19-Nov-1980
DUBLIN
Republic of Ireland:Cyprus
6:0 (4:0)
Lansdowne Road
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19-Nov-1980
DUBLIN
Republic of Ireland:Cyprus
6:0 (4:0)
Lansdowne Road
Yeah you're right Argentina was the "home debut" and thats the one I was at, must've subconsciously subsituted in Czech when during pub convo they were mentioned ("I'll betcha X pounds....") as the debut team without thinking that was away, unusual actually so many debuting away......well unusual for us to play friendlies away up until now, about to be rectified I do believe.
Yes, I remember thinking how much of the atmosphere dissipated when we moved from Dalymount to Lansdowne and the results also went downhill as well in the early stages playing in a 2/3 full stadium.
The only songs (chants) I remember in the late sixties and 70s were "Molly Malone" and "Ireland, Ireland"" and that was it. YBIG and FoA came much later. I remember getting goosebumps in Stuttgart in 1988 when the Irish crowd started singing Molly Malone just before the game. We HAD arrived on the world stage at last..
17,000 at the Brazil game. I was at it and there was loads of room in the south terrace. 35,000 my arse.
Just bought your tickets in Tony Ward's back then.
KOH
About 35,000 people have claimed to have been there over the years but the ground was half full alright.
Just to point out that there were quite a few sellouts too. Brazil was a friendly against a team in decline really. The Belgium game a few weeks earlier was totally soldout.
My Dad and I were up for a Limerick game at Richmond on a Wednesday in April and went into Merrion Square to buy our tickets for Belgium to be told "sorry sir it is soldout". He was quite taken aback asked for somebody he hardly knew and after a little fuss was sold 2 tickets but looking back it was a chastening experience and we never took home tickets for granted again and got back on block bookings etc. We were also told you'd better buy Brazil now too as that was selling fast which we did.
France 81 was definitely soldout as were Northern Ireland and England 78. I remmeber France 77 as being full but I was very young then. However there was always a public sale for these and you could get them with a little planning.
Spain 89 was the first time there was aserious shortage of tickets. i know of people who got caught then and left off lists and never really went back.