Article: BETOP - Bring Europe to Oriel Park

**mcgonigle** · 11/03/2021, 2:55 AM

You can view the page at https://foot.ie/content/255-BETOP-Br...to-Oriel-Park?

**EatYerGreens** · 11/03/2021, 12:04 PM

link doesn't work ?

**nigel-harps1954** · 11/03/2021, 12:33 PM

Yeah, it's a dead link.

**bohsmug** · 11/03/2021, 12:41 PM

The link as it was in 2010: https://web.archive.org/web/20101215....com/BETOP.asp

**EatYerGreens** · 11/03/2021, 1:24 PM

What level of European football are they aspiring to see at Oriel ? Surely it could be used for the basic fixtures at the moment. But once you get beyond those to final qualifying stage etc the requirements really ramp up - to the point surely where you'd need a major overhaul of Oriel to be deemed eligible ?

**bohsmug** · 11/03/2021, 7:22 PM

That campaign was a decade ago. It was just to put seats in the terrace areas as far as I remember. That was done. Think Dundalk have been able to play 1 early round game in Oriel every year they've qualified since.

I don't know why this thread was started but I'm guessing it was some kind of error. There was a similar thread started recently for a 10 year old news article.

**Nesta99** · 11/03/2021, 8:16 PM

This is the 2nd old thread to peculiarly appear but as BETOP has been mentioned:

That campaign was an eye opener for me. I was involved in calling fans (eg season ticket holders) asking people to consider buying tickets in advance. If 'x' target was reached then Oriel Park would have work done, seats installed etc to host the game, a first since Kispest Honved iirc 1991/2(?) as the game v Malmo in 1995 was in United Park as work had been done on the pitch in Oriel and wasnt ready. 2002 the Varteks game was in Tolka (for the cost of David Crawley's transfer to Shels). Anyway the amount of practically outraged supporters was really surprising and it was just for the purchase of a match tickets not a donation to a fundraiser. It was confirmed that they inteneded to go to the game but when asked would they purchase tickets months in advance the reaction was often damn negative. An expectation that the club/Gerry Matthews should foot the bill for the work entirely. Thankfully though we did make the target and in time. It was Colm Crossan aka Ezekiel who did most of the organising of that BETOP campaign.

**oriel** · 11/03/2021, 8:26 PM

Originally Posted by bohsmug

That campaign was a decade ago. It was just to put seats in the terrace areas as far as I remember. That was done. Think Dundalk have been able to play 1 early round game in Oriel every year they've qualified since.

Not far off, UEFA allow two early rounds of EL and 1 in CL, same criteria for any other club, something like min requirement of 3k seats with 2k covered. Then a host of other items, but seating is the key part.

Colm Crossan was indeed the main driver for fans on this, the owner at the time confirmed he would install the seats if 2k advance tickets were sold, they were and two games played that year, 3k attended for the first game (Grevenmacher - Lux ).

However only 1.5k attended for the second round v Levski Sofia (can't remember ticket sales), understandably as 6-0 down from the first leg. I was at the away leg in Lux that year, hilarious game, 3-1 up, finished 3-3 and we could have lost 4-3. It was said heat was a factor (30c +) but dodgy defending, and Cherrie injured on mid season break were more the actual reasons for the result. Slim squad those days. Great trip mind, Lux city is a lovely spot.

Great memory of cops having a few beers 'to cool down' at HT in the bar, we asked them is this ok with the bosses, 'yes its alcohol free'...............mmmm

**Nesta99** · 11/03/2021, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by oriel

Not far off, UEFA allow two early rounds of EL and 1 in CL, same criteria for any other club, something like min requirement of 3k seats with 2k covered. Then a host of other items, but seating is the key part.

Colm Crossan was indeed the main driver for fans on this, the owner at the time confirmed he would install the seats if 2k advance tickets were sold, they were and two games played that year, 3k attended for the first game (Grevenmacher - Lux ).

However only 1.5k attended for the second round v Levski Sofia (can't remember ticket sales), understandably as 6-0 down from the first leg. I was at the away leg in Lux that year, hilarious game, 3-1 up, finished 3-3 and we could have lost 4-3. It was said heat was a factor (30c +) but dodgy defending, and Cherrie injured on mid season break were more the actual reasons for the result. Slim squad those days. Great trip mind, Lux city is a lovely spot.

Great memory of cops having a few beers 'to cool down' at HT in the bar, we asked them is this ok with the bosses, 'yes its alcohol free'...............mmmm

Yeah, there was an effort to advance sell tickets for the home leg also in fear of a lack of interest if hammered in the 1st leg. The club requested the 1st leg to be switched to Oriel 1st iirc which I think was pretty standard for LoI clubs over the years for that reason. For all our criticism of the league there has been sufficient change in attitude with now wanting the supposed advantage of being away first. Didnt fans have a kick about on the pitch after the Grevenmacher game, or was it Jeunesse Esch?

**mcgonigle** · 12/03/2021, 8:05 AM

Huh, what is going on here? I didn't start this thread

I'm not sad enough to be on here at 3:55am... not yet anyway

**Mr A** · 12/03/2021, 8:29 AM

Originally Posted by mcgonigle

Huh, what is going on here? I didn't start this thread

I'm not sad enough to be on here at 3:55am... not yet anyway

I bet it's some dodgy business man trying to scare us all away by giving the impression that foot.ie is haunted.

Well they haven't reckoned with these meddling kids!

**Mr A** · 12/03/2021, 8:30 AM

Originally Posted by Mr A

I bet it's some dodgy business man trying to scare us all away by giving the impression that foot.ie is haunted.

Well they haven't reckoned with these meddling kids!

Hahahaha I just ripped some poor f&*kers face off. LOL

**Nesta99** · 12/03/2021, 10:18 AM

Feck haunted, Mr A is one scary former mod!!

Site hacked? Or am i missing some joke here??

**mcgonigle** · 12/03/2021, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by Mr A

Hahahaha I just ripped some poor f&*kers face off. LOL

Go easy on those Scooby snacks...

**mcgonigle** · 12/03/2021, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Feck haunted, Mr A is one scary former mod!!

Site hacked? Or am i missing some joke here??

Mr A is joking... or tripping

Just a bug that led to the thread. Changed my password anyway to be safe.

**Mr A** · 12/03/2021, 11:24 AM

If you don't get the Scooby Doo reference that does read a bit demented in fairness.

**Eminence Grise** · 12/03/2021, 12:38 PM

Like, zoikes!

**Nesta99** · 12/03/2021, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Mr A

If you don't get the Scooby Doo reference that does read a bit demented in fairness.

I was more a Scrappy Doo let me at 'em fan...

**oriel** · 12/03/2021, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by Nesta99

Yeah, there was an effort to advance sell tickets for the home leg also in fear of a lack of interest if hammered in the 1st leg. The club requested the 1st leg to be switched to Oriel 1st iirc which I think was pretty standard for LoI clubs over the years for that reason. For all our criticism of the league there has been sufficient change in attitude with now wanting the supposed advantage of being away first. Didnt fans have a kick about on the pitch after the Grevenmacher game, or was it Jeunesse Esch?

Defo the 2014 game, Grevenmacher was 2010, and even though they were regional Lux, game was played in capital, pity really as Id have loved to seen their town.

**sbgawa** · 15/03/2021, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by oriel

Not far off, UEFA allow two early rounds of EL and 1 in CL, same criteria for any other club, something like min requirement of 3k seats with 2k covered. Then a host of other items, but seating is the key part.

Colm Crossan was indeed the main driver for fans on this, the owner at the time confirmed he would install the seats if 2k advance tickets were sold, they were and two games played that year, 3k attended for the first game (Grevenmacher - Lux ).

However only 1.5k attended for the second round v Levski Sofia (can't remember ticket sales), understandably as 6-0 down from the first leg. I was at the away leg in Lux that year, hilarious game, 3-1 up, finished 3-3 and we could have lost 4-3. It was said heat was a factor (30c +) but dodgy defending, and Cherrie injured on mid season break were more the actual reasons for the result. Slim squad those days. Great trip mind, Lux city is a lovely spot.

Great memory of cops having a few beers 'to cool down' at HT in the bar, we asked them is this ok with the bosses, 'yes its alcohol free'...............mmmm

Happened me at the 1998 euro final, was there with a few pals and we were hoofing into the pints in the stadium and having a great old time when someone found out it was alcohol free and suddenly the mood changed altogether.
Always wondered what would happen in a bar if the publicans secretly switched the beers to 0% and told no one.