Dublin City fans

[pineapple stu]

Do the Eircom League publish match attendances?

The best stab is in the eL forum here, as a stick marked "2005 attendances". Bohs, Galway, Shels, Limerick, Pat's and Cork release official attendances. Rovers supply us with figures occasionally too.

[pineapple stu]

If we can get a couple of hundred supporters showing up this season (and with our impending return to Whitehall) I see no reason why we can't be close to the 1,000 mark within the next 5 years or so.

I do. You're roughly in the same boat as us, except that (a) we've got a home ground and a home catchment area, (b) we've no competing clubs as close as Bohs and Shels to Whitehall, (c) we're actually good and (d) we're a few years ahead of you. Don't delude yourself with the notion that having Dublin in your name and wearing blue will bring the crowds flocking - it won't. Can tell you that from experience! Building a fanbase is a slow process as we're finding out. We're up from maybe 150 regulars five years ago to about 400 now. Youz are starting from a lower point, in the First Division (and judging by last season, yez have a way to go to bridge the gap), so I think 1000 home fans in five years is wildly optimistic.

Obviously best of luck in getting there - whatever people say about Dublin City, a DC with 1000 average crowd is more desirable than one with a 150 average - but it's a slow process unfortunately.

[Poor Student]

I think he was trying to say they don't have any connections like the carrolls one, not "we don't like the the carrolls one".

It should have read,
But you do have some important connections we don't, like the Carrolls one.

It was actually a complement to both the club and our main sponsors, i think.

Correct. Though not quite a compliment as a statement of fact. Pineapple sort of said what I was getting at. But I was saying you do have a key ally in Carrolls. Granted it's no single answer by any means to establish your club but it's something more than we have in our favour.

[Maynard]

I'm not going to get into a bitter UCD Vs DCFC debate here, but personally I think that with the aid of a medium/longterm home ground, Dublin City will offer more things to more people than UCD. I went to UCD (fleetingly, before moving to DLIADT) and geographically they are my nearest "local" team, but, although wishing them no ill whatsoever, I could never have supported them. This means that I travel WAY out of my way to follow Dublin City every week. Whitehall creates a great buzz, and has good bar facilities etc, if we could build a decent team around that ground (albeit we'd need to add a few hundred seats, which we would do) then I think we could do well numbers wise. We're not trying to outdo anyone, we just want to increase our own support as much as possible, and personally I think that if a few things go our way (and over time people will see that we're not a fad that is going to die away) we'll be ok.

[pineapple stu]

I'm not going to get into a bitter UCD Vs DCFC debate here

Where'd you get bitter from?

Personally I think that with the aid of a medium/longterm home ground, Dublin City will offer more things to more people than UCD.

Why, out of interest?

Whitehall creates a great buzz

Ah now!

Again, no particular ill-will towards Dublin City, but I think some of the DC fans' visions, shall we say, seem well off the mark. This is purely based on the scepticism - realism, even - of being five years further down the line than you.

[Poor Student]

Out of interest why could you never have supported us?

[blueviking1980]

Coz ur students...

Nah, but personaly ya's wouldn't have been way down the list if Dublin City (The 1st Irish club to win the Champions League ) woudn't have won me over. Im new to EL as is DCFC if ya catch my drift so it's a solid match. Besides I was born in the city so I rest my case.

[Poor Student]

Lads seeming as we both have small supports we could use this forum to engineer an artifical rivalry a la Sligo and Galway. It might make us look more important.

[Breifne]

Lads seeming as we both have small supports we could use this forum to engineer an artifical rivalry a la Sligo and Galway. It might make us look more important.

Starting on Sunday, when our supporters club beat you off the field* (Please note this may differ from reality, but where football is concerned you are allowed to have artistic license.)

[Maynard]

Firstly DC draws from a wider geographical bracket than UCD. Eg: Ballymun, Sandymount, Deansgrange, Artane etc etc (note: this is not due to any specific push to garner support from any of these areas, just places where I know some fans come from) Add to that a mildly successful team playing at a fixed venue (where people can enjoy a cheap pint and a laugh) with the catch-all name of Dublin City and with their jerseys and merchandise widely available to the public...then (and to be frank I don't care how off the mark you think I might be) I think we can build a nice little band of supporters for ourselves. It's a miracle that we've picked up any new fans in the last 2 years at all, but we have, and some of them are the most committed and dedicated that I have seen at the club, and these people are helping the club in many ways that people outside cannot see yet. If the club can start helping itself (and AFAIK it is making moves to do so) then I fully believe that we will do well.

I know alot of people like to diss Whitehall. But anyone who was at the Dublin City Vs Kildare County/Finn Harps or Bray Wanderers matches in 2003 will testify to the atmosphere that can be created there. If DCFC and Sligo could serve up the atmosphere we did at Richmond last week, then I have no doubt that we can surpass that at Whitehall. A small, compact terraced area is perfect for us right now. Add to that the AMAZING playing surface that they have at Whitehall, and the burgers, chips, beers, sweets etc that will be laid on for the punters and I think it'd rival many grounds for value for money and a good night out.

As far as why I could never support UCD...well I don't really want to go into it too much, but suffice to say that my brief spell at UCD was fairly unpleasant, and I had some bad memories of the place for along time. Also I've been to a number of UCD games in the past and nothing on or off the field ever made my want to get involved as a fan. Just left me kinda cold I guess.

Anyway end of rants, I promise

P.S Regarding the match against UCD on Sunday; so far we have Obi, Kev, Donnchadh, Tom, Derek, James, Paul and Bref confirmed to play. If we can add Sean, Neil etc we should be ok...John K can't play as he has a pre-season match fixed for that day.

[Breifne]

Regarding the match against UCD on Sunday; so far we have Obi, Kev, Donnchadh, Tom, Derek, James, Paul and Bref confirmed to play. If we can add Sean, Neil etc we should be ok...

will be chatting to Paddy this evening, and tully and the other derek. Eoin that couldn't make the Shels game is coming too. Sean might not be able to make it, but he was getting in touch with Neil and Sam, so should have about 15 or 16.

Pitch and ref have been arranged by UCD, just to let you know lads, macker has organised the astro and the ref for 4 on Sunday, he has a game in Kildare at 3, so make sure you sort out the arrangements with him.

I'll probably be at the game tomorrow in Belfield, and hope to discuss the fine details with Pineapple and the UCD lads, so here is hoping.

PS can glen play, and what about harry.

[Maynard]

Glenn is doubtful, but he'll probably show up on the day either way. Harry is working. Should be able to get some of the local lads here who couldn't make the Shels game, but I'll hold off asking anyone until we see how we are for numbers.

[Breifne]

Glenn is doubtful, but he'll probably show up on the day either way. Harry is working. Should be able to get some of the local lads here who couldn't make the Shels game, but I'll hold off asking anyone until we see how we are for numbers.

Well you have eight, I'll know about Derek, Paddy and Tully tonight, also Sean, Neil and Sam. What about dereks mate tom. He was okay, Eoin says he is coming, but he let us down for the shels game, so thats 16 if everyone there shows up. Damo might be round as well.

[sligoman]

Lads seeming as we both have small supports we could use this forum to engineer an artifical rivalry a la Sligo and Galway. It might make us look more important.

, you saying we're not important?

[pineapple stu]

Firstly DC draws from a wider geographical bracket than UCD. Eg: Ballymun, Sandymount, Deansgrange, Artane etc etc (note: this is not due to any specific push to garner support from any of these areas, just places where I know some fans come from)

Doesn't stack up, I'm afraid. You haven't considered where our support comes from. Dean's Grange, Dún Laoghaire, Rathfarnham, Ballinteer, Kilmacud, Terenure, Riverside, Phibsboro, South Circular Road, etc. Our Supporters' Club has members living in Peterboro, Liverpool, Cork and Nottingham. So that's not a wider geographical range than us.

Add to that a mildly successful team playing at a fixed venue (where people can enjoy a cheap pint and a laugh)

You'll have to stay in the Premier to be mildly successful!

If this post is a continuation of your argument that DC offers more than UCD, then we're far more successful, having an FAI Cup, a Super Cup and two European qualifications, among others, to our name. Not exactly Rovers, but still more than youz, which surely negates your point?

with the catch-all name of Dublin City

Meh. Not nearly as important as DC fans make out. The name of the club isn't one of the top reasons people start following a club. If you're arguing that the name is geographically neutral, then so is every Dublin club's name.

Again, as I've said, a DC with 1000 average crowd is more desirable than one with a 150 average. However, I can't agree with you that DC offer more than UCD, nor that you'll have 1000 home fans in five years. Again, realism, not put-down-ness. When you get my experience supporting a low-fan-base club, you'll get my scepticism!

P.S Regarding the match against UCD on Sunday

Must try and sort this out our end. I'm doing first aid on the Horse Show, but am trying to get cover for the afternoon. Bald Student, Aberdonian Stu, Schumi, John 83 and Colie all seem in. The half-time draw kids want a game. Kev Ryan's after flying to Denmark or somewhere, Joey's gone to Tipp and Poor Student's under the thumb in Slovenia again. Must try the drunken 16-year-olds, Tommy Mac and a few others. Should be OK anyway.

[Maynard]

Sound. Your club is bigger and better than mine, my club will never amount to anything, and 200 fans is the most we can ever possibly aspire to. Everything I know or think about Dublin City Football Club is wrong, and only based on week-in, week-out experience of being involved with the club for the last 3 or so years.

I guess I should dust off my Man Utd shirt and climb back up on that barstool.

Just because you haven't got things right doesn't me we can't Stu.

[pineapple stu]

Don't start getting stupid, Maynard. That's not my point and you know it. I'm not questioning your knowledge of DCFC, I'm questioning your knowledge of UCD FC, to which you are making a direct comparison. I am also pointing out what I have experienced in the last five years as a fan of a small club. Or maybe my real-life experiences are wrong?

It's especially ironic that you accuse me of arguing that "Your club is bigger and better than mine, my club will never amount to anything" when you yourself opened this debate by saying "Personally I think that...Dublin City will offer more things to more people than UCD", which is a very similar argument.