Facilities (or lack of for away fans)

Last night in Tolka the travelling support from Athlone (about 100 of us) were asked to sit in the Ballybough end of the ground behind the goal to endure what was an apalling 90 mins of football.

Our manager approached one of the stewards requesting that we be allowed into either the Riverside Stand or the home stand at one end as behind the goal we would be able to see very little. Then one of our committee approached the steward who was manning the gate between our end and the long stand and again asked if we could be moved. This was again refused.

I asked a steward myself who was genuine and really polite why we couldn't be let into the Riverside Stand and his reply was that Ollie had said no one was allowed in there and he said that it was the orders they were under but yet Dundalk were allowed in there.

Personally I have no issue with being segregated from home fans as it in this case it was in the interests of safety but if you are going to do this then surely as supporters who have paid in to support our team we should should at least be treated as equals.

The seats at that end of the ground were filty with moss growing all over them. Surely if these seats are to be used then a power hose wouldn't cost that much to hire for them to be cleaned.

We had no access to a shop of any kind so were unable to even get a half time refreshment. The few supporters that made it to Burdochs had to remove colours to do so. Someone selling water or minerals would have done us

Surely since it was a evening kick off the least you could do would be to put a bulb in the gents toilet. If you cant afford one then I am sure the next group of away supporters there can bring one for you.

For the first time in my life and I have attended matches all over the world I was searched along with other supporters going into the ground. Is this a new policy for your games?

I really believe we have a great product with Eircom League but it is things like this make the difference between getting a first timer back through the gate again. For a club that for years represented our league brilliantly in Europe it was disgraceful.

I know you had to endure St Mels for years but we have moved forward and are providing facilities for both home and away supporters as this is the least that any fan deserves.

I know this is nothing to do with you but maybe some of the Shamrock Rovers fans reading this might bring it up with their 400 club committee and try and get these little jobs done.

I am looking forward to my next trip to Tolka Park as myself along with all Athlone fans enjoyed their trip even though the result and the football might have been better.

To cap of the night even some of your "Schooligans" as we were crossing the Drumcondra Bridge threw stuff at our bus but were having an off night and missed.

Q. How many Shels players does it take to screw in the light bulbs in their jacks?
A. Players? :D

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Originally Posted by Battery Rover

We had no access to a shop of any kind so were unable to even get a half time refreshment

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Thats a breach of UEFA licensing. Let the league know.

Why not post this on the Shels forum as you will get answers:confused: The BoM do read the forum!

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Originally Posted by Battery Rover

I know this is nothing to do with you but maybe some of the Shamrock Rovers fans reading this might bring it up with their 400 club committee and try and get these little jobs done.

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Can't imagine Rovers fans wanting to put money into another club's ground. The SSDG, on the other hand, had said little ground improvements like this was on their agenda, I think?

If a moderator feels that this post is more appropriate in the Shelbourne Forum can they move it

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Originally Posted by Raheny Red

Why not post this on the Shels forum as you will get answers:confused: The BoM do read the forum!

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because, as it pertains to away fans, it will generate further anecdotes of the inadequacy of the tolka park experience. im sure very many people have had disturbing experiences in that ballybough pitch black p'ss hole.

It should be in el, for the reasons given by GavinZac

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Originally Posted by GavinZac

because, as it pertains to away fans, it will generate further anecdotes of the inadequacy of the tolka park experience. im sure very many people have had disturbing experiences in that ballybough pitch black p'ss hole.

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I understand that but if the lad is looking for answers he is better off asking on the shelsweb!

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Originally Posted by Raheny Red

I understand that but if the lad is looking for answers he is better off asking on the shelsweb!

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Oh you mean there is an explanation? Let's hear it!
:confused:

2 jax between 300 Pats fans last night shambles

Two portable toilets for away supporters is reasonable.

Terryland has two separate toilet blocks, with handicapped facilites.
Their condition is amongst the best I've seen in the EL.

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Originally Posted by Patrick Dunne

Two portable toilets for away supporters is reasonable.

Terryland has two separate toilet blocks, with handicapped facilites.
Their condition is amongst the best I've seen in the EL.

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The home toilets maybe..

The away ones i was one of the first Saints in the ground weren't lets say in the best of shape suitable for UCD fans I think :D

Does that last sentence make any sense?

Unless you're suggesting the jacks were a bit on the small side. :)

khoop. get off your high horse. What ground do Rovers play in? :rolleyes: Several of the issues raised aboove have simple answers.

Q. Why were you searched?
A. We have a schooligan problem which the club are trying to clamp down on. Who objects to being searched if they've nothing to hide?

Q. Why were you put in the Ballybough end?
A. For security reasons. You had a few geezers with you as well and they couldn't be mixed in with our crowd. For example, the 20 or so gougers cheering "I;d rather be a Paki than a Dub" before the game. Delightful.

Q.Why weren't you in the Riverside?
A. You think the Ballybough end is bad? The Riverside is worse. Dundalk had to be inthere because of their numbers.

But your complaints about refreshments and the toilets are valid obviously. The toilets in Tolka are a disgrace. Any Shels fan will admit that. Email our BOM and complain. They'll get back to you no doubt. tolka certainly isn't the worst ground in the league. Turner's Cross for example, has one portaloo for all the away fans. Two maybe if its a big game. No handwashing facilities at all. So get off our backs. the club are trying to get things right. You'd swear Tolka was the Vicarage Road of the Eircom Leagu

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Originally Posted by Patrick Dunne

Two portable toilets for away supporters is reasonable.

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Agree. Most clubs' fans aren't looking for luxury. Just enough toilets and access to food will do if we're going to be segregated

Whats worse about those toilets is that the floor is always wet...even when there hasn't been rain:eek:

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Originally Posted by Leejo

Whats worse about those toilets is that the floor is always wet...even when there hasn't been rain:eek:

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Us Reds don't have a great aim :o :D

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Originally Posted by LeixlipRed

Turner's Cross for example, has one portaloo for all the away fans.

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and usually, they fit in.

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Originally Posted by GavinZac

and usually, they fit in.

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Man, those jokes never get old

why segregate in the frist division, i have travelled to a lot of away games and have never been segregated, and many fans have come here, and not been segregated the only instances were shamrock rovers and bohs who brought hundreds with them, but 100 odd supporters are no problem really, there will always be banter, but no action, none of the frist division clubs are violent really,
and on the faciliteies front no point sayin were workin on it, how long have you been there none of this c***

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Originally Posted by LeixlipRed

Man, those jokes never get old

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Do Shelbourne give receipts yet or are you still dodging the tax man?

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Originally Posted by GavinZac

Do Shelbourne give receipts yet or are you still dodging the tax man?

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I don't post on here often so I've no idea who you support but I'd imagine whatever club you follow has a chequered history with the tax authorities? And hat exactly do we have to give recipts for? No VAT (yet) on gate receipts and if you want a receipt for your Leo Burdocks then take that up with the man himself.

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Originally Posted by don ramo

why segregate in the frist division, i have travelled to a lot of away games and have never been segregated, and many fans have come here, and not been segregated the only instances were shamrock rovers and bohs who brought hundreds with them, but 100 odd supporters are no problem really, there will always be banter, but no action, none of the frist division clubs are violent really,
and on the faciliteies front no point sayin were workin on it, how long have you been there none of this c***

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You had a few little shooligan lads with you and don't deny it. If they were mixed in with us there'd be trouble. Probably our lads causing it as well. So segregation is best at the moment in Tolka as we try to eradicate the schooligan problem.

And as for your secon comment about no point saying we're working on it. I was referring to the new regime in Tolka. I wasn't suggesting we've been trying to get bulbs in the toilets since the 80s :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by GavinZac

Q. How many Shels players does it take to screw in the light bulbs in their jacks?
A. Players? :D

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oooh, nice one!

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Originally Posted by LeixlipRed

khoop. get off your high horse. What ground do Rovers play in?

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The one that Rovers pay rent for. Not that it's worth the money.

And of course - smart ass - the substantive point of the original post wasn't so much the state of Tolka. It was questioning why Shels felt the need to treat Athlone fans like dirt. Any answers on that? No, didn't think so.

Maybe Shels have been learning from Bohs. As in, we'll sit here in our shiny cosy stand - and to hell with the away fans

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Originally Posted by LeixlipRed

I don't post on here often so I've no idea who you support but I'd imagine whatever club you follow has a chequered history with the tax authorities? And hat exactly do we have to give recipts for? No VAT (yet) on gate receipts and if you want a receipt for your Leo Burdocks then take that up with the man himself.

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Anyone making a purchase is entitled to a receipt. Shelbourne F.C. have in the past refused to issue a receipt, which breaches consumer law and is also mandated against in the FAI licensing scheme. Now - is this still the case given Shel's eventual capitulation to reality?

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Originally Posted by LeixlipRed

You had a few little shooligan lads with you and don't deny it. If they were mixed in with us there'd be trouble. Probably our lads causing it as well. So segregation is best at the moment in Tolka as we try to eradicate the schooligan problem.

And as for your secon comment about no point saying we're working on it. I was referring to the new regime in Tolka. I wasn't suggesting we've been trying to get bulbs in the toilets since the 80s :rolleyes:

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we may have a few trouble makers but no one has ever attacked anyone in the gorund if there will be fight it will be after the game, and both fans would love it, unfortunately for the rest of us, plus i dont like stayin in one spot all game, i roam around the grounds, changin sides each half to watch my team attack, it horroible just sittin in your horrible plastic seat and stand every time there attackin and then it breaks down and you sit till the next one, your like a drone in the ground,
and the second comment i dont see how hard it is to screw in a bulb, it souldn't take more than five minutes of the chairmans time to put it in:D , surely you have someone sittin on there hole doin notin in the ground, that could possibly do it

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Originally Posted by GavinZac

Anyone making a purchase is entitled to a receipt. Shelbourne F.C. have in the past refused to issue a receipt, which breaches consumer law and is also mandated against in the FAI licensing scheme.

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Have you reported it or did you just say,i can't wait to tell everyone on foot.ie about this?
The current BoM are in the process of sorting out a ticket issuing system.

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Originally Posted by don ramo

we may have a few trouble makers but no one has ever attacked anyone in the gorund if there will be fight it will be after the game, and both fans would love it.

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Are you serious? Both sets of fans should be segregated,no matter what teams,no matter what the circumstances. We have a schooligan problem and i can tell you this much,if at any point they thought they could get at Athlone fans last night for a fight,at any point during the game they would have. Then they'd have been on here complaining about the lack of segregation at the match.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

The SSDG, on the other hand, had said little ground improvements like this was on their agenda, I think?

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The SSDG are also in the process of sorting this problem also,they have set up a ground maintainence team and will soon be bringing all the toilets in Tolka up to an acceptable standard. For the record the toilet for home fans beside the New Stand had no light either.

Battery Rover,you have valid complaints so can i suggest,like Raheny red,you go to Shelsweb,where the BoM regularly read the message board or write a letter/e-mail directly to the board itself and i garauntee they will reply to any quiries you may have. Tolka is badly out of shape and without wanting to point fingers,it's certainly not down to the current BoM,who are doing their best to rectify/fix any problems they can but it won't be done over night. Coming on here complaining will not help any of the problems you outlined get fixed.

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Originally Posted by skitz3

Have you reported it or did you just say,i can't wait to tell everyone on foot.ie about this?
The current BoM are in the process of sorting out a ticket issuing system.

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Yes, I was a signatuer on a letter of complaint to Shelbourne and the now defunct EL commitee. Needless to say, they paid as much heed to this as an elephant to a oncoming butterfly.

Normally for our 'home' games in Tolka the Ballybough end is closed with the 3 other sides open to anyone

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Originally Posted by LeixlipRed

Q. Why were you searched?
A. We have a schooligan problem which the club are trying to clamp down on. Who objects to being searched if they've nothing to hide?

Q. Why were you put in the Ballybough end?
A. For security reasons. You had a few geezers with you as well and they couldn't be mixed in with our crowd. For example, the 20 or so gougers cheering "I;d rather be a Paki than a Dub" before the game. Delightful.

Q.Why weren't you in the Riverside?
A. You think the Ballybough end is bad? The Riverside is worse. Dundalk had to be inthere because of their numbers.

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As I said in my original post I knew it was for safety reasons and that I have no problem with segreagtion. As you state it should be there for all matches.

No problem with being searched it just felt weird as I have never been searched going into any ground in my 34 years supporting Athlone. I entered the ground through the Shelbourne end but have since heard it was conducted on everyone entering which is fair enough. If you have a serious problem this is the best way to sort it out.

As for the 20 young lads, what they sang was wrong and you may have noticed when they started that I called one of them down and warned them if they sung anything like that again I would personally have them removed from the ground and would make sure they never saw Athlone Town play again. You wont hear anything like that again from them. I have no time for that sh*t.

The Riverside for us would have meant a better view of the match even if the seats are as bad as the Ballybough end. Paid €15 to look over a crossbar at a match.

I would say that some of the Town committee that were put behind the goal as well will contact the BoM to let their feelings be known on this, so no need for me to do it.

Maybe as punishment for this when you come down to play us in Athlone we should move the match back to St Mels:D

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Originally Posted by Battery Rover

Maybe as punishment for this when you come down to play us in Athlone we should move the match back to St Mels:D

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I've been there a few times before and sh*thole isn't a strong enough word for it to be honest. I've been to most league grounds,i've seen a lot worse conditions than Tolka last night but i've never felt the need to complain as we're all in the same boat. All striving to improve our stadiums but not being able too because revenue just doesn't cover it and government grants don't come around all that often.

Never felt the need to complain about anything before in my life but last night I just felt cheated and treated like we didn't matter thats we caused me to start this thread in the first place.

The main reason for me posting it here was that I feel that this forum carries more weight than any amount of emails to a club complaining and we can at least get other clubs views on it.

In fairness I think shels were right to do most of the stuff they did.

They searched Athlone fans because possibly there would have been things thrown at the pitch, and Id imagine they searched everyone including their fans.

They seperated fans just incase any trouble broke out, its better to make sure. Imagine they didnt seperate fans and a fight broke out? They could have been fined and people could have been hurt. We all know about their recent Schoologan problems, better safe than sorry.

And as for your own personal needs of wanting to be able to move around, well your perhaps lucky to be able to in most grounds. I dont like comparing our league to foreign leagues, but in say Italy, Spain or England, fans are given seats and sit there for the whole game. In Ireland, fair enough things are different but maybe we are the lucky ones on that side of things?

Im no expert on football in Ireland or outside of it, so for all i know I could be totally wrong. But these are just my views, and what I think.

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Originally Posted by hoopy

Normally for our 'home' games in Tolka the Ballybough end is closed with the 3 other sides open to anyone

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Where will we be put on Monday?

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Originally Posted by Battery Rover

The main reason for me posting it here was that I feel that this forum carries more weight than any amount of emails to a club complaining and we can at least get other clubs views on it.

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Thats a loads of crap and you well know it.

You'd get more reaction here and thats why you posted,no other reason. What exactly do you think the fans of the other clubs are going to do to fix any problems you outlined? The ONLY people who can do anything about this is the Shelbourne BoM and you mean to tell me that in order to see this doesn't happen to you on your next trip to Tolka later in the year you'll post the problems here rather than ask the ONLY people who can fix them,to fix them?

I will contact our club and see if they can get anything sorted with the BoM for our next trip to Tolka. A good viewing point and access to a shop would suffice and that is all I am asking them to request.

I would say that members of your BoM probably look at this site as well and I know it not their fault but a legacy of the past.

Were any Reds searched going into the ground - I wasn't, either were my mates!

Nobody has yet dealt with the main question - namely why the Athlone fans were treated like dirt - but the answer is quite simple. Treating away fans like animals is easier and cheaper than paying for adequate stewards.

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Originally Posted by khoop

Nobody has yet dealt with the main question - namely why the Athlone fans were treated like dirt - but the answer is quite simple. Treating away fans like animals is easier and cheaper than paying for adequate stewards.

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Nobody can argue with you because you're on safe ground — or no-man's-land — when it comes to discussing hospitality.