How/When did you start supporting your LOI club?

[TonyD]

My Brother took me to Richmond Park for the first time as a child in the mid seventies.I went (very) occasionally through the years after that. (I "supported" for want of a better word, Man City for about ten years from mid seventies to mid eighties, until I copped on that they meant nothing to me). I was at the first match back at Richmond in 1993 against Shelbourne, and at the start of the following season I went to a pre-season friendly against Tranmere (Mainly because Liam O'Brien and John Aldridge were playing to be honest.) Started going regularly and by the end of that season I was completely hooked. The next year we won the league, happy days. Couldn't imagine not going to Richmond now.

[yur man]

wasn't into watching club football till about '96 (moved to england in '93). started 'following' tottenham, then newcastle, then man u. got bored again and was wondering who next

eventually, i gave up (realised i was glory hunting) and started finding out about cork city and thanks to foot.ie and some other websites my appetite grew and grew. been a fan since just before pat dolan took over and i really enjoy it.

i'm moving back home in august and i'm looking forward to going regularly from then on. was home on holiday last summer and my first game was the 2-0 home win over waterford it was great to finally see a game after a year and a half being an internet fan. great buzz, shame i didn't wise up sooner

[michaelguineys]

Im 23 now so was 2 when city were formed. My family wudnt really have been into City that much and can recall being brought to games only a few times wen i was very young.
But wen i was bought 10 or 11, i was in youth clubin ogra chorcai and a man (who as it turns out was john kennedy from family enclosure) brought a bus load of us up to Oriel Park for league cup final v dundalk. Cant remember what yr that was to be honest, but I remeber Bily Woods had long hair and it was before he went to tranmere!
Anyway, from then i was hooked and got my dad to bring me to the games.
My dad stopped goin again few yrs later but i kept goin with my friends. HAve converted my younger brother and sister who are only 15 but go to lot of the games, but my 20 yr old brother has no interest, no matter how hard i try!!
Have converted a good few buddies aswell and a group of bout 8 of us go to all the home games now, and the away ones when we can.
I love following city and take such a sense of pride in them as they r my local team.
Cant understand all these muppets who have never been to anfield in their lives, cryin their eyes out with pride wen liverpool won last wk.
Go watch your local team win the FAI Cup Final in a replay, go watch em draw with Bayern Munich, go watch em beat Malmo, Njimegen and draw with Nantes, go watch em beat Shels in Tolka Park for the 1st time in 4 years........
Then ul know what REAL PRIDE is

[Rory H]

i used to be a regular when i was about 8 or 9 ,drifted away then


now aged 17
havent missed a home game in 2 years now and the good times look to be returning to sligo rovers.....

[Da Real Rover]

Me first game was in the glory days of 1994 when me dad brought me. There wasnt a history of it in me family but i guess the town was buzzing about da rovers back then. I must of been about 6 or 7 when i saw that first match. I was going on and off for the next couple a seasons but for the past 5 years or so i could count the amount of home games ive missed on me hand. Any away game i can get a lift to i go.

[soylent green]

My Dad (not a football fan) brought myself and my sister to Milltown for a few games in probably 1986. Was at the last game in Milltown and didn't go again until the first game in RDS. Went off and on during RDS days but go to every home game I can get to since moving out of RDS.

[Jaime]

Bohs - Chelsea friendly around 15 years ago I think.

[trevy]

My dad and uncle brought me out to Kilcohen Park our old ground back in the late 80's and I remember games v Derry when they brought huge support and beating Bray and Sligo to clinch the first division championship back around 89/90.The 90's were pretty bleak for the Blues,we moved to the RSC before there was even a stand there and spend a lot of time in the first divison widerness. My dad lost interest and I didn't live near the ground so didn't go to that many games but went when I had a lift and the money and we had a great run in the 97 FAI Cup .Since the season we won promotion under Jimmy McGeough I've been to most home games and the odd away one.

[garykelly]

I went to my first game in 1989 aged 9 with my uncle and cousins. It was against Shamrock Rovers and the lace was packed. Well it looked packed being that small. I dont remember much of it but I found it amazing that a guy would come all the way from America to play in Sligo (Nicky Broujos)

I went here and there but started really regularly at the 1993 season. Johnny Kenny signed for them from Galway and since he's from Riverstown I went in to see him. About 500-600 people from the Riverstown area would go in to just see him play. Obviously we did the treble that year and I was hooked. Goto every game I can now. Only missed 1 game this season (away to Kildare).

My resolve to support the team where I live was made greater in 1997 i think it was. My Dad, my brother and me went to Old trafford to watch Man U for the first time. I couldnt believe how big it was over there and while at the match I realised that Man U or any other club over there dont really care where supporters came from, as long as their seats were full. I realised that my few quid wouldnt do alot and felt an insignifcant part of what is really more a tourist attraction than anything else.

Since then I havent spent a penny on Man U and the only team I support is Sligo Rovers. Being a supporter to rovers feels more important than supporting some foreign team. There's something special about supporting the team where you are from. Even after the win against Finn Harps on Tuesday I got slagged by a guy from work in the pub for supporting them. I just felt sorry for him. These people have no sense of identity at all. But for everyone one of those is an avid fan of Eircom League football.

[eamoss]

Had no real interest in football when I was young but I did play for school boys teams and I played Gaelic and could have been a big Gaelic fan if my family had not moved from Mayo. I was big into wresting and then I grew out of it & I needed something to follow so Dundalk had just won the cup and a friend asked me to come up with him to Oriel Park and seeing that I only live 5mins away I said yes and have been going since I was 14.

[BobtheDrog]

Lived in Balbriggan from 97 to 2000 and used Glebe's ground for a schools international in December 1999. Lovely friendly club with great clubhouse and a fine set up, Good memories.

friend of mines father managed them for a while, keep meaning to go back but never seem to have the time

[Krstic]

My first match was at the Brandywell when Derry Played Home Farm in a league Cup game, I was 9 and thumped my head on a post jumping to celebrate a Derry goal. The year was 1985 and it was Derry's first game in Senior football under the LOI.

I travelled all over Ireland with my Da and Uncles wathcing Derry,throwing my guts up because of travel sickness on the way to and sleeping at the back of an Ulsterbus on the way back. Great memories all the same.

I guess it's in the blood, my Granda played for Derry in the Irish League and my Da supported them, so maybe I had no choice.

The T.V. stuff just cannot compare to wathcing it live, even if you are standing up to your knees in muck, which has been the case for most of us in the LOI.

[Rebel N]

i can hardly remember my first city match but i remember they won.My dad brought me out.I have only missed a handful of matches since.I have continued to go out even if it's by myself.My first and only away game to date was down in waterford a year or 2 ago.

[dancinpants]

I have only missed a handful of matches since..........My first and only away game to date was down in waterford a year or 2 ago.

[ollie]

think he means he has only missed a handful of home games.

[Woody]

The thing with me is that I follow the eircom League itself only, as I don't actually have a club to follow. Living in Thurles, who can I support specificly? I regulary take in games in Limerick, Kilkenny and Dublin. But hey at least I support Irish Football, not like the masses as so often mentioned.

P.S. Feel free to encourage me to certain clubs.

[1 9 2 8]

P.S. Feel free to encourage me to certain clubs.

Sligo Rovers

[Comic Book Guy]

First went to a Ramblers match in 1976 at the age of 6, A League Cup game against Rovers,(even though we were non league !) I was dragged along by my father, the place was packed and even though we lost I was hooked.
I have followed the Rams through thick and thin (mostly thin), remember the year of 83, crowds of 20 to 25,000 at Flower lodge against Sligo, naively thinking it was going to be like this from then on.
I lapsed for a three or four year period in the late '80's and early 90's due to emigration to England/ U.S but my father used send me newspaper cuttings and programmes.
You could say it is in my blood as my father played for the Ramblers in the '50's and '60's. To answer a previous query, I did support Ramblers before an English club, even though I'm a Man U fan, Ramblers are the club for me and I couldn't give a rats arse if United ended up in the Conference.
I love following my club, i hate following my club, but thank God it's there!

[De Town]

I had you placed at much older than that! Must show how much of a mature young man (or woman? ) you are!

Im a man though

[De Town]

Thats the one, tell everybody!

Feck off you