A rumour from yesterday...

[Hardy]

I even hate the way they refer to us as 'patrons'.

In fact ... they're patronising us.

[RadioGAAGAA]

They are getting far too big for their boots.


Perhaps someone should get a club motion put forward to congress, a nice and simple motion; remove the bunch of dictators involved with this episode from office.

[Jinxy]

For peats sake, its about time we turfed these jokers out.
Sod the stupid fence.

[Blue Island]

This is getting ridiculous. Since I was child going to Croke Park I always felt that the place belonged to the people. As far as I was concerned the GAA people built it and therefore a sense of attachment existed that does not exist for example in major soccer grounds.

The hierarchy have lost the run of themselves and have forgotten who actually owns the place. Croke Park is not Wembley and who gave them the right to tell the boys to take their inoffensive banner down in what is essentially their ground.

This crap that is being sold to us about the fence ensuring safety is ludicrous. It is proven time and time again that fences causes injuries not prevent them.

[crossfire]

This really annoys me. I sent this email to Croker. I wonder will they deign to repy?

A Chairde.

I wonder would it be possible to get the official stance from Croke Park on the issue of banners on the hill, or elsewhere in Croke Park. Last Sunday a banner erected by Kildare fans read 'They fenced us in, but they won't keep us Down because Doyler and Shorty are in town'. 3 Stewards saw this banner and forced the Kildare fans in question to hand the banner over. I have seen the photographs of this incident, and I must admit it reflects very badly on the GAA in terms of their treatment of supporters, or 'patrons' in the new vernacular.

Is there something offensive about this banner in particular, or is it that Croke Park is hyper sensitive towards criticism of the new barriers on Hill 16? As can be seen from the photographs, which I can send on to you if you wish, the Kildare fans were actually at the back of the Hill, so even the argument about interfering with other fans' views is irrelevant.

I should point out that I am neither a Kildare fan, nor anyone with a vested interest in the Hill 16 debate, but I do have an uneasy sense that the hierarchy in the GAA are moving further and further from being an organisation that is designed to embrace our games, and the people who support and engage in them. It seems to me that the GAA is now taking on some of the more impersonal, business first attitudes of professional sports, and this episode does nothing to challenge that impression. I love Gaelic Games, I'm not sure I love the 'GAA' any more.

Is mise le meas

Well said AZ

[ziggysego]

BBC Newsline doing a piece on Down fans who weren't allowed to Croke Park due to similar banners shortly.

[paddypastit]

Time was - the 70s certainly - when a key part of the 'colour' of an AI was all those cheesey home made banners with slogans like that that backed up named players - only place you'll see them now is on 'reeling in the years'

Think this is the best line that I have seen on the board in a long time and one that certainly echos true with me

I love Gaelic Games, I'm not sure I love the 'GAA' any more.

[heffo]

AZ you are a hero for putting together such a sweet script. I do not expect you will get a response from Duffy, Cooney, Mc Gill or Mc Kenna.
I wonder how brave that steward would have been if it was the Dubs had the banner!

I even hate the way they refer to us as 'patrons'.

So do I - we're not patrons - we're the landlords.

I read a quote from a poster on Res Dubs who tried to justify his very personal criticism of Pat Gilroy - he said something along the lines of 'I spend my money on buying the gear, paying in to see the Dubs and that entitles me to have my say'

Every year we get closer and closer to the Sky Sports model of the Premier league..

[quit yo jibbajabba]

its all getting a bit like animal farm (the orwell version )

[the Deel Rover]

No worse than the mods on here. Someone should send them an email like AZ's.

what have the mods been up to Hardstation ?

[lawnseed]

i think the such and such banners on tour are so fukn stupid, the term "on tour" is borrowed from the british army. a term used to describe a tour of duty usally abroad when 'we' had an empire many years ago. sad 

[haranguerer]

i think the such and such banners on tour are so fukn stupid, the term "on tour" is borrowed from the british army. a term used to describe a tour of duty usally abroad when 'we' had an empire many years ago. sad 

What?

It means you're on tour - they're just words, not borrowed from anywhere. f**k me....

[saffron sam2]

BBC Newsline doing a piece on Down fans who weren't allowed to Croke Park due to similar banners shortly.

Saw that. The guy from Saval said someone must have taken offence to their banner.

Brilliant.