IL football on sky!

[SolitudeRed]

With half one side all parked cars on display . Thought it looked amateurish. Also the name Solitude: depressing name if there ever was one.

Aye you forgot to mention the meatwagons parked there too! well thought Solitude looked well and I'm sure it is better than some grounds in the EL and we're supposed to be building a new stand behind one of the Goals sometime soon.

[dcfcsteve]

I'm certainly no Linfield fan (perish the thought) and I don't approve of unnecessary political references in football, but without carrying out some sort of geometric study, the overwhelming impression of the Linfield support was that they were wearing their club colours - convenient, or otherwise - as this photo demonstrates:

http://www.southstandsays.co.uk/gall.../10002/q51.jpg

There is hardly an NI flag to be seen. Whereas, a significant number of the Cliftonville banners were Irish Tricolours - a stark contrast to their club colours. Still, it made me laugh when they were singing about "hating the Orange *******s" etc, when theirs was the only orange on display anywhere!

Still, overall a good evening for both teams and the Carnegie Irish League.

Neither side should use political flags/emblems - I don't draw distinction between either team.

What is the point in having signs at Solitude expressing a policy that is clearly not enforced ? Farcical.....

[BleusAvantTout]

while there was some idiotic chanting from a minority in both sets of supporters the majority of them were well behaved.

I'm afraid you must have selected deafness. Linfield fans sung/chanted nothing of a sectarian nature, unless "Rule Britannia" is classed as "dodgy"! I'm glad a section of your fans really hate "orange *******s", feel that David Jeffrey is a sad "orange *******" and Amhrán na bhFiann is appropriate to be introduced for the Sky audience. When our fans misbehave, I will be very critical, but when they are well behaved, I will not tolerate a tissue of lies!!!

[pete]

Linfield fans sung/chanted nothing of a sectarian nature, unless "Rule Britannia" is classed as "dodgy"!

Apparently that is a sectarian song.

When Linfield sang that in the Setanta Cup I was not offended though as I found it funny as in - where is your Empire now?

[OneRedArmy]

I'm afraid you must have selected deafness. Linfield fans sung/chanted nothing of a sectarian nature, unless "Rule Britannia" is classed as "dodgy"! I'm glad a section of your fans really hate "orange *******s", feel that David Jeffrey is a sad "orange *******" and Amhrán na bhFiann is appropriate to be introduced for the Sky audience. When our fans misbehave, I will be very critical, but when they are well behaved, I will not tolerate a tissue of lies!!!

So Rule Britannia is okay and Amhrán na bhFiann isn't............sweet jesus.

Both have nothing to do with either club and should be banned. Suggest everyone joins in in a hearty rendition of Irelands Call, followed by Van the Man singing Days like This......

[NY Hoop]

Neither side should use political flags/emblems - I don't draw distinction between either team.

What is the point in having signs at Solitude expressing a policy that is clearly not enforced ? Farcical.....

I wouldnt lose sleep over it. Had to smile when I saw the sign but didnt have any problems hanging a tricolour in the cage!

Flags add much needed colour to grounds and no flag should be banned IMO. Dont know why people are getting worked up over singing. Who cares what fans sing? In any derby the world over there are going to be songs sung that will annoy the opposition. That is the idea.

Very enjoyable occasion monday night.

KOH

[Schumi]

Linfield fans sung/chanted nothing of a sectarian nature, unless "Rule Britannia" is classed as "dodgy"! I'm glad a section of your fans... feel that... Amhrán na bhFiann is appropriate to be introduced for the Sky audience.

This makes no sense at all. If you feel that Rule Britannia is OK to sing (and I'd agree), how can you think that Amhrán na bhFiann isn't?

[Graemerz]

I wouldnt lose sleep over it. Had to smile when I saw the sign but didnt have any problems hanging a tricolour in the cage!

Flags add much needed colour to grounds and no flag should be banned IMO. Dont know why people are getting worked up over singing. Who cares what fans sing? In any derby the world over there are going to be songs sung that will annoy the opposition. That is the idea.

Very enjoyable occasion monday night.

KOH

I would agree with you, this once. However the UEFA 10 Point Plan certainly wouldn't.

[gspain]

I wouldnt lose sleep over it. Had to smile when I saw the sign but didnt have any problems hanging a tricolour in the cage!

Flags add much needed colour to grounds and no flag should be banned IMO. Dont know why people are getting worked up over singing. Who cares what fans sing? In any derby the world over there are going to be songs sung that will annoy the opposition. That is the idea.

Very enjoyable occasion monday night.

KOH

So would you approve of a Swastika?

[NY Hoop]

So would you approve of a Swastika?

Obviously. Havent you heard all Rovers fans are nazis?!!

BTW would anyone have a spare programme? Couldnt get any monday.


KOH

[Steve Bruce]

This makes no sense at all. If you feel that Rule Britannia is OK to sing (and I'd agree), how can you think that Amhrán na bhFiann isn't?

What is that amhran song ?

[Schumi]

What is that amhran song ?

That song they used to sing before the rugby matches.

[SolitudeRed]

I'm afraid you must have selected deafness. Linfield fans sung/chanted nothing of a sectarian nature, unless "Rule Britannia" is classed as "dodgy"! I'm glad a section of your fans really hate "orange *******s", feel that David Jeffrey is a sad "orange *******" and Amhrán na bhFiann is appropriate to be introduced for the Sky audience. When our fans misbehave, I will be very critical, but when they are well behaved, I will not tolerate a tissue of lies!!!

Well I wasn't at the match myself but my brother and his mate were and they told me that some of the Blues fans were singing about the Glentoran being Fenian Bs at one stage. But at the end of the day yes there was probably more of such chanting from the Reds end and considering that this was a big home game for us you would have to expect that a lot of blow in so called 'fans' would turn up and sing these sort of tunes! While the Linfield fans who go to Solitude are heavily vetted to prevent most of these type muppets getting to the game!

As for the flags thing The Assembly should bring in legislation banning political flags from games although this has been done in Scotland but doesn't really seem to have eradicated sectarianism in football over there!

[SolitudeRed]

Obviously. Havent you heard all Rovers fans are nazis?!!

BTW would anyone have a spare programme? Couldnt get any monday.


KOH

Told my Brother to get me one but he forgot and I'm pretty sure that they are all sold out now

Were there many Rovers fans up at Solitude for the game then?

[NY Hoop]

Told my Brother to get me one but he forgot and I'm pretty sure that they are all sold out now

Were there many Rovers fans up at Solitude for the game then?

About 6 with 3 flags.

KOH

[BleusAvantTout]

So Rule Britannia is okay and Amhrán na bhFiann isn't............sweet jesus.

Both have nothing to do with either club and should be banned. Suggest everyone joins in in a hearty rendition of Irelands Call, followed by Van the Man singing Days like This......

You may not be aware but throughout the not so recent history of this fixture both GSTQ & Amhrán na bhFiann have been used by each side to wind up the other. This, in my opinion, degrades both anthems. I don't think the singing of "Rule Britannia" is appropriate at a football match. It is more suited to the jingoistic "last night at the proms"!

Ireland's Call is not, AFAIK, popular at present within the unionist population. A fact that stems to GSTQ not been played at the recent Ireland game at Ravenhill. I am not authority on egg chasing and I have no interest in it whatsoever. I'm just going by what I heard on phone-ins up here!!

The behaviour of both sets of fans on Monday night was light years ahead of what this fixture would have attracted in the late 70s/early 80s. For that both clubs and their fans should be commended.

[OneRedArmy]

Ireland's Call is not, AFAIK, popular at present within the unionist population.

That makes it in a small minority of things the whole island can agree on.

I think you missed the point though, Rule Britannia and Amhrán na bhFiann are both sung to reinforce the nationality of each clubs fans.

Personally, I'd prefer not to have to ban any of this kind of stuff. The only true solution will be when the meatheads that follow every club (some more than others) feel they don't have to ram their nationality down everyone elses throat at a football match.

Point taken though that huge progress has been made from 20-30 years ago.

[Graemerz]

People here are asking for the Union Jack to be banned from Irish League matches... Why should the national flag be banned in its country?

[Sniffer]

The whole night seemed to be a resounding success in relative terms for IPL football - there will always be mavericks at a game, if there weren't we wouldn't need security. While I don't doubt that there were negative aspects, the important thing is that the whole occasion was well received. BTW, a few words on it here.

[OneRedArmy]

People here are asking for the Union Jack to be banned from Irish League matches... Why should the national flag be banned in its country?

Whats your nationality got to do with a domestic football match?

PS If you are going to retort with something along the lines of "its a free world....you should be able to do whatever you want" that doesn't answer my question.