Ok lads. Ive been living in Belfast for a year now and I still have a few questions for yall about Northern Irish soccer as well as a few observations.

Firstly, I know Cliftonville are seen as Belfasts Catholic club and Linfield are most definately a Protestant club of the Rangers sort. But whats the craic with likes of Glentoran and Crusaders - are they either or anything or non-sectarian (as they should be) and do many Catholics in the North even take an interest in Northern Irish League soccer? And then what about non-Belfast clubs like Institute and Newry City who are located in Catholic Towns/cities but unlike Derry City didnt opt to play in Eircom League where they might be more welcome?? I just need clarification on all this stuff as it all confuses me?

Also, I live near Windsor Park and I kinda knew this anyway, but Northern Ireland fans actually still shocked wth their sectarianism and bigotry...It really blew me back when I first experienced their fans in the locality. Unbelievable!!

spudenator (Laois) - Posts: 1052 - 11/05/2009 15:03:33    280158

glentoran are supported mainly by protestants like linfield but arnt as sectarian. same with crusaders. newry and cliftonville are catholic clubs. donegal celtic got relegated last year who were seen as the continuation of the catholic nationalist MIGHTY belfast celtic. if they were here today that was the big one linfield v belfast celtic but since they are not its glentoran and linfield which is a pity. i think derry play in the eircom league because they wernt allowed to use the brandywell as their home ground if they continued to play in the north. i THINK thats why

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4122 - 11/05/2009 15:54:45    280221

I know my local soccer club Dungannon Swifts doesnt have any real issues with sectarinism. Most of the players at the club are protestant but there has always been, and still is, a decent few Catholic players playing for them, boys who would play for their local GAA clubs as well. Niall Mc Ginn of Celtic came from Dungannon, and Ryan Mc Cluskey the Fermanagh player used to play for the Swifts as well. I've been down at one or two of their games as well and there was never any bother at them either. A big generalisation here but maybe its only the Belfast clubs where there is bother and the country teams are fine???

Rio Bingo (Tyrone) - Posts: 788 - 11/05/2009 17:28:15    280307

I have to say I never followed the Irish league even though it gets constant attention for no reason at all from the BBC. I follow Derry City much closer.

trileacman (Tyrone) - Posts: 759 - 11/05/2009 17:52:37    280332

I would look out for Glentoran results, I know they are based in loyalist east belfast, but they have had catholics playing for them throughout the 70s & 80s, great footballers like Jim Cleary & Felix Healy, unlike Linfield.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 11/05/2009 21:02:02    280473

Cliftonville appear to have become the "Catholic" team in the late 1970s. Prior to that as late as the early 70s Cliftonville were the only amateur club and didn't have any supporters. I remember them winning a game in the league one year, it was big news, 1963 or such. So there support appears to have been sectarian.

Linfield have always had a sectarian support. The team may be mostly Catholics and at one stage mostly from Dublin, but that does not deter the hard core fans.

Portadown would be seen as a "protestant" team and others fall into a labelled sectarian category.

Glentoran were supported by most people from East Belfast, although the Catholic population is limited, but the Glens never had the same baggage that the Blues have.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 11/05/2009 23:18:36    280580

linfield most certainly are protestant, they were down in longford to play in the setanta cup bout 4 years ago with their union jacks.
there was a minute silence for pope john paul before kick off(he died that week) and they booed the whole way through the minute.

glentoran were good and there was no hassle with them lads

bigcook (Longford) - Posts: 129 - 12/05/2009 00:14:19    280629

I think, post-Belfast Celtic's demise, many of their players (and a lot of fans) attached themselves to Glentoran (Celtics exit from the league was believed, for a long time, to be temporary) - others, of course, switched allegiance to Glasgow's Celtic club. I think thats why the Glens aren't tarnished with the same sectarianism as Linfield.

pearsesabu (Antrim) - Posts: 663 - 12/05/2009 09:26:48    280695

I have never seen my local club Portadown nor have i ever visited Shamrock Park which is just over a mile away from home, i dont think too many from the Garvaghy Rd area bother with them!!

sean og (Armagh) - Posts: 1072 - 12/05/2009 10:08:07    280729

Big Cook, I was actually at that game in Longford as a steward for some extra pocket money when i was in college. Wow what an eye opener, the abuse was unbelievable. **** the pope and all that craic. One of two of my mates who were also working as stewards got awful hidings off a couple of their supporters as well. Another of the lads got lamped on the head with a coin as we assumed end of gane positions. All in all it was an experience but not one i'll be doing again. The E60 received for the 2 hours of abuse didn't quite seem to cut it. It was a wake up call but also a very depressing thought that such hatred can exist.

Crumbum (Wexford) - Posts: 65 - 12/05/2009 10:24:48    280749

Welcome to our world crumbum!

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 12/05/2009 14:04:41    281109

I was at Windsor Park on Saturday for the Irish Cup Final and it was the same old story. The PSNI riot squad took up their usual position facing the Reds fans and this is the way it has always been. The batons, riot shields and helmets were on display to show and keep the Reds fans in their place. Even when Cliftonville supporters have been attacked at these matches the PSNI have always turned on the them. Honestly I could write a book about my experiences of following Cliftonville over the last 3 decades and what we have been subjected to. Derry City had the right idea playing in the League of Ireland where at least you are not demonized because of your religion and culture.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 12/05/2009 14:38:26    281164

Crusaders are very much supported by Loyalists. They are from an area that is strictly no go for catholics.

CheFinny (UK) - Posts: 1358 - 12/05/2009 18:04:47    281441

Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 543

281164
I was at Windsor Park on Saturday for the Irish Cup Final and it was the same old story. The PSNI riot squad took up their usual position facing the Reds fans and this is the way it has always been. The batons, riot shields and helmets were on display to show and keep the Reds fans in their place. Even when Cliftonville supporters have been attacked at these matches the PSNI have always turned on the them. Honestly I could write a book about my experiences of following Cliftonville over the last 3 decades and what we have been subjected to. Derry City had the right idea playing in the League of Ireland where at least you are not demonized because of your religion and culture.




Maybe the PSNI were asking the Reds fans if any of them fancied joining them and playing GAA instead of that oul soccer nonsense.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 12/05/2009 21:23:55    281589

Patrique

You could be right, maybe those PSNI batons and riot helmets were hurleys and GAA headgear. Maybe that wasn't Olympia Leisure Centre, the Boucher Road and Windsor Park but Andytown Leisure Centre, Casement and the Falls. I wasn't looking too hard, the Northern cops do have their own Gaelic sides now don't they? It's very confusing nowadays.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 12/05/2009 22:43:38    281694

Ulsterman
County: Antrim
Posts: 546

281694
Patrique

You could be right, maybe those PSNI batons and riot helmets were hurleys and GAA headgear. Maybe that wasn't Olympia Leisure Centre, the Boucher Road and Windsor Park but Andytown Leisure Centre, Casement and the Falls. I wasn't looking too hard, the Northern cops do have their own Gaelic sides now don't they? It's very confusing nowadays.



Well you see GAA people read about the riots at soccer matches so maybe that's why they had shields and batons.


Cliftonville to me were always a cricket team.

They always had a soccer team as well but they were very sectarian, being situated in a staunch protestant area, and the only supporters they had were from Tiger's Bay.

Things change dramatically in the north. In my day Distillery were the "Catholic" team, leading to mighty riots and battles, especially the immortal "battle of MacDonald Street".

Still have a soft spot foor "The Whites".

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 12/05/2009 23:31:20    281762

Cricket & Athletics Patrique. Cliftonville was always a team that had players from both sides of the community AND on the board too. I would hardly call that part of the Cliftonville a staunch Protestant area even 50 years ago. It was always a middle class area with NICE people living on it and a large Jewish community. Tigers Bay Cliftonville? Surely a Crusaders & Linfield area?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9816 - 12/05/2009 23:41:26    281772