Supporting two teams.

[oriel]

I dont agree with a lot of comments here. I`m a Dundalk supporter first and foremost but i also support Celtic (but hate the politics), if Dundalk played Celtic there would be no question who I would want to win, even as schoolboy i wanted Dundalk to win in '79 Euro cup game.

So I dont think this is a big deal, besides with the UK/Irish seasons not running on the same dates, its a nice hobby to focus on your other team from Nov onwards.

Also I`d say a very high percentage of all LOI fans attend most Ireland home games or at least attend some each year ?

Now the irish fan who does not support an LOI team but does an english one and hates the england team, now here`s a problem child..................

[Bohemian1890]

Irish People who follow Celtic are pathetic IMO everyone of them well id say 90% follow or sorry look them on TV because of plastic irish links
They will also more than likely claim to hate the British

[irishultra]

I like to see Celtic do well in Europe but only because of Boruc and McGeady. If McGeady left I wouldn't watch any Celtic game.

I support Bohemians, but only get to about 15-18 matches a year.

This is what is wrong with Irish football fans.

*After Drogheda game walking back from Dalymount into town*

Me: Good performance by Drogheda, it be class if they could qualify

Mate: Yeah imagine 'real' teams playing in Ireland.....

Poor....seriously advertisement needs to be aggressive....anti-british as much as possible...reality is that in general football fans are working class and this approach will work for the masses.

I don't know how you can attract the middle and upper class though.

[TonyD]

but I have never been a supporter of any team here so why would I start now?

Because, quite simply, it's the best experience you can have as a football supporter, to support your own local team. Ask any Pats supporter who was in Inchicore last Thursday night. The feeling of joy and pride we felt at the final whistle after turning around from a goal down to win with less than five minutes to go, against a team who were supposedly better, well, it's hard to put into words what that felt like. Honestly, you might not think you're missing out, but everyone here who goes to see their own team regularly knows what I'm talking about. PS I don't believe any football supporter anywhere in the world supports a team because of the quality of the football they play, so I've always thought that argument was nonsense. You support a team because they're YOUR team. I've seen Pats play poor football, thankfully at the moment they play good football (proper passing and everything) but you support them no matter what. As I said earlier in this thread, if you want to improve the standard of the league here, if you want to improve facilities, the best way is for more people to attend matches. You have to put something in to get something back out. And trust me, what you get out is well worth it.

[the-blue-harp]

The people on here saying that you have to go to football games to be real supporter are well basically well away with the tooth fairy

how are you suppourting your team when you go down the pub to watch their games, the only thing your suppourting there is the pub and your beer belly.
how do you think the league in england got so good? by local people going to their local ground to watch their local team, paying in at the gate and making their local team a sustainable business. if more people in ireland did this then we'd have our own league to be proud of. its how the world game of football got to where it is today. what is wrong with the irish football fan, i just cant personally understand how a person can get so passionate about a club that they really have no links with? i saw pictures in the local paper after man utd won the league of people in bars in man utd jerseys holding up their arms like they were playing for man utd, i just cannot for the life of me identify with that. if these people (some of them do in fairness) put as much effort into our own national league which is on their doorstep imagine where we would be, we wouldnt be worrying about co-efficients so much anyway.

[Hibernian]

how are you suppourting your team when you go down the pub to watch their games, the only thing your suppourting there is the pub and your beer belly.
how do you think the league in england got so good? by local people going to their local ground to watch their local team, paying in at the gate and making their local team a sustainable business. if more people in ireland did this then we'd have our own league to be proud of. its how the world game of football got to where it is today. what is wrong with the irish football fan, i just cant personally understand how a person can get so passionate about a club that they really have no links with? i saw pictures in the local paper after man utd won the league of people in bars in man utd jerseys holding up their arms like they were playing for man utd, i just cannot for the life of me identify with that. if these people (some of them do in fairness) put as much effort into our own national league which is on their doorstep imagine where we would be, we wouldnt be worrying about co-efficients so much anyway.

first of all i said i live 250 miles from my club.

anyway i agree to extent about what you say no supporters means no club and no money i agree.

but and here is what im pointing out is that you dont have to be at every game to be true supporter for family, work or whatever reasons you may not be able to attend games and that what i was pointing out as well as saying that cause you dont go to every game does not mean your not in knowledge of football.

im keeping to this point.....

[the-blue-harp]

but and here is what im pointing out is that you dont have to be at every game to be true supporter for family, work or whatever reasons you may not be able to attend games and that what i was pointing out as well as saying that cause you dont go to every game does not mean your not in knowledge of football.

i hear what your saying about your personal situation, but when i say "you" in that post i was generalising irish football fans not you personally.
of course there will be times you cant make it, but there seems to be tens of thousands of these people in ireland that call themselves football fans and take no interest in their local team.

[belfastred]

how are you suppourting your team when you go down the pub to watch their games, the only thing your suppourting there is the pub and your beer belly.
how do you think the league in england got so good? by local people going to their local ground to watch their local team, paying in at the gate and making their local team a sustainable business. if more people in ireland did this then we'd have our own league to be proud of. its how the world game of football got to where it is today. what is wrong with the irish football fan, i just cant personally understand how a person can get so passionate about a club that they really have no links with? i saw pictures in the local paper after man utd won the league of people in bars in man utd jerseys holding up their arms like they were playing for man utd, i just cannot for the life of me identify with that. if these people (some of them do in fairness) put as much effort into our own national league which is on their doorstep imagine where we would be, we wouldnt be worrying about co-efficients so much anyway.

Excellent post - I couldn't have put it better.

[jebus]

I dont agree with a lot of comments here. I`m a Dundalk supporter first and foremost but i also support Celtic (but hate the politics), if Dundalk played Celtic there would be no question who I would want to win, even as schoolboy i wanted Dundalk to win in '79 Euro cup game.

So I dont think this is a big deal, besides with the UK/Irish seasons not running on the same dates, its a nice hobby to focus on your other team from Nov onwards.

Also I`d say a very high percentage of all LOI fans attend most Ireland home games or at least attend some each year ?

Now the irish fan who does not support an LOI team but does an english one and hates the england team, now here`s a problem child..................

That's just it oriel, no-one here has a problem with someone like yourself, as you say if Celtic played Dundalk there's no question where you stand. I myself follow the fortunes of Sheffield Wednesday, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and to a lesser extent Hellas Verona, Ajax, Hertha Berlin, Hibs and Arsenal, but if any of them were to meet Limerick (fat chance I know) there isn't a hope in hell I would even want them to score one goal against us, let alone win

[oriel]

Irish People who follow Celtic are pathetic IMO everyone of them well id say 90% follow or sorry look them on TV because of plastic irish links
They will also more than likely claim to hate the British

I dont think this is a fair statement, there are historic and real links bewteen celtic fc and ireland, all of a sudden it appears to be trendy to hate celtic on this forum. As i said before, i support celtic as my 2nd team but hate the politics is there anything wrong with this ?

[bennocelt]

I dont think this is a fair statement, there are historic and real links bewteen celtic fc and ireland, all of a sudden it appears to be trendy to hate celtic on this forum. As i said before, i support celtic as my 2nd team but hate the politics is there anything wrong with this ?

See I think thats rubbish, surely its got to do with the politics and history
that you would support celtic, if not then why not support another team, why not falkirk............

[Cortezuma]

Because, quite simply, it's the best experience you can have as a football supporter, to support your own local team. Ask any Pats supporter who was in Inchicore last Thursday night. The feeling of joy and pride we felt at the final whistle after turning around from a goal down to win with less than five minutes to go, against a team who were supposedly better, well, it's hard to put into words what that felt like. Honestly, you might not think you're missing out, but everyone here who goes to see their own team regularly knows what I'm talking about. PS I don't believe any football supporter anywhere in the world supports a team because of the quality of the football they play, so I've always thought that argument was nonsense. You support a team because they're YOUR team. I've seen Pats play poor football, thankfully at the moment they play good football (proper passing and everything) but you support them no matter what. As I said earlier in this thread, if you want to improve the standard of the league here, if you want to improve facilities, the best way is for more people to attend matches. You have to put something in to get something back out. And trust me, what you get out is well worth it.

I understand what you are saying, but Pats are your team because you grew up nearby and have been supporting them for a long time. Everton and Barca are my teams because I was attached to them at a very young age and kept it with through my life, and I can associate with the feelings you describe because I've been to plenty of their matches. I think they are MY teams because I have supported both for around 20 years.

I'm giving these reasons because they are my reasons for STARTING to support these teams. It started from an early age for whatever reasons. Now, for me to begin supporting a local team at a later age, as you are hoping for a lot of people to do, it would need a reason. My reasons for supporting a football team have obviously changed a lot since I was 7, so simply the colour of their kit or the fact my dad supported them, or whatever, would not be enough. I also couldn't start supporting a team here now just for the reason they are Irish, and are nearby. I have mentioned before that I have been to enough games down through the years here, and it is just a fact that I have not seen anything to keep me coming back.

However, I will say to you Tony D, that I envy you, having your club down the road from you and your ability to see the team you love regularlywith other fans, but you must understand that the passion and pride you feel for your team has mostly to do with the length of time you have supported them. It is not possible to walk in now to Pats and get into this straight away, it would take a long time and dedication which is not something I can do as I simply have not seen enough quality in the league to start me down this road. (and I have not been saying I support teams only because of the quality of their football, but in recent years, this has been my main reason for taking an interest in many different leagues and teams)

Finally, there are far too many bloggers here who come on just to say - You are wrong and I am right. Or to say you are not a fan, and I am. Any chance of giving some arguments to back your statements up, or even more importantly to answer back the reasons given by the people who disagree with you.

[Calcio Jack]

Conversation overheard recently whilist on hols

Dutch kid.. " I support Ajak"

German kid "..I support Bayern Munchen"

First Irish kid "..I support Shamrock Rovers"

Second Irish kid "..I support Man U"

Dutch and German kids together replied "..you make joke yes ? .."

Second Irish kid "... well me Da's a Chelsea fan..."

German and Dutch kids left completely confused

As they say out of the mouths of babes !!

[Dodge]

Everton and Barca are my teams because I was attached to them at a very young age and kept it with through my life... I'm giving these reasons because they are my reasons for STARTING to support these teams. It started from an early age for whatever reasons.

Those "whatever reasons" are exactly why you'll NEVER understand how deep the bond between a football club and its fans can be.

(and I have not been saying I support teams only because of the quality of their football, but in recent years, this has been my main reason for taking an interest in many different leagues and teams)

Again, there's a massive difference betwwen taking an interest in another team or league, and claiming to be a supporter. Myself, I've been to the Nou Camp almost a dozen times in the last 4/5 years. My missus even bought me membership for a Birthday present a couple of years ago. If I tried to tell someone from barcelona I was a Barcelona fan, I'd be (rightly) laughed out of town.

Finally, there are far too many bloggers here who come on just to say - You are wrong and I am right. Or to say you are not a fan, and I am. Any chance of giving some arguments to back your statements up, or even more importantly to answer back the reasons given by the people who disagree with you.

I've done it consistently on this site for years. I'm tired of the same old arguements. You think you're a football fan, it doens't bother me one bit. I get to expereince emotions you'll never get, and that can't even be described to you. Its your loss. You don't think you're missing out on anything, and I'm sure you'll do fine without those feelings.

You don't know what you're missing...

[boovidge]

Poor....seriously advertisement needs to be aggressive....anti-british as much as possible...reality is that in general football fans are working class and this approach will work for the masses.

See I don't agree with this at all. Firstly because the the Irish are anti- British enough as it is (when they want to be (not when eastenders is on or man u are playing)) and secondly because Irish people should have enough pride in their nation and their communities to support their football teams without having to hate a neighbouring nation over things that happened generations ago.

[Cortezuma]

Dodge - well what are your reasons for starting to support your club? I'd like to know because I don't think you are reading my points properly.

Also you seem to be talking to me as if I never go to see the teams I support and watch them only on TV. I used to go a lot, spending a lot of money. I go less regularly now. How can you say I have not experienced the same emotions as you when for over 20years in the case of Everton I have been supporting them. Are you saying watching them beat Liverpool 3-0 after years of going over to see them scrap and draw, or even worse lose, at Goodison was not a pure football supporters feeling? I get no problem from the local fans who get to see them every week, and have plenty of friends over there. You are again being dismissive, elitist and far too general when you are making comments. Why on earth would anyone be attracted to watch a LOI football match if they had to sit beside snobs like you?

And whoever made the comment about using Anti-British advertising for the LOI is an uneducated moron in my opinion. Grow up.

[boovidge]

Cort i don't understand your point at all. It's never too late to start supporting a club. I was a typical Man Utd sky sports watcher a few years back until i started to realise that I had no connection to Manchester at all and that it was stupid "supporting" them. I then went to see my local club in England and instantly felt a part of it because I was part of the community and could feel first hand the passion the other fans had.

Last week I went to my first Irish game to see st pats and it was one of the greatest footballing experiences of my life. I'm going back to Richmond tomorrow.

So you're argument that "I cant start supporting a team now" doesnt cut it for me.

[Dodge]

How can you say I have not experienced the same emotions as you when for over 20years in the case of Everton I have been supporting them. Are you saying watching them beat Liverpool 3-0 after years of going over to see them scrap and draw, or even worse lose, at Goodison was not a pure football supporters feeling?

Do you honestly believe you get the same feelings of pride and elation as a local Everton fan when they win? You're absolutely deluded if you think that. I presume you've read "Barca" by Jimmy Burns? Most people with an interest in Barca have. After reading that, how could you ever think that Barcelona would ever mean as much to you as it does to the people in Catalunya?

Why on earth would anyone be attracted to watch a LOI football match if they had to sit beside snobs like you?

Why on earth would I talk about this at LOI games? I'm answering your claims and queries on an internet message board. Do you really think that LOI fans sit/stand around talking about people who aren't there? Get a grip. We're too busy supporting our teams and talking rubbish about everything else. Just like Manchester lads supporting Man U, Barcelona lads supporting Barca, Stockport lads supporting Stockport, etc etc etc


As to why I started supporting Pats; because my dad brought me.

[oriel]

See I think thats rubbish, surely its got to do with the politics and history
that you would support celtic, if not then why not support another team, why not falkirk............

Dont have loads of mates who are from and/or live in falkirk, Glasgow is a brilliant city to visit, been going over 10 + years

still no interest in the politics nor never wore a celtic jersey - maybe i`m in the minority

[belfastred]

Dodge - well what are your reasons for starting to support your club? I'd like to know because I don't think you are reading my points properly.

Also you seem to be talking to me as if I never go to see the teams I support and watch them only on TV. I used to go a lot, spending a lot of money. I go less regularly now. How can you say I have not experienced the same emotions as you when for over 20years in the case of Everton I have been supporting them. Are you saying watching them beat Liverpool 3-0 after years of going over to see them scrap and draw, or even worse lose, at Goodison was not a pure football supporters feeling? I get no problem from the local fans who get to see them every week, and have plenty of friends over there. You are again being dismissive, elitist and far too general when you are making comments. Why on earth would anyone be attracted to watch a LOI football match if they had to sit beside snobs like you?

And whoever made the comment about using Anti-British advertising for the LOI is an uneducated moron in my opinion. Grow up.

Where are you from Cortezuma if you don't mind me asking?