Wee Irish rant

I've only joined and here's my 1st rant :)

I live in Armagh, born and raised an Irishman, support the Republic though and though, go to nearly every friendly game, but have never had a sniff of a ticket for a "real" match.

I travell to Celtic Park a lot and none of my mates in the north of Ireland can help me get tickets for big matches at Lansdowne Rd. Where do all the tickets go and is my only chance of getting one joining a supporters club or Irish league side down south? I've heard of a few ROI supporters clubs in the north but no one else seems to have, I've even heard of 1 in Newry, 20 minutes from me yet no one I know, knows about it.

Friendlies are good but I want the real thing and am annoyed that no matter how hard I've looked I can't find a why to a Euro or World cup quailfier. I've even spoken to a few people I've met at these friendlies and they say if I went away with Ireland I'd get tickets no problem for any away match.

If anyone can shed some light on tickets or know of any supporters clubs around Armagh please let me know. :):confused:

Man ... the tickets available thRough supporters clubs/groups etc. here are all for eL supporters .................








What eircom League team do you support ???????????

Leaving aside the fook up on the name of the league (gah ignorance?), the whole point of the these tickets martybhoy is that the people who support Irish football never got the tickets either.... All the other tickets are tied up with block bookers (for the time being anyway).....

So what your saying basically or the FAI is that because I don't support a EL club I don't deserve tickets to watch my country? HOW F*CKED UP IS THAT?? I support Ireland just as much as any of you and don't give me this EL crap, Ireland is for everyone Irish, not the EL only. Just cause I don't follow Finn Harps are Shamrock Rovers every week doesn't mean I can't support my country. Tickets should be giving out so everyone has a chance of seeing Ireland play and yes I do agree with the EL supporters getting a cut, along with fans from the north and thoughout Ireland.

Martybhoy, if you're really unable to get tickets from a Northern club for ROI matches, a little shouting in an ROI newspaper will make it happen pretty sharpish. There's so many cross-border initiatives going on at the moment, your bog-standard bogger politician will shudder at the thought.

Write to the Indo, the IT and the Examiner and tell them how "saddened and disappointed" you are by this "outrageous display of sectarianism". Well, that's a bit strong but a nice polite letter kind of hinting at underlying issues should produce a reaction. I'm not kidding, try it. Get your friends to write too.

Hit the Belfast Telegraph and any other popular newspapers up there while you're at it. And post the letter here before you send it so we can have a look and maybe help you out a little. And get all your friends in Cork to vote for me in the local elections next year. (I'm kidding, I'm kidding. :))

Welcome to Foot.ie btw.

adam

Quote:

---

Originally posted by martybhoy
So what your saying basically or the FAI is that because I don't support a EL club I don't deserve tickets to watch my country? HOW F*CKED UP IS THAT?? I support Ireland just as much as any of you and don't give me this EL crap, Ireland is for everyone Irish, not the EL only. Just cause I don't follow Finn Harps are Shamrock Rovers every week doesn't mean I can't support my country. Tickets should be giving out so everyone has a chance of seeing Ireland play and yes I do agree with the EL supporters getting a cut, along with fans from the north and thoughout Ireland.

---

Right this is not really directed at you personally Marty as you live in Northern Ireland and there's not really any el clubs near you.

Anyway, this may seem as if it is a rather insular view and in truth I suppose it is.
Basically, if I had my way, only those that support an EL club should be entitled to International tickets. I hate all the Oirish supporters who spend most of thie time on a bar stool and only come out to see some real life football every couple of months when 'the boys in green' are in town. They are not football fans, they don't know what its like to stand on a terrace singing and chanting week in week out, the don't know what it's like to follow your team accross the country etc etc.
The Oirish fans are not football fans, they are fans of television hype........
There's no point in going on and on, you get what I'm saying by now.

martybhoy, if the question you're asking is who deserves tickets more to an Irish international.....

someone who turns up to landsdowne road four times a year after spending their money travelling to scotland or england to watch football the rest of the year....
or someone who spends their weekend cheering on an EL team, supporting the grassroots of the game in their country, giving money to clubs that are based in this country...
then the answer is the latter.

that said, i'd sooner have real football fans in the ground for internationals (who know the players, recognise tactics, can appreciate football regardless of who is playing it, who cheer, sing and chant) than a bunch of businessmen who get tickets because their clients are sponsors of the FAI and are there for the grub and to schmooze.

basically, your battle in this fight isn't with EL fans, because we don't get the allocations we should, it's too hard as it is for a guy who watches Galway united or Ramblers to get tickets for him and his kids. your complaint should be aginst the suits who don't give a crap.

if you want advice on how to approach it, do what Veterinari suggested or approach Derry City FC, who would get an EL fans allocation and explain your situation.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Silvio Dante
Yet more"League of Gentlemen" tosh from the Cork City/EL brigade....:rolleyes:

---

there are those who support Ireland a few days a year and there are those who support Irish football.
if you think the hundred quid you throw the FAI for three home games (as you've admitted, not even wearing an Irish shirt, preferring to give your money to celtic than to football in your own country) entitles you to more respect from an EL fan than they'd give to someone who forks out thirty quid a fortnight to bring his family (wearing club scarves and shirts) to see cobh ramblers play then your an idiot.
call it league of gentleman if you want, but naysayers like you, who don't give a f*ck about our own league or the people in and around it aren't worth the steam off my
p!ss.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by tiktok
there are those who support Ireland a few days a year and there are those who support Irish football.
if you think the hundred quid you throw the FAI for three home games (as you've admitted, not even wearing an Irish shirt, preferring to give your money to celtic than to football in your own country) entitles you to more respect from an EL fan than they'd give to someone who forks out thirty quid a fortnight to bring his family (wearing club scarves and shirts) to see cobh ramblers play then your an idiot.
call it league of gentleman if you want, but naysayers like you, who don't give a f*ck about our own league or the people in and around it aren't worth the steam off my
p!ss.

---

I don't support an EL side, but I refute the suggestion that someone who does, is more worthy a fan of the Irish National side than I am. I think you TikTok have been one of many to suggest that club issues are not relevant at Landsdowne Rd, all of a sudden now they are??

While it won't take a genius to second guess your response, the EL is not the be all and end all, fair play to you for supporting Cork but there are thousands of Ireland supporters who do follow ManU, liverpool, Celtic because they are football fans and they are no less entitled tickets to follow Ireland than you are.

Jnr

PS: Im not particularly a big singer at games nor do I bring a flag, I suppose this means I shouldn't even bother applying to renew my block booking?

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Junior
I don't support an EL side, but I refute the suggestion that someone who does, is more worthy a fan of the Irish National side than I am. I think you TikTok have been one of many to suggest that club issues are not relevant at Landsdowne Rd, all of a sudden now they are??

While it won't take a genius to second guess your response, the EL is not the be all and end all, fair play to you for supporting Cork but there are thousands of Ireland supporters who do follow ManU, liverpool, Celtic because they are football fans and they are no less entitled tickets to follow Ireland than you are.

Jnr

PS: Im not particularly a big singer at games nor do I bring a flag, I suppose this means I shouldn't even bother applying to renew my block booking?

---

I don't see why it has come to this arguement again - the fact is that the eL supporters have been squeezed out since the Charlton era, particular since Lansdowne had to go all seater. At the same time the atmosphere has dropped away to pathetic levels. The intention of this scheme is to re-establish the link between the International team and the eL, and by grouping together singing eL fans to improve the atmosphere. I think everyone agrees the atmosphere was better at the Georgia and Albania matches than it would otherwise have been.

I can see why people who follow via bar stool and a couple trips a year don't like being told this, but the fact remains that eL supporters support Irish football week in week out - surely you can't argue with that!?! Whether that means we should be given priority is different matter, but there must be a fairer way than the totally corrupt block booking system and to me the fairest way to do this would be as per rugby and through the football clubs up and down the country... Give the tickets to those involved in Irish football....

This whole debate is the same as the moral outrage of irish "football fans" claiming they had a right to watch irish matches on RTE & that the FAI by trying to raise a few quic had deprived them of this.

I wouldn't go so far as to suggest that people who don't go to eL games shouldn't get a ticket but clearly those who support irish professional & amateur football should get first preference. I accept theres many people who will only support the international side but don't know why they think that they have a greater right to tickets that someone involved with irish football every week.

the fai shud give the tickets to league clubs, see how many they get back and then sell the rest to the foreign league fans

All el clubs get an allocation of tickets for international games but they don't necessarily filter down to supporters.

This initiative was launched to highlight how the colour and atmosphere at el games could help inspire other Ireland supporters to:

1. Get involved in supporting the international team in a more pro-active manner by reference to the el fans section on the North Terrace.

2. Advertise the eircom League to those not familiar with the domestic game by showing how the different sets of supporters get behind their respective teams. In this context 1000 el fans contributed more to the atmosphere at both the Albania and Georgia games and should lead the way again against Russia.

If only 1000 new supporters were encouraged to come along to games on a regular basis upwards of €250k could be generated as additional income for investment by the clubs in the domestic game. The more investment the greater the possible return.


These ticket allocations are specifically for supporters of eircom League clubs, those who support the domestic senior game weekly throughout the year. While other football fans may seek tickets for Internationals, as someone pointed out, they may not support the game domestically at local or el level.

If they do belong to a local junior or schoolboy club then they should approach them for tickets. These clubs do have access to tickets by way of their affiliation to their respective league, though they may be very limited.

Should those who only follow teams from a different country suffer? Well if suffer is the right word then in my personal opinion they have disenfranchised themselves.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Junior
I don't support an EL side, but I refute the suggestion that someone who does, is more worthy a fan of the Irish National side than I am.

---

the mail you took offence to was in response to more crap spouted by silvio, who just repeats this league of gentleman rubbish everytime his arguments are defeated.

if you'd read my reply to Martybhoy's query i stated clearly that i would sooner have real football fans (regardless of who they support) than the suits that seem to have gotten tickets since the day OPEL became the National team sponsors. i even offered what little advice i could to get him moving in his quest for tickets.

and your right, i think club issues are not relevant, and that's why i loved to see fans from all the EL clubs standing together, tifo flags in hand, chanting in unison for ireland.

but i stand by what i said...
people who support the EL week in week out are genuinely supporting irish soccer and should be thought of first when tickets are handed out.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by tiktok


but i stand by what i said...
people who support the EL week in week out are genuinely supporting irish soccer and should be thought of first when tickets are handed out.

---

While i may NOT be a supporter of the EL, i do agree 100% with
your post.
Fans of EL clubs should be giving priority on ALL Ireland games,home and away,as it is these fans that actually support Irish teams!

Quote:

---

Originally posted by tiktok
the mail you took offence to was in response to more crap spouted by silvio, who just repeats this league of gentleman rubbish everytime his arguments are defeated.

if you'd read my reply to Martybhoy's query i stated clearly that i would sooner have real football fans (regardless of who they support) than the suits that seem to have gotten tickets since the day OPEL became the National team sponsors. i even offered what little advice i could to get him moving in his quest for tickets.

and your right, i think club issues are not relevant, and that's why i loved to see fans from all the EL clubs standing together, tifo flags in hand, chanting in unison for ireland.

but i stand by what i said...
people who support the EL week in week out are genuinely supporting irish soccer and should be thought of first when tickets are handed out.

---

I did indeed read your reply to Martys post, hence my reply disagreeing with you that an EL supporter has any more right to a ticket than a Non EL supporter (No less right either I might add!)

I personally have supported the National side for about 15 years, have a block booking at Landsdowne and travel to a high proportion of Away fixtures. Is some fella who has been supporting Galway Utd for the last year or so more worthy of a ticket than I? you say he is, I say he isn't.

The Block booking system was there for all to apply for i.e. all football fans, now EL fans think that they have a right to start complaining at how tickets are being distributed, any reason why these fans are not on the block booking system in the first place?

I am not anti EL, and though I don't have a favourite club I would always check for results, like to see EL do well in europe etc.. I am just totally against this 'We're EL fans, we are first in the Queue'

As I said before, many fans of the Irish national side have no interest in EL, but hurt just as much when Ireland lose and celebrate just as much when they win. These fans are just as worthy of a ticket as any other Ireland fan.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Conor74
I say it's impossible to judge. Is a fellow on the dole who can afford a few friendlies in Dublin more worthy of a ticket than some rich fellow who went to Japan, staying only in 5 star hotels? Is some exiled Irish labourer in Boston who gets physically sick with excitement before games he tunes into on his radio more worthy than some fellow who goes to all the games but sees them as something to do of an evening? Is your fellow who supported Galway for a year more worthy than someone who supported Bohs for 13 months, but missed 4 matches in that time? Do you seriously expect the FAI or any organisation to examine each case on its merits?

There will always be hard cases. You would do well to talk to the number of GAA fans in Ulster who will miss the All Ireland final as thousands of fairweather fans go to Croke Park - and that's with clubs taking a limited allocation.

But the best way of ensuring that those who care about the game here get to see the national side is by distribution through clubs and county leagues first.

---

Good post, and that is what I'm getting at, Irish fans come from all walks of life, rich/poor, abroad/at home, support an EL club/ don't support an EL club or any club for that matter. And no I don't expect the FAI to take in to account all these issues, nor did I suggest it. But my point is that you can't exclude this significant 'Non EL supporting fan base' - nor should they have any less rights in terms of ticketing.

I would have no objection to a % being allocated to EL clubs to in turn distribute to there own fans - but in no way should these fans take overall priority.

some questions I have based on my lack of EL knowledge (other than what I read in the papers). Is this a new issue?, did many EL fans take up block bookings? have EL crowds grown dramatically in recent years?

Cheers, Jnr

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Junior


I would have no objection to a % being allocated to EL clubs to in turn distribute to there own fans - but in no way should these fans take overall priority.

Cheers, Jnr

---

Overall priority with less than 3% of total tickets....................!

Quote:

---

Originally posted by soccerc
Overall priority with less than 3% of total tickets....................!

---

I was referring to earlier suggestions in posts made, not what currently happens.

I think that Conor made the best point to date on the matter, that it shouldn't really matter who you are as long as you are there genuinely because you love the game.

Priorities have been arse about face for a long time regarding the relationship between local level of football in Ireland and the national team. 3% is a ridiculously small alocation for the national League to be getting in my opinion, and that should be addressed.

So too should the crowding out of a lot of the other clubs, at intermediate, junior, and lesser level. I would imagine (corect me if I'm wrong, I'm just guessing here) that it isn't much different to what the likes of, say Rockmount, Johnville, Clonmel Town, Ross Celtic, and the other vitally important local clubs get.

And then there are the non-affiliated fans, who will genuinely put up a good voice for the team. These have been having a hard time of it too. At the end of the day, I reckon that these people also deserve their seat, like Junior, for instance. But what I cannot stand is to see these seats being given over to suits who are there as a PR exercise or they're Monty Burns business partner or whatever. Football is about fans, and I would rather have even Silvio and his many names in the stand abusing all he saw fit than have a halfwit in a suit who will turn to the man beside him and say "The Green Ormy is very bad today, roysh, whors yoar man, Pawl Moc Graff?", before slipping out to talk to the office on his phone before the half time rush. That annoys me.

Aside from that wee rant, I once again recommend that those of you who cannot get tickets go to some of the underage games, I've been doing that for years as I couldn't get tickets to the big games. They are normally cheap enough, and some of the players turn out to be big stars. Some of them also turn out to be Joe Gallen, but that's part of the fun!