# Cork City F.C - gone



## Deiseblue

City join Celtic,Hibs,Albert Rovers,Evergreen and Fordsons in Cork's football graveyard.
What is it about Cork and it's inability to hang on to it's football teams ?


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## Yorrick

The last time I was in Cork was the time of the furore over having no bus to bring them to a match.
I saw people wearing Man Utd, Liverpool, Celtic Chelsea jerseys but not one Cork City jerseys despite there being a Cork City club shop in the city centre.

They paid average players big money and just did not have the support to justify it.


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## VOR

They paid below average players big money. The standard of football in the LOI is rubbish. And let's be honest, the grounds are rubbish also. It costs too much for a bad product.


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## Latrade

VOR said:


> They paid below average players big money. The standard of football in the LOI is rubbish. And let's be honest, the grounds are rubbish also. It costs too much for a bad product.


 
True, but isn't it a vicious circle? If there was greater support in merchandising and attendence then there would be more money to afford the better wages and retain some of the talent. 

LOI will never compete with the Premiership or other "big leagues", but there is a huge soccer following in this country and the lack of general interest in the LOI means even semi-decent talent cannot be retained. 

The OTT wages paid by the LOI was a gamble to try and keep or attract decent players. It didn't work, the public interest just wasn't there.

The LOI set the bar too high in that I think it exepected to draw huge crowds and stop all talent going to a bigger league. While ambition is creditable, realistic ambition is more worthy of credit. 

It's a tough world at the moment for sponsorship of clubs and the League, TV rights aren't what they were promised to be and all that promised money was used to fund a dream. Hmmm, that sounds vaguely familiar...

Anyway, I've heard more people complaining about this and the "shame" than I've ever heard discussing attending a game or even watching a game on television. Everyone agrees it's a shame, everyone thinks everyone else should have done more to help the LOI and Cork.


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## Deiseblue

I must say that I always found the standard to be quite good and Bohs,Drogheda,Pats and Shels have competed well in European games in recent years.
I was privileged to see some extremely talented players over the years in the LOI including Paul McGrath,Jim Beglin,Gerry Daly,Kevin Doyle , Pat Bryne and Daryl Murphy - all of whom went on to play for Ireland and that's only scratching the surface !
The areas of administration and ground standard ,as you say,are dreadful!


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## RMCF

Deiseblue said:


> I must say that I always found the standard to be quite good and *Bohs,Drogheda,Pats and Shels have competed well in European games in recent years.*
> I was privileged to see some extremely talented players over the years in the LOI including Paul McGrath,Jim Beglin,Gerry Daly,Kevin Doyle , Pat Bryne and Daryl Murphy - all of whom went on to play for Ireland and that's only scratching the surface !
> The areas of administration and ground standard ,as you say,are dreadful!



As usual, Derry City are forgotten by you lot down south !!

Having said that, we went bust too. But at least we are back in the 1st Division and planning for the future by living within a proper budget.

As for below average players getting paid too much money, have you watched some of the brock footballers getting tens of thousands in the utopia that is the EPL? I think some people just believe the hype that Sky sells them. For me the EPL has been awful to watch this season (and indeed last as well) and its getting worse. 

I would much rather support my local team, buy a season ticket and merchandise and cheer on local players. Thats real football. 

Anybody who thinks that you are going to see high standard of football ability in the League of Ireland is being stupid. Its all relative. Its not the 'best league in the world' you know.


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## csirl

LOI soccer must be one of the worst run sports ever - its very sad because it has loads of potential - all wasted because most of those running teams and the league itself seem to be totally oblivious to the basics of sports administration.

I believe that a small bit of basic admin skills in each club coupled with getting rid of the chancers and Arthur Daley types that the league seems to attract like flies to excrement would do wonders for the LOI.


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## RMCF

^ what it says here,

plus it will always suffer from the fact that so many Irish people are obsessed with English (and Scottish) football teams. 

Irish people seem to be very patriotic about most things except when it comes to buying trashy British tabloids and pumping money into British football PLCs.


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## Rovers1901

VOR said:


> They paid below average players big money. The standard of football in the LOI is rubbish. And let's be honest, the grounds are rubbish also. It costs too much for a bad product.



The standard in the LOI has improved immeasurably over the last decade and a bit. Actually it is measurable, as the LOI's UEFA co-efficient has steadily improved. Sadly prejudices such as the above continue to exist among the Irish "footballing" public with their obsession of watching the English Premiership and deriding their own league at every given opportunity.

Turner's Cross is an excellent ground by the way, although I agree that clubs in general wasted the opportunity to improve their grounds and gambled on paying inflated wages in the hope of European success.

Hopefully Cork can get their act together finally and build a proper community based club that will be back in the Premier playing to full houses shortly.


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## VOR

I have to point out that I am not local to Cork and I don't have a local team to support. The nearest LOI team to me is either Limerick or Galway. I am not travelling to watch either as I just don't enjoy it, either division.  

I spent years going to matches. In college, I would go to watch UCD. In later years, I had friends playing with Pats, Bohs and Bray so I would go to games after work. I never really thought the quality was good enough though. 

In fairness I will agree that Turners Cross is a good spot. But you really have to wonder what is wrong when they couldn't even sell the Celtic game a few months back. And that was to pay off debts so the city should have supported.

I suppose I am just disillusioned with seeing conference/league 2 level players. I agree the standard has improved but I just don't believe it has improved enough to justify my money and traveling. So I opted out. The last game I went to was in Galway the year before last.

If I had kids of a match going age I would take them though, but it would be to the Clare League! They might as well get used to watching rubbish early!


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## Lex Foutish

VOR said:


> I have to point out that I am not local to Cork and I don't have a local team to support. The nearest LOI team to me is either Limerick or Galway. I am not travelling to watch either as I just don't enjoy it, either division.
> 
> I spent years going to matches. In college, I would go to watch UCD. In later years, I had friends playing with Pats, Bohs and Bray so I would go to games after work. I never really thought the quality was good enough though.
> 
> In fairness I will agree that Turners Cross is a good spot.* But you really have to wonder what is wrong when they couldn't even sell the Celtic game a few months back. And that was to pay off debts so the city should have supported.*
> 
> I suppose I am just disillusioned with seeing conference/league 2 level players. I agree the standard has improved but I just don't believe it has improved enough to justify my money and traveling. So I opted out. The last game I went to was in Galway the year before last.
> 
> If I had kids of a match going age I would take them though, but it would be to the Clare League! They might as well get used to watching rubbish early!


 
Hi VOR. That Celtic match was a joke. Scotland were playing that week and Celtic sent over a third string outfit. Nobody ever heard of any of them. 

Chairmen's egos have had a lot to do with LoI soccer problems in Cork over the years. Parc de Plonk is a monument to that fact. 

I was a huge City fan from around the time the Club was formed. In the 70's, I went to all Hibs' home games and disliked Celtic with a passion!  About 5 years ago I became very disillusioned by the whole set up at City. I couldn't get over the wages they were paying and it gradually dawned on me that I was a supporter of a company, and not a Club. It's a pity they're gone but they've been a laughing stock over the last few years.

For those of you who don't know, City don't own the Turner's Cross grounds. They're owned by the Munster Football Association and, credit where it's due, they've turned it into one of the finest soccer grounds in the country...... [broken link removed]


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## Lex Foutish

Rovers1901 said:


> The standard in the LOI has improved immeasurably over the last decade and a bit. Actually it is measurable, as the LOI's UEFA co-efficient has steadily improved. Sadly prejudices such as the above continue to exist among the Irish "footballing" public with their obsession of watching the English Premiership and deriding their own league at every given opportunity.
> 
> Turner's Cross is an excellent ground by the way, although I agree that clubs in general wasted the opportunity to improve their grounds and gambled on paying inflated wages in the hope of European success.
> 
> *Hopefully Cork can get their act together finally and build a proper community based club that will be back in the Premier playing to full houses shortly*.


 
A much appreciated comment from a Rovers supporter. Fair play! That's the only way forward now!


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## Capt. Beaky

Jeez! You're early. Did the Long Valley run out of Beamish?


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## Lex Foutish

Capt. Beaky said:


> Jeez! You're early. Did the Long Valley run out of Beamish?


 
Naw, Capt. It's Lent. Cutting back slightly for 40 days and 40 nights.


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## The_Banker

I have been involved with Cork City FC as a supporter since their inception in 1984 and more specifically I am a member of FORAS (Friends Of the Rebel Army Society) www.forastrust.ie since it was founded over two years ago. FORAS now own and run Cork City FC albeit in the First Division rather than the Premier Division. 

The history of Cork teams in League of Ireland soccer is second to none in relation to trophies won but where clubs have fallen down is on the financial side. The history of soccer in Cork is littered with the names of clubs that have gone to the wall due to financial mismanagement, greedy owners or downright incompetence. Some teams you might remember (or your parents & grandparents will) would be Cork Hibs, Cork Celtic, Evergreen Utd, Cork Athletic and Cork Utd. All of these folded and the aim of FORAS is to ensure that Cork City FC does not go the same way.

FORAS now operate Cork City FC having been awarded the licence by the FAI and we plan on running the club using financial prudence. While success may elude us on the pitch for a few years it is important that we put solid foundations in place to ensure that we do not go the way of other clubs previously mentioned and continue to have a team representing Cork in the League of Ireland. 

We have named the club Cork City Foras Co-operative as this will always be abbreviated to Cork City FC or CCFC and once the liquidator starts selling off assets we will (hopefully) buy the name Cork City Football Club.


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## Lex Foutish

Fair play to you, Banker. Well done. Hope all goes well. I might even start going back to The Box, myself.

And, lest Purple gets the wrong idea, Turner's Cross pitch was known as The Box in the good old days, in Cork........ Come to think of it, all days in Cork are good days!


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## Deiseblue

Good to see another Cork side replacing City.
Will be good to see the Munster derby against Munster's most succesful team ever - Waterford !


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## Lex Foutish

Deiseblue said:


> Good to see another Cork side replacing City.
> Will be good to see the Munster derby against Munster's most succesful team ever - Waterford !


 
And we'll turn the clock back a few years and drink a few pint bottles of Phoenix with ye next door in The Horseshoe, Deise!


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## Deiseblue

Absolutely Lex.
Always enjoyed visiting Turner's Cross and the much missed Flower Lodge .


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## Lex Foutish

Ah, The Lodge.............. David O' Leary once said that it had the best playing surface in Europe. 

I was there the day ye beat us 3-2 to win the League in '72. Amazing end to the game. (I think there were 25,000 at it). Hibs 2-0 up late on and still lost. It took me a few days to get over that one.  Still, we had a big bounce back courtesy of Miah Dennehy the following Sunday in the FAI Cup Final.


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## Deiseblue

Great days!
Was there myself for the 3-2 game , the Blues were 2-0 down and down to 10 men with 7 mins to go but goals from Humphries,Matthews and Alfie Hale won it for us-the most amazing game I ever saw.
If Hibs had won the game there would have been a play off with us for the League Title.
Then as you say we were stuffed in the Cup Final.
The Dav , Wiggie , Baccuzi and that lunatic on goal Joe O'Grady were all Hibs players I remember with great affection.
What a change these days from the huge crowds and indeed characters from the past.


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## Yorrick

Not forgetting Sonny Sweeney, John Lawson, Herrick, Martin Sheahan Carl Humphries.

Later on Rodney Marsh graced us with his presence


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## csirl

The_Banker said:


> I have been involved with Cork City FC as a supporter since their inception in 1984 and more specifically I am a member of FORAS (Friends Of the Rebel Army Society) www.forastrust.ie since it was founded over two years ago. FORAS now own and run Cork City FC albeit in the First Division rather than the Premier Division.
> 
> The history of Cork teams in League of Ireland soccer is second to none in relation to trophies won but where clubs have fallen down is on the financial side. The history of soccer in Cork is littered with the names of clubs that have gone to the wall due to financial mismanagement, greedy owners or downright incompetence. Some teams you might remember (or your parents & grandparents will) would be Cork Hibs, Cork Celtic, Evergreen Utd, Cork Athletic and Cork Utd. All of these folded and the aim of FORAS is to ensure that Cork City FC does not go the same way.
> 
> FORAS now operate Cork City FC having been awarded the licence by the FAI and we plan on running the club using financial prudence. While success may elude us on the pitch for a few years it is important that we put solid foundations in place to ensure that we do not go the way of other clubs previously mentioned and continue to have a team representing Cork in the League of Ireland.
> 
> We have named the club Cork City Foras Co-operative as this will always be abbreviated to Cork City FC or CCFC and once the liquidator starts selling off assets we will (hopefully) buy the name Cork City Football Club.


 
Well done, hope the new team thrives.

I know I raised this before on these forums, but with the new start, isnt it time to ditch the green from the team colours? This is a new start and its important that the image of the club reflects that it is a new start and, most importantly, that the club is a Cork club.

In my opinion (and this extends to other sports), any team representing Cork City should be playing in red as it is the city colours. Cork supporters go on about the long history of teams playing in green etc. etc., but its time to break the link with a series of failed clubs - the green has been very unlucky. Image is very important in top level sport and you want to get off on the right footing. Fielding a team in similar colours to the previous team is the lazy option and will give potential sponsors the impression that the new team is just a continuation of the past failures.


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## Deiseblue

Yorrick said:


> Not forgetting Sonny Sweeney, John Lawson, Herrick, Martin Sheahan Carl Humphries.
> 
> Later on Rodney Marsh graced us with his presence



Great names , I mentioned Carl Humphries in my post- he scored the Blues first goal on that famous day against Hibs !
Dave Bacuzzi went on to run a travel agency in Dublin and a gang from Waterford travelled to Italy with him for the World Cup in 1990 and we gave him a terrible time about leading the Hibs players on a lap of the ground PRIOR to the game !
I also vividly remember Noel O'Mahony,surely the ugliest man ever to grace a football pitch.


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## The_Banker

Deiseblue said:


> Absolutely Lex.
> Always enjoyed visiting Turner's Cross and the much missed Flower Lodge .


 
A very good book was written by Plunkett Carter a few years ago about the teams/players/charactors that played in Turners Cross and Flower Lodge called "From The Lodge to the Box". It is probably out of print now but it does show up on ebay and second hand book stores from time to time.
Deiseblue: I am too young to remember the Glory Days of when Hibs, Celtic (the real Celtic, not the plastic Paddy team in Scotland) and Waterford were in their pomp but I was reared on stories of Alfie Hale, Carl Humphries, The Dav, Wiggy and Dave Bacuzzi et al.. 
My father was a huge Cork Celtic fan (and of Evergreen before them) and used to go to The Lodge to shout for who ever Hibs were playing.
As a kid he brought me to see George Best play for Cork Celtic (which was played in The Lodge ironically enough) but I have only vague memories of it. I can remember my dad pointing out "the man in the beard" and I would love to have a programme from that game!
As a kid I got a lego set from Santy and I couldn't make it. Carl Humphries was a friend of my uncle and he called to the house one day and put it together for me.


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## The_Banker

Incidently, back in the late 80s the AOH sold The Flower Lodge to the GAA despite the owners of CCFC at the time matching the offer the GAA made.
The selling price (I am reliably informed) was £250,000 which wouldn't get you a 3 bed semi in the area now!


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## The_Banker

csirl said:


> Well done, hope the new team thrives.
> 
> 
> In my opinion (and this extends to other sports), any team representing Cork City should be playing in red as it is the city colours. Cork supporters go on about the long history of teams playing in green etc. etc., but its time to break the link with a series of failed clubs - the green has been very unlucky. Image is very important in top level sport and you want to get off on the right footing. Fielding a team in similar colours to the previous team is the lazy option and will give potential sponsors the impression that the new team is just a continuation of the past failures.


 
Csirl,
Red is more the colours of the GAA than the colour of soccer in Cork. Incidently, previous to 1919 the colour of Cork GAA clubs was actually Blue. 
Cork's traditional colours are red & white, however, it was not always this way. In the early days the county wore a blue-coloured jersey with a saffron-coloured 'C' emblazoned on the chest. All this changed in 1919 when Cork were preparing to play Dublin in the All-Ireland Hurling Final. In the week leading up to the game, British forces broke into the county board offices on Maylor Street in the city centre and seized all of Cork's jerseys. Because of this the county board borrowed jerseys from the now-defunct Father O'Leary Temperance Association team. Cork went on to win the game, ending a sixteen-year barren spell. Because of this win Cork decided to wear the 'lucky' red jerseys in all future games. (link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_GAA) 
However, Cork City FC did use a red jersey (with a little white) in the mid to late 90s and there was no improvement in crowds and alot of the hardcore LOI fans were aghast! When Brian Lennox took over the club he reverted back to green which proved very popular with the faithful. 

Green will always be the colour of LOI soccer in Cork and I don't think it makes a difference for attendance. We have used red as the away jersey from time to time but green will always be the first colour of choice. 

We live in the shadow of the biggest league in the world (in financial terms) and the Irish Sporting public prefer to watch that on TV. Even if Irish LOI soccer rose to the levels in Belguim, Holland or Norway I don't think it would be enough to take fans from Liverpool, Arsenal, Man U or Chelsea etc...


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## bren1916

The colour worn by the new Cork FC in whatever shape or form it emerges, will not attract 1 single extra supporter lads!
LOI is extremely poor to watch and I for one wouldn't go watch a LOI game if it were free in and on my doorstep. No amount of whining or berating people going across the water is going to entice anyone to watch LOI fare either.
From what I can see and this is not a slight on the soccer fraternity - but Irish people are more interested in actually watching their local parish club (be it GAA,Soccer or Rugby) than below-par mediocre LOI games with the obvious 'element' you're likely to find there (Rovers,Bohs etc..).


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## The_Banker

bren1916 said:


> The colour worn by the new Cork FC in whatever shape or form it emerges, will not attract 1 single extra supporter lads!
> LOI is extremely poor to watch and I for one wouldn't go watch a LOI game if it were free in and on my doorstep. No amount of whining or berating people going across the water is going to entice anyone to watch LOI fare either.
> From what I can see and this is not a slight on the soccer fraternity - but Irish people are more interested in actually watching their local parish club (be it GAA,Soccer or Rugby) than below-par mediocre LOI games with the obvious 'element' you're likely to find there (Rovers,Bohs etc..).


 
A lot of the players who played in the Cork City FC team that won the LOI in 2005 are now playing in England. The talent is there and always has been.
Fair enough, you can have your Man Us and Chelseas but I want to support a club that i can relate to. I support players I see walking down the street every day and you support a team that pays players £120,000 sterling a week.
This thread was more nostalgic in nature than ranting about Irish people supporting English soccer. Us LOI fans know that we are in the minority
However, the "element" you speak of at Rovers/Bohs games would be a lot more evident at soccer clubs in England.

But, each to there own.


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## Rovers1901

The_Banker said:


> However, the "element" you speak of at Rovers/Bohs games would be a lot more evident at soccer clubs in England.
> 
> But, each to there own.



You're bang on with that comment The Banker, but of course Irish "fans" of English clubs support them from pubs and living rooms and therefore never witness the "element" attached to their adopted clubs. Man. United's away support has an "element" that would put most clubs in the ha'penny place....doesn't stop people supporting them.


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## Bill Struth

Rovers1901 said:


> You're bang on with that comment The Banker, but of course Irish "fans" of English clubs support them from pubs and living rooms and therefore never witness the "element" attached to their adopted clubs. *Man. United's away support has an "element" that would put most clubs in the ha'penny place*....doesn't stop people supporting them.


 Indeed, the self-styled 'Men in Black.'  I've first hand experience of them, in Glasgow when Man Utd played Celtic in the Champions league. They were looking for fights from early in the morning. Scumbags.


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## Sunny

The_Banker said:


> We live in the shadow of the biggest league in the world (in financial terms) and the Irish Sporting public prefer to watch that on TV. Even if Irish LOI soccer rose to the levels in Belguim, Holland or Norway I don't think it would be enough to take fans from Liverpool, Arsenal, Man U or Chelsea etc...


 
Thats the problem with LOI soccer. They have not copped on that they are not competing against the premiership. People in Norway watch and support Premiership teams as much as we do. If it was that simple, the move to summer soccer would have solved a bit part of it. If clubs think that people are simply not turning up because there is a premiership game on TV, then they are deluding themselves. People are not turning up because the product is so poor. And I don't just mean the football which is of a decent enough standard now. The 'experience' of going to see a second string Leinster rugby team play a magners league game is a lot more enjoyable than most LOI games and I go to plenty of both. Even club rugby or GAA is more enjoyable.


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## Rovers1901

I largely agree Sunny, but there is definitely an element of  the "LOI is rubbish" mentality that plays a not insignificant part in the poor crowds. Witness occassional comments on this thread and indeed any that have a LOI slant.

Take Galway; Terryland Park is a great little ground and although I've never been to the Sportsground in Galway from what I've seen on TV of it, I would say Terryland is actually a better facility from a spectators point of view. So the facilities issue in Galway doesn't wash, ditto Turner's Cross and Tallaght. Although I wouldn't be a fan, the RSC in Waterford is now a decent ground also.

Facilities definitely need improving and in tandem with that LOI clubs need to go out there and get into schools persuading kids into coming to matches, as kids will pester their parents into bringing them etc. The aim of trying to convert some 30/40 year old squeezed (often badly) into a United/Liverpool jersey to drop into a LOI match is futile.


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## Sunny

Rovers1901 said:


> Facilities definitely need improving and in tandem with that LOI clubs need to go out there and get into schools persuading kids into coming to matches, as kids will pester their parents into bringing them etc. The aim of trying to convert some 30/40 year old squeezed (often badly) into a United/Liverpool jersey to drop into a LOI match is futile.


 
Thats the future. I live in North Dublin and this is the approach Sporting Fingal is taking. It will be a struggle and will take a long time but it is the correct approach. Clubs are going to have to become community clubs. I know they do a lot of work already but there is a lot more they can do. The FAI seem intent on getting playing numbers up (no harm and doing a good job) but they need to do more to get people watching as well.


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## The_Banker

Sunny said:


> Thats the problem with LOI soccer. They have not copped on that they are not competing against the premiership. People in Norway watch and support Premiership teams as much as we do. If it was that simple, the move to summer soccer would have solved a bit part of it. If clubs think that people are simply not turning up because there is a premiership game on TV, then they are deluding themselves. People are not turning up because the product is so poor. And I don't just mean the football which is of a decent enough standard now. *The 'experience' of going to see a second string Leinster rugby team play a magners league game is a lot more enjoyable than most LOI games and I go to plenty of both. Even club rugby or GAA is more enjoyable*.


 
I have seen a second string rugby team play Magners league in Musgrave Park and there would be 7,000 present despite there being a rickedy stand and 80% of the people standing on a terrace.
Compare that with Turners Cross where the ground is 8,000 all seater and we would average 1800 a game (was higher in the past few years but with the previous owner in place there was an unofficial boycott in place)
I think where LOI clubs have fallen down is organisation. Historically, clubs have been owned by an individual or a family where it had a one man band operational level who looked after everything... Tickets, advertising, signing of players, commerical sponsorship, etc...
FORAS who are now running CCFC have a BoM of 10 people, each with there own area of responsibility. There will be various committees (volunteer) who will report back to the BoM member in charge of that area.
It has worked well for Shamrock Rovers and we will do everything in our power to make it work for us. A business plan has been put into operation and each area knows their role. 
Obviously, it will only succeed if the people of Cork row in behind us (like the people of Tallaght have with SR). We plan on giving it our best shot.

What we don't need is people sniping from the gallery saying "LOI is rubbish etc etc etc" (thats not a dig at you Sunny) at least go to a few games and give it a shot. Who knows, you might even enjoy yourself.


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## RMCF

As someone who has been going to a lot of EL games over the last decade or so, I have to honestly say that I found the standard pretty decent.

Add to this our teams doign so well in Europe (admittedly bankrupting themselves in the process) and I think the league is better than most think. Just look at some of the players to come out of it in recent years who are holding their own in England and Scotland.

I think that football in this country will always suffer due to the obsession us Irish have with English and Scottish football. And believe me, Scottish football is no better to watch than Irish football, and thats including Celtic and Rangers.

Its always easy to knock your own.


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## Lex Foutish

Yorrick said:


> Not forgetting Sonny Sweeney, John Lawson, Herrick, Martin Sheahan Carl Humphries.
> 
> *Later on Rodney Marsh graced us with his presence*


 
I was down in the Blackrock end in The Lodge when Hibs got a free outside the opposition box at the City end. Some Hibs player (can't remember who) flicked the dead ball up, Rodney ran onto it and volleyed it into the net. The place went wild!

And who remembers the song, to the air of Son of My Father by Chicory Tip....................................

_*Rod, Rodney, Rodney,*_
_*Rod, Rod, Rod, Rodney, Rodney Marsh!!!!!!* (Oh, happy days!)_

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIuBhS70sio


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## Lex Foutish

Deiseblue said:


> Great names , I mentioned Carl Humphries in my post- he scored the Blues first goal on that famous day against Hibs !
> Dave Bacuzzi went on to run a travel agency in Dublin and a gang from Waterford travelled to Italy with him for the World Cup in 1990 and we gave him a terrible time about leading the Hibs players on a lap of the ground PRIOR to the game !
> *I also vividly remember Noel O'Mahony,surely the ugliest man ever to grace a football pitch.*[*/*QUOTE]
> 
> 
> 
> Tevez must be Noelly's son so, Deise!!!


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## Lex Foutish

Deiseblue said:


> Great days!
> Was there myself for the 3-2 game , the Blues were 2-0 down and down to 10 men with 7 mins to go but goals from Humphries,Matthews and Alfie Hale won it for us-the most amazing game I ever saw.
> If Hibs had won the game there would have been a play off with us for the League Title.
> Then as you say we were stuffed in the Cup Final.
> The Dav , Wiggie , Baccuzi and that lunatic on goal Joe O'Grady were all Hibs players I remember with great affection.
> What a change these days from the huge crowds and indeed characters from the past.


 
My favourite Hibs player was probably Tony Marsden. Is it true that he was killed years later in a car crash.? Hope I'm mistaken...............


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## Capt. Beaky

Lex Foutish said:


> I was down in the Blackrock end in The Lodge when Hibs got a free outside the opposition box at the City end. Some Hibs player (can't remember who) flicked the dead ball up, Rodney ran onto it and volleyed it into the net. The place went wild!
> 
> And who remembers the song, to the air of Son of My Father by Chicory Tip....................................
> 
> _*Rod, Rodney, Rodney,*_
> _*Rod, Rod, Rod, Rodney, Rodney Marsh!!!!!!* (Oh, happy days!)_
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIuBhS70sio


Never thought I'd read about Superhoops on AAM. I often was in the crowd shouting for RODNEY and later on STAN and later on HAZELNUT and LEROY. Deadly times those. Admittedly a little bit of a breather at the moment but our new manager Neil Warnock (unfortunate anagram) will steady the ship before going for promotion as champs in 2011 and winning the Premiership at the first go. The glory days back again. I still go over to a couple of matches each year but can no longer go six or eight pints before a game. More a few G+Ts before and off to Westbourne Park afterwards for a curry and rake of Cobra. Yeeeee Haaw!


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## Lex Foutish

Capt. Beaky said:


> Never thought I'd read about Superhoops on AAM. I often was in the crowd shouting for RODNEY and later on STAN and later on HAZELNUT and LEROY. Deadly times those. Admittedly a little bit of a breather at the moment but our new manager Neil Warnock (unfortunate anagram) will steady the ship before going for promotion as champs in 2011 and winning the Premiership at the first go. The glory days back again. I still go over to a couple of matches each year but can no longer go six or eight pints before a game. More a few G+Ts before and off to Westbourne Park afterwards for a curry and rake of Cobra. Yeeeee Haaw!


 
We knew all the English soccer songs and chants and we sang that one for Rodney in The Lodge! 

Good luck to Rangers. (We have our own troubles at Leeds, at the moment). Have to say, I absolutely despise Mr. Warnock!


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## The_Banker

Deiseblue said:


> Great names , I mentioned Carl Humphries in my post- he scored the Blues first goal on that famous day against Hibs !
> Dave Bacuzzi went on to run a travel agency in Dublin and a gang from Waterford travelled to Italy with him for the World Cup in 1990 and we gave him a terrible time about leading the Hibs players on a lap of the ground PRIOR to the game !
> *I also vividly remember Noel O'Mahony,surely the ugliest man ever to grace a football pitch*.


 
I don't remember him as a player but he managed Cork City twice and brought us our first LOI Championship.
He was very sick recently but thankfully pulled through.

Anyone remember "Golden Boy" Paul Donovan, the ex Cork Celtic manager and player? He was reported dead a few years ago by the media but he rang the Evening Echo in Cork and said he was alive and well and living in London!
One story that stands out about him was that he was having a pretty bad game on day playing on the wing at the Derrynane side of Turners Cross. The crowd were on his back and giving him grief. He failed to control the ball and it went out of play and again the crowd gave him stick. There was a low wall along that side of the ground and it bounced back into play where upon Golden Boy went to volley it into the crowd and everyone ducked, covering there heads. At the last second, he played a dummy and just tapped it over the line. The crowd laughed and applauded. Golden Boy walked away to defend the throw in and gave the crowd the two finger salute.


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## Yorrick

There was a film on in some cinema in Cork one night. In the bedroom scene all you could see was the legs of the female actress.

From the audience came the remark " Jaysus she has knees like Donie Wallace"


Theres a  lot of rubbish spouted about the quality of the League of Ireland mostly from people obsessed with the English Premiership Top Four.
However if you go to a good competitive League of Ireland game with a  crowd in on top of the pitch it can be very entertaining. The neutral may not find it so but for those following a club with an interest in their local team what harm is in it ?


I remember games in Cork where Rodney Marsh, George Best and I think a player called Billy Budd lined out. The League went through a phase of signing Ex English/Scottish league  has beens to draw in the crowds. I think it was Jimmy Johnstone and Dixie Deans played for Shels for a few games.


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## Yorrick

Then there was the one at Turners Cross one day. A dog ran on to the pitch. One of the players caught the dog and was bringing it to the line. One of the crowd shouted " Leave the dog on. You're coming off"

I don't know if it is true but its a good one


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## csirl

> I have seen a second string rugby team play Magners league in Musgrave Park and there would be 7,000 present despite there being a rickedy stand and 80% of the people standing on a terrace.
> Compare that with Turners Cross where the ground is 8,000 all seater and we would average 1800 a game (was higher in the past few years but with the previous owner in place there was an unofficial boycott in place)


 
Rugby has benefited from consolidation of resources into a smaller number of teams playing in a bigger cross national league. Before the Magners League and Heineken Cup, the top level of non-International rugby was the usual Irish league clubs playing on front of a few hundred people in small clubhouses in the national league - started from a much lower supporter base the LOI soccer currently has. This dispersed support was consolidated into provincial teams playing in the ML & HC and the result has been that professional rugby in Ireland is top class because their are fewer "clubs" and they are playing at a higher level.

It would be great if the same thing happened with soccer in Ireland. I'm a supporter of the Atlantic League concept whereby e.g. LOI, Irish League, Scottish, Welsh and maybe Benelux leagues are linked together with a smaller number of clubs in each country playing in a big well supported professional league. Ireland might only have 2 or 3 clubs in this set-up, but the standard would rival the Premiership. Unfortunately this is a long way off as UEFA (i.e. Platini) want to protect the status of the 4 or 5 big pro leagues in Europe and are fearful of the emergence of leagues of similar strength being formed by smaller nations merging their leagues [the Scandanavia Premiership is the one they fear most as it is likely to happen at some stage]. Even if the Atlantic League was on the cards, we still have the problem in Ireland that many of those involved in the LOI cannot see the big picture and want to protect their little fiefdoms. A merger with the Irish League would be a step in the right direction and is a realistic aim.





> I think where LOI clubs have fallen down is organisation. Historically, clubs have been owned by an individual or a family where it had a one man band operational level who looked after everything... Tickets, advertising, signing of players, commerical sponsorship, etc...
> FORAS who are now running CCFC have a BoM of 10 people, each with there own area of responsibility. There will be various committees (volunteer) who will report back to the BoM member in charge of that area.


 
Be careful not to turn into an Ebbsfleet type set-up. The people running the club need to have appropriate professional skills and be able to work effectively without the need to go back to get approval from a committee for every move. The key to running a successful sports organisation is getting a small number of trusted people with the appropriate skills in place at a high level with authority to run the club and delegate tasks as necessary. One of the big dangers with community based clubs is that the person who's totally committed to the club and puts in hours with the supporters club, junior teams, raffles etc. etc. does not necessarily have the skills to run a professional clubs. Try and find people within your organisation who have successful track records in business, administration, other sports organisations etc. etc. Avoid anyone who's been deeply involved in the previous club as they will be tainted by the modus operandi - likely to revert to old habits when under pressure.


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## RMCF

All kicks off again tonight, and I will be at the Derry City v Cork City game.

Really looking forward to it. Especially as its like the rebirth of both teams. The 1st Div's where its at this season in the AirTricity League.


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## Lex Foutish

RMCF said:


> All kicks off again tonight, and I will be at the Derry City v Cork City game.
> 
> Really looking forward to it. Especially as its like the rebirth of both teams. The 1st Div's where its at this season in the AirTricity League.


 
We were talking about the game in the pub last night. Cork have lost a lot of players but one of the lads said that Derry managed to hang on to most of theirs. Presume that's true. Enjoy it, RMCF!


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## RMCF

Lex Foutish said:


> We were talking about the game in the pub last night. Cork have lost a lot of players but one of the lads said that Derry managed to hang on to most of theirs. Presume that's true. Enjoy it, RMCF!



Well they lost Jennings, Hutton, O'Brien, Delaney, Martyn, Higgins, Stewart, McGlynn, Kearney, Scullion, Morrow, McManus, Nash.

So yeah, they managed to keep most of their team !!

Their team this season is all local guys, earning a fraction of what they earned last year. Hopefulyl they will show a lot more passion for the club than some of those mentioned above did in past seasons.


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## RMCF

Dodgy enough 1st half last night, but good enough 2nd.

Cork got a belting goal.

Excellent crowd (around 3500) and good atmosphere. Also good craic in the bars before. Good squad up from Cork - fair play to them for making such a long trip. Nice to have a football league where the fans have mix, have a drink and a bit of banter beforehand without the need for police/  Shows that some fans are passionate enough about Irish football and supporting their local team.


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## The_Banker

RMCF said:


> Dodgy enough 1st half last night, but good enough 2nd.
> 
> Cork got a belting goal.
> 
> Excellent crowd (around 3500) and good atmosphere. Also good craic in the bars before. Good squad up from Cork - fair play to them for making such a long trip. Nice to have a football league where the fans have mix, have a drink and a bit of banter beforehand without the need for police/ Shows that some fans are passionate enough about Irish football and supporting their local team.


 
There has always been a great relationship between Derry fans and Cork fans. Even when we beat them for the LOI championship in 2005 there fans celebrated with us. The chanting between the opposing fans has always been sarcastic rather than bitter.
Last night we celebrated with the Derry fans after the draw and some of our fans stayed with Derry supporters in their homes.


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## Lex Foutish

The_Banker said:


> There has always been a great relationship between Derry fans and Cork fans. Even when we beat them for the LOI championship in 2005 there fans celebrated with us. The chanting between the opposing fans has always been sarcastic rather than bitter.
> Last night we celebrated with the Derry fans after the draw and some of our fans stayed with Derry supporters in their homes.


 
Isn't that the job, Banker! I remember a Cup tie between City and Derry in the 80's. Played in The Lodge. Tucker Allen was City manager. I still have great photos of the occasion. A load of the Derry boys stayed in different houses with us the night before and we had a royaler with them the day of the match. I think City won 1-0 with an Ian Hennessy goal. (I think he went to America after but not sure and don't know where he ended up). 

The craic in the pub the night before with the Derry Boys was class! They had a Brazilian playing with them at the time called Owen De Gama. And all night, in the pub the night before, the Derry Boys had their Brazil flags and sang,

*Oh, oh, Super oh,*
*Oh, oh, Super oh,*
*Oh, oh, Super oh,*
*Super Owen De Gama!*

Will we ever see those days again?


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## RMCF

Da Gama was South African. A great player.

Nelson Da Silva was the Brazilian.


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## The_Banker

Lex Foutish said:


> Isn't that the job, Banker! I remember a Cup tie between City and Derry in the 80's. Played in The Lodge. Tucker Allen was City manager. I still have great photos of the occasion. A load of the Derry boys stayed in different houses with us the night before and we had a royaler with them the day of the match. I think City won 1-0 with an Ian Hennessy goal. (I think he went to America after but not sure and don't know where he ended up).
> 
> The craic in the pub the night before with the Derry Boys was class! They had a Brazilian playing with them at the time called Owen De Gama. And all night, in the pub the night before, the Derry Boys had their Brazil flags and sang,
> 
> *Oh, oh, Super oh,*
> *Oh, oh, Super oh,*
> *Oh, oh, Super oh,*
> *Super Owen De Gama!*
> 
> Will we ever see those days again?


 
I was at that game. 1986 was the year. Derry must have brought 8,000 to that game and they out numbered the City support. That gate kept City going for the rest of the season.


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## RMCF

Yeah we used to get massive crowds back in the 80s, just after we came back into senior football. Shame those days are gone.

That was all before 1991, the great Sky TV/Premiership hype machine got into full swing.

Don't think we will ever see those days again, as we now have a generation who think that football started in 1991.


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## Lex Foutish

RMCF said:


> Da Gama was South African. A great player.
> 
> Nelson Da Silva was the Brazilian.


 
Thanks for clearing that up. 

Yeah looks like those good old days are gone, for a while, at least. Back then, a friend and myself used to go to the home matches on Sundays in The Lodge and back to the nearby Silver Key pub afterwards. Some of the City players used to come in as well and we'd always have a good old craic. When they moved to Turner's Cross, the two of us used to head back to The Lion's Den after matches to watch the Serie A football on tv. Really enjoyed those evenings. And Serie A had huge names playing then. The quality of football was excellent and there was no saturation coverage of football like we have now!


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## Lex Foutish

The_Banker said:


> I was at that game. 1986 was the year. Derry must have brought 8,000 to that game and they out numbered the City support. That gate kept City going for the rest of the season.


 
One of my outstanding memories of the day is the huge international flags the Derry supporters had. 

The Derry boys next to us had cans and cans of beer they'd brought with them and they shared them with us. I remember nearly cracking up when they told us how cheap they were to buy up North, at the time!


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## RMCF

Lex Foutish said:


> Thanks for clearing that up.
> 
> Yeah looks like those good old days are gone, for a while, at least. Back then, a friend and myself used to go to the home matches on Sundays in The Lodge and back to the nearby Silver Key pub afterwards. Some of the City players used to come in as well and we'd always have a good old craic. When they moved to Turner's Cross, the two of us used to head back to The Lion's Den after matches to *watch the Serie A football on tv. Really enjoyed those evenings. And Serie A had huge names playing then. The quality of football was excellent and there was no saturation coverage of football like we have now*!



FOr me, that is the greatest memories I have of football (other than watching Maradona play in the 86 WC). 

Was that the early 90s? The time that Sampdoria were sensational to watch, and they played amazing attacking football. In fact all of Serie A was good. All teams had a handfull of great players, even the lower ones. Samp has Lombardo, Vialli and Mancini. Milan had the 3 Dutch men, Inter had the 3 Germans. Great times. Back when football was football.


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## Lex Foutish

RMCF said:


> FOr me, that is the greatest memories I have of football (other than watching Maradona play in the 86 WC).
> 
> Was that the early 90s? The time that Sampdoria were sensational to watch, and they played amazing attacking football. In fact all of Serie A was good. All teams had a handfull of great players, even the lower ones. Samp has Lombardo, Vialli and Mancini. Milan had the 3 Dutch men, Inter had the 3 Germans. Great times. Back when football was football.


 
Yep! A pure pleasure to settle down with a pint in front of you to watch it. The Inter and AC teams were incredible back then. And, as you said, even the weaker teams had good players. Late 80's/early 90's. 

And so few of the current crop of soccer fans in Ireland know what a big factor Liam Brady was, in Serie A, a few years prior to all that. He scored a penalty in the final game one season to win the League for Juventus. 

And, of course, there was this goal with Arsenal...... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u--2vzQP6KQ&feature=related

_*Look at that!!! Oh, look at that!!!!!!*_


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## RMCF

Good piece on Sampdoria's only Serie A title - might bring back some good memories - it did for me.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/jun/25/sampdoria-1991-rob-smyth


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## Lex Foutish

Great link, RMCF. Some serious names in there. Brought back a hell of a lot of memories.................


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## Deiseblue

Huge crowd at Turner's Cross last night for Cork's first home game which was great to see.

2-0 to Waterford , c'mon the blues !


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## RMCF

Heard there was over 4000 at it. This is fantastic news for the city and for the league.

It does go to show that there is a hardcore of support for some LoI clubs.

Derry had 3500 at their game v Cork. There was a lot of people at the game who hadn't been to the Brandywell in years, so it will be interesting to see what sort of crowd comes back to their next home game v Athlone.


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## Deiseblue

Most amused to see the Waterford banner last night - "you can't buy history"


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## The_Banker

Deiseblue said:


> Huge crowd at Turner's Cross last night for Cork's first home game which was great to see.
> 
> 2-0 to Waterford , c'mon the blues !


 
There was a great crowd at the game. 4,401 was the official attendance.
Great night for the FORAS BoM as everything went smoothly. 
Waterford were much stronger than us and deserved the win. Most of our players were young and inexperienced and were easily muscled off the ball by a stronger Waterford team. If we keep getting crowds like that we should be able to extend the budget and bring a few more players in when the transfer window opens in June/July. 
It was good to see Liam Kearney back in The Box as he was always one of my favorite City players. 

I thought the banner produced by the Waterford supporters was silly TBH and the booing of LK by the City support childish. 

We LOI supporters/followers are a very small minority in a country that idolises Premiership football so why we give each other a hard time ill never know.


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## Deiseblue

I must disagree,banter was always part of the package when it comes to Munster derbies and bragging rights have always been important.


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## The_Banker

Deiseblue said:


> Most amused to see the Waterford banner last night - "you can't buy history"


 
Didn't you buy your history (or have it awarded) in 81/82? You were Waterford FC until 81 and then after going bust you become Waterford Utd yet you state you were founded in 1930? 
Also, wasn't there a period of not playing for a few seasons in the war years?

All of the Co-op members/owners founded FORAS as it became apparent that the previous football club would not get a licence under the previous owner. We tried to buy the club but he put too many obstacles in our way so we had no choice but to apply for a licence or have no club in Cork.
We want to buy the CCFC name and no LOI supporter could really blame us, could they?


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## Rovers1901

The_Banker said:


> We want to buy the CCFC name and no LOI supporter could really blame us, could they?



No, but they've every right to slag you about recent events, it's part of what happens at matches.


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## The_Banker

Rovers1901 said:


> No, but they've every right to slag you about recent events, it's part of what happens at matches.


 
Your probably right. I was a bit emotional over the weekend after the defeat. Im grand again!


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