https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=aeohFHX9SlQ
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How are the Reds doing ? Two back to back league titles a few years ago. Heady days. To be repeated ? Can they not get ground sponsorship and change the name of the stadium from the depressing Solitude? My old team, Ards, have dropped out of the league :(
what happened to Ards Owlsfan and who came in their place?Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Ards are like my first love, Shamrock Rovers, who for many years survived without a ground and were kept alive by the passion of a group of their supporters. Obviously, Rovers are a bigger club but Ards should take inspiration from Rovers that where there is a will, there is a way. Their ground was sold off a number of years to pay off creditors but there was supposed to be some left over to finance a new ground but it didn't happen.
Institute replaced Ards in the top tier.
I follow teams in all Ireland/UK leagues and have always done so since a kid. Rovers were down the road from me and I went to all their home games and away games in Dublin and still go to the odd one in Tallaght but my heart remains in Milltown. I also keenly followed on TV Raith Rovers, Ards and Sheffield Wednesday. Makes life interesting from a sporting point of view. The only other club I support is Yorkshire Cricket Club. The rugby (eg Leinster) I never really got in to as there weren't really around when I was a kid, as least not like they are now. GAA I would follow Waterford because my mother was from there but the Dubs don't really mean much to me.
I know you didn't ask any of that but I thought I might explain the Ards connection. I seldom let go of sport I followed as a kid.
and what division are Ards in now? are they in the non league?
They're in the Championship with the likes of HW Welders and Donegal Celtic who strangely enough are based in Belfast.
Bizarre video that glosses over a rich part of Irish footballing history in that the league once represented the whole islandQuote:
Originally Posted by Mr_Parker
I have always thought Solitude was a class name for a ground!Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Does it not conjure up for you one man and his dog in an otherwise empty stadium ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr A
No. To me it conjures up an "us against the world, feck everybody else" kind of thought :)
Synonyms Examples Word Origin
noun
1.
the state of being or living alone; seclusion:
to enjoy one's solitude.
2.
remoteness from habitations, as of a place; absence of human activity:
the solitude of the mountains.
3.
a lonely, unfrequented place:
a solitude in the mountains.
1 covers my interpretation. :)
It wasn't designed as a historical piece, but rather a promotional one for the start of the season.Quote:
Originally Posted by SeanDMRooney
As an Ards fan, you'd do better to find your own ground before advising others what to call theirs!Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Do you like the name? Any idea why it was given that name?
I always loved Solitude as a name for a ground, it stands out, evocative.
Why not go the whole hog (whatever that means - hmmm, may be best not think) and call it Desolation ? Surely the antonym TOGETHERNESS is better or is that a bit too touchy feely ? Doesn't appear in this list although Hunky Dorys Park does http://www.goal.com/en/news/2377/top...-stadium-names
Irish Premiership: Linfield 1-1 Glentoran 10/10/15.
What was the attendance at the first Belfast derby this season?
4057...might have managed 5000+ if Glentoran werent in the doldrums at the minute...Quote:
Originally Posted by nr637
The ground was built on a piece of land that was originally outside the town (city) boundaries and was known as Solitude as was the house that also was located their until the mid 1800's.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Just watching the goals on Saturday from the Irish League and on comes Alan Kernaghan for an interview: the manager of Glentoran. Hadn't realised he was managing in the North. Must get some stick there.
There's Donegall Sq and Donegall Rd and St in Belfast which you might be aware of, named after the Lords Donegall who I guess owned land around there, the club name is presumably connected with this.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Linfield have taken over from Crusaders at the top. Haven't been able to work out whether the next set of matches is the final one. Linfield away to Cliftonville and Crusaders at home to Glenavon. Assuming a home win there, it will all depend on what happens at Solitude ! And the once strong Portadown relegated.
read before that Portadown were relegated in the early noughties so no surprise there!Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
So while Crusaders stuffed Glenavon, Linfield came from behind to beat Cliftonville to claim their 52nd league title !! Crusaders stay on 6. Glentoran have 23 titles but none since 2009.
Aye, there's been effectively a big three in recent years with Glens in the doldrums.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Would be good to see a challenge from the countryside next term.
At least Crusaders crowds have doubled in recent years (08/09 795 to 15/16 1562) and their manager must be destined to move up the food chain:
Ply Won Drw Lst
590 334 102 154
This year and the last time they where relegated wasn't down to results on the field, it was down to bad administration at the club.Quote:
Originally Posted by Martinho II
I honestly don't see Baxter leaving Crusaders to move up the food chain as he has his own sports shop business in Newtownards and would be a hell of a risk for him to go into full-time management across the water.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
As as I understand it, Baxter is currently the third-longest serving manager in Europe, after Wenger and some Finnish guy,
Recently retired Ronnie McFall had a good stint at Portadown as well (1986–2016)
Donegal Celtic are so-called because the streets in the district from which they originated were all named after places in County Donegal.Quote:
Originally Posted by ShelsTim
Not sure if this is the right thread for this but anyway, Linfield and Crusaders are both claiming to have signed Josh Robinson after his release from York City, see below from BBC:
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40454783
Well, who got him in the end ?Quote:
Originally Posted by ArFella
Well after about 100 Sunday league team Twitter accounts tweeted out the same joke that they had also signed him, Linfield emerged victorious, although Crusaders are claiming a breach of contract by Robinson and have said they are looking into taking legal steps to resolve the issue, so the saga may not be finished yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
It's still not.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArFella
Nice to see Coleraine leading the way. 40 years or so since they won the league. I have even seen them play back in the late 1960s when they beat the Hoops in the Blaxnit Cup Final. I wonder do Blaxnit still exist. They were a clothing company I believe or did they disappear along with the competition ?
One of my friends got hit by a stone at one of those Blaxnit Trophy games, in Dalymount I think. It caused a riot because blood was gushing all over the place and the Rovers' fans decided to take revenge and the rest is history. The game went on nonetheless and I think Rovers lost.
looks like coleraing will win the league by a long mile this season. Remember them winning the Irish FA Cup in 03!Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Just looked up the Blaxnit game I was referring to. It was 1968/69. Hoops lost first leg 2-1 and drew second at Dalymount (played there because of the floodlights I think) 2-2. My mate was hit by a slate thrown by a Coleraine fan (we assume). We were all of 14 years of age having made our way over from the leafy suburbs of Sandyford.
Crusaders can win their game in hand and close to within 3 points.Quote:
Originally Posted by Martinho II