20 years ago today

tomwaterford · 15-02-2015 08:09PM

saintsaltynuts wrote: »

Me Da still has his ticket wanting a refund.He's a miserable fecker altogether.

be probably worth way more to sell on ebay now id say

Berserker · 15-02-2015 08:11PM

Trigger Happy wrote: »

I always thought that the reason there were no refunds was that the match was not cancelled until after 60 minutes....and there was some 60 minute rule in place.... But I am not 100% sure.

It was abandoned in the first half.

saintsaltynuts · 15-02-2015 08:12PM

26 Minutes i think.

Menas · 15-02-2015 08:16PM

Berserker wrote: »

It was abandoned in the first half.

Yup, you are right. My memory is not what it shoudl be!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lansdowne_Road_football_riot

Dyr · 15-02-2015 08:29PM

I remember being told years later that the gardai deputized a lot of stewards into their ranks, basically gave them batons and told them not to spare the timber

another rumour was a lot of england fans got a bit of a send off afterwards from locals around the north wall/ dublin port

My name is URL · 15-02-2015 08:30PM

Berserker wrote: »

Going to games in England was a nightmare back in those days and the national team was an extension of that. To their credit, the English FA and police have done an excellent job cleaning things up and football in England is a far more pleasant experience nowadays. Passports are checked at ports and fans have to collect their tickets when they reach their destination.

Bit cheeky of the FAI to point the finger of blame at another association regarding ticketing. Tickets were not sold to any political group. They were sold on a first come, first served basis from the club ticket offices. I know a West Ham fan who was present that day and he got his via his club. That was the fashion in which tickets were distributed in those days.

I haven't been to an international game abroad in years, but is that not still how tickets are allocated and sold to away fans? There's a responsibility for clubs and other ticket agents to take steps to ensure that known hooligans or groups are not supplied with tickets.

English authorities knew that such groups and individuals were buying tickets so there's no reason to assume that agents or clubs didn't. This was at a time when there was already a big crackdown going on against allowing hooligans to travel to away matches.

Neither football association was without fault imo, but the responsibility ultimately lies with individuals who traveled for no other reason than to cause trouble.

Bambi wrote: »

another rumour was a lot of england fans got a bit of a send off afterwards from locals around the north wall/ dublin port

They were also met off the boat by Welsh police who thought that Christmas had come early for them! Anyone still mouthing off at that point were treated to an extra round of what they had received in Dublin.

PoxyBollock · 15-02-2015 08:34PM

Shambolic would be the words I'd use to describe the Gardai and FAI concerning the event. It was like the perfect mix of ignorance and arrogance. Especially the Gardai. And some people are congratulating them? This was certainly avoidable. There was advanced knowledge from the British authorities that something was going to take place.

Why weren't more Gardai in place from the get go? And why were the English fans in a upper tier?

Here's a great quote from Bernard O' Byrne, formerly of the FAI, a chief executive before he got the wrong end of Delaney, talking complete ****ing bollock:

“That night is etched in my memory. I had the dubious distinction of being the head of security for the match. We had a lot of meetings with the Gardaí and with the English FA. We expected a small amount of dubious fans to come from England. We had about three of four times the amount of meetings, preparations and rehearsals that we would have before any other match. There had been some tensions before. We expected some kind of incident but we still expected a good sporting occasion.”

Berserker · 15-02-2015 08:36PM

My name is URL wrote: »

I haven't been to an international game abroad in years, but is that not still how tickets are allocated and sold to away fans? There's a responsibility for clubs and other ticket agents to take steps to ensure that known hooligans or groups are not supplied with tickets.

They are allocated through the official association and the fans have to collect them in the city where the game is taking place. They have to bring passport id when collecting them. That is the way it is done, unless it has changed recently.

Even for RoI away tickets, you have to submit a passport number and personal details for each ticket you apply for. If you travel with a travel agent you don't need to do the above, of course.

Citizen2011 · 15-02-2015 08:38PM

The Cavan men still discussing if they can get a refund 20 years later.

Citizen2011 · 15-02-2015 08:39PM

Trigger Happy wrote: »

I always thought that the reason there were no refunds was that the match was not cancelled until after 60 minutes....and there was some 60 minute rule in place.... But I am not 100% sure.

The Cavan men still discussing if they can get a refund twenty years later

anncoates · 15-02-2015 11:00PM

My name is URL wrote: »

If so many innocents were targeted then how come there were never any complaints made or charges pressed against Gardai?
.

It wouldn't do any good to complain abut getting bashed in the wrong. Most people will just assume everybody in the away end deserved it.

if memory serves, it looked like were bashing away supporters randomly as they filtered out. It's probably one of the rare times you know you won't get into trouble for battering anybody in there.

Like I said though, any NF and C18 types that got battered that night, or anybody throwing stuff down, I'm happy with that.

It was a bit of an embarrassment that it was allowed to happen in the first place.

SharpshooterTom · 15-02-2015 11:19PM

England still have these elements in their ranks, especially their away support, which would still be quite anti-Irish, you could see that when they played Scotland at Celtic park with all the IRA stuff unnecessarily brought up.

I don't have a problem wishing Britains Olympic teams, England's cricket team or England's rugby team well, since their fans are dead on, but the football team I still feel uncomfortable wishing well given their strong links to ulster loyalism and anti-Irish sentiment overall which still exists within some of their support.

hidinginthebush · 15-02-2015 11:30PM

Ah I remember it surprisingly well. An 11 year old me and my 14 year old brother in the south end schoolboy terrace, perfect vantage point for the shenanigans, but far away enough that they didn't target our section. The Bedlam going on, 20 foot sections of seats being thrown into the lower stand below them. Never been so happy than seeing the Garai absolutely mill into the pack of animals and beating the living shite out of them.

Truth be told we were very relieved when we met our dad later, he was in the east stand with the grown ups.

kfallon · 15-02-2015 11:36PM

The RTE coverage, Ger Canning talking about the 'fantastic atmosphere' :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBeDSFGzShg

A Dub in Glasgo · 15-02-2015 11:44PM

The video in the OP is only 240p :eek:

BBJBIG · 15-02-2015 11:47PM

Jayz - will yis look at de Nardai wallopin de shoite ourra dem ... :P

Cienciano · 16-02-2015 12:04AM

While it's great seeing english knackers getting their heads cracked, you have to wonder why the gardai ignored the info the english police were offering? And why did they refuse extra help on it? And considering they knew a large hooligan contingent were coming over for the match, maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to put them in the upper tier?

anncoates · 16-02-2015 12:05AM

Cienciano wrote: »

maybe it wouldn't be a good idea to put them in the upper tier?

Giving them a terrace to themselves probably would have meant less tickets to sell.

Streetwalker · 16-02-2015 12:12AM

pipelaser wrote: »

I love Paul McGraths reaction, typical Paul..

Was he drunk?

arybvtcw0eolkf · 16-02-2015 12:29AM

Pity the batons weren't longer, and heavier.

Mongfinder General · 16-02-2015 12:40AM

I was at that game. I walked into the South Terrace about 45 mins before the game. The strange thing was that most of the English contingent was in the ground already. Anybody who has ever been to a match will tell you that grounds are half empty 15 mins before kick off. You could touch the atmosphere. It was mostly small time clubs like Fulham, Shrewsbury flags that populated the top of the West Stand. The kind of sick heads who follow international football because they'll never win fcuk all with their mickey mouse clubs.

Long story short. It could have much worse that night. The Gardai were not prepared but took care of business once they got the Irish out of the ground. The English got an awful pasting from the cops.

hidinginthebush · 16-02-2015 01:13AM

Mongfinder General wrote: »

I was at that game. I walked into the South Terrace about 45 mins before the game. The strange thing was that most of the English contingent was in the ground already. Anybody who has ever been to a match will tell you that grounds are half empty 15 mins before kick off. You could touch the atmosphere. It was mostly small time clubs like Fulham, Shrewsbury flags that populated the top of the West Stand. The kind of sick heads who follow international football because they'll never win fcuk all with their mickey mouse clubs.

Long story short. It could have much worse that night. The Gardai were not prepared but took care of business once they got the Irish out of the ground. The English got an awful pasting from the cops.

That they did! We had to wait at the steps to the south terrace schoolboy section for our dad to get over to us, so went back up to take a gander at what was going on when the ground was mainly empty. The guards went to town on the scum.

Tigger · 16-02-2015 01:35AM

Abdullah Uptight Rancher wrote: »

Pity the batons weren't longer, and heavier.

we went in for the scrap that day
into town to meet with the ones that got away
good times

arybvtcw0eolkf · 16-02-2015 01:39AM

Tigger wrote: »

we went in for the scrap that day
into town to meet with the ones that got away
good times

They were different days too, most of us wanted to get a crack at a Brit back then.

SHOVELLER · 16-02-2015 01:57AM

I was at the game on the south terrace. Normally I was in the north terrace but this night was different. Firstly the atmosphere was almost poisonous on the DART out as ingerland were not amused with the stupid locals wearing premiership jersies.

As soon as I got onto the terrace I looked over to my right and there was about a hundred away fans in a small section who were going mental. Reminded me of a visit to the zoo.

After the goal we could see all the missiles being thrown down and then the game being called off. Honestly thought they would re start it so we just walked out onto the pitch and watched for a while before making our way back into town.

It was ghostlike though as most of the pubs had shut up shop but we did find one next to Liberty Hall. It has since changed its name numerous times but as soon as walked in we could see about a dozen ingerland in boisterous mood as they had "escaped"! They werent shy about relaying their experiences causing mayhem around Europe.

Anyway the old Irish attitude of "ah sure it'll be fine" almost backfired spectacularly.

The press were saying that UEFA would give Euro 1996 to another country but lo and behold it was all forgotten a year later.

The hoolies are still around following them and will be looking for action again in June.

PoxyBollock · 16-02-2015 02:25AM

Abdullah Uptight Rancher wrote: »

They were different days too, most of us wanted to get a crack at a Brit back then.

Withnail and I reference?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5h-NrrCQzY

coopdog85 · 16-02-2015 03:43AM

SHOVELLER wrote: »

I was at the game on the south terrace. Normally I was in the north terrace but this night was different. Firstly the atmosphere was almost poisonous on the DART out as ingerland were not amused with the stupid locals wearing premiership jersies.

As soon as I got onto the terrace I looked over to my right and there was about a hundred away fans in a small section who were going mental. Reminded me of a visit to the zoo.

After the goal we could see all the missiles being thrown down and then the game being called off. Honestly thought they would re start it so we just walked out onto the pitch and watched for a while before making our way back into town.

It was ghostlike though as most of the pubs had shut up shop but we did find one next to Liberty Hall. It has since changed its name numerous times but as soon as walked in we could see about a dozen ingerland in boisterous mood as they had "escaped"! They werent shy about relaying their experiences causing mayhem around Europe.

Anyway the old Irish attitude of "ah sure it'll be fine" almost backfired spectacularly.

The press were saying that UEFA would give Euro 1996 to another country but lo and behold it was all forgotten a year later.

The hoolies are still around following them and will be looking for action again in June.

I don't think England will try anything in June, however the tinkers around Dublin will be mad to have a go. These are guys who support Shamrock Rovers, Bohs, Pats etc. Who have grown up wanting to be a Danny Dyer type character having seen his football violence films. I reckon there'll be trouble but it'll be irish lads who will start it & these are lads who won't be at the game. These are lads who will find a small brigade of English lads in a pub & throw a few digs so they can tell their pals that they "battered the English"

PoxyBollock · 16-02-2015 02:34PM

coopdog85 wrote: »

I don't think England will try anything in June, however the tinkers around Dublin will be mad to have a go. These are guys who support Shamrock Rovers, Bohs, Pats etc. Who have grown up wanting to be a Danny Dyer type character having seen his football violence films. I reckon there'll be trouble but it'll be irish lads who will start it & these are lads who won't be at the game. These are lads who will find a small brigade of English lads in a pub & throw a few digs so they can tell their pals that they "battered the English"

During the Love Ulster riots and the trouble during the Queen's visit to Ireland, in videos and several pictures online, you can see people wearing Ireland, Celtic, Manchester United and Liverpool jerseys or trackies. If you're trying to say that any trouble or disturbance that might be caused will be down to Dublin based League of Ireland supporters you are talking complete bollock.

Dog of Tears · 16-02-2015 02:38PM

pipelaser wrote: »

I love Paul McGraths reaction, typical Paul..

Does he down a bottle of Toilet Duck?

Grayson · 16-02-2015 02:49PM

I love the way they stuck Charlie Bird in O'Connell st

20 years ago today

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