Feicin daytripper
What? nobody goes to Parnell park do they? That's for weird old northsiders
Why don't the Irish support their local teams?
- Thread starter Plan M
- Start date
What? nobody goes to Parnell park do they? That's for weird old northsiders
But once a-fecking-gain, who has actually said this? Who is actually going around saying what shit fans you are?
Just as in the glory hunting thread there are more people jumping to conclusions and defending their support pre-emptively than there are people being twatish about it cos they go to every game. Even fred has admitted that the lads who make an effort from outside of Manchester are likely just as if not more dedicated than those within. It's only the uber defensive that are claiming anyone is claiming they're shit fans...
As for the Irish thing..Again...Plan M's original post was not slandering anyone but asking why the League in Ireland isn't as popular as it is in Scotland or Wales (which is turns out isn't much different) and why English football is prevalently popular, but again we had several people pre-empt an attack by going on the attack themselves. Inventing people who'd insulted them and claiming they were pricks..
Then fred came along and exacerbated everything admittedly, but there's more defense than attack in here..
Then of course when you get to the point where people are saying United isn't a Manc club and the G&G is actually the Irish flag, you do have to hold up a sec and re-dress the balance a bit...Don't you think?
Those protestants, up to no good again
Sorry Mockney there is a history of racism so maybe that should be taken into account, like I said I had to stop going in the 80's because of the overall violence. And an oft asked question was 'why don't you support your own teams?' so for you it may seem like a harmless group of words but, and I know empathy is not your strong point, but try and understand that these feelings are residual, as I have already said, so we can both 'once a fecking gain' all day long. That's the defensiveness explained, again. And it will take time for that to go. It's not an invented feeling, it's not too long ago we were persona non grata over there on many levels.
It was not only fred by the way and it's not the only thread that the question has been brought up, it's tedious, GB's reaction as he too explained was not based on this thread alone. It is an issue both on this forum and an actual issue. To ignore that is to not want to understand the defensiveness.
Fair enough, I completely respect that.
I'm not saying you have no right to be defensive incidentally, just that once the argument tipped into farce (those who go are sad, United aren't really manc, G&G flag) I felt it needed holding up a bit and redressing.
From many of our perspectives, it seemed over defensive and whilst I do respect it's ingrained, firing off at someone because you personally relate it to something it may not have intended to be isn't just "acceptable" because it just is. Geebs was well out of order to Plan M in my opinion, but didn't see the need to admit that at all cos his own indignation surpasses the need to be correct. Not much empathy there IMO. Eyepoppers responses, and yours in fact, I think have gone a long way to calming down a thread that was getting silly.
But fair enough on your point, I'm not trying to have a go or say it isn't understandable/a legitimate issue.
It's all good. Personally it annoys me because I see support of the club as a unifying thing and don't understand the need for schisms.
The topic has been done to death many times before. I suspect that PlanM, as much as he denies it was ever so slightly on another wum. PlanM has been around this place long enough to know
There's always schisms unfortunately. People on here like to call people on RI Ihni binni dimi diniwiny anitaime so it's hardly a one way thing. But they certainly shouldn't be any on racial/national grounds.
Totally agree
Not read the thread, what's the connection between Ireland and United?
Ireland is like....a different piece of land. It's not like Salford.
Ireland is like....a different piece of land. It's not like Salford.
I think the word you are looking for is 'country'. And there is no connection, and you should read the thread if you want to know more than what a geography book could tell you.
As I suspected, the Irish making stuff up so people will give them attention.
Finland > Ireland.
This thread has been seriously hijacked. Thought the initial question was an interesting one worthy of some debate.
In Ireland, people become attached to successful english teams - Liverpool, United, chelsea, arsenal. Its quite simple really, they're on TV alot, the newspapers write about their players etc. There is something to follow.
You wouldn't choose say stoke because you wouldn't really read abpout them, see them on TV, no european nights etc. Makes sense that kids get attached at a young age to a successful team. Doesn't mean they won't follow them in 40 years time if they are not successful then.
It also helps if there is an Irish link with players, you are going to identify with them more.
In Ireland, I used to regularly watch LOI football and spent many years going to see Galway United neary every 2 weeks in Galway and also to Dublin based matches, as I lived there.
I loved it and the standard is not bad. Irish people watch it expecting to see a Ryan Giggs, Paul Scoles etc which is unrealistic. There are a lot of teams of iv 1/ Div 2 standard in England and they should be judged accordingly. Then you get occassional gems like Shane Long, Kevin Doyle breaking through.
I used to love the buzz of getting involved as you learn to appreciate when they play well & moan when they don't - no different to following United.
Also, Irish people have 2 other sports in Hurling and Gaelic football that capture peoples attention more with local support, as support is based on county affinity. So they probably feel less inclined to support their local football team.
In Ireland, people become attached to successful english teams - Liverpool, United, chelsea, arsenal. Its quite simple really, they're on TV alot, the newspapers write about their players etc. There is something to follow.
You wouldn't choose say stoke because you wouldn't really read abpout them, see them on TV, no european nights etc. Makes sense that kids get attached at a young age to a successful team. Doesn't mean they won't follow them in 40 years time if they are not successful then.
It also helps if there is an Irish link with players, you are going to identify with them more.
In Ireland, I used to regularly watch LOI football and spent many years going to see Galway United neary every 2 weeks in Galway and also to Dublin based matches, as I lived there.
I loved it and the standard is not bad. Irish people watch it expecting to see a Ryan Giggs, Paul Scoles etc which is unrealistic. There are a lot of teams of iv 1/ Div 2 standard in England and they should be judged accordingly. Then you get occassional gems like Shane Long, Kevin Doyle breaking through.
I used to love the buzz of getting involved as you learn to appreciate when they play well & moan when they don't - no different to following United.
Also, Irish people have 2 other sports in Hurling and Gaelic football that capture peoples attention more with local support, as support is based on county affinity. So they probably feel less inclined to support their local football team.
I originally closed this thread at 5 pages as I thought it was just going to descend into farce, WUMs, and circular debates but reopened it at Brads request.
Does anyone have a problem if we call it a day now?
Does anyone have a problem if we call it a day now?
Mockney.....I could be miles off here but it was either you or a poster with a similar name that said that they were from the London area in some post a long time ago?
If that is so then why would you support Utd instead of a London team?
Also I would just like to add that I am from a part of Dublin that is near Parnell Pk, and Croke Pk is not that far either so I have been to those stadiums way more times to watch Gaelic football than most Utd fans have been to Old Trafford. The stadiums of the likes of Bohemians, Shels and Shamrock Rovers are just a bit out of the way or me to be bothered going to see them and or in areas of horrific traffic. If there was a great soccer team on the North side closer to where I live then of course I would go to see them but there are areas in Dublin for example that are either traditionally Rugby or Gaelic football areas and thats all you will get to see nearby if you live in one of those areas unfortunately and I dont have any time for Gaelic football or Rugby to be honest. The soccer stadiums in Dublin are not really placed in the right areas to create that kind of tribal rivalry for derby games. Hopefully the teams can address this. Shamrock Rovers have seen their capacity explode since they moved to Tallaght on the southside and that was a great idea as they moved out of the city center where pretty much every big Dubln team is situated and they went to a massive suburb that didnt have a big football team so for the first time in 16 years they are Champions again. If for example Shels or Bohs moved to somewhere like Donnycarny or Clontarf on the Northside that is much more accessible for all Northsiders then that would give Northsiders a team they could feel connected too and proud of and that would create that rivalry needed to boost attendances. Tolka pk and Drumcondra where these teams currently play is just that bit too out of the way in the City Center in my opinion for most Northsiders to feel a connection with these teams. But lack of money will halt exciting plans to move these teams to better locations and Northsiders just dont feel that connected to teams in the city center. New grounds need to be put right in the heart of the northside like where Parnell Park is for the Gaelic football. Anyways thats my answer and you could be sure that if Shamrock Rovers one day made the group stages of the CL (Which will never happen) then there is no doubt that Croke Pk would be sold out for every game in a matter of seconds. So we definitely would support our teams if things were a little different and that shows in the Irish national team soccer games.
So thats some very simple reasons there and I think the teams in Dublin need to sort their own shit out before the whole league can grow. Lack of vision and investment at the top level is really whats holding it all back.
And dont forget that in schools that play Rugby and Gaelic Football in some parts it is forbidden to play soccer but its all slowly changing. So it is not uncommon for a kid to grow up in an area in Dublin that only plays Gaelic football and has no good soccer to watch nearby yet these same kids will see Man Utd on TV every week so they will support their GAA team in teh area they are from in Ireland yet also support Man Utd as thier chosen team to watch!
I hope that answers your question in some way!!
Don't see any need to lock it. Just let it die a natural death. It's been an interesting enough thread (despite clearly being started as a WUM) and there's feck all to read/talk about during international week anyway.
The question of who the feck was saying you were shit fans?...Erm...No it didn't answer that...At all. I'm actually completely baffled as to why this is directed at me but hey ho.
Thanks though.
And yes London (hence name) and my dad supported them.
The Green flag with the Harp was the Leinster Flag and adopted by some as a symbol of Ireland, but the Blue flag was regarded as the official unofficial flag of Ireland. Welcome to Irish politics.
And if you were right that would still be green and gold so inconclusive, but the more widely used flag was blue with a gold harp, so with that info you'll be able to argue your point better when the next nutter enters your crosshairs.
The Blue one is still used as a presidential flag and for some parliamentary purposes.
Not relevant really, just nerdiness. Sorry.
What generally happens is someone says 'so, why do you support United then, and not your local team'. You answer it, citing your reasons, and are then pretty much told your reasons are bollocks.... which implies that you've made them up to hide the fact that you're some sort of glory hunter, fair weather fan or that you just woke up one morning and decided to support United.
Ask a Manc why they support United and they'll generally tell you its family tradition, thats only a valid reason if you're in Manchester it seems.
If you were ever going to close this thread that would be the post to finish on. Nice summary.
Agreed
I agree - leave it be!
I am very against locking of threads in general apart from duplicate threads or extreme cases of legal issues, abuse etc.
I was thinking the very same thing mate!
And Geebs, you are far too sensitive mate. It was an honest question which a few in here answered. The other members decided to throw hissyfits though and if I'm being honest, I did chuckle once or twice.
Anyway, someone lock the thread if it's still offending the lovely lads and lasses of Ireland - I didn't mean for any of that.
Its an Irish website with loads of Irish members, its going to get a bit of attention, even if it has been asked 100 times before.
If you got giggles out of this thread, that says more about you than it does any of the other contributors to be fair.
If you got giggles out of this thread, that says more about you than it does any of the other contributors to be fair.
Eyepopper, you know Niall isn't Irish right?
He's Gujarati mate.
He's Gujarati mate.
Plan M isn't on a WUM; one of his friends is Irish.
I wouldn't have thought he had the brains to do a decent WUM but a WUM this thread most definitely is. No harm done though, it's prompted some decent discussion, despite itself.
I didn't know this until Geebs said so - I thought it was a forum about Manchester United originally, how silly of me.
Plan M have you got a Welsh accent then?
No mate, have you?
No need to apologise...we can spot the slow learners.
I'm not Welsh.
How do I know that you're not from Wales? You could be Scottish, Irish, Indian, hell even from the Caribbean as far as I know.
Because I'm not Welsh.
Why is it such a touchy subject for you? The Welsh accent's not that bad, taffy.
bollocks
oh wow, just read through this thread.
*exits.....*
*exits.....*