ROI Vs England - Good Question

[Stuttgart88]

I live less than a mile from Kilburn. All the old Irish bars are trendy gastro pubs now!

[lopez]

was in kilburn on the afternoon before the wembley game. sitting down sinking a few when a concrete block came smashing through a window and landed on a table beside us. 2 young lads and their dad and his mate were sitting at the table at the time and thankfully the block landed flush in the centre of the table and missed all the lads heads. could have been very very bad. pure scum thing to do. van screeched off with the culprits inside.

I was in the Black Lion that afternoon with Conchita when it got hit. A dustbin with a concrete/lead bottom came through the window cutting a bloke I knew with glass (he had to go to hospital but back for the game). I was at the door throwing everything I could get my hands on, when I got hit by a glass/bottle leaving a two inch gash above my head. I didn't go to hospital as the gash eventually clotted up. Callous job alright, an hour later and there would have been pickaxes after them. Also the landlord of McGoverns brought down the shutters on his place, thus stopping what probably would have been the annihilation of this group from a packed pub eager to get at them.

I had a read of one of those w*nker books in Waterstones one day - think it was 30 Years of Hurt - and there was a piece about it. I was naturally getting annoyed about the commentary when the author claims he got hit straight in the face by a pint glass flying out through the door of the Black Lion. I thought: Nice to see that I didn't leave the pub without taking one of the c*nts out.

[Superhoops]

I was in the Black Lion that afternoon with Conchita when it got hit. A dustbin with a concrete/lead bottom came through the window cutting a bloke I knew with glass (he had to go to hospital but back for the game). I was at the door throwing everything I could get my hands on, when I got hit by a glass/bottle leaving a two inch gash above my head. I didn't go to hospital as the gash eventually clotted up. Callous job alright, an hour later and there would have been pickaxes after them. Also the landlord of McGoverns brought down the shutters on his place, thus stopping what probably would have been the annihilation of this group from a packed pub eager to get at them.

I had a read of one of those w*nker books in Waterstones one day - think it was 30 Years of Hurt - and there was a piece about it. I was naturally getting annoyed about the commentary when the author claims he got hit straight in the face by a pint glass flying out through the door of the Black Lion. I thought: Nice to see that I didn't leave the pub without taking one of the c*nts out.

Worthy of the Irish equivalent of the VC!

[Stuttgart88]

There was a Panorama documentary on hooliganism in 2000, the same night that England lost to Romania 3-2 in Belgium. One of the thugs was asked about Lansdowne in 1995 and he had the nerve to say that we started it. What a coward.

[Superhoops]

There was a Panorama documentary on hooliganism in 2000, the same night that England lost to Romania 3-2 in Belgium. One of the thugs was asked about Lansdowne in 1995 and he had the nerve to say that we started it. What a coward.

You could argue we did by letting the fuc*ers have tickets in the first place.

[Deckydee]

If you are looking for documentaires (yes i know it is spelled wrong) on hooligansism, probaly spelt wrong as well, you can look at this BBC documenarty on it. It is fanstastic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HYISLpZmJ4

Without my spell checker in worrd today

[Deckydee]

Actually while I am posting, I might as well post this as well: (Word Checker is working again)

Do you remember this?

[COLOR=#800080]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HYISLpZmJ4[/COLOR]

The first pub you see in the background is called O’Reillys; I know this place very well because when I first came to Belgium in 2001, I never left the place. In fact it is also where I met my girlfriend of 7 years. Anyway 2001 was a year after those yobs were there a lot of the staff that I knew in the pub were working there at that time as well as the manager. The stories they told me were horrifying absolutely horrifying, I could not imagine that such lowlifes existed. The amount of damage that they did to that pub was in the high thousands.

The second place shown is ‘Place De Brouckere’ it is a lovely sort of square in the middle of Brussels. Not to be mixed up now with the Grand Place or anything. Anyone who knows a bit of Brussels will know that it is where the beautiful and quaint ‘Cheese Cake Café’ is. Beautiful and serene, until these féckers came along. Scum.

The damage they did to Belgium, believe you me the cops have not forgotten it. In 2001 when I lived in Brussels (I since moved out to Flanders in 2003) I was in a famous ‘James Joyce Café” in Schuman (B@llax of a manager) but anyway as I was leaving two Engerland chaps were leaving with me, coincidence mind they weren’t following me, as we came out there were two Belgian police (Gendarms) were walking by. The stopped me first and asked me where I was from, I said ‘Be God I be from Ireland sir!” (I didn’t actually say that, I just put that in for comical effect) and handed over my id. The said thank you and let me go. The boyos from Engerland were asked, they gave their Ids and the cops put them in the paddywagon! That is why nobody in Europe likes them.

They have not forgotten them. Many a time did I visit O’Reillys in 2001, whenever Ireland were playing there was no problem, whenever England or an English team were playing there were always plastic cups and plastic glasses. One of the best nights I had was in 2002 when Ireland played Russia and Holland playing England at the same time. We were in O’Reillys at the time and at the top of the bar on the large screen was the Irish match and at the bottom of the bar was the England match. The amount of abuse we gave them the whole night was unreal, rebel songs and all, unbelievable!! What a night!

The only regret I have is that we never got to play the England team of 1997-2006, what you might call the ‘Sven/Beckham' era. I would have loved to have seen Keane (Roy) crushing Beckham.

But I must say that every time I go Loftus Road (yes lifetime QPR fan, you made fun of that earlier) I meet nothing but the nicest people, strange.

So, I have questions after this post:

1 - Will we ever play England Again?

2 – If we had a played them in 2002 for example, would we have beaten them?

3 - What songs would we have sung? I know one: 'Daaaavid Beckham, your a w@nker, your a w@nker', 'Daaaavid Beckham, your a w@nker, your a w@nker'!

4 – Irish and English fans were at the WC in Japan in 2002, were there any clashes?

[Stuttgart88]

There were some minor standoffs outside that kip Foley's in Roppongi. I think the Red Lion or something like that was next door. By and large the Irish and the English and the fans of the dozen or so other countries that gathered in Roppongi all had a good time together. I'll never forget an Ecuadorian fan wanting to talk to me about Robbie Keane's equaliser against Germany while this Swedish girl was exchanging jerseys with my mate, shamelessly revealing everything in the process. It was such a sight that we were actually divided about the highlight of the evening: Robbie or the boobs.

As an aside, that Irish pub in Roppongi was disgrace. Beer was extortionate (even by local standards) and the place was dreadful. It always makes me laugh how the Irish always seek out the Irish bars where the local bars are a hundred times better. On this topic. Decky, you lived in Brussels and hung out in O'Reilly's - how could you? The beers around Brussels and in Flanders are superb. I worked there for a bit and my Flemish colleague took me to a different bar every day for a beer at lunch. Le Mort Subite is the only one whose name I remember, some good stuff in there.

[osarusan]

As an aside, that Irish pub in Roppongi was disgrace. Beer was extortionate (even by local standards) and the place was dreadful. It always makes me laugh how the Irish always seek out the Irish bars where the local bars are a hundred times better.

Been there a few times, it is total cr@p. Almost every "foreign" bar I've ever been to in Japan is terrible. But I found one - next time you're in Japan (), give me a shout and we'll go here - http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/morrigans/

[Deckydee]

I know!

But in my defense I was young and stupid at the time and there always was plenty a skirt in O'Reillys/Celtica. Have not been in an irish pub in years though. The beer is too good in flanders to have have to go there

[Drumcondra 69er]

There were some minor standoffs outside that kip Foley's in Roppongi. I think the Red Lion or something like that was next door. By and large the Irish and the English and the fans of the dozen or so other countries that gathered in Roppongi all had a good time together. I'll never forget an Ecuadorian fan wanting to talk to me about Robbie Keane's equaliser against Germany while this Swedish girl was exchanging jerseys with my mate, shamelessly revealing everything in the process. It was such a sight that we were actually divided about the highlight of the evening: Robbie or the boobs.

As an aside, that Irish pub in Roppongi was disgrace. Beer was extortionate (even by local standards) and the place was dreadful. It always makes me laugh how the Irish always seek out the Irish bars where the local bars are a hundred times better. On this topic. Decky, you lived in Brussels and hung out in O'Reilly's - how could you? The beers around Brussels and in Flanders are superb. I worked there for a bit and my Flemish colleague took me to a different bar every day for a beer at lunch. Le Mort Subite is the only one whose name I remember, some good stuff in there.

All true but there was great craic to be had on the steps! Remember drinking with a load of Croats there (think it was the saturday night before the Lewis Tyson fight) and they were all asking to be taught any rebel songs that would **** off the English fans, total headcases but we had some laugh with them!

[Deckydee]

Actually was Googleing last night and I found this. Lots more footage that I have ever seen before

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcdnzeoBJT4

[livehead1]

You have to love the Jack Charlton quote...Ray Stubbs says "I think everyone is ashamed tonight" Charlton replies :"Listen here, every Englishman should be ashamed of what went on there tonight!"

Quality

[Deckydee]

I see Jack doing a lot of shouting at the press as well when he was walking off. I wonder what he was shouting about??

[joe_barry80]

Horrible game, gale force wind, poisonous atmosphere. There was as much menace among the travelling English in the West Upper that night as there was in '95.

I'll never forget the look on Gary Lineker's face when he missed an early chance and he walked back to half way with the South Terrace, virtually to the last man, giving him the fingers.

Was it Staunton's ball to Cascarino or was it Alan McLaughlin's? Superb header. Woods was beaten all ends up. Partiality aside, it was as good a header as you'll ever see. There was no pace at all on the cross yet the power and the placement of the header made it unsavable.

Sheridan, well remembered the McCarthy free kick from over 50 yards!

I think there was a Dessie Ellis march in O'Connell street that evening just to spice up the atmosphere.

Remember getting the dart in from The nothside then at Tara street a load of English piled in to an already packed train. I was 10 at the time and getting squashed. My dad told them to stop pushing. Yer man then threatened my da saying he would stab him. With that the whole train started making sheep noises
at them. he quickly shut up. In the stadium I was under the West Stand pitchside got a load of coin thrown at us. To this day I don't know why the Irish fans made sheep noises can anyone answer?. Oh and I made it on to Sky News that day walking down the street

[Wolfie]

Oh and I made it on to Sky News that day walking down the street

The traumatised kid on the pitch that famously appeared on Sky that night hit the jackpot.

Trips to matches, jersey's to ease him through the horror he'd witnessed. He started talking again in 2003.