Dungannon Swifts v Linfield

**dcfcsteve** · 07/05/2007, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Fortuna1886

I seriously doubt it. I've been watching Linfield win things for a few decades now and the feeling is getting better every year. Even more so with the Irish Cup, we haven't won it enough in the last 20 years.

see what it means at www.southstandsays.co.uk/gallery

I didn't say it wouldn't mean anything to Linfield fans. I just said that, in relative terms, it must surely mean more for a club who never wins anything to lift a trophy than it does for one that always wins something.

The good times always taste better when you've had to taste the bad, and it's been a hell of a long time since Linfield had their taste buds sharpened in this way.

**Steve Bruce** · 08/05/2007, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

I didn't say it wouldn't mean anything to Linfield fans. I just said that, in relative terms, it must surely mean more for a club who never wins anything to lift a trophy than it does for one that always wins something.

The good times always taste better when you've had to taste the bad, and it's been a hell of a long time since Linfield had their taste buds sharpened in this way.

3 seasons ago when we won the Setanta cup, we lost the league to Glentoran after leading the championship the whole season. Glentoran scored in the dieing minutes to clinch the title.

We know how bad that felt and thankfully we have rebounded since then and it's a feeling I hope to never feel again, but unfortunately football is a business that will repeat them feelings over and over again.

**Bottle of Tonic** · 08/05/2007, 10:17 AM

I see Swifts striker Mark McAllister is being linked with a summer move away, possibly to Celtic,Leeds and some others.
What kind of a player is he, and would any of you expect him to make an impact across channel?

**Steve Bruce** · 08/05/2007, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Bottle of Tonic

I see Swifts striker Mark McAllister is being linked with a summer move away, possibly to Celtic,Leeds and some others.
What kind of a player is he, and would any of you expect him to make an impact across channel?

He is a decent enough young player, although very suprized teams of Celtics stature would be interested.

**dcfcsteve** · 08/05/2007, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

3 seasons ago when we won the Setanta cup, we lost the league to Glentoran after leading the championship the whole season. Glentoran scored in the dieing minutes to clinch the title.

We know how bad that felt and thankfully we have rebounded since then and it's a feeling I hope to never feel again, but unfortunately football is a business that will repeat them feelings over and over again.

So you think losing the league on the last day of the season (and therefore still finishign 2nd) is a good example of the bad days...?

Try going bust, going into administration, nearing relegation/getting relegated, having to withdraw from football, not being alowed back into senior football, being homeless, having points deducted, etc etc etc.

There's a theory in football that to be a truely great club you have to have faced and overcome some form of adversity (e.g. Man United with Munich, Liverpool with Hillsborough). It would do Linfield some good to not have things so relatively rosey all the time.

**Steve Bruce** · 08/05/2007, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

So you think losing the league on the last day of the season (and therefore still finishign 2nd) is a good example of the bad days...?

Try going bust, going into administration, nearing relegation/getting relegated, having to withdraw from football, not being alowed back into senior football, being homeless, having points deducted, etc etc etc.

There's a theory in football that to be a truely great club you have to have faced and overcome some form of adversity (e.g. Man United with Munich, Liverpool with Hillsborough). It would do Linfield some good to not have things so relatively rosey all the time.

Steve why you trying to sh*t stir again. What is your motive, are you really that blinkered? Are you telling me because Linfield haven't had a massive trajedy we are not a great club?

Catch yourself on.

What makes you a great club is -

1) Success
2) Support
3) Loyalty
4) Involved in the community

Not because you had 200 people die in your stands, or because a dozen players got killed. That is ludicrus.

Also Linfield has in the past helped out Cliftonville, helped out Distillery and helped out other clubs who where in a financial mess. - This is one reason that makes us great

We also get very active in the community, no matter what persuasion and we have had youth groups at Windsor Park from the falls, shankill, andys town etc etc etc. We are a club that welcomes everyone. - This is another reason that makes us great

We have a support base that comes out to support us every week, rain hail sleet or snow. - This is what makes us great

We have a winning mentality that has stuck with us right through out history - This makes us great.

Linfield at one point where very close to bankrupcy only a few years ago. But trustees of our club bailed Linfield out. So we have been close to the point of administration. Thankfully our great support(trustees) bailed out our great club.

7 or 8 years ago Linfield bought Glenn Ferguson for 55k. Linfield had to borrow �30,000 from my club, the European LSC, another example of our great club and great support.

But really I shouldn't need to justify myself to you. And to be frank i find it rather amusing a Derry City supporter questioning how great Linfield is.

We are great, we have proved it through out history and we have nothing else to prove.

**Steve Bruce** · 08/05/2007, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

So you think losing the league on the last day of the season (and therefore still finishign 2nd) is a good example of the bad days...?

It was heart breaking and it was a very bad day.

As far as I was aware we where talking about success being sweeter and you said that it would be sweeter for some one who doesn't win much.

When we lost the league against are main rivals to our main rivals, that hurt and hurt bad. That is why it is so sweet to do the double double this year.

**Poor Student** · 08/05/2007, 11:06 AM

Steves, is there something wrong with you two? Can you not avoid having tangental debates on Linfield v Derry at every point? Seriously, look at what happens to discussion between you almost every time on this forum. Steve Bruce I don't know why you had to take an innocuous comment so seriously and DCFCSteve, as always you have to discuss and debate a minor point ad infinitum and expand it well beyond its original narrow scope. Your discussion ends here and that's a warning.

**David** · 08/05/2007, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

Steves, is there something wrong with you two? Can you not avoid having tangental debates on Linfield v Derry at every point? Seriously, look at what happens to discussion between you almost every time on this forum. Steve Bruce I don't know why you had to take an innocuous comment so seriously and DCFCSteve, as always you have to discuss and debate a minor point ad infinitum and expand it well beyond its original narrow scope. Your discussion ends here and that's a warning.

Yet again a Linfield supporter attacked by admin for defending his club against a thinly veiled attack. Warn me, ban me or whatever, I am past caring as far as this forum is concerned. Repeatedly Linfield supporters have been denied the right to defend our club from attacks by others, particularly Derry City supporters. Once it was dcfcsteve and me, now it is dcfc and steve bruce. Spot the common denominator there?

**Poor Student** · 08/05/2007, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by David

Yet again a Linfield supporter attacked by admin for defending his club against a thinly veiled attack. Warn me, ban me or whatever, I am past caring as far as this forum is concerned. Repeatedly Linfield supporters have been denied the right to defend our club from attacks by others, particularly Derry City supporters. Once it was dcfcsteve and me, now it is dcfc and steve bruce. Spot the common denominator there?

David, you're not above using the normal channels. Make a complaint properly or it's going in the bin.

**dcfcsteve** · 08/05/2007, 12:13 PM

I mentioned a theory that tragedy is a key ingredient in what some people consider 'great clubs'. There was a recent article on it in The Sunday Times Monday sports section. If you have a problem with that view, write to the London Times.

I will stand by my view that success tastes all the sweeter if you rarely encounter it and you've had to ensure hardship and misery on the way to getting it. It's a universal rule of life - not just a footballing one.

Now can the mass hysteria come to an end please ?

**pete** · 08/05/2007, 12:14 PM

Only glanced at this on tv but looked like much smaller crowd than usual.

What capacity are the various stands anyway?

**NY Hoop** · 08/05/2007, 1:35 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

So you think losing the league on the last day of the season (and therefore still finishign 2nd) is a good example of the bad days...?

Try going bust, going into administration, nearing relegation/getting relegated, having to withdraw from football, not being alowed back into senior football, being homeless, having points deducted, etc etc etc.

Rovers??!

Felt the Dungannon keeper was superb after his shocking mistake for the second goal. And would have been better for the whole league if Dungannon won it. Liked that they tried to play ball. Seen a lot worse cup finals from so called better leagues.

KOH

**Steve Bruce** · 09/05/2007, 9:51 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Only glanced at this on tv but looked like much smaller crowd than usual.

What capacity are the various stands anyway?

Much smaller team in the final with Linfield.

The Kop holds 4000
South Holds 2800
North Stand holds 6800.(botton deck holds 3000)

Linfield sold out there allocation and many where turned away. Unfortunately Health & Safety would not allow the North Stand to be divided into two. That would have meant an extra 3000 Linfield fans at the game.

This years attendance was reported at 7600. Which believe me isn't correct as there was 4000 alone in the Kop stand and 2400 in the North Stand and the South Stand only had a handful of empty seats so around 2600 in that Stand. Which brings the total of 9000. IF they had of split the North Stand into 2 we would have had around 12,000 at the game. Which might not be a massive attendance, but it is more or less the capacity of the ground.

This is one of the reasons why we need a new stadium. Which I have never been against, I just think the national stadium should be in Belfast.

**Steve Bruce** · 09/05/2007, 9:55 AM

Originally Posted by NY Hoop

Rovers??!

Felt the Dungannon keeper was superb after his shocking mistake for the second goal. And would have been better for the whole league if Dungannon won it. Liked that they tried to play ball. Seen a lot worse cup finals from so called better leagues.

KOH

The standard was way below par, Linfield seem out on there feet at the moment. Hopefully we can pick ourselves up for one last game.

Dungannon came to play a bit and win the cup final, it is unfortunate the way they went out although I'm glad we won it. I would rather have had a replay and win the game on the pitch rather than penaltys.