To all LOI fans

**Dave77** · 20/07/2008, 1:39 AM

Firstly I dont like writing this thread but a friend of mine went to a LOI game over the week end and lets say wasnt made welcome (not a shels game) and im pretty sure will not go again. My question is do LOI fans want more fans because some (small number I hope) dont seem to want new fans. i understand that LOI fans have been every other sports poor relation well since forever but some fans seem to think therfor they have exclusive rights to the game.

and it really hit home because i had read a fanzine which said "this is aimed at the johnny-come-lately, jester hat wearing lamps that have begun to infest our game (note derry and Drogheda's nouveau support for example)", I am a johnny come lately fan, i went to LOI games as a kid but my family was from sligo so only saw their away games then i moved to drumcondra and started goin to shels games, i have been hooked since. I cannot understand how people who love their clubs do not like new fans to their clubs. if 30 people who had never been to a LOI game mind you a football game before went to tolka I would be delighted. 20x15euro is simply money for a club.

i understand some fans have supported a club forever(and dont get me wrong the ultras, supporters clubs etc are fantastic in this league and do make a great atmosphere and are exclusive but is the club?) and their fathers/mothers etc have, but surely all new fans whether they wear hats or go naked for gods sake should be welcomed.

this league needs fans!!!!!!
but then again im a "jonny come lately"

**L37Ultra** · 20/07/2008, 1:51 AM

Originally Posted by Dave77

Firstly I dont like writing this thread but a friend of mine went to a LOI game over the week end and lets say wasnt made welcome (not a shels game) and im pretty sure will not go again. "

Why, what happened?

**don ramo** · 20/07/2008, 1:54 AM

johnny come lately should always be welcome, only problem most fans have is with sunshiners, but you will never know a sunshiner from a johnny come lately untill hes been there through the bad times supporting the lads,
as you said its money in the bank
im 24, and im even put down sometimes by oldstock tellin me there the real fans theyve been here 20 years, and blah blah blah, its totally irrelevent, you go to a game and you love it, you get attached to it, but this will never happen overnight, i would tell your friend to go back to maybe 2-3 more games and if he still doenst feel welcome then that the clubs loss, or more the fans loss as its really there club,

sad to see people not being welcomed into this enviroment we have,
send him our way more support is always welcome

**Dave77** · 20/07/2008, 3:05 AM

he was given abuse by young lads for wearing a rugby jersey nothing serious but again it would still put him off which i understand he went along to a game and got grief, he is a connaught fan and he simply would not get this in the sportsground. i told him to give LOI a go. He wont anymore

**stann** · 20/07/2008, 3:18 AM

Don't think it's a case of fans not making your friend welcome as such, Dave, there's no fan but wouldn't want to see more punters at games - at the end of the day, bar the very rare sugar daddy, everything a fan wants for their team is based on bodies through the turnstiles.
But in every group, however vanishingly small they're seeming at the minute, there's always knob-ends. I hope you can convince your mate that that is all it was.

**Higgo** · 20/07/2008, 8:11 AM

In all fairness Dave, if that little "incident" put him off then he obviously wasn't too interested in the first place. Of course every club needs new fans and they should be made welcome but ffs that is very minor "abuse". If he got a bit of stick at a Connaught game, would he stop going to that too?

**osarusan** · 20/07/2008, 8:24 AM

Originally Posted by stann

But in every group, however vanishingly small they're seeming at the minute, there's always knob-ends. I hope you can convince your mate that that is all it was.

Agreed. Convince him to give it at least one more go, with a different club if he is that bothered about it. It's unfortunate that he happened to come across some idiots, but they're not representative of eL fans in general.

**oldyouth** · 20/07/2008, 9:14 AM

I've returned to LOI since last year after a 25 year absence, so I could be considered a johnny come lately. If the 'abuse' amounted to a chant or something about the rugby jersy, then I think he's being oversensitive. If it was more than thay then it is not acceptable alright. Every true supporter of their club would love more people coming to see what attracts their attention week in, week out.
In every aspect of life there are eejits and you shouldn't take them as representitives of all

**Terry** · 20/07/2008, 9:18 AM

I agree, it all sounds like it was a bit of a laugh and nothing to be taken seriously?

**Dodge** · 20/07/2008, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by Dave77

this league needs fans!!!!!!
but then again im a "jonny come lately"

Not neccesarily aimed at you but I'm ****ed off at how LOI fans are lumped together. You read the opinion of one bloke and thought it was the opinion of LOI fans.

LOI fans are black, white, Polish, Chinese, Irish, English, catholic, prodestant and loads of other races and nationalities. Some are idiots, some are sound. Some have rich, some are poor. We all have different taste in music, films, clothes and food & drink. Some are more hardcore than others. Some sing, some don't. Some are flag wavers, some aren't.

There is no LOI mentality, and don't for one second think the that LOI internet community is representative of LOI fans. We're a few thousand people who watch our local teams. Thats the only tthing we have in common and we'd have different opinions on everything. Some will welcome new fans, that bloke didn't.

Most people don't care about our league, and will use any excuse not to get involved. I don't care about these people, its their loss. If someone comes to the game with an open mind, then I'll do my bit to welcome them

**Massop 10** · 20/07/2008, 9:47 AM

Dave tell your mate to come down to Flancare Park. We need numbers in Section O and I don't care if they are Johnny come lately or sunshine supporters as long as they pay E15 they will be made fell more than welcome. In Section O we get some fans who drop in only now and again but we welcome them with open arms cos as you said its money for the club and for us its an extra voice for our songs and chants. If anyone wants a good night at a game come to Section O where we all are there for one thing - To have some fun and watch a game of football.

**skitz3** · 20/07/2008, 9:57 AM

Tell him to suck it up.

The quote in the fanzine is not poking fun at all Drogs fans, just the many who never bothered their arse goig when Drogheda didn't win a thing and they now profess to "love" their club when it's just as likely that they'll p*ss off back under the rock they crawled out from under if they happened to be relegated next season. I've seen the crowds they got in the first dvision, why couldn't they go and "love" their club then?

**stovelid** · 20/07/2008, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Higgo

In all fairness Dave, if that little "incident" put him off then he obviously wasn't too interested in the first place. Of course every club needs new fans and they should be made welcome but ffs that is very minor "abuse". If he got a bit of stick at a Connaught game, would he stop going to that too?

No offense, Dave but I agree with this. I've know a few people that have went to a LOI game almost wanting to be put off. They don't go back because the crowd is too small/football is "****e" whatever. It's almost as if they are pleased that their doubts have been confirmed and they can stay "I gave it a go anyway".

It's not nice to give somebody stick over a jersey but it could happen anywhere. Hopefully he'll be back. If he really wants to go again, he will.

**brianw82** · 20/07/2008, 3:15 PM

What game did he go to?

If he had worn a bog-standard black or white t-shirt the chances are he wouldn't have had a word said to him.

**Kildare Lad** · 20/07/2008, 10:20 PM

In fairness though lads he shouldnt have had anything said to him regardless of what he was wearing. That would be enough to turn a first timer off. Hope he gives the league another shot. What game was he at?

**dcfcsteve** · 20/07/2008, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by Higgo

In all fairness Dave, if that little "incident" put him off then he obviously wasn't too interested in the first place. Of course every club needs new fans and they should be made welcome but ffs that is very minor "abuse". If he got a bit of stick at a Connaught game, would he stop going to that too?

I'd echo this.

That was just thick kids doling abuse out. You would get the same or worse walking down the street or standing at a bus stop. Would that stop him leaving the house ?

I got abuse once from eejits for wearing a Derry top in the centre of Dublin on my way to a game against Shels. Comically, it took them about 4 guesses - all of English teams - before I put them out of their misery about which team it actually was. Needless to say it won't stop me goin to B.A.C again.

Your friend either has very thin skin, or was given a very handy excuse for not going back to an EL game again.

**dcfcsteve** · 20/07/2008, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by Dave77

and it really hit home because i had read a fanzine which said "this is aimed at the johnny-come-lately, jester hat wearing lamps that have begun to infest our game (note derry and Drogheda's nouveau support for example)",

I'd agree with you 100% on this Dave. There's a pathetic, sneering hairsuite element to some EL fans. You'd be forgiven for thinking that many wouldn't want the league to become successful at all, least the growing fanbase dilute their self-anointed superiority complex for following the club for years. It's their little play thing, so how dare anyone else try to get involved.

Bottom line is that every footbal fan has to have a first game (bar-stoolers aside, of course). Every football fan was a Johnny come lately at some point. Whoever wrote that in the fanzine should take a long hard look at themselves.

As for slagging off Derry's supposed jester-hat wearing fans - it's a 'criticism' I've heard often on this site from a small number of posters (you know who you are). I'm delighted that we have consistently the largest or second largest active fan-base in the league. And it's great that most of those jester hat wearing fans are kids - who, by the magical nature of human chronology, are obviously going to be Johnny Come Lately's given theri age. Perhaps the smug cnuts with comments like this could take a look around the numerous empty seats at their own grounds in-future, and try to imagine what it woiuld look and sound like to have a group of jester-hat wearing Johnny Come Lately's cheering on their team for a change....

**skitz3** · 20/07/2008, 11:35 PM

Suprise suprise

**kingdom hoop** · 20/07/2008, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by Kildare Lad

In fairness though lads he shouldnt have had anything said to him regardless of what he was wearing.

Completely disagree. Sorry.

I'm not of course privy to the exact facts at hand but abuse should usually be just one clever retort away from friendly banter, which might in the odd case spawn a connection between a newcomer and the regulars, something that leaves an impression so that Johnny might come back. Fair enough some people like to mind their own business, and some people are strangely sensitive, but if a fella on his own going to a match for the first time isn't open to a bit of (hopefully good-natured) messing he probably won't ever get into going regularly.

Anyway for all the hecklers suspected Dave's friend purposely wore provocative clothing to see if there was any craic out of the fans or if they were as boring as the rugby lot! Well, what I mean is if you wear a rugby jersey to a football match expect some few smart comments, get into the spirit of things and try maybe have a bit of fun.