Premier Division Play Off

[Terry-Lander]

If offered a premier licence should we take it.......No. We don't deserve it based on the season and the stats prove that. Some say we can't afford not to be in premier but the fact is we have no money and would be on another season of embarrasing hidings. That said I hope we can rebuild and will continue supporting the club, in whatever guise it takes.

A huge THANK YOU to the management committee and loyal fans who took on a seemingly impossible task, paid bills to local suppliers left by the previous regime and as Geezer would say 'put the ball in the centre circle' every week.

Had the pleasure to briefly meet some Mons fans in the Menlo park before the game and others afterwards and they are a credit to the club. At the end of the game I went to the Mons fans and applauded them, not one jeer was thrown my way. In fact their humility was amazing.

Feeling gutted today but with the core fan base that is committed to the cause I'm sure we will rise from the ashes and keep the Galway flag flying high.

[gufc2000]

A rundown in the events of last night..

· 111 Monaghan fans (of which, about 20-25 sang) descended upon Terryland Park.
· Monaghan completely outclassed Galway.
· Ryan Brennan and Fabio O'Brien were fantastic.
· Two Monaghan fans ran over the Galway section and decided to pull the Green Street act by taunting then running away.
· No segregation at all, which is ridiculous for such a big game.
· Limerick fan wins the HT Draw.
· Monaghan won 3-1.
· Some lovely, lovely football.
· The full time whistle blew.
· The Monaghan fans under celebrated.
· No pitch invasion, for what must be the first time ever?
· A serious lack of passion from the away support.
· A resigning huff from the home support.
· Monaghan fans leave the ground ten minutes after the full time whistle.
· Galway fans actually invade the pitch.
· An angry looking Roddy Collins goes and buys 50 quids worth of chips.
· Angrily, he points out the banner that a couple of Limerick fans had designed.
· The steward laughs at him.
· Michael D. Higgins looks on with eager eyes at the Galway fans as he departs.
· I walk back to the car, happy in the knowledge that a better footballing side will be in the Premier Division next year, but also in amazement at how Monaghan might just bring 7 fans to Turners Cross next year again.

Anything but...sang their hearts out from start to finish, and they had any amount of banners in the away section. Scenes of absolute delirium when the final whistle blew. They didn't have to invade the pitch.

Mons have one of the smallest support bases in the league, and have somehow punched amazingly above their weight. Great achievement for them and best of luck to them

[bluewhitearmy]

If offered a premier licence should we take it.......No. We don't deserve it based on the season and the stats prove that. Some say we can't afford not to be in premier but the fact is we have no money and would be on another season of embarrasing hidings. That said I hope we can rebuild and will continue supporting the club, in whatever guise it takes.

.

I cant really think of any reason why ye wouldnt accept it better chance of sponsorship and better crowds in the prem at the start of the season.

The only thing would be if ye have a weaker team then ye did this year would hiding after hiding drive people away from the club.

Couldnt see any club turning down the chance to stay up.

Best of luck with things in the off season and hopefully ill be seeing ye next season in the 1st division.

[Nesta99]

A rundown in the events of last night..

· The Monaghan fans under celebrated.
· No pitch invasion, for what must be the first time ever?
· A serious lack of passion from the away support.

Have you forgotten last years play off? Apart from having to approach a wall to invade a pitch they were probably back in Monaghan before they were convinced that nothing could go wrong

[Mr Maroon]

I cant really think of any reason why ye wouldnt accept it better chance of sponsorship and better crowds in the prem at the start of the season.

Not necessarily. I think more people might come if we can win the odd match in the First than lose almost every match in the Premier.

[bluewhitearmy]

Not necessarily. I think more people might come if we can win the odd match in the First than lose almost every match in the Premier.

Could be a bad thing for ye to stay up so...

I hope it doesnt come to it and no-one goes bust but thats not very likely.

[gufc2000]

Not necessarily. I think more people might come if we can win the odd match in the First than lose almost every match in the Premier.

Agreed, and besides its demoralising seeing the team you support get soundly beaten week in week out.

We've never really achieved anything what we'd have liked since we came up to the Premier. Its been a relegation battle year after year since we were promoted.

2007- finished 8th out of 12 teams which wasn't bad given it was our first year back up.

2008- Progress was expected, and there was genuine hopes we could get a top half finish. Season turned into a nightmare early on- Cousins sacked, financial problems, no home win til October. Great escape pulled off on the final night of the season in Belfield. Finished 9th out of 12 teams.

2009- Promising start under Foster, wayward middle. Dropped into the play-off places on the last night of the season. Avoided such scenario owing to Derry's expulsion. Finished 8th out of 10 teams.

2010- Sprinkles of class here and there, poor 2nd half to the season. Beat Bray in the play-off. Finished 8th out of 10 again

2011- Bottom of the pile.

We've been just hanging on year on year. Next season would more than likely be the same. While its great to be in the Premier, struggling year after year inevitably leads to relegation. There's only so much times you can go to the well before it dries up.

[Martinho II]

I see we were on the Late Late and the 9 o'clock news tonight.

why were Galway on the Late Late Mr Maroon?? By the way great talkin to you in the press box!!At least I know what you look like now!

[Martinho II]

Speaking of 20 points, I think that was exactly the gap between us and Galway, as we went down on GD, with 3 sides going down that year.

2012 will be a better spread for the PD, 3 teams from Louth/Mons area, a second side in North Dub, and Cork taking their deserved place to repersent munster.

yeah spot on oriel ...

[pineapple stu]

why were Galway on the Late Late Mr Maroon??

Wasn't it because the interview with the Prez?

[Martinho II]

Wasn't it because the interview with the Prez?

but he was in Terryland though??Im sure he stayed the whole game..

[OneForTheFuture]

It was Mario Rosenstock taking the michael?

[pineapple stu]

but he was in Terryland though??Im sure he stayed the whole game..

Yeah; wasn't he interviewed before the game, and then the interview shown on telly after?

[Charlie Darwin]

Congrats Mons. Commiserations Galway. You'll be back soon, hopefully.

[Mr Maroon]

why were Galway on the Late Late Mr Maroon?? By the way great talkin to you in the press box!!At least I know what you look like now!

It was good to meet you as well.

Wasn't it because the interview with the Prez?

That was on the 9 o'clock news.

It was Mario Rosenstock taking the michael?

Yes. He said a poem about GUFC as Michael D.

[BonnieShels]

Just about recovered from a ridiculous drunken night last night and only just got the result now.

Congrats to Mons. Commiserations to to Galway. A season in the FD to get yourselves sorted is what you need.

[OneForTheFuture]

Just about recovered from a ridiculous drunken night last night and only just got the result now.

Congrats to Mons. Commiserations to to Galway. A season in the FD to get yourselves sorted is what you need.

OK! But change back your mo' fo' avatar!

[4tothefloor]

Not necessarily. I think more people might come if we can win the odd match in the First than lose almost every match in the Premier.

I'd tend to agree which is why I asked. Nobody wants to support a hopeless case and from listening to the Galway fans on here yer not likely to have much of a budget next season. Instead of going down and starting the rejuvenation of the club right away, seems staying in the Premier would just be kicking the can down the road. A strange situation that will of course only become real if Bohs do implode

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't think there's a team in Ireland that would turn down a place in the Premier Division, whether it's Galway United or Raheny United, so you couldn't blame Galway if they did. The FAI should use some discretion if the situation arises because Limerick are clearly the next in line.

[gufct]

Cant turn down a prem place if we get a licence. Absolute madness if we did as the revenue from sponsorship and bigger crowds would be hugely significant. How will playing in front of one man and his dog improve our club. The only thing we had going for us in attracting good local players above Mervue & Salthill is that we were a Premier Team.

We as a club have learned more in the last year than we would learn in 10 years in the first. The elephant in the room is 3 clubs in Galway which means that over €500,000 will be taken out of soccer in Galway to run the clubs without a player being payed absolute madness.