If Nord Iron has Qualified

[Green Tribe]

I swear to god

i don't understand the sentence?

[Dodge]

HAHA, ye have me in stitches. Coincidence or not that the two biggest G.A.A haters on here were born in England?!

I'd say myself and gspain would be up there, and we're both natives.

[paul_oshea]

I'd say myself and gspain would be up there, and we're both natives.

That but not every post in fairness to ye Dodge, i would call ye lovers of the GAA in this context

[lofty9]

Indifferent to them now. Hated them throughout the 90's. But it was different in the 80's when they had so many Catholics playing for them, they couldn't exactly barrack the majority of their team like they did with Lennon. Pat Jennings, Martin O Neill, Mal Donaghy, Gerry Armstrong all turned up in Derry at various times and I met them all as a kid.

Fair play to the guys who have made the effort to clean up their mess since the Lennon affair though. I'm sure it wasn't too easy to do that. In saying that I still wouldn't go and watch them as I wouldn't feel safe amongst their support.

[paudie]

If they had qualified I'd have hoped they'd have done well.

The team did brilliantly in qualifiying.
Some of the supporters are still in the dark ages and a lot of comments on internet forums would drive you mad (u could say that about any group of supporters) but the IFA are trying their best to reduce sectarian chanting etc at internationals.

Would certainly have preferred NI to do well in Euro 08 rather then Germany/Italy/France/usual suspects.

[holidaysong]

I would support them no problem.

[sylvo]

I'd never support them, Viva Espana, Tak Sweden

[CollegeTillIDie]

I would have supported them. During the 1990 and 1994 World Cups , the Northern Ireland Supporters club at their HQ in Belfast were watching our games and rooting for us. I was delighted each and every team they beat England in my lifetime.
Anyone who can say England over Northern Ireland after 1995 in Dublin, is insane. For all the problems there has been with certain elements of the support in the wee North, they have behaved themselves any time they have travelled down to play us.
I make no apologies. If Linfield played Rangers in the European Cup I'd support Linfield too! I think if we were to have an Irish manager , at some future point, for the Republic we could do worse than see if there are some decent Northern candidates available. They are deservedly ahead of us in the World rankings at the moment cause they are a well organised team who deliver more often than they disappoint at international level. Which is more than can be said for some of our lot!

[Maroon 7]

I would have supported them. During the 1990 and 1994 World Cups , the Northern Ireland Supporters club at their HQ in Belfast were watching our games and rooting for us.

That must have been the non OWC section.

[osarusan]

I would have supported them. During the 1990 and 1994 World Cups , the Northern Ireland Supporters club at their HQ in Belfast were watching our games and rooting for us. I was delighted each and every team they beat England in my lifetime.
Anyone who can say England over Northern Ireland after 1995 in Dublin, is insane. For all the problems there has been with certain elements of the support in the wee North, they have behaved themselves any time they have travelled down to play us.
I make no apologies. If Linfield played Rangers in the European Cup I'd support Linfield too! I think if we were to have an Irish manager , at some future point, for the Republic we could do worse than see if there are some decent Northern candidates available. They are deservedly ahead of us in the World rankings at the moment cause they are a well organised team who deliver more often than they disappoint at international level. Which is more than can be said for some of our lot!

Well said that man. I agree on all points.

[mypost]

Anyone who can say England over Northern Ireland after 1995 in Dublin, is insane. For all the problems there has been with certain elements of the support in the wee North, they have behaved themselves any time they have travelled down to play us.
They are deservedly ahead of us in the World rankings at the moment cause they are a well organised team who deliver more often than they disappoint at international level. Which is more than can be said for some of our lot!

Afaia, their fans came down in '78, and caused mayhem in Dublin. From '89 onwards, they behaved themselves very well. Part of this was down to the fact they were banned from travelling in the first place.

NI, better than us?? Not a hope. We have a team full of PL players, they don't. Both countries have just gone through flukey campaigns. The natural order will restore itself soon, after we've hired a qualified coach.

[gustavo]

NI, better than us?? Not a hope. We have a team full of PL players, they don't. Both countries have just gone through flukey campaigns. The natural order will restore itself soon, after we've hired a qualified coach.

And we accuse the English of arrogance?

[gspain]

I certainly wish them well. i couldn't support anyone the way I support our team but would like NI to beat anybody else.

I am going to Euro2008 (well 1 or maybe 2 games) and if NI had qualified and I had one of their tickets I'd definitely have gone to support them.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Afaia, their fans came down in '78, and caused mayhem in Dublin. From '89 onwards, they behaved themselves very well. Part of this was down to the fact they were banned from travelling in the first place.

Any sources on this as it's the very first I've ever heard of it.

As for their fans being "banned" I believe there was a reciprocal agreement between our FA and theirs that away allocations wouldn't be taken up to try and keep everyone safe. Probably sensible enough back in the day and hardly a "ban".

[Noelys Guitar]

Any sources on this as it's the very first I've ever heard of it.

As for their fans being "banned" I believe there was a reciprocal agreement between our FA and theirs that away allocations wouldn't be taken up to try and keep everyone safe. Probably sensible enough back in the day and hardly a "ban".

I was at the game in 78. Nasty atmosphere. Big fight on the Rugby training pitch behind the East stand between NI "fans" and the Gardai. Nowhere near as bad as the England game in 95 though.

[gspain]

Afaia, their fans came down in '78, and caused mayhem in Dublin. From '89 onwards, they behaved themselves very well. Part of this was down to the fact they were banned from travelling in the first place.

NI, better than us?? Not a hope. We have a team full of PL players, they don't. Both countries have just gone through flukey campaigns. The natural order will restore itself soon, after we've hired a qualified coach.

I was at the game in 1978 as a kid and don't remember any trouble. anyway they came down in 89, 93, 95 & 99 without any bother (they still travelled and went in the home end as we did to WP for the 1st 3).

Even if there was trouble in 78 it was a long time ago and hardly enough reason to hate them. I've been to a couple of recent NI home games - Azerbaijan and Spain and the atmosphere was fantastic.

[geysir]

I was at the game in 1978 as a kid and don't remember any trouble. anyway they came down in 89, 93, 95 & 99 without any bother (they still travelled and went in the home end as we did to WP for the 1st 3).
Even if there was trouble in 78 it was a long time ago and hardly enough reason to hate them.

It was a very long time ago but
there is no if about the 1978 riot whatsoever. It is on public record.

Mypost never mentioned anything about hating them.

[gspain]

It was a very long time ago but
there is no if about the 1978 riot whatsoever. It is on public record.

Mypost never mentioned anything about hating them.

Do you have the links?

[geysir]

Do you have the links?

Are you calling Noely a liar?

I was at the game in 78. Nasty atmosphere. Big fight on the Rugby training pitch behind the East stand between NI "fans" and the Gardai. Nowhere near as bad as the England game in 95 though.

Links from 1978 are you serious?

Check out the Irish Times archive from 1978 sept 21.
nice picture of our Gardai pumping skulls on the front page.
Report on the inside.

[Noelys Guitar]

I was on Landsdowne road when the first train of NI fans came in. There was 3 "bootboys" slightly in front of the mob. One was carrying a full flagstaff with a Union Jack on it and was swinging it at any ROI fans within range (Que giggles). All chanting Ulster over and over again. A surreal situation because Trevor McDonald was standing in the middle of the road doing a report for ITV as they came down the road. The big mill happened at the end of the game when the NI fans tried to break through the Gardai line which was holding them back inside the ground.