Shelbourne FC Demoted to First Division - All Purpose Thread

**bohs til i die** · 31/01/2007, 8:55 PM

Originally Posted by Gareth

I'm pretty disappointed this evening. Not because Shels are going out of business or could be, but because the league I have devoted so much of my time to seems to be partly rejoicing about Shels demise. I am not blind to the fact people anger about Shels buying the league, and Shels were spending above their abilities to fund and that the trouble is self made. That is grounds to be a bit ****ed off about Shels behaviour. However a club of such long history and its support and presence to the league over the years should be remembered for their history and not their immediately present.

Over the years I have supported any club in trouble, or just even any club selling me a ticket for this that or the other. I see the league as something that needs all the support and backing as much as possible. I know most people I have sat beside over the years feel the same. Ollie Byrne is a hate figure to many EL fans, but Shels is also the cornerstone in plenty of people's lives. I grew up with Shels, and put up with some stick because of it (I went to school beside Dalyer

), and if it wasn't a Bohs fan given a hard time, it was a English team supporter laughing as you tell them your off to Monaghan to watch a game in the bitter cold only for it to turn out to be some direr 0-0

. Shels is a huge deal to me, and many fans. Foot.ie posters complain we have let this happen, we should now stand up and be counted, help the club, but it is a very complex and difficult thing for a small bunch of laypeople to do. I help my club everyday in the manner I know how. So do many people, but well it is just very sad to think so many fans are happy to see a club die. I personally can say I have put in plenty of hours a day into Shels and it annoys me to read posters say fans didn't help Shels or try and do their bit. I can name dozens and dozens of people who give up huge volumes of time to help. Are people totally lost on the idea that someone owned 99% of the club and was not one to listen to some bloke off the street when it came to running his business? I don't really know what action could have been taken? Boycotts etc, well we have small enough crowds already. And people voiced their issues many times. Awh I don't know, its like football fans think once fans decide a club is run badly, all they need to do is wave the magic wand and the owners will sell and move on.

Bah!! Rant over.

Well what did you expect?
Read the Dalymount Groundshare thread from 12 months ago on Shels MB and you know why Bohs fans hope this is the end for Shels.

**fanatic** · 31/01/2007, 8:57 PM

the end of Shelbourne, would not benefit anyone supporting Eircom League football.

As much resentment some people may have the league doesnt need to loose another club with history.

**steno** · 31/01/2007, 8:58 PM

I am not impressed with some of shels previous actions over the years but I would honestly have to say I would be very sorry to see them fold if it was to happen.
You have a great set of fans and it is those (ye all) that will be the real losers here not to mention the league in general.

**TonyD** · 31/01/2007, 8:58 PM

Originally Posted by SligoBrewer

we shud be in cause shels are still title holders

This debate is beginning to bore me now (besides, it's sorted, we've been invited) but here's how I see it. The Eircom League Champions get an invite, Shels turned it down, so Derry are upgraded to their spot. Therefore, as Derry are, in effect, taking the champions spot, Pats then qualify as cup runners up.

It's arguable, I'll grant you, but it's as valid an argument as the one Sligo fans are putting up.

Oh, and BTW, I forget who it was who mentioned last seasons results, but for the record : Sligo V Pats - 1-1 in the Showgrounds, 3-1 Pats in Richmond, 3-2 Sligo in the Showgrounds. Which proves, what exactly ? (6-5 on aggregate to Pats anyhow, if you're counting.)

**Poor Student** · 31/01/2007, 8:59 PM

Originally Posted by Gareth

I'm pretty disappointed this evening. Not because Shels are going out of business or could be, but because the league I have devoted so much of my time to seems to be partly rejoicing about Shels demise.

UCD fans are quite familiar with this phenomenon. Many fans on here and in other circles wish for our demise in spite of the fact that like at Shelbourne many people volunteer and put hard work into the same interest that they do. Many people also danced on the grave of Dublin City. I can understand what you're feeling but football is a very cut throat and hypocritical arena. Another problem is that while Shelbourne fans like yourself remained pretty gracious in victory and refrained from praising Ollie to the hilt and insisting all was ok, there have been others on here rubbing it in people's faces and acting as if your success and dominance would be perpetual. That among other things has stuck in a lot of peoples' craw. I'm in favour of Shelbourne receiving punishment for overspending but I don't wish the death of your club and the loss of loyal LOI fans and a chunk of Irish football tradition.

**Buller** · 31/01/2007, 9:01 PM

Regardless of any bitterness towards ollie or shels as a club, their demise would be a great dissappointed and have a negitive effect on our league. I hope they get out of this one way or another...

**Buller** · 31/01/2007, 9:04 PM

I think shels were charging 2k a match for tolka last year

**steno** · 31/01/2007, 9:06 PM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

UCD fans are quite familiar with this phenomenon. Many fans on here and in other circles wish for our demise in spite of the fact that like at Shelbourne many people volunteer and put hard work into the same interest that they do. Many people also danced on the grave of Dublin City. I can understand what you're feeling but football is a very cut throat and hypocritical arena. Another problem is that while Shelbourne fans like yourself remained pretty gracious in victory and refrained from praising Ollie to the hilt and insisting all was ok, there have been others on here rubbing it in people's faces and acting as if your success and dominance would be perpetual. That among other things has stuck in a lot of peoples' craw. I'm in favour of Shelbourne receiving punishment for overspending but I don't wish the death of your club and the loss of loyal LOI fans and a chunk of Irish football tradition.

Your not alone there poor student I have lost count on how many times someone has said that they have heard that Kildare County would be the next club to go.

The loss of any club is a sad day for irish soccer simple as that. Shels do deserve to suffer the consequences of their overspending but I would never like to see them go to the wall. Hopefully the Eircom league clubs (and shels) will learn from this.

**Poor Student** · 31/01/2007, 9:08 PM

Originally Posted by steno

Your not alone there poor student I have lost count on how many times someone has said that they have heard that Kildare County would be the next club to go.

Mons and Kilkenny fans would know what it's like too.

**TonyD** · 31/01/2007, 9:17 PM

Originally Posted by Calcio Jack

Quiet simple... say someone lends you �100k on the back of a contract/promise that sometime in the future you will repay them from the proceeds of the sale of your house.... until you sell your house and repay them the fact is you have an outstanding debt of �100k (plus interest).

But, to continue the analogy, if you've already signed your house over, isn't the 100K a downpayment, not a loan ? Depends on the exact terms of the agreement between Ollie and Ossie I suppose.

**chippie0001** · 31/01/2007, 9:19 PM

Have to say I have no great desire to see Shels go out of business. Shels are around since 1895 in various forms and yes we all hate Ollie and what he has done but he not only Shels. Various lessons have to be learnt but I would like to think that Shels will exist as their name is a big and historic name in nIrish football. A lot of the hatred I think is brought on by the Shels fans actions/inactions, see no evil hear no evil, up to a few weeks ago, but I do hope they survive and we all should I think.

**Paddyfield** · 31/01/2007, 9:27 PM

It seems as if every Club in this country had had a major crisis of some sort that has dragged their name from the sports pages to the news pages. Galway United nearly folded a few years and were rescued thanks by a few devoted individuals and also by the Galway United Supporters Trust [ www.gust.ie ]. Others have survived (Harps, Cork, Dundalk, Rovers) and others have died (Limerick, Dublin City, St. Francis, St James's Gate).

Shels are not gone yet.

**Gareth** · 31/01/2007, 9:28 PM

I remember well the buckets galway supporters brought to other el grounds and finn harps play a match in all the grounds in 24 hours? Was that right?

I wish a bucket collection would help shels.

**drummerboy** · 31/01/2007, 9:32 PM

St James Gate is still a thriving club, although its not in the EL. Francis are on the go again also.

**BohsPartisan** · 31/01/2007, 9:34 PM

Originally Posted by Gareth

I'm pretty disappointed this evening. Not because Shels are going out of business or could be, but because the league I have devoted so much of my time to seems to be partly rejoicing about Shels demise.

As BTID said, take a look at some of the stuff on your forum from when we were in trouble and you'll see why we're gloating.
Besides that, Ollie used the FAI to try to bully Shels into dalymount for les tan fifth of its market value.
Why should we lose any sleep for a club and a set of fans that quite hapilly would have seen us go to the wall. Read your own forum. Thats exactly what your fans were saying back then!

**khoop** · 31/01/2007, 9:41 PM

Yep - all the evidence is on the Shels forum. No need to look any further.

Frankly - it's irrelevant what other fans think. It won't make a blind bit of difference.

If Shels survive - fair enough - congratulations. And welcome to mediocrity for at least 5 years.

But if the FAI tear up the brand new rule book in order to save Shels - which many Shels fans most probably want - then that's the end of any serious hope for soccer in Ireland.

**BohsPartisan** · 31/01/2007, 9:43 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

Love the way everyone on this forum harps on about Irish football and promoting it and yet they want to get rid of the one club the average football fan in Ireland has paid any attention to in recent times

Thats a simply shocking arguement. Shels have only been there through underhand tactics. If it wasn't for that it could have been Cork or Derry in that position.

As for Galwayhoop harping on about Shels buying success and how its wrong, aren't you a supporter of the club that took Dundalk's place in the Premier because your club is richer? Isn't that what that all boiled down to?

No its because they had their house in order and met the criteria that all clubs signed up to!

I always hope conmen, gangsters and cheats get whats coming o them. Shels meet all those criteria.

I'd also like to add they have been the ones who have most consstantly embarrassed the league (apart from some brief competition from Mr. Seerey and Co.) by constantly going to the courts everytime they didn't get their own way.

**Paddyfield** · 31/01/2007, 9:44 PM

Originally Posted by Gareth

I remember well the buckets galway supporters brought to other el grounds and finn harps play a match in all the grounds in 24 hours? Was that right?

I wish a bucket collection would help shels.

Yip. Such was the success of Galway United fans playing for a ten minutes in every League ground in the Ireland (within a space of 24 hours), that they followed it up with doing similar in every Premiership ground in England the following year.

**bohs til i die** · 31/01/2007, 9:50 PM

Originally Posted by steno

Your not alone there poor student I have lost count on how many times someone has said that they have heard that Kildare County would be the next club to go.

The loss of any club is a sad day for irish soccer simple as that. Shels do deserve to suffer the consequences of their overspending but I would never like to see them go to the wall. Hopefully the Eircom league clubs (and shels) will learn from this.

I seem to remember hearing on numerous occasions that the Genesis report promotes the idea of a better geographical spread of clubs. So surely losing a snd Dub club in the space of a year is a good thing?

**mcgonigle** · 31/01/2007, 10:23 PM

Dont worry Gareth what goes around comes around for those who wish for Shels demise, I personnally hope they comethrough this, like I would any EL club. I dont agree with how Shels have done business but them going bust is only punishment on the fans who dont deserve it.
Any of those wishing Shels demise should think of their club in Shels position and what it would be like, lets face it, it could happen any club at any time