Oh ffs! I'm sorry, but I don't think you have the slightest clue what you're talking about. I despise the people who, with their moronic behaviour (e.g. NS), give our detractors an excuse to denigrate us for every bloody problem which society throws at us.Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
If I thought there was an effective way of preventing this without causing even greater trouble, then I would support it.
More to the point, if I thought that it was so serious in its effect that the only way to deal with it would be to close the stands completely and play behind closed doors, then I would. But it isn't. It's a deplorable, 2 second knee-jerk reaction by a few cretins, of the type to be found in every football support, including yours.
I have been to NI matches, home and away, with friends of both denominations and none. Invariably, it is the Prods who get more worked up/embarrassed about this NS issue, since the RC fans can see the bigger picture.
And that bigger picture is that huge amounts of good work is being done to make the matchday experience as enjoyable as possible for everyone. Moreover, that work is increasingly being successful, which is why it has been recognised internationally by several respected, credible and impartial authorities. This despite it being a Work in Progress, which may never be 100% effective.
In the meantime, we will endure the jibes and sniping of people like Kingdom Kerry and Co.Down Green, since we expect little better. But I would hope that people like you might show a little more understanding of what is happening, instead of picking up on every single transgression, no matter how relatively unimportant and/or intractable.
I was once amongst a group of NI fans exiting the East Stand of Landsdowne Road who were pelted with stones by a gang of hoolies who were waiting for us, with not a Garda to be seen anywhere (they were too busy keeping the NI terrace fans behind, with dogs and riot gear etc).
I don't hold that against the average ROI fan, or even against the Gardai, since I accept that sometimes these things happen. But neither do I bang on about it endlessly in order to excoriate ROI fans, or in some way exonerate ourselves for our own shortcomings.
If there is ever to be a truly "United" Ireland football team, it is going to require mutual respect and understanding from BOTH sets of fans, not just the one. Sadly, if my experience on this Message Board is in any way representative, ROI fans have at least as far to travel down that road as we do.
P.S. For all those inspired by the above rant to respond by bleating on about "Neil Lennon bla bla bla", don't bother, we've heard it all before.:mad:
