letter in today's City Tribune from an angry Utd fan.

[eamo1]

as another poster on this forum pointed out he said how was he to know that nick was away because a family member was dead.this was in relation to him saying he rang the office but got no reply.was mostly drivel though.
was thinking about writing in a letter myself to rebuke this guy and defend the club and then another poster suggested we all write letters in.20 letters arriving on their desk would make them take note.so how about it????

[Patrick Dunne]

At this stage any further letter writing would be counter productive.

Mr Cahill again made some bizarre points in his second letter. Apparently the Sunderland game could have been played in Pearse Stadium :confused:

[Terry]

a reader/poster here too so !!!!

[Claret Murph]

Dear Editor,
Please allow me to respond to the letter from John Fallon in the June 1st issue of your paper. When my letter was printed in your paper on May 25th I wrote that I expected a reply full of spin-doctored garbage and that's exactly what happened. What I did not expect was a full-blooded personal attack and a blatant attempt to paint a picture of me that would suggest I was out for one thing and that was to attack Galway United.
Let me put a few things straight for you Mr. Fallon (and your team of spin-doctors who so eloquently put your reply together). I won't respond to all of your scurrilous remarks - only the ones that I took exception to.
You say that my letter contained serious , misleading and mischievous allegations and inaccuracies - if you are talking about misleading and inaccurate then you should refer to your own adverts for the ticket-selling. It did say 20 euro for kids - end of story. I can produce the ad from the paper if you wish.
You say that I did not mention the scarves that were given to my kids by your colleague. Granted that did happen but I also failed to mention an awful lot more things that happened and were said that would not have painted your handling of the situation in a better light.
You say that the club made it quite clear that the only tickets available at the UCD game were 40 euro - why then Mr. Fallon did the very man that gave me the scarves say that the kids tickets were 20 euro when I sked him? Ask him yourself Mr.Fallon - you know who he is. He will be putting in a claim for the three scarves that "he purchased" out of his own pocket. On the same subject why then Mr. Fallon , if it was so clear that the ticket price was 40 euro , did your ticket-seller say to me that the 20 euro tickets were gone by the time I got to the top of the queue?? Why would she say this if there were no 20 euro tickets available at the UCD game?? How come Mr. Fallon did I speak to people in Terryland that night that paid 20 euro for their kids tickets if the only tickets available were for 40 euro??
You say that you witnessed at first-hand my attempt to receive special treatment. How dare you say that. All I was looking for was the price that WAS in the paper and what people before me had paid. I know too well that in this world you get nothing for nothing - all I was looking to do was pay the face-value rate.
How dare you also say that my efforts to "receive specail treatment" were less than restrained. What exactly are you suggesting when you say "less than restrained". I really hope you are not suggesting that I did anything other than express my right to speak out - I spoke out strongly but that is all I did - speak out.
You say that you were one of the luminaries that I condescendingly referred to - let me point out Mr. Fallon that you were certainly not one of the luminaries I referred to. I spoke to three Galway United officials that night and you were not one of them. In fact as I was speaking to your three colleagues I did notice you beside me but you failed to utter one word to me. Available to deal with supporters issues you said in your reply - well you certainly did not make yourself available to me that night. The only thing you did that night was to motion to your colleagues to usher me away from the ticket office as it was looking embarrassing for the club to have someone speak out in front of so many people that might be tempted to join me in speaking out.
The thing that riles me the most about your reply was your intimation that I was insensitive to the situation of one of your colleagues. I am disgusted that you would stoop so low to suggest that I actaully knew anything about this mans unfortunate situation.
The first I heard about this was on the Friday of the Bohs match - one of your colleagues told me- the day that my letter was printed. To use the word "insensitive" in your letter would only be justifiable if I had known anything about the situation - and I most certailnly did not. In fact Mr. Fallon the insensitivity is surely on your part given that you would use this unfortunate situation to back up your claims against me. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Let me finish by saying this - in my letter last week I did not suggest any individual from Galway United was making any money from the Sunderland match - nothing could have been further from my mind. I understand how hard it is to keep a club afloat but if the board thought about it a bit more then they could have raised a hell of a lot more money by doing it right. Did the game have to be held at Terryland with it's limited capacity?? In this day and age of GAA benevolence were they not approached about Pearse Stadium and it's 30,000 capacity?? Anyway it's not for me to tell them how to do a job right - is it.
Finally Mr. Fallon - I was a supporter of Galway United before the ticket debacle and lo and behold I still am a supporter of Galway United - and the ironic thing is that an awful lot of the "real" supporters that you refer to have actually stopped me on the street and said well done for saying it like I saw it. In fact I didn't get any negative comments at all - strange that!
Yours sincerely,
John Cahill
P.S. If you do reply to this letter I can tell you now that I will not be dignifying any response from you by replying again.

[Tir Oilean]

Cheers Claret. I'm sure thats the end the end of that I would hope JF doesnt bother responding. The guy in fairness makes some valid points if of course his recollection of the evening is fully correct, anyway he states he wont be persuing his argument any further so let sleepng dogs lie and all that.

[gufct]

Mr. Cahill is not really a GUFC fan if he suggests taking the game away from Terryland and he is definitely on another planet if he expected the GAA to allow United use Pearse Stadium.

[MyTown]

Dear Editor, When my letter was printed in your paper on May 25th I wrote that I expected a reply full of spin-doctored garbage and that's exactly what happened.


I still am a supporter of Galway United - and the ironic thing is that an awful lot of the "real" supporters that you refer to have actually stopped me on the street and said well done for saying it like I saw it. In fact I didn't get any negative comments at all - strange that!
Yours sincerely,
John Cahill



Well, Mr. Cahill, I believe you are now either a viewer or contributor to this board so - Welcome!.

You're no slouch yourself when it comes to spin doctoring 'though, and the paragraph I quoted above cleverly claims that you -personally- received no negative feedback to your original letter. That's probably the truth, I've no way of disproving it. But, you conveniently omitted the fact that this thread gave a fairly full analysis of your original contribution, and there was quite a negative response to most of the points you made from genuine GUFC supporters. My understanding is that you were aware of this when you penned your second masterpiece, but somehow chose to be economical with that piece of the truth.

In fairness, a couple of points you made were valid - also acknowledged here - and my personal response to you would have differed from the clubs official response in a number of ways. However, paper has never refused ink and my opinion is that your correspondence and the clubs response would have benefitted from a good editor.

Sadly proper research and good editing skills are no longer a requirement when people want a platform.

The Tribune has played good cop / bad cop with this story enjoying the controversy (the Sports Editors antipathy towards Galway United is widely acknowledged, also, something, I believe you counted on, in writing your second letter) while supporting the club through its summer soccer initiatives and its coverage of the MATCHES through its publications and its radio station. (You should really look for a rate-per-word deal from them if you're intent on keeping this one going 'though.):D

The season ticket offer - before the Sunderalnd game was announced at all - was the least expensive in the Premier Division. If you were as committed a supporter as you have made out to the readers of the Tribune and GalwayFirst, you would have seen the fantastic value a Family Ticket would have offered you this season.


Your decision to light a fire of controversy around your local eircom league club is your choice and your right, but I agree with the club Chairman insofaras your stance has done nothing to safeguard or promote the future of national league soccer in Galway, but just left a bad taste all round and left the naysayers rubbing their hands - again.

The great thing for me is that as a father of young children you can see the great joy football can bring to their lives, and a local eircom league presence is their best opportunity to see it played at the highest level and - believe it or not at the lowest price!

It's hard for a club so reliant on volunteer support to swim against a tide of negativity. Why not turn your energies into something positive and come to terms with the meaning of the word "supporter"?

[gufct]

Great post My Town.

I would safely say that Mr. Cahill would be cheering on our visitors on the 1st August and has probably seen Old Trafford more than Terryland Park in the last 5 years.

[Tir Oilean]

Excellent post My Town well written with great points made well. It is a shame that most people choose to shout about things they are aggrieved about (Sunderland Tickets) and tend to say nothing about things that are great (price of GUFC season tickets) but hey its probably human nature. I think its a crying shame that the arrival of a small Premiership outfit to our city should spark such reactions, it seems that the great value for money at terryland for the last number of seasons has been very quickly forgotten by some.

[Claret Murph]

Mytown well said , I would like to add a few things but this time i will hold back . Roll on Friday night ohh and just to let Mr Cahill know that he will have to pay the for kids on Friday night , all MAILS addressed to the FAI ticket.office@fai.ie.
Who knows even Ford may give him a car to get him up to Terryland !!!!!!!!!!! as I am sure they might have done something to upset Mr Cahill in the past .

[Conor H]

No need for anybody to start dishing out personal jibes at him either.
He's wrong with nearly everything and one would be right to question his loyalty and manner in which he chose to complain.

Neverthless,we're a MASSIVE Club and slating one of our own when he can't defend himself is Limerick style.

I think some people relish in the privilge of a username and mightn't be half as quick with some of their comments if they were using their real name.

Having said that i'd concur with everything MyTown has said but don't feel the need for this thread to continue.Let's just forget about it and concentrate on how many goals we're going to beat Harps by!:)

[Tir Oilean]

Yeah I agree time to round this one up there are more pressing matters like the FAI Cup!

[MyTown]

BaileBan:

I'm not an expert on the rules of this forum. I have fallen foul of them on more than one occassion myself. But the use of "handles", "pen-names" or "monikers" allows people to post their opinions freely while keeping their identity secret. Many of us know each other but respect the anonymity offered by the forum. Ideally it should also keep forum users out of the courts. With that in mind you might want to re-register under a new username - or maybe not. The choice is yours.

On the issue of Pearse Stadium: At first I couldn't understand why alternatives like it could not be looked at in the interests of the club but I suspect the time between the confirmation of the fixture and the fixture itself was not enough to push a deal through (remember, a huge amount of the behind-the-scenes work is done by GUFC people in their "spare" time).

I thought the prospect of clearing more of the debt would be very attractive to the local GAA hierarchy. I think it is reasonable to ask if Bob Dylan and Bryan Adams are good enough for the Stadium then why not Galway United?

My personal belief is that local residents would have sought an injunction to stop it going ahead (unless as is the case with Croke Park, they were being offered a helluva deal), regardless of how the GAA hierarchy themselves would have felt about it.

The other issue with the Sunderland fixture is that the main purpose of it is the official opening of the new stand in Terryland - and the Galway & District League could hardly celebrate that in Salthill:D

Anyway another poster has already suggested enough of energy has been expended on this one, so maybe the moderators will now come on Board and lock the thread.

They have all the power - deciding who gets the last word:D

[gufct]

Just 2 points John I am not Anti GAA Just a realist - We havent a hope of ever getting the stadium - Croke Park Yes but local & County grounds not a hope.

No one on that friday night bought a kids Ticket at €20 i spent three quarters of an hour explaining to the first 200/400 people in the queue outside what the procedure was and didnt have one word of complaint.

Its very easy to be on the outside knocking what the club does but its harder to do a job voluntarily and face abuse from certain people (not saying you are one) who are knowalls and tell you how to run the club.

Id be more than willing to talk to you the next night i meet you in Terryland.

[Claret Murph]

Mr Cahill as for hiding behind a name most people who use the board and G.net know who I am , a lot has been said and I am not going to add anymore so you can have the last word . If our paths ever cross please don't speak .
GOOD BYE .

[gufct]

John and this my last post on this matter you didnt reply to my point about the Kids Tickets despite stating in your letter that people bought them for €20 on the night.

[GuisaSaigon]

Supporter: an adherent, follower, backer, or advocate
Customer : a person who purchases goods or services from another; buyer

I have always considered myself a supporter of Galway United not a customer of Galway United. As a supporter I try to help my club not attack it. If this deems me "blinkered" then so be it.

This public attempt to damage the club is a strange move for someone who considers himself a supporter of the club.

Cork City who have a much bigger ground than us haven't even put tickets for their Sunderland game on sale to the public. Galway United could easily have done the same but after taking care of season ticket holders, they chose to put a limited number of tickets on sale to the general public.
Childrens tickets had already sold out at this stage. Tough luck John, get over it.:mad:
GUST meet every two weeks and were in constant contact with the club in relation to Sunderland tickets. Having attended GUST meetings and club meetings where all aspects of this Sunderland game were discussed, I am happy that the club did their utmost to keep everybody happy.
Unfortunately, this is impossible as there is always somebody waiting to take a shot at United.
Goodbye John.

[Conor H]

In fairness to John he's held his own quite well and has been very acknowledgeable and respectful of other people's efforts and opinions.

What perplexes me John is why you felt the need to go threw the papers?You've maid your points hear in a dignified and low key manner.Was there a reason you couldn't have just spoke to one of the MC and outlined your grievances as opposed to writing the City Rag?

After this hopefully the matter can be forgotten about as it's been exhausted at this stage and is overshadowing a crucial game for us on Friday.

[Conor H]

Was it 40 Euro for a kids tickets ? :confused: That is very pricey lads

It was E40 for a stand ticket.

You can bet your right arm Sligo would have charged the exact same if not more.

[Conor H]

Why do so many people fail to grasp the concept of a fundraiser?I mean seriously....:confused:

99% of people have no complaints about the prices.GUFC have also allowed 3000 kids in Galway to watch Sunderland for free the night before the match.

We're not taking the ****,as you so elegantly put it,out of anyone.We're bringing over a Club from England to play in a "glamour" friendly.If people were concerned about the prices then why was the demand unprecedented?

Half the City and County were mad for tickets aswell as the red necks that flock to Galway for race week.

[Conor H]

We hope to raise a MASSIVE amount of money but the expenses of this game are nothing short of hefty either.

I wouldn't like to post on a public forum the amount i've heard for a few reasons.Hope you understand where i'm coming from.:)

[inthestand99]

:ball::)Why are we still bitching about this. Most of the people creating the negativity about this are not true supporters and only "occasional" visitors to Terryland. Lets move on .....the lads are back training and Friday night is getting closer. Bring on the Harps. Always a nice crew to have in Terryland.

[Paddyfield]

Baileban, if you don't mind me saying, I think that you are making your points better on this website than you did in the City Tribune.

I've been to all the games that you have been to over the last 20+ years too so your loyalty (or mine...!) is not to be questioned. I acknowledge that you felt perplexed by the Club but I could never write to the papers in the manner that you did. It would be like betraying a loved one. However, you did what you had to do and I respect that you did it out of utter frustration. However, you wrote your letter, you got a response, you replied to the response and signed off your reply by saying that you will not discuss the matter any further. This leaves the matter unresolved.

It was always inevitable that the Chairman was going to defend the Club using the same weapon you attacked it with i.e. a letter to the newspaper. I assume that the Club will reply in Friday's City Tribune. Will you break your silence, if needs be?


PS I must know you to see because you have been to the same dreary games in pre-seated, pre-floodlit, pre-historic Terryland when there were only 200 drenched people watching visiting "glamour" :D teams like Newcastle West and Home Farm.

[Paddyfield]

Was it 40 Euro for a kids tickets ? :confused: That is very pricey lads

It was 20 Euro for a kids ticket (in the old stand) and 40 Euro for a kid into the new stand. It's steep but you gotta make hay when the sun shines.

[Trainee]

When Sunderland Prices were frist made Public they were:
Season Tickets:20 euro
Kids Tickets: 20 euro
Ground Tickets:40 euro
New Stand: 50 euro

With the kids tickets they were to be sold to kids with season tickts and family season tickets holders with any un sold to be sold at UCD game( but due to high demand they all so out long before UCD)

So Galway United Contacted all the Local Papers and Galway Bay FM in run up to UCD To Let any one who Wanted to see Sunderland Game, that only 500 tickets would be on sale at 40 euro each.

So its not Galway United's fault Mr. Cahill didnt read this in any of the local media in the run up to UCD,but everyone else who bought tickets must have as they saw no need see the need to complain
Galway Utd were Right Mr. Cahill wrong end of story

[Ceirtlis]

On the Pearse Stadium thing, it would have taken a 2 thirds majority in favour under a vote at a GAA convention for Galway United to be allowed to be played there. This is what was needed for croke park which is only a special dispensation while landsdowne is being done up so as to save matches being brought to Britain, Ireland are still not allowed to play friendly games there. The Sportsground is not big enough, so Terryland is the only place where the game could have been held.
As for being a business in fairness Galway United is not like Tesco or Dunnes. It is kept going mainly by volunteers and noone is out to make a personal profit so letters back and forth in a newspaper do no one any good.

[Patrick Dunne]

Regarding Pearse Stadium, a seat in the stand for a first round Connacht game (Galway vs Mayo) cost E30. This means that the GAA took in over E200K in gate receipts from the main stand alone, from a game that is not even a Connacht semi-final. This is not anti-GAA, just plain fact.

There is no local media criticism of the GAA on their ticket pricing. The GAA are portrayed as dyed in the wool volunteers putting endless hours of effort for the local community.

Of course, the "soccer crowd" are all dodgy business types trying to rip off their supporters. They are all well paid, slick PR characters.

The way this myth is perpetuated maddens me, especially when it is added to by someone purporting to be a supporter of Galway United.

[Patrick Dunne]

Galway United FC have four full-time office staff.

We have up to 100 club volunteers who play a huge role in the running of the club.

We have 20 stewards, 25 people on the Lotto team, 10 programme sellers, 30 people on various club committees. We have GUST members who put up 150 match posters free of charge.

Club officers like Chairman, Secretary, Finance Officer, Lotto Administrator, Event Manager, Facilities Chairman all put in 20+ (and in some cases far more) hours per week on a strictly voluntary basis.

The points raised by baileban were reasonably legitimate, however the manner in which they were aired leave a lot to be desired. Referring to club volunteers as "luminaries", guff about spin doctors and people claiming expenses for club scarves.

Club "luminaries" don't "parade around the front of the stand", they are stewarding, manning the gates, selling programmes and Lotto tickets so you can watch Regilio Nooitmeer, Alan Murphy, John Russell etc play for Galway United.

It is every supporters prerogative not to become involved as a club volunteer. But if you are not going to lead, and you are not going to follow, then at the very least get out of the way.

[gufct]

Top Post Pa and John if you read Trainees post you will see the exact pricing and the fact that it was stressed in all the local media and on the club website for the full week prior to the UCD Game that the only tickets on sale were the €40 ground tickets.

Of the 5,000 people attending the sunderland game mor than half will have paid only €20 .These are the season ticket holders who stumped up there €80, €175 or €300 at the start of the season and I dont think the club should be attacked for looking after these people first.

The costs of staging this game are huge and its not all that long ago that we only got over 800 people at games against Premiership opposition in Terryland so the club was taking a gamble last februrary when they organised this game.

The revenue from this game will enable Tony to bring in 3/4 players to bolster our campaign and may see us break even this season which will be a huge achievement considering the costs involved.

John you have told us all not to be so blinkered well maybe its time you opened your eyes and saw the real world.

[gilberto_eire]

Regarding Pearse Stadium, a seat in the stand for a first round Connacht game (Galway vs Mayo) cost E30. This means that the GAA took in over E200K in gate receipts from the main stand alone, from a game that is not even a Connacht semi-final. This is not anti-GAA, just plain fact.

There is no local media criticism of the GAA on their ticket pricing. The GAA are portrayed as dyed in the wool volunteers putting endless hours of effort for the local community.

Of course, the "soccer crowd" are all dodgy business types trying to rip off their supporters. They are all well paid, slick PR characters.

The way this myth is perpetuated maddens me, especially when it is added to by someone purporting to be a supporter of Galway United.


i have to say theres no critisism of the GAA for ticket pricing cause there fair enough...im a regular attender and a championship game is €20 for an adult and just €5 for an U-16.... this goes up only for the final...I THINK!!.

[MyTown]

Lads, We're going round in circles .

Agreed. Moderators, please?




To the chaps who keep referring to me as someone who purports to be a supporter I'm getting fed up with that to be honest - in my first post on this forum I gave my reasons as to why I am a supporter of GUFC - 28 years a spporter and counting - just because I chose to complain through the media doesn't change that. So please change that particular record.
Lads, I respect 99.9% of your opinions and the work that ye do but I am entitled to mine.


You were welcomed to the Forum. You've been given a fair hearing. Your opinions are just as valid as anybody elses.

But please understand it is both patronising and insulting to suggest that those of us who support the club in as positive a way we can are blinkered.

You repeatedly lean on your record of 28 years travelling up the Dyke Road. Some of us have a record of support just as long and believe it or not two seasons longer if the Legue Cup campaign of Autumn 1976 counts. The players whose names you posted yesterday from east of the river and the general Mervue / Ballybane catchment area were idolised by many of us and cheered to the rafters in good days and bad - and Lord knows it's been mostly bad. But, again, that is the essence of what being a supporter is.

Some of us have had major disagreements with senior members of the Board and Management Committees of Galway United over things that we feel very strongly about over the years. We've won some and we've lost some.

The particular issue that sparked your outrage (ticketing for Sunderland, does everyone remember how this started?) was very hotly debated within the club, but it is a credit to those within the club that greatly opposing views were honestly and openly debated, and once the prevailing view became club policy, everybody who was a party to the decision rowed in behind it.

With all due respect, that's not blinkered support, that's democratic support, with a high value placed on confidentiality, for the longer term good of soccer in the city and county.

Hope to see you and the Lads on Friday night - Come on United.

[Paddyfield]

.... I respect 99.9% of your opinions and the work that ye do but I am entitled to mine....

I think you should revise that figure of 99.9% :rolleyes:

[Terry]

So, have we all come to an agreement that this thread is run its coarse and can be closed?

[corbyeire]

i made my views clear on this before - but one thing i will say - is that only a small fraction of fans post here - or on other sites

the responses here are from a computer user based sample - not the entire gufc supporter base

on this site i have mentioned the maroon mist before - and people are entitled to that

but i dont want my support questioned either if i dare question the club

ill be honest with you - the amount of times ive said on here about the free therapy up in terryland - i go up there with me mates sometimes to give out, rant and rave - you think i shouldnt do that?

there is an ovewhellming sense online not to say anything about what the club is doing

it is fantastic what has been achieved by volunteers etc. - im not trying to knock that

but you just cant have a singular ethos in relation to support

im sure others have opinions on the matter - but the barrage against any questioning of GUFC - seems to prevent that

[corbyeire]

yea terry close it up

[GuisaSaigon]

Yes Terry, shut it down. This has gone on long enough.

[Paddyfield]

Yes Terry, shut it down. This has gone on long enough.

I don't meat to go off topic but there is rain promised later so don't water the garden tonight.

[MyTown]

but the barrage against any questioning of GUFC - seems to prevent that

Couln't disagree with you more Corby:D

1. This debate did not start from "a computer based sample" but in the local media, in the most successful provincial newspaper in Ireland.

2. My OPINION - and that's all it is - is that Mr. Cahill's expression of his opinions but mostly, the MANNER in which he chose to air them were two exocets aimed at the heart of Terryland and he had a direct hit on both occasions. So who's trying to stifle his right to express those views or your either?

Maroon mist? I think that's most unfair - 5 minutes on this Forum should show you that all football supporters "enjoy" a good moan and regard the "therapy" available from Terryland to be the cheapest on the market. :D

But there are times when it all comes together in the best possible way - and those are the times I look forward to.

Oh and yea Terry go right ahead...............

[Mr A]

i made my views clear on this before - but one thing i will say - is that only a small fraction of fans post here - or on other sites

the responses here are from a computer user based sample - not the entire gufc supporter base

on this site i have mentioned the maroon mist before - and people are entitled to that

but i dont want my support questioned either if i dare question the club

ill be honest with you - the amount of times ive said on here about the free therapy up in terryland - i go up there with me mates sometimes to give out, rant and rave - you think i shouldnt do that?

there is an ovewhellming sense online not to say anything about what the club is doing

it is fantastic what has been achieved by volunteers etc. - im not trying to knock that

but you just cant have a singular ethos in relation to support

im sure others have opinions on the matter - but the barrage against any questioning of GUFC - seems to prevent that

Well Said.

However, attacking a football club in public, especially in the case that it is in a newspaper and were many people feel some of the points were unfair, is always likely to draw criticism from other supporters.

Everyone has a right to their opinion- including those who question others choice of how to vent their grievances.

[Terry]

ok closing the thread

If someone feels they want to defend anything else they can write up a post and PM it to me, I will then add it in.

P.S. John, your welcome to Foot.ie