Worst policy in EL

[Shiba]

Was not having the flag the reason you were beaten 4-1 lads?

Was only 3 - 1 at the time and flag was up from start of game were only ask to take down 20 minute into 2nd Half and if you care to go to The Rovers forum you will see that we have accepted that we were beaten by the better side on the night.

Don't worry we'll speak our minds and that will be that but you know it will not end up in court if your club was involved

[LeixlipRed]

Was only 3 - 1 at the time and flag was up from start of game were only ask to take down 20 minute into 2nd Half and if you care to go to The Rovers forum you will see that we have accepted that we were beaten by the better side on the night.

Don't worry we'll speak our minds and that will be that but you know it will not end up in court if your club was involved

Touched a nerve have I? My whole point is that this thread is ridiculous. Derry have to portray themselves in a non sectarian way. You might think it's silly, i might think it's silly and the majority of Derry fans probably do too but the policy is right so as not to alienate anyone not from a Republican background who may wish to follow derry

[jebus]

Absolutely ridiculous to take the flag, or any bloody flag, down in a football ground. I understand that Norn Iron is a 'problematic country', but jesus, it's only a football game after all, and what about freedom to express yourself? Presumably the Sligo fan is proud of being Irish, and proud of Sligo Rovers as an Irish football team, hence he wants to display the Irish flag. In Limerick we have had the Palestinian, American, Catalan, Irish and Israeli flags up this year for what its worth. Some have complained about the Israeli flag, but to be honest my reaction, even as someone who would view themself as pro-Palestine, has been to ask why they are so against allowing a different viewpoint then their own being expressed. Anyone involved with Derry who would take offence at the Irish or British flag being displayed should take a serious look at themselves in my opinion.

On a sidenote, do the unionist Derry City fans call it that, or do they call it Londonderry City? Not being funny here, but if people take great political offence to a flag, then surely they must have an opinion on name changes, so whats the Derry City board's cross-community standpoint on that?

[Shiba]

Touched a nerve have I? My whole point is that this thread is ridiculous. Derry have to portray themselves in a non sectarian way. You might think it's silly, i might think it's silly and the majority of Derry fans probably do too but the policy is right so as not to alienate anyone not from a Republican background who may wish to follow derry

You touched no nerve with me.I'm long enough following football (b4 U say spec rovers)not to let results bother me.Take the good with the bad,I like the game!

You can only alienate people if they are not willing to accept the traditions of others or you are not willing to accept theirs.

Supposing one of the Derry fateful from the "other" side as they say decide to bring a Union Jack to your ground with Derry City on it would expect ur stewards to remove it or would it bother ya.I dont think,cos we cud'nt be ar**d.

Its Derry who have to overcome their negative attitudes and accept that when you playing in the loi you are going to have to accept the TRICOLOR been flown.I also think your missing the point that the Scottish flag was left in place.

I wonder when and this is not a dig at Shams fans that when Derry Play Shams who's colors are tradionally green and white and bring alot of tricolors with them will they be made take them down

Also as far as I know Derry play Celtic in August will there be a ban on Tricolors then? I think not as it will be a money maker for them!

[Shiba]

[QUOTE=Rocketfingers;719491]The Tri-Colour is a non sectarian flag ! It is the flag of our nation, it may have been hijacked by different groups who took advantage of it to raise funds in the past, i really can't believe you have implied that.

Well said rocketfingers! i remember a discussion about Tricolor on Tv before.I was brought up with the tradition that the Tricolor was Green White and gold but actually it was designed with the two traditions in mind .Bringing the two together of Green & Orange with the white of Peace.

[LeixlipRed]

So you're telling me the tri-colour has no sectarian connotations? I'm fully aware of the literal meaning of our particular tri-colour but you saying it's non-sectarian is ridiculous

[Red&White Rover]

So you're telling me the tri-colour has no sectarian connotations? I'm fully aware of the literal meaning of our particular tri-colour but you saying it's non-sectarian is ridiculous

well in the sense it was used last night was completely non-sectarian.

[GavinZac]

having been to belfast recently for a setanta cup game, its not only sectarian, its a deliberate marking of territory. id image the situation would be similar in derry, and i can understand why they wouldnt want the flag at the game. whether or not derry have or ever will have unionist fans, they cant be seen to be enforcing that.

well in the sense it was used last night was completely non-sectarian.

Thats where your post hits a problem. This is the North - sense goes out the window.

[1 9 2 8]

If it was my flag their is no way I would have let them take it down. They didn't take down the Scottish flag which could be seen as sectarian too if they regard the Tricolour as sectarian. If DCFC have a ban on political flags fair enough but it has to be a blanket ban on all flags which would include Derry’s Che flag which could also be seen as provoking some people too

[Shiba]

So you're telling me the tri-colour has no sectarian connotations? I'm fully aware of the literal meaning of our particular tri-colour but you saying it's non-sectarian is ridiculous

Are you saying that we should stop using it or that we should have no pride in it because it might upset the mindless few!

[GavinZac]

Are you saying that we should stop using it or that we should have no pride in it because it might upset the mindless few!

yes, you should stop using it, in the brandywell, because it might upset the mindless few. that is the reality. while there are still mindless people, dont feed their stupidity. eventually, they might go away

[OneRedArmy]

Absolutely ridiculous to take the flag, or any bloody flag, down in a football ground. I understand that Norn Iron is a 'problematic country', but jesus, it's only a football game after all, and what about freedom to express yourself? Presumably the Sligo fan is proud of being Irish, and proud of Sligo Rovers as an Irish football team, hence he wants to display the Irish flag. In Limerick we have had the Palestinian, American, Catalan, Irish and Israeli flags up this year for what its worth. Some have complained about the Israeli flag, but to be honest my reaction, even as someone who would view themself as pro-Palestine, has been to ask why they are so against allowing a different viewpoint then their own being expressed. Anyone involved with Derry who would take offence at the Irish or British flag being displayed should take a serious look at themselves in my opinion.

On a sidenote, do the unionist Derry City fans call it that, or do they call it Londonderry City? Not being funny here, but if people take great political offence to a flag, then surely they must have an opinion on name changes, so whats the Derry City board's cross-community standpoint on that?

Ridiculous post from start to finish.

The rugby and golf clubs who would be majority Protestant are both called City of Derry. Generally only Protestants from outside the city refer to it as Londonderry. I think that addresses that point.

As for the flags, its our club rule, its obvious why we have done it and if you don't like it, don't come up.

[Shiba]

As for the flags, its our club rule, its obvious why we have done it and if you don't like it, don't come up.

A Traditional Northern repnse ain't it!

Our way or no way!

Ulster Says "No"

[bennocelt]

Derry City as a club with co-operation with its fans have had this policy in action for years. Do any of you actually understand the nature of society in the North? Flags are a highly emotive political issue. If we display them we alienate a section of our support. If your going to have a dig at us at trying to change attitudes in the north then that's your problem. There would be more complaints at the ground by people if the ground was laden by tricolours. Derry City is a cross community club.

PS A half obscurely displayed Scottish flag is irrelevant to the political situation in the North.

thats rubbish, if Derry City were in the Irish League then fine, but they are in the EL
I find this truely shocking, an Irish flag shoudnt cause anyone offence
I sincerely hope the fans of Derry will change this policy

[Anto McC]

thats rubbish, if Derry City were in the Irish League then fine, but they are in the EL
I find this truely shocking, an Irish flag shoudnt cause anyone offence
I sincerely hope the fans of Derry will change this policy

You know i have to agree with the above. Who the hell is gaining from this?

[Aaron]

Whether people like it or not its a club rule. I myself find it ridiculous, but its a rule. The club has fans from the Unionist side of the community. Derry City prides itself on the fact that they are a community club. The Scottish flag should have been removed, but thats our own fault. Just because Derry City play in a Nationalist are and is mainly supported by a Nationalist community, we still respect other religions who attend the Brandywell.

Sligo fans are not the first to have this. Last season I saw our stewards telling Linfield fans to take a Union flag down that they had up the back of the stand. At the friendly against Linfield 2 years ago a tri-colour was hung out and was promptly removed. The actions of the stewards was not to antagonise the Sligo fans, the rule made by Michael Burns and the Derry City directors was not to antagonise visiting fans, It was made to respect the Unionist community and for them to feel welcome. Yes we are required to fly a tri-colour on European games but the club has always maintained a strict policy on this. The Scottish flag should have been removed. Once again it wasnt intended to antagonise Sligo fans.

BTW some of the remarks on here are bordering on rediculous.

[Shiba]

You know i have to agree with the above. Who the hell is gaining from this?

You know I starting to doubt my sanity for minute as the only people who thought it wrong for the Tricolor to be removed was Rovers fans maybe because it was our game it happened at,the last few post has said different and our judgement wasn't been clouded by the result.

[Shiba]

Whether people like it or not its a club rule. I myself find it ridiculous, but its a rule. The club has fans from the Unionist side of the community. Derry City prides itself on the fact that they are a community club. The Scottish flag should have been removed, but thats our own fault. Just because Derry City play in a Nationalist are and is mainly supported by a Nationalist community, we still respect other religions who attend the Brandywell.

Sligo fans are not the first to have this. Last season I saw our stewards telling Linfield fans to take a Union flag down that they had up the back of the stand. At the friendly against Linfield 2 years ago a tri-colour was hung out and was promptly removed. The actions of the stewards was not to antagonise the Sligo fans, the rule made by Michael Burns and the Derry City directors was not to antagonise visiting fans, It was made to respect the Unionist community and for them to feel welcome. Yes we are required to fly a tri-colour on European games but the club has always maintained a strict policy on this. The Scottish flag should have been removed. Once again it wasnt intended to antagonise Sligo fans.

BTW some of the remarks on here are bordering on rediculous.

I understand that this was not done to antagonise the Sligo fan.Neither was the putting up of the flag to antagonise your cross commnuity fans base.Surly your protestant fan base are not fickle enough to be insulted by the presence of the Tricolor by fans from the opposing team in which they play which happens to be of a different culture.There was not one secterian comment from either fan base.Why did it take so long for the decision to take it down was made midway through 2nd half.Nobody was bothered bout it up to that!

[GavinZac]

its not the other clubs that derry are afraid of inciting. its their own potential unionist fans. why is this so difficult for people to grasp?

What would happen if these people come down to the Showgrounds and see the tri-colour ? Will they make an objection if they are that bigoted that they can't stand the sight of the tri-colour or that it may upset them then maybe the league of Ireland is not for them.

again, you're not getting it. bigots in the north use the tricolour as an offensive "weopan" to annoy other bigots. whether the intention is to this or not is about as relevant as what a white guy's intention was saying 'n*gger'. derry cant be seen as associated with it.

[SolitudeRed]

Well yes this does seem like a daft rule to me but well there are sound reasons for it that have already been outlined by the Derry fans! they have a club colours only rule at solitude but it is never enforced same at most other IL grounds!

Linfield fans I have talked to about the setanta cup have praised the Red and White Army, as apparently they did not bring Tricolours to windsor during the Setanta cup games! did the club advise fans to take club colours only?

Have to say that some of the comments are just ignorant but I'm used to hearing such things from my time in Galway, It really proves to me that nobody fully understands the situation in the North unless they have lived/grown up here.