How/When did you start supporting your LOI club?

used to go to see glebe north they being just around the corner from my primary school so i wud go to the odd match and i remember one year they made it through to the fai cup and were drawn with rovers expecting a big crowd glebe got the match moved to united park and for the first time i entered the home of the drogs glebe lost the match 1-0 but put in a great performance not long after that everton were over for neville southalls testemonial i went to that and although the drogs lost 2-1 i was hooked went to a league match just after (hammered by bohs 5-2 i think) been going ever since go to most away matches but havent been to the cross yet or harps

Manchester United is the reason :eek:

My family are nuts about Man Utd and when Dundalk vs. Man Utd was in Oriel Park, in pre-season 1994, my Dad took me and my brother. I was 9 and thought that football only happened across the Irish Sea. The ticket also got you into another pre-season match Dundalk vs. Sheffield Wednesday and the first three home league games of the 94-95 season. That's how it started for me.

my dad was a regular Rovers fan in the Milltown days
he stopped going in the 80s, but brought me to a game on 25/5/1994. Hoops beat shels 3-0. brought me to another game the follwing year, 2/10/94 beat the gypos 4-2 at dalymount.
didnt start going regularly til early 1997-when one of my mates in secondary school was regularly going-so i went to the last two games of the 1996/97 season,and now i have been going every week since.going about 9 seasons regularly now

I had no interest in football at all, as my family were firm bog ballers! one sunday in 1986 my friends who all played soccer for various teams were going to Rathbane (rockmount in the cup i think it was) and i went along with them. none of them go to the Limerick games today and i dont think they ever did. I dont think ive missed too many games since 1989, when we first hit a financial wall. So first games in '86 but a regular fan since '89. Find it hard to watch games that are non el now.

Might as well say it but football violence of the late 70's early 80's attracted me. Rovers, Linfield and the odd other club battle hear and there. I was an impressionable youth back in those days. Though the docs are well and truly retired now :D

I moved to Longford 20 years ago ( i was just 7 ) and my new friends brought me to Abbeycartron to see the Town play.I have been following them ever since and have played at all age levels including the B team but never made the 1st team.Packed in Football at the tender age of 18 and found a new career in drinking pints.Other than living in London and Australia i have always made time to go to see the Town play as i am a big believer in supporting all local sport no matter what the code.Lots of great memories and hopefully many more to come.

Well I was apparently brought to my first game when I was 3, in 1991 by brother. It was Leinster Senior Cup game versus Rovers. Funnily enough I don't remember it. :D

I was brought regularly enough to Bohs games throughout the nineties by my brother and occasionally by my sister but wasn't really that interested and didn't really catch the Bohs bug until till I was 9 or 10 c. 97/98.

My brother has been a Bohs fan since the late eighties and my late uncle was a Bohs member long before either of us went to games.

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Originally Posted by pete

Is there anyone here who supported an eL side BEFORE an english sides?

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I originally supported Shels and while i never stopped supporting them i got into the Premiersh*t because my school friends didn't have a clue who Shels were just who Liverpool,Manu and Leeds were

Most shameful 3/4 years of my life but i was only about 10/11.

From the age of about 13 or 14 (late 93 early 94). Once I started attending secondary school met a few guys and they were Harps fans so I decided to go to a game. Been going ever since

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Originally Posted by pete

Is there anyone here who supported an eL side BEFORE an english sides?

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personally i'm not sure - my earliest united park memory is from around 82/83 season ( i would have been 3/4 that season), and my earliest manchester united match memory is watch the 83 cup final. they were both installed from an very early age, but i'd say it was the drogs first.

my father showed me an old work diary he had, and on the day i was born all he had written:

"colin born

drogheda won 3-0"

after a start like that, i dont think there was much doubt how i'd be brought up!

9th October 83 Rovers 4 Pats 0 in richmond. I was hooked was brought the week after to Milltown we stuffed Galway Utd 4-0. Despite being from a Shels area IM a hoop. Thanks Dad

KOH

JUZ

Being a Wanderers fan all my life. My dad was involved in the supporters club and brought me to the matches and still does. I was mascot when I was about 4 and followed them home and away ever since. So many memorys good and bad! 1990 and 1999 are definately the best of the lot!

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Originally Posted by Juz the Hoop

9th October 83 Rovers 4 Pats 0 in richmond. I was hooked was brought the week after to Milltown we stuffed Galway Utd 4-0. Despite being from a Shels area IM a hoop. Thanks Dad

KOH

JUZ

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Howya Juz,your right it is a Shelbourne Area,I'm City Quay's No1 Shels fan.Have you guessed who it is yet.

First game was in the late 80s - Zac Hackett era - covered a few games for the local paper. Been going ever since. Hard to believe the changes since then. Some hard, tough, depressing days (not too long ago), which made the cup wins even more special. Makes you appreciate what you have.

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Originally Posted by pete

Is there anyone here who supported an eL side BEFORE an english sides?

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1st Rovers game was:

Shamrock Rovers 0-2 Man Utd.
Sunday 5th August 1984,
Pre-season friendly, Milltown.

I remember almost nothing about the game itself. I gradually began to support Liverpool around April/May 1985.

I used to attend every Rovers home game, and away games in or around Dublin until a few years ago, when work commitments clashed. In the last few years, I have travelled to see the team play once in Galway and Cork, and at Finn Harps and Derry this season.

At the moment, I can only go to our games when they're not played on Fridays. If only more clubs followed Finn Harps, and Longford's lead, who play their home games on Saturdays. Saturday nights are the best time to play games, as shown in other countries. :(

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Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

My first Derry game was on 29th December 1985.

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i was about 12 days old by then...i went to my first game round 1995 or 96 with my dad vs st pats.i always wanted to go to a soccer game involving city as they were my local side.i'd been to a lot of cork gaa games and wanted to taste a bit of the national league.it was one of city's first games back at the cross. it was 0-0 and a brutal match but i loved the atmosphere in the shed.that is what really appealed to me.that was how it started and i go to as many matches as i can now but not near as many as i'd like due to work/training/matches.

First game January 1985 against UCD at Milltown. 1-0 Mick Byrne got the winner.

Zero football tradition in the family but history of GAA so had to be persuaded to be taken to Milltown. Fell in love I guess watching the 1984 Cup Final and decided had to go. Downhill ever since.

Another poster here said they lived abroad and we are the only country that refuse to support our domestic league. Couldnt agree more spent 2 years away but missed the craic badly........

KOH

Started going in 1995, first game was a 2-1 against Sligo. Ian Gilzean had put Rovers in front before two Robbie Griffin goals sealed the points for us. Only went to one other game that season, Jayo's home comeback against Drogheda but have been a regular in Belfield ever since.

I have been a supporter of the Blues for the past 23 years. My Dad took me to Kilcohan at some time late in the 1981/82 season for a league game against Athlone if I can recall. We were known as Waterford FC then. Went on and off from then up to about 87/88...lapsed when we were relegated in '89, but with the exception of the 93'- '94 season (I didnt go to any game that season) I have been to most home games and a few away since.

Jaysus I've seen from woeful performances to last me a lifetime. :eek:

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Originally Posted by BobtheDrog

used to go to see glebe north they being just around the corner from my primary school so i wud go to the odd match and i remember one year they made it through to the fai cup and were drawn with rovers expecting a big crowd glebe got the match moved to united park and for the first time i entered the home of the drogs glebe lost the match 1-0 but put in a great performance not long after that everton were over for neville southalls testemonial i went to that and although the drogs lost 2-1 i was hooked went to a league match just after (hammered by bohs 5-2 i think) been going ever since go to most away matches but havent been to the cross yet or harps

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Lived in Balbriggan from 97 to 2000 and used Glebe's ground for a schools international in December 1999. Lovely friendly club with great clubhouse and a fine set up, Good memories. :)

My Brother took me to Richmond Park for the first time as a child in the mid seventies.I went (very) occasionally through the years after that. (I "supported" for want of a better word, Man City for about ten years from mid seventies to mid eighties, until I copped on that they meant nothing to me). I was at the first match back at Richmond in 1993 against Shelbourne, and at the start of the following season I went to a pre-season friendly against Tranmere (Mainly because Liam O'Brien and John Aldridge were playing to be honest.) Started going regularly and by the end of that season I was completely hooked. The next year we won the league, happy days. Couldn't imagine not going to Richmond now.

wasn't into watching club football till about '96 (moved to england in '93). started 'following' tottenham, then newcastle, then man u. got bored again and was wondering who next :o

eventually, i gave up (realised i was glory hunting) and started finding out about cork city and thanks to foot.ie and some other websites my appetite grew and grew. been a fan since just before pat dolan took over and i really enjoy it.

i'm moving back home in august and i'm looking forward to going regularly from then on. was home on holiday last summer and my first game was the 2-0 home win over waterford :) it was great to finally see a game after a year and a half being an internet fan. great buzz, shame i didn't wise up sooner

Im 23 now so was 2 when city were formed. My family wudnt really have been into City that much and can recall being brought to games only a few times wen i was very young.
But wen i was bought 10 or 11, i was in youth clubin ogra chorcai and a man (who as it turns out was john kennedy from family enclosure) brought a bus load of us up to Oriel Park for league cup final v dundalk. Cant remember what yr that was to be honest, but I remeber Bily Woods had long hair and it was before he went to tranmere!
Anyway, from then i was hooked and got my dad to bring me to the games.
My dad stopped goin again few yrs later but i kept goin with my friends. HAve converted my younger brother and sister who are only 15 but go to lot of the games, but my 20 yr old brother has no interest, no matter how hard i try!!
Have converted a good few buddies aswell and a group of bout 8 of us go to all the home games now, and the away ones when we can.
I love following city and take such a sense of pride in them as they r my local team.
Cant understand all these muppets who have never been to anfield in their lives, cryin their eyes out with pride wen liverpool won last wk.
Go watch your local team win the FAI Cup Final in a replay, go watch em draw with Bayern Munich, go watch em beat Malmo, Njimegen and draw with Nantes, go watch em beat Shels in Tolka Park for the 1st time in 4 years........
Then ul know what REAL PRIDE is

i used to be a regular when i was about 8 or 9 ,drifted away then


now aged 17
havent missed a home game in 2 years now and the good times look to be returning to sligo rovers.....

Me first game was in the glory days of 1994 when me dad brought me. There wasnt a history of it in me family but i guess the town was buzzing about da rovers back then. I must of been about 6 or 7 when i saw that first match. I was going on and off for the next couple a seasons but for the past 5 years or so i could count the amount of home games ive missed on me hand. Any away game i can get a lift to i go.

My Dad (not a football fan) brought myself and my sister to Milltown for a few games in probably 1986. Was at the last game in Milltown and didn't go again until the first game in RDS. Went off and on during RDS days but go to every home game I can get to since moving out of RDS.

Bohs - Chelsea friendly around 15 years ago I think.

My dad and uncle brought me out to Kilcohen Park our old ground back in the late 80's and I remember games v Derry when they brought huge support and beating Bray and Sligo to clinch the first division championship back around 89/90.The 90's were pretty bleak for the Blues,we moved to the RSC before there was even a stand there :eek: and spend a lot of time in the first divison widerness. My dad lost interest and I didn't live near the ground so didn't go to that many games but went when I had a lift and the money and we had a great run in the 97 FAI Cup .Since the season we won promotion under Jimmy McGeough I've been to most home games and the odd away one.

I went to my first game in 1989 aged 9 with my uncle and cousins. It was against Shamrock Rovers and the lace was packed. Well it looked packed being that small. I dont remember much of it but I found it amazing that a guy would come all the way from America to play in Sligo (Nicky Broujos)

I went here and there but started really regularly at the 1993 season. Johnny Kenny signed for them from Galway and since he's from Riverstown I went in to see him. About 500-600 people from the Riverstown area would go in to just see him play. Obviously we did the treble that year and I was hooked. Goto every game I can now. Only missed 1 game this season (away to Kildare).

My resolve to support the team where I live was made greater in 1997 i think it was. My Dad, my brother and me went to Old trafford to watch Man U for the first time. I couldnt believe how big it was over there and while at the match I realised that Man U or any other club over there dont really care where supporters came from, as long as their seats were full. I realised that my few quid wouldnt do alot and felt an insignifcant part of what is really more a tourist attraction than anything else.

Since then I havent spent a penny on Man U and the only team I support is Sligo Rovers. Being a supporter to rovers feels more important than supporting some foreign team. There's something special about supporting the team where you are from. Even after the win against Finn Harps on Tuesday I got slagged by a guy from work in the pub for supporting them. I just felt sorry for him. These people have no sense of identity at all. But for everyone one of those is an avid fan of Eircom League football.

Had no real interest in football when I was young but I did play for school boys teams and I played Gaelic and could have been a big Gaelic fan if my family had not moved from Mayo. I was big into wresting and then I grew out of it & I needed something to follow so Dundalk had just won the cup and a friend asked me to come up with him to Oriel Park and seeing that I only live 5mins away I said yes and have been going since I was 14.

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Originally Posted by sirhamish

Lived in Balbriggan from 97 to 2000 and used Glebe's ground for a schools international in December 1999. Lovely friendly club with great clubhouse and a fine set up, Good memories. :)

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friend of mines father managed them for a while, keep meaning to go back but never seem to have the time

My first match was at the Brandywell when Derry Played Home Farm in a league Cup game, I was 9 and thumped my head on a post jumping to celebrate a Derry goal. The year was 1985 and it was Derry's first game in Senior football under the LOI.

I travelled all over Ireland with my Da and Uncles wathcing Derry,throwing my guts up because of travel sickness on the way to and sleeping at the back of an Ulsterbus on the way back. Great memories all the same.

I guess it's in the blood, my Granda played for Derry in the Irish League and my Da supported them, so maybe I had no choice.

The T.V. stuff just cannot compare to wathcing it live, even if you are standing up to your knees in muck, which has been the case for most of us in the LOI.

i can hardly remember my first city match but i remember they won.My dad brought me out.I have only missed a handful of matches since.I have continued to go out even if it's by myself.My first and only away game to date was down in waterford a year or 2 ago.

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Originally Posted by Rebel N

I have only missed a handful of matches since..........My first and only away game to date was down in waterford a year or 2 ago.

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:confused: :confused:

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Originally Posted by dancinpants

:confused: :confused:

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think he means he has only missed a handful of home games.

The thing with me is that I follow the eircom League itself only, as I don't actually have a club to follow. Living in Thurles, who can I support specificly? I regulary take in games in Limerick, Kilkenny and Dublin. But hey at least I support Irish Football, not like the masses as so often mentioned.

P.S. Feel free to encourage me to certain clubs.

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Originally Posted by Woody

P.S. Feel free to encourage me to certain clubs.

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Sligo Rovers

First went to a Ramblers match in 1976 at the age of 6, A League Cup game against Rovers,(even though we were non league !) I was dragged along by my father, the place was packed and even though we lost I was hooked.
I have followed the Rams through thick and thin (mostly thin), remember the year of 83, crowds of 20 to 25,000 at Flower lodge against Sligo, naively thinking it was going to be like this from then on.
I lapsed for a three or four year period in the late '80's and early 90's due to emigration to England/ U.S but my father used send me newspaper cuttings and programmes.
You could say it is in my blood as my father played for the Ramblers in the '50's and '60's. To answer a previous query, I did support Ramblers before an English club, even though I'm a Man U fan, Ramblers are the club for me and I couldn't give a rats arse if United ended up in the Conference.
I love following my club, i hate following my club, but thank God it's there!

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Originally Posted by jofyisgod

:eek: I had you placed at much older than that! Must show how much of a mature young man (or woman? ;) ) you are!

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:D
Im a man though ;)

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Originally Posted by adamcarr

Thats the one, tell everybody! :D

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Feck off you :D :p