N. Ireland Support last night

**blobbyblob** · 09/09/2004, 9:39 AM

Did anyone see/hear the support from N. Ireland Supporters last night in the Millenium Stadium. Absolutely tremendous!

Brings me back to a time when we(ROI) weren't so egotistical, pompous and arrogant. We lay the blame on everyone but never look at ourselves. Its the "suits" fault, its the kids fault, is the PA announcers fault, its the FAIs fault, its the Stadiums fault, its the teams fault. Rubbish!

Why on earth are the FAI in the situation why they have to try and create an athmosphere? Us! Thats why. We need to get off our high horse, stop moaning and laying the blame on other peoples doorsteps and make some noise. Its not only the players on the pitch who have an obligation to perform.

Best supporters in the world my arse!

**tarzan_bray** · 09/09/2004, 9:46 AM

Kerr was right last night when he said we could learn about making noise from the Swiss fans, I couldn't believe there was only about 28000 supporters in the ground

**the 12 th man** · 09/09/2004, 10:19 AM

northern ireland supporters looked the biz on the tv.
they were going bannanas at the final whistle

**WeAreRovers** · 09/09/2004, 12:01 PM

The Loyalist scum were larging it all over Cardiff yesterday. Singing No Surrender and drapping their poxy red hand flags all over the city centre. The, eh, more Republican minded of Cardiff City's support went and had a "quite word" with them.

KOH

**liam88** · 09/09/2004, 12:07 PM

Much as I'm not a fan of 'No surrender' 'GSTQ' 'the b*stadised flag (C) Davrps 2004' I've got to take my Leprechaun hat off to the Nord Iron supporters last night-they made a heck of noise and werre singing dancing-and stayed in the stadium to party after the final whistle!

**eirebhoy** · 09/09/2004, 12:09 PM

If we were as bad as N.Ireland and just drew away from home to one of our closest rivals with 9 men, we'd all be the same. Our away support is excellent. Lansdowne is getting as bad as the likes of the French and Italian home grounds though.

**drinkfeckarse** · 09/09/2004, 12:14 PM

They were loud alright and gave great support but that's the case for most teams including us. The away support is always better because it's the "hardcore" so to speak.

**razor** · 09/09/2004, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by drinkfeckarse

The away support is always better because it's the "hardcore" so to speak.

But where did they rent them from?

**Slash/ED** · 09/09/2004, 1:19 PM

There's nothing wrong with Irelands away support, in fact it's fantastic. We could hear as many Irish chants as Swiss ones last night. The home support is where the problem lies but for away support we could be one of the best around imo.

**dublinred** · 09/09/2004, 1:26 PM

In fairness they don't get much to sing about these days thought the sendings off were crazy they should not let foreigners ref local derbies.

**tarzan_bray** · 09/09/2004, 1:29 PM

Originally Posted by Slash/ED

There's nothing wrong with Irelands away support, in fact it's fantastic. We could hear as many Irish chants as Swiss ones last night. The home support is where the problem lies but for away support we could be one of the best around imo.

I've heard a theory that the reason that our home support isn't great is because we have no real atmosphere at club games like in England where there's over 10,000 supporters at most games who have their own songs etc., we just are not used to making noise at a game week in week out

**Littlest Hobo** · 09/09/2004, 1:43 PM

Originally Posted by the 12 th man

northern ireland supporters looked the biz on the tv.
they were going bannanas at the final whistle

Hmmm...could have sworn I heard these same fans boo Hartson all night. Can't think why

**Slash/ED** · 09/09/2004, 1:48 PM

Originally Posted by tarzan_bray

I've heard a theory that the reason that our home support isn't great is because we have no real atmosphere at club games like in England where there's over 10,000 supporters at most games who have their own songs etc., we just are not used to making noise at a game week in week out

Yeah I think that's a good point, alot of the people in Lansedown have no exepreince of live matches at all bar the odd Irish international and there's no culture there of singing and really making some noise for the team.

**eirebhoy** · 09/09/2004, 1:50 PM

Originally Posted by Littlest Hobo

Hmmm...could have sworn I heard these same fans boo Hartson all night. Can't think why

Was there many people booing Hartson? Should he expect a hard time at Winsor?

**deadman** · 09/09/2004, 2:04 PM

was up in windsor for the serbia & m friendly before the summer. tremendous support

i don't want to have a go and brian kerr, i suppose i'm more having a go at fran & the boys.

but how dare they criticise the support at home matches and then turn around and offer a such unfriendly ticket options to the fans. eur7,500 i hear for the latest 10 year ticket scheme. talk about pricing the real fans out of the market

lansdowne will have more suits in it than the ifsc. i haven't heard much noise coming out of the east upper in a long time.

i can't remember all of the kerr interview but i hope he thanked the travelling fans. superb as always

**blobbyblob** · 09/09/2004, 3:34 PM

Originally Posted by Slash/ED

Yeah I think that's a good point, alot of the people in Lansedown have no exepreince of live matches at all bar the odd Irish international and there's no culture there of singing and really making some noise for the team.

Thats Rubbish - Correct me if Im wrong but theres a pretty big sport following in this country. Be it for GAA, Rugby Soccer. How come the Munster Rugby Fans/Ireland can fill a stadium and sing away to their hearts content for a whole game when they'd normally be used to playing in front of attendances of 5,000. How come we could sing in the late 80s and early 90s. Were plain and simply too big for our boots. I cant remember any LoI clubs playing in front of 30,000/40,000 crowds back then.

N. Irelands home support with 14000 is also fantastic. We should be ashamed of ourselves.

As for the booing of hartson and the loyalist chants- kettle black and pot spring to mind

**brine3** · 09/09/2004, 4:08 PM

And how many Swiss came to Lansdowne Road? 500? 1,000?

Learn from the Swiss supporters me arse.

**Tipp Townie** · 09/09/2004, 4:09 PM

Originally Posted by blobbyblob

As for the booing of hartson and the loyalist chants- kettle black and pot spring to mind

Agreed- various factions at Lansdowne have been less than welcoming to Ferguson/Arveladze etc in the past

**Junior** · 09/09/2004, 4:13 PM

Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy

I'm desperately hoping that the real fans heading to Paris next month will all be up for it. I'm counting down the days on the calendar already.
Any idea how many will go? A friend reckons 20,000? Is this possible?

Real fans my arse!!! there will be more day trippers, family outings, bringing the missus for a romantic weekend ****** than ever. It s the glamour tie and there will be allsorts there

Yours, Junior 'A Real' Fan

**Duncan Gardner** · 09/09/2004, 4:36 PM

The Loyalist scum were larging it all over Cardiff yesterday. Singing No Surrender and drapping their poxy red hand flags all over the city centre. The, eh, more Republican minded of Cardiff City's support went and had a "quite word" with them.

Actually only a small minority were singing 'no surrender'. If you think carrying an NI flag (as I did) is evidence of being 'loyalist scum', then you are mistaken. Aside from being embittered and a bigot, obviously. I heard of only one incident when the riot squad had to be called: some locals objected to GSTQ in a bar on St Mary's Street. Unpleasant briefly, but order soon restored. Since you're obviously an expert on Cardiff hoolie culture, you'll know there's usually far worse when they play a tasty English team, or the Jacks.

The away support is always better because it's the "hardcore" so to speak

Actually our hardcore for big 'away' matches in recent years has been about 1,000. A lot of part-timers there last night

the sendings off were crazy they should not let foreigners ref local derbies

Hughes can't complain too much- a bad foul on Savage then threw a big haymaker at him. Savage himself and Healy maybe should have had only bookings.

You can't allocate referees on that basis- it would have narrowed the choice to only Scotland and the Republic, England being in the same group!

Was there many people booing Hartson? Should he expect a hard time at Winsor?

Yes and more of the same- it will be ever thus. Though less nasty than it has been, I'm glad to say.

Hartson seems to quite like being the fans' bogeyman (is it the same at big Celtic games)? He took his goal well, but the biggest Welsh failing was that no-one except Bellamy was trying to run at our packed central defence from wide. They will miss Giggs hugely when he follows Scholes into retirement.

Whaddaya mean he already has