Why are out supporters so Subdued at Landsdowne

**Orchard Celt** · 31/03/2005, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Junior

When people come on here looking for tickets for Ireland games, quite often the resposne/advice is to go down to the local EL club and start supporting them/make themselves known as there are generally tickets for Ireland matches about. How does this equate to not receiving enough? I think its a good idea by the way (to issue EL clubs tickets in the one section), Im just puzzled why there seems to be spares 'knocking' around at EL clubs but you are suggesting not enough are given to them?

But why should supporting an EL club give you more right of getting an Ireland ticket than not supporting one? Living in Armagh its harder for me to support an EL club and Irish fans living in Wales, England and Scotland should have just as much right to at least apply for tixs for international games. The EL yes is the grass roots of Irish soccer but whose the last EL player to be called up for international games? look at the Wales squad against Austria, they had a few boys in the squad that played in Wales.

Its the same problem I find too with the GAA, why do you have to support a club to get a tix for big games (A-I Final, National League Final etc..).

Everyone doesn't have the time for club football and because of that it should not damage your chances of internation tixs.

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2005, 10:51 AM

I think we are making a mountain out of mole here. It would be great if the ground was buzzing for friendly games. But talking to a few scottish lads they tell me that Hampden on Wednesday night for a friendly has a **** atmosphere. I would think that nearly every international team suffers from the same thing on friendly nights. The true test of our supporters will be the game againts Israel. That is the one we need to be up for. Its a saturday afternoon on the June bank holiday weekend. No excuse , get a few drinks into you, Learn the songs and sing your heart out. This game is going to be huge and we really need the support for this game.

**�anna** · 31/03/2005, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Junior

Im just puzzled why there seems to be spares 'knocking' around at EL clubs but you are suggesting not enough are given to them?

speaking for myself anyway, I could have been in the position to get tickets if I wanted them previously. I went to a couple of the matches in the last qualifiers, but I just had no interest or enthusiasm for it, so I stopped going. There could well be others who feel the same

**monutdfc** · 31/03/2005, 10:52 AM

Orchard Celt, join the Armagh branch of the Monaghan United supporters club

:- we already have Armagh City supporter who comes to a lot of our home games (although Sunday doesn't suit him so I doubt if we'll see him as much this season). Armagh is only 40 minutes away.

**Junior** · 31/03/2005, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Orchard Celt

But why should supporting an EL club give you more right of getting an Ireland ticket than not supporting one? Living in Armagh its harder for me to support an EL club and Irish fans living in Wales, England and Scotland should have just as much right to at least apply for tixs for international games. The EL yes is the grass roots of Irish soccer but whose the last EL player to be called up for international games? look at the Wales squad against Austria, they had a few boys in the squad that played in Wales.

Its the same problem I find too with the GAA, why do you have to support a club to get a tix for big games (A-I Final, National League Final etc..).

Everyone doesn't have the time for club football and because of that it should not damage your chances of internation tixs.

I orginally had a similar outlook to yourself. I am based in the UK, I support Celtic (a 6-7hr round trip by the way) but I have followed Ireland home and away for many years. I felt it would be unfair if a guy could just turn up at Galway Utd on the first day of the season and then have as much chance of a ticket to Irelands next international game as myself.

However, as you say, the EL is the grass roots and the fans that turn out week in week out should receive an allocation of sorts, though this should be controlled so that not any old passer by can utilise these tickets. Afterall if the EL doesn't continue to grow we are not likely to see any players representing the country are we?

I do agree though that many people do not support a club whether EL,SPL or EPL and these people are no less worthy of a ticket. Its a very emotive issue and one that is not easily solved.

**Junior** · 31/03/2005, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy

If we'd a massive big stadium it'd be easily solved. Then you'd have people on here complaining about the 'type' of fans . . .

Have you not read the numerous posts complaining about the 'type' of fans as it is?

**Beavis** · 31/03/2005, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by NeilMcD

I think we are making a mountain out of mole here. It would be great if the ground was buzzing for friendly games. But talking to a few scottish lads they tell me that Hampden on Wednesday night for a friendly has a **** atmosphere. I would think that nearly every international team suffers from the same thing on friendly nights. The true test of our supporters will be the game againts Israel. That is the one we need to be up for. Its a saturday afternoon on the June bank holiday weekend. No excuse , get a few drinks into you, Learn the songs and sing your heart out. This game is going to be huge and we really need the support for this game.

Agreed. Hopefully we can give good support for the Israel game.

**Slash/ED** · 31/03/2005, 2:43 PM

Originally Posted by Dotsy

To be fair it may be true that a significant amount of people at the match are not regular supporters at live soccer matches but anyone who bothered to turn up on a Tuesday night for a friendly match against China doesn't deserve to be slated. A crowd of 35,000 is pretty good for that match. The majority of people around us in the East Upper Wing might not have been singing for the whole match but listening to their comments they knew their stuff and were there to watch the game not just to have a chat with their mates. I'd guess that the crowd at competetive matches contains more so called barstoolers but the atmosphere is invariably much better than at friendlies.

The reason the crowd was so big is because the FAI forced people who wanted to goto the glamour friendly of Italy to buy tickets for this one too. And still around 10,000 or so didn't even bother showing up, assumeing the Italy match is a sell out.

**NeilMcD** · 31/03/2005, 2:47 PM

I agree with their system. If you want to get tickets for the big games you have to go to the small ones. Seems fair to me. If you are living far away from Dublin, well as someone said earlier its worth spending the 20 euro on the ticket and not going and making sure you have tickets for the games you can make it to.

**Schumi** · 31/03/2005, 2:47 PM

Originally Posted by Slash/ED

around 10,000 or so didn't even bother showing up, assumeing the Italy match is a sell out.

It's not sold out. There were tickets on sale on Tuesday from one of those caravan yokes just off Shelbourne Road.

**Slash/ED** · 31/03/2005, 2:52 PM

Originally Posted by Schumi

It's not sold out. There were tickets on sale on Tuesday from one of those caravan yokes just off Shelbourne Road.

I'm suprised at that, didn't they say originally that the stand tickets were all sold out to begin with and only terrace tickets would become available, I'm amazed they couldn't shift all of them

**OneRedArmy** · 31/03/2005, 2:59 PM

Originally Posted by Orchard Celt

But why should supporting an EL club give you more right of getting an Ireland ticket than not supporting one?

By comparison rugby tickets are distributed only through the clubs and to 5 year ticket holders, which WAS a great way of distributing tickets to those who derserved them (people who basically support the grassroots of local sport). Unfortunately thats been spolit by club selling their allocations to corporates taking the tickets out of genuine fans hands.

Orchard Celt I accept your point because you have every right to support the Republic, unfortunately being from the North your local clubs probably have access only to Norn Ireland tickets. Those who live in the Republic however can't really complain about the ticket distribution through clubs if they choose not to support local EL or junior soccer.

**eirebhoy** · 31/03/2005, 3:00 PM

Originally Posted by Schumi

It's not sold out. There were tickets on sale on Tuesday from one of those caravan yokes just off Shelbourne Road.

They don't sell tickets afaik. They're there for people to collect tickets which they've booked. It would have been on the FAI website that there was a "limited amount of tickets for sale at our offices in Merrion Square".

Lads, its a bit late to complain about getting tickets. There's only 3 matches left and we can all get tickets after that. Get on the waiting list!

**Schumi** · 31/03/2005, 3:06 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

They don't sell tickets afaik. They're there for people to collect tickets which they've booked. It would have been on the FAI website that there was a "limited amount of tickets for sale at our offices in Merrion Square".

I don't think so. There was a separate Ticketmaster caravan for people who had paid by credit card with a sign saying something like "ticket sales <--" pointing towards the other one.

**Dotsy** · 31/03/2005, 3:11 PM

Originally Posted by Slash/ED

I'm suprised at that, didn't they say originally that the stand tickets were all sold out to begin with and only terrace tickets would become available, I'm amazed they couldn't shift all of them

They were announcing over the PA when I was queing up at the turnstiles that tickets were available from the caravan. I'll bet there were quite a few people who bought the two lots of tickets who didn't bother going to the China game. I still think it was a good turnout for a friendly against the likes of CHina.

**tetsujin1979** · 31/03/2005, 3:45 PM

Originally Posted by Dotsy

They were announcing over the PA when I was queing up at the turnstiles that tickets were available from the caravan. I'll bet there were quite a few people who bought the two lots of tickets who didn't bother going to the China game. I still think it was a good turnout for a friendly against the likes of CHina.

35,000 apparently. Considering it was about 15-20,000 in the Canada game (including me on the halfway line!!) that's a big turnaround in interest in Ireland friendlies.

**FarBeag** · 31/03/2005, 4:02 PM

Who care's about how many people are at the match? It all about the amount of noise they make.

**FarBeag** · 31/03/2005, 4:09 PM

Fair play to you.Bring your ear muffs because the noise will be unreal

**OwlsFan** · 01/04/2005, 2:55 PM

Originally Posted by FarBeag

Who care's about how many people are at the match? It all about the amount of noise they make.

If you want the best for the team in terms of preparation and facilities and money to spend at junior level, you require bums on seats to pay for these things so the size of the crowd is very important.