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It's very hard to quantify the impact that a club doing well in Europe seems to have on LOI attendances, but avg attendances are slightly up this year, even if you take out Cork's attendances.Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
Who knows, maybe Dundalk's run last year convinced a few people to head along to see their local team this year.
As a neutral in both instances, I think Dundalk captured the wider publics attention more than Shamrock Rovers did in their Europa League exploits. The goal in Belgrade was fantastic, and 90% of LOI fans celebrated that goal.
But, the whole country got behind Dundalk. I've friends that are completely anti-LOI who didn't give a sh!te when Rovers got into the Europa League but really got behind Dundalk after the BATE game. The result in Alkmaar was one of the stand out results in LOI history for me, considering Man United came away from another Eredivisie side on the same night with equally as many points. That fact stood to English league fans more than anything else on the night.
Avoiding the temptation to list 30 Dundalk moments, including 20 in the last 5 years....
Sullivan's goal in Belgrade is a great call.... it was a ludicrously good goal in it's own right but it ultimately put Rovers on the way to breaking the glass ceiling in Europe.
United were actually beaten by Feyenoord if I recall correctly.Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954
And then he goes and saves Limerick from the brink. What a man.Quote:
Originally Posted by sbgawa
I remember well that video being played on a loop during the Dundalk POTY awards night about 2 weeks after the promotion match in Newbridge.Surreal night in the Lilywhite lounge as the rumours were that despite Giller and Sculls delivering promotion for the club their contracts were not being renewed :( (Turned out the rumours were true of course and Sean Connor was appointed soon afterwards)Quote:
Originally Posted by Ezeikial
Here's the LMFM commentary from Station Road and Tolka Park on what was a total rollercoaster night for Dundalk FC & their fans (1min 17secs of it anyway)
https://soundcloud.com/lmfmradio/end...iv-season-2008 (
Yeah my ‘****ing Hell’ moment was Sullivan’s Volley. Firstly because it was Rovers and we hate to see them happy. Secondly because it was a cracker of a goal,which finally put to bed the nearly men tag LOI sides had in Europe before then. That they squandered the opportunity was another of my favourite moments:clap:
Mick Leech's goals against Waterford in the 1968 FAI Cup Final (in the days when every goal prompted a pitch invasion) in front of almost 40k and I had the pleasure of being one of them. Second biggest crowd ever at a cup final I think
Totally agree, its mad if you wear a Dundalk top abroad now, someone will always recognise the jersey and talk about the Europa League.Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954
Was actually back in Amsterdam in summer with the GF (first time Ive been since we went to Alkmaar) and the amount of people who asked me was I over last year when we played.
What I seem to get in Ireland (from non LOI fans) now is, ah sure that will never happen again!
Word of our exploits even reached the North Pole. Two visits to Santa (in Dublin) this year and both times he was able to chat to my son about it because he was wearing a Dundalk coat. Even got a "cmon da town" out of the big man. What a time to be alive..Quote:
Originally Posted by dundalkfc10
Given Dundalk's result out in alkmarr and that it was their first ever campaign in the group stages, I'd say they got a bit more coverage in the Netherlands than elsewhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by dundalkfc10
I met a group of Dutch lads on a night out in Dublin earlier this year. We got to talking about football and as soon as I mentioned that I follow the LOI they mentioned Dundalk exploits.
Exactly. Dundalk confidently passed the ball around against Alkmaar and they didn't know what to do about it. That may seem like something so simple, but to see an LOI side assert themselves like that after multiple dozens of European campaigns stuffed full of indescribable god awful defeats for irish sides down the decades (Zimbru, Camarthen, Hibernians (of Malta), TNS), and end up getting a point against a (relatively) top Dutch side is an LOI Greatest Moment contender for me. Especially in the manner the equalizer occurred, late in the game, in front of all the Dundalk fans.Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954
When Dean Sheilds signed for Edmonton FC, in Canada there was planty of chatter about him having played with Dundalk FC in the Europa League. The local media there and the fans were talking like he was signing from flipping Manchester United, comments like played part in the Lilywhites incredible perfrmances in the Europa League'. We met a couple of Cork lads out one night and they were 'like fooking sick of Dundalk and hearing about them'. Sadly Edmonton FC had the plug pulled a few weeks ago. I was looking forward to seeing Jacksonville visit with Kilduff. Not to be. But for Canadians to have mentioned Dundalk FC in the presence of 1 Dundalk fan and 2 Cork fans, unprompted, causing the Cork lad's multiple FFSs, well the CL/EL performances get my unbiased vote.
I'd say the state of your new home jersey will soon bring all that to an end :pQuote:
Originally Posted by dundalkfc10