Just Wondering

**Drumcondra Red** · 30/08/2005, 4:31 PM

Do you support UCD because you are current/ past students, or how did you get into supporting them???

If it turns out it is because of the student thing, was there no local team of your own or were your eyes just enlightened to the EL at college stage???

Don't take this as a negitive question, I'm genuinly interested!!!

**Bald Student** · 30/08/2005, 4:43 PM

Both, I'm a student and I live locally.

**Colie** · 30/08/2005, 9:58 PM

Both, I was a student & I lived locally.

**pineapple stu** · 30/08/2005, 11:48 PM

Ummmm...

This is covered in another thread, so I suppose it's hardly new news! All the UCD lads know it anyway...

Started following LoI in '89, I think, when we had a football tournament in schools (third class) and I was on a team called Shamrock Rovers. We beat Derry City before losing to Sligo Rovers, I think. Anyway, it transpired Rovers could play football, so I followed them for a while. And by "a while", I mean ten years. During which time I went to five games. I also went to the UCD-Rovers game in '99 which was the first game after Doc O'Neill died. Went in my Rovers jersey and scarf and within two mintes was shouting for Eóin Bennis as he broke through. Believe it or not, the atmosphere was special that night - ground was absolutely packed and we played like a team possessed, tore Rovers apart and won 3-0. Was converted from that day. I'd actually been to a couple of UCD games before then because I was a student in the college (first was a 2-1 win or a 1-1 draw against Waterford in '98; Kevin Gannon scored for Waterford before Micko Byrne scored a cracker from distance). Went to most of the rest of the home games that season, which ended in a dramatic European qualification.

**CollegeTillIDie** · 31/08/2005, 7:46 AM

Drumcondra Red

I attended my first LOI game in 1972 and went to see your lot play Finn Harps in Tolka Park. Influenced by my primary school teacher who was a Wateford fan many of us adopted LOI clubs at that time. I went to at least one game a year without going to watch anyone specific. Following season I watched Rovers, year after that saw Bohs play Home Farm etc. I also went to see Sligo Rovers play pre-season friendly in 1977 when I was on holidays and the following season saw them play Thurles Town and that was it till I left secondary school.

I went to UCD as a student in 1979 coincidentally the year they entered the League of Ireland. One of my best friends in UCD was the Superleague Secretary at the time and his powers of persuasion worked.
Went to my first game the following season.
Been going regularly since March 1981 although one or two seasons
I was not there very often. I have missed very few home games since 1984. Don't live locally at all. I am a Northsider by residence and always have been.
I am the rare exception that proves the rule that very few students ( as a percentage of the now 18,000 plus student body) attend games in Belfield Park.

One of my classmates at UCD did not go when he was a student . In recent years he moved into the area and started attending regularly in 1998 when his daughter expressed in interest in going to a game. Now he brings both his daughters to games regularly.

P.S. I spent the first three years of my life living in Drumcondra and might well have been a Red like you had we not moved

**Aberdonian Stu** · 31/08/2005, 9:20 AM

A friend of mine's dad was a lecturer in UCD when I was in school. I went to my first game on the 1st of October 1995 amid the Jayo and the Dubs fever (although he didn't actually return to the team for a few more weeks). We beat Sligo 2-1 in Belfield (Mick O'Byrne scoring twice). I went to one more game that season, Jayo's comeback. I started going regularly the following year. I was also a student in UCD.

**Drumcondra Red** · 31/08/2005, 9:47 AM

Thanks lads!!!

But Pinapple, would you ever be converted again??? Considering you left Rovers so easily, or is that it for you???

**Schumi** · 31/08/2005, 11:11 AM

I started going when I was in college. A friend of mine in college had been going to games since he was in school and he talked me into going to an away cup game against Bohs. It was a quality 3-3 draw, I went to the replay and was hooked from there. I doubt I'd have decided to go to a game otherwise to be honest.