporters.

OneRedArmy

01/05/2007, 2:02 PM

Graham Kavanagh said on last nights Off the Ball that there were 4,000 Irish Sunderland fans at a recent home game.

World class bandwagoning, do we get in the Guinness Book of Records for it?

Re Red & White's comments above, I believe this is a regular occurance now after Liverpool v Man U games in Derry. This in what is still supposedly a Republican city. Trying to explain it to foreigners and seeing them try to get their heads around it shows it up for what it is.

galwayhoop

01/05/2007, 2:12 PM

gustavo

01/05/2007, 2:17 PM

yep, i met a true as life lad from Finglas one night in Phibsboro only for him to tell me
'Well I'm a scouser but I think Keane was right and that pr1ck McCarthy is only a mug!' when I polietly informed him that he was not indeed a scouser and could legitimately only claim to be from Finglas, Dublin or Ireland he looked at me as if I were possessed!!!

You should have told him that you werent aware that Tranmere fans usually bore such resentment towards Roy Keane and that it was good of him to ignore such tendencies this time.

NY Hoop

01/05/2007, 2:49 PM

red bellied

01/05/2007, 2:57 PM

You should have told him that you werent aware that Tranmere fans usually bore such resentment towards Roy Keane and that it was good of him to ignore such tendencies this time.

Dont think they class themselves as scousers across the river in Birkenhead ;)

wiseman

01/05/2007, 3:25 PM

This is great an eight page thread (mostly on topic, I skipped 6&7) started by a "real Irish-based Sunderland supporter" complaining about the way "real Irish-football supporters" are tarring all Irish-based Sunderland supporters with the same brush because of recent band-wagon jumpers and expects sympathy and a distinction between the two. Priceless.

The Dublin Red

01/05/2007, 3:42 PM

You aren't a soccer supporter, you are a customer. People don't support Sunderland, they consume it. Give it up like! If you don't like what you are seeing you can switch the channel. If the TV goes bust you can't even see the team you "support". If a TV channel doesn't deem their matches worth showing, you can't see them in action. It's like any TV show. The Premiership is just like the OC at this stage, excepth the Premiership gets repeated more often.

Sunderland is an end product, just like most big English clubs. The only link you have to it is your wallet - and that's all they want too.

There are about 20,000 soccer SUPPORTERS in this country. You'll find them standing out in whatever the conditions are on a Friday or Saturday night. They don't have the pleasure of action replays or alternate angles, but they get to be there and support a real club, their club.

Don't forget to re-new your Sky Subscription.

Whilst I haven't had a read through the entire thread to extent I can understand both sides of the debate.

I, for the record, am a Nottingham Forest supporter I get over to around 10 games a season and I help run our supporters club which has over 100 members. The Irish Branch of the Supporters club is heading towards being the biggest individual branch through hard work and developing links with supporters from England.

I make no apologies nor will I try and justify my support, it began as a 13 year old in awe of Brian Clough and taken off since then, after 17 years of memories, great trips and life long friendships I'm hardly going to give it up for the sake of national pride.

In saying that however I'm involved in Junior Soccer and have ran a club for 7years, I also attend the occasional LOI game if I have a chance and am a Bray Wanderers fan.

I suppose my main point is whilst I wish the LOI every success and hope that the league does develop we still live in a consumer society and people are free to spend their money how they so wish. If we don't like the fact that people support English football and regard it as an affront to our sense of Irishness why support foreign games anyway? Surely Gaelic Games are the one true support in this country? Should we also stick to supporting only Irish music and Irish culture? I never see this debate before a sold out Police or Rolling Stones gig?

monutdfc

01/05/2007, 3:45 PM

Same sh1t in Dublin. Complete embarrassment. When blackburn were the rage here one blackburn "fan" was killed by his manure loving friend outside a pub.:eek:

Is that true? Literally killed?

There was the case of the Tipperary hurler who glassed an Irish fan of another team (one was Liverpool and the other was Man Utd) while they were drinking in England.

gustavo

01/05/2007, 3:50 PM

Dont think they class themselves as scousers across the river in Birkenhead ;)
well they dont but to everyone else they are :)

TonyD

01/05/2007, 3:58 PM

I suppose my main point is whilst I wish the LOI every success and hope that the league does develop we still live in a consumer society and people are free to spend their money how they so wish. If we don't like the fact that people support English football and regard it as an affront to our sense of Irishness why support foreign games anyway? Surely Gaelic Games are the one true support in this country? Should we also stick to supporting only Irish music and Irish culture? I never see this debate before a sold out Police or Rolling Stones gig?

The fact that you equate supporting a football team with going to see a gig sums up the whole problem. It is indeed consumerism vs support, which is a point that has been made already. A trip to Old Trafford might as well be a night at the cinema.

The Dublin Red

01/05/2007, 4:11 PM

The fact that you equate supporting a football team with going to see a gig sums up the whole problem. It is indeed consumerism vs support, which is a point that has been made already. A trip to Old Trafford might as well be a night at the cinema.

For me its an absolute passion and will continue to be!

Going over is a break from the stresses of work and life and I've made some great friends over there. I'm going over on Saturday and cannot wait!

The point I am making is for some people, in fact alot of people, football is just another pass time or a semi passion. I consider myself a Dublin GAA supporter but not in the same league as people who go home and away to League games. I like watching the Irish rugby team but wouldn't go to a club or provincial game. You cannot become passionate for all sports you follow.

However consider these issues:

1) What about people who support their League of Ireland club and an English club?

2) What about those who invest time and effort in Junior Soccer and support an English club?

3) Why not spend time promoting what's great about the LOI and ignore supporters of English/Scottish clubs?

4) Are GAA supporters better patriots? Is football/soccer a foreign game anyway? What is your view on this?

DSandy

01/05/2007, 4:28 PM

...However consider these issues:

...

3) Why not spend time promoting what's great about the LOI and ignore supporters of English/Scottish clubs?

4) Are GAA supporters better patriots? Is football/soccer a foreign game anyway? What is your view on this?

This has a slight scent of a troll about it however I actually sorta agree with point 3! I think it is better to spend our energies exalting the good things about our teams and league. We have to continue to improve facilities and increase advertising to help persuade more people that they should support their local team. I think this is much more worthwhile than trying to convince some of those that come to this thread with no wish to change their opinion on the game here at home.

Although then again why would they change their opinion? It's a forum, if they really went to have an informed opinion on the league they should be getting down to their local LOI ground and finding out what a great experience it is if only they would give it a chance.

The Dublin Red

01/05/2007, 4:35 PM

This has a slight scent of a troll about it however I actually sorta agree with point 3! I think it is better to spend our energies exalting the good things about our teams and league. We have to continue to improve facilities and increase advertising to help persuade more people that they should support their local team. I think this is much more worthwhile than trying to convince some of those that come to this thread with no wish to change their opinion on the game here at home.

Although then again why would they change their opinion? It's a forum, if they really went to have an informed opinion on the league they should be getting down to their local LOI ground and finding out what a great experience it is if only they would give it a chance.

Genuinely not trolling!

I think the LOI will improve and grow over the next few seasons and I don't see any reasons why supporters of both English football and LOI football cannot co-exist. The reality is you can't force something on people if they don't want it.

Summer football has been a great innovation although taking the GAA on head to head is difficult. The reality is football/Soccer will remain the 2nd sport and may even slip to third if Rugby keeps on growing.

BohsPartisan

01/05/2007, 4:41 PM

The reality is football/Soccer will remain the 2nd sport and may even slip to third if Rugby keeps on growing.

Rugby has grown as far as it can IMO (reached its elasticity of demand - to borrow terminoligy from Economics).

monutdfc

01/05/2007, 4:43 PM

An interesting viewpoint on this debate from the eleven-a-side.com chat centre*:

Sunderland Not Bad For League Of Ireland?

I find it interesting that so many are seething about Sunderland getting such support at what they interpret as the expense of the League Of Ireland. However, it seems to me that Sunderland and the League Of Ireland are not competitive products. If I were running Celtic, I would be worried about what Nial Quinn and Roy Keane are putting together in Northeast England. Sunderland are competition for Irish fans who might otherwise support Celtic with their merchandise-buying euros (though I�m sure many will do both). The League Of Ireland�s position in the soccer marketplace versus the English or Scottish leagues reminds me more of the situation of Major League Baseball versus Minor League Baseball here in the USA. The minor leagues don�t take the majors head-on. They work in the grassroots, at the community level and provide a relatively cost-effective, family-friendly atmosphere. The minor leagues are hugely successful and have been making money hand-over-fist since adopting this approach. The League Of Ireland would do well to follow this formula for success (this would mean cracking down on thugs and family-oriented promotions must be a major initiative). LoI fans shouldn�t worry so much about people cheering for foreign teams. They aren�t the real competition. Gaelic Football, Hurling and other local entertainment options are the real competition for the League of Ireland. If nothing else the Sunderland/Ireland phenomenon may get more people into soccer in Ireland, which will lead the same people to want to attend a local match, and maybe that takes them to the Showgrounds in Sligo, Tolka Park in Dublin or Turner�s Cross in Cork. Maybe those people fall in love with the League Of Ireland when they get there. Sunderland�s Irish revolution may actually be an opportunity for the LoI. Threats and opportunities can be one in the same, it is just a matter of how you interpret and act on the situation. Some reading on the topic of how minor league baseball successfully marketed itself in the face of competition with larger, more glamorous leagues:
http://www.recmanagement.com/200203fe04.php

*mods - please feel free to edit if quoting the whole post is against foot.ie rules.

Superhoops

01/05/2007, 10:35 PM

.......If I were running Celtic, I would be worried about what Nial Quinn and Roy Keane are putting together in Northeast England. Sunderland are competition for Irish fans who might otherwise support Celtic with their merchandise-buying euros (though I�m sure many will do both).....
.
Roll on September!

Fans at Ireland games wearing Sunderland jerseys (Reg Vardy rules!)
Sunderland Tricolours hanging out of the Cusack
'Come on you boys in green' replaced by 'Haway the lads'

Jesus wept, doesn't bear thinking about.

lofty9

01/05/2007, 10:39 PM

In Derry I believe there have been fights between rival groups of Liverpool and Man United supporters.

I'm sorry, I'll just repeat that again, let the words sink in...

In Derry I believe there have been fights between rival groups of Liverpool and Man United supporters.

I really hope Manchester get through to the final. It will be a pantomime in Derry. I'll bring out the camcorder for that one for everyone here. The best about it they will all be so called republicans knocking 6 bells out of each other, fighting for their rights of North West England. :rolleyes:

Billy Lord

01/05/2007, 11:36 PM

I think the real point is that anyone who genuinely supports a club hates bandwagon-jumpers. And all those new Irish Sunderland fans are just that and it's truly pathetic.

Dr.Nightdub

02/05/2007, 12:41 AM

If we don't like the fact that people support English football and regard it as an affront to our sense of Irishness why support foreign games anyway? Surely Gaelic Games are the one true support in this country? Should we also stick to supporting only Irish music and Irish culture?

It's not about supporting someone just cos they're Irish - if that was the case, we'd love all 22 LoI teams equally. It's about supporting your local team and all that comes with that - pride, identity, belonging, home.

The Dublin Red

02/05/2007, 8:16 AM

It's not about supporting someone just cos they're Irish - if that was the case, we'd love all 22 LoI teams equally. It's about supporting your local team and all that comes with that - pride, identity, belonging, home.

I take your point but what I'm getting at is with most sports you have the mentality of the better supporters and the better fan.

I've been involved in GAA and listened to viewpoints where soccer was the great evil, certain sections of the LOI support deride supporters of English clubs, some supporters of English clubs unfairly slag off the LOI. Basically you have certain people trying to prove and justify why they support a particular club/sport.

I respect those who support their locals clubs, give time to it and go to games. However for many others including myself my club is that bit further away, it's never going to change and all the sneering in World won't make a difference.

dcfcsteve

02/05/2007, 9:53 AM

Rugby has grown as far as it can IMO (reached its elasticity of demand - to borrow terminoligy from Economics).

The concept of demand elasticity is all about demand in relation to price - nothing too do with the growth of demand in isolation. It therefore constantly changes (dependent upon price).

Trust a socialist to get that wrong..... :D ;)

GavinZac

02/05/2007, 10:02 AM

The concept of demand elasticity is all about demand in relation to price - nothing too do with the growth of demand in isolation. It therefore constantly changes (dependent upon price).

Trust a socialist to get that wrong..... :D ;)

But rugby is price inelastic. people are willing to pay the exhorbitant cost of following big-day-out rugby. if you then drasticly reduce the prices, you might get another couple of percent of people out, but not enough to justify the price drop.

dcfcsteve

02/05/2007, 10:13 AM

But rugby is price inelastic. people are willing to pay the exhorbitant cost of following big-day-out rugby. if you then drasticly reduce the prices, you might get another couple of percent of people out, but not enough to justify the price drop.

In reality nothing is price inelastic. Charge €1m for a ticket and see how many people go.

Relatively inelastic goods are those without a substitute - as there is no alternative. There are numerous alternatives to Irish rugby, both in and out of sport.

I just raised this as I found it amusing that a socialist was quoting economic theory - badly. Not the first time that's ever happened...... :D ;)

BohsPartisan

02/05/2007, 10:20 AM

The concept of demand elasticity is all about demand in relation to price - nothing too do with the growth of demand in isolation. It therefore constantly changes (dependent upon price).

Trust a socialist to get that wrong..... :D ;)

I said I was borrowing terminology, not the concept. I'm fully aware of the concept of Price Elasticity of Demand as my Economics teacher at school was constantly telling us that people would never pay 60P for a Mars Bar. Of course that was before the devil may care extrevagant attitude to spending of the tigercubs.
My point however was that Rugby as a sport has limited appeal in this country. There is a certain amount of people in the country who are open to going to see the provincial sides as long as they are doing well. That zenith has already been reached as there is nowhere else for the provincial sides to go. If the controversies between the French and English clubs, for example where to spell the demise of the Heineken cup, that would effectively be the end of the Irish public's fascination with the game.

Ash

02/05/2007, 10:30 AM

You cannot become passionate for all sports you follow.

If your a supporter you can, if your a consumer you cant.

holidaysong

02/05/2007, 10:48 AM

In reality nothing is price inelastic.

A life saving drug is.

NeilMcD

02/05/2007, 10:52 AM

The fact that you equate supporting a football team with going to see a gig sums up the whole problem. It is indeed consumerism vs support, which is a point that has been made already. A trip to Old Trafford might as well be a night at the cinema.

I believe in supporting the EL but you cant argue that football is more culturally represetative of a country than music is. Music is just as important culturally as any sport is. You may see it as consumer base but I am sure many muscians see football as consumer based.

BohsPartisan

02/05/2007, 11:09 AM

Yeah but you can't be a member of U2 (unless you actually are a member of U2)

NY Hoop

02/05/2007, 11:17 AM

Is that true? Literally killed?

There was the case of the Tipperary hurler who glassed an Irish fan of another team (one was Liverpool and the other was Man Utd) while they were drinking in England.

Unfortunately yes. Took a while to come to court and naturally enough the guy got away with it. Very sad overall.

The 23rd will be a day to be embarrassed to be Irish. Thankfully I will be thousands of miles away.

The Dublin red fair play for supporting Bray. Nobody has a problem with EL fans supporting english clubs as well simply because they support their Irish club first.

But do you not think it is a travesty that Irish people spend hundreds of thousands of euro annually travelling to england to "support" an english club and for those that never go but spend on jersies for their brainwashed kids etc?

IMO if that money was spent on supporting their local club this league could be one of the best in Europe. Travel around the continent and you will find that this is a unique Irish problem. There are leagues not as good as ours that get local support. It's all really simple. You're Irish support an Irish club. You're english support an english club. You're french..... I'm sure you can follow.......

KOH

superfrank

02/05/2007, 11:22 AM

It's all really simple. You're Irish support an Irish club. You're english support an english club. You're french..... I'm sure you can follow.......
I disagree. I think you should be free to choose who you support. That's what I do.

GavinZac

02/05/2007, 11:29 AM

I disagree. I think you should be free to choose who you support. That's what I do.

Oh you're free to do what you want. But we'd be free to say you'd be being ridiculous.

NeilMcD

02/05/2007, 11:32 AM

Yeah but you can't be a member of U2 (unless you actually are a member of U2)

True we are the lucky ones that can be members. Not every LOI team has that system in place and most teams in the Major leagues in Europe dont have it either. So I supose a member of a U2 Fan club could say they are support a cultural identity that is Irish just as much as a St Pats fan etc. I believe in supporting Irish football and going to games and I enjoy it, I am just sticking up for music also as I think it is very important in relation to a nations culture. U2 might be a bad example but you picked it and like St Pats they have an international and cosumerist dimention, i.e. selling of merchandise etc.

NY Hoop

02/05/2007, 11:35 AM

True we are the lucky ones that can be members. Not every LOI team has that system in place and most teams in the Major leagues in Europe dont have it either. So I supose a member of a U2 Fan club could say they are support a cultural identity that is Irish just as much as a St Pats fan etc. I believe in supporting Irish football and going to games and I enjoy it, I am just sticking up for music also as I think it is very important in relation to a nations culture. U2 might be a bad example but you picked it and like St Pats they have an international and cosumerist dimention, i.e. selling of merchandise etc.

Except you cant buy a Pats jersey!

Comparing football to music and shopping etc is farcical IMO.

KOH

NeilMcD

02/05/2007, 11:38 AM

Except you cant buy a Pats jersey!

Comparing football to music and shopping etc is farcical IMO.

KOH

Why because you are a football fan. I agree shopping is a purely comsumerist practice by its nature but football and music are not. You feel rightly that Rovers represent you and as they are your local club you support them. Thats right and proper. But there are many people in this country who feel the same way about trad music and feel that the tradition must be handed down from family to famlily just like fathers bringing sons to matches. Its an expression of both your local and national culture.

BohDiddley

02/05/2007, 12:38 PM

You could compare live football and live music, but not live football and just music. Popular music is designed to be a media product and few would argue otherwise. The whole point of supporting Irish football, in my view, is that it is real and present.
I enjoy watching MOTD and the Champions League, but actually being at a match is a totally different experience. To my mind, television -- EPL, Seria A, CL -- virtual football and real club football are different sports.
That's why it's ok (if kinda naff) to follow Sunderland, once doing so doesn't mean that you are then turning around, as so many barstoolers do, and trying to justify that with contempt for the domestic game.

R�iteoir

02/05/2007, 1:01 PM

I'm in quite a unique position of sorts - like Steve - I'm currently residing in England.

But I'm one of the many diehard Bohs supporters (my father was a supporter and his father was too, but I'm the first member of the family to be a Card Carrying Member of this great institution)

I make about 10-12 games a season (mainly at home or when we're playing one of the other Dublin based sides) - the plan is to make it over at least twice a month circumstances allowing.

I normally fork out �70 per season to be the video sponsor for a game or two, contribute to the club whenever asked (lotteries, prediction competitions, etc.)

Friday nights aren't spent out in town with mates - I'm usually found sat in my home office with a few cans, listening to Friday Sportsnight (which is an absolutely superb show) or whenever there is an RT� or TG4 game on live - watching that over the web (no matter who is playing). Once the game is over I'll then head out into town to either celebrate a Bohs win or drown my sorrows at another loss to Bray :D

I've made so many friends both within the club (the sense of going through stuff with these guys is something you NEVER get with Premiership clubs) - the European trips in July, the windswept nights of Cup games, the celebrations at the end of a season when the players you know personally and can approach without problems lift that silverware - the sense of "That is MY club" - to be a part of something so good - is the hook of the thing and what makes it special.

I've converted two friends here in England on the back of them watching the Live games on RT� over the web (unfortunately they chose Drogheda over Bohs :D) - they loved the atmosphere, the stadia (Dalymount for the record), the standard of football (with no quarter given and good old fashioned challenges flying in), and the whole package (one is a Leeds fan who also picked Drogs in connection with the Gary Kelly links) - the other fella (pretty big QPR fan) wants me to also get him a home Drogs jersey.

They both want to come over for the weekend Bohs play Drogheda in August in the League - I've told them I'll take them round the ground, meeting people, etc. - give them the whole eL experience.

I love this League of ours and the people in it - I wouldn't swap it for anything at all.

However - I start a new job for a water maintainance company on Tuesday coming (in their IT Department - interview successfully negotiated yesterday - the only downside is I'll miss the League Cup game versus Shels I was planning on coming over for :mad: ) - plus side is - it'll give me more cash to play about with and a bit more Annual Leave to use to feed the Bohs fix.

dcfcsteve

02/05/2007, 1:02 PM

A life saving drug is.

No it's not. As is clearly shown by the unwillingness of health services around the world to pay for certain treatments against AIDS, cancer etc. Why do you think there's such a lobby agaisnt the health companies who make retro-viral drugs for HIV ? If the product was inelastic, they'd just go ahead and pay for it. Instead they either don't, or just buy less - and people die.

Money is king at the end of the day - particularl for health providers. If something costs too much, less and less people will pay for it.

dcfcsteve

02/05/2007, 1:11 PM

I said I was borrowing terminology, not the concept. I'm fully aware of the concept of Price Elasticity of Demand as my Economics teacher at school was constantly telling us that people would never pay 60P for a Mars Bar. Of course that was before the devil may care extrevagant attitude to spending of the tigercubs.

Your economics teacher was right that no-one would pay 60p for a Mars Bar. Cleverly, they foresaw the introduction of the Euro..... :D

My point however was that Rugby as a sport has limited appeal in this country. There is a certain amount of people in the country who are open to going to see the provincial sides as long as they are doing well. That zenith has already been reached as there is nowhere else for the provincial sides to go. If the controversies between the French and English clubs, for example where to spell the demise of the Heineken cup, that would effectively be the end of the Irish public's fascination with the game.

Don't underestimate rugby BP. One decent year for the international team does not equal the zenith of rugby on this island. Firstly - any sport has the ability to grow further. It takes time to get kids invoilved in the game and for that to spread, so much of it will happen off the proverbial radar. Secondly - a certain amount of psychological and societal opposition to rugby was to do with a sense of nationalism. But ireland has grown up a lot now, and doesn't see traditionally English games like rugby and cricket as being so perverse to its insecure sense of identity any more. This will inevitably lead to more interest.

Finaly - rugby has deep roots in this country. Partialarly in Ulster, Munster and certain parts of Dublin. It should be no great surprise if those roots continue to dig deeper and grow wider - particularly if the international team plays well. If ireland won the World Cup or the 6 nations, for example, you'd see even more support for rugby around - which shows clearly that it hasn't reached its high-water mark yet.

BohsPartisan

02/05/2007, 1:42 PM

The Dublin Red

02/05/2007, 1:52 PM

Unfortunately yes. Took a while to come to court and naturally enough the guy got away with it. Very sad overall.

The 23rd will be a day to be embarrassed to be Irish. Thankfully I will be thousands of miles away.

The Dublin red fair play for supporting Bray. Nobody has a problem with EL fans supporting english clubs as well simply because they support their Irish club first.

But do you not think it is a travesty that Irish people spend hundreds of thousands of euro annually travelling to england to "support" an english club and for those that never go but spend on jersies for their brainwashed kids etc?

IMO if that money was spent on supporting their local club this league could be one of the best in Europe. Travel around the continent and you will find that this is a unique Irish problem. There are leagues not as good as ours that get local support. It's all really simple. You're Irish support an Irish club. You're english support an english club. You're french..... I'm sure you can follow.......

KOH

I respect your point but it all comes down people's freedom of choice.

I'm never going to change my allegiance and I believe the vast majority of supporters of overseas clubs won't either. Again it comes down to promoting the LOI, there is nothing to stop people supporting both. Seasons are different and most games are on a Friday night?

It's when sections of the LOI support base Sneer and deride supporters of English clubs that drives the wedge. It's like your a better football fan if you support your local LOI side. I take it then people would object to fans supporting any LOI club as opposed to their LOCAL club?

I think the LOI has to expand beyond being overwhelmingly Dublin dominated however to build the League means competing with the GAA. The reality is if the LOI could tap into the 80,000 Dubs who fill Croker for Dublin games it would be off huge benefit.

I don't buy the theory of you're Irish support an Irish club exclusively, we're globalised and open to all sorts of cultural and sporting influences worldwide. As well as that if you take my club Nottingham Forest, the fanbase goes well beyond Nottingham asthe city is relatively small. I give you an example it is easier and cheaper for me to attend Forest games than it is for the London based Trickies. A flight is €40 return for a day trip and all in all I can have a cracking day for €100.

jebus

02/05/2007, 1:56 PM

I used to play Rugby myself Steve - for Navan RFC, I remember during the 1991 world cup there was an influx of kids into the underage sides but after a while a lot of them drifted away after the novelty wore off. I just think Rugby is a sport whos support ebbs and flows with the success or failure of the national teams and the provincial sides and I really can't see it expanding its support much wider than what it has over the last couple of years.

Agreed, given that I'm from the heart of Munster rugby, it's easy to see the point you are making there BP. Last year, before and after the European Cup win you couldn't walk the streets of Limerick without seeing 1 in 3 people kitted out in Munster t-shirts/jerseys, everyone seemed to be a rugby fan. This year, after Munster's dismal showing you never hear talk of Munster/rugby/or even the upcoming World Cup, the sport in Limerick reached it's zenith last year, leaving behind the local clubs, such as Garryowen and Young Munster in a dire state, as the bandwagon jumpers really don't care how well these clubs are doing now, after seeing how big the Munster wagon was. Should the Heineken Cup go, then rugby in Limerick will die a death, attendences for their Magnier League games show that there is probably more real support for Limerick 37, than for Munster rugby

NY Hoop

02/05/2007, 1:59 PM

The Dublin Red

02/05/2007, 2:47 PM

[QUOTE=The Dublin Red;677607]It's like your a better football fan if you support your local LOI side. I take it then people would object to fans supporting any LOI club as opposed to their LOCAL club?

[QUOTE]

Hey I have heard of a guy from wexford who goes to every shels game. Doesnt matter really as he's supporting an Irish club.

You are a better football fan if you support a club here. There is zero sense of identity travelling to another country to "support" a foreign club.

BTW you can have a cracking night out at the Carlisle Grounds for a lot less than a ton.

KOH

But the point is thats your opinion. In answer to your question I don't have the same craic at a Bray game, that's how I feel and its my chocie to suppirt who I like.

I also totally disagree with what you claim as a zero sense of identity supporting an overseas team. You don't recognise it as real support which I find (no disrespect) patronising and does absolutely nothing to attract people to the LOI.

The better football fan, the better patriot and all that doesn't wash with me. How about supporting the Dublin GAA team, real sportmen who play for pride, the county and for no money. Gaelic games are the national games and soccer/football will never be in a position in this country to match it.

But my central point is it all comes down to personal preference and personal freedom. I couldn't give a hoot if you regard me as a "lesser" and you're a "superior" fan. I'm happy to have made my choice and have great memories from my 17 years association with Nottingham Forest. It will NEVER change.

Whilst I wish the LOI every success I would rather give up my time for Junior soccer and developing it in my area.

OneRedArmy

02/05/2007, 2:56 PM

I I believe the vast majority of supporters of overseas clubs won't [change the clubs they support] either.If you believe this to be true, then the planes full of Sunderland supporters and bars full of Chelsea fans must contain fans who are new to the game, as they weren't there 5 or 10 years ago.

Many are in their 30s and 40s and I find it highly unlikely they only recently discovered football.

More likely they have quietly changed alliegence from Leeds, Blackburn, Liverpool or whatever team used to be en vogue.

dcfcsteve

02/05/2007, 2:56 PM

I used to play Rugby myself Steve - for Navan RFC, I remember during the 1991 world cup there was an influx of kids into the underage sides but after a while a lot of them drifted away after the novelty wore off. I just think Rugby is a sport whos support ebbs and flows with the success or failure of the national teams and the provincial sides and I really can't see it expanding its support much wider than what it has over the last couple of years.

Name me one sport who's fortunes don't ebb and flow with success ? :confused: If you were around in 1991, then you can probably remember the sudden and phenomenal interest in soccer that happened in 1988 which, surprise surprise, coincided with international success. There were loads of new articles etc about how soccer was suddenly cool./popular in places it had never been before.

Of course not everyone who gets interested in any new sport, hobby, language etc will stik at it. That is human nature, not some startling revelation about rugby.

Are you trying to say that rugby in Ireland is no more popular now than it was in 1991 ? If you're not, then clearly it's support has flowed - not ebbed.
I left school in Derry in 1991. At that time, St Columbs (largest Catholic boys school in the north) didn't play rugby -as, in fact, most Catholic schools didn't. Now it does, and has been doing for years. It's the same with a number of other Catholic schools I know in the north. Plenty of flow in-evidence, with very little ebb....

Who's to say it won't or can't all flow even further....?