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gael353
18/03/2003, 2:12 PM
Hi lads im still worried bout this pike thing. was talking to one of the players yesterday and he says the deal with pike is done ( which we largly expected but none of the bosses decided to tell us) and that most of the players (the limerick ones) are totally against the move stateing that it would be on a par with cork moving to bishopstown. There crowds there were 1,500 with a massive stand (carrott being dangled in front of limerick fans at the moment) but when they moved back to the city crowds went to 5,000 average per game. This player who i was talking to said that the FAI are unhappy with the move and that they are the only ones who can stop it now but who do we contact???? oh Anton Mannering has left the club also dont know the details in full yet.

sadloserkid
18/03/2003, 3:50 PM
My major worry right now is that if/when the FAI laugh themselves stupid at us for even suggesting Pike Field they'll then go "Where else have you got in mind?" and our committee will look at the ground and then go... "Well... actually, we've put all our eggs into this particular basket and we were kinda hoping you'd take pity on us and well you know..." At which point we get thrown out of the league... :-(

deise deserter
19/03/2003, 1:07 PM
SLK - Any chance of getting advice from anyone in the FAI on whom to contact? Bernstein, who came down for the meeting might be a place to start...

sadloserkid
19/03/2003, 2:02 PM
Originally posted by deise deserter
Any chance of getting advice from anyone in the FAI on whom to contact?

Advice on what?

deise deserter
19/03/2003, 2:43 PM
I was talking about how to make it known to the FAI that the fans oppose the move to Pike and share many of their concerns.

sadloserkid
19/03/2003, 2:59 PM
Don't e-mail Bernstein, he's not directly involved in any of it really. I'd suggest Brendan Menton, I know he's been down a coupla times. brendan.menton@fai.ie I presume?

LFC in Exile
19/03/2003, 3:42 PM
Be careful in relation to how objection to the proposed move is expressed. What is important is that if you are against Pike then what are you for?

And this is a big problem that I see in the proposals of Gael et al. Talking about the Markets Field and Thomond Park is fine and dandy but how realistic are these.

1. The MF is not for sale. It 'might' come up for sale. If we reject Pike and play in Jackman for another season (or play in Pike for short-term - though why would Pike facilitate us in this?) and the MG does indeed come up for sale how will Limerick FC buy it. That is where will the money come from? And be realistic in your answer if you have one - fans? committee? JP MacManus? None seem viable. And you also have the problem that if the club can buy then Bord na gCon know the buyer needs the ground and push up the price. Then the redevelopment has to be paid for....

2. Thomond Park - a short-term solution? How much will it cost. It would cost more than the Jacks and more than Pike. Just the insurance alone would cost more. And come Autumn what would the pitch be like when the rubby starts again.

As a venue Thomond Park is nicer than the Jacks and Pike but is the extra comfort worth it.

Lets consider the Pike option.

Disadvantages
1. Location - distance from town and area
2. Its not the Markets Field

Advantages
1. Cheaper - I would expect that Limerick get a long term lease at a reduced cost. Pike Rovers get FAI money to develop. Limerick FC facilities get better.
2. Better pitch
3. Clubhouse
4. Parking
5. No need to deal with LDMC

IMO the Pike deal seems to make business sense - for Limerick FC and for Pike. Limerick can't afford to buy a ground. What do they bring to the table - the potential of FAI money to develop. Pike have a ground that needs to be developed and that will lay idle for the summer. The pitch is really good. And there is a clubhouse to chat with players/visiting supporters etc after the games.

When we boil it down is it really just the location that is the problem here. If that is the case then how much of a problem is it?

deise deserter
19/03/2003, 3:53 PM
The problem with location I believe should not be understated. I have heard people say that they won't go up there to watch Limerick play, others who don't believe that it would be safe to drive up there.

Limerick FC hardly has an abundance of supporters. If location is scaring current supporters away, will the same location provide us with new supporters?

sadloserkid
19/03/2003, 4:08 PM
Any supporter who won't go up there can't call themselves a true supporter and there's no way of getting away from that. Limerick will probably attract some new fans up there too. I don't care what socio-economic class these people are from, as long as they pay their money on the gate and don't try and intimidate anybody there more power to them. We'll be walking up and I'm not particularly upset about that either. I don't know of anybody getting harmed up in that part of Southhill. The problem, quite clearly is that the location is being overstated. that said LFC In Exile is painting a rather better picture of Pike's strengths than I would. There's not enough parking space and if there's development most of that will be gone too. There's no cover, no seats and on at least two sides of the pitch very little scope for development. This season people simply won't have to pay to get in and I don't think we can afford that. I'm not really pro or anti Pike yet, I can see the pros and cons of it, I just worry that we haven't examined all options thoroughly and that it will come back to haunt us.

deise deserter
19/03/2003, 4:22 PM
Agree with you SLK (& LFC in Ex) about most of it - without any other option we are seemingly stuck with Pike.


Any supporter who won't go up there can't call themselves a true supporter and there's no way of getting away from that.

I think that that is a little harsh. What about those people who don't want to park up there due to the troubles that surround the area. Apparently each weekend the car-park is host to burned out cars that joyriders used the night before to race up and down that straight stretch of road. I'll be walking because I don't have a car, but if I did I would think twice about bringing it up there. That leaves you with at least a half-hour walk (if you park in town or up by Punches - cause God knows Roxboro shopping centre is no safer).

That cuts out a large number of people who have other commitments, and who can't spare an hour's walk (or the cost of a taxi to and from) from attending the matches. Your quote above is a bit harsh IMHO.

sadloserkid
19/03/2003, 4:43 PM
Originally posted by deise deserter
Your quote above is a bit harsh IMHO.

No. It isn't . If you're a fan, you'll bus, taxi, cycle, fly as close as you can and then walk the rest of the way. Anybody who stops going to Limerick FC games because they're deciding now (without even trying to use the car park there) it's unsafe isn't a real supporter. And a lazy fu€k to boot. :D

LFC in Exile
19/03/2003, 5:04 PM
IMO a lot of football supporters talk ****e about not going to support Limerick if they play in one place or another. I wish I had a euro for every time someone in a pub in Limerick told me they wouldn't support Limerick unless the went back to the MF and I know that the lazy fu##ers use that as just an excuse to stay in the pub watching premiership matches.

I think the ground is actually less important that the performances on the pitch. If Limerick are pushing for promotion they will get a sizeable crowd to Pike Field. People will talk about security etc but we are talking about afternoon kick-offs in the middle of summer....And anyway, how safe are cars outside Thomond Park? Reminds me of the fella who parked his car in Southill and asked a local young fella "If I leave my car here will it be here when i get back?" And the young fella said "You can park your car anywhere in Limerick and it will be here when you get back".

I take all of SLK's points on board. But the counter to them is that the development of the ground will involve the provision of cover and seats. Maybe we should call the new ground the 'Field of Dreams' - "if you build it they will come". :D

sadloserkid
19/03/2003, 5:17 PM
Originally posted by deise deserter
Apparently each weekend the car-park is host to burned out cars that joyriders used the night before to race up and down that straight stretch of road.

Apparently eh? Care to substantiate? And because we won't be playing there at weekend nights it's hardly a factor anyway. Regardless of what the Sunday World says joyriding at high noon is all but unheard of. And don't forget that there are parking facilites at Pike. If Limerick have as few fans as you contended earlier then surely it'll be no problem to accomadate them?

gael353
19/03/2003, 7:52 PM
Hello again fellow fans. Good seeing responces to my post and nice to see fights too ;) Pike to me is the wrong answer and ill explain here which most who have viewed have stated already. Its fine to say location, and then leave it but lads this is one if not the joyriding main st of Limerick. Some cars, no correction al cars outside the fence of pike will be interfeared with, and some, no all in the secure Pike car park will be damaged to. This is not my opinion, its a Pike Rovers committee members. He also stated that the biggest sponsor we will nead this year will be a ball sponsor as all balls once gone over the fence are pilfered. Thomond park is to me the best short term immidiate solution but the fai would have to talk to the irfu on this one. 5 years maybe to just let us catch up with the most basic structures within the worse other club in the leagues. No grants neaded as the stadium is near finished already and is a1. For licencing reasons i would instead link up with a club which has a proven record in yourth development, so id be looking at fairview or corbally united. Pike have no youth structures. The markets field will go on the market within 15 months (board ngcon source) and this should be our aim. who will buy it? thats where we, maybe just me, have ambition as opposed to our glorious committee (or three of them) who seem to have none. Jackman park was there nemeth of aspiration. Now that it failed they ignore us and wait to surprise us on wednesdays paper. SLK is right too about development prospects up there, very very limited.

sadloserkid
20/03/2003, 9:15 AM
Originally posted by gael353
SLK is right

The rest of you could do with taking a leaf out of Gael's book!!! ;)

LFC in Exile
20/03/2003, 9:54 AM
"Its fine to say location, and then leave it but lads this is one if not the joyriding main st of Limerick. Some cars, no correction al cars outside the fence of pike will be interfeared with, and some, no all in the secure Pike car park will be damaged to. This is not m opinion, its a Pike Rovers committee members."

So we get stewards to patrol the cars. By the way we are talking about 2 o'clock on a Sunday afternoon...

"He also stated that the biggest sponsor we will nead this year will be a ball sponsor as all balls once gone over the fence are pilfered."

As was the case in Rathbane. This is hardly a big issue.

"Thomond park is to me the best short term immidiate solution but the fai would have to talk to the irfu on this one. 5 years maybe to just let us catch up with the most basic structures within the worse other club in the leagues. No grants neaded as the stadium is near finished already and is a1."

How much would it cost to rent Thomond Park. No doubt a fine ground but is it worth it? What a drain on club resources. Who will fund the wage bill and rent for Thomond Park?

"For licencing reasons i would instead link up with a club which has a proven record in yourth development, so id be looking at fairview or corbally united. Pike have no youth structures."

What is Corbally and Fairview don't want to hook up with us? We It isn't a case of just picking the team we want.

"The markets field will go on the market within 15 months (board ngcon source) and this should be our aim. who will buy it? thats where we, maybe just me, have ambition as opposed to our glorious committee (or three of them) who seem to have none. Jackman park was there nemeth of aspiration. Now that it failed they ignore us and wait to surprise us on wednesdays paper."

Gael. Who will buy it? Exactly who? It's great to have ambition, but there is no money. And the Bank of Ireland aren't going to give a loan to Limerick FC. And many years ago a draw was held in teh city to build a new stadium - which is the source of most of the bad feeling toward sthe club. People won't join up again. So where exactly will the money come from. There will be a lot of property developers interested in putting nice new apartments there I'd say.

"SLK is right too about development prospects up there, very very limited."

I think overstating it. We might now get our 40,000 seater stadium, but seats along two sides of the pitch and covering could give us a comfortable 10,000 capacity ground. We don't need any more than that.

deise deserter
20/03/2003, 11:18 AM
SLK: You seem to have a very idillic view of security concerns in the Pike area. There are real concerns for fans who go to the game, and you seem to be excessively dismissive of them. Like myself, you don't have to worry about the security of parked cars up there, but the sad fact is that most, if not all, drivers going there will be worrying about it. Please correct me if I am wrong about this, but your posts seem to be a little too Lims-Fan-ish in your slamming of supporters who have these concerns. Gael 353 has said to me this week that he won't be driving to Pike as he would fear for the safety of his vehicle. Despite that he will leave his car elsewhere and put himself to the unnecessary inconvience of walking to Pike - and in doing so probably making himself more of a "real fan" that either of us.;)

sadloserkid
20/03/2003, 2:58 PM
Originally posted by deise deserter
SLK: You seem to have a very idillic view of security concerns in the Pike area. There are real concerns for fans who go to the game, and you seem to be excessively dismissive of them. Like myself, you don't have to worry about the security of parked cars up there, but the sad fact is that most, if not all, drivers going there will be worrying about it. Please correct me if I am wrong about this, but your posts seem to be a little too Lims-Fan-ish in your slamming of supporters who have these concerns. Gael 353 has said to me this week that he won't be driving to Pike as he would fear for the safety of his vehicle. Despite that he will leave his car elsewhere and put himself to the unnecessary inconvience of walking to Pike - and in doing so probably making himself more of a "real fan" that either of us.;)

That's my point. Real fans will go anyway. It's always a pleasure when somebody proves my argument for me. Appreciate it. :rolleyes: And anybody who thinks their car will be damaged in the clubs car park is guilty of swallowing the media bile about Limerick in general and southill in specific. Fact is there are no real concerns for fans going to the game. It's just that people opposed to the Pike deal are using the nearby area's reputation as a petty weapon with which to beat the whole deal. Stick to facts lads and less hype and bullsh1t.

deise deserter
20/03/2003, 4:23 PM
And anybody who thinks their car will be damaged in the clubs car park is guilty of swallowing the media bile about Limerick in general and southill in specific. Fact is there are no real concerns for fans going to the game. It's just that people opposed to the Pike deal are using the nearby area's reputation as a petty weapon with which to beat the whole deal. Stick to facts lads and less hype and bullsh1t.

I can't believe that you think "there are no real concerns for fans going to the game." Southhill is an area renouned for crime and the road outside of Pike is one of the roads in Limerick with the most joyriding.

Fact: It is a trouble area. It is not bull**** and it is not media hype.

Personally I hope that none of this has an effect on Limerick FC and that us supporters don't suffer as of a result of Pike's location, but to seemingly bury your head and deny that there are any problems seems ludicrious.

sadloserkid
20/03/2003, 4:27 PM
Originally posted by deise deserter
[Bthe road outside of Pike is one of the roads in Limerick with the most joyriding.

Fact: It is a trouble area. It is not bull**** and it is not media hype.[/B]

The road is not one of the main roads associated with joyriding because the road leading onto it from Southhill has been blocked. There you go, problem solved.

And while parts of Southhill are what you deign 'trouble areas' the area near Pike is grand, nothing in the way of violent crime or anything to worry about. Most of Southill is perfectly safe. Not coming from Limerick I suppose you just don't know which parts... :D

deise deserter
20/03/2003, 4:34 PM
Obviously a Limerickman like yourself knows then about the situation with the school across the road who deem the area around the road such a problem spot that they are knocking down the school and moving it away closer to the main road.

Ah what a perfect place - you should move there SLK as a sign of your true fandom!

sadloserkid
20/03/2003, 4:37 PM
Originally posted by deise deserter
Obviously a Limerickman like yourself knows then about the situation with the school across the road who deem the area around the road such a problem spot that they are knocking down the school and moving it away closer to the main road.

Ah what a perfect place - you should move there SLK as a sign of your true fandom!

That would just be plain silly since I'm in collge on the other side of town. Just like knocking the school was stupid but then again our Department of Education is a bloody joke (as well you know! ;) ) And I know the club are dirt poor but I have no intention of following in their paths (B.A. or not?) so I don't think I'll aspire to abject poverty myself.

Nempton
20/03/2003, 5:13 PM
Lets take into consideration for one second the problem with the incoming club licence. When this comes into effect what is going to happen to Limerick FC. We need to find a ground were we can build 500 seats which is the minmum no. of seats required by the licence. For me beggars can't be choosers. We have no money to buy land and develop it into a stadium. Limerick soccer while it is popular at junior level is non-existent in the eircom league. I think those that turned up at the Jacks will make the trek to Pike which is probably around 30-40 people. I don't think thomond would work out, its a good idea and it has all the ammenties but it would be a lot more expensive. I think that one of the reasons why the players wage bill has gone up is because we won't have to pay as much for Pike as we did with the Jacks. In regards to security and the fear of fans, to be honest Deise while it is valid in one respect just think back to the last two grounds we have played in and the surrounding area. It was the same situation as it is with Pike. Although Pike has S'hill at one side, it also has the Limerick countryside at the other. You can park as far away as the Parkway or outside someones house on the Kilmallock road and take a shortcut through the cemetery (thats were all the joyriders end up...Joke :D ). Pike is our key to securing a club licence and allowing the club time to get organised because lets be realistic that is going to take some time. I think we will also see supporters of Pike turning up for matches. In regards to them not having a youths team that shouldn't concern us because Limerick FC have an underage team. I'm sorry if this isn't structured very well but I tried to address points raised by everyone. I think we have to start looking at the bigger picture, which is Limericks survival and making sure we get the club licence and while some do/don't like Pike, I think it can help us achieve this.

deise deserter
20/03/2003, 6:16 PM
Good points Nempton.

I don't think you attended the meeting with Darren Bernstein late last year, but the Limerick FC Committee were going to organise a meeting where all supporters could help with working on the club reaching the standards that have been set out by the licencing.

Typically, there has been no reply from the club as to when the meeting will take place (if it will take place at all). It seems that this is completly out of the supporters hands.

LFC in Exile
21/03/2003, 12:32 PM
This Nempton guy is a wise man. I agree completely.

sadloserkid
21/03/2003, 12:35 PM
Originally posted by LFC in Exile
This Nempton guy is a wise man. I agree completely.

He's never heard that before!!! :D He's talking sense though to be fair. Mostly anyway.

deise deserter
21/03/2003, 1:09 PM
Nempton - is your fantasy football still going well? I think you should look into managing Limerick in the future. Only a couple of posts and all the bigs guns are on your side!:D

Nempton
24/03/2003, 6:12 PM
Moi wise, I don't know. Just thought that people might be forgetting the bigger picture and that the clubs survival is at stake. I don't think the club is really that obliged to talk to us about the club licence, perhaps at the time of the meeting with Bernstein, it was them doing some good PR work and presenting a good image of themselves in front of a Eircom league official. I think until the supporters get organised and establish an effective supporters club, Limerick FC officials won't feel compelled to meet supporters like Gael353 or SLK to discuss the affairs of Limerick FC. So lets be constructive and actually do something about starting up the Supporters club. I know we have talked about it and swapped emails but lets try and get this running before the start of the season. I think thats well within our capabilities.

sadloserkid
25/03/2003, 9:24 AM
I agree with you as far as setting up a supporters club goes but let's examine some facts.

In December the club promised to arrange another open meeting within a month with fans to discuss both the implications of the licensing system and how fans cold help the club to 'beat it'. It is now late March and their failure to fulfill this promise says nothing about their regard for fans or indeed their character.

Secondly John Purcell contacted gael353 a couple of months ago to arrange a meeting with a small group of fans. Within days we had our five man team assembled and ready to go. There is even a draft version of a Supporters Club constitution. However since then there has been a real stalling of feet and a succession of vague promises about the meeting.

The club has broken promises to supporters in the last few months. All this can do is damage trust between club and supporters. I'm not trying to be sarcastic here but, through not fault of either of you, both yourself and LFC In Exile were unable to attend the Fans Forum in December. There were such positive vibes by the end of that meeting and a real feeling that Limerick FC were standing ready to meet all the upcoming challenges. Well... those vibes are being diluted and weakened every day as the club revert to their old 'Gang of 3' mentality. If the local media is to be believed then they've done well but we now have just over 8 months to meet the license requirements and from where I'm standing there's still all to do...

Nempton
25/03/2003, 5:52 PM
The facts that you brought up is exactly why we should try and get the supporters club running. If we are able to organise and unite the Limerick fans, then together as a group we can exert pressure on the board to meet us. I think it is very important that the members of the board meet with the fans and keep us informed and when it is possible get us involved with Limerick or help in any way we can. If you look at Wycombe Wanderers, their manager Lawrie Sanchez and their chairman Ivor Beeks hold forums with the fans every so often. They have created a good rappore with the fans and have slowly seen attendances rise as well I think. With the club licence coming into effect we are all going to be nervous and worried about Limericks survival and it would be nice if the board met with us to let us know what is happening. After saying that I know that there is a press conference or meeting (depending if the press turn up :p ) on tonight at Pikes ground so that is a good opportunity to ask questions. But back to starting up the supporters club, I think we can offer a lot more to Limerick FC if we are united, we can promote the club, try and get fans to go to away matches, we can develop the camaderie between the fans and also with the players and the board. We can also keep the board on their toes and support them when they need it. Look at what has been achieved when the fans do get together...the flags, trophies for player of the season. I think a supporters club will be a positive thing for the club, it will show the FAI two things 1. That limerick has a strong support base to build on and 2. that things are starting to get organised within Limerick soccer and that progress is being made and that the future is not doomed for Limerick FC.

LFC in Exile
25/03/2003, 6:06 PM
I agree with Nempton on this (though maybe agree is the wrong word because I don't think there is any disagremnt between any of us on this).

I have long been of the view that the club committee have no outlet to communicate with the fans even if they wanted to. The 'Gang of Five' (of which I believe I am one) do not represent the fans. We are just guys that post on the internet. A supporters club set up with upwards of 100 members (not a lot to get really) would give the committee of that club power to represent fans and talk to the club. The club could involve fans more and talk to the supporters club committee who in turn could brief the fans.

If I was on the club committee I would be wary of just calling up a few lads who go to matches and consulting with them. there are so many agendas going on they have to be careful - they could end up talking to the likes of Lims Fan.

Nempton, if you send me an email to deckiejordan@hotmail.com I will forward you on the ideas I had for forming a supporters cluba nd what would be involved. I would be open to meeting with some interested fans to talk about that proposal and gettingthe ball rolling. We would probably need to meet on a weekend though for me since I am in Cork.

sadloserkid
26/03/2003, 9:10 AM
I've already mailed it onto him LFC In Exile.

Nempton
26/03/2003, 6:37 PM
Thanks SLK, I'm afraid I won't be able to get into my email account until Friday though but I'll reply back to 'Exile' and yourself about it.

sadloserkid
27/03/2003, 9:24 AM
Take your time! ;) Will text you with the score after tonight's game alright?

sadloserkid
20/05/2003, 4:55 PM
Just wanted to bring this back to the top of the pile because A) There have been 'guests' reading it all day (BTW I have no idea who they could be :D) and B) I thought Deise Deserter might like to re-examine some comments of his from earlier in the thread. :D

the road outside of Pike is one of the roads in Limerick with the most joyriding.

Fact: It is a trouble area. It is not bull**** and it is not media hype.

So far we've seen no joyriding and no trouble other than some lethargic grafitti... No joyriding at all on one of the roads with the most joyriding? Sounds rather strange to me I must say. Perhaps the joyriders haven't switched to the summer season like ourselves? So it was media hype after all then... :rolleyes:

deise deserter
20/05/2003, 7:48 PM
No according to one source the gardai sorted out some really young looking guy on the first day. Hasn't been seen since up there, incidentally ..... ;)

sadloserkid
20/05/2003, 8:41 PM
Originally posted by deise deserter
No according to one source the gardai sorted out some really young looking guy on the first day. Hasn't been seen since up there, incidentally ..... ;)

Just to clarify for anybody who might be fooled by Deise's innuendo above, he's referring to a car that one of our players (ex-player?) was in that happened to be pulled over briefly by Gardai after our first game. My point above still stands. We're still waiting for the deluge of speeding, stoned joyriders that Deise so confidently predicted before the season began.

LFC in Exile
21/05/2003, 11:48 AM
Dar,

Queenstown are due on July 10th I believe. :)

sadloserkid
21/05/2003, 11:51 AM
Originally posted by LFC in Exile
Dar,

Queenstown are due on July 10th I believe. :)

:D :D :D :D

Heh-heh-heh. After their shenanigans last night will they bother coming at all. A goal and a man up against non-league opposition and they blew it!

deise deserter
21/05/2003, 10:58 PM
United against Queenstown! I love it!!:D

Toythunder
22/05/2003, 12:59 PM
Any update on the supporters club? I would definately join. I dont get to many games these days with work commitments (actually havent gotton to any this season and only home games last )

sadloserkid
22/05/2003, 2:14 PM
We're gonna meet up after the Galway game that's on today week (Thursday 29th May). Don't know exactly where yet but ask anybody there on the day and we'll know by then. Hope to see you there! :)

gael353
22/05/2003, 7:32 PM
meet in in the pike bar after or would there be too many ears there?

sadloserkid
23/05/2003, 9:36 AM
We'll try and use the back room at Pike I suppose. DD suggested Punches but people aren't going to drive all the way across the city again. And forget about that girl and keep your mind on the bloody SC already! :p After all you're not a brainwashed B.Ed so you'll have something worthwhile to contribute! ;)