:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnD
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:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnD
All cars were secure at the Pike and nobody went. The entrance was lovely and bright and nobody went. There was a bar there and nobody went. Maybe nobody went because of the out-of-town location - which is my point about new greenfield sites!! Or else nobody went because we were so sh1te.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
We don't get massive crowds in Hogan Park imo because we are a middle of the table first division club. Even at that we get better crowds than most other first division clubs currently. Even with taking your life in your hands going to matches and the raping and pillaging hordes of locals that sit in wait for poor Limerick fans on Friday nights.
IMO if Limerick are challenging for promotion at the end of the season crowds of 1,500 to 2,000 would be common place - even in Hogan Park. :ball:
All I say is true but agree with ya on the facts of the team. If we won alot of matches we would get better support...then again if we did not have a pi** poor manager that may be possible..
All people on this board are saying and, it is fair comment, that the Ground is not ideally located and in a state of disrepair, burgled often, Merchandise stolen, Cabins vandelised ...and cars broken into. These are facts gentlemn not HYBERBOLE!!!!
Stop denying reality
"raping and pillaging hordes " - would make the matches a bit more exciting maybe
That is what we are debating - that's not a fact, that's an opinion.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
A blind dog with a mallet up his ar$e can see that - which is why it has never been disputed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
Often? How often is often? I know of one break in where the merchandise was stolen last season. Also there was the guy that broke into the dressing room this season.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
Yep, got that one - but isn't that making two points out of one?Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
. Can you say how many? Is it more than are broken into at other sporting events in the city. I have mentioned this seven or eight times already but nobody has taken me up on it. I do not deny cars are broken into - but does the number of cars tampered with justify the comments made about the area.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
While we seem to have different definitions of what a fact is - there are loads of examples earlier of hyperbole.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
I don't think I am denying reality. I am trying to figure out if the perception of problems matches the reality. I have never ever had any problem going to a game at Hogan Park. There is a danger here that people take a few incidents and create a perception that you are taking your life in your hands going to Hogan Park and that stops more people from going. Every other Friday a few hundred people drive to the match - how many have problems. I'm just looking for some perspective here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
Also, on a related note - I can think of no ground in the eL or any other Irish sport for that matter that provides a supervised car park. Do we know if the level of car vandalism at Limerick matches is greater than at any other eL or Irish sporting ground?
Ah yeah you know what you are right !!!. It the nicest part of town full of charming people...god Help us :confused: oh and very safe too for all manner of parking
I take it your not from the south side of town!!!!!!!
County Man myself...btw what happened de Buses. They were great getting you in safely to the ground :( without running the gauntlet of the local boyz in de Hood:D
Car Parks is it you want :
Galway Utd - Supervised Car Park
Kilkenny City - also
Athlone in the new Groundwill have one
Dublin city- old pitch (Home Farm) Whitehall
Pike Rovers :rolleyes:
Anyway has de lease been signed as we hared weeks ago that is was all agreed if it is when is the fat boy coming ?
How will pat Dolan be able to manage his Duties with Limerick- if he signs !! and his duties as one of RTE's foremost Experts on soccer. Will it work like stan Staunton and Bobby Robbo!!! Dream partnerships ehhh. Maybe if Dolan comes in He might send O'conner out of the clubhouse when its time to pick the team and talk tictaks!!!!!
In my nineteen years supporting Limerick, most of which has been spent supporting them in Rathbane, I have never seen or heard of anyone being assaulted or coming into contact with harm done to them by some other! To suggest that this is an unsafe place is akin to an Irelands eye article of the mid seventies, warning its readers of the dangers of urban dwelling. When Limerick played in the markets field cars were broken into on a weekly basis, Munster have a 100 cars a game problem, Limerick have had a few, possible up to and beyond 6, in the time that I have been supporting them that I have heard about or seen. (I saw two on the night we got the floodlights)
So the idea that your car or indeed yourself could come into harm by attending a Limerick game is, quite frankly rubbish. To be honest I don’t know where this negativity about the ground is suddenly coming from. One minute everyone is jumping around the place in the hope that we can get a lease and develop the ground, the next thing a walk to the ground might result in vampires falling from the threes to suck your blood. Coming from an area not dissimilar to the Rathbane area I too would feel hurt by some of the comments posted in this thread.
To answer an earlier question, yes the idea of opening up the far side of the ground is high on the agenda should the lease be signed. And as one poster also pointed out if and when Rathbane (situated on a link road on the edge of the city) is developed, it would be far better then any green field site, in fact id say its better right now. Sone of the comments posted on this thread just leave me lost for words cos their so incorrect and so ill informed. Come on support your blues!
I'll second that, the amount of negativity from some people beggars belief, Hogan Park ****hole this and that, we need to move to a greenfield site........... WHERE even if they did find somewhere, there would still be someone moaning about that place also. Hogan Park has a lot of potential, and I do believe that in the future the whole area will be cleaned up, Jaysus I'm sure that the people involved in the new hotel accross the road had their research done before buying that site to build. If we can get access from where Roxboro Swimming Pool was,and use it as a car park/entrance(supervised), well at least it'll stop some people worrying about their car getting torched or otherwise, even though I have never witnessed any trouble in or around the ground myself. With all the negativity going around not one of the pessimists mentioned the work done in the ground this season (at the far side all round),it may not look much but I'd say it cost a few euro's and all out of DD'S pocket also , as no lease has been signed yet. My only critisism is that we have no website or an official voice to let us know the day to day happenings of the club, that is vital if we are to exist and increase a fan base at least............... everything should come together if and when Da Priest comes outta hiding.Quote:
Originally Posted by gael353
We've only played 2 games, hopefully by next Sat, things will be looking rosier on the pitch at least with 3 home games coming up, the lease is a big thorn at the moment, and I don't think it's DD's fault, give the guy/club a break, Rome wasn't built in a day. As Trev, said Support your Blues
"I have never seen or heard of anyone being assaulted or coming into contact with harm done to them by some other! To suggest that this is an unsafe place is akin to an Irelands eye article of the mid seventies, warning its readers of the dangers of urban dwelling"
There is none so blind as those who wont see is my answer. They way ye talk anyone would think it was Old Trafford situated in Bev Hills.Also a statement of fact is no attack pesronllay on anybody.Typical Limerick city defensive attitude.Why has Southhill,Rathbane world famous not for the view I'd say its for the Drugs,Car robbing, Horses and Caravans
World Famous???? Ya must have missed the expose on last nights 60 minutes with Dan Rather and Connie Chung risking their lives standing outside the Galvone in flak-jackets, microphones defiantly held aloft with cameras capturing the drama. Shur over in France didn't they cut into their coverage of last weeks protests to show a live feed from Carew Park to assure all the concerned French citizens that all was quiet....Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
Your post my friend is frankly embarressing :rolleyes:
"Your post my friend is frankly embarressing "
Spellings ...dey teach ye nuthing in school these days ?
What's that you're saying about spellings?Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
As for grammar....Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
Youseem to be big on the old sayings there Brucie. Ever hear about the glass houses one? :)
:D :DQuote:
Originally Posted by LFC in Exile
Just beat me to it LFCIE....
Glad to see that Gael brought up 'precious' Munster's problems with cars being broken into, its not just a LFC problem guys, in fact Munster fans have it a lot worse than we do. That said I suppose Thomond Park is still in and around Limerick City, and those defensive *******s will have your pubic hair shaved and ready to sell on their market stalls within 10 minutes of entering the city, eh Brucie?
Complete garbage has been spouted in this thread verging on Irish Independent levels of bigotry towards Limerick and it's people. Maybe I'm missing all the dead bodies lining the path into the ground, but last I time I checked those stats, the muder and assault levels for Limerick City were lower than that of Glaway, Cork, Dublin and Kilkenny (if you count that as a city) in the last two years.
As for debating the actual topic of whether or not we should look for alternatives to Hogan Park, I think LFC In Exiles arguments say it all, and its not often myself and In Exile see eye to eye on anything, so either Brucie has got my temper up so much that I'm not thinking straight, or this is a wonderful day in the history of this board indeed! :p
get some friday feeling lads and relax.
Have you ever been assaulted going into the ground?Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucie
Has anyone with you ever been assaulted going into the ground?
To all those who can't enjoy the games because of their fear of being raped and pillaged at half-time I would respectfully suggest that they look into supporting the hockey team at Catholic Institute or perhaps the basketballers out in the UL Arena. Nobody is claiming that Rathbane is in the middle of some affluent haven of commerce but given that I've never been threatened up there (or even felt threatened) in any way I must be a whole lot tougher looking than I feel.
There were widepspread proclamations of doom predicting widespread violence and carnage when we played in Pike that came to nothing.
That said until/unless we get a lease I think we're wasting our time up there too.
on the issue of hogan park it isn't great but with a lease maybe then a clubhouse things could be turned round.as for the area i walked back to tesco's then towards the galvone after my only appearance last season and felt rather lonely not a soul in sight the odd mini riot would have made good spectator sport compared to the game.seriously if limerick are going to attract the support they hope for the city dwellers will have to come out in vast no's and these people will probably come from similiar type's of areas and i'm sure you'll all get on fine as football is a great leveller
here here, south Croydon. The core support for LFC comes from these areas anyway. If you go up on a Friday evening there is not that many of the Clohessy's after the match Brigade up there. Aslo these people from southhill Rathbane, moyross etc are basically the only people who actually support the local Limerick soccer scene. I know a load of lads who are from the better off locations in limerick and very few of them have been to a LFC match ever. To move it to a Green Area in Limerick would see that core support disappear and would probably spell the end of the club.
I think everyone has lost their way on this thread. Nobody is getting assaulted on their way to the game, or raped for that matter. That's just a ridiculous defensive response from those who don't like the club/Hogan Park being criticised. All that was said was the entrance to Hogan Park looks terrible and intimidating. Bacause it does. Thus the ground looks situated in a sh!thole. If you grew up in a disadvantaged area, stop taking criticism of the Rathbane area as a personal insult, what are we, children?
We're talking about Hogan Park as a football ground and how appealing it is/isn't in the bigger picture of attracting new supporters. It isn't very appealing as it stands at the moment, you can dress it up as much as you like and ramble on about how long you have supported the club etc. I've been going to Rathbane since Billy Hamilton was manager back in the eighties, and I've never liked the place. And it hasn't changed one bit since then either if we're honest. The fact is, I know people who will go to a game if someone else brings their car, but they will not bring their own car. That says it all really.
Now we are suggesting that the club will need to address this car parking issue in the future. We're also suggesting that opening the far side would be far better for car owners, cos Roxboro wouldn't have to be an option then. If neither of these two options are taken, the suggestion is we would be better off out of the place cos its appeal is not going to improve otherwise. Obviously a greenfield site would come into the equation at that stage, as would looking at current grounds. Nobody is having a pop at Danny Drew either. He's doing his best and his hands are tied at the moment.
These are real problems lads in the real world, cars are being broken into whether ye like it or not. It's not fantasy. But do ease up on the fantasy attacks at half time and vampires etc, cos that IS crap....;)
Fair enough but I think people are using the area (ie. Rathbane/Hogan Park)to suggest that only there is there vandilism going on. Its happening all over the city, even in the so called better / quieter areas of the city, its the society we live in today, I bought a season pass last season and again this season, and I have parked my car in this so called "Beirut zone" all last season and again this season, without any trouble, I not going to say whats going to happen in the future, but vandilism and theft is rife in the city, maybe if a park and ride facility was operated by DD in areas of the city where people feel safer leaving their car for a few hours, say the Crescent Shopping Centre in Dooradoyle and The Jetland on the Ennis Rd., but for it to work it would mean getting guranteed no.'s to fill buses, he tried several bus routes last season why not try this option, might be worth looking into. At least then we would find out how many are serious about going to the games but for the parking conditions.Quote:
Originally Posted by 4tothefloor
well put.Quote:
Originally Posted by 4tothefloor
I was one of those who criticised the state of the ground, and some of the people around it, in an earlier post. Part of my post was quoted as an example of "going too far".
I have never lived in Limerick, but I know the city fairly well, as my dad has worked there for 20 years.
I dont know the crime rates for the city, or any other city.
What I do know is that I have been to games where the young kids outside the wall (and before the wall, when there was that fence) were throwing rocks over the other side. These rocks occasionally landed on the roof of the stand, and I remember one damaging a parked car inside the ground.
I have been to games where the ball went over the wall and was nicked by the same people. (at least, they were kids too)
I have always been embarassed by one fan, who used to stand right behind the opponents dugout and hurl a constant stream of truly foul abuse at the opposing manager and players. (A big fat bloke with a red face, a truly ignorant moron he was).
I have been at a game where my brother once tried to stop a "fan" from getting in free over the wall, and was threatened by that guy and his friends for the rest of the game.
I am not saying that Rathbane is like Beiruit, but I am saying that I can understand why opposing fans dont have fond memories of the place (regardless of the score), and I can understand why fans who are curious about the local Eircom League football team might visit once and decide it wasnt for them.
How to fix it I dont know, whether staying there or moving, both of which are problematic, but I do think it needs to be fixed.
ha ha,we all know who that is:DQuote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
dats r damien
Ah our Chairman has calmed down now, since those days at Pike, I actually enjoyed the banter he had with opposing sides especially the abuse he gave Pat Dolan in a league cup match up there a few years ago, should be funny if he actually comes to to Limk if the lease gets sorted, it was all in good spirit, he was only doing his 12th man thing, a man for the cause:D :D :DQuote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
"a place where you and your car are very likey to get done at any time"
"home fans feel in physical danger in and around the ground"
"wont bring children and park a car in that area of town,and i cant really blame them"
"she didnt feel safe"
4tothefloor - I appreciate the more reasonable tone of the post. I agree with a lot of what you say about the look of the ground and its immediate environs. However, I do think the ground is well located in terms of access from city and location on the ring road. If the ground was developed along the lines suggested by the club and if the football was appealing (i know they are big ifs) then supporters would go to Rathbane. Rathbane has always had good crowds when the club has been performing well.
This is a point that can be debated - you called the response a ridiculous defesive response. This revisionism is a bit disingenous. There are a sample of quotes from earlier in teh thread above. This has nothing to do with the club or DD - but I felt it was unfair to give the impression - which is what those posts were doing that there was threat to people going to matches. I have never experienced that. Also, I do not come from the area - I am from a completely different side of the city - so this isn't local defensiveness either. If we want to keep the discussion about the prospects for the ground etc after the lease is signed lets leave out hyperbole like that quoted at the start of this post.
And also, if people are anti-Rathbane - what do they suggest as an option?
I suppose Podge & Rodge offends you greatly too does it? :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
I have never seen Podge and Rodge at a Limerick match. Bloody fair weather supporters. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by sadloserkid
I always presumed that Ballydung Manor was in Connacht actually... :confused:Quote:
Originally Posted by LFC in Exile
pity he thinks hes right the whole time:rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Westside
What is this Ballydung Manor of which you speak. Don't they braodcast live from Rathbane? :pQuote:
Originally Posted by sadloserkid
you have chosen to quote an earlier post of mine twice here in relation to percieved neighbourhood bashing that went on in the thread, both the pieces you quote were based on facts, i know for a fact that several of my friends wont risk their cars (rightly or wrongly) under the present arrangements and set up.the club will,therefore, have to do without their money for now, and how many more like them? surely thats relevant in relation to the club prospering in the longer term.Quote:
Originally Posted by LFC in Exile
i know for a fact my girlfriend didnt feel safe going into the ground because she told me so. u calling my missus a liar?:)
and yet you chose to convienently ignore that my fathers car was broken into and vandalised, also a fact.
and importantly, your editing ignored my being in favour of a developed H.P. but a year into the five year plan to challenge shelbourne etc;) and the basics of the lease still up in the air, well..........
finally, and probably most importantly, you missed out on the importance i placed upon of not isolating/losing the core support of the club. which as it has been well documented since, are the lifeblood of the club most of whom are from the sorrounding areas of H.P.
seems to me your selective editing process has totally mis-represented what i originally said.
I don't accept that. I appreciate that everything you said is based on real events - but my issue is on generalising from the specific. We hear about cars being broken into - nobody has said that has not happened. the issue is whether it is more prevalent at Limerick FC matches than other matches i.e. is it a real problem or a perceived problem. Perhaps your friends not risking their cars is due to over-exaggeration of teh risk to cars. Would your friends bring their cars to Munster matches? If one of them was broken into would all of them then not bring their cars to Munster matches? It is common for people to over compensate when they hear of one incident that affects them directly.Quote:
Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke
Your missus may have felt unsafe - I and many others (including some on here, my missus and other females I know that have been at matches) have not felt at all unsafe and never had any issue. So it is a fair enough comment to make about someone you know not feeling safe at the ground but I think we have to say that it is not the general feeling.
Also, I am a bit confused. Do you think the club should stay at HP given the problems you suggest? If not (and I am sensing from your posts that you think not but I may be wrong) why are you slagging them off for not finalising the lease. This is coming across from a few posters - simultaneously calling teh ground a kip and in also saying the club should be getting the lease sorted? Contradiction? :ball:
i personally believe statistically, that the problem may be being overstated, but nothing travels like bad news, comparing us to munster, or the gaa for that matter, is simply not comparing like for like in my opinion because both those codes have a long established fanbase large in number in comparison with ours. we are trying to emerge from the ashes of mismanagenent and 20 years in the doldrums.that in my opinion is a big and key difference here, we cannot afford this perception to be attached to the club while endeavouring to widen the support base.Quote:
Originally Posted by LFC in Exile
this is not a sleight on the area or the people of it, and was never intended as such, i just believe it to be a hinderance we could do without wheather it be a fair or unfair one, and a neighbouring thread is currently carrying more bad news in relation to parking in the area.
i wasnt slagging the club off for not signing the lease, i was conveying a sense of frustration in relation to the ongoing issue of a permanent home for senior soccer in limerick, this strems from ambitious plans a year ago for a county entrance etc (which i believe would be a fine solution) to where we still are.
could it be percieved form the outside looking in for a poential fan as 'nothing but the same old story at LFC' unfortunately, i think it could. if it gets signed and development begins, allied to a winning team playing decent football then its smiles all round, none broader than mine:)
Thats very true.Quote:
Originally Posted by CraftyToePoke
I wasn't comparing us to Munster (we're a fair bit off that yet) - what I meant was that there are also cars broken into at Munster games but nobody seems to suggest it as a problem. And we don't know if there are a greater proportion of cars affected at Limerick matches or at Munster matches.
I agree perception is really important here. And that is why I got on this hobby horse because I wanted to challenge the perception that a lot of cars are damaged or there is a lot of fear at Limerick matches. :ball:
no, it is actually quite funny.Quote:
Originally Posted by sadloserkid
but he is not. Maybe you are a mate of his but I, who dont know him from Adam (though other people here seem to know), think he is not a good advertisment for Limerick supporters.
I tried to point out a couple of reasons why fans might not think Rathbane was not the most glamourous of football venues in the world, and I think that if a visitor saw any of the things I mentioned above, they might come to the same conclusion.
THe rolling eyes tells me that you disagree with me in some way, so please, in what way am I wrong?
In thinking that your opinions should be regarded as facts maybe? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
Maybe we're lucky but we were in Limerick last night and had no problems. Parked the car in the supermarket carpark, popped into Supermacs for a nosebag and then walked down to the ground.
Just outside the ground we passed 3 to 4 lads pulling along some very young Pitbulls. Next year it will be the other way round;) .
We played you's in the last game of the season last year. We got to Rathbane around 6 and took the opportunity to visit the local hostelry,The Steering Wheel. Nice couple of pints, nice chat about the club and local soccer with the locals and then on to the game. It looked a little rough but we never felt uneasy at any time.
Reading some of the posts here makes it seem like a completely different place. We were however, wary at all times but never threatened.