Athlone V United

**Louth4sam** · 29/10/2006, 11:09 AM

Like i said in the main forum we brought large crowds to athlone twice and there was no trouble at all from the athlone lads. Just a good bit of banter the whole way through. All games in the eircom league where there might be a hint of trouble should be segragated. We've only been doing it around five years but there hasnt been any trouble in the ground since.

**Conor H** · 29/10/2006, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Louth4sam

Like i said in the main forum we brought large crowds to athlone twice and there was no trouble at all from the athlone lads. Just a good bit of banter the whole way through. All games in the eircom league where there might be a hint of trouble should be segragated. We've only been doing it around five years but there hasnt been any trouble in the ground since.

Yes we know.We were saying all week that it had potential for a disaster with no segregation at the match.Although i don't like to blame ATFC for the behaviour of some tossers they were very il-prepared for trouble.They had2 guards who remained on the pitch for half the match and 3 stewards in between both sets of fans all of whom really weren't up to it.I won't be holding my breath for segregation next time either.

**GalwayFrancis** · 29/10/2006, 11:30 AM

the stewarding last night was a joke! and whats the point in having cops at a game, if they do nothing to help the situation? segregation in a ground which has two stands is very easy, why didnt they segregate last nights game. and after the game i went up to one of the stewards and asked about a escort out of the ground and i was told we would be getting a police escort to the motorway, did they forget or something? atfc should be held responsible for the damage caused to the bus and cars of gufc fans, and made pay for it

**GuisaSaigon** · 29/10/2006, 1:07 PM

great WIN .The "mad as cootes" were spot on and it was great to meet up with a bunch of proper LOI fans.
Fair play to to the team, to put on a performance like that in front of the cameras was legendary.
I dont want to talk much about the kids that caused trouble, I can only say that the way united fans behaved showed our class and the stewarding was a joke. I think it shows that there is a big onus on true LOI supporters to set standards of behaviour among fans.There are young impressionable kids going to games that unfortunately seem to choose characters from green street as role models.
Did any one tape the game ? I'd love to have a look at it again , maybe we can put it on in foxes pre game next week. It would be great to put the goals up on the net.Gethins was class we have to sign him up permanently.

**GUISAUltra** · 29/10/2006, 4:47 PM

wedefinitely need to sign gethins ful time, i said that the first time i saw him play. i think hes absolutely brilliant and no defence in the division knows what to do with him.
I have to say fair play to the three mad as cootes lads who waited with us galway fans and walked out to the bus with us. ye were a credit to ye're club and set an example for all other fans in the country

**Paddyfield** · 30/10/2006, 5:57 PM

Originally Posted by Terry

They were kicking the car doors and as I got assistance fromthe gardai to get my car out we were pelted with stones (theres nearly �900 worth of damage to my car) ...

...I can soundly say you'll never see me in Athlone ever again.

Been there, done that Terry.

My car was spat on outside St Mel's Park after a Cup game a few years ago. My Uncle's car had it's side window smashed outside St Mel's in the 1980's. I saw another Galway registered car vandalised another time near the ground. It seems to be a pastime in Athlone to play with other peoples cars.

The locals should canvass the local poiticians to build a playground for the kids.

**Patrick Dunne** · 30/10/2006, 6:09 PM

No offence to the Athlone lads on here, but the blame for Saturday night lies totally with ATFC. Only for the intervention of the GUFC event controller and some of our own stewards, things could have been a lot worse.

In future, there will have to be GUFC stewards on duty at these games, as the Athlone stewards have shown themselves to be incompetent.

**Tir Oilean** · 30/10/2006, 7:43 PM

The way that event was controlled was a disgrace! I watched it on TV while receiving texts from someone in the ground. Mates that were watchin couldnt believe the Gardai just standing there doin nothing. I'd have got their badge numbers. They dont waste too much time dragging Men and women from the entrance to the Corrib Gas site!

The garda that goes to our home games should be sent down to teach them a thing or two. We can host crowds of 3 and 4000 without incident. I'm with Terry on this one I wont be goin there anymore (and not just because ye wont be in top flight)

Feel sorry for the Cootes that their club officials let them down so badly. its a disgrace that so much was awarded for the new ground when it clearly won't be hosting too many fans (home or away) and they cant control their own cling-on supporters (so called).

This post might be a bit strong but its how I feel, imagine if I was at the game.

**GalwayFrancis** · 31/10/2006, 9:51 AM

Originally Posted by Patrick Dunne

No offence to the Athlone lads on here, but the blame for Saturday night lies totally with ATFC. Only for the intervention of the GUFC event controller and some of our own stewards, things could have been a lot worse.

In future, there will have to be GUFC stewards on duty at these games, as the Athlone stewards have shown themselves to be incompetent.

ditto

**corbyeire** · 31/10/2006, 10:59 AM

my general impression was that these were not athlone fans - they were kids hanging around probably had been up at the circus up the road and generally looking for trouble

they probably got in for free and had no interest in the game whatsoever

after the first banger went off in the stand the stewards should have been there immediately

very bad show from atfc stewards and a pity scenes like that charge had to be seen on TG4 for the first ever division one game

lets hope galway show what the EL first division can truly be like the next night against cobh

as regard conor gethins - he is so good for this league that he is constantly given off side when he is not - just too fast for the linesmen!

lets keep the pressure on against kildare

**corbyeire** · 31/10/2006, 11:02 AM

oh yea thanks for the lift p dunne

**Lim till i die** · 01/11/2006, 10:50 AM

Saw it on telly last night, was flicking between that and the Chelsea Barca game and I have to say the gap in standard was huge

Looked awful, that pitch was an absolute bog and the stand the camera was facing looked like a teenage disco

Athlone stewards were pretty crap. There seemed to be a lot of them there just Ar$in about doing nothing when all it would have taken was half dozen stewards and one guard standing in a line between the Athlone kids and the Galway kids and hey presto - No trouble.

Also, at one stage Galway had a throw and when the player went to collect the ball one of the stewards kicked it over his head then turned around to have a laugh with above mentioned kids. Only, a small thing but pretty pathetic at the same time.

Still, it was nice to hear that at least Limerick and Galway fans agree on Eric Lavine

**Terry** · 01/11/2006, 10:54 AM

the problem was that they were coming around the back of the stand as well as the front !

**Lim till i die** · 01/11/2006, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Terry

the problem was that they were coming around the back of the stand as well as the front !

Then have stewards on either side of the Galway fans

It looked like there was enough there, just not really doing anything

**corbyeire** · 01/11/2006, 10:59 AM

as far as i could make out a lot of them werent in the actual ground - just behind the fences/stand and throwing things in from there - there was no barrier really