As a Bohs fan, the “Quote of the day” in the Guardian gave me a laugh last Friday, the day after Rovers ahem… “historic” victory over in Tel Aviv in the Europa League Qualifiers. While I won’t begrudge them their glamour tie / day in the sun / whatever you call it tonight, I’ll watch it, and the return leg with interest and my heart being pulled two ways- hoping to see an Irish side do well against a time of Juve’s stature, and at the same time, hoping Rovers fail miserably in everything they do.
But anyways, the quote. It wasn’t the comment from Juventus forward David Lanzafame that got me giggling but the remark after it:
“We do not know Shamrock Rovers and therefore we have to study them through videos” – Juventus forward David Lanzafame looks forward to next week’s Big Vase third round qualifier against Irish side Shamrock Rovers in Robbie Keane’s hometown of Tallaght. If Juventus lose, they won’t be the first Old Lady to have been mugged in the notoriously rough Dublin village.
A bit harsh you might say? Never… But considering what the majority of LOI fans call our Wicklow brethern, the accompanying picture spoke a thousand words…
On the fourth of August, a League of Ireland selection will take on Manchester United Football Club in the new stadium at Lansdowne Road. Before we go further, that’s what we call it around here. Lansdowne Road.
The day after this, Shamrock Rovers will take on Juventus on Italian soil, in a crucial competitive match. Juventus and Manchester United, two football giants no doubt. Unlike the Shamrock Rovers side taking on Juventus however, the League of Ireland selection are playing for nothing. They’ve never really trained together before this, they play for a wide variety of teams. They’re not a team themselves, and they’ve been chucked together for a glory friendly. To be frank about things, this isn’t the best time either.
Why? Look at the League table. Bohemians, Saint Patrick’s Athletic, Shamrock Rovers and more besides stand a very realistic chance of lifting the League. So far, it’s been rollercoaster stuff, with nobody running away with it and surprises and upsets coming in thick and fast. In the midst of this, I’ve heard this game referred to in the media on multiple occasions now as a ‘pre-season friendly’. This is not a pre-season friendly for us. This is a match that couldn’t be timed much worse in truth.
I’ve long been fascinated by F.C United of Manchester.
A football team unlike any other, they are owned by supporters and represent football in its truest form. Cheap tickets, fan culture and a sense of community. The demise of Manchester United F.C as a community entity ultimately paved the way for a club like this in Manchester, and FCUM enjoy cult like support in Manchester and beyond. The idea of seeing them take on North Belfast side Cliftonville at the West Belfast home of Donegal Celtic F.C was an appealing one, so up we went.
The three Come Here To Me contributers were joined by Luke, one of the Bohemian F.C faithful. Our understanding of football from the north-east is generally limited to Setanta Cup experiences in truth, with Cliftonville, Glentoran and Linfield being among the sides that southern teams frequently encounter in the competition. We’ve never been to Donegal Celtic Park, and are advised by a friend of one of the lads to taxi it, owing to the distance from the city centre. This city is soccer crazy in a way few are, everyone from Oscar Traynor to George Best kicked a football up here remember. The taxi driver is a Crusaders man himself. Everyone has a team.
“I am an F.C fan
I am Mancunian
I know what I want and I know how to get it
I want to destroy Glazer and Sky….”
FCUM have brought great support with them, several hundred fans are in the shed and they chant for 90 minutes. Cliftonville don’t bring many, though to their credit are fresh from a pretty impressive Euro victory and this game isn’t even in their own home stadium. We get in to the ground just as FCUM score, and the place erupts. The connection between the fans and players is excellent, and they feed off one another.
A Glagow Celtic/ F.C Sankt Pauli banner inside the stadium
One thing you notice straight away, and unlike any kickabout at Richmond Park or over on the northside, is the absolute lack of police inside the stadium. The amazing pride Donegal Celtic obviously have in their ground is clear too, a beautiful clubhouse and ground in perfect order meets the visitor. Post match, which Cliftonville win comfortably following a most impressive second half comeback, we’re in the company of both sets of supporters and fans of Celtic, Aston Villa and other clubs.
Belfast is a top class city, and much is owed to Donal, a friend of one of our own lads now at home there, for showing us around the pubs. A 1am bus home, wrapped in a new FCUM/Cliftonville scarf, and our day was over. A long way from the League of Ireland, and far more exciting than any Setanta Cup trip North.
The Champions League; The most-watched sporting event worldwide, with an estimated 100 million viewers every year. To most football fans in Ireland, it means following the progress of an English or a Scottish team; generally one of those same six teams who appear every year with little variation. It means pubs in Dublin City Centre packed with replica jerseys and loud mouthed punters wearing them. It means people with no material allegiance crying meaningless tears for a team they’ve never seen live, and yet who they still refer to with a mythically inclusive “we.” (In my book, “supporting” doesn’t involve buying a jersey in Lifestyle sports and then sitting on your arse watching games on telly.) It means opposition like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, a long run in the competition and a feeling of unwarranted superiority for followers of the winners.
Sure wouldn't it look great in Dalymount Park
For the majority, it doesn’t set the heart racing at the thought of a trip to the town of Oswestery, in Shropshire, to take on a team once monnikered “Total Network Solutions” in the second round of the competition. Well, for those who follow glory with a British team it doesn’t. For me, as a fan of Bohemian FC, it means absolute unbridled joy, hope and living with the feeling that my chest is going to explode until the games, both home and away are over. For Bohs are set to take on Welsh Champions “The New Saints FC” on the 13th and 20th July, and I intend to be at both games. The New Saints, or TNS for short don’t exactly match up to the glamour of the Champions League. They’ve only been in existence for fifty odd years and play in a ground that seats 1,000. Their claim to fame is losing 6-0 on aggregate to Liverpool in the same round of the competition five years ago, when Irish keeper Gerard Doherty played a blinder and Rafa Benitez claimed he was the best player on the pitch. But, this is still the Champions League, its Europe, and a level that most English Championship clubs, and never mind that, most Premiership clubs will ever again experience with the European monopoly held by a small elite. So for that I respect TNS.
Not exactly the Bernabeu, this is Park Hall, TNS' home
But whilst British teams get back page spreads in Irish papers, the role of League of Ireland teams in the competition is often relegated to bit parts and side columns. And yet there have been famous victories in Europe; Bohemians alone have beaten Rangers, Aberdeen, Kaiserslautern amongst others in various competitions. Games that will be talked about for years, some, like the Rangers game, for ever. But inevitably, with the victory and joy, such as that expressed after moments like Glen Crowes goal below comes defeat and pain. Saddness. Utter dejection and humiliation. It’s all very well for those who say from the outside “Ah well, sure they gave a good account of themselves.” These words do nothing to alleviate the grief.
Last year, Bohemians were seven minutes from knocking out Salzburg, a team bankrolled by Red Bull, who play in an ultra-modern 31,000 all seater stadium and who have International players earning in a week what the average Bohs player takes home in a year. And what follows is the true meaning of joy followed by dejection. Bohs went to Salzburg, and thanks to this save from Brian Murphy, and a cracking goal from Joe Ndo went home with heads held high and an away draw. And while I didn’t make that game, the scenes of adulation in the members bar in Dalymount Park will stay with me for the rest of my life. I’ll be honest and say, yes, I cried. The following week, Bohemians held on for 85 or so minutes, in which they had a couple of chances to put the game beyond Red Bull but (though some in the media said inevitably, I’d think otherwise) slipped up and a silly back pass meant Red Bull took away a 1-o lead and a passage to the next round. My feelings leaving the ground that night are hard to explain. I hadn’t felt that bad for years and haven’t felt that bad since. Truly heartbroken, in depths of despair, feeling pain, anguish, sorrow.
"That" goal by Salzburg. The author of this piece is just out of shot. Thankfully.
But, as they say, thats football, and hopefully this time around, results and luck might go our way. For winning this tie means at least another four games in Europe- Two in the Champions League third round, and if we fail in that attempt, a crack at the Europa cup in the final qualifiying round where we could be pitted against English or Scottish opposition. Where then will the allegiances of average Irish football fan lie? I’d like to think that a run in Europeans elite competition might do the league wonders but to be honest I’m sceptical. What I would like is for Dalymount to be packed to the rafters on Tuesday, 13th July, and should we pass through to the next round, have the same again. We’ll see.
Spotted on the northside, right next to the Hendrons site.
This gem comes from Ladbrokes and their ‘Win a trip to the winning nation’ competition. Almost as bad as The Sun describing the World Cup group as “the best English group since The Beatles”.
Anyway, what are Ladbrokes playing at? North Korea will never let the competition winner in.
DUBLIN — Ever since Thierry Henry’s unpunished handball helped deny Ireland its place on football’s grandest stage, Ireland has been awaiting its moment of retribution and is cheering every misstep as France stumbles to the brink of World Cup failure
Brazil are in dire need of the support of a West Dublin pub.
Ever since that French player did that thing over in Paris against ourselves, a lot of people have actually been dreading the start of the great summer kick-about. The League of Ireland is on a three week hiatus too, so even us purists have nothing to be at, and will likely tune in to watch the likes of Algeria, North Korea and the United States of America do their thing in front of a global audience. Football isn’t coming home, it’s gone home. We’re barred from the house.
In a way, this presented an opportunity. One of the ‘big teams’ basically robbed ‘the little people’. Against the backdrop of repossessed houses, Brian Cowen’s face, cuts to our wages and more besides, this was supposed to be our national uplifting moment. Kathleen ni Houlihan in her Italia ’90 jersey telling us to keep it together. The underdog was kicked, and the underdog wasn’t looking the best on its legs before the big boys put the boot in either.
Gits.
So, shouldn’t we be out in force behind another underdog? It’s no doubt fair to say FIFA and companies investing in the World Cup would have prefered to see the French make it through to the tournament itself of course. Still, even with us out of the question, a number of small nations are in with a shout. Instead, a bizarre situation has emerged where Dublin pubs are flying the flags of Spain, Brazil, Italy and the sort.
‘THIS PUB SUPPORTS ___________’ can be seen in the windows of many Dublin pubs, and it’s not just in the city centre, where this can be passed off as an attempt to lure in tourists. In my own small West Dublin suburb, home to two pubs, both are ‘supporting’ Spain. Why Spain? Spain winning the thing is likely enough I suppose.
In 1966, North Korea beat Italy one nil. In fact, they made the quarter finals. I remember seeing Scotland equalise against Brazil in 1998 from the penalty spot and thinking “It’s on now, boys”. That’s what football is all about, realistically we all know it will come down to a taxi load of teams in the end, but why not follow a team on the way for the thrill of it, and see how far they get?
Go underdogs, go!
Uruguay, Chile, Denmark, even them lads in North Korea (because somebody has to watch the matches live and unedited) – come on Dublin publicans, if your pub hasn’t got a team yet, surprise me. After failing to get through the seeded play-offs, the last thing I want is to be have a pub decorated in the flags of nations that have lifted the Cup already, like Brazil. We could at least have all settled on a team in green!
As someone who remembers the painted kerbs of Ballyfermot for previous World Cups, and coming from a nation long overdue a World Cup run out, I want to see an underdog bite at this World Cup. Who knows, they might even take a hand off 😉
Republic of Ireland versus England, February 15 1995.
The disgraceful behavior at last night’s football international in Dublin must throw into grave doubt England’s role as hosts of next year’s European Championship. It was appalling enough that the pond life who purport to follow England should riot at all. But in Ireland of all places, at such a politically sensitive time, defies belief.
Today Newspaper Editorial, on the day following the riots.
I dug this match Programme out recently, and thought it would be of interest to some of our readers. Page 3, the notes from the manager, is signed. Sadly, it is addressed to Donal, and not eBay.
In all seriousness however, this encounter between the Republic of Ireland and England on February 15 1995 marked one of the worst moments for soccer in this country. Largely believed to be as a protest against the peace process in Ulster, and centering around a few fringe groups from London clubs, a small band of fascist supporters within the English away support brought the match to a halt amid scenes of flying chairs and wood. Ireland were 1 nil up in the encounter, before it was called off. Both National Anthems had been greeted poorly at the beginning of the match, and near constant chants of ‘Never surrender to the IRA’ can be heard in footage of the encounter. The damage done to the image of the game in Ireland was quite bad, and the UK tabloids seized the day too to make quite sweeping statements about English football supporters.
Many of the trouble makers had, almost laughably, purchased their tickets from Dublin. The Football Association of Ireland made a haims of the affair, and English fans were located in an area of the stadium one can only describe as madly short sighted in retrospect, with little to no screening of their support. Searchlight magazine told The Irish Times that its “spotters” had noticed a huge number of hooligans from right wing firms and political groupings in the North among the away support. The video footage from the moments following the calling off of the game is incredible, showing a clearly raging Jack Charlton, a man who won a World Cup medal with England in 1966.
There was little evidence of orchestration but many signs of the disturbing presence of the right-wing thugs who have attached themselves to club around the south east of London. Forearms bearing Union Jack tattoos jerked skywards in Nazi salutes. Several skinheads carried the legend “Made in the UK” in blue ink above their ears. There was some excited talk about “doing like the paras” and getting the “Fenian scum”, but for the most part the trouble was caused by dull young men looking for the rush that violence can provide
Tom Humphries writing inThe Irish Times , February 18 1995
Interestingly, in 2008, John Delaney remarked to The Guardian that
At some stage, I would like to see England play in Lansdowne Road because there is a game owed. (…)Bringing them to the old Lansdowne Road would have been difficult, and bringing them to Croke Park wouldn’t have been correct given the history.
So, here is a selection of content from the match programme. Enjoy. League of Ireland fans should note the fantastic article on the first English visit to Dublin, an encounter at Dalymount Park.
Geography dictated that I would be a Saint Patrick’s Athletic supporter.
As a youngster, I remember my Dad couldn’t walk too far in the stadium without spotting a neighbour from Palmerstown, or the older days in Ballyfermot. This Is(n’t) England, you’d be a laughing stock if a Galway youngster decided he or she was a Derry City fan, or a Derry youngster became ‘Bohs Til I Die’. We don’t do it that way, you take what you get. The Liffey, the county border markings and local history dictate these things. Suburbs all go in together.
Glenville Football Club however are right on my doorstep. I don’t play football (I’m dire), but I follow it. I don’t know too much about the local Football Clubs, but Glenville have come to my attention recently owing to the fact they’ve drawn League of Ireland champions Bohemian F.C in the Cup. A big day out, to say the least.
We are located off the Kennelsfort road in Palmerstown, Dublin 20 in the Community School
You can nearly spot them from the door.
Hopefully, local residents will come out in force to support them in the clash. It’s not going to be easy, and it would probably be one of the largest upsets in the history of the Cup, but imagine. The local pubs can, and it’s probably a pretty picture. The club were founded in 1997, and spend their weekends in Senior 1A.
If we want to see football grow as a local, community game – a Glenville F.C victory wouldn’t be a bad thing!
Sunday June 6 @ 3.00 in Richmond Pk. FORZA PALMERSTOWN!
Bohemian F.C supporters with F.A.Ilure and GAVIN OUT banners.
My thanks to one of the lads (CHEERS LUKE!) from thebohs.com for linking to this on our Facebook,after I mentioned it in the
match piece below but was unable to locate a snap online.
The banners were clear from the far end of the stadium, and on the night they were taken out the stadium had a few F.A.I blazers knocking about owing to the presence of a certain Italian watching the match.
This reminded me to root this out, my Ireland kit from circa 2007.
The annual Match Programme Fair is coming up again, at St Andrews Parish Centre on Pearse Street.
It takes place on Sunday, May 30th
I only recently uncovered a box of copies of the SuperSaint programme from 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 under the bed, absolute gems. Every programme from 1999-2000 in particular opens with a 1,000 word essay from Pat Dolan on whatever was getting on his nerves that week.
For example,in Issue 13 of the campaign, Galway United at home, Dolan noted that
It is certainly not satisfactory for our youth to believe that supporting their team is about sitting in front of the TV. It is something bordering almost on fraud for RTE’s over exposed Premiership to rely on opinions of people not qualified to comment. As someone who has analysed games for TV and radio, both live in the stadium and ‘live’ in the studio in front of the telly, I can tell you that you can only truly appreciate the pattern of the game and the wider picture if you actually attend the match! How gullible as a nation have we become that we accept people pontificating about the merits of English soccer and decrying the merits of Irish soccer, who attend neither.
Indeed.
As well as a trip to Pearse Street, you could do worse than to make a trip out to the Phoenix Park for a free month long exhibition there on the history of football in the park.
“The exhibition was launched to mark the FAI taking over the lease for the football facilities in the Phoenix Park, which are known as ‘the Fifteen Acres’. The exhibition contains photographs documenting the history of football in the Fifteen Acres, beginning with the foundation of Bohemian Football Club at the Gate Lodge of the Phoenix Park on September 6th 1890 and including photographs of football clubs from the late 19th century right through to the present day”
Do both on the same day and then go home, stick the scarf on, play some Subbuteo and give Jack’s Heroes a spin.
The nice people at YBIG (Or You Boys In Green)have uploaded their new online magazine, which you can check out here. When you’re flicking through it, be aware that the Star ads open fancy pop up video footage. Nothing like having headphones in, the volume up, and hearing Mr. Betfair Dunphy talking away to himself (while sitting on a swively chair in Tallaght Stadium)
An example of content.
Along with plenty of League of Ireland coverage, it’s got plenty on the national team, a nice historical piece on an encounter between West Germany and the Republic and some great video content. It’s the future. There’s even a video of that cheating French bastard (language, Timothy) doing cocaine. You’ll get it when you click it.
Hopefully this isn’t the end of the lovely bus-friendly regular YBIG magazine.
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 