Setanta updates

[Poor Student]

I was going to ask if their version of "Hullo, Hullo" or "Billy boys" or whatever you want to call it includes the line "We're up to our knees in fenian blood, surrender or you'll die". Far be it from me to break forum rules but as a comparison UEFA are pulling up Rangers for such songs, is this something Linfield will look into? I noticed in the weekend papers Fenlon said he was doing crossing at training in his first session and Linfield and was doing crap due to an injury. A fellow team mate quipped "You're the only fenian I know who can't cross himself". Pat considered this some good craic and an ice breaker. I think he was setting a bad example by saying that.

[Poor Student]

Yep, we have a black player ourselves who was playing tonight

shows the mentality of the *****s. Nothing i can say can make up for the shame of it but the fact that a thread on ilf already has 250 odd posts in 2 hours shows how strongly wee feel about it.

It doesn't seem to be that strong a condemnation. It seems to have quickly changed into a debate between a lad who thinks that Linfield fans shouldn't feel the likes of Rule Britannia and others suggesting he is anti-British. Several posters have expressed the need to sign it louder and harder as Shels fans booed it.

[pól-dcfc]

The "debate" on ILF has degenerated into mudslinging. Apparently if you don't like the royal family of GB then you can't be a unionist? Ah well. Let them squabble.

The ambivalence on that thread towards the abuse suffered by Ndo is scary. Also fair play to the poster Futi_Sokker who is doggedly trying to convinve the others of the dangers of sectarian chants.

If this sort of rubbish keeps happening is there a future for the Setanta? Forunatly out teams and fans seem to have conducted themselves well (apart from a few thugs in Shels tops trying to charge the Kop - anyone smell a slaughter?).

[sfc red]

Pól, calling the little vermin "thugs" is an insult to thugs.

A bad night on and off the field for Shels

[pól-dcfc]

I was paying close attention to your live updates on the Shels website. I've not great (/any) love for Shels, but I think you could have done alot better tonight, given Linfield's performance against us. At least you have a chance for pay back next week. Any word on Delaney's injury? Or was it just a case of wanting to get off the pitch as quickly as possible?

A win for you next week sets would set up a potentially great final round of matches in Group B.

[sfc red]

Personally I thought he just wanted to get off, but apparently he got a concussion.

[David]

The rascist stuff is disgusting and nobody on ILF will disagree with that. To be honest I was not aware of it until I got home from the game and read ILF and apparently only about 10 or so involved. That is not trying to trivialise it, just getting it into perspective. Equally the sectarian stuff is disgusting but you need to get into perspective exactly what is sectarian. Rule Britannia certainly does not fall into that category, nor does the Sash. Not my choice for songs at football matches but non football songs are sang at matches the world over. Linfield have put a lot of work into eradicating the sectarian stuff such as the Billy Boys from our games.

Not just the Bluemen that were misbehaving last night by the way. With around 5 minutes to go a few Shels fans for some reason ran to the end of the North Stand to throw missiles towards the Linfield support and shout abuse.

[Poor Student]

David, that's why I asked if they're part of your usual repertoire or do you just pull them out to antagonise the other team. I think, though I could be wrong, that a Scottish court ruled the Sash ok in itself but in certain contexts sectarian when it is just used to antagonise. Again Rule Britannia doesn't really belong in this context. As you've agreed the Billy Boys is just wholly unacceptable. Ok, you have said that non-footballing songs come into football but by singing those songs you're politicising football. We're really not used to that in the Eircom League. I met an old Derry fan on the way to the Brandywell on Friday and he basically said that the Eircom League was great for Derry, that it was just good fun whereas the Irish League was just bitter and unhappy. I would hate to see Linfield import the kind of policised nature of Scottish football into our game. How long before we start getting retorts of republican songs or people jumping on the bandwagon like at the Setanta Cup final last year?

By the way, I'm furious to hear about the Shels fans doing that. Did it look premeditated or spontaneous?

[David]

David, that's why I asked if they're part of your usual repertoire or do you just pull them out to antagonise the other team. I think, though I could be wrong, that a Scottish court ruled the Sash ok in itself but in certain contexts sectarian when it is just used to antagonise. Again Rule Britannia doesn't really belong in this context. As you've agreed the Billy Boys is just wholly unacceptable. Ok, you have said that non-footballing songs come into football but by singing those songs you're politicising football. We're really not used to that in the Eircom League. I met an old Derry fan on the way to the Brandywell on Friday and he basically said that the Eircom League was great for Derry, that it was just good fun whereas the Irish League was just bitter and unhappy. I would hate to see Linfield import the kind of policised nature of Scottish football into our game. How long before we start getting retorts of republican songs or people jumping on the bandwagon like at the Setanta Cup final last year?

By the way, I'm furious to hear about the Shels fans doing that. Did it look premeditated or spontaneous?

Very much seemed spontaneous, only a few involved, although perhaps those involved had planned to do it from earlier in the game, hard to tell. As for your other points, I agree totally that it is not needed. These songs tend to come out at the bigger games. They are not completely unheard of at other games but a lot of work has been put in by Linfield supporters in trying to improve this. Problem is that at the big games you get people that are unaware or simply do not care about the work that has been put in.

We are very much a mixed club playing ways and last night had at least 3 Catholics on our team (I say at least, there are some players whose religion I do not know nor does it matter to me). There were a few others that would have played but for suspension. There is simply not an issue with players' religion. The supporters club that I am in is based on the Shankill Road and we welcome all players to our club functions and indeed go out of the way to make Catholic players welcome in case they feel uneasy about coming into the area. One of our vice presidents is actually a Catholic that used to play for Linfield.

Basically whilst there are admittedly still some problems we have come a long way in the last decade or so and things have really improved. Ask any EL fans who have met up with our supporters. Take Bohs as an example. On the day of the Setanta final Linfield supporters packed their social club and mingled with locals and there was not a bad word the whole day. Unfortunately it is the one or two idiots who get the headlines rather than the many hundred who are out to enjoy football and make friends through football, regardless of peoples race or religion.

[A face]

Moderation :

Lads, i just want to ask people to keep it sensible, dont leave it get out of hand.

[Poor Student]

Basically whilst there are admittedly still some problems we have come a long way in the last decade or so and things have really improved. Ask any EL fans who have met up with our supporters. Take Bohs as an example. On the day of the Setanta final Linfield supporters packed their social club and mingled with locals and there was not a bad word the whole day. Unfortunately it is the one or two idiots who get the headlines rather than the many hundred who are out to enjoy football and make friends through football, regardless of peoples race or religion.

For me this is all the more reason why we should avoid the slippery slope. We seem to have started a good thing going here and I'd hate it to be spoiled. I'm aware that you don't discriminate in employment etc. It seems to be more of the "90 minute bigot" syndrome you hear of in Scotland. It's just that it's quite audiable on TV. We have to be equally as mindful down here as there are some people who'd love to get their teeth into Linfield fans or disrupt the sporting occasion of a Setanta game. I hope Linfield will continue to work at it and maybe Linfield fans will consider that even the Sash, Britannia and GTSQ are best left out of this context. You have a lot to sing for right now, a possible treble and have given a good account of yourselves on the field in the Setanta. Plenty of heros to sing about like Jeffrey, Gault, Ferguson, Thompson etc.

[David]

For me this is all the more reason why we should avoid the slippery slope. We seem to have started a good thing going here and I'd hate it to be spoiled. I'm aware that you don't discriminate in employment etc. It seems to be more of the "90 minute bigot" syndrome you hear of in Scotland. It's just that it's quite audiable on TV. We have to be equally as mindful down here as there are some people who'd love to get their teeth into Linfield fans or disrupt the sporting occasion of a Setanta game. I hope Linfield will continue to work at it and maybe Linfield fans will consider that even the Sash, Britannia and GTSQ are best left out of this context. You have a lot to sing for right now, a possible treble and have given a good account of yourselves on the field in the Setanta. Plenty of heros to sing about like Jeffrey, Gault, Ferguson, Thompson etc.

Problem is though that I would hazard a guess that some of those involved in this stuff would probably not know who Michael Gault is.

You may not be aware but for the first time Linfield are operating an ID scheme for away Setanta games against EL teams and basically you cannot purchase a ticket unless you have what is called a Travel Card. This will hopefully reduce and eventually eliminate this problem when we go to EL clubs as the club can remove this card for those that behave in such a manner.

The likes of GSTQ and RB are different matters entirely to be honest. Linfield is a club with very much a Unionist ethos and many supporters see these songs as a way of expressing that. As I said I would personally prefer that we stuck to the football stuff but I don't see any wrong in these songs being sung. At the end of the day if people really want to find offence they will. There is a danger of being too pc in my opinion. If we get it that the only problem at Linfield games is our supporters singing GSTQ, RB and the Sash then I for one will be a very happy person.

[Skunkito]

Anyone got any links to highlights?

[Poor Student]

Problem is though that I would hazard a guess that some of those involved in this stuff would probably not know who Michael Gault is.

I know what you mean.

You may not be aware but for the first time Linfield are operating an ID scheme for away Setanta games against EL teams and basically you cannot purchase a ticket unless you have what is called a Travel Card. This will hopefully reduce and eventually eliminate this problem when we go to EL clubs as the club can remove this card for those that behave in such a manner.

That's a great measure, shows the club take the issue seriously.

The likes of GSTQ and RB are different matters entirely to be honest. Linfield is a club with very much a Unionist ethos and many supporters see these songs as a way of expressing that. As I said I would personally prefer that we stuck to the football stuff but I don't see any wrong in these songs being sung. At the end of the day if people really want to find offence they will. There is a danger of being too pc in my opinion. If we get it that the only problem at Linfield games is our supporters singing GSTQ, RB and the Sash then I for one will be a very happy person.

Well Derry would be considered a nationalist club and they don't sing nationalist equivilants to the best of my knowledge. In fact I think they made a point of bringing no tricolours to Windsor. The above songs incur booing from opposition supporters and I now see people on your board getting furious and more determined to sing them louder. I'm worried they could be a catalyst for something bigger. I don't want to see every Setanta game involving Linfield having the mentioned songs being sung then getting met by a chorus or boos or even instigate some republican songs as a retort. It looks crap on TV too. You're right though, if that's the worst of it then we don't have a whole lot to worry about, but I thought I'd offer you my view as something to consider as someone who was watching at home as a netural.

[Raheny Red]

Has anyone got the link for the forum which this topic is being debated by IL fans?

Cheers, would like to see what is been said!

[Not Brazil]

Once again, a hundred or so neanderthals drag the proud name of Linfield Football Club through the mire on an otherwise fantastic evening for our Club.

These so called fans are not wanted or needed at Windsor Park.

Linfield Football Club will never be apologising for it's roots.

It cannot go on apologising for scum who are so thick they cannot see the irony in a so called loyalist giving a Nazi salute, or shouting racist abuse at a black player, when a black player is out on his feet having given every last breath for our Club.

Do they not understand that people like me will never be "Standing Up if you hate fenians" when "fenians" wear our shirt with pride and honour.

These issues have been raised at the very highest echelons of the club, together with suggestions as to how the problem might be tackled.

As a matter of some urgency, the Football Offences Act 1991 needs to be extended to Northern Ireland.

I don't give a damn about the handful of Shels scumbags who thought they might wind it up a bit...I care about Linfield Football Club, and it's place at the very top table of Club football on this island.

The Club faces it's moment of choice.

As club football on the island hopefully enters an exciting new phase, will Linfield Football Club be seen as pioneers, or pariahs?

PS: We battered Shels last night. Pride, passion and belief.

We'll be confidently looking to take something out of the game next Monday, and have absolutely nothing to fear.

[OneRedArmy]

Well Derry would be considered a nationalist club and they don't sing nationalist equivilants to the best of my knowledge. In fact I think they made a point of bringing no tricolours to Windsor.

Careful with words PS.
As far as I'm concerned Derry City FC is an apolitical club. Many of our supporters may well be nationalists in their views, but take pride in leaving it at the gates of the Brandywell and welcoming anyone who wants to support us.
Ergo, we don't display tricolours AT ANY ground in Ireland (only at European away games when we are representing Ireland).

[David]

Has anyone got the link for the forum which this topic is being debated by IL fans?

Cheers, would like to see what is been said!

www.irishleagueforums.net. Go to the Linfield section. Unfortunately I cannot access this site in work as it is blocked.

[hoopy]

What has big mouth Jeffries to say about all this, or will he blame Rovers fans?

[Aaron]

I thought derry were outstanding last nite. If they keep up this form they may well qualify and go very far. Im not going to build up our chances but they were superb last nite