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Northern Ireland may have to play home games in England
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
Future Northern Ireland home games
Where should Northern Ireland play their home games until a permanent solution is found?
Where should Northern Ireland play their home games until a permanent solution is found?
| England |
 3% |
| Dublin |
 23% |
| Casement Park |
11% |
| Hold out for a new stadium in Northern Ireland |
27% |
| Stay at Windsor - no matter what |
37% |
The nightmare prospect of Northern Ireland having to play home games in venues outside the province is real and imminent, a supporters group has warned.
Continuing delays surrounding a Government decision on whether or not to proceed with a £240 million multi-sports stadium for the region could force the international side to seek a temporary home in England or Wales, according to the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs (AONISC).
The team’s current ground at Windsor Park in Belfast is in a bad state of disrepair with one stand having already been closed down on health and safety guidelines.
A delegation from the amalgamation met with Stormont Sports Minister Gregory Campbell to raise their concerns yesterday.
The long-running debate on the merits of a venue for football, rugby and gaelic games at the former Maze prison in Lisburn is one of the issues at the heart of the current impasse. Wrangles over the stadium, an Irish Language Act and a timetable for the devolution of policing and justice powers has resulted in the Executive not meeting for more than four months. Sinn Fein wants to see the venue built at the Maze site, however, many within the DUP is opposed to the idea.
Minister Campbell cannot proceed until he has a chance to put the matter before the Executive. It is understood he could be set to ditch the Maze and commit funds to the three sporting bodies to redevelop their own venues.
The AONISC has been one a strong critic of the Maze plan, campaigning for the stadium to be kept in Belfast.
Spokesman Gary McAllister described the meeting with Mr Campbell as positive but said there was now a need for action.
“We can’t afford to see international football being played out of the country,” he said. “We used to think that sort of talk was scaremongering but we’ve gone three years now and Windsor Park is experiencing more and more problems. I think we are now at a pivotal stage where we need investment, we have to sort out the short term first.”
Mr McAllister said fans didn’t want to get involved in the rights and wrongs of the executive rowing but said football needed a decision sooner rather than later.
Mr Campbell’s department declined to comment.
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Comments
58 Comments
Mickey Says,
"What you in fact want is a Northern Ireland football team and its support to be ethnically cleansed of any indication that most fans see themselves and their side as Northern Irish/British. Is this an accurate summary?"
Another classic...
"STILL obsessing about the status and symbols even though you have ABSOLUTELY no intention whatsoever, of ever supporting them anyway"
In another post these are the things you demand happen before you could ever support the GAA! Remove all things Irish from the association?
Cant have it all ways.
Go on... tell me I'm wrong...
Posted by Peter | 23.10.08, 16:06 GMT
This discussion has probably run its course. However a great opportunity has (unsurprisingly) been passed up by contributors Chris and Tony Feraon.
They appear happy to devote large amounts of time in criticising the symbols and emblems used by both the support and the IFA to represent the Northern Ireland football team. A team which they have no intention of ever supporting, NO MATTER WHAT "APPEASING" changes are introduced.
Their motivation for posting is purely political with clear underlying bigotry and in certain cases naked sectarianism.
Our very existence churns their stomachs on a daily basis which is evident in their posts. BT, they are NOT to be censored however. Reading their pain-etched posts and seeing how they run & hide from reasonable questioning is a joy to behold.
Posted by mickey | 23.10.08, 14:10 GMT
Where was I? The breakaway former Irish Free State team uses entirely sectarian symbols at its games, which alienate a quarter of the population of this island
Criticism of the GAA is effectively censored on this site, so there is little point in me listing the sectarianism that this organisation practices and condones. That in the mists of time a Protestant or two might have been involved in it is irrelevant in a contemporary context.
Celtic and Rangers are happy to thrive on sectarianism
The fact is, Tony, that you don't believe any of what you say, if you did you be living in the draughtiest greenhouse in "the North of Ireland"
Posted by Teddy Bhoy | 23.10.08, 12:47 GMT
Tony,
As usual your use of language is selective, wilfully provactive and ultimately disingenuous, however I will indulge you. The leadership of these organisations have been found wanting when it comes to dealing with sectarianism.
For example, the breakaway football association of the former Irish Free State, did nothing when Irish "rebel" songs were played on the team bus on the way to a ground twice bombed by Irish "rebels" in the aftermath of an atrocity carried out by these self-styled Irish "rebels." The poaching of youngsters from Northern Ireland on an entirely sectarian basis, suggests that they are happy to promote a sectarian agenda.
Posted by Teddy Bhoy | 23.10.08, 12:41 GMT
Would bigots like Tony, support the country of their birth if Rule Britannia was eradicated? Nope. Would bigots like Tony, support the country of their birth if a new stadium was used? Nope. Would bigots like Tony, support the country of their birth if new flags and anthems were employed? Nope.
Nope, instead they’ll continue to support a foreign country whilst STILL obsessing about the status and symbols used by their own country, even though you have ABSOLUTELY no intention whatsoever, of ever supporting them anyway (as they once did in Fearon’s case!)
What you in fact want is a Northern Ireland football team and its support to be ethnically cleansed of any indication that most fans see themselves and their side as Northern Irish/British. Is this an accurate summary?
I’m curious; displays of republican triumphalism in GAA matches taking place in Northern Ireland (which of course is jurisdiction with split sovereign loyalties) are presumably not ok also?
Posted by mickey | 23.10.08, 09:50 GMT
Tony why the fixation with the Northern Ireland football team? There is hardly an article on this site about them that you haven't commented on! Personally I think you have a soft spot for them - why else would you be able to watch then home and away in order to make statements like you have if you haven't got a little interest?
Posted by NI Fan | 22.10.08, 17:56 GMT
Well said Chris. North of Ireland football games home and away are really just excuses for displays of unionist/loyalist triumphalism. Until the likes of Mickey realise that shouts of Rule Britannia have no place at sporting occasions in a jurisdiction with split sovereign loyalties, then no progress whatsover will be made.
Teddy Bhoy, I fail to see your point about Celtic, the All Ireland soccer side or the GAA. None of these are sectarian, all have had leaders/managers/presidents from all religious backgrounds and none, so exactly what is your point here?
Posted by Tony Fearon | 22.10.08, 16:51 GMT
So Chris (expert in all things to do with OWC, Northern Ireland fans etc) IF NI were to move stadium and IF the anthem was changed to Danny Boy and IF NI fans were instructed not to sing Rule Britannia (please outline why, in your opinion, they should not sing this btw).....would you THEN be able to call yourself a Northern Ireland supporter, wear the gear, follow the team etc etc ?.....?
I'm really just trying to establish a pattern and get to the nitty-gritty of the non-Northern Ireland fans from Northern Ireland and their reasons behind this stance.
Posted by mickey | 22.10.08, 15:11 GMT
It is a bit rich of Tony Fearon, a supporter of the Republic of Ireland's football team, Glasgow Celtic and the GAA to lecture anyone about "bigoted" fans and sporting associations.. Tony, if you despise sectarianism and bigotry so much, then I suggest you live by your own principles and abandon your association with these sporting organisations.
And, yes, I know Sam Maguire was a Prod. I also know that is not the reason a cup was named after him.
Posted by Teddy Bhoy | 22.10.08, 14:50 GMT
bhoy.... how did the mighty celts do last night? oh yea they were outplayed, outclassed and outscored (as usual) how long since an away win in the champs league?
Posted by Neill C | 22.10.08, 14:33 GMT
The Maze is dead because NI supporters prefer to hold on to Windsor. The OWC forum tries to put itself off as the moderates of NI supporters. But while they say they would like to change the National Anthem played at the games, their most likely choice is a march from some British army band. The alternative which would be welcomed by most people other than those on OWC is Danny Boy, but by them saying that DB is not acceptable, they in fact put a stop to any change in the anthem. Now they have added to their repertoire of songs they sing on the terraces with renditions of Rule Britannia, which was heard loud and clear at the their last away game. OWC and their NI supporters can shout all they want, but at the end of the day, they do want more Nationalist at their games, just as long as they go along with their British tradition of out Englanding England. They also want Windsor as their home venue, and Mr Campbell will soon see that they get their way.
Posted by Chris | 22.10.08, 13:23 GMT
Stay in Northern Ireland...
Nowhere else wants you...:-)
Posted by The Bhoy | 22.10.08, 13:19 GMT
Tony, again, I’d like to ask you to backup your “fact” that no Nationalist supports NI. It’s surely a very simple request…..
You also believe that changing NI’s base will increase support from nationalist communities? I would like to know how and why this change of stadium would give rise to a change in mindset, particularly when YOU have stated that NOTHING could ever make you support Northern Ireland. In fact, your input is irrelevant. Sorry pal.
Can any nationalist, who is sound of mind, confirm that if Northern Ireland played in a new stadium away from Windsor Park (be it the Maze or anywhere else for that matter) that you would cease to physically support your current international side of preference and instead physically turn out to support Northern Ireland?
This outta be good…..
Posted by mickey | 22.10.08, 12:26 GMT
Jim,Mick and others. I am simply trying to highlight the fact that the team attracts support from only one side of the community here which means that at least 45% doesn't support it and indeed remains alienated from it. I am asking you to examine the reasons why that is.
The fact is (as other comments apart from mine on this thread will affirm), a move to a shared space stadium at the only viable site (ie The Maze) was a golden opportunity to expand the IFA's support base but the bigoted existing supporters wouldn't countenance this and now you've effectively cut off your noses to spite your face and ended up with no stadium.
Posted by Tony Fearon | 22.10.08, 12:06 GMT
Paul - if it is being built to hold full capacities for all sports it should be the same size as Croke so that Ulster finals could be played there. That however isn't the proposal which is why I asked how likely the GAA would be to use it instead of Croke.
Please point out to me where I said I wanted to stay at Windsor? I would prefer the stadium in a built up area not a field with no transport links and only two car exits. As for the facilities I still don't think there will be enough concerts, football matches, rugby matches, GAA matches to make them feasible.
Posted by NI Fan | 22.10.08, 11:53 GMT
Jim "As for Fearon.....every time you post something your blatant sectarianism shines through. It's people like you who are holding NORTHERN IRELAND society in the past."
Jim, you're wrong. Most other folk in NI are more than capable of moving on from the past. Fearon and his ilk have no effect on society in NI with their comments, save for providing amusement with inane and unfounded plus often sectarian ramblings. All his comments serve to do is highlight how ill-educated, bitter and resentful he is. Let him and others stew, while the good folk of Northern Ireland grasp peace & acceptance with two hands and move on.
Posted by mickey | 22.10.08, 11:46 GMT
They should play in Oblivion because that is where this team is headed.
Posted by robinson | 22.10.08, 10:08 GMT
Paul: "i would be nearlly 100% sure there would be more support (for NI) from the national community and other locals (if a new stadium was built).
Paul, I don't mind reading people's opinion, but when they come out with statements like yours above, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask how you have reached this conclusion. I am a Northern Ireland fan so am therefore not someone who "may" support Northern Ireland if certain conditions are met.
Are you guessing? Have you consulted people within the Nationalist community? Cold, hard facts are needed to back up your claim.
Posted by mickey | 22.10.08, 09:28 GMT
Does any NI stadium meet FIFA/UEFA requirements? Outside of Croke Park, does any in the Republic? Too bad renovations are not complete at Landsdowne Road. When they are, it would be a train ride with a transfer from the North to the West (Stand!).
Posted by Big Jake | 21.10.08, 20:14 GMT
Fearon your facts are all wrong. The IFA have not recently stated they are a British association, although the European (UEFA) and World (FIFA) bodies did earlier this year. The IFA would love to be more closely associated to the FAI on many levels, I think, because then it could use their players, as they have done so in the past and vice versa (up until 1950 in both cases).
You clearly have no real knowledge of the sport.
Posted by Dave | 21.10.08, 17:42 GMT
58 Comments