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

[eamo1]

theres a letter IN THE SPORTS SECTION of todays c.t which is from a utd fan complaining about the price of the sunderland tics etc and accusing the club of greed and "rogue trading"(oh he's clever).he says he was thinking of boycotting tonights game but decided not to for his kids.the guy is entitled to his opinion but why not write directly to the club?and why did the tribune publish this letter in the sports section and not in the normal letters section??at the start of the season a couple of fans write in to encourage people to go and these are put in the normal letters section,so why when its something negative does it get a big section of the sports section where people who might go to the games will be reading?

[Mr A]

In all fairness, Galway United to a large extent have the local media in their pocket to an unbelieveable degree. The Galway First in particular is at times ludicrous in its level of positivity about the club.

I reckon the fact that a lot of Galway's papers are free protects the club from the more usual trend which is that negative news is more likely to sell papers. In this case the paper is not free, and may feel that this will catch people's attention.

Either way, in general GU can have very little complaint about the way the local media treat the club, and fair play to them for their ability to make this the case.

[gufct]

this is the second time in a fortnight and neither appeared in the country edition so id say Mr. McIntyre is the one who is driving this issue. Both people I have never heard of before and neither has Ronan so id be highly sceptical about both.

Sunderland have sold out their allocation of 1,200 so id say that the game is officialy now sold out.

[gilberto_eire]

In all fairness, Galway United to a large extent have the local media in their pocket to an unbelieveable degree. The Galway First in particular is at times ludicrous in its level of positivity about the club.

I reckon the fact that a lot of Galway's papers are free protects the club from the more usual trend which is that negative news is more likely to sell papers. In this case the paper is not free, and may feel that this will catch people's attention.

Either way, in general GU can have very little complaint about the way the local media treat the club, and fair play to them for their ability to make this the case.

that is because cian o'connell writes 90% of the sport for the 1st and the advertiser and is a fan himself. he writes more frm a fans perspective!!

[inthestand99]

Guys like this fellow just give Mc Intyre more ammunition to have a go Eamo! GUFC will still carry on as normal and many more will take a pop. Its like the family wedding, no matter what u do someone is not going to be happy.

[geezer]

glad to say at this stage that i have boycotted the tribune and sentinal rags for many years. Great at writing stories about individuals down on their luck but meek when it comes to planning and corruption or investigative journalism because they might lose revenue from business advertisers.
Im 30 years goin to terryland and will enjoy watching fair weather fans fork out a mangy fifty euro when the same people think nothing of spendin hundreds of euro following their "beloved" liverpool or Manchester.

the sports editor at the tribune was always a sad begrudger and he probably wrote it himself. if it was a regular supporter they could have no complaints as you wouldnt see a premiership team in england for 12 english pounds presuming he has a season ticket and done what every other season ticket holder has done and purchased as advised by the club.

[Claret Murph]

Top post Geezer, i could not have put it better myself .

[Terry]

McIntyre is having a go at everyone lately. The Tuesday after the Gaa match between Mayo and Galway, he had a go at how Galway will get hammered when it comes to the semi finals stage rather than congrat them on winning well for a change !! Not that I give a damn about GAAAAAA, but I do enjoy going to work after beating our ever dependant neighbours hehehe

[GuisaSaigon]

glad to say at this stage that i have boycotted the tribune and sentinal rags for many years.

I've been doing the same for the last few months. While the Advertiser and paricularily G First's coverage can read like a club press release at times, The poor coverage in the Tribune's publications make them nothing more than expensive bog roll in my view.
The tribune have made it obvious that they have no respect or understanding of the league of Ireland and it's about time all United fans started a boycott of their rags.

[inthestand99]

A frustrated second rate hurling manager who had the audacity to beg the GAA not to subject Offaly hurling to where it rightly belongs!!!

[Tir Oilean]

I read in the article that the gentleman involved pays his money every week at Terryland and I guess the reason the letter was written due to the fact that there was no response from the club to his phone calls. Having said that he clearly didnt give them much of chance to respond. I thought personally that the club made it fairly clear how the tickets would be sold so I question his outrage at payin over his hard earned cash for the tickets. He could have chose not to go to the game instead. As regards the C.T. the reporting on matches is fair and more accurate than the alternative and as Saigon has said the alternative reads more like a press release. A dose of reality, though it may not be welcome by fans, is far more beneficial imo. The journo in the C.T. as you know is also a fan but a journo must always be neutral and call it as it is. The Ed however doesnt have this ability which is a shame and he clearly is as anti soccer as most on here are anti GAA. It was the same for many years in the Advertiser where C O'C was struggling to get a quarter of a page of space from his Ed gladly that has changed in recent times.

[MyTown]

The Tribune is
meek when it comes to planning and corruption or investigative journalism because they might lose revenue from business advertisers.


Spot on Geezer. The Tribune group is the most profitable provincial media group in the country. They'll maintain their position by not rocking boats or asking the "hard" questions.


I do enjoy going to work after beating our ever dependant neighbours hehehe

Agree 100% Terry, I remember submitting what I thought was a "funny" piece about Mayo's colonisation of our city and county to the match Programme a few seasons ago when Paddyfield and gufct were producing it. The article never appeared and gufct told me he felt it was offensive to Mayo natives Alan Murphy and Sean Malee. Maybe I should dig it out and post it here for ye to make up ye're own minds!;)


As regards the C.T. the reporting on matches is fair and more accurate than the alternative and as Saigon has said the alternative reads more like a press release. A dose of reality, though it may not be welcome by fans, is far more beneficial imo. The journo in the C.T. as you know is also a fan but a journo must always be neutral and call it as it is. The Ed however doesnt have this ability which is a shame and he clearly is as anti soccer as most

True Tir Oilean. As Galway Harps pointed out we've got fairly good coverage at a local level over the years. The Tribune group stopped sending reporters to away games a good few years ago (I think it was after our second relegation), but you have to balance the criticism of the Tribune against the Friday night coverage on Galway Bay FM this season (the Tribune owns Galway Bay FM) and their sponsorship of the GalwayUnited/PowerSoccer Sumer Schools.

I thought the letter was a cheap shot, but it was also inevitable. If the letter writer was as regular an attender as he claimed to be, he would have been better advised to buy a Family Season Ticket and claim his haul of Sunderland tickets at the going rate. He directed his anger at the club for his own poor judgement in my opinion. Still at least he was as good as his word and showed up last Friday night, where I understand, some club officials exercised their right of reply.

[gufct]

My town do you actually know John Cahill.You might point him out to me the next game in Terryland.

Its Offical that Sunderland have sold out their allocation for all the Irish Games http://www.safc.com/news/?page_id=12447 so it looks like thats the end of anymore tickets going on sale.

[MyTown]

My town do you actually know John Cahill.

No - Never met the man or heard of him before I saw the letter in the Trib, but I know at least one member of the Board of the Club spoke to Mr. Cahill on Friday night by way of responding to the points he made in the letter that was published.

[Tir Oilean]

Just heard that Galway First is carrying the same story from the same complainant so its not just the Tribune thats airing this supporters views!

[gufct]

Checked the online version and cant see anything about it. The ticket details were published in all the local papers and Galway Bay F.M. and I personally explained them to the majority of the people in the queue the night of the Derry Game and I had no complaints. I know one woman who paid in 3 times to get tickets and then left the ground happy out before the game even kicked off.

[Claret Murph]

My town do you actually know John Cahill.You might point him out to me the next game in Terryland.

.

Yer I know the guy i used to work with him years ago and I must admit i hate the man, outspoken , never been wrong in his life , the kind of person who would always speak over you to get the last word in . He is a Man Utd nut loves them and hates every other team but he does knows his stuff about football . I seen him a couple of season ago up at Terryland with his kids and then every odd game or two no doubt the kids love going that's why he keeps going .
On a personal note i was happy when he left the company where I worked as I had a gut full his foul mouth .
One final note if you do see him stay well clear of him as I do and i have never spoken to him in years and i hope i never will again

[Patrick Dunne]

The letter is indeed reproduced in the Galway First.

Why would anyone who goes to all the matches incur an extra expense by not buying a season ticket ?

Mr Cahill wants to contact Sunderland FC. He won't get too far if he goes to the Stadium of Light and expects his kids to get in for free, as they do in Terryland.
I doubt if they would fall for the "I go to all the games, but I won't buy a season ticket" argument. Why ?

Similarly, he compares our pricing structure to Bohemians. Their season tickets are far more expensive.

[geezer]

if its the jc i know, id say i seen him in Terryland 3 times in the last 5 years
if you add gufct and patrick dunne and they dont know him well that says it all really. At the same time we gotta listen to criticism as well and claret murph its unfair to blame an area that gave us great players in the past for the moaning of 1 very irregular terryland attendee.

[Conor H]

Sensible UTD fans know that this is a money spinner for the Club.Perhaps a more simplictic explanation to Mr.Cahill by the Club would put him straight.

High Profile Friendly=Money=BetterPlayers and Club Stability=Better League results and Cup Runs=More Money again=Winning the League=Qualifying for Europe=Champions League Winners 2020.Massive.:cool:

In all seriousness these trivial complaints are a real 2 fingers to all the work that everyone in UTD has put in over the last few years.
This is a prime example of a blow in/fairweather moaning because he has to dig into the wallet a bit deeper.
If he doesn't want to pay-then don't.Very simple really.

[gufct]

I think the club should reply asap.

[Tir Oilean]

Sensible UTD fans know that this is a money spinner for the Club.Perhaps a more simplictic explanation to Mr.Cahill by the Club would put him straight.

High Profile Friendly=Money=BetterPlayers and Club Stability=Better League results and Cup Runs=More Money again=Winning the League=Qualifying for Europe=Champions League Winners 2020.Massive.:cool:


Nail on the head! :)

Claret we all know people like the man you just described, however I'd be weary of slagging him off like that on a forum. And slagging the area he comes from is even worse as your offending even more people, people who are ardent fans of this club. If he's not been to all the games like he claims then its quite a success for the club in that we've got a ball of cash from a barstooler. If he supports Man U then he should keep his mouth shut as that club are constantly screwing their own regular supporters out of tickets.

[corbyeire]

fair play to the woman who payed and qued three times for her sunderland tickets

[Claret Murph]

[QUOTE=Tir Oilean;694338]Nail on the head! :)

Claret we all know people like the man you just described, however I'd be weary of slagging him off like that on a forum. And slagging the area he comes from is even worse as your offending even more people, people who are ardent fans of this club. QUOTE]

Fair comment Tir oilean you are dead right I have now edited the post , I put my hand up sorry to all about that area .

[MyTown]

I think the club should reply asap.

I think some on the Board feel they dealt with it on friday night in person.

I had drafted a letter in a personal capacity but most of next Thursday / Friday's Tribune is printed already, so coupled with some of the excellent posts here on the topic, I've decided to hold fire.

[Mr A]

fair play to the woman who payed and qued three times for her sunderland tickets

I agree and disagree with this. It's great that GU made the money from her, but rather sad that people will go to great lengths and expense to see a scratch team from England play a friendly but are not that interested in their local side.

One other point- I don't think the Tribune group would want to be positive to avoid offending anyone- actually negative stories sell far more papers and that's what advertisers are buying into.

[gilberto_eire]

Nail on the head! :)

Claret we all know people like the man you just described, however I'd be weary of slagging him off like that on a forum. And slagging the area he comes from is even worse as your offending even more people, people who are ardent fans of this club. If he's not been to all the games like he claims then its quite a success for the club in that we've got a ball of cash from a barstooler. If he supports Man U then he should keep his mouth shut as that club are constantly screwing their own regular supporters out of tickets.

just read there either yesterday or the day before that man utd are been brought to some court of there ACS(automatic cup scheme) which made all new season ticket holders have to buy tickets for the cup matches... they made everyone this year i think.....

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1007/1007777_united_could_face_fans_backlash_over_ticke ts.html

[Tir Oilean]

I agree and disagree with this. It's great that GU made the money from her, but rather sad that people will go to great lengths and expense to see a scratch team from England play a friendly but are not that interested in their local side.

One other point- I don't think the Tribune group would want to be positive to avoid offending anyone- actually negative stories sell far more papers and that's what advertisers are buying into.

yes it is sad but its a fact of life for all EL football fans so if thats the way she is goin to support us then so be it. The Tribune will want to give balance to the argument at the very least. And everybody is entitled to the right to reply. Twud only be good for some supporters to write into the Trib to give their two cents about the issue. As GUFCT said there were loads delighted to get the tickets at whatever the cost. Id say we'll see something in response ny the end of the week if sonething is sent in.

[Tir Oilean]

just read there either yesterday or the day before that man utd are been brought to some court of there ACS(automatic cup scheme) which made all new season ticket holders have to buy tickets for the cup matches... they made everyone this year i think.....

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1007/1007777_united_could_face_fans_backlash_over_ticke ts.html

The Carling Cup games are a problem as nobody goes to them it seems so if its compulsory to buy the ticket at the start of the season they are covered. but worse than that it seems they rotate the crowds goin into the ground so that the revenue from the club shop is kept high. this disenfranchises manchunians who support Man Utd.

[inthestand99]

:ball:All good stuff lads ...but hang on a minute ! Why are we even talking about this clown. Anybody who really has the good of the club at heart knows this guy is just an idiot trying to get his name in the paper. Lets get to Longford and register three points. I wonder how many Friday nights Mr Cahill has treked up and down the country like the rest of us????????

[Sumac]

Any person has the right to right a letter to a newspaper in the hope that it gets printed. If this is printed then at least 1 reply to this should also be printed
Has anyone sent a letter to the tribune in reply
If not what is the point in complaining.
I don't agree to what he says but he has a right to an opinion, the paper has the right to print this and the club has a right to reply, which in my opinion they should do. Otherwise people reading the paper only see one side of the story.
Dealing with this man individually does not deal with the point raised in the paper

[Patrick Dunne]

Excellent reply by John Fallon in this weeks City Tribune.
Far too long to print here, but basic points included :

- Kids go free to all EL games, as pointed out by Mr Cahill, thus defeating
his own argument
- Cost E1.25 million to run the club every year, all but E15,000 of this has to
be raised by GUFC
- Club would not survive without 100 volunteers
- Club official did not answer Mr Cahills call because he was at his fathers deathbed in the UK
- Anyone who chooses to attack the club through the media cannot call themselves a supporter of GUFC

[corbyeire]

agree with all points bar the last - the media is the arena for such an attack

[GuisaSaigon]

agree with all points bar the last - the media is the arena for such an attack
:confused::confused::confused:
Surely if any proper fan has a problem with the club he should take it up with the club before trying to damage the clubs image in front of the county's rag readers?

[corbyeire]

the club should be well capable of taking an attack through the media - its bound to happen - "Anyone who chooses to attack the club through the media cannot call themselves a supporter of GUFC" the last point sounds very unlike a massive club

in having 5 year plans and going professional - you would expect your support base to grow and grow into the thousands - and that GUFC would be discussed in all media - both good and bad opinions

who said bad publicity is detrimental

who said we the supporters should have a maroon mist about us and not question anything the club does - so that last point reeks of shut up - hand your money over - no questions - blind patriotism

being able to question the whole process having the accountability rightly or wrongly - makes the club - appear more accesible to the fans - than to the decision making board

im not saying i support the particular letters views - but hes entitled to his opinion - and utd should expect as much

[Patrick Dunne]

If I have a problem with, lets say, the GUST Lotto, do I

(a) talk to the people who run the Lotto
or
(b) bring it up at a GUST meeting
or
(c) write to the City Tribune :confused:

Why would supporters of the club want to attack the club ?
Why would they choose to use the media as an avenue for this attack ?
Also why would you include cheap and personal shots at club officials ?

The aim of the letter was to inflict maximum damage on the club. This person cannot call themselves a supporter.

[Tir Oilean]

Have to diagree with you on this corby on the basis that the guy brands himself a supporter. He reeks of barstooling to me only for the kids drag him up there. If his point was valid and he got no satisfaction from the club then his writing to the paper is fine but his argument just doesnt wash.
As for JF excellent letter covering all the vital points of the issue and evcen highlighting the fact that the Trib didnt investigate the story fully before printing. I wonder did the editor even contact the club for its view before including the letter...... doesn't look like it.

[corbyeire]

thats fair enough - your mans position is wrong etc. - but the club should be big enough to take an earful like this

ye have your opinions i have mine

on another note the particular papers review of the longford game was very good and impartial i thought and a damn better read than the free papers

[gufct]

They also didnt bother sending a reporter to Richmond Park on Friday which is absolutely disgraceful.McIntyre is so biased its unreal.

[gufct]

Anyone see the Sindo where Cork are not putting any tickets on sale to the general public wonder did the Tribunes great Sports ed notice that.

[Patrick Dunne]

Tickets are also restricted to one per person, and will be allocated to season ticket holders, members of Cork
City Official Supporters Club and sponsors.

The Munster FA are organising the game themselves and must be distributing 5,000+ tickets to their own clubs and
affiliates.

Regarding the Tribune - in fairness to Mr. McIntyre, I was told by a member of staff that he wanted to assign a journalist to the game vs St Pats. For various reasons, none were available.

[Paddyfield]

REPLY FROM GALWAY UNITED FC


I refer to a letter from Mr John Cahill, Ballybane, which was given prominence by your newspaper and which contains several serious allegations and inaccuracies about Galway United.
Let me state at the outset that those of us running Galway United, whether as volunteers or otherwise, are not above scrutiny or criticism.
I was one of the ‘luminaries’, as Mr Cahill condescendingly refers, who witnessed at first-hand his effort to receive special treatment in the purchase of tickets for the Sunderland game. Like all of the people involved in the club, I make every effort to make myself available to deal with issues raised by supporters.
It is notable that in Mr Cahill’s quite detailed account of events at the UCD game he forgets to mention how one member of the club’s Management Committee, in sympathy with his plight, took it upon himself to purchase three Galway United scarves and present them to Mr Cahill’s children.
But it is quite clear Mr Cahill’s correspondence is not about highlighting positives about Galway United but quite clearly an effort to portray the club in as poor a fashion as possible. Remarkable behaviour, you might suggest, for a person who clearly views himself as a ‘supporter’.
Mr Cahill’s misleading and mischievous allegation of greed by Galway United is, ironically, defeated by himself in his opening paragraphs.
In those, he tells us how he brings his three children to every home match FREE OF CHARGE. Put another way, instead of paying €24 each time to have his children admitted, they can walk through the gate because the club has adopted, and wishes to maintain, a policy of allowing all children to attend games without having to pay a cent.
As the father of two children myself, I have not witnessed such benevolence when I bring my children to the cinema, bowling, concerts or other sporting events.
The exception to this ‘children free’ policy is the game against Sunderland, which is already over subscribed. The club, realising that demand would exceed supply, adopted a detailed ticket distribution policy which ensured that children’s tickets at €20 each went first to our season ticket holders and these were quickly snapped up.
The system for ticket pricing and distribution was drawn up the club’s Management Committee and adopted by its Board and both groups have supporters’ representatives.
The ticket allocation system adopted by the club has ensured that 3,000 of the 5,000 people who will attend the Sunderland game will do so on concession tickets. Of the remainder, Sunderland have sold their allocation of 1,200 tickets.
A further 3,000 children will attend, free of charge, a Sunderland training event on the eve of the game, thanks to an arrangement with the Galway and District League.
The club made it quite clear that the only tickets for the Sunderland match available at the UCD game were €40 each and that these were only available to people who paid into the ground.
Children were admitted free to that match but if they wished to purchase a Sunderland ticket then they too had to pay into the game.
Logistically, there is no other way we could have handled the sale of the Sunderland tickets to the public at that time.
There is a huge cost involved in staging this match but one which, in making the decision to go ahead with the game some months ago, we felt was worthwhile as this is an opportunity not just to witness a side like Sunderland, but more an opportunity for us to showcase all that is good about Galway soccer.
The unprecedented demand for tickets, coupled with the level of plaudits we have received from fans and from people who are new to Galway United, clearly shows it was a correct decision.
This season it will cost about €1.2 million to run Galway United. Other than a grant of €15,000 from the FAI towards a club promotions officer, every cent of that €1.2 million will have to raised by the people running GalwayUnited.
Think about it for a moment, that is €25,000 required every week to ensure that Galway United continues to participate in the national soccer league.
The clubs in the top half of the Premier Division of the league are operating from budgets of about double Galway United’s. That is the reality of professional sport.
Ten of us are underpinning the club’s finances with personal guarantees for the next three years of €30,000 each. A detailed financial budget is in place to source and collect the €1.2 million required to run the club each season.
It is tough going but, I am glad to say, one that is in hand and a credit to all involved.
We are but the latest guardians of the club, all of us operating on a voluntary basis. Down through the past 30 years there have been similar people who gave generously of their time and money to ensure League of Ireland football survived in Galway and, in turn, we will pass on the club to a new set of guardians.
We have been encouraged by the level of support from fans and from the corporate sector. Thousands of hours are spent by up to 100 volunteers collecting the €1.2 million required through events such as golf outings, dog nights, banquets, lotto sales, casino nights and so on.
Each volunteer in the club, whether it is a Board member who has already pledged €30,000, or a steward who spends most of a match in the car park or at the turnstile and rarely gets to see any of the action on the pitch, purchases a season ticket. It is the dedication and commitment of these wonderful people that has seen Galway United return to the top flight of Irish football and it will be these people, and not the ones taking cheap shots, that will ensure the future of the club.
As we develop, we will continue to grow our staff levels. At the moment, the club employs over 30 full-time people, the majority involved on the playing and coaching side of the business.
The club is blessed with a small but hugely dedicated staff who run the administrative side of Galway United. Your letter writer is also wide of the mark in his assertions about his dealings with a member of staff in this regard, gravely insensitively as it turns out.
Mr Cahill says that the failure of a Galway United official to meet him on Monday because he was in England was a ‘fob-off’. The reality, quite regretfully I’m afraid, is rather different.
The reason our official was unable to meet Mr Cahill was that he was in London at his father’s bedside when he died. Indeed, I was with our official prior to the UCD match when he received a call informing him that his father’s condition had deteriorated alarmingly. In the circumstances, I felt my colleague displayed remarkable constraint a few minutes later in dealing with Mr Cahill’s less than restrained effort to receive special treatment.
Even a cursory effort by your newspaper to check the authenticity of Mr Cahill’s other serious allegations would have alerted you to the grossly insensitive nature of this part of his claim.
Mr Cahill’s unhelpful and inaccurate assertion about the club’s off-field activity does not stand up.
Following the Genesis Report into Irish soccer, the FAI appointed an Independent Assessment Group to carry out an intensive examination of each of the 22 League of Ireland clubs. This was the most in-depth examination of clubs ever undertaken in this country and scrutinised every aspect of each club, on and off the field during a lengthy process that continued for many months.
At the end of this process, it was found that Galway United was the best run club in the country, which was the primary reason we were invited to compete in the new Premier Division this season.
Such a designation of the club was testimony to the magnificent work carried out by so many people, many of whom operate in the background with minimal acknowledgement.
There are many people who seek to shape and influence Galway United going forward. Most do it by buying season tickets, rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in to the work of one of our many committees, others do it by securing sponsorship and so on.
Others, a tiny minority, try to shape the image of the club by writing letters of complaint to local newspapers.
I, for one, am in no doubt who the real supporters of Galway United are.

Yours sincerely,
John Fallon,
Chairman,
Galway United FC.

[Patrick Dunne]

Thanks, Paddyfield.

[Paddyfield]

Thanks, Paddyfield.

I actually swiped it from www.galwayfirst.ie

[Patrick Dunne]

I thought that you had typed it all out !

[gufcfan]

I thought that you had typed it all out !

''R..... E..... P..... L.....

Where's the feckin 'Y' gone again'

lol

[Bald Student]

Fair dues to the man from Galway, he pulled no punches.

[GUISAUltra]

great letter from john fallon. someone at the club really needed to respond through the local media

[inthestand99]

Read that clowns reply to the Chairman in todays Tribune. Get over yourself mate!!!!!!!!!

[Tir Oilean]

Read that clowns reply to the Chairman in todays Tribune. Get over yourself mate!!!!!!!!!

Any chance of copying it on to this thread? Or is it pure ****e drivel .