Ground-sharing in Abbotstown?

**Éanna** · 06/01/2004, 7:50 PM

It is pure and utter stupidity, no doubt about it. What good is moving 3 clubs out of their communities and piling themin together going to do. Rovers is a perfect example of why a club should not move from its spiritual home, the Bishopstown saga at City is another. Building support within the community around the stadium has proved to be probably the most successful tool for eircom League clubs in recent years and this flys in the face of it. sheer and utter stupidity.

**pineapple stu** · 06/01/2004, 7:52 PM

Originally posted by MARTINHO II
Dublin is far too small to sustain 6 different teams from different divisions.

6 out of 22 teams is just over a quarter of the league. Dublin's population is around 1m out of 4m, or one quarter of the country. About right!

Just having read the article fully, the Abbotstown development would include a new FAI HQ, training centre (to take over from Clonshaugh and the AUL) and a ground. It does go on a bit about how it would save Bertie some face though - possibly a bit of a spin?

**Éanna** · 06/01/2004, 7:57 PM

Originally posted by pineapple stu
6 out of 22 teams is just over a quarter of the league. Dublin's population is around 1m out of 4m, or one quarter of the country.

yeah, hard to argue with that. Although you have to bear in mind the significant number of non-Dubliners living in Dublin who do not/would not support a Dublin team. Quite a large number of eL fans of non-Dublin teams living in Dublin as it is.

**dortie** · 07/01/2004, 9:09 AM

Originally posted by Slash/ED
Yeah, our support is pathetic but Bohs is fine, that's why we had about the same attendences last season...

Well my last visit to Tolka I witnessed about 900 $hels fans (thats being generous) which for a championship chasing side was shocking.......Daler on the other hand had around 2,500 - 3,000 on my visits last year.

**TommyT** · 07/01/2004, 9:14 AM

They had max 1700 there to see them get presented with the league trophy.

**pete** · 07/01/2004, 12:05 PM

However, it would allow the Taoiseach to salvage something from his original plans for an 80,000-seater stadium and sports campus at the site in west Dublin.

Thats the real reason for these suggestions. How can anyone take this suggestion serious if the FAI not even spoken to the clubs about yet?

IMO this is all part of the greater plan to get the govt to fund part of the Lansdowne redevelopment. Bertie needs to justify the 170m spent relocating the national labs at Abbotstown so the FAI & IRFU will agree to base some sort of training centres out there so the govt can ok the redevelopment of Landsdowne.

**Slash/ED** · 07/01/2004, 6:22 PM

Originally posted by dortie
Well my last visit to Tolka I witnessed about 900 $hels fans (thats being generous) which for a championship chasing side was shocking.......Daler on the other hand had around 2,500 - 3,000 on my visits last year.

The average attendences for ourselves and Bohs done on that website posted here showed about 200 or so between ourselves and Bohs. So either we're both shíte, both good or both indifferent.

**TommyT** · 07/01/2004, 10:16 PM

Originally posted by Slash/ED
The average attendences for ourselves and Bohs done on that website posted here showed about 200 or so between ourselves and Bohs. So either we're both shíte, both good or both indifferent.

Come on every time Bohs play you they outnumber you two to one, you must recognise this ?

**A face** · 08/01/2004, 12:50 AM

Originally posted by Colm
The FAI is considering building a 15,000-seater complex in Abbotstown

Who wrote this ??

What kind of research was done, did they even speak to any of the clubs involved ??

Was it a slow news day that day ??

**Slash/ED** · 08/01/2004, 5:22 PM

Originally posted by TommyT
Come on every time Bohs play you they outnumber you two to one, you must recognise this ?

Yeah but what goods that? They only come out for the big games. Over the course of the season the average attendences have been almost exactly the same. A few extra heads showing up for the odd game doesn't really make a difference.

**Éanna** · 08/01/2004, 5:46 PM

Originally posted by Slash/ED
we're both shíte

thats about the size of it IMO

**Slash/ED** · 08/01/2004, 5:53 PM

Originally posted by Éanna
thats about the size of it IMO

I wont argue with that, to be fair, I think everyone knows attendences across the board need improving.

**tiktok** · 08/01/2004, 8:13 PM

Originally posted by A face

Who wrote this ??
What kind of research was done, did they even speak to any of the clubs involved ??
Was it a slow news day that day ??

Carl O'Brien in the Irish Times was where I saw it.
Don't know.
Not really, EU presidency only managed to shove it to Page three.