SPL Discussion Thread

**gspain** · 12/09/2005, 3:37 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

Sounds like a laugh Gerrit, but I despise 'fans' who do this.

I'll bet they never go to watch Irish League football and have turned their back on their local teams.

Apparently there's even an Accrington Stanley supporters club in Omagh. That's the same Omagh who's own senior club side recently went out of business, by the way....

The Dublin branch of the Blackburn Rovers fan club has had up to 400 members in recent years - and mostly Irish. Doubtless all real passionate football fans - who couldn't even tell you if Tolka was on the north or south side of the city. Absolutely absurd. Whipping's too good for them...

Not mutually exclusive though. I believe there is a Bohs/Wolves season ticket holder who rarely misses a game played by either team.

I was staggered eveasdropping on a conversation prior to Pats v Carlisle a few years back re a group of Dubs who go over regularly. One of them was telling the English Carlisle fan that our league was muck. The Leinster league was muck too as a couple of their sides could only draw with Carlisle.

2,000-4,000 Irish at any Manyoo home game (not sure if the stat refers to RoI or whole island but this is travelling support).

I think the positives here though is the huge potential support for football here. Rememebr it is the biggest sport by playing numbe rin the Republic and presumably across thw whole island. I imagine a successful Irish side regularly playing in the group stages of the champions league could tap into that latent support. Shels v Depor gave us a taste of this. Unfortunately I think we are still a few years away here.

**Poor Student** · 12/09/2005, 4:24 PM

Keep it on topic lads.

Rangers are truly shocking at the moment. Their defence looks quite poor and disorganised and they are totally blunt in attack. They are fortunate to have taken a win against Celtic or they'd be languishing further down the table. I don't think realistically by the season's end they'd be outside the top 3 though.

Considering Celtic's recent form a trouble free win against Aberdeen is a great result. Zurawski had another good game. Scored a great goal and played well to set up the second. He looks like developing into a great signing. He can score goals and create, somewhat the same role as Larsson. His form for Poland has also been great. Hibs away is the real acid test for Celtic's aspirations this season. With Strachan and his signings settled there can be no more excuses.

I watched Hearts yesterday on TV and I think they're going to win the league. Great going forward, swift, fluid, inventive and clinical. Also very solid at the back. If Celtic fail to beat them in the next month and by then they've not suffered a form dip it could well be their title.

**Gerrit** · 12/09/2005, 5:53 PM

I would feel a happy man if for once a non-"political party in disguise" would win the league (= no Old Firm club) and am I being too optimistic or not, but it seems Hearts really have a strong side this year. For Scottish football it'd be good as well to see the title go to Edinburgh, the real capital which seems like a wee city though football-wise as all attention goes to Glasgow...

As for Inverness CT: I followed them for the first time when they were in Third Division. I was attracted by their northernness (my Far North fascination...) and because of the Highland atmosphere by the city, but I started to also look out for the club's backgrounds.
It was Third Division back then when I started to sympathise with them. I every week looked out for their results via the BBC, they played teams like East Fife, Stenhousemuir, Queen of the South, ... And now, about 10 years later, they play Celtic, Rangers, Hearts and Aberdeen... I really got attracted to the club because of their stadium surrounded by mountains and a lake. The dream for every true stadium fanatic like myself.
I feel like a trip to a game of them. My main focus has been EL when in Dublin, now that I live in NI it's the IL. I will never prefer a televised cross-water game over an EL/IL game, but a once-off trip to Inverness during a weekend there's no IL games would be nice.

**Gerrit** · 12/09/2005, 5:55 PM

As for fanclubs BTW: Hearts has a Belgian fanclub! I never knew this...

They even have fans in New Zealand... I wonder if there's ever been a Kiwi at a Hearts game. This seems a bit exagerated to prefer a club AT THE OTHER END OF THE WORLD above a local club. Maybe those few lads should try to catch a game in the New Zealand league, or a NZ Knights game (the only NZ professional club, they play in Australia's professional league)

**Aberdonian Stu** · 13/09/2005, 9:49 AM

Inverness is a hell of a journey. Three hours from Aberdeen, the nearest city with an airport.

I have to disagree with Poor Student on Hearts winning the title. It would be great but I don't think it will happen.

My money is still on an Old firm side, despite the drop in form. Remember Hearts haven't played either yet. They will get results against the Old Firm but I think both Old Firm sides will come out on top overall in their clashes.

**Junior** · 13/09/2005, 10:06 AM

Inverness has an airport?

Hearts have been able to build up momentum by having a relatively easy start (apart from Hibs). I agree Hearts, The Dons & Hibs will all take points off Celtic & Rangers, meaning a closer league.

Whether Hearts have the experience and the consistency to win it I am not so sure.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 13/09/2005, 12:52 PM

My point was that to the best of my knowledge Inverness has NO airport. Aberdeen's is the nearest and is actually in Dyce, the next town over, so you could add a half hour to any trip out to another city.

**superfrank** · 13/09/2005, 3:48 PM

But Dyce is also on the north-west way out of the city.

Sorry, PS.

**Aberdonian Stu** · 13/09/2005, 4:20 PM

Yes but if you're travelling anywhere from there having gone to the airport the odds are you'll have to go back into the city and go to either the bus station or train station, which are beside each other making a journey out of the city longer.

**superfrank** · 13/09/2005, 4:23 PM

Say you flew from Dublin to Aberdeen and you then rented a car at Dyce airport, you could then drive to Inverness and cut out Aberdeen and all their roundabouts that say "Oil Capital of Europe".

**Poor Student** · 13/09/2005, 4:37 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

But Dyce is also on the north-west way out of the city.

Sorry, PS.

For Frank?

**superfrank** · 13/09/2005, 7:52 PM

The whole Aberdeen to Inverness debate.

**eirebhoy** · 13/09/2005, 8:39 PM

Rangers beat Porto 3-2.

**Rebal Boy** · 13/09/2005, 8:42 PM

I'd say this league will be much closer this year then in recent years gone by, but I'd say Celtic will prob win it. I think it would be brillent for the Scottish League for Hearts to win it, but I don't think it will happen. Then again I could be wrong.

**liam88** · 13/09/2005, 8:48 PM

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Rangers beat Porto 3-2.

Everytime an announcment went over the PA telling the Porto fans what to do after the game the Rangers fan gave a really loud boo and drowned it out

....not a very welcoming atmosphere at all.
I hope Rangers come 4th in the group

**Poor Student** · 13/09/2005, 9:03 PM

Originally Posted by superfrank

The whole Aberdeen to Inverness debate.

It's mainly the dcfcsteve thing. We do not allow attacking people for lending their support to foreign clubs this forum, it's not up for debate or condemnation here as per the rules which you are required to read before posting in the thread.

**Junior** · 14/09/2005, 8:00 AM

Originally Posted by Aberdonian Stu

My point was that to the best of my knowledge Inverness has NO airport. Aberdeen's is the nearest and is actually in Dyce, the next town over, so you could add a half hour to any trip out to another city.

Ok, but it does? http://www.invernessairport.com/

**Junior** · 14/09/2005, 8:10 AM

Originally Posted by Junior

Hearts have been able to build up momentum by having a relatively easy start (apart from Hibs). I agree Hearts, The Dons & Hibs will all take points off Celtic & Rangers, meaning a closer league.

To follow on from this point.

Hearts are away to ICT this weekend, on current form, they should pick up 3 pts.

Celtic are away to Hibs (tough game, Hibs have an identical record to Celtic and have already thumped rangers at Ibrox - they will fancy their chances)
Rangers are at home to Killie. Killie are also joint 3rd at the moment, after Rangers win in the CL, they could possibly suffer another domestic hiccup.

If Celtic & Rangers drop points and Hearts win - Hearts confidence will continue to rise (as will Hibs and Killies for that matter) The first real crunch game of the season (apart from the early Celtic v Rangers disaster) will be the following week when Hearts entertain Rangers at Tynecastle.

Jnr

**Aberdonian Stu** · 14/09/2005, 10:16 AM

Junior - I wasn't aware of the airport but you can't fly direct from Dublin.

Frank - I know car rental is an option but it's a bloody expensive one which also limits potential drinking on any trip.

Am I the only one who finds this incredibly boring?