Ireland's longest serving fans

**Jamjar** · 22/02/2007, 1:05 PM

Originally Posted by NY Hoop

First home game Russia 1984. Last home game Austria 1995.

First away game Egypt 1990 WC.

KOH

Jaysus, that was an endurance test alright. Travelled on trains planes and automobiles for Italia '90 and that has got to be the worst game I have ever attended in my life.

**strangeirish** · 22/02/2007, 1:31 PM

Originally Posted by soccerc

LOL, it wasn't cold that day.

Fair play to your memory, but to a little 'skinny malinks maloney' eleven year old, it was cold!

**RedMick** · 26/02/2007, 1:39 PM

Argentina at Lansdowne 1998 (Robbie's debut?)
Cyprus away 2005, (the one we won!!!)

**jmurphyc** · 26/02/2007, 1:45 PM

First home game: Canada 2003.
Away: San Marino 2007.

**DeNiro** · 26/02/2007, 2:01 PM

First home game was USA 1992. 5 o clock kick off. Anyone know why we went for 5pm kick offs in those days? I think we had Albania at 5 pm the following month as well. Then we went to 1.30pm KO's for some games. Bizarre times.

**Paulie** · 27/02/2007, 12:15 PM

My first home game was against Wales at the RDS in 1992 (I think). We got beaten 0-1. My first away game was in 1994 away to Latvia which we won 3-0.

**JossCrowley** · 27/02/2007, 2:31 PM

I guess some of the older fans won't be online. was wondering if any of you know of any real long time Ireland fans? would be great to hear stories of matches from the 40s and 50s...

**AidoM** · 27/02/2007, 3:07 PM

Originally Posted by JossCrowley

I guess some of the older fans won't be online. was wondering if any of you know of any real long time Ireland fans? would be great to hear stories of matches from the 40s and 50s...

I went to my first home game in 1967 (in a pram

) and have not missed a home game since 1969 - competitive or friendly. My first away game was France in 1977 with a long gap to my next away one in Basel in 2003 - marriage, kids, etc

in between.

**jmurphyc** · 27/02/2007, 3:44 PM

Originally Posted by JossCrowley

I guess some of the older fans won't be online. was wondering if any of you know of any real long time Ireland fans? would be great to hear stories of matches from the 40s and 50s...

heard 2 guys on a bus in san marino saying they've been going to all of the games for 60 years.

**citizenerased** · 27/02/2007, 9:53 PM

Jaysus thats amazing 60 year!!!

**joe_barry80** · 28/02/2007, 11:10 AM

First game was against Spain in 89 1-0

Away game stuttgart 06

Best Memory was Scoring the equalizer against England 91. And Scoring the "winner" in 95

**Sumac** · 28/02/2007, 12:10 PM

First home game was Liechenstein (think it was '94 or '95)
First away game was Macedonia (when they scored at the end to put us in the play offs)

Best memory at home is Jason Macateer(dodgy spelling) against the Dutch and Robbie Keane against the Germans in Japan

**pineapple stu** · 28/02/2007, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by joe_barry80

Best Memory was Scoring the equalizer against England 91. And Scoring the "winner" in 95

Jayz - didn't know we had TonyCascarinoNiallQuinnDavidKelly in our ranks!

**WexDec** · 28/02/2007, 3:44 PM

Originally Posted by RedMick

Argentina at Lansdowne 1998 (Robbie's debut?)

Czech Republic that was as remember him debuting with Duff and we were on the East Terrace and the latter looked like a right proper winger (am a big believer in real wingers) just standing at the apex of the halfway and side lines waiting for the ball to be delivered to his feet to do his stuff. We were all surprised that Keane progressed far quicker than Duff did after that but he obviously eventually came through (at one stage worth the ticket price alone I felt) before the chavs set him back a bit.

Spain '89 for me after won a ticket in a school "voluntary" contribution draw, the only ticket I've ever won. Surrounded by Leaving Certers when I was a little 1st yearer. Possibly counts as an away trip at that age coming from Wexford up and back on much much sh1ttier roads back then

Did get a free half day off school to boot

**Paulie** · 28/02/2007, 4:50 PM

Originally Posted by WexDec

Czech Republic that was as remember him debuting with Duff and we were on the East Terrace

I might be wrong here but while I agree that Keane and Duff made their debuts against the Czech Republic I thought that was away from home with their home debuts coming against Argentina.

**Jamjar** · 28/02/2007, 8:34 PM

Originally Posted by jmurphyc

heard 2 guys on a bus in san marino saying they've been going to all of the games for 60 years.

...And no doubt they remember when "it was all fields 'round here".

**Superhoops** · 01/03/2007, 12:16 AM

Originally Posted by Paulie

I might be wrong here but while I agree that Keane and Duff made their debuts against the Czech Republic I thought that was away from home with their home debuts coming against Argentina.

You are spot on. It was in an out of the way place called Olomouc, the game was played in the afternoon.

Gary Breen put Ireland ahead early on. The Czechs scored just after half time through Smicer and one of their subs (dont know his name) scored the winner about 15 mins from time.

There were six players winning their first caps that day;
- Damian Duff started and played for about an hour
- Alan Maybury played the first half
- Mark Kinsella played the full game
- Robbie Keane played the second half
- Rory Delap came on after about an hour
- Graham Kavanagh also came on late in the game

**gspain** · 01/03/2007, 9:38 AM

A friend of my Dad's claims to have had block bookings as far back as 1956 for the WC58 qualifiers. My Dad's first game was England 57.

I met a guy in Limerick about a decade ago who travelled up with 3 friends in a car from limerick to Belfast on a saturday for Northern Ireland (All ireland in those days) v england and then on to Dalymount on the Monday for Rep of Ireland v England.

**geysir** · 01/03/2007, 2:15 PM

The first time I heard YBIG being sung was by 4 guys on the sth. tce. at Landsdowne v Belgium 1980, it didn't catch on that day, I thought it sounded sh�te.
Dalymount was hard core compared to Landsdowne.