Trevor Brennan does a Cantona!

[Evil Genius]

He has a suspected fractured skull and his jaw remains very swollen.

I'm no doctor but if he had a fractured skull would be no be in hospital? If he had a "suspected fractured skull" you'd think they'd f**king find out if he did or not? 

Apparently a fracture is not always evident on X-Ray if there has been no actual bone displacement, especially before the swelling has gone down.

P.S. I think most people will have guessed that you're not a doctor...

[Evil Genius]

also i didnt know the Stormont Flag represents the Ulster Rugby Team....

No Donegal, Monaghan or Cavan Rugby fans need apply eh? 

I don't know; perhaps you'd better ask Tommy Bowe...

P.S. At least the NI flag is in the Ulster team's colours. 

[BallyhaiseMan]

well in that case...
The Green part of the tricolour is in the Ireland teams colours

Therefore the Tricolour should be accepted as the flag of the Ireland Rugby Team.

[armaghniac]

P.S. At least the NI flag is in the Ulster team's colours.

So is the Japanese flag. Perhaps the team should amend their colours to that of their proper flag.

That said Brennan was well out of line even if they guy he biffed was making sectarian comments. You can't have professional sports players leaping in the stand and clocking people, especially large rugby players who are almost by definition able to beat the crap out of a seated spectator.

[Onlooker]

I do'nt think that people defending Trevor Brennan on RTE or elsewhere did him any favours by referring to "sectarian remarks", as there does not seem to be any foundation to that excuse.  It reminds me of the Aussie Rules player who was sent home last year after an incident in Galway and then stated that he was the victim of racist abuse.  There was no truth in what the Aussie Rules  used as an excuse for his behaviour and I suspect that the same applies in Trevor Brennan's case.

[Evil Genius]

well in that case...
The Green part of the tricolour is in the Ireland teams colours

Therefore the Tricolour should be accepted as the flag of the Ireland Rugby Team.

Even for a Cavan man, that's pretty feeble logic.

When I made my original remark about the NI flag reflecting the colours of the team it represents, I had in mind the Tricolour and the Irish rugby team. Imo, this is an inappropriate flag to fly at Ireland rugby matches since the team represents two countries (ROI and NI), whereas the Tricolour only represents one of those. Further, there is no orange in the team strip.

I might add that while people waving the Tricolour at Ireland matches might irritate me mildly, I don't make too big a thing about it, since I am actually there for the rugby.
By exactly the same token, those Ulster fans who dislike the NI flag are entirely free to wave a (Red and Yellow) Ulster flag, a red and white chequered flag, or an "Ulster Rugby" flag, all of which happens at Ravenhill.

[Evil Genius]

P.S. At least the NI flag is in the Ulster team's colours.

So is the Japanese flag. Perhaps the team should amend their colours to that of their proper flag.

That said Brennan was well out of line even if they guy he biffed was making sectarian comments. You can't have professional sports players leaping in the stand and clocking people, especially large rugby players who are almost by definition able to beat the crap out of a seated spectator.

If Ulster Rugby were to alter their colours, that may actually be a matter requiring permission from their governing body, the IRFU in Dublin.
As for what flags may be waved at Ravenhill, that is likely to be a matter for the ground's owners, the IRFU in Dublin...

Btw, re. Brennan, there is no "if" about it; Bamford did NOT make sectarian remarks, as acknowledged by Brennan himself in his Statement on the matter.

And in any case, if he had said something along those lines, he might not have had to wait for TB to climb into the stands to punch him; Bamford would more likely have been punched by his friend in the seat next to him. A Catholic.

Anyhow, for those people who still either can't or won't comprehend this simple statement of fact, I shall repeat once more that there was no sectarian abuse whatever of Brennan. Comprendez? 

[Evil Genius]

I do'nt think that people defending Trevor Brennan on RTE or elsewhere did him any favours by referring to "sectarian remarks", as there does not seem to be any foundation to that excuse.  It reminds me of the Aussie Rules player who was sent home last year after an incident in Galway and then stated that he was the victim of racist abuse.  There was no truth in what the Aussie Rules  used as an excuse for his behaviour and I suspect that the same applies in Trevor Brennan's case.

Indeed, Onlooker.
Although this is mere speculation on my part, I can't help wondering whether TB might have come out with the "Mother is a Whore" story after having seen what a similar "defence" did in maintaining Zidane's reputation with the French after ZZ was sent off in the World Cup Final?
(It might be nonsense, of course, but who knows?)

[Fluffy Che]

The fact that it might be nonsense did'nt seem to stop you speculating on it.  A big lad like that would need some winding up to vault 4 or 5 rows to plant one on anybody!!

[stephenite]

He'll get the book thrown at him and rightly so, but this nonsense that he was slagging off his bar, and that's all that was said is ridiculous.
Most people won't believe that, and I have no doubt this 'fan' will find out about that when he tries to head to Dublin to support his countrymen in the 6 nations, have a feeling Mr.Bamford will be staying away from Dublin for this years internationals

[deiseach]

I think Trevor Brennan is up the creek on this one. No one around this Bamford guy seems to be substantiating Brennan's story. Sure, it might all be a Billy Boy version of omerta (I wonder will Trev use the "who knows?" defence), but it's up to Trevor to prove it.

Incidentally, I thought rugby was an example of All-Ireland sweetness and light. These were the clowns who were telling us that they should be permitted to go to South Africa during apartheid because Ireland was an example of how rugby brought people together. Looking here, I'd say the cracks are beginning to show

[Bogball XV]

When I made my original remark about the NI flag reflecting the colours of the team it represents, I had in mind the Tricolour and the Irish rugby team. Imo, this is an inappropriate flag to fly at Ireland rugby matches since the team represents two countries (ROI and NI), whereas the Tricolour only represents one of those. Further, there is no orange in the team strip.

But is the tricolour not the perfect flag to fly at irish matches given the history of the flag??

Once more EG, the vast majority on here think that Brennan is a muppet (i've seen him warming up as a sub before, in front of me (thankfully I refrained from telling him how below par his pub is) and he is a lunatic), i don't think that anyone on here believes that Bamford is not in some way culpable, and no matter how many quotes you give us, nobody is going to believe he is completely innocent until they hear it from someone they know and trust.
We are not saying that all Ulster fans are the same, i've met them at various irish matches and had the craic with them.
In summation:
Not all Ulster fans are idiots.
Brennan was totally out of order.
Bamford was probably a bit tanked up and did a bit too much slagging.

[passedit]

'Le Paul' from UAFC

I cannot say with any authority, although I was 4 rows behind the incident, but there was a lot of banter directed towards Brennan which he had encouraged from the off. There were loads of comments about his bar (which to be honest are true it is a doss house) and then it happened. When he started to walk towards the supporters I said to the girl sitting next to me "brad pitt - he's going to whack someone". Over the wall he came looking like the psycho that he preoved once again he was, and all hell broke loose.

One of our party is a translator and she went to communicate between the stewards (who were at a loss as to what to do not surprisingly) and the supporters who were all very fired up and very upset. She also translated for the guy who was hit and the ambulance crew. She was certain that they had diagnosed a fracture to the upper jaw. I understand that there is a conection between Brennan and the guy who was hit. I'm not certain what but there seems to be some sort of history.

Either way it is the behaviour of an animal and not welcomed in rugby. There were nearly 100 kids who had put on a mini rugby show prior to the match and were in an enclosure watching this. Good God what signals does that send out. The atmosphere had been amongst the best I had ever known between the twp sets of supporters and the craic getween everyone was excellent.

Saw this yesterday and no one seems to have followed it up, might explain the singling out, might not who knows.
Any word of the guy pressing charges yet?

[Evil Genius]

More background on Trevor Brennan

The following is an excerpt from a newspaper report of a Heineken Cup match between Toulouse and Edinburgh Gunners in April 2004:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2004/04/11/srtoul11.xml

"Trevor Brennan, Toulouse's Irish lock, was in a bizarre first-half incident, when he took exception to the actions of Edinburgh physiotherapist Stuart Barton in a touchline altercation, and came flying in with a punch, although the only punishment was an Edinburgh penalty
No damage was done, but ERC may take a dimmer view of the former bouncer's attack on a non-player"

I wonder which of Brennan's relatives Barton insulted to warrant that?

Mind you, it's hardly something new. The Irish Examiner carries this report from 1998:

(http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1998/03/16/shead.htm)
Old Crescent silent on match violence ahead of meeting 
by Charlie Mulqueen
OLD CRESCENT will not be making a statement on the violence that marred their AIB League clash with St Mary's College ahead of tonight's usual weekly committee meeting.
PRO John O'Riordan told me yesterday: "It's a matter we want to research further. We will discuss what happened at our meeting and if appropriate issue a statement then."   
The game, won 17-16 by St Mary's, erupted into a near free-for-all for much of the final 20 minutes.
Three players were sent off, two from Crescent (Robert Duggan and Anthony O'Dwyer) and Emmett Byrne of Mary's, and five players were yellow-carded.
The ill feeling continued after the final whistle when there was an altercation between Mary's coach Steve Hennessy and Crescent hooker P.J. McLoughlin and much pushing and jostling.
St Mary's declined Old Crescent's post match hospitality which included a meal for the players and left Rosbrien without indulging in any of the customary socialising.
Yesterday's newspaper reports were unanimous in laying the blame firmly at the door of the Old Crescent players.
Three newspaper reports viewed what happened as follows:
Sunday Independent: "Crescent's loss of control was well over the top. The reality is that they were more concerned with the man than the ball ... is Division One survival so important that ordinarily normal players can let themselves down to this extent?"   
Sunday Times: "What got into Crescent, God only knows, but they were a disgrace ... Crescent finished the game with their discipline in disarray and their reputation in tatters".
Sunday Tribune (under a headline of 'Crescent thuggery fuels disgrace'): "The home side were principally responsible for the violence with some of their players intent merely on acts of thuggery. You could understand their desperate desire to survive in Division One but on this performance it would be a better place without them." 
All of which leaves the Old Crescent club with a major issue to confront.
Why would a Crescent side not noted for a particularly nasty streak have apparently let themselves down to this extent?
Yesterday's papers and St Mary's players and supporters had the answer. It was because of their desperate need for the points that would have saved them from relegation.
To be fair, the reports also accepted that Trevor Brennan, the blindside St Mary's wing-forward, started the aggro with a dangerous late tackle. None allowed, though, that St Mary's own desperate search for points that would help them to a top four place might have had anything to do with it.
Or that the failure of any Dublin side to win in Limerick this season before Saturday might have had them more anxious than usual to return with a result. All I know is that of the many people I consulted before writing this piece, and several have no connection with Old Crescent, every single one mentioned "number six for Mary's" (Trevor Brennan) as being largely to blame for starting the violence.
Surely it is no coincidence that Brennan, having been yellow-carded by referee Gordon Black, was then withdrawn from the fray before he could get into any further trouble.
"In Brennan and Steve Jameson, they had two of the worst culprits," said Old Crescent coach Jed O'Dwyer.
"Brennan caused it all and the referee let him away with it and that's why the game got out of control. Brennan should have been sent off two or three times and while I accept some of our players were at fault, there very definitely was considerable provocation, something the unbalanced reports in today's papers failed to comment upon." 
Doubtless, the report of referee Black, who came in for criticism all round, will receive careful consideration from the AIB League disciplinary committee.
Given the totally unacceptable level of violence and the publicity that inevitably ensued, it can be safely assumed that the three players shown the red card face severe penalties.
But there is also a strongly held view among neutral onlookers that a number of others who were simply yellow-carded should be asked to explain their behaviour as well.

[stephenite]

I wonder which of Brennan's relatives Barton insulted to warrant that?

It was his father, I was there, I heard it. He called his father a Fenian C#%t