Are we the only league that does this?

[Colm]

See this what bugs me about CHF "fans". Claims that we are ALL "wanabe (sic( brit hooligans. Pal there are loads of families that go to Rovers games and go home unharmed

Some Rovers fans made gestures at him. Oh dear call the cops. Did they throw nuts at you too ffs??? Show me a league in the world where one set of fans wont make gestures at each other if one club relegates the other

The LSL is where your club belongs.

KOH

Spot on.
If he was that upset at someone merely making a w@nker gesture at him, he'd probably be best staying away from the Cross, Dalymount and pretty much all other premier grounds next season or he'll never get over the trauma of people gesturing and singing nasty songs at him and his "club"!

Thanks. I was one of the Bohs fans in that section and though there was singing and gesturing, I didn't see anyone squaring up to cause trouble (other than the Rovers casuals on the pitch). There were no Bohs casuals (BSC) present, just a decent bunch of maybe 50 vocal fans ejoying the moment. I think you are very, very far removed from the realities of genuine football culture. You are one seriously frightened individual if you think anything untoward happened last Friday.

Totally agree Philo. To be fair though if you were a fan of Seery's franchise you probably wouldn't have a clue about proper football culture either!


Derek get a grip man! Your basically saying that all Rovers and Bohs fans are hooligans, City fans are ignorant and Shels have too many fans!

[Roverstillidie]

Derek, with respect, the sporting experience you appear to want to get for you and your kids sounds like you should be going to watch a LSL team, or even your local GAA club. If tranquil calm and pints with the players is what you are looking for, a professional league isnt where you should be watching your ball.
Families arent safe at Rovers and Bohs? Shels have 'too many' fans (not opening that can of worms, but even barca with 1,000,000 members want more)? You must be a nightmare to buy for at christmas....

[NY Hoop]

Probably the same guy who complained in sligo at the abuse he got. Welcome to football and indeed to the real world. You would be safer in the LSL and even those teams get more support than you do.

CHF is a waste of time and when that deluded midget seery finds out that he cant raise 10k a week next season bye bye and good riddance.

KOH

[Derek]

Shamrock Rovers:
Went to a lot of their games but didn't enjoy the atmosphere because of all the wanabe brit hooligans who make supportting them if you have kids a joke as you would fear for thier safety.

Bohs:
Similar support to Rovers but just not as many mentle cases:

If you don't believe me about the nutters then you should have been at the playoff with Dublin City and Rovers last Friday

Example 1.
200 Bohs fans to my right in Tolka constantly shouting rubbish at the Rovers Fans, Rovers Fans shouting back just waiting for the final whistle so the could square up and cause trouble, muppets the lot,

Example 2.
End of the game waiting for the Rovers fans to leave the area outside Tolka so I could bring the kids home three Rovers fans walk past me, I'm standing thier with my five year old, my nine year old and my twelve year old all wearing Dublin hats etc and one of the nobends gestures his hand in the motion of having a waank, then lets out some verbals of the same variety to me and the kids, know I know the garda did a good job keeping the waring factions apart but are you trying to tell me that they needed to have a fight that badly they needed to have ago from my gang of Dublin City Ultras. What a scalp that would be went they get back to the rehab centre and tell all their mates.

Too many silly replies to quote from all of them, but if you read what I actually wrote you see that I never said all Rovers or Bohs fans or any group of fans for that matter are all nutters. I never said that the Bohs Squared up to the Rovers fans. I never said any BSC's were at the game. As someone else said in another reply that this was a football match, I agree it was a football match but it was not a freeforallkillpeopleinotherteamscolours match.
I think some of you have the problem not me, tensions do run high but that is no excuse to knock lunps out of each other and as for the things I wrote about the game in Sligo, I m only writing about things I sen and hard, I could leave the kids at home and get involved with all of the posturing and gesturing and eventually mini riots but thats not what I want out of supporting my team, I want an enjoyable experience that the whole family can enjoy.

As for my reasons as to why I chose Dublin City over any other club they are my impressions of what I felt after attending some games, I'm not saying that I am right for everybody but they are right for me and what I would like to get, I'm not saying that Rovers and Bohs don't have families going to them as I know loads who do and they are mostly fine people, the problems I am talking about are with the muppets who want to kill each other over their colours.

I don't think it's me who needs to get a grip, think about some of the actions some of you are defending, it's doesn't make sense.

Try to see the argument from both sides, the EL can be a safe and enjoyable experience for all not just the few.

This time an example of good fun at a game.

Went to watch the Dubs playing Derry City in the Brandywell Meson and I sat right in the centre of the stand surrounded on all side by Derry fans, Dublin City went 1:0 down, Derry fans went wild celebbrating giving us stick, but the stick is to do with football and how crap Dublin were. Fine no problems with that just felt bad cause our team were losing.

Dublin City went 2:0 down, Derry fans went wild celebbrating giving us stick, but the stick is to do with football and how crap Dublin were. Fine no problems with that just felt bad cause our team were losing.

Then;

Dublin get one back, we start cheering no hassle from anyone.
Dublin get the equaliser, we start cheering no hassle from anyone.
Dublin go 3:2 up, we start cheering no hassle from anyone.

Slagging goes back and forth, no fear, no threats, nothing thrown.

Game ends, we leave the groud nobody gestures or causes any problems.
We get plenty of "Well dones" and I respond with "we were lucky" and the like.

We drive home, great game, great night can wait to go back.

Thats the type of thing I want.

[Derek]

Totally agree Philo. To be fair though if you were a fan of Seery's franchise you probably wouldn't have a clue about proper football culture either!

What makes your view of football culture correct?
Who gave you the right to say you know what proper football culture is?

You are talking like your view of football is the only view of football, maybe it's beacuse of your "proper football culture" that the league is in such a state.

Do you think that knocking lumps out of other fans is proper football culture?

Give me a break.

[Poor Student]

I think Derek is more than fair here and by the way if you read what happened to him in Sligo there's no way you can condone it by claiming "that's football culture". No paying customer should have to put up with the kind of stuff Derek is talking about. When I mentioned some nut throwing it was the same thing, a group of people, mainly Rovers fans, insisted that this is part and parcel of the game and either put up with it or shut up. That's just not acceptable and there's no reason why we shouldn't be highlighting, condemning and trying to root out this behaviour instead of sweeping it under the carpet as "football culture" whatever that is.

[Roverstillidie]

he is on about those ****ing nuts again. no-one is sweeping nuts under the carpet, we just dont care because in the big bad world its utterly irrelevant. its hardly up there with people getting glassed or kicked up and down doyles corner, is it now? its not fan culture, its just plain boring if thats the nastiest thing to ever happen to you.
derek seemed to have a bad experince in Sligo, and on the face of the slig fans were naughty, but not naughty enough for him to contact a steward or garda about them.
you had fun v derry because you beat them.
you would swear reading this that Rovers and bohs fans have to wade through blood and climb mountains of bodies to get into their respective games.
I will repeat, Derek, don't you think that the local GAA club or LSL side would be a more appropriate place for you to watch sport to get the atmosphere for you and your kids that you seek? far more cotton wool than the earthy LOI. I dont share your sanitised view of professional football that appears to be pervasive cross channel where fans are ejected for not sitting.

[Speranza]

Derek made it quite clear that he does enjoy banter at football. It's a lesser form of the hatred I feel towards certain clubs and their fans and as RTID said it is "sanatised" but each to their own. We should be giving people credit for getting off their arse and going to watch a match. FFS we are all quick enough to scorn those who have no time for our league. No-win situation.

I don't like the idea behind Seery's little venture but I still respect people for supporting the eL over money-mad foreign drivel.

[BohDiddley]

Yes you are all right, I will call the Chairman in the morning and insist that he disbands the club asap.

Get a grip the lot of, Nobody duped me or fooled me. I feel part of the club, had no ties before supporting The Dubs and hate Homefarm. I knew very little about the EL before supporting the Dubs.

Shamrock Rovers:
Went to a lot of their games but didn't enjoy the atmosphere because of all the wanabe brit hooligans who make supportting them if you have kids a joke as you would fear for thier safety.

Bohs:
Similar support to Rovers but just not as many mentle cases:

If you don't believe me about the nutters then you should have been at the playoff with Dublin City and Rovers last Friday

Example 1.
200 Bohs fans to my right in Tolka constantly shouting rubbish at the Rovers Fans, Rovers Fans shouting back just waiting for the final whistle so the could square up and cause trouble, muppets the lot,

Example 2.
End of the game waiting for the Rovers fans to leave the area outside Tolka so I could bring the kids home three Rovers fans walk past me, I'm standing thier with my five year old, my nine year old and my twelve year old all wearing Dublin hats etc and one of the nobends gestures his hand in the motion of having a waank, then lets out some verbals of the same variety to me and the kids, know I know the garda did a good job keeping the waring factions apart but are you trying to tell me that they needed to have a fight that badly they needed to have ago from my gang of Dublin City Ultras. What a scalp that would be went they get back to the rehab centre and tell all their mates.

Shels:
Good club with plenty of decent fans, almost picked these but they have enough fans already.

Cork:
Based on the fans ignorance that I come across from their fans on foot.ie I'm glad I live so far away although the distance would not have stopped me supporting.

Derry City:
Good fans, no, Great fans, great atmosphere and a good night out when you go to the Brandy well.

Pats:
Didn't feel anything when watching these.

UCD.
Never actually went to see UCD before I picked my team, Sorry.

Wanderers.
Never actually went to see Wanderers before I picked my team, Sorry.

So that left Dublin City, from the very first game I went to see them I felt at home, Good atmosphere even though the games can be a bit quite. You can be sure your kids will not have to listen too or watch your own fans throw abuse of objects at the opposition.

If I left anyone out sorry but you get the gist of my response, Just because some of the posters on this site say such rubbish about Dublin City doesn't mean it's true but the idea of constantly running down clubs for what ever reason is silly, give Dublin City time.

Derek,
At the risk of suffering a similar dissing for also being a parent, I can readily identify with some of the negatives you experience in bringing kids to EL football. Certainly, I do not agree that throwing missiles is part of football culture: anyone who does needs to get out more. And it is nonsense to suggest that people with kids should stay away so that 'real' fans can show their commitment in this way.
That said, I think you have overstated the negatives. No one believes that an EL game is the only place where your kids will hear a bit of colourful language and see some exotic hand gestures. You were unfortunate in that you and your kids were subjected to direct abuse, but I don't think that is a fair reflection of all of EL-dom outside CHF. For my part, for example, I have had the signally rare experience of myself and my kids being called 'scum' in Inchicore and Drogheda (I kind of enjoyed it, in a perverse 'nobody likes us' way!). But I still have a lot of respect for most Pats fans and Drogs, as I have for fans of Irish football generally.
I can't see a single positive reason in your original post for your supporting CHF, and that, I think, is the core problem. I won't bore you with the myriad possibly illogical but totally positive reasons why I, as an EL newcomer, picked Bohs or (and I think there definitely is something in this) Bohs picked me. Suffice to say that all of those reasons have to do with things black and red, even down to our renowned collective grumpiness. The fact that my club are not Shams or Shels or anyone else has precious little to do with it.

[bigmac]

regarding the nuts issue again, I have to agree with PS on this one. It was a nothing incident, nobody was hurt etc.. but as fans the line has to be drawn somewhere as regards what's acceptable and what's unacceptable behaviour. For me, that line has been and always will be that throwing anything at other fans or players is just not on.
You cannot sit there and say, ffs it was only nuts, because where does it stop then? have you a list of things that are acceptable to throw at people? Why do people feel the need to defend the actions of other fans in their club? Every club has scumbags (maybe not DC, don't have the numbers) in their support, but if the rest of us just sit back and say, "ah sure nobody was hurt" then we might as well join them.

[sullanefc]

From what I have read, one or two people focussed on the attendances of different clubs. I think most people on here would agree that attendances have nothing to do with peoples dislike of Dublin City/Home Farm.

Home Farm was a club with history and nobody disliked them. Its when Ronan Seery, ripped up that history and replaced it with DCFC (Dublin City Franchise Club) is when people started disliking them. I have great time for clubs like Limerick, Galway, Kilkenny, Kildare etc who have clubs in their location and despite smaller attendances, are surviving.

If you want to compare to the premiership, I would liken Kilkenny to Wigan. Kilkenny are a club in a hurling county. Wigan are a club in a big Rugby League town. But nobody minds. If a team from Kerry wanted to join the league, I think everybody would welcome them. As people have done with Kildare.

But can you imagine if a team were set up in England and called themselves London City F.C.?? And imagine if they got into the premiership? Imagine if they only had 200 fans? Would they be welcomed by Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea fans etc? I doubt it. Dublin City have done that and are now disliked. They are essentially a made up club that moved into an area with enough football clubs as it is.

If there is a gap in the market fair enough but there wasn't and they still moved in.

[pete]

But can you imagine if a team were set up in England and called themselves London City F.C.?? And imagine if they got into the premiership? Imagine if they only had 200 fans? Would they be welcomed by Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea fans etc? I doubt it. Dublin City have done that and are now disliked. They are essentially a made up club that moved into an area with enough football clubs as it is.

If there is a gap in the market fair enough but there wasn't and they still moved in.

Closest analogy would be MK Dons. Killed off Wimbledon & parachuted into new town & ahtes aby every other club in the country.

[sullanefc]

Closest analogy would be MK Dons. Killed off Wimbledon & parachuted into new town & ahtes aby every other club in the country.

I think people would have a lot more time for a club like Rushden & Diamonds. 2 clubs in troubled, merged, BUT KEPT THEIR NAMES, and were taken over by a rich business man. At least they kept their names and history, and were not encroaching on any other team's "patch"

click

[Derek]

Derek can i ask you a question how does trouble always find you at these games ?

It doesn't always find me, infact I would say that on the whole the league and it fans are great, I been to almost 100 games over the last few years and I have only had two bad incidents that are note worthy. I have had similar incidents as BohDidley dicribes happen but they were not worth discusing, I agree with the setiments here that football is full of passion.

I enjoy giving and taking in pitch side debates, example, recently in a game in Richmond park the Athlone fans sang some fairly rude songs, you know the one about wings of a sparrow and ****teing of people below, no complaint. good laugh realy.

But of the two incidents I mentioned I feel they are over the top and unneccessary. I am not a prude of afraid of colourful language but at the same time some actions are wrong and have no place at a football match.

[Dodge]

Its the fact they are a franchise, a fake football club with no history, underage structures, ground,

Yeah I hate Cork City too...

If we were to have an "elite" league as Genesis wants there would be absolutely no place for UCD or Dublin City. UCD are in this league for the past 25+ years and have been relatively succesful. They still have not established a fan base.

DC are the ultimate joke club an are basically one man's ego trip. If anybody can give me one valid reason for their existence (bar the why not?) argument I'll change my mind.

[Burnsie]

because the eircom league needs all the viable commercial entities it can get?

[Dodge]

because the eircom league needs all the viable commercial entities it can get?

No, not good enough. The Dublin market is already served.

[LFC in Exile]

be honest, would any of you perfer to be playing home farm and ucd next season rather then rovers or dundalk

give me rovers and dundalk anyday,
the likes of the other 2 do nothing for this league only downgrade it.

How about this then. We get every fan to vote on who they would prefer to play each season and get rid of all this promotion/relegation nonsense.

The team that "contributes" to the league are the team that are competitive. All us clubs with great tradition in the First (Limerick, Dundalk, Athlone, Galway, Shamrock Rovers) can all have a love-in when we play each other and tell each other that we contribute much more to the league than those horrible UCD and DC clubs. But we'll still be in the fu cking first division.

[Dodge]

The team that "contributes" to the league are the team that are competitive. All us clubs with great tradition in the First (Limerick, Dundalk, Athlone, Galway, Shamrock Rovers) can all have a love-in when we play each other and tell each other that we contribute much more to the league than those horrible UCD and DC clubs. But we'll still be in the fu cking first division.

Great post

[Drumcondra Red]

Home Farm (Everton, Finglas)

Just for the record dancinpants, before you criticise them get the names right, it was Home Farm Fingal, not Home Farm Finglas, big differrence, that is all!