"the brand which is Limerick FC"

[LK37oldskool]

Athlone/Galway...same diff

[Lim till i die]

So is following a club in whatever code really about class distinction. Wow what a forum! We've moved into a philosophy debate.

All together now:

"Garryowen are the boys in blue, W@N$ERS!!"

Lighten up for jaysus sake!

We all know Thomond are the only working class club in the town left!

Cmereanitelluref, you're only a HANNNNNNNNNNNNNNDIIIIIIIIICAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!

The Old Belvedere pavillion it aint

[sadloserkid]

Hasn't much right talking down to the JoeSoaps of this world in fairness man.

You see you play a dangerous game when you decide that it's ok for certain people to dismiss other people's opinions as they see fit. Obviously, if one is to take your scale of expertise that is ones' opinion times the period one has supported the club multiplied by the % of games one has been to in the last year then GXI is right down there with the newest of newbies and obviously he shouldn't be talking down to the JoeSoaps of this world. That said there shouldn't be any talking down to anybody on a systematic basis.

What actually happens on this internet forum is that everybody gets to express an opinion and as long as it is within the forum rules and doesn't fall afoul of my good self or the super mods it is deemed acceptable. It's almost right wing enough that Monkfish should approve on some level.

[Football MaD]

LTID is one of these guys who now thinks it trendy and cool to follow Young Munsters like all the hundreds of fans who now go back there since the promotion campaign of last year.

We all know Thomond are the only working class club in the town left!

Actually Richmond is!

[L37Ultra]

The ovewhelming majority of Munster fans are the worst type of sports fan, people who never darkened the door of an AIL club or who, even worse in my opinion, have totally abandoned the AIL because there's a newer, bigger, brighter, cooler show in town.

I doubt that anybody here has any negativity to bestow upon genuine rugby fans. It's the other 90% or so that are beneath contempt.

And I probably will look think a little less of those who hop onboard our own wagon if and when it stops moving. I won't make a big deal about it because their money would certainly be welcomed but somebody who is only willing to support a local team when they're succesful doesn't deserve the same respect as somebody who follows them regardless of form and profile irrespective of the sporting code we're tlking about.

Could you not use the same argument that many Limerick fans are involved/support with a Junior club in town so therefore they are not genuine football fans?

Genunie question, I just don't understand the whole rugby thing (even though I played it for a short while)

[joeSoap]

Genunie question, I just don't understand the whole rugby thing (even though I played it for a short while)

Rugby in Limerick has always been parochial, and was always very strongly supported at club level until Munsters sucess in the Heineken Cup came along. Now, clubs have been decimated as Munster recruit all of their talent and forbid them playing club rugby. Shannon, the most successful club in the history of Irish rugby have lost the services of players such as Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Mick Galwey, John Langford, Eddie Halvey, Alan Quinlan, Anthony Foley and Peter Stringer over the past few years, and with that, they lost a lot of their crowds. Young Munster and Garryowen were similarly hit in such a way if not to as great an extent. Thomond Park was packed to the rafters for any game involving these three, and one of the most soughtafter rugby trophies, the Munster Senior Cup has become a joke in latter years. All of this has been a result of Munster success and while it is great for all involved, it too is worrying because in years to come, a kid won't want to play under 8's for Shannon or Munsters, he'll want to play it for Munster and there won't be a structure for him to play in. The game will suffer.

Football fans generally are resentful of Munsters success for a variety of reasons; the crowds attracted to rugby, the trophies, the apparent glamour and media hype, and so on. I personally would be resentful of it, but only slightly for what they have done to my club, Shannon, and to guys from Garryowen and Munsters and Crescent like me who grew up in a club environment that is dying. But I appreciate the world class rugby team it has brought to Limerick and admire all it has done for the city, both on and off the field.

Bottom line is that Limerick people are the most stubborn, proud and arrogant supporters of their teams, no matter who they are. But everyone has a right to call themselves a supporter if they support. I am a Limerick 37, Munster, Shannon, Manchester United, Limerick hurling and Ireland(both codes) supporter as I go to games involving all of them whenever I can and want them all to do well. I don't really care what slagging I get for it...I give as good as I get back. Thats what it should be all about...banter, good craic and a desire to see your team or teams win, and fcuk the begrudgers!!

[L37Ultra]

Rugby in Limerick has always been parochial, and was always very strongly supported at club level until Munsters sucess in the Heineken Cup came along. Now, clubs have been decimated as Munster recruit all of their talent and forbid them playing club rugby. Shannon, the most successful club in the history of Irish rugby have lost the services of players such as Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Mick Galwey, John Langford, Eddie Halvey, Alan Quinlan, Anthony Foley and Peter Stringer over the past few years, and with that, they lost a lot of their crowds. Young Munster and Garryowen were similarly hit in such a way if not to as great an extent. Thomond Park was packed to the rafters for any game involving these three, and one of the most soughtafter rugby trophies, the Munster Senior Cup has become a joke in latter years. All of this has been a result of Munster success and while it is great for all involved, it too is worrying because in years to come, a kid won't want to play under 8's for Shannon or Munsters, he'll want to play it for Munster and there won't be a structure for him to play in. The game will suffer.

But sure the same happens in GAA when players play for their clubs and also play with their countys if choosen.

Would you not consider Munster as a club? They play against club sides in the Heiniken Cup and Celtic League?

[sadloserkid]

Would you not consider Munster as a club? They play against club sides in the Heiniken Cup and Celtic League?

One of the things that really bothers me about Munster is precisely that they're not clubs but basically an artificial creation, inflated by IRFU money, that is competing against actual clubs. Why weren't our clubs allowed to enter the Heineken Cup anyway? Because they weren't good enough? The same argument could be made of LOI clubs in Europe but I'd be utterly appalled to see it happen in football.

[Green_Hoop]

You can hardly call Munster a club, If you look at it they get automatic qualification into the Heineken cup every regardless of how they do,whereas English/French teams have to field full teams the following week after a Heineken cup game to ensure they have a chance to qualify for the competition the following year, whilst Munster send out a bunch of 2nd string players against Newport so that their 1st team get a "rest".

I agree with the majority of posts above me, only thing that was missing was a post about the "Munster Supporters Club", which is in my Opinion the biggest joke of a " Supporters Club" going, the vast majority didn't attend a game until Circa 2000/01 or so, I remember the days when 60 or so lost souls attend the Inter Provence fixture between Munster and Leinster in a wind swept Garryown,and that was only 9/10 years ago. They should introduce some sort of ticketing system where you qualify for Munster tickets through your attendance to AIL games with you local club.

Back on Topic its as easy as this,the more successful you are the bigger the crowds, the more the money you get. I've been the few games out in Thomond park so far and am of firm belief that the "Munster" brand is losing touch with the people who were there when they played because it was an honour to do so, the corporate brand is quickly taking over.. Would be a shame to see Limerick FC to follow suit..

[joeSoap]

But sure the same happens in GAA when players play for their clubs and also play with their countys if choosen.

m Wrong. And a very different scenario. Inter-county fixtures rarely if ever clash with competitive club games in counties, so a club side is rarely down its county contingent for any competitive game it plays.

Would you not consider Munster as a club? They play against club sides in the Heiniken Cup and Celtic League?

Munster now has become a club I suppose, in so far as its a fully professional entity, yet you'll never see real Munster born talent play for Leinster and vice-versa. They play against club sides from England and France who are also professional. Welsh sides bar Cardiff are also provincially drawn such as the Ospreys and the Dragons. Scottish clubs are just pure muck and don't merit consideration.

Munster will never be a club in the true meaning of the word, but I'll still support them as I love the game they play and they're my local professional rugby team.

[joeSoap]

You can hardly call Munster a club, If you look at it they get automatic qualification into the Heineken cup every regardless of how they do,whereas English/French teams have to field full teams the following week after a Heineken cup game to ensure they have a chance to qualify for the competition the following year, whilst Munster send out a bunch of 2nd string players against Newport so that their 1st team get a "rest"...

Not strictly their fault. They do technically have to qualify for the Heineken Cup as there is three Irish spots up for grabs with 4 sides competing for them. The lowest finisher of the 4 in the Magners League does not qualify, and that is never going to happen Munster, but its qualification nonetheless.

I agree with the majority of posts above me, only thing that was missing was a post about the "Munster Supporters Club", which is in my Opinion the biggest joke of a " Supporters Club" going, the vast majority didn't attend a game until Circa 2000/01 or so, I remember the days when 60 or so lost souls attend the Inter Provence fixture between Munster and Leinster in a wind swept Garryown,and that was only 9/10 years ago. They should introduce some sort of ticketing system where you qualify for Munster tickets through your attendance to AIL games with you local club....

But as I said earlier, what gives you or I the right to tell anyone who they can or cannot support, or what supporters club they can join. The worst examples of this for me are the Glasgow Celtic brigade, but I have no right to criticise their right to support Celtic. Your point on the ticket situation is valid, but sadly never going to happen because of the corporate world.

[L37Ultra]

m Wrong. And a very different scenario. Inter-county fixtures rarely if ever clash with competitive club games in counties, so a club side is rarely down its county contingent for any competitive game it plays.

But the point I was making was that Munster would be the same in that they are a representive side of the best players in the AIL. My question was would people consider Munster as a club because it would be easy to get a Munster Soccer team/club with all the financial backing of Cork/Cobh/Waterford and Limerick and they could possibly do well in the Champions League in a couple of years just like Munster have done well in the Heiniken Cup.

Getting back to the main topic I think when they say "brand" (hate the word when it comes to sport) I think its just to appeal to business in Limerick because when they start seeing Limerick FC as a proper "brand" on and off the field they will invest in the club which they need to move it to the next level.

[GenerationXI]

No harm Joe he isn't here a wet weekend.

Hasn't much right talking down to the JoeSoaps of this world in fairness man.

I've actually devised a pecking order for snideness man.

It goes:

JoeSoap
Gael
Me
Mr. Fish
You
JohnD
Jebus
GenXI

So let it be written etc etc

That loud *POP* you heard was me being put in my place.

Bottom line is that Limerick people are the most stubborn, proud and arrogant supporters of their teams, no matter who they are. But everyone has a right to call themselves a supporter if they support. I am a Limerick 37, Munster, Shannon, Manchester United, Limerick hurling and Ireland(both codes) supporter as I go to games involving all of them whenever I can and want them all to do well. I don't really care what slagging I get for it...I give as good as I get back. Thats what it should be all about...banter, good craic and a desire to see your team or teams win, and fcuk the begrudgers!!

Fair point. At the end of the day sport is sport, and the bottom line is that people's approaches to it differ but that it's still a large part of most people's lives is a very good thing. Whether you're there for the ups/downs is largely irrelevant, really it's what the game of your choice does for you and what you choose to give back to it.

[LK37oldskool]

That loud *POP* you heard was me being put in my place.



Fair point. At the end of the day sport is sport, and the bottom line is that people's approaches to it differ but that it's still a large part of most people's lives is a very good thing. Whether you're there for the ups/downs is largely irrelevant, really it's what the game of your choice does for you and what you choose to give back to it.

GenX1, very profound statement and i would like to echo your point.I think you've summed it up perfectly.