Questions about fomer LOI clubs

What memories do you have of Home Farm, St Francis, St James' Gate, Newcastlewest, Thurles Town etc

What type of crowds did these teams get ?

Drumcondra are probably the biggest team to have left the LOI - how did the size of their support compare to Rovers, Bohs, Shelbourne and Pats ?

Going further back in time, anyone know anything about all those former LOI teams from Dublin - Jacobs, Dolphin, Brideville, Brooklyn, Pioneers

There were two teams from Cork in the LOI for almost 30 years (until the late 70s) - anyone know what the Cork derbies were like ? I'm assuming there was some type of geographic division between the supporters of the two clubs ?

Does the current Cork club draw fans from the "catchment areas" of both of the old teams, or could it be considered to be more the continuation of one of the old teams ?

In the fifties and 60s Drums got huge crowds. Tolka was always near full in them days, or so I'm told. Even though the crowds dwindled in the late 60s and early 70s, they would be considered very healthy crowds in these days. Drums and Rovers were the best supported teams in those days. Bohs were amateurs in those days and didn't really command big crowds as far as I know.

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Originally Posted by Tony Soprano

What memories do you have of Home Farm, St Francis, St James' Gate, Newcastlewest, Thurles Town etc

What type of crowds did these teams get ?

Drumcondra are probably the biggest team to have left the LOI - how did the size of their support compare to Rovers, Bohs, Shelbourne and Pats ?

Going further back in time, anyone know anything about all those former LOI teams from Dublin - Jacobs, Dolphin, Brideville, Brooklyn, Pioneers

There were two teams from Cork in the LOI for almost 30 years (until the late 70s) - anyone know what the Cork derbies were like ? I'm assuming there was some type of geographic division between the supporters of the two clubs ?

Does the current Cork club draw fans from the "catchment areas" of both of the old teams, or could it be considered to be more the continuation of one of the old teams ?

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I remember Cork City played St Francis in the FAI cup at Turners Cross around 1996/1997. Did St Francis merge with St Pats at some stage during the 90's?

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Originally Posted by Tony Soprano

What memories do you have of Home Farm, St Francis, St James' Gate, Newcastlewest, Thurles Town etc

What type of crowds did these teams get ?

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My brief memory of St. Francis was sitting on a bus for ages to get out to John Hyland Park! Crowd was poor enough.
While I was waiting for a bus back into town after the match, Athlone Town legend Jan Fitzell spotted me and gave me a lift.

Bohs fans' memories of St Francis would not be positive. Thats the kindest way I can put it without using a lot of bad language!!

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Originally Posted by drummerboy

In the fifties and 60s Drums got huge crowds. Tolka was always near full in them days, or so I'm told. Even though the crowds dwindled in the late 60s and early 70s, they would be considered very healthy crowds in these days. Drums and Rovers were the best supported teams in those days. Bohs were amateurs in those days and didn't really command big crowds as far as I know.

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I was brought to see Drums as a kid in the late 60`s early 70`s as I lived 5 mins away, probably equivalent to Shel`s crowds now. A lot of misty eyed false memories about Drums, they died a death because of the crap crowds not because Home Farm took them over.
I certainly don`t remember Rovers having huge crowds in the 70`s other than for the Dublin Derbies.
Cork Celtic/Hibs would have been the big derby game back then, with 10-15,000 crowds.

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Originally Posted by Ash

My brief memory of St. Francis was sitting on a bus for ages to get out to John Hyland Park! Crowd was poor enough.

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I was never at a St Francis game, but I remember a brief Irish football magazine called kickin', which gave line-ups and attendances for every LoI game in the previous month; St Francis' crowds would often be in the 30-50 range.

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Originally Posted by Tony Soprano

There were two teams from Cork in the LOI for almost 30 years (until the late 70s) - anyone know what the Cork derbies were like ? I'm assuming there was some type of geographic division between the supporters of the two clubs ?

Does the current Cork club draw fans from the "catchment areas" of both of the old teams, or could it be considered to be more the continuation of one of the old teams ?

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I wasn't around back then but there are lots of stories of huge crowds in both Turners Cross and Flower Lodge and of course the Mardyke when Cork Athletic used to play Evergreen. Cork Celtic mainly drew support from the South Inner City, Turners Cross, Ballyphehane, Greenmount, Pouladuff and Togher. Cork Hibs were the bigger club and would generally pull support from everywhere else. Obviously this is a generealisation, but may give you an idea.

St Francis came into the League to replace St james gate, who replaced Newcastlewest (who changed their name from Newcastle United)

They didn't merge with Pats. Before the 2001/02 season a merger was proposed, and St Francis withdrew from the League to pursue this but it never actually happened. Alan Duncan, the guy who decided to kill them as a LOI club, was on the board of Shamrock Rovers within months (and nearly killed them too)

Didn't George Best play briefly for one of the Cork Clubs. They only played him at home games because they didn't want rival teams gaining financially from any potential large gate at away matches.

By the by, fo Kilkenny City still exist in any form? Are there any long term plans? (Surely theres room in the A Championship)

They were in last year's U-20 league, but folded again half way through.

(Not sure if folded is the correct term; certainly they pulled out)

I remember going to see De Town play in John Hyland Park against St.Francis. Crowd was about 50 I'd say, Town won 3-0. The playing surface was immaculate there though, unbelievable good pitch. I also remember leading 2-0 at home to St.Francis with 9 minutes to go and losing 3-2. Ah those were the days. Also remember going to Whitehall to see us play Home Farm. Awful kip of a place.

Have some old IFA handbooks from late 50's early 60's that give some FAI league and Cup details that makes some interesting details. -
1956/57 fFAI final @ Daly Drums 2-0 Shams atd 30,000, Leinster Cup Final @ Daly Shams 2-0 Drums atd 20,000

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Originally Posted by Dodge

They didn't merge with Pats. Before the 2001/02 season a merger was proposed, and St Francis withdrew from the League to pursue this but it never actually happened.

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Did Pats have a season with the St. Francis crest on the sleeve? Either that or it was just a bloke I saw with the crest sewn on

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Originally Posted by De Town

The playing surface was immaculate there though, unbelievable good pitch.

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Yep, it was like a carpet the time I was there. Again I could well be wrong but I'm nearly sure it was mooted it would be Pats training pitch if the merger went through

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Originally Posted by De Town

Also remember going to Whitehall to see us play Home Farm. Awful kip of a place.

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The bar in Whitehall was decent enough

Yeah, pats started the season with the Francis crest on the sleeve with Dolan constantly refereing to the club as Dublin Saints (ugh!!!!) but by half way through the seaosn all mentions of them stopped, and only residual stuff remained. Not a great year to be a Pats fan (off the pitch)

Part of Dolan's masterplan was for us to get John Hyland park. Luckily the trustees at St Francis held the ground seperately 9in trust) so it couldn't be touched.

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Yeah, pats started the season with the Francis crest on the sleeve with Dolan constantly refereing to the club as Dublin Saints (ugh!!!!) but by half way through the seaosn all mentions of them stopped, and only residual stuff remained. Not a great year to be a Pats fan (off the pitch)

Part of Dolan's masterplan was for us to get John Hyland park. Luckily the trustees at St Francis held the ground seperately 9in trust) so it couldn't be touched.

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Thanks for the info Dodge, I remember reading about such a situation between the two clubs but I lost track of what the eventual outcome was.

As a matter of interest, what level are St Francis competing at these days?

Leinster Senior League. Not very high up in it either.

They have a strong schoolboy section though. While originally based in the Liberties (Francis st...), they're very much part of the Clondalkin schoolboy scene.

The poster soccerc might give you more accurate info if you need it

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Leinster Senior League. Not very high up in it either.

They have a strong schoolboy section though. While originally based in the Liberties (Francis st...), they're very much part of the Clondalkin schoolboy scene.

The poster soccerc might give you more accurate info if you need it

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Cheers Dodge, thanks for the info.

My memories of St Francis where hammering them all the time!First time I saw them play us we beat them 7nil!

What happened to James Gate and Drumcondra?