Big Games at the Showgrounds?

[REDdecky]

I have been watching galway v sunderland, and it saddenes me
that we cant seem to get a premiership or a high profile team
to come to the showgrounds. What is the reason for this?. We have good hotels an Airport and easy access by road and the showgrounds has good training facilates plus we have a nice ground now.I'm a bit confused
about this:confused:.Can anyone enlighten me..

[DocRovers]

Pitch is poor & no TV gantry. Sunderland on a PR drive & Galway, Cork & Dublin have bigger populations.

[REDdecky]

Ya i understand all that, the fixture would'nt have to be shown
live though and surely the pitch cant be made as a excuse and the population
in the north west is there.There is got to be others reasons,it would generate
badly needed finance.Surely it would'nt cost that much.

[DocRovers]

I agree a couple of high profile friendlies would be great - money, exposure, getting locals out to watch the Rovers etc. It is a pity that we could spend money on the pitch - it would be an asset to us way into the future. We play decent football & would benefit. The TV gantry just has to go in, without better & better TV exposure our sponsorship & revenue will suffer. These are areas that lottery money etc could be applied for. If it is to happen in the close season we need to push it now. Moving forward we will never compete with the bigger clubs without more sponsorship money. Already Cookie is having trouble keeping his better players, few if any clubs rely on their gate receipts.

[Bravo]

I think it’s a disgrace bringing English clubs over here in the middle of our season, OK it generates some revenue but it really takes the focus of our league, can any one honestly, 100% wholeheartedly, tell me that the Bohs, Cork & Galway players didn’t have one eye on the Sunderland games during their last league game? If ya want to see English clubs live, get the plane out of Strandhill.
I can see the advantage of preseason games but not mid season ones, risking injury etc for a bunch of sunshiners to get a night out.
Give me a fully fit squad & 5th in the league any day.

[life long red]

well said iam new

[life long red]

we dont need english clubs at the showgrounds they dont come any bigger than bohs/ shams/derry/cork +fat head

[Only1Rovers]

well said iam new

welcome aboard life long...

[life long red]

thanks c u all in cork

[kkontour]

we dont need english clubs at the showgrounds they dont come any bigger than bohs/ shams/derry/cork +fat head
thats so true, Would we have got more into the showgrounds against Derry in the Cup last year, or Athlone the year before?

[life long red]

thats so true, Would we have got more into the showgrounds against Derry in the Cup last year, or Athlone the year before?
thats what i mean

[Da Real Rover]

thanks c u all in cork

Uh Oh, you had better watch out for our stasi moderators, no doubt you have received your 1 point infraction for text talk, we have a cosey little police state here, enough to make Maggy Thatcher blush.

But I agree, groveling for Premiership friendlys is pathetic, it devalues our product. We will not attract the West Brit fans to their local teams by playing English teams in friendlys, everyone knows its a friendly and even when say cork drew with sunderland, those sunshine fans wont value it because its JUST a friendly. The only way we will win their respect is by beating them in competitive competition, eg Derry crushing Gretna in the UEFA cup last year.

[DocRovers]

I agree that friendlies should not be considered as important as league games. To the genuine fans I dont think they are. Certainly players, managers, fans would rather 3 league points to a friendly. But the fact is they are a source of considerable finance to many LOI clubs. Everyone is delighted with the €60 K raised recently by supporters, would'nt it be nice to have raised additional funds thro' a friendly game. Television exposure, increased crowds etc would also be add on benefits. No doubt there is a risk of fatigue & player injury but many of the Rovers players might enjoy the challenge & swell the coffers at the same time.

[REDdecky]

I hear Harps sold over 5k tickets for that celtic xi match next. We should think about trying to get over a Willie McStay xi or something like this for a match. Every little helps boys.


i agree with you R T but hav'nt celtic coming to play rovers since
mc stay left back in 1994.....by the way galway are playing celtic next
week also and when you travel to galway from donegal you come through
Sligo right..thats the point i'm making(why can we not get a high profile team in the showgrounds?).