Rovers verus Shams

**Fivesilver** · 26/04/2006, 9:43 AM

Originally Posted by d f x-

I'm not going to get into a childish tit-for-tat "we've a stadium, you don't", "we're Premier League you're not" type argument because that's all Sligo fans start into whenever they get a chance with Rovers and true to form it has happened in this thread.

At the end of the day in terms of a rival, you are a non-starter for me and everyone I know, perhaps you'd just like to think you're rivals with us, but there's nothing we or I can do about that.

koh.

You have to love this lad. "I'm not going to . . . but I will"

At least the two points above are facts - the one below is an opinion . . . from a supporter of a Division 1 club.

Shamrock Rovers had great teams down the years. To me, that club, and its traditions, died with the closure of Glenmalure Park.
The current replacement may return to become a successful club. It'll have help from local authorities, and plenty of cheerleaders in the national media, but Shamrock Rovers is part of Irish football history.
In short, it's kicked the bucket, shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile. Shamrock Rovers is an ex-football club.

Rival? Hmmm ... worthy rival? Don't take the p!ss.

**avvenalaf** · 26/04/2006, 10:08 AM

DFX , you are absolutely right not to consider Sligo Rovers as rivals. After all, Tranmere Rovers, while neighbours of Liverpool, do not consider the Anfield club as rivals - for obvious reasons. Still, you never know, you might be fortunate enough to draw The Real Rovers in the cup, in which case we will organise a bucket collection at half time to pay for the McDonalds in Longford for the team on the way home. The great pity is that Pat Scully should be managing us.

**dfx-** · 26/04/2006, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Fivesilver

"I'm not going to . . . but I will"

I stated what the usual Sligo comments are and so I will not respond to those specific ones and I didn't and then stated my opinion on the subject of the thread - though I didn't think I'd have to outline/explain the post.

To me, that club, and its traditions, died with the closure of Glenmalure Park.

You continue thinking that if you so like, but it has nothing to do with the topic of whether Rovers and Sligo are rivals

Shamrock Rovers is an ex-football club.

I should probably cancel my planned trip to Ballybofey fairly quickly so..

from a supporter of a Division 1 club.

Jaysus, if this is what Sligo are like just a few games into the big league, who knows how they'll be if they actually win something..

**red bellied** · 26/04/2006, 10:37 AM

Shams were always hated in Sligo it goes back at least to the fifties, they hated coming here because of the transport and expense. This kind of attitude did not make them popular with the locals. As far as Shamrock Rovers were concerned Rovers were not good enough for the LOI making them a hate figure.

Then there was the 1978 fiasco when Carpenter awarded Shams a controversial penalty after five minutes of added time in the first half. These things amongst a fair few more' but i be here all night made them not to popular about the place.

Shams were once the old lady of LOI football now they are just the tramps of the Eircom League.

**dfx-** · 26/04/2006, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by avvenalaf

Still, you never know, you might be fortunate enough to draw The Real Rovers in the cup.

We don't talk about Sligo, yet you seem to talk about us. No-one at Rovers minds whether we get Sligo in the Cup ('if we do, then we'll deal with it' attitude), yet the most I hear about it is Sligo fans telling Rovers fans that "we might get you in the Cup" or something similar. You'll see very few threads on any site and even fewer conversations in pubs about Rovers remembering playing Sligo and "what was your favourite Sligo game from the past" whereas Boez and Pats and Cork etc. are much more likely to crop up.

Shams were always hated in Sligo.....This kind of attitude did not make them popular with the locals....made them not to popular about the place,

So maybe the locals have always considered them big matches and you therefore consider us rivals, but I don't. So maybe the locals hated us, but then again that may explain why you think of us as rivals rather than it being reciprocated. If rivals were based on just not being popular, Rovers would too many rivals to shake a stick at.

you are just another team from Dublin IMO.

So if we were to actually draw Sligo, you think you'd have the same crowd as just another Dublin team? One thing I can guess at is that the same amount of Rovers fans will be there, so any increase is not on account of Rovers flocking to see their big time rivals..you wouldn't expect a bigger turnout of locals given that it's Rovers instead of Shels for example?

made them not to popular about the place.

If rivals were based on just not being popular, Rovers would too many rivals to shake a stick at.

in which case we will organise a bucket collection at half time to pay for the McDonalds in Longford for the team on the way home.

The team is very well looked after, thanks. Well paid last year and similarly so this year. Tax up-to-date and licence sorted etc etc. But as I've said before, I'm sure that won't stop some Sligo fans from saying that same type of comment again and again.

**red bellied** · 26/04/2006, 11:39 AM

Never said anything about rivals said Shamrock Rovers were hated. Were you at games in the fifties, legend has that some shams players had to be smuggled outside in laundry baskets because there was a mob outside the ground waiting to lynch them. Shams teams thought they could do what they wanted wanted in the Showgrounds usually with help from referees. They had great teams but for a trip to Sligo why bother was the attitude, the game was sown up before it started.

**hoops1** · 26/04/2006, 12:05 PM

Controversial penalties,People being smuggled out of the ground
are you sure your not getting things mixed up with escape to victory
I hear that it is the latest release down there.
Did some dude score an overhead in the last minute if he did
It was a video and not your memories of a match

**red bellied** · 26/04/2006, 12:25 PM

Fact not fiction, and if yeah know your history.

**sligoman** · 26/04/2006, 12:28 PM

Who cares about this crap? We used to be rivals, not anymore, simple as that!

**hoops1** · 26/04/2006, 12:56 PM

Oh well if its history 15- 24

**sligobhoy67** · 26/04/2006, 2:10 PM

like I said yer not really rivals

1st Finn Harps
2nd Galway
3rd Athlone
4th Derry
5th Shams - only because they are a team waankers and are supported by waankers

IMO

**NY Hoop** · 26/04/2006, 2:32 PM

Hilarious thread! No idea who these shams are but its obviously a blind spot for some here.

Guess where you took the name Rovers from? You've got to love sligo fans. When they're doing well there in their thousands but when they're not barely a hundred. I've seen both sides.

One good thing about being in the first division (your spiritual home) is we dont have to go sligo.

I was there in 93 in the "showgies"

when we relegated you. In 95 the two penalties you were awarded were a joke by a hometown ref.

Let me tell you if you had to go through what our fans have gone through in the last 19 years you wouldnt have a set of jersies let alone a ground.

Rivals with sligo?

The biggest club is always hated by small clubs. Needless to say there's only one Rovers.

KOH

**red bellied** · 26/04/2006, 2:52 PM

As from where we got the rovers part it wasnt from ye, total lies just tryin to wind a few young fellows up.
Yeah i was there in 1993, that result didnt matter were relegated even if we won that game, remember been a few of ye, left the game early for some reason.
As for 1995 in the first game Sligo outnumbered the home support by at least two to one at the RDS.
Could have been 92 or 93 at the RDS 250 at the game least half from Sligo very loyal.

**NY Hoop** · 26/04/2006, 3:09 PM

Dream on. In the bottom 6 series in 92 there was a car full of sligo fans at the RDS. One of them was the guy who sells programmes down there. Now he is a loyal fan.

You're right about the crowd at the 95 crowd which goes to prove what I said earlier. Biggest part time supporters in the league.

Look up your history and you'll find out where you got Rovers from. No wind up at all.

KOH

**red bellied** · 26/04/2006, 3:23 PM

I went up on the train for that game and there was a least 30 on that, a few at Carrick even what ever the crowd was it was the worst i ever seen at a premeir game.
As for this rovers thing its a total windup, i have read books on the clubs history there is nothing at all to source this.