limerick fc rip

**gael353** · 18/03/2003, 2:12 PM

Hi lads im still worried bout this pike thing. was talking to one of the players yesterday and he says the deal with pike is done ( which we largly expected but none of the bosses decided to tell us) and that most of the players (the limerick ones) are totally against the move stateing that it would be on a par with cork moving to bishopstown. There crowds there were 1,500 with a massive stand (carrott being dangled in front of limerick fans at the moment) but when they moved back to the city crowds went to 5,000 average per game. This player who i was talking to said that the FAI are unhappy with the move and that they are the only ones who can stop it now but who do we contact???? oh Anton Mannering has left the club also dont know the details in full yet.

**sadloserkid** · 18/03/2003, 3:50 PM

My major worry right now is that if/when the FAI laugh themselves stupid at us for even suggesting Pike Field they'll then go "Where else have you got in mind?" and our committee will look at the ground and then go... "Well... actually, we've put all our eggs into this particular basket and we were kinda hoping you'd take pity on us and well you know..." At which point we get thrown out of the league... :-(

**deise deserter** · 19/03/2003, 1:07 PM

SLK - Any chance of getting advice from anyone in the FAI on whom to contact? Bernstein, who came down for the meeting might be a place to start...

**sadloserkid** · 19/03/2003, 2:02 PM

Originally posted by deise deserter
Any chance of getting advice from anyone in the FAI on whom to contact?

Advice on what?

**deise deserter** · 19/03/2003, 2:43 PM

I was talking about how to make it known to the FAI that the fans oppose the move to Pike and share many of their concerns.

**sadloserkid** · 19/03/2003, 2:59 PM

Don't e-mail Bernstein, he's not directly involved in any of it really. I'd suggest Brendan Menton, I know he's been down a coupla times. brendan.menton@fai.ie I presume?

**LFC in Exile** · 19/03/2003, 3:42 PM

Be careful in relation to how objection to the proposed move is expressed. What is important is that if you are against Pike then what are you for?

And this is a big problem that I see in the proposals of Gael et al. Talking about the Markets Field and Thomond Park is fine and dandy but how realistic are these.

1. The MF is not for sale. It 'might' come up for sale. If we reject Pike and play in Jackman for another season (or play in Pike for short-term - though why would Pike facilitate us in this?) and the MG does indeed come up for sale how will Limerick FC buy it. That is where will the money come from? And be realistic in your answer if you have one - fans? committee? JP MacManus? None seem viable. And you also have the problem that if the club can buy then Bord na gCon know the buyer needs the ground and push up the price. Then the redevelopment has to be paid for....

2. Thomond Park - a short-term solution? How much will it cost. It would cost more than the Jacks and more than Pike. Just the insurance alone would cost more. And come Autumn what would the pitch be like when the rubby starts again.

As a venue Thomond Park is nicer than the Jacks and Pike but is the extra comfort worth it.

Lets consider the Pike option.

Disadvantages
1. Location - distance from town and area
2. Its not the Markets Field

Advantages
1. Cheaper - I would expect that Limerick get a long term lease at a reduced cost. Pike Rovers get FAI money to develop. Limerick FC facilities get better.
2. Better pitch
3. Clubhouse
4. Parking
5. No need to deal with LDMC

IMO the Pike deal seems to make business sense - for Limerick FC and for Pike. Limerick can't afford to buy a ground. What do they bring to the table - the potential of FAI money to develop. Pike have a ground that needs to be developed and that will lay idle for the summer. The pitch is really good. And there is a clubhouse to chat with players/visiting supporters etc after the games.

When we boil it down is it really just the location that is the problem here. If that is the case then how much of a problem is it?

**deise deserter** · 19/03/2003, 3:53 PM

The problem with location I believe should not be understated. I have heard people say that they won't go up there to watch Limerick play, others who don't believe that it would be safe to drive up there.

Limerick FC hardly has an abundance of supporters. If location is scaring current supporters away, will the same location provide us with new supporters?

**sadloserkid** · 19/03/2003, 4:08 PM

Any supporter who won't go up there can't call themselves a true supporter and there's no way of getting away from that. Limerick will probably attract some new fans up there too. I don't care what socio-economic class these people are from, as long as they pay their money on the gate and don't try and intimidate anybody there more power to them. We'll be walking up and I'm not particularly upset about that either. I don't know of anybody getting harmed up in that part of Southhill. The problem, quite clearly is that the location is being overstated. that said LFC In Exile is painting a rather better picture of Pike's strengths than I would. There's not enough parking space and if there's development most of that will be gone too. There's no cover, no seats and on at least two sides of the pitch very little scope for development. This season people simply won't have to pay to get in and I don't think we can afford that. I'm not really pro or anti Pike yet, I can see the pros and cons of it, I just worry that we haven't examined all options thoroughly and that it will come back to haunt us.

**deise deserter** · 19/03/2003, 4:22 PM

Agree with you SLK (& LFC in Ex) about most of it - without any other option we are seemingly stuck with Pike.

Any supporter who won't go up there can't call themselves a true supporter and there's no way of getting away from that.

I think that that is a little harsh. What about those people who don't want to park up there due to the troubles that surround the area. Apparently each weekend the car-park is host to burned out cars that joyriders used the night before to race up and down that straight stretch of road. I'll be walking because I don't have a car, but if I did I would think twice about bringing it up there. That leaves you with at least a half-hour walk (if you park in town or up by Punches - cause God knows Roxboro shopping centre is no safer).

That cuts out a large number of people who have other commitments, and who can't spare an hour's walk (or the cost of a taxi to and from) from attending the matches. Your quote above is a bit harsh IMHO.

**sadloserkid** · 19/03/2003, 4:43 PM

Originally posted by deise deserter
Your quote above is a bit harsh IMHO.

No. It isn't . If you're a fan, you'll bus, taxi, cycle, fly as close as you can and then walk the rest of the way. Anybody who stops going to Limerick FC games because they're deciding now (without even trying to use the car park there) it's unsafe isn't a real supporter. And a lazy fu�k to boot.

**LFC in Exile** · 19/03/2003, 5:04 PM

IMO a lot of football supporters talk ****e about not going to support Limerick if they play in one place or another. I wish I had a euro for every time someone in a pub in Limerick told me they wouldn't support Limerick unless the went back to the MF and I know that the lazy fu##ers use that as just an excuse to stay in the pub watching premiership matches.

I think the ground is actually less important that the performances on the pitch. If Limerick are pushing for promotion they will get a sizeable crowd to Pike Field. People will talk about security etc but we are talking about afternoon kick-offs in the middle of summer....And anyway, how safe are cars outside Thomond Park? Reminds me of the fella who parked his car in Southill and asked a local young fella "If I leave my car here will it be here when i get back?" And the young fella said "You can park your car anywhere in Limerick and it will be here when you get back".

I take all of SLK's points on board. But the counter to them is that the development of the ground will involve the provision of cover and seats. Maybe we should call the new ground the 'Field of Dreams' - "if you build it they will come".

**sadloserkid** · 19/03/2003, 5:17 PM

Originally posted by deise deserter
Apparently each weekend the car-park is host to burned out cars that joyriders used the night before to race up and down that straight stretch of road.

Apparently eh? Care to substantiate? And because we won't be playing there at weekend nights it's hardly a factor anyway. Regardless of what the Sunday World says joyriding at high noon is all but unheard of. And don't forget that there are parking facilites at Pike. If Limerick have as few fans as you contended earlier then surely it'll be no problem to accomadate them?

**gael353** · 19/03/2003, 7:52 PM

Hello again fellow fans. Good seeing responces to my post and nice to see fights too

Pike to me is the wrong answer and ill explain here which most who have viewed have stated already. Its fine to say location, and then leave it but lads this is one if not the joyriding main st of Limerick. Some cars, no correction al cars outside the fence of pike will be interfeared with, and some, no all in the secure Pike car park will be damaged to. This is not my opinion, its a Pike Rovers committee members. He also stated that the biggest sponsor we will nead this year will be a ball sponsor as all balls once gone over the fence are pilfered. Thomond park is to me the best short term immidiate solution but the fai would have to talk to the irfu on this one. 5 years maybe to just let us catch up with the most basic structures within the worse other club in the leagues. No grants neaded as the stadium is near finished already and is a1. For licencing reasons i would instead link up with a club which has a proven record in yourth development, so id be looking at fairview or corbally united. Pike have no youth structures. The markets field will go on the market within 15 months (board ngcon source) and this should be our aim. who will buy it? thats where we, maybe just me, have ambition as opposed to our glorious committee (or three of them) who seem to have none. Jackman park was there nemeth of aspiration. Now that it failed they ignore us and wait to surprise us on wednesdays paper. SLK is right too about development prospects up there, very very limited.

**sadloserkid** · 20/03/2003, 9:15 AM

Originally posted by gael353
SLK is right

The rest of you could do with taking a leaf out of Gael's book!!!

**LFC in Exile** · 20/03/2003, 9:54 AM

"Its fine to say location, and then leave it but lads this is one if not the joyriding main st of Limerick. Some cars, no correction al cars outside the fence of pike will be interfeared with, and some, no all in the secure Pike car park will be damaged to. This is not m opinion, its a Pike Rovers committee members."

So we get stewards to patrol the cars. By the way we are talking about 2 o'clock on a Sunday afternoon...

"He also stated that the biggest sponsor we will nead this year will be a ball sponsor as all balls once gone over the fence are pilfered."

As was the case in Rathbane. This is hardly a big issue.

"Thomond park is to me the best short term immidiate solution but the fai would have to talk to the irfu on this one. 5 years maybe to just let us catch up with the most basic structures within the worse other club in the leagues. No grants neaded as the stadium is near finished already and is a1."

How much would it cost to rent Thomond Park. No doubt a fine ground but is it worth it? What a drain on club resources. Who will fund the wage bill and rent for Thomond Park?

"For licencing reasons i would instead link up with a club which has a proven record in yourth development, so id be looking at fairview or corbally united. Pike have no youth structures."

What is Corbally and Fairview don't want to hook up with us? We It isn't a case of just picking the team we want.

"The markets field will go on the market within 15 months (board ngcon source) and this should be our aim. who will buy it? thats where we, maybe just me, have ambition as opposed to our glorious committee (or three of them) who seem to have none. Jackman park was there nemeth of aspiration. Now that it failed they ignore us and wait to surprise us on wednesdays paper."

Gael. Who will buy it? Exactly who? It's great to have ambition, but there is no money. And the Bank of Ireland aren't going to give a loan to Limerick FC. And many years ago a draw was held in teh city to build a new stadium - which is the source of most of the bad feeling toward sthe club. People won't join up again. So where exactly will the money come from. There will be a lot of property developers interested in putting nice new apartments there I'd say.

"SLK is right too about development prospects up there, very very limited."

I think overstating it. We might now get our 40,000 seater stadium, but seats along two sides of the pitch and covering could give us a comfortable 10,000 capacity ground. We don't need any more than that.

**deise deserter** · 20/03/2003, 11:18 AM

SLK: You seem to have a very idillic view of security concerns in the Pike area. There are real concerns for fans who go to the game, and you seem to be excessively dismissive of them. Like myself, you don't have to worry about the security of parked cars up there, but the sad fact is that most, if not all, drivers going there will be worrying about it. Please correct me if I am wrong about this, but your posts seem to be a little too Lims-Fan-ish in your slamming of supporters who have these concerns. Gael 353 has said to me this week that he won't be driving to Pike as he would fear for the safety of his vehicle. Despite that he will leave his car elsewhere and put himself to the unnecessary inconvience of walking to Pike - and in doing so probably making himself more of a "real fan" that either of us.

**sadloserkid** · 20/03/2003, 2:58 PM

Originally posted by deise deserter
SLK: You seem to have a very idillic view of security concerns in the Pike area. There are real concerns for fans who go to the game, and you seem to be excessively dismissive of them. Like myself, you don't have to worry about the security of parked cars up there, but the sad fact is that most, if not all, drivers going there will be worrying about it. Please correct me if I am wrong about this, but your posts seem to be a little too Lims-Fan-ish in your slamming of supporters who have these concerns. Gael 353 has said to me this week that he won't be driving to Pike as he would fear for the safety of his vehicle. Despite that he will leave his car elsewhere and put himself to the unnecessary inconvience of walking to Pike - and in doing so probably making himself more of a "real fan" that either of us.

That's my point. Real fans will go anyway. It's always a pleasure when somebody proves my argument for me. Appreciate it.

And anybody who thinks their car will be damaged in the clubs car park is guilty of swallowing the media bile about Limerick in general and southill in specific. Fact is there are no real concerns for fans going to the game. It's just that people opposed to the Pike deal are using the nearby area's reputation as a petty weapon with which to beat the whole deal. Stick to facts lads and less hype and bullsh1t.

**deise deserter** · 20/03/2003, 4:23 PM

And anybody who thinks their car will be damaged in the clubs car park is guilty of swallowing the media bile about Limerick in general and southill in specific. Fact is there are no real concerns for fans going to the game. It's just that people opposed to the Pike deal are using the nearby area's reputation as a petty weapon with which to beat the whole deal. Stick to facts lads and less hype and bullsh1t.

I can't believe that you think "there are no real concerns for fans going to the game." Southhill is an area renouned for crime and the road outside of Pike is one of the roads in Limerick with the most joyriding.

Fact: It is a trouble area. It is not bull**** and it is not media hype.

Personally I hope that none of this has an effect on Limerick FC and that us supporters don't suffer as of a result of Pike's location, but to seemingly bury your head and deny that there are any problems seems ludicrious.

**sadloserkid** · 20/03/2003, 4:27 PM

Originally posted by deise deserter
[Bthe road outside of Pike is one of the roads in Limerick with the most joyriding.

Fact: It is a trouble area. It is not bull**** and it is not media hype.[/B]

The road is not one of the main roads associated with joyriding because the road leading onto it from Southhill has been blocked. There you go, problem solved.

And while parts of Southhill are what you deign 'trouble areas' the area near Pike is grand, nothing in the way of violent crime or anything to worry about. Most of Southill is perfectly safe. Not coming from Limerick I suppose you just don't know which parts...