Supporting an English Club against an Irish Club

tommyhaas

Following on from the large number of Irish Spurs fans at the Rovers game last night, just interested to see how many Irish fans would support their English team over a LoI team in a similar situation

Personally as a Liverpool fan, I have to admit I would find it extremely difficult to support Liverpool against an Irish side. Like myself there's thousands of Irish Liverpool fans, however while we may go over a few times a year and support the club, the reality IMO is that you can't really say its your club in the sense that those supporting their local club can. I mean, how much of a connection can we really have with a club in another country? I go over to Liverpool a few times a year as I've friends over there, but does this justify any sort of allegiance over a local side? I don't see how it can

Locals largely dislike out of towners, begrudge their influence on inflated ticket prices and in contributing to club's being taken away from their roots, while the local clubs of these out of towners are often dying on their feet. As I said, I'm a Liverpool fan, but I don't think I could justify supporting them over a LoI team, should they ever meet in Europe. Just interested to hear the thoughts of other Irish fans of English sides on this

stovelid

GavRedKing

Been supporting Chelsea since I was about 7, and I've been to a handful of Cork City games over the years, but if by the off chance Chelsea play Cork City in any match my support is with Chelsea.

I like to see Cork City do well but just lost interest a few years ago and stopped going out the Cross.

Ordinary man

tommyhaas wrote: »

Following on from the large number of Irish Spurs fans at the Rovers game last night, just interested to see how many Irish fans would support their English team over a LoI team in a similar situation

Personally as a Liverpool fan, I have to admit I would find it extremely difficult to support Liverpool against an Irish side. Like myself there's thousands of Irish Liverpool fans, however while we may go over a few times a year and support the club, the reality IMO is that you can't really say its your club in the sense that those supporting their local club can. I mean, how much of a connection can we really have with a club in another country? I go over to Liverpool a few times a year as I've friends over there, but does this justify any sort of allegiance over a local side? I don't see how it can

Locals largely dislike out of towners, begrudge their influence on inflated ticket prices and in contributing to club's being taken away from their roots, while the local clubs of these out of towners are often dying on their feet. As I said, I'm a Liverpool fan, but I don't think I could justify supporting them over a LoI team, should they ever meet in Europe. Just interested to hear the thoughts of other Irish fans of English sides on this

But why would you be cheering on a team where you wouldn't even know who's playing for them over a team you read about and watch regularly. It's good to see and hear of supporters of league of ireland clubs but it's not for everyone

uch

Funnily enough Rovers have a few loyal supporters from Oldham who visit a couple of times a year.

I am pie

I would always support Liverpool against any Irish club, English club or any other club anywhere in the world.

Guy:Incognito

uch wrote: »

Funnily enough Rovers have a few loyal supporters from Oldham who visit a couple of times a year.

Surely they are sent packing and called barstoolers no?

PARKHEAD67

gavredking wrote: »

Been supporting Chelsea since I was about 7, and I've been to a handful of Cork City games over the years, but if by the off chance Chelsea play Cork City in any match my support is with Chelsea.

I like to see Cork City do well but just lost interest a few years ago and stopped going out the Cross.

Chelsea eh? A very welcoming team to the Irish:eek:.Good grief.

WindmillWarrior

Support whoever the f*ck you want! I'm a hardcore Drogheda United fan and they come before anyone. But I'm also a big West Ham fan, and I'd have no problem shouting for them over any LOI team. Especially Dundalk

_blank_

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Surely they are sent packing and called barstoolers no?

How could they be barstoolers? Don't know of many bars in the UK regularly showing LoI maches.

PARKHEAD67

Id support Celtic over any Irish side.I dont have a "local team" because any LOI team is miles from where I live.Anyway, you can't get more of an Irish team than Celtic.A club steeped in Irish history.

_blank_

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Anyway, you can't get more of an Irish team than Celtic.

Apart from teams actually from Ireland, that is.

Xavi6

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Id support Celtic over any Irish side.I dont have a "local team" because any LOI team is miles from where I live.Anyway, you can't get more of an Irish team than Celtic.A club steeped in Irish history.

Good jaysus

I would post a "Not sure if serious" pic but I know you are

stovelid

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Surely they are sent packing and called barstoolers no?

Why would they be?

They support Oldham and like coming over for Rovers games now and then.

Plenty of LOI supporters like a foreign club and go to some of their matches.

Popcorn in the microwave.

Haven't been one of these in ages...

super_furry

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Anyway, you can't get more of an Irish team than Celtic.A club steeped in Irish history.

A British team that plays in Britain with aspirations of moving to the English League.

stovelid

rarnes1 wrote: »

Popcorn in the microwave.

Haven't been one of these in ages...

I fucking love that Micheal Jackson gif. Any day I can use it is a happy one.

tommyhaas

stovelid wrote: »

I'm not trying to start any sort of LoI v EPL debate, just genuinely asking who Irish people would support

Ordinary man wrote: »

But why would you be cheering on a team where you wouldn't even know who's playing for them over a team you read about and watch regularly. It's good to see and hear of supporters of league of ireland clubs but it's not for everyone

I'm far from an expert on the LoI, but I wouldn't go as far as to say I wouldn't have a clue about it. I went to the RDS quiet a bit with my Da when I was younger, used to go to Tolka when Rovers played there regularly, went to a few away's too. When I moved to Cork, started going to Turners Cross semi-regularly too

A similar question could be why would you support someone like APOEL if they were to play Liverpool, a team you read about and watch regularly

WindmillWarrior

Don't Hibs have just as much of an Irish heritage as Celtic? Never been as successful as Celtic though have they

Xavi6

stovelid wrote: »

I fucking love that Micheal Jackson gif. Any day I can use it is a happy one.

The Homer pic sums up my expression when I saw this thread title.

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WindmillWarrior wrote: »

Don't Hibs have just as much of an Irish heritage as Celtic? Never been as successful as Celtic though have they

They are even called "Ireland" - albeit in a different language.

gimmick

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Id support Celtic over any Irish side.I dont have a "local team" because any LOI team is miles from where I live.Anyway, you can't get more of an Irish team than Celtic.A club steeped in Irish history.

Unless you live in Glasgow, this is a ridiculous statement in the extreme.

_blank_

gimmick wrote: »

Unless you live in Glasgow, this is a ridiculous statement in the extreme.

It's less than 5 metres from the couch to the telly in my house.

SantryRed

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Id support Celtic over any Irish side.I dont have a "local team" because any LOI team is miles from where I live.Anyway, you can't get more of an Irish team than Celtic.A club steeped in Irish history.

Soooo, you support a team further away from you than a LOI team? you make sense.

I am pie

OP, if Liverpool had to beat an Irish team to qualify for the Champions League, would you support the Irish team ?

If so,..err, you're not much of a Liverpool fan. Sorry, but that's about the height of it.

super_furry

It's an emotive subject. People grow up supporting a team and take that team through their childhood to adulthood as their team and it becomes part of their identity. People identify themselves in varying degress by who they support, so attacking them for supporting that club - be it a British club or an Irish club is always going to get backs up.

As for me, I grew up supporting Liverpool because everyone else in my class did. I then went to my first Rovers game in 2005 and they took over because it was more tangible for me to follow my local team than a team in someone else's city. It means more for me as a Tallaght man to support Tallaght's team. Not everyone will feel the same way and you'll never convince them otherwise

I still watch Liverpool games and still follow them but I'm not a supporter, I'm a fan.

gimmick

If I were a Liverpool fan, and they played someone who was not Cork City - I would support Liverpool. If they played Cork City, I would be supporting Cork City.

I would imagine it was the same for the Spurs lads last night. Maybe some of them were Pats or Bohs fans. Why would they support Shams?

stovelid

WindmillWarrior wrote: »

Don't Hibs have just as much of an Irish heritage as Celtic? Never been as successful as Celtic though have they

What about an Irish club from a strongly republican part of Ireland that were forced out of the league by institutionalized sectarianism?

Oh wait, It's Derry and they not big enough.

_blank_

I am pie wrote: »

OP, if Liverpool had to beat an Irish team to qualify for the Champions League, would you support the Irish team ?

If so,..err, you're not much of a Liverpool fan. Sorry, but that's about the height of it.

This is a new one around here. It's usually the LoI Brigade who give out the supporter levels. Unusual for one fan of a foreign team do it to another.

I prefer this version.

Xavi6

gimmick wrote: »

If I were a Liverpool fan, and they played someone who was not Cork City - I would support Liverpool. If they played Cork City, I would be supporting Cork City.

I would imagine it was the same for the Spurs lads last night. Maybe some of them were Pats or Bohs fans. Why would they support Shams?

For the good of the league of course!!!





:pac:

DoctorGonzo08

Back to the original post, I think that the question is far too generalised. Surely local rivalries come into play. For instance I'm a City fan and a Longford fan, so if City were to play Athlone of course I'd support City. I wouldn't up pegs because of some misplaced sense of false patriotism. Football is football, and you support who you support irrespective of nationallity, race or otherwise.

I am pie

Des wrote: »

This is a new one around here. It's usually the LoI Brigade who give out the supporter levels. Unusual for one fan of a foreign team do it to another.

I prefer this version.

I'm a simple man, I support one team and hope (sadly that's all it is these days!) they beat every other team they play. It's not about levels for me as I don't have a second team, or a local team.

tuxy

WindmillWarrior wrote: »

Don't Hibs have just as much of an Irish heritage as Celtic? Never been as successful as Celtic though have they

Hibs have done an excellent job of stamping out sectarianism at the club and thus has alienated many people from Ireland who would support them.

tommyhaas

I am pie wrote: »

OP, if Liverpool had to beat an Irish team to qualify for the Champions League, would you support the Irish team ?

If so,..err, you're not much of a Liverpool fan. Sorry, but that's about the height of it.

It works both ways, if I say Liverpool, then you get accused of not being much of an Irish man, whereas if I say Liverpool, well as above

Truthfully, I'd support the Irish team if it were a Dublin or Cork side as I have connections to both cities, both because of the Irish aspect, and because taking club loyalties out of it, it would be good to see a fan owned club make the CL as oppose to a club that is essentially a business, as most big English clubs have become

I am pie

tommyhaas wrote: »

It works both ways, if I say Liverpool, then you get accused of not being much of an Irish man, whereas if I say Liverpool, well as above

Truthfully, I'd support the Irish team if it were a Dublin or Cork side as I have connections to both cities, both because of the Irish aspect, and because taking club loyalties out of it, it would be good to see a fan owned club make the CL as oppose to a club that is essentially a business, as most big English clubs have become

Well, I can respect that, but i can't understand it !

_blank_

gimmick wrote: »

If I were a Liverpool fan,

If?

You are a Liverpool fan.

PARKHEAD67

SantryRed wrote: »

Soooo, you support a team further away from you than a LOI team? you make sense.

All my relations reside in Glasgow.Celtic fans love their Irish roots.a lot of Glaswegian Celtic fans would know more about the Emerald Isle than the average joe soap united or liverpool "fan" sitting on a bar stool in any pub in Ireland,watching their beloved United or Liverpool. Most of em could'nt pick out Manchester or Liverpool on a map. Frauds, the lot of em supporting the best teams in England. Where are all the Irish Blackburn "fans" that existed when Dalglaish won em the league.Now supporting united no doubt.Frauds.

tommyhaas

gimmick wrote: »

If I were a Liverpool fan, and they played someone who was not Cork City - I would support Liverpool. If they played Cork City, I would be supporting Cork City.

I would imagine it was the same for the Spurs lads last night. Maybe some of them were Pats or Bohs fans. Why would they support Shams?

DoctorGonzo08 wrote: »

Back to the original post, I think that the question is far too generalised. Surely local rivalries come into play. For instance I'm a City fan and a Longford fan, so if City were to play Athlone of course I'd support City. I wouldn't up pegs because of some misplaced sense of false patriotism. Football is football, and you support who you support irrespective of nationallity, race or otherwise.

The question was aimed more at those who wouldn't have any particular LoI affiliation. Obviously I wouldn't many expect Bohs fans to support Rovers in Europe etc

WallyGUFC

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

All my relations reside in Glasgow.Celtic fans love their Irish roots.a lot of Glaswegian Celtic fans would know more about the Emerald Isle than the average joe soap united or liverpool "fan" sitting on a bar stool in any pub in Ireland,watching their beloved United or Liverpool. Most of em could'nt pick out Manchester or Liverpool on a map. Frauds, the lot of em supporting the best teams in England. Where are33 all the Irish Blackburn "fans" that existed when Dalglaish won em the league.Now supporting united no doubt.Frauds.

And fair play to them. Still doesn't change the fact that Celtic are Scottish, playing in Scotland, training in Scotland, and want to play in England because they think they'd be successful with the TV money. If Celtic are so Irish why don't they play in the Airtricity? Irish club LOL

gimmick

Des wrote: »

If?

You are a Liverpool fan.

Loosely speaking, I am. They are my favourite English Premier division team. Thats about it really.

_blank_

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

All my relations reside in Glasgow.Celtic fans love their Irish roots.a lot of Glaswegian Celtic fans would know more about the Emerald Isle than the average joe soap united or liverpool "fan" sitting on a bar stool in any pub in Ireland,watching their beloved United or Liverpool. Most of em could'nt pick out Manchester or Liverpool on a map. Frauds, the lot of em supporting the best teams in England. Where are all the Irish Blackburn "fans" that existed when Dalglaish won em the league.Now supporting united no doubt.Frauds.

I suppose it's different for Celtic fans, they don't even support the best team in Glasgow, never mind Scotland.

DoctorGonzo08

tommyhaas wrote: »

The question was aimed more at those who wouldn't have any particular LoI affiliation. Obviously I wouldn't many expect Bohs fans to support Rovers in Europe etc

If that's the case then if they have no affiliation to a league, then why would it bother them if they were playing or not. :P

Eirebear

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

a lot of Glaswegian Celtic fans would know more about the Emerald Isle

Nail on head there mate.

They also know lots about leprechauns, "40 shades of green", guinness, whiskey, drunkenly singing rebel songs on their week's holiday to the "old country" and many other sterotypes.

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Eirebear wrote: »

Nail on head there mate.

They also know lots about leprechauns, "40 shades of green", guinness, whiskey, drunkenly singing rebel songs on their week's holiday to the "old country" and many other sterotypes.

At least you spelled Whiskey properly.

PARKHEAD67

WallyGUFC wrote: »

And fair play to them. Still doesn't change the fact that Celtic are Scottish, playing in Scotland, training in Scotland, and want to play in England because they think they'd be successful with the TV money. If Celtic are so Irish why don't they play in the Airtricity? Irish club LOL

Ah, we know what we're about.Irish "united fans"? Give me a break. How come there are no Irish Norwich fans? Or WBA ,Bolton etc.It coz the Irish "fan" is always a glory hunter tagging on to liverpool or united. A foreign friend I work with spotted this and told me how ridiculous it is.I agreed.He could see the logic in me supporting Celtic. The liverpool and united "fans"just didnt make sense to him. Hes Slovakian and supports Kosice.

Eirebear

Des wrote: »

At least you spelled Whiskey properly.

To be sure, to be sure.

_blank_

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Ah, we know what we're about.Irish "united fans"? Give me a break. How come there are no Irish Norwich fans? Or WBA ,Bolton etc.It coz the Irish "fan" is always a glory hunter tagging on to liverpool or united. A foreign friend I work with spotted this and told me how ridiculous it is.I agreed.He could see the logic in me supporting Celtic. The liverpool and united "fans"just didnt make sense to him. Hes Slovakian and supports Kosice.

That's alright then.

BOHtox

From my experience of going to Celtic matches (all two of them), Celtic target us as a market and then fleece us for everything. Flags with Irish writing, creating futile links, not talking about the history of Celtic, with the signing of Irish players etc. They use us as a market to increase their income and nothing more. I'm not saying this is wrong on Celtic's part either btw.

I am pie

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Ah, we know what we're about.Irish "united fans"? Give me a break. How come there are no Irish Norwich fans? Or WBA ,Bolton etc.It coz the Irish "fan" is always a glory hunter tagging on to liverpool or united. A foreign friend I work with spotted this and told me how ridiculous it is.I agreed.He could see the logic in me supporting Celtic. The liverpool and united "fans"just didnt make sense to him. Hes Slovakian and supports Kosice.

You are a fan of a Scottish football team.

I am a fan of an English football team.

Your friend really couldn't wrap his head around that ?

stovelid

Good job Celtic are around for Irish people that need an Irish club to support.

Somebody should look into setting up a football league here in Ireland to tap into this nascent market.

PauloMN

BOHtox wrote: »

From my experience of going to Celtic matches (all two of them), Celtic target us as a market and then fleece us for everything. Flags with Irish writing, creating futile links, not talking about the history of Celtic, with the signing of Irish players etc. They use us as a market to increase their income and nothing more. I'm not saying this is wrong on Celtic's part either btw.

Yep it's only Celtic who try to create markets and make money. No other clubs anywhere else in the world do that. The feckin' cheek of them. :mad: