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it's getting down to the nitty gritty stage now.
the semi final draw for the irish cup has (surprise surprise:rolleyes: ) kept the big 2 apart.
larne v glentoran
bangor v linfield
to be played the weekend of 1/4/06
no venues announced yet.
C'MON THE INVER REDS!!!!!!!
There was a 1 in 4 chance of Larne coming out of the hat. After that there's a 2 in 3 chance the next team will be one of the big two. Why all this whining over a fix?:confused:
The balls were not mixed around on TV, apparently they were before hand though. Although, CCTV footage from the Oval boardroom (where the draw was conducted) would suggest otherwise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Poor Student
When the balls were drawn, they were not rustled around the clear, glass bowl by the person removing them.
http://www.irishleagueforums.net/for...ad.php?t=53639
I could never imagine anyone in a position of authority in Northern ireland ever fixing the outcome of something. Its just beyond the realms of possibility! :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by glentoranfan
This mightier than thou attitude from Derry City supporters can't half be annoying at times. For something that you supposedly don't care about you seem to take a hell of a lot of interest in the Irish League.Quote:
Originally Posted by crc
It was supposed to be a little bit of humour - you know "ha, ha...":)Quote:
Originally Posted by David
By getting your usual wee dig at the Irsh League, the favourite past time of Derry City supporters. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by crc
I saw the draw on final Score.Quote:
Originally Posted by Poor Student
A transparent pot, transparent balls containing the names of the teams, no mixing of the balls, on camera anyway, a mix up over which teams were allocated numbers 1 to 4.
Then when the slips of paper were drawn there were names written on them, not numbers!
It may not have been a fix but anybody looking for evidence of a fix had plenty of fuel for the fire
Watched it myself. According to BBC the teams were to be identified through numbers not names. They had a good look to see which one they drew out - the balls were in full view - Not saying it was fixed but it was really done badly.
David, it is certainly enjoyable laughing at a league which did everything in it's power to ruin us as a club and is now in ushc a state. Any league with Ards e.t.c in it's premier division is there to be laughed at especially those who have benefitted from it's ills.
It will never get tiresome...
I was only a few years old when Derry were in the IL so I am by no means an expert on what happened at that time. However I know enough to know that it was obviously unsafe for clubs to visit the Brandywell (something that does not seem to have changed). As for having Ards, people in glass houses and all that, the EL is not exactly coming down with the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea.Quote:
Originally Posted by Speranza
cant really see why you would have a go at Ards. Ok the club are struggling with no money. But sure every club has its fair problems like DCFC had a few years ago with your then MP having to arrange glamour friendlies which were great to see. Least now Ards have realised they cant spend money they dont have and have started playing a few local lads who are there not for money.Quote:
Originally Posted by Speranza
It's hard to see past a big two final.
I think you have to admire Ards for still going regardless of the rest.
As for Speranza's comments on the IFA and the Irish Premier League. It is no wonder little or no progress is made in Nortern Ireland with people living 30 years in the past.
Do you think the people that were in the IFA then are the same as they are now? Do you think those running the clubs are the same then as they are now?
There are much greater issues in the world today at stake then whether or not Derry City got a hard time 30 years ago. I am not saying there will not be any bitterniss, of course there will, nor I am saying they should just say "aye, it's all fine now". But again, arrogance will just make people switch off.
David, I am in a similar situation as yourself in that I have no immediate knowledge of us leaving the IL. However it was as dangerous for City fans in that era to visit almost every other ground in the league as confirmed by an interview on the first podcast on the official site by Davy who posts regularly on ILF. Why were we the only club targeted?
No I don't and I personally feel the suits running the IL would jump at the chance of having Derry City back. It doesn't stop me remembering how the ifa tried to ruin my club.Quote:
Originally Posted by glentoranfan
Dassa, I wasn't having a go at Ards rather clubs at that level being present in any premier division. No ground, no fans, no future and giving nothing to the clubs who are ambitious. There are one or two in the EL but the IL seems full of clubs like this e.g the Bangor chairman saying the league should go amateur to survive.
You have to admit that he is naturally going to put a Derry City slant on things. As I said I am no expert, I was not born until 1969 so was very young but whilst other grounds might have had their risks due to the times we were living in, I don't think the severity of those risks was anywhere near that which faced visiting teams going to the Brandywell with opposition team coaches being burned if reports are anything to go by. As I said in my previous post I am not sure that things have changed all that much down Brandywell way given our visit there a year ago which is a real pity as those events have nothing whatsoever to do with your club and excellent supporters.Quote:
Originally Posted by Speranza
We are a smaller country with more teams so of course fan bases for some will be smaller. But trust me clubs like Ards have true fans and for them to hear people say they have no future will come as a dissapointment. It might look bleak at the minute but alot of their debt has been cleared and they are now playing on a budget that can work. Next problem for them to sort out is the ground. My own club is very small with an average home gate of about 300. However this is from a village of 400 people which shows you the interest there. And why should other teams care about how many fans other teams have as long as that team can work within a budget that suits them like we do and still put a team on the pitch that at least gives the bigger teams a game (ask Linfield).Quote:
Originally Posted by Speranza
Well said. We have a very contorted and warped view down here. There's an inferiority complex among people due to the lack of interest and slagging the league gets down here, which has lead people to become obsessed with the image of the league to outsiders and trying to bash and root out smaller clubs. All leagues all around the world have clubs who will probably never win the league and only occasionally have their moment in the sun, yet to admit such here is seen as "ambitionless, club is going nowhere" etc. The most important things are stable clubs which run within their budget no matter how small. The ruthless ambition that some people want ruins most clubs who aren't equipped for that kind of spending.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dassa
yeah strange that considering that it is some of these clubs fans who in the past complined about UEFA becoming elitist and harbouring to the wishes of the big clubs at the expense of the smaller clubs in relation to european competitions and the seeding of tems and the removal of the open draw.Quote:
Originally Posted by Poor Student
Agree with all you said PS. The only measure should be whether you win enough games to stay in the division and spend money within your means.Quote:
Originally Posted by Poor Student
I don't think this thread should degenerate into one about why Derry City left the IL - there are plenty of threads that explain it very well. In my original post I was actually trying to make a reference to gerrymandering, but the reference must have gotten lost.
If the IFA were trying to keep the Glens and the Blues apart, do you think that the big two could be called Belfast's "Old Firm"? (Aren't Celtic and Rangers so called because they were always trying to arrange fixtures between themselves to make more money?)