The C4C Football Thread

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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Andy Wilson »

Great result for us leaves us with a shout. First week in September is going to be exciting. If we can come away with two draws we'll be in a great position. Ten years is long enough. I want to watch a major championship with us in it for a change.

Watched the game in my mate's back yard yesterday on two laptops streaming RTE. Since the internet was there after the game and we were all in the party mood, I decided to youtube our 3 cool world cup songs from 1990. I think this might actually be my favourite and the video is a proper nostalgia trip.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Andy Wilson wrote:Great result for us leaves us with a shout. First week in September is going to be exciting. If we can come away with two draws we'll be in a great position. Ten years is long enough. I want to watch a major championship with us in it for a change.

Watched the game in my mate's back yard yesterday on two laptops streaming RTE. Since the internet was there after the game and we were all in the party mood, I decided to youtube our 3 cool world cup songs from 1990. I think this might actually be my favourite and the video is a proper nostalgia trip.
Keane being the first British or Irish player to score 50 goals is a rather damning stat.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Andy Wilson wrote:I think this might actually be my favourite

Yes Andy, I loved that. Any song that name checks Chris Morris is an instant classic as far as I'm concerned.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Andy Wilson »

Great trip down memory lane. I was at the abandoned game in '95, were you there by any chance? Day after my 15th birthday that was. Never been at another game with such an intense atmosphere. More electric than at any qualifier I went to see and it was just a 'friendly'. Quinn's goal at Wembley too in '91. I watched that in the RDS, indoors, which was done up like a mini stadium with a big screen facing each stand. Underneath the screens was a 5 a side pitch and before the game we were treated to an Ireland Vs England celebrity kickabout. Dermot Morgan, who I had only known by his voice up until that night played for Ireland and I can't even recall one other player.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Wasn't at the abandoned game no. I think my dad and sister were at it alright. My abiding memory of Italia 90 was my sister nearly chocking me to death when O'Leary scored the winning pen. My dad was in the toilet. He can't watch penalties. After the match he drove us into town along with a few of the other kids on the road to see the celebrations. This was when you could drive down O'Connell street and it was mental. People dancing in the floozy in the Jacuzzi and all. We give the English a bit of stick for banging on about '66 all the time but at least they won the thing. We can't shut up about a tournament where we didn't even win a bloody game in normal time.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Lesley Hines wrote:Being married to a Wolves fan is a terrifying thing at times :lol:
I'm sure it is. I'm merely a fairweather friend of Wolves these days, but I did go to the final game of the season (my 3 year old has been bugging me for a while to take him), and it was indeed nail biting stuff.

Glad I managed to get hold of a couple of complimentary tickets, I can't believe people pay upwards of £30 to watch that every week.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Are there any non-league fans around? Particularly anyone whose team is in the Conference South - my team (Tonbridge Angels) just got promoted to it, so I want to know what the competition's going to be like next season. Especially seeing as our budget is negligible compared to most, and most pundits are tipping us to go straight back down to the Ryman Premier...
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Jennifer Steadman wrote:Are there any non-league fans around? Particularly anyone whose team is in the Conference South - my team (Tonbridge Angels) just got promoted to it, so I want to know what the competition's going to be like next season. Especially seeing as our budget is negligible compared to most, and most pundits are tipping us to go straight back down to the Ryman Premier...
I'm interested in following the lower leagues, don't have a particular affiliation though. Not so easy to follow since the demise of Tony Kempster too.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Jennifer Steadman wrote:Are there any non-league fans around? Particularly anyone whose team is in the Conference South
I kinda keep half an eye on Farnborough (who lost in the Conference South play-off final last season), and go to the very occasional match (usually when my son gets free tickets from school). So I can't really tell you anything, sorry.

At one match the season before last, I can only assume someone recognised me off the telly, and a huge proportion of the attendant crowd sang "We love you Corby, we do" throughout the match 8-)
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Jon Corby wrote: At one match the season before last, I can only assume someone recognised me off the telly, and a huge proportion of the attendant crowd sang "We love you Corby, we do" throughout the match 8-)
:lol:
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Ryan Taylor wrote:
Jon Corby wrote: At one match the season before last, I can only assume someone recognised me off the telly, and a huge proportion of the attendant crowd sang "We love you Corby, we do" throughout the match 8-)
:lol:
Totally true. Seriously, about a hundred people singing it.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Jon Corby wrote:
Ryan Taylor wrote:
Jon Corby wrote: At one match the season before last, I can only assume someone recognised me off the telly, and a huge proportion of the attendant crowd sang "We love you Corby, we do" throughout the match 8-)
:lol:
Totally true. Seriously, about a hundred people singing it.
Lol yeah when they were playing Corby Town, that was the joke right? Or were there people actually singing your name when Corby Town weren't playing. Have I just deconstructed a joke too far?
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Ryan Taylor wrote:Lol yeah when they were playing Corby Town, that was the joke right? Or were there people actually singing your name when Corby Town weren't playing. Have I just deconstructed a joke too far?
The match was against Corby Town I think, yeah. What's your point?
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Jon Corby wrote:
Ryan Taylor wrote:Lol yeah when they were playing Corby Town, that was the joke right? Or were there people actually singing your name when Corby Town weren't playing. Have I just deconstructed a joke too far?
The match was against Corby Town I think, yeah. What's your point?
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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The first joke was funny. The Ryan trap was funnier.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Jennifer Steadman wrote:Are there any non-league fans around? Particularly anyone whose team is in the Conference South - my team (Tonbridge Angels) just got promoted to it, so I want to know what the competition's going to be like next season. Especially seeing as our budget is negligible compared to most, and most pundits are tipping us to go straight back down to the Ryman Premier...
I'm a staunch non league fan, I'm a scout for a Conference North club.

I was in Lowestoft on the weekend that they travelled to Tonbridge for the seemingly thrilling playoff final.

What's the budget at Tonbridge, out of interest? I'd have thought they'd need £3,000 a week at least to get out of the Ryman?
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Martyn Simpson wrote:I'm a staunch non league fan, I'm a scout for a Conference North club.

I was in Lowestoft on the weekend that they travelled to Tonbridge for the seemingly thrilling playoff final.

What's the budget at Tonbridge, out of interest? I'd have thought they'd need £3,000 a week at least to get out of the Ryman?
Oh, fantastic! Which team? (If it's not a state secret, that is.)

The play-off final was absolutely terrifying - chucking away a two-goal lead was classic Tonbridge, reminded me of two occasions when we've drawn 3-3 having been 3-0 up (one such game being against Lowestoft!). It wasn't until the final whistle that I could enjoy the atmosphere(/celebrate by bawling my eyes out with joy). I'm not sure what our budget is, but we certainly upped it to get out of the league - hence we're somewhat underequipped to buy players suited to the Connie South. Our only 'class' buy for next season so far has been re-buying Jon Main; he's taken up most of our pre-season buying budget (Chris Piper, one of our promotion-winning players, left because we couldn't afford him :| ). Sources have suggested we're not bottom of the budget table, but we're near the bottom. We really need a good cup run this year if we're going to be in a relegation dogfight next season, which is almost certainly going to be the case imo.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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The step up isn't really that much - certainly not in the North anyway. Guiseley, Nuneaton and Boston all made the play offs last season during their first season after promotion, though the Conference South is arguably a better standard of football than its northern counterpart.

I was with Telford for 4 and a bit years, last season I was at Hyde, next season I'm somewhere else but it hasn't all been finalised yet.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Martyn Simpson wrote:The step up isn't really that much - certainly not in the North anyway. Guiseley, Nuneaton and Boston all made the play offs last season during their first season after promotion, though the Conference South is arguably a better standard of football than its northern counterpart.

I was with Telford for 4 and a bit years, last season I was at Hyde, next season I'm somewhere else but it hasn't all been finalised yet.
Are you on Football Manager?
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Martyn Simpson wrote:I'm a scout for a Conference North club.
The ten year old me wants an answer to this question. Do you ever loiter around parks, looking for undiscovered kids with that special talent? Whenever my mates and I played football in the park and spotted an adult appearing over the horizon, we would put extra effort into what we were doing to try impress any potential scouts hiding in the bushes. It was only later in life I realised that it wasn't really in our best interests to try heighten our appeal to these men, but do scouts ever look to the fringes for undiscovered golden boys?
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Ben Hunter wrote:
Martyn Simpson wrote:I'm a scout for a Conference North club.
The ten year old me wants an answer to this question. Do you ever loiter around parks, looking for undiscovered kids with that special talent? Whenever my mates and I played football in the park and spotted an adult appearing over the horizon, we would put extra effort into what we were doing to try impress any potential scouts hiding in the bushes. It was only later in life I realised that it wasn't really in our best interests to try heighten our appeal to these men, but do scouts ever look to the fringes for undiscovered golden boys?
On the amateur rugby league scene, it was always the worst-kept secret in the world that so-and-so scout was watching a match. They were usually quite well known anyway, anyone in that position had to network round the clubs.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Ben Hunter wrote:Do you ever loiter around parks, looking for undiscovered kids with that special talent?
Happy Birthday Alec Rivers!

Edit: Whoops, wrong topic, ignore me.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Liam Tiernan »

Jon Corby wrote:
Ben Hunter wrote:Do you ever loiter around parks, looking for undiscovered kids with that special talent?
Happy Birthday Alec Rivers!

Edit: Whoops, wrong topic, ignore me.
Just noticed on the front page that it is actually his birthday today. Brilliant spot, Jon.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Martyn Simpson wrote:The step up isn't really that much - certainly not in the North anyway. Guiseley, Nuneaton and Boston all made the play offs last season during their first season after promotion, though the Conference South is arguably a better standard of football than its northern counterpart.

I was with Telford for 4 and a bit years, last season I was at Hyde, next season I'm somewhere else but it hasn't all been finalised yet.
I don't think any Ryman-to-Conference South teams have been immediately relegated, a tradition that we'd like to continue (though we wouldn't mind Sutton going straight back down - their manager, Paul Doswell, is a -insert profanity here- and attacked our captain a few seasons ago) - in fact, the only league that AFC Wimbledon had any trouble getting out of was the Ryman Prem! But there are quite a few high-spending clubs (Truro are going full-time this season, I think) who will probably trounce us, and given our inclination to lose winning leads... who knows, though.

That's an amazing job! Oh, to be employed to watch football...

On a random note, I've always wanted to go on a post-uni gap year to visit all 92 league grounds in a year as my current total is a measly 1 (Huish Park, to see Yeovil open the season before last with a 2-0 win over Tranmere in John Barnes' first game in charge). I've supported Chelsea since I was a toddler - yes, pre-Abramovich/glory-hunting days - and I've never been to Stamford Bridge. :x
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Completely unrelated stalking - you at Exeter uni Jennifer? Who is your English tutor/lecturers? Helen Hanson was mine.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Matt Morrison wrote:Completely unrelated stalking - you at Exeter uni Jennifer? Who is your English tutor/lecturers? Helen Hanson was mine.
I sure am! But I'm on the Cornwall campus (I'd much rather be on the main campus, though), so I don't know if you'd know any of my lecturers - Marion Gibson, Sarah Moss (also an author), Jason Hall, Nick Groom? There are several others who went on research leave or sabbaticals or the like this year who I haven't come across yet as a result.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Yeah Jason Hall was at the main Exeter campus whilst I was there. At least I think he was, definitely wasn't one of my tutors. Is he the muscly American bald gay one?
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Matt Morrison wrote:Yeah Jason Hall was at the main Exeter campus whilst I was there. At least I think he was, definitely wasn't one of my tutors. Is he the muscly American bald gay one?
He's American, but not bald or gay. :lol: As for muscles - I couldn't say. He's a big hit with a lot of my female peers, though, so quite possibly...
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Craig Beevers wrote: Keane being the first British or Irish player to score 50 goals is a rather damning stat.
Meant to ask what you meant by the Craig? Not really a valid statistic in fairness as Keane has been our regular striker for what, 12 or 13 years? I remember when Quinn was going for Stapleton's record though of 20 goals, so fair play to Robbie, 'more clubs than Colin Montgomerie and the same amount of major trophies' Keane.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Andy Wilson wrote:
Craig Beevers wrote: Keane being the first British or Irish player to score 50 goals is a rather damning stat.
Meant to ask what you meant by the Craig? Not really a valid statistic in fairness as Keane has been our regular striker for what, 12 or 13 years? I remember when Quinn was going for Stapleton's record though of 20 goals, so fair play to Robbie, 'more clubs than Colin Montgomerie and the same amount of major trophies' Keane.
Well he's rubbish, so it just highlights how bad or injury plagued other forwards have been over the last couple of decades or so when there have been plenty of games available.
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Jon O'Neill wrote:Are you on Football Manager?
I am as it happens :D
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Ben Hunter wrote: The ten year old me wants an answer to this question. Do you ever loiter around parks, looking for undiscovered kids with that special talent? Whenever my mates and I played football in the park and spotted an adult appearing over the horizon, we would put extra effort into what we were doing to try impress any potential scouts hiding in the bushes. It was only later in life I realised that it wasn't really in our best interests to try heighten our appeal to these men, but do scouts ever look to the fringes for undiscovered golden boys?
Though such stuff goes on, I'm far removed from it as I only look after first team stuff, it's mainly reports on next opposition, with a bit of player spotting thrown in. Basically at non league level, everyone knows everyone anyway so there aren't really a wealth of hidden gems at a random club just waiting to be discovered.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Jennifer Steadman wrote: On a random note, I've always wanted to go on a post-uni gap year to visit all 92 league grounds in a year as my current total is a measly 1 (Huish Park, to see Yeovil open the season before last with a 2-0 win over Tranmere in John Barnes' first game in charge). I've supported Chelsea since I was a toddler - yes, pre-Abramovich/glory-hunting days - and I've never been to Stamford Bridge. :x
I love a bit of groundhopping. Though I've only managed about 35 league grounds, I've got to about 180 or so I think. My list (yes, I am that sad) is on my old laptop, I'm now seriously thinking of digging it out!
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Ben Hunter wrote:The ten year old me wants an answer to this question. Do you ever loiter around parks, looking for undiscovered kids with that special talent? Whenever my mates and I played football in the park and spotted an adult appearing over the horizon, we would put extra effort into what we were doing to try impress any potential scouts hiding in the bushes. It was only later in life I realised that it wasn't really in our best interests to try heighten our appeal to these men, but do scouts ever look to the fringes for undiscovered golden boys?
Brian Kerr the ex Ireland manager and current Faroe Islands manager is know for turning up at all sorts of random matches including schoolboy and Sunday league games.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Martyn Simpson wrote:I love a bit of groundhopping. Though I've only managed about 35 league grounds, I've got to about 180 or so I think. My list (yes, I am that sad) is on my old laptop, I'm now seriously thinking of digging it out!
Which are the best/worst? I'm intrigued, I love the thought of visiting loads of random places just to watch football :D

Including non-league grounds... still a none-too-impressive 5 [Huish Park, Longmead Stadium (Tonbridge), Homelands (Ashford Town, Maidstone played there for a few seasons), Gorings Mead (Horsham and Horsham YMCA) and Treyew Road (Truro)], by my reckoning. I've only ever been to one Tonbridge away game (courtesy of being a poor student and my dad being a scaredy-cat about visiting other grounds), which was our last of the normal season against Horsham and secured our play-off spot. But I'm planning to do some serious travelling next season when I'm at uni so I can see more league games - Plymouth, at 40 miles away, is the closest ground; Torquay's second at 76 miles and Exeter follows close behind at 80. I definitely picked the wrong place to go for football! But Truro are exciting to watch, so I guess that makes up for it.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Jennifer Steadman wrote:Which are the best/worst? I'm intrigued, I love the thought of visiting loads of random places just to watch football
Yep, I'd enjoy hearing some stories of interesting grounds. Only grounds in the Uk I've ever been inside are Old Trafford (3 times) and Parkhead (just the once), though I had a sconce at Belle Vue when I was a kid and almost got to see a game there.

Thinking about the grounds I've been to here, mainly league grounds but some of them would probably be of a similar standard to a lot of UK non league grounds. I've obviously spent more time in Belfield Park than in any other ground, former home of my team UCD AFC, who now play at the Belfield Bowl, which they share with the college rugby team, where I've been before but have still yet to see them play. I am a little ashamed of this fact, but I'm also gutted they've moved. Belfied Park was a beautiful little ground. I have Yet to go back to see what it's become but I can only assume it's now campus housing. Had many a great afternoon in there and numerous late night break ins where we would generally either hide out in the TV gantry (which was easy enough to climb into) and drink cheap cans or have penalty competitions on the pitch if we were feeling energetic for that time of night. Then there's the following I've been to at least once, some a dozen or so, mainly following the students:

Dalymount Park - Phibsboro, Dublin - Bohemians
Tolka Park - Drumcondra, Dublin - Shelbourne
Richmond Park - Inchicore, Dublin - St. Patrick's Athletic
RDS - Ballsbridge, Dublin - Shamrock Rovers (for a while during their homeless years, it's the 'Royal Dublin Showgrounds')
The Brandywell - Derry - Derry City
Oriel Park - Dundalk - Dundalk FC
United Park - Drogheda - Drogheda United
Turners Cross - Turners Cross, Cork - Cork City (Foras coop or whatever they're called now that the fans own them)
Terryland Park - Galway - Galway United
St. Mel's Park - Athlone - Athlone Town
Flancare Park - Longford - Longford Town

Been to a couple of non league grounds as well. Bluebell, Ringmahon Park and Wayside Celtic whose ground in Kilternan is called 'The Golden Ball' after the name of the pub across the road, if I recall correctly.

I doubt I'll ever really increase this by much. It was when UCD finally dropped back into Division 1 that I stopped following them. The prospect of going to grounds like Jackman Park in Limerick and St. Colman's Park in Cobh with the inevitable local knacker kids hanging out there and terrorising our miserably small following (usually it was between 2 and 6 fans) just didn't appeal. In fact, I don't know how I did it for so long. I missed a Gomez concert for an important game once that ended up being rubbish and that was the straw that broke the camels back.

I think Derry/Cork would be my favourites. I was only up there a few times but when I spent the night the locals always looked after us really well at the Oak Grove bar after the games and going for a walk around the city walls was nice. Got called 'provo w@nkers' while walking around town in our Jerseys up there once :). I hated the security in Turners cross, they gave a tiny group of us quite a hard time because we were making more noise than a very subdued home crowd on my first trip in 2001. But the welcome we received on arrival that same day at the bar attached to the ground, 'The Horseshoe' was fantastic. An elderly fan with the classic Cork name 'Finbar' saw us walking by the ground having arrived ridiculously early and knocked on the back door of the pub and ushered us inside, where we got nicely sozzled even before they'd opened! Turners Cross is a lovely little ground as well and when I moved down I was, albeit reluctantly, accepted in the shed end for some city games. We always had a brilliant time when we stayed down as well. In fact, I'm typing this from the reception desk at the youth hostel where I work, which was the first place I ever stayed when I came down here for an overnighter over ten years ago. Some of the same staff still work here too.

My least favourite is probably Oriel Park, as it's so open and unprotected. It was a horrible day when I went there and i never returned as with St. Mel's Park, or 'Smels' to the locals, in Athlone where we had to walk through a traveler halting site to get into the ground.

Now I go to gigs instead. An ould trip down to see a decent band in de barra's in West Cork or a trip up to the big smoke for a big show. Sure had some fun times though.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Andy Wilson wrote: United Park - Drogheda - Drogheda United
It's Hunky Dory's park these days and yet you can't get a packet of Hunky Dory's in the place. They were selling Tayto when I was there on Friday. A good win for the Super Saints though. Still keeping the pace with Rovers. If we can get a result against them in the next away match I reckon we're in with a shout for the title. So long as Danny North stays. I know I moaned about him earlier in this thread but he's come good and struck a lovely partnership up front with Daryl Kavanagh and we need to keep him to stay in the hunt but he's keen to go back to England in July as his girlfriend is up the duff.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Andy Wilson »

Or as we say in this thread, up the Damien.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Martyn Simpson »

Jennifer Steadman wrote:Which are the best/worst? I'm intrigued, I love the thought of visiting loads of random places just to watch football :D
It would depend on how you'd grade them. Quality of food is way too high on my agenda, so amongst my favourite places to go are Alfreton and Gainsborough; but Fleetwood probably nicks it as my favourite - stunning ground, great atmosphere and little touches such as tv's in the gents so you can watch sky sports whilst taking a slash 8-)

Stalybridge and Worcester are superb grounds, oozing non league charm.

My worst was Gateshead. Nothing to do with the ground (though I hate grounds with running tracks around them) but it holds bad memories as we lost the play off final there when I was with Telford, and it was gut wrenching, especially after the unbelievable season we'd had (1st Rd of FA Cup - minutes away from beating League One Southend, we won the league cup and got to the semi finals of the FA Trophy). But that cold and damp friday night up at Gateshead was a step too far, sadly, and we never really recovered.

Other disliked grounds are North Ferriby, where I felt club officials went out of their way to be awkward, and Bury's Gigg Lane - home to FC United of Manchester, a club who I found to be so far up their own backsides it was ridiculous.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Andy Wilson »

Martyn Simpson wrote:FC United of Manchester, a club who I found to be so far up their own backsides it was ridiculous.
Really? How so?
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Karen Pearson »

Jennifer Steadman wrote:Which are the best/worst? I'm intrigued, I love the thought of visiting loads of random places just to watch football :D
Well, clearly Elland Road is the best. OK! Apart from the chants of 'Oi, oi tits and fanny' every time a female walks past the kop and the very poor spelling (several seasons where the menu offered 'PIZZIA'). Other than that it's great.

But if we're going off-road so to speak, I have some experience of non-league grounds because James (husband, not Robinson) supports Halesowen Town.

He proposed to me after we'd seen the Yeltz beat Salisbury Town away. Basically, Salisbury's ground is just a marked out football pitch in the middle of a park with a couple of barriers around the edge. Not a great footballing experience but, clearly, it has a place in my heart!

The worst ground from the point of view of the crowd was Mangotsfield (near Bristol). A pretty decent ground really for a non-league club but racist supporters.

Team Bath (now defunct) used to play at Twerton Park which was a pretty decent ground (reflecting the greater success of the rugby team I guess).

Cambridge City - nice ground and general good day out!
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Adam Gillard »

Karen Pearson wrote:James (husband, not Robinson)
Nguyen?
Mike Brown: "Round 12: T N R S A E I G U

C1: SIGNATURE (18) ["9; not written down"]
C2: SEATING (7)
Score: 108–16 (max 113)

Another niner for Adam and yet another century. Well done, that man."
Martyn Simpson
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Martyn Simpson »

Adam Gillard wrote:
Karen Pearson wrote:James (husband, not Robinson)
Nguyen?
Ironically enough, there is a footballer called James Husband - who coincidentally played in the same division as Karen's husband's beloved Halesowen last season.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Martyn Simpson »

Karen Pearson wrote:
Jennifer Steadman wrote:Which are the best/worst? I'm intrigued, I love the thought of visiting loads of random places just to watch football :D
Well, clearly Elland Road is the best. OK! Apart from the chants of 'Oi, oi tits and fanny' every time a female walks past the kop and the very poor spelling (several seasons where the menu offered 'PIZZIA'). Other than that it's great.

But if we're going off-road so to speak, I have some experience of non-league grounds because James (husband, not Robinson) supports Halesowen Town.

He proposed to me after we'd seen the Yeltz beat Salisbury Town away. Basically, Salisbury's ground is just a marked out football pitch in the middle of a park with a couple of barriers around the edge. Not a great footballing experience but, clearly, it has a place in my heart!

The worst ground from the point of view of the crowd was Mangotsfield (near Bristol). A pretty decent ground really for a non-league club but racist supporters.

Team Bath (now defunct) used to play at Twerton Park which was a pretty decent ground (reflecting the greater success of the rugby team I guess).

Cambridge City - nice ground and general good day out!
Interesting post, Karen :)

I love Halesowen's ground, and the home fans get some proper acoustics going in that fantastic covered terrace behind the goal.

Salisbury - I see their ground totally differently to you! I thought the people there were fantastic - the car park attendant went out of his way to be chatty and the rest of the officials of the club all had a certain warmth. The ground is clean and tidy, the main stand offers a good view, and the covered terrace is another which is lively. The other two sides are a bit sparse, but it's more than adequate.

Mangotsfield - thankfully I didn't witness any racism, but thought it was a bit dilapidated. The only ground I've ever experienced racism at was King's Lynn.

And Cambridge City - another nice tidy ground but the quality of food there is awful - even worse than Salisbury and Mangotsfield, and that's saying something.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

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Andy Wilson wrote:
Martyn Simpson wrote:FC United of Manchester, a club who I found to be so far up their own backsides it was ridiculous.
Really? How so?
I just didn't enjoy the whole experience.

I arrived mega early, and the car park was empty. I was shown where to park, but it was clear that it was going to be nigh on impossible to get my bloody great van out safely upon the final whistle, but they wouldn't let me move to anywhere easier.

I was severely reprimanded at half time for not wearing my badge "backstage" when going to get a much needed brew. It's the Unibond League ffs.

I was sat in a sort of 'no mans land' between the home and away fans, where the visiting supporters were treated with arrogance and disdain throughout the whole ninety minutes.

And it was so much hassle to try and get hold of something as simple as a team sheet.

Not a place I will hurry back to - though when I went there years ago to watch a Bury game, I did enjoy the experience.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Mark James »

You gotta love football fans. I'm just back from an away match in Galway. During the game there was an announcement on the tannoy that the away fans were to use a particular toilet at the far end of the ground. Almost immediately a chant started that went, "We are Saint Patrick's, we'll piss where we want."
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Karen Pearson
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Karen Pearson »

Martyn Simpson wrote:
I love Halesowen's ground, and the home fans get some proper acoustics going in that fantastic covered terrace behind the goal.

Salisbury - I see their ground totally differently to you! I thought the people there were fantastic - the car park attendant went out of his way to be chatty and the rest of the officials of the club all had a certain warmth. The ground is clean and tidy, the main stand offers a good view, and the covered terrace is another which is lively. The other two sides are a bit sparse, but it's more than adequate.

And Cambridge City - another nice tidy ground but the quality of food there is awful - even worse than Salisbury and Mangotsfield, and that's saying something.
That lovely 'covered terrace' is known as the shed by the fans and, to be honest, that's being kind about it. But, you're right, the acoustics are great and they are a jolly bunch of fans.

Having just looked at the Salisbury website, it appears that they moved to a new ground the season after I was there so my comments no longer hold true. The new ground DOES look nice (maybe we should plan a return visit at some point!).

Luckily I didn't have to sample the food at Cambridge City as we'd got there early to meet up with some friends for lunch.

I forgot about Cirencester though. Another one that is pretty much just in a field. It was also a few years ago (the Yeltz have had a few dismal years so we haven't been to too many away games) but there was a serious shortage of parking (basically just along a country lane).
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by James Robinson »

I have been to a few grounds in recent years, following the mighty Terriers obviously. ;) :) :D

The 2 worst I've been to are Oldham & Peterborough (still hurts by the way :( ).

I've even been to Oldham 3 times, but the seats have got to be the tiniest anywhere I've been to, but it clearly doesn't matter to Town fans much, as we always seem to bring 3,000 or so every time.

Not being sore or anything, but how the heck Peterborough's ground (or at least the area I was sitting in) passes health & safety grounds is beyond me. The seating was at least 50, if not 60, years old. The wood was so creaky, and in all honesty the tightness of the steps and all the rusty metal in the stands make it look like a death-trap.

Even Accrington Stanley (where I went to in '07 to see our 1st round FA Cup match), which in the area we were in had no roof, no seats, and when the coniditions were wet and windy virtually all match, was more comfortable than either Oldham or Peterborough :!:
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Jennifer Steadman
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Jennifer Steadman »

Karen Pearson wrote: Well, clearly Elland Road is the best. OK! Apart from the chants of 'Oi, oi tits and fanny' every time a female walks past the kop and the very poor spelling (several seasons where the menu offered 'PIZZIA'). Other than that it's great.

But if we're going off-road so to speak, I have some experience of non-league grounds because James (husband, not Robinson) supports Halesowen Town.

He proposed to me after we'd seen the Yeltz beat Salisbury Town away. Basically, Salisbury's ground is just a marked out football pitch in the middle of a park with a couple of barriers around the edge. Not a great footballing experience but, clearly, it has a place in my heart!
Ah, good old misogyny - the Angels have a well-practised chant of "Oh Ton-ber-idge is wonderful, oh Ton-ber-idge is wonderful/It's full of tits, fanny and Angels/Oh Ton-ber-idge is wonderful". Fortunately, 50% of the female contingent in the stand joins in (i.e. me), with tongue firmly in cheek.

And what a fantastic way to propose!!
"There's leaders, and there's followers, but I'd rather be a dick than a swallower" - Aristotle
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Jennifer Steadman »

Of the four non-league grounds I've visited, obviously the Longmead is my favourite for sentimental reasons, but considering that Gorings Mead is a sandpit and Homelands is a swamp, both really designed for football a few tiers lower, it's not a particularly difficult contest. Treyew Road has tonnes of seating whereas the Longmead only has one seated stand, but the toilets are terrible and the southern end of the pitch just has some iron railing and concrete instead of a specific stand - I much prefer the Longmead set-up, plus our support is more vocal/awesome. Haven't tried Truro's burgers yet, but Tonbridge's are superb. Not even being biased there.

Conference South fixtures are out in a few weeks - so excited about this as it'll finally make it all seem real! I'm really hoping that our away match against Truro is during term time. Makes things so much simpler for me, though a lot of fans would baulk at the prospect of a 600-mile round trip. Not that that stopped me from making that journey to see the play-off final, impending exams/bank account be damned. :D
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by David Williams »

This thread is getting like 6-0-6 in the early days with Danny Baker - no-one whingeing about the big teams, and all the better for it.

There's a non-league ground on which I've seen a full international, a Cup-Winners Cup quarter-final and a Champions League qualifier. Name that ground!
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by James Robinson »

David Williams wrote:There's a non-league ground on which I've seen a full international, a Cup-Winners Cup quarter-final and a Champions League qualifier. Name that ground!
Is it the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham's ground :?:
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by David Williams »

James Robinson wrote:Is it the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham's ground :?:
It is. Too easy, clearly!
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Ryan Taylor »

David Williams wrote:
James Robinson wrote:Is it the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham's ground :?:
It is. Too easy, clearly!
Unbelievable tekkers!
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by James Robinson »

Ryan Taylor wrote:
David Williams wrote:
James Robinson wrote:Is it the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham's ground :?:
It is. Too easy, clearly!
Unbelievable tekkers!
Maybe I should pay a visit. As it happens, the mighty Terriers have a pre-season friendly there in a few weeks time. 8-)
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Craig Beevers »

Manchester United making up on lost ground after not spending much on players for a while. Don't rate Ashley Young that highly personally, seems to be a ball-greedy sod and I've yet to see how he's better than a upmarket version of Shaun Wright-Phillips (still can't believe S W-P got in the last World Cup squad [as well as actually playing] ahead of Adam Johnson).

Top level club football going through the start of a peculiar phase with all these new rules coming in. Will be good if it results in more English (or UK even) players involved at the top clubs, although I'm not sure if that'll happen. Liverpool breaking into the top 4 would obviously help.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Mark James »

"The Saints are having a party, the Saints are having a party, the Saints are having a party, the Hoops have fucked it up". Oh yeah, top of the league baby!!.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Keith Bennett »

Some fascinating stuff here. Presumaby before becoming a scout you were a player Martyn? (No weak jokes about him being a cub or his sex life thank you....)

As a Norwich fan who hasn't actually lived near the place for, well, a long time, I've been to many more away games than home; I reckon I've been to around 40 different grounds over the years, without going to any far-flung ones such as in the south west or north east. Though weirdly I've never been to Macclesfield which is actually my nearest! I did live near Hereford after leaving Norfolk just before they became a league club for the first time and that was great fun to follow - if you believe everyone who claims to have seen the famous cuptie against Newcastle (Ronnie Radford etc.) there must have been be about 90,000 there. I was one who really was.

Places enjoyed, regardless of result? Anfield, Crewe (we were almost in the majority!), Barnsley, Deepdale for the football museum, Craven Cottage and Plough Lane in the 80s when I worked in those parts, and more recently the Galpharm - really good welcome there with a special version of the programme for away fans with our own green and yellow cover, as well as chip butties in the refreshment kiosks; class.

To avoid? OT - horrible place, always feel very threatened there, likewise Forest; Walsall, such a dump despite being fairly new, they tried to defrost a pitch with braziers, game called off 45 mins befoer kick off. Port Vale - take 2 sweaters, unless it's winter, in which case take 2 more - and the equally cold and hostile Turf Moor.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Jon Corby »

Should this have been a penalty? I genuinely can't decide.
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Re: The C4C Football Thread

Post by Matt Morrison »

Jon Corby wrote:Should this have been a penalty? I genuinely can't decide.
I almost bit :)
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