Club in trouble - a good news story!

**avvenalaf** · 17/02/2011, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by WoodquayBoy

Well, the soccer world for a sta . . . oh. Fair enough, they might have done a lot in the are, but I am not a GAA fan, never have been, never will be, and that story gave me a smile on a week that has been short of reasons to be cheerful for me as a Galway United fan

If the only bright spot in a Galway United supporter's week is the misfortune of others, you don't have much to look forward to this season.

**cornflakes** · 17/02/2011, 11:55 AM

found this old thread on boards, kinda interesting
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2055007042

It would be fantastic to see this stadium finished, it is a shame to see it just sitting there being wasted. I hope that either between them or individually rovers get it sorted. The GAA clubs will bring immence funding as clubs always manage to raise amazing ammounts of money, Davis' is a case in point

How the tables have turned

**WoodquayBoy** · 17/02/2011, 1:56 PM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf

If the only bright spot in a Galway United supporter's week is the misfortune of others, you don't have much to look forward to this season.

That's my point - right now, as things stand, I have very little to look forward to in relation to the 2011 season. And not necessarily the misfortune of others, just of the G**

**Big Chief** · 17/02/2011, 2:34 PM

As a paid up and indeed playing (albeit badly) member of the G.A.A. in Tyrone and a Finn Harps fan I can see both sides of the argument on this one. I think it's always disappointing when a sports club which is providing a health and entertainment outlet for the local community folds.

I have to admit there are a number of hardliners within the G.A.A. who view soccer as an ever present danger which must be stamped out in all it's forms. I, on the other hand, feel that both sports should be able to co-exist. Soccer for it's part could learn a lot from the G.A.A. in terms of volunteerism and fundraising capacity through close community ties.

**Mr A** · 17/02/2011, 2:36 PM

Sure all our clubs are based on volunteers.

**Big Chief** · 17/02/2011, 2:42 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Sure all our clubs are based on volunteers.

Yes but proportionately the G.A.A. are capable of mobilising much greater numbers.

**dfx-** · 17/02/2011, 2:48 PM

At last, I can agree that Thomas Davis should just keep on doing whatever they are doing right now...

**legendz** · 17/02/2011, 2:57 PM

Sunderland reported a £27m loss yesterday and this GAA club reporting losses now as well. At least attention is being deflected from the LoI woes.

**WoodquayBoy** · 17/02/2011, 2:58 PM

Originally Posted by Big Chief

Yes but proportionately the G.A.A. are capable of mobilising much greater numbers.

Yes but proportionately the GAA has a bigger membership, hence the ability to mobilise greater numbers

**Mr A** · 17/02/2011, 3:11 PM

Plus what they pay tends to be under the table, so they maintain this moral veneer as a volunteer organisation when quite a lot of people are doing quite well out of it.

**Rasputin** · 17/02/2011, 3:19 PM

Originally Posted by marinobohs

Wonder how much they would have saved had they avoided thier spitefull campaign against shams/Tallaght stadium ?

Really, really love the idea of shams offering a fund raising match/ function to help "bail" them out. Watching them squirm while trying to wriggle out of it (I remember the RDS fiasco) would be priceless.

Come on Hoops, do it for every LOI fan

I second this, dooooo it Shams.

**Spudulika** · 17/02/2011, 4:34 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Plus what they pay tends to be under the table, so they maintain this moral veneer as a volunteer organisation when quite a lot of people are doing quite well out of it.

Of course such things as paying under the table of biscuit tins in ticket offices don't exist in the LOI ;-) But at least you're right, the LOI doesn't bother with the moral veneer, only moral outrage :-)

**WoodquayBoy** · 17/02/2011, 4:52 PM

Originally Posted by Spudulika

Of course such things as paying under the table of biscuit tins in ticket offices don't exist in the LOI ;-) But at least you're right, the LOI doesn't bother with the moral veneer, only moral outrage :-)

Well, at least it has some morals, be they veneered or outraged!

**Big Chief** · 17/02/2011, 5:00 PM

Originally Posted by WoodquayBoy

Yes but proportionately the GAA has a bigger membership, hence the ability to mobilise greater numbers

You are quite right when you point out that the G.A.A. has a bigger membership but ultimately nobody (that I know of at least) has ever been forced at gunpoint to become a member of the G.A.A. yet they choose to do so whereas very few people choose to become involved with supporting, financially assisting or volunteering for League of Ireland teams.

Can the League of Ireland clubs genuinely afford to bury their heads in the sand and fail to learn any lessons or pick up any tips from the G.A.A.?

**John83** · 17/02/2011, 5:13 PM

Originally Posted by Big Chief

Can the League of Ireland clubs genuinely afford to bury their heads in the sand and fail to learn any lessons or pick up any tips from the G.A.A.?

You're right. The key to LoI success is to invent a time machine, kill Michael Cusack and assorted others, and somehow associate association football with Irish nationalism and parochialism by playing up its Irish roots (ignoring the fact that the rules of the assorted ball games of the Irish are not documented), fundraising for the IRA and establishing one and only one club in each parish. I'll just email Fran Gavin now.

**sixesandsevens** · 17/02/2011, 5:16 PM

I'm sure those cute hoors in the GAA will spin this story as proof that "soccer" is destroying "our great national game"

**Big Chief** · 17/02/2011, 5:20 PM

Originally Posted by John83

You're right. The key to LoI success is to invent a time machine, kill Michael Cusack and assorted others, and somehow associate association football with Irish nationalism and parochialism by playing up its Irish roots (ignoring the fact that the rules of the assorted ball games of the Irish are not documented), fundraising for the IRA and establishing one and only one club in each parish. I'll just email Fran Gavin now.

I would save as for the fact that the effect bit of a few outside the box ideas and some fresh thinking may actually kill him! Come to think of it perhaps he could become a martyr for the cause off the back of it!!!

**John83** · 17/02/2011, 5:35 PM

Originally Posted by Big Chief

I would save as for the fact that the effect bit of a few outside the box ideas and some fresh thinking may actually kill him! Come to think of it perhaps he could become a martyr for the cause off the back of it!!!

We could always drop his corpse on Cusack from a great height. It might be taken as a sign that his ideas were ill-omened and an affront to God.

**Mr A** · 17/02/2011, 6:17 PM

Not comparing like with like there.. if you added all the volunteers from across the football family rather than just the LOI I'd say there would not be that much of a gap.

**legendz** · 17/02/2011, 6:24 PM

The GAA have their own problems. They don't promote the National Leagues well. A lot of discussion goes on lamenting the Championship structure. Clubs get to play few games in the summer because of inter-county action. The LoI is capable of holding it's own ground, if the majority of clubs can get their houses in order.