Ireland Fans' Charter?

[paul_oshea]

I Think you would have the opinion from others that this could be a closed-shop elitist type group, that for non-regulars to matches, which unfortunately there seems to be a fair few of if they are behaving in this way, they would see this as a pompous arrogant group of supporters trying to talk down or else just think we are fools and have a laugh at it.

I do agree in principle, I just dont think writing down a set of "rules" is the right way to go about it.....

Not having a go, because i agree with what was written, its one of those subtleties you expect everyone to know and adhere too, but I just feel writing it down and making others read it, is not the best way forward.

[jmurphyc]

Great post and thread. Something really needs to be done about the level of apathy that is present at Ireland home games. The singing section is a great start but the amount of people who now boo when things aren't going our way is worrying. If something like this can be put in YBIG for each game then it would hopefully educate a certain percentage of people going to the games.

The booing really saddened me the other night. I expected it at the Cyprus game 18 months ago, but to hear it on Wednesday was infuriating. We're only halfway through our campaign, Trap hasn't had that much time to perfect his team, and yet people are happy to perfrom a retrograde action when things aren't going our way, despite the fact that we were trying hard and performing relatively well. A lot of our fans need to get out of their comfort zone and actively support the team.

One of the problems to me is that the majority of people at the game aren't enjoying themselves because they aren't singing, not due to the quality of the football. We're not a huge country and people's expectation levels need to be capped. If people sing, they'll have a good time, and the players performances may even improve as a result.

As far as I'm concerned if people are coming to the game expecting to be entertained they should really be staying at home. Instead they should be going to the game with the intention of entertaining themselves (ie. by singing) as that's the only way that enjoyment will come.

I really hope something like this can catch on in some form even though it will be extremely difficult.

[paul_oshea]

Terrible thread started by someone with 2 much time on their hands or someone with no friends to talk too,,,cant believe people replied agreeing with him.....GET A LIFE

I can confirm that stutts, does not have too much time on his hands.

[Sligo Hornet]

I can confirm that stutts, does not have too much time on his hands.

Are you his butler?

[paul_oshea]

Are you his butler?

No, but I'm aware that he is kept quite busy with work and what he does in his spare time.

[Wolfie]

For a while now I've noticed an element in the Irish support that I'm not happy with. Perhaps I'm only showing my age and I'm slow to adapt to change but some kind of "Ireland Fans Charter" might spell out the essence of what many of us think it is to be an Irish fan and encouarge behaviour fitting this.

Given that Mento and the YBIG boys have made such progress with the FAI wrt the Singing Section and other aspects, I'd wonder if it'sd be a good idea to have this charter printed in the matchday programme so all the "boo the team if they're not playing well" types know where they can go with this type of carry on. I'd like the players to be aware of some parts of it too.

What do people think?

Here's a few initial ideas for starters, in no particular order.


Ireland Fans' Charter:

• Our role is to support the team and to be the team's "12th man".
• Our good name at home & abroad has taken years to acquire and may only take a moment to lose. Behaviour likely to cost us our good reputation is not acceptable to any of us.
• We may or may not have club allegiances, at home or abroad. Following Ireland has nothing to do with club football and we put aside our club allegiances while following Ireland.
• We do not favour or disfavour any player, on our team or the opposition's, on the basis of his club or club history.
• We are all in this together. Booing the players is not acceptable behaviour. Our role is to encourage and to be involved positively.
• We are not here solely to be entertained. We are playing an active role alongside the players in achieving success.
• We have our own songs and traditions. New songs are always welcome but we avoid singing songs with direct reference to political organisations.
• We are not a big country and our ambitions are realistic and modest. We only expect that the players attempt to play to their best of their abilities. We recognise that mistakes occur.
• We expect that every stakeholder in the team's progress will take all necessary steps and work hard to increase the likelihood of success.
• We expect the players to understand that playing for their country is an honour and not a chore. No player has a right to be selected.
• We expect the players to understand the expense & commitment it can take to support the team.
• We expect our media to be objective in coverage of the national team.
• We expect our media to promote coverage of the national team above coverage of UK football.

An admirable initiative that articulates a lot of what we all stand for.

I think the two final points can only ever hope to be aspirational as what constitues objective media coverage can be open to debate.

What harm can a tweaked version of this do? A version of this printed in the match programme helps re-iterate a lot of accepted norms that most Irish supporters have abided by for years.

Surely noone could take major issue with it?

[jmurphyc]

What harm can a tweaked version of this do? A version of this printed in the match programme helps re-iterate a lot of accepted norms that most Irish supporters have abided by for years.

Whilst I think that if something like this did take off, likelihood of it being in the official Ireland match programme is very low. I think the best idea would be to try to get it into YBIG, but I seriously doubt that the FAI would allow an outside charter that has no direct affiliation with their organisation.

[Wolfie]

Whilst I think that if something like this did take off, likelihood of it being in the official Ireland match programme is very low. I think the best idea would be to try to get it into YBIG, but I seriously doubt that the FAI would allow an outside charter that has no direct affiliation with their organisation.

I take the point.

Possibly getting ahead of ourselves in that I think the first step would be to arrive at an agreed and fully recognised final draft of a charter first.

At that stage, the FAI may not be averse to recognising and endorsing the charter in conjunction with YBIG and dare I say it, FOOT.IE.

[Stuttgart88]

I clicked onto this thread expecting to see something about the flight to Bari!

Made me laughh out loud

[jaykay]

I think the charter would be a very positive initiative. Great idea to put it into YBIG to spread the word, but I'd also like the players to know about it/sign up to it. It would create much more of a sense of unity between players and fans (one which currently seems to be strong only at the away games).

[paul_oshea]

ok then maybe the medium is key, but those that read YBIG no what it should mean already. Its the ones that dont that we really need to get the message across to etc. And we need another medium, however I think its a catch 22, because if we used another more open medium then they would I feel not take it seriously. Where else could it be put if not in the match program?! Or could it not be endorsed by FAI and say please visit such a site to read the "fans" charter...

[Sligo Hornet]

ok then maybe the medium is key, but those that read YBIG no what it should mean already. Its the ones that dont that we really need to get the message across to etc. And we need another medium, however I think its a catch 22, because if we used another more open medium then they would I feel not take it seriously. Where else could it be put if not in the match program?! Or could it not be endorsed by FAI and say please visit such a site to read the "fans" charter...

[Mayo_Bhoy]

Personally speaking i have been going to Irish mtaches, home and away for 20 years and i don't like beong told how i should behave by some self apopointed 'behaviour police'. If this initiative is aimed at the scumbags who have recently joinerd our support, does anyone really believe that they are going to pay a blind bit of notice to this?? As for having it in a programme or copy of YBIG, i and most of my mates that go to matches never buy programmes and only once have i seen a copy oif YBIG.

As for singing songs that make refrerence to political organisations, i presume this refers to the add ons for 'the Fields'? If so i agree totally but i reserve the right to sing other rebel songs with like minded supporters. If some fans are offended, well tough, don't join in. As for expecting our media to give prioroty to the national team over UK football...are you for real?? Newspapers and other oulets are independent commercial entities and we as fans can hardly demand a say in editorial matters. Granted RTE as a a publicly funded national broadcaster is a different matter but i cant find fault with their coverage of the national team.

I appreciate where you are coming from and most your intentions are honourable, if totally unrealistic.

Let The PeopleSing!!!

[Beavis]

I can't look at him without thinking of this :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNJVgFmMrBI

[Stuttgart88]

Mayo Bhoy, yes I was referring only to the Fields add-ons. I've never been a great one for the normal rebel songs myself but I've no issue with them at all.

Actually when I first starting going to Ireland games there was a hard-core South Terrace element happy to sing "Oi Oi IRA" etc. but that elements is long long gone now.

[Mayo_Bhoy]

Mayo Bhoy, yes I was referring only to the Fields add-ons. I've never been a great one for the normal rebel songs myself but I've no issue with them at all.

Actually when I first starting going to Ireland games there was a hard-core South Terrace element happy to sing "Oi Oi IRA" etc. but that elements is long long gone now.

Fair enough. I've no time for the IRA stuff either but most of the good sing songs i've had on away trips have been mostly rebel stuff. I'd personally much rather have such a session than one singing childish chants copied from UK clubs, but each to their own i suppose. Good luck with your charter.

[Stuttgart88]

Problem is, I've never been able to remember the words to the rebel songs!

[Stuttgart88]

singing childish chants copied from UK clubs

which is why I said "We have our own songs & traditions...". In my mind this was a thinly veiled attack on the "Ireland 'till I die" or "Thierry Henry yer 'aving a larf" type nonsense.

Hornet's nest just opened. Run away...

[Mayo_Bhoy]

Problem is, I've never been able to remember the words to the rebel songs!

Buy me a pint in Bari and i'll teach ya.

[Sligo Hornet]

which is why I said "We have our own songs & traditions...". In my mind this was a thinly veiled attack on the "Ireland 'till I die" or "Thierry Henry yer 'aving a larf" type nonsense.

Hornet's nest just opened. Run away...

Don't be silly.......we're very nice and friendly!