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I can understand the likes of people from Lurgan/P'down following Cliftonville, because those two clubs are in predominantly Loyalist areas of those towns...  But why on earth would someone follow Linfield ahead of, or even as well as, Coleraine FC?

Out of curiousity, how many GAA players are in the Irish League at present? I know Linfield have two former Armagh men who would make a handy full-forward line...

Coleraine and Ballymena generally attract a decent crowd, by Irish League standards anyway. A lot of Protestants from Mid Ulster/Craigavon etc would follow Linfield though due to the fact that many people moved from Belfast to that area when it was being developed.

Also, we were on about rivalries earlier on this thread and T Fearon was keen to highlight Cliftonville and Linfield.
Portadown and Glentoran over the past few years have developed a very unhealthy rivalry, so much so that their cup semi this Sat is now a 12.30 kick off and the north Belfast derby is a 4.30 kick off. During the 90s Glenavon and Portadown also had a very good rivalry as both had quite good sides, the link below even shows the crowd the tie attracted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hHxEhcTawE  .. Joey Cunningham could play!

Some good players on both sides - McCoy, McBride and Ferguson for Glenavon and those 2 Scottish lads for Portadown were probably considerably better players than those currently on show in the Irish League.

[certain type of uber-Prod]

A lot of the current Linfield squad are of 'Catholic/Nationalist' backgrounds. The support is almost exclusively Unionist/Loyalist.

I always find it interesting however how the likes of Coleraine, Ballymena, Derry etc have sizeable Linfield support. Cliftonville to a certain degree have support from around the North.

Linfield support across NI in Coleraine, Ballymena etc is probably a bit to do with the fact they attract a certain type of uber-Prod across the six counties, and probably also because of their continued success.  Also, Protestants west of the Bann don't have many other attractive options e.g. Institute, Dergview etc.

I suppose the part highlighted makes some sense... The last bit is equally valid.

'Glory-hunting' factor is also relevant I think.

A lot of the current Linfield squad are of 'Catholic/Nationalist' backgrounds. The support is almost exclusively Unionist/Loyalist.

I always find it interesting however how the likes of Coleraine, Ballymena, Derry etc have sizeable Linfield support. Cliftonville to a certain degree have support from around the North.

Linfield support across NI in Coleraine, Ballymena etc is probably a bit to do with the fact they attract a certain type of uber-Prod across the six counties, and probably also because of their continued success.  Also, Protestants west of the Bann don't have many other attractive options e.g. Institute, Dergview etc.   

I'm not saying anything that isn't true.Just like Celtic and Rangers,Cliftonville and Linfield have practically exclusively respective nationalist and loyalist supports which adds an extra edge to these fixtures.That doesnt mean that every one of the supporters of both clubs is a sectarian bigot.

Remember that DC and Linfield game.An angelic non sectarian Alliance Party supporting Linfield fan ran on to the pitch and booted Brendan Tully up the hole.

Perhaps said fan knew a few of his fellow Alliance supporting pals having a bit of a riot in the Spion Kop end.

Thats the old cricket pitch. That should give you an idea of who lived in that area. As for Ardoyne its nowhere near Cliftonville, you have the Oldpark to pass before you reach Ardoyne

Am I right in saying that the cricket club were burnt out in the 70s?

Is there a hotel at the bottom of the Falls/Divis street? Is it facing the alcoholic place? That would be cheap as chips and very friendly round Castle street

And close to all bars

I have found a penthouse for some of the lads not wanting to look at prods

Can you not see Tiger's Bay from up there?

Anyone who pronounces Jalapenos with a 'J' in this day and age is a ballbag.

Rovers fans responded to The Billy Boys with a few of their own songs. The polic seem to have taken offence at only one set of supporters.

You at the match?

Some baffling decisions in that game

By ref, players or management? Poor second half.

Ref. Thought the decision at the scrum that led to the French try was pretty bad. Kidney's decision to take off Murray was appalling. It wasn't a day for someone like Reddan and Murray was running the show.

Murray got MOTM on BBC and that was only after playing 60 odd minutes, not sure if its a pre determined move irrespective how the games going, but folly in my mind.

Although he had a decent game when he was on today (Half-decent box kicks and all that), but he is so frustrating in his delay in getting the ball out - He seems to slow up play all the time.

8 protestors at City Hall this eve for the council meeting. Seven heavy-set women and one wee man. A funny pathetic sight.

Was it the "no surrender" woman, I miss her. We've had no update on her in ages.

Last I heard she was getting tons of prank calls in the Chinese takeaway where she worked.  Young lads phoning up with piss-take orders rounded off with requests for No Surrender sauce.

Far be it from me to wallow in the demise of the six county soccer league, but these results are pretty poor...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21660713

Glentoran fielded a weakened, second string team I believe, although the Blues would probably have been at full strength as the Setanta Cup is their only chance of a trophy this year.
Other six county teams didn't have great results either.

Totally.Alright scoring goals against minor Spanidh teams.

136 goals in 125 matches is a bit better than alright is it not?

[I certainly wouldnt swap him for Ronaldo]

I can think of no other player , including the Portuguese ponce, who has single handedly won so many games as Bale has done this season.I certainly wouldnt swap him for Ronaldo, though he probably is some way short of Messi at the moment.

Are you being serious?

Following on from Gold's post, the media are a classic case of being obsessed with England.

Local radio gives more time to english soccer and cricket than it does to any local sport (except local soccer).

You are more likely to hear how England rugby league team played against New Zealand than local hear all-ireland club rugby results.

The same with cricket.

Not sure I entirely agree.  Local radio up here tends to focus on local sport in my opinion.  Rugby Union, for example, is centred around Ulster Rugby.  I may be wrong, but I don't think Rugby League is widely reported here as it neither a sport which is either widely played or followed.  As for the focus on English soccer, in my experience this is more prevelant in local stations in the Republic.  With regards to cricket, the English cricket score is given because followers of cricket in Northern Ireland are interested in it.  By the same token, they are also interested in Ireland cricket matches when they are taking place too, which are also regularly reported on in local radio.

Regarding the tricolour--it is Green (for the natives), orange for the followers of William and White for the hope of peace between the 2 sides. The lack of education/ignorance of the Unionist community to know/want to know this is startling.

As for the IFA youth structure: when i was only a 2 carrot Gold i knocked around a few youth NI Soccer set-ups. These were the form of NI Schoolboy teams. To my mind there was no provision to play for the ROI Schoolboy team as i didnt go to School there.

If i had of 'made it' i would doubtless have looked into playing for ROI Seniors as they were the only team i was interested in (no FAI man would have to have turned my head). Unfortunately i was shite and only ever told 'you dont play football, your there to stop others playing football'  and never had the problem.

Ive stated before: Windsor is  a s'hole. NI is not a nation as far as im concerned and meas nothing to me, its just a made up divided statelet based on gerrymandaring and invasion and will only be so for a drop in the ocean, a short period of time. Who would you be representing by playing for them? Bigoted Clive from Ards who only knows what his town means in its anglacised form, nothing of its history and original naming? Mervyn from Lisbellew who's family were given great land when they were planted there a few generations back?

Why do these people want to live in Ireland when they hate it so? Cant even say it they hate it so much--callling it Northern Allen.

It's noteworthy how you you casually accuse all followers of the Northern Ireland football team, and it would seem, all protestants and unionists in Ireland of being bigots?  Is that not a fairly bigoted view you are adopting yourself there?