What Irish League Grounds have you been to?

**Graemerz** · 14/01/2009, 7:54 PM

I think dcfcsteve has a point for once. I think staggering the rivalries is a good idea.

**Steve Bruce** · 15/01/2009, 10:55 AM

Boxing day attract football crowds bigger than any other time of year anywhere on this island. Why change what is already a winning formula.

**Graemerz** · 15/01/2009, 5:41 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

Boxing day attract football crowds bigger than any other time of year anywhere on this island. Why change what is already a winning formula.

I'm not saying we should change Boxing Day, Boxing Day should always be a Blues/Glens derby match but the likes of Coleraine/Ballymena, Portadown/Glenavon, Cliftonville/Crusaders could be played on a different day. This would also give SKY a chance to show other derbys.

**holidaysong** · 15/01/2009, 8:38 PM

What crowds do the Glentoran/Linfield derbies that aren't on December 26th get? Seems odd that the large crowds would only turn up for the derby on that particular day and not the others..

**Graemerz** · 15/01/2009, 9:34 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

What crowds do the Glentoran/Linfield derbies that aren't on December 26th get? Seems odd that the large crowds would only turn up for the derby on that particular day and not the others..

Blues/Glens get anywhere between 8000/12000 every game they play unless its midweek.

**holidaysong** · 15/01/2009, 9:35 PM

Originally Posted by Graemerz

Blues/Glens get anywhere between 8000/12000 every game they play unless its midweek.

Ok. Do other clubs get inflated attendances on Dec. 26th that they wouldn't get if the game was played at another time of year?

**AnnaghRed** · 15/01/2009, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by Graemerz

Blues/Glens get anywhere between 8000/12000 every game they play unless its midweek.

IIRC even the annual setanta snooze-athon pulls in round the 3000 mark

**AnnaghRed** · 15/01/2009, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

Do other clubs get inflated attendances on Dec. 26th that they wouldn't get if the game was played at another time of year?

Going by the IFA crowd figures then it would seem that attendances for these two derbies played on dec 26th are 113% higher than previous dates.

Ballymena v Coleraine 2520/1004
Cliftonville v Crusaders 1426/820

Of course Portadown v Glenavon would wipe the floor with both of them, but that couldn't happen this season coz we're all professional now with integrity to preserve

**Graemerz** · 16/01/2009, 12:24 AM

Over recent years the Ballymena and Coleraine derby has quite remarkably got 8,000 odd people going to the game.

**AnnaghRed** · 16/01/2009, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by Graemerz

Over recent years the Ballymena and Coleraine derby has quite remarkably got 8,000 odd people going to the game.

Odd people alright, but i can never remember a crowd of thon proportions being reported.

**Graemerz** · 16/01/2009, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by AnnaghRed

Odd people alright, but i can never remember a crowd of thon proportions being reported.

I remember hearing that from a sheeps head, could have been talking out of his baaa-ckside though!

Sorry.

**JerseyRed** · 16/01/2009, 2:22 PM

Originally Posted by Graemerz

I'm not saying we should change Boxing Day, Boxing Day should always be a Blues/Glens derby match but the likes of Coleraine/Ballymena, Portadown/Glenavon, Cliftonville/Crusaders could be played on a different day. This would also give SKY a chance to show other derbys.

Oh FFS wise up!

Boxing Day is traditional for derbies and it must stay that way.

**Lux Interior** · 18/01/2009, 2:06 AM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Only because Coleraine had no proper rivals since City were forced out.

Newry is in mid Ulster ?!?!

You need to take a lie down before you go out and buy yoursel' a map, yumphla. I suppose you're gonna tell us next that Dundalk is too...

Too right. God forbid the Irish league might do something that would attract new or curious supporters. Especially in a league with such a severe geographical imbalance already. Down with that sort of thing...

Hate to break it to you, steve, but no-one gave a **** about Derry in their IL days.

Not sure about your massive 'derby' with Coleraine but if Derry's away following was anything like they brought to the Oval (ie: 10-20), then I'm sure the Coleraine public were wetting themselves when the candystripe bandwagon rolled into town.

re: your mid-Ulster point. Newry-Glenavon-Portadown is a 3 way mid-Ulster rivalry. I'm well aware where Dundalk is .....

pps: how many did Kevin Miscue score in the Eircom Premier?

**Graemerz** · 18/01/2009, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Lux Interior

Hate to break it to you, steve, but no-one gave a **** about Derry in their IL days.

Not sure about your massive 'derby' with Coleraine but if Derry's away following was anything like they brought to the Oval (ie: 10-20), then I'm sure the Coleraine public were wetting themselves when the candystripe bandwagon rolled into town.

re: your mid-Ulster point. Newry-Glenavon-Portadown is a 3 way mid-Ulster rivalry. I'm well aware where Dundalk is .....

pps: how many did Kevin Miscue score in the Eircom Premier?

More times than Fatterworth has scored for youse.