Genesis Reporter Issue 2 on sale at the France match

[TheOwl]

I not even a big Ollie fan, but I have to say I agree with my fellow Shels fans here. The title of the article "Ollie Byrne, Football Hooligan" says it all really. Amazing to think that a biased and negative attack on an Eircom League club could be allowed in a fanzine trying to promote the league, especially when EL fans have been so vociferously bad mouthing the media for negative coverage of the league recently.

If you titled the piece “Ollie Byrne, Football Hooligan or Shelbourne hero?” and got a Shels fan to write a counter argument in the same issue then it would have been ok but a one way attack is unacceptable.

I won’t be buying a copy.

[Drumcondra Red]

Colm, have you read any of these articles yet? Whatever Ollie has or hasn't done, its not fair to have a go at him or our club in an international "fanzine" which is striving to increase awareness of the EL and create an atmosphere in Landsdowne Road.

Do we really need any more bad publicity for the league, because if I wasn't a supporter of the EL, I would find this comical and ridicule the league even more! Say what you like about Ollie in your own fanzine's any articles written about any domestic club or individual withen any club should be done in a positive light! Although, I have no doubt that everyone who reads it will say this is an overreaction, but imagine it was said about the person running your club, then we can have a disscussion about it!

Rather then the article on a certain gentleman, would we not be better off to have an article about domestic clubs European adventures this year??? And before anyone states the obvious, I have already explained reasons behind me not doing a piece to others involved in the GR.

I know its a bit late now Troy, but something has to be done about that article, even just to change the title!

[Drumcondra Red]

oNE LAST POINT Troy, and I'm aware of your dislike for the man, but why was the title of the article changed?

[Superhoops]

I agree totally with what you're saying tbh BUT this is a unique article imo as the hooligan has courted controversy a bit recently.
Most clubs don't have an individual who would merit such an article so it can't really descend into a tit for tat situation. All it takes is a bit of editorial control to ensure that doesn't happen anyway.....

Who will be featured for a hatchet job in the next edition? Pat Devlin perhaps? Another individual who has been casitgated on this site by the Cork rabble.

[Bald Student]

Was the aim of the Fanzine ever to "promote the eL"? It is a collection of articles written by individuals on their individual opinions.

I would hate the fanzine to become the opposite of the Evening Herald, only printing articles saying that everything in the league is fine and rosey. The eL, like any other league, has its good and bad points. I've not seen this issue but judging by the article titles both good and bad aspects of the league are covered as well as both good and bad aspects of the International scene.

If the league is to improve it needs to have a spotlight on its bad points as much as it needs credit for its good points. If I may give an example, Shamrock Rovers operated for years under what the dogs on the street knew questionable circumstances. If a membr of the media had started asking akward questions five years ago it's possible that millions of euro and an awful lot of hassle (not to mention a very valuable site in Tallaght) might have been saved.

[TheOwl]

Was the aim of the Fanzine ever to "promote the eL"? It is a collection of articles written by individuals on their individual opinions.

I would hate the fanzine to become the opposite of the Evening Herald, only printing articles saying that everything in the league is fine and rosey. The eL, like any other league, has its good and bad points. I've not seen this issue but judging by the article titles both good and bad aspects of the league are covered as well as both good and bad aspects of the International scene.

If the league is to improve it needs to have a spotlight on its bad points as much as it needs credit for its good points. If I may give an example, Shamrock Rovers operated for years under what the dogs on the street knew questionable circumstances. If a membr of the media had started asking akward questions five years ago it's possible that millions of euro and an awful lot of hassle (not to mention a very valuable site in Tallaght) might have been saved.

But there are two sides to every story - "Ollie Byrne - football hooligan" does not sound like a balanced piece. It seems that one club and one club only is being attacked in this issue.

I see there is a story called "400 Club take over." Some people may think this story should be called "Rovers get out of jail" or "Rovers get off virtually scot free," but if it was called this there would be an outcry and rightly so.

Sorry for feeling paranoid here but there seems to vendetta against Shels from some EL fans. It seems any dig at Shels is fair game, sure there were even people on here applauding the Bohs fans who vandalised the Tolka Park pitch, and then the same people ranted about how disgraceful it was that the Rovers monument in Milltown was vandalised.

I’m just sick of it to be honest, I don’t really care what other people think about Shels, but don’t expect me to pay for the pleasure of reading their rants.

[tiktok]

OK, first things first, I wrote the article in "The Genesis Reporter".

A few points.

I was asked to write the article.

I openly admit that the fact that I'm a CCFC fan may colour my opinion of Ollie but the article is absolutely not a rant, it's 14-15 paragraphs long, there's an attempt at humour in the first couple, then I go on to praise (as well as a CCFC fan can) Ollie's achievements for well over half the article.

I then try to raise the question if Ollie is still the right man for Shels because of the recent bad publicity that has been generated around him, which is exactly where the title it was submitted under came from (the Elvis Costelloe lyrics) Oliver's Army - Here to stay?. If the title has been changed to what's in the first post of this thread I'll be very very p!ssed off because it immediately paints the article in a light that wasn't intended.

If anything else within the body of the text I wrote is changed I'll be far more p!ssed off. For the record I wrote nothing that I believe could be considered an attack on Shelbourne FC.

The Drogs incident is mentioned, here's a quote from the paragraph "this might be one case where Ollie has been unfairly demonised by the press"

I'm sorry DR that you're distancing yourself from the GR because of this article, but there's nothing in that article that I haven't already posted on Shelsweb in one form or another. I hope it doesn't change your opinion of me too much because we've been able to have a good chat whenever we've met.

If I'd realised that it'd cause so much sh!t though, I wouldn't have written it, for the record the point that a review of EL team exploits in Europe would have been a better article is spot on, but to be fair, I think a fanzine is an appropriate place to deal with both the Good and the Bad.

I'd appreciate it if people who've not read it would stop knocking it, if you want to have a cut off me after you've read the article, I'm well able to take it.

[Cosmo]

Having not read this issue yet, I must say the shels fans seem to be getting their knickers in a twist over it without even seeing it. Seriously if there was an article in it bashing drogheda united, id say 'fair enough, the chap is entitled to his opinion' and then ask for a right to reply in the next issue whereby id give the drogs point of view.
'But there are two sides to every story' I agree with this comment which is why the shels lads should get a right to reply in the next issue.

Cant wait for this issue, looking forward to it.

Where are ye selling them lads? Just outside murrays/ the lansdowne or what? Missed ye the last time

[pete]

• 400 Club take over
• Fanzine Focus- FourFiveOne
• Ollie Byrne, Football Hooligan*

From what I can see there is a Rovers, Shelbourne & Cork City article. Wheres the bias?

[Drumcondra Red]

TikTok knows my feelings on this, and as for Shels fans getting their knickers in a twist? I have read it, Tiktok, I'm not distancing myself from the GR, just this issue.

The main reason I'm ****ed off about this is because;

1) The title was changed,

2) This was a fanzine to, amounst other things, promote the EL, I wouldn't have a problem if only EL fans would be reading it,

3) Why was a Cork City fan asked to write it?

4) Tiktok is one of the few Cork fans who is actually liked on shelsweb so I doubt this will change peoples opinion of you in future.

5) What would Rovers fans say if the title of the 400 club article was changed to "Cheats get away lightly," or something of that nature!!!

[Peadar]

The main reason I'm ****ed off about this is because;

1) The title was changed,

I have to agree, the title is offensive.

[TheOwl]

I then try to raise the question if Ollie is still the right man for Shels because of the recent bad publicity that has been generated around him, which is exactly where the title it was submitted under came from (the Elvis Costelloe lyrics) Oliver's Army - Here to stay?

The title of the article is what really gave me the hump, and frankly if the title was changed from what you mentioned above (which would have been fine), then the whole thing stinks even worse, as it suggests a conscious editorial decision on the part of the fanzine to attack Ollie. Now it becomes more that "just one man's opinion."

If it was left with its original title then of course I would have reserved judgement until having read it, but forgive me for thinking a piece called “Ollie Byrne Football Hooligan” is not going to be a balanced piece.

I really think two counter arguments within the one issue would have been the way to go if you wanted to debate the Ollie issue, but hey it's not my fanzine!

Cosmo - I appreciate your point of view here too, but the whole right to reply thing could turn the fanzine into, as Slash/Ed pointed out, a slagging match between EL clubs, when as this is a fanzine being sold to barstoolers who go to Ireland games, we should be looking to promote the positive aspects of the league.

Tittok - Thanks for explaining your side of the story, it sheds new light on the issue, please don’t consider my attacks on the fanzine as an attack on yourself.

[tiktok]

but forgive me for thinking a piece called “Ollie Byrne Football Hooligan” is not going to be a balanced piece.

I understand that completely The Owl, I'm no happier than you, after all, it'll be my name under that heading, and given that I tried to write a decent article, the fact that people will have already dismissed it based on a heading I didn't chose (and which I don't believe reflects the content) is very frustrating.

I haven't seen the printed version yet, so that title may have just been used on the forum to help build interest, and not in the fanzine itself, I'm hoping that's the case.

[Anto McC]

Troy,I know i said i'd help you when you were selling the fanzines and i will but not this time around,for pretty much the same reasons as the other Shels fans on here,I have no bother helping the next time around,if you should feel the need to ask me but not this time.Sorry

[Mento]

YouBoysInGreen issue 2 is also out.
Good interview with Jack Charlton and lots more. The point in a Fanzine is for the fans to have a say, so to all the above, why not send in your own rants?

We haven't started an EL section yet - so far it has been aimed at the international audience. We're very happy with this issue and 15,000 copies are available free around the ground.
Enjoy

One thing we want to do for next issue is a take the **** out of the ****** who wrote the story in ireland on sunday, and ideas feel free to pm me

[Bald Student]

YouBoysInGreen issue 2 is also out.

Looking forward to it. Like I said to Troy, If you've any over we'd be happy to distribute them in UCD.

[Troy.McClure]

Woo woo woo! Hold it there cowboys! Im not even going to bother reading all that!

I dont know if "the author" showed you (Drum Red) a copy of the bit about Ollie, but its actually fairly unbiased IMO, the title is a pi$$ take from the chant. Its a balanced article IMO.

Don Givens is 'fair game' too, he has a $hite record of achievement with the u21's and a treats eL players poorly to boot. He has even had to appologise to Brian Lennox about some of his comments. This article is (basically) a rehash of a 451 article, and as a thank you I put in a review of them, so they can raise awarness of thier own fanzine.

If Red Inc or Brigod Dearag want a review then they can send it to genesisreporter@yahoo.com and it (if written any way well) would be printed.

If people get the fanzine and dont like it, then they can email and complain to the above address, but please dont rant without having a look first. Ye remind me of some guy who posted here or on the peoples flag about the first edition "A rag" was his comment, when asked why, he said he didnt actually read it, he just saw someone selling it and didnt like the print quality of the cover

To say that it is turning into a CCFC run fanzine is also false. Its obvious that I will have most of my links there, but Im trying to get more people from other clubs involved too, so just be patient. Anyway, if it was a CCFC fanzine then the drum that was bought from the first issue would deffinitly have stayed at home and not gone to the Shels Steua match God knows Ive got stick from that one!

In short, buy the fanzine and take a read. If you dont like parts of it, tell us why so we can improve. Most of all, try getting involved yourself by writing articles. Dont whinge, do something, we need more writers!

[Troy.McClure]

I understand that completely The Owl, I'm no happier than you, after all, it'll be my name under that heading, and given that I tried to write a decent article, the fact that people will have already dismissed it based on a heading I didn't chose (and which I don't believe reflects the content) is very frustrating.

I haven't seen the printed version yet, so that title may have just been used on the forum to help build interest, and not in the fanzine itself, I'm hoping that's the case.

Ok, first off, sorry Tiktok, I take responcibility for this one.

The title (nothing else) was changed to "Ollie Byrne, Football Hooligan - The Shed, COrk 16/07/05"

The only change to the piece is at the end where I added "Ollie Byrne is not a football hooligan, its only a chant"


If anyone is looking to blame/give out to. Direct it to me.

Roy, a CCFC fan wrote the piece coz he said he would do it. No one from shels has volunteered to write for the GR, so I dont have much of a choice! THey are more than welcome to come on board though

Seriously if there was an article in it bashing drogheda united, id say 'fair enough, the chap is entitled to his opinion' and then ask for a right to reply in the next issue whereby id give the drogs point of view.

Actually, if anyone (even a shels fan) wants (after reading it) to reply then that would be great. 450 or 900 words lads

[Éanna]

Yeah, the one I bought before the Shels game in Cork (IWTO- I think???) also had an attack on Ollie in it, its getting boring now lads!

GR vol. 2 has attacks on 2 Irish footballing personalities, nice "fanzine"

The man is bad for the image of the league. By making it clear that fans of the league don't approve of the thuggish behaviour of that individual, then it is enhancing the image of the league. Lots of people have heard of Ollie Byrne, because of his antics. His fault, not anyone else's.

[Drumcondra Red]

Erm, I read the article on the e-mail, it is not a fully balanced piece, although it is to a certain extent, when reading it I kept the title in mind, your title, and I felt it was an attack of sorts on Ollie Byrne and Shelbourne FC as a result (No offence tiktok, but your bias shone through imo).

p.s. the ollie byrne is a football hooligan chant is taken as a joke, and god knows we've sang it too for a laugh, but it did not originate in Cork, again Cork shyte coming into play

No shels fans that I am aware of were approached to write this article and as I've explained reasons to you before why I couldn't write for you I will not repeat myself.

Also your words were originally to use the GR to promote the EL, and to help create atmosphere in Landsdowne Road, this article is not promoting the EL, and as I've said I will distance myself from this issue but I will help with future copies as I've said all along.

Finally, whats thre point in anybody submitting articles only for them to be edited without consent???

I don't want to enter into a public slagging match with you Troy, because apart from this we have got along in the past, even though you wouldn't join us redsmen for a pint in Cork that time I respect and admire what you're trying to achieve with the GR and in future you have my support, not with this issue though.