The Official Fantastic Glasgow Rangers thread

[lynchbhoy]

Whatever the problems the fact remains that North of Ireland fans do have a capacity, much like Kate Adie, of being present in troible hotspots, eg Bratislava, in Belfast with rioting Poles etc.


They are certainy not the poor innocent bystanders EG would have us think

Where do you expect NI fans to be if not in Belfast? Do you condemn RoI fans for being in Dublin some years ago when England fans rioted?

did the Irish fans retaliate in the same manner as the ni fans did ?
I cant remember that !!

[Myles Na G.]

Whatever the problems the fact remains that North of Ireland fans do have a capacity, much like Kate Adie, of being present in troible hotspots, eg Bratislava, in Belfast with rioting Poles etc.


They are certainy not the poor innocent bystanders EG would have us think

Where do you expect NI fans to be if not in Belfast? Do you condemn RoI fans for being in Dublin some years ago when England fans rioted?

did the Irish fans retaliate in the same manner as the ni fans did ?
I cant remember that !!

So you agree that the Poles initiated the violence? That's progress, I suppose.

[lynchbhoy]

Whatever the problems the fact remains that North of Ireland fans do have a capacity, much like Kate Adie, of being present in troible hotspots, eg Bratislava, in Belfast with rioting Poles etc.


They are certainy not the poor innocent bystanders EG would have us think

Where do you expect NI fans to be if not in Belfast? Do you condemn RoI fans for being in Dublin some years ago when England fans rioted?

did the Irish fans retaliate in the same manner as the ni fans did ?
I cant remember that !!

So you agree that the Poles initiated the violence? That's progress, I suppose.

how so - the originators of this were not in question (apart from maybe the voices in yer head !!)
would look like they started some of it, but who knows, cant rely on tv/media reports...
either way there was a disturbing desire to fight among the ifa contingent that the Irish fans didnt have when under worse provocation in lansdowne road.

[Myles Na G.]

Whatever the problems the fact remains that North of Ireland fans do have a capacity, much like Kate Adie, of being present in troible hotspots, eg Bratislava, in Belfast with rioting Poles etc.


They are certainy not the poor innocent bystanders EG would have us think

Where do you expect NI fans to be if not in Belfast? Do you condemn RoI fans for being in Dublin some years ago when England fans rioted?

did the Irish fans retaliate in the same manner as the ni fans did ?
I cant remember that !!

So you agree that the Poles initiated the violence? That's progress, I suppose.

how so - the originators of this were not in question (apart from maybe the voices in yer head !!)
would look like they started some of it, but who knows, cant rely on tv/media reports...
either way there was a disturbing desire to fight among the ifa contingent that the Irish fans didnt have when under worse provocation in lansdowne road.

Different circumstances altogether. The English lot didn't kick off until they were in the ground, at which point the guards made sure there was no way the Irish could get involved. Might've been a different story if the trouble had started in pubs in the city centre.

[wallyman]

Whatever the problems the fact remains that North of Ireland fans do have a capacity, much like Kate Adie, of being present in troible hotspots, eg Bratislava, in Belfast with rioting Poles etc.


They are certainy not the poor innocent bystanders EG would have us think

Where do you expect NI fans to be if not in Belfast? Do you condemn RoI fans for being in Dublin some years ago when England fans rioted?

did the Irish fans retaliate in the same manner as the ni fans did ?
I cant remember that !!

So you agree that the Poles initiated the violence? That's progress, I suppose.

how so - the originators of this were not in question (apart from maybe the voices in yer head !!)
would look like they started some of it, but who knows, cant rely on tv/media reports...
either way there was a disturbing desire to fight among the ifa contingent that the Irish fans didnt have when under worse provocation in lansdowne road.

Different circumstances altogether. The English lot didn't kick off until they were in the ground, at which point the guards made sure there was no way the Irish could get involved. Might've been a different story if the trouble had started in pubs in the city centre.

Whataboutery at its very best!

[Puckoon]

Whatever the problems the fact remains that North of Ireland fans do have a capacity, much like Kate Adie, of being present in troible hotspots, eg Bratislava, in Belfast with rioting Poles etc.


They are certainy not the poor innocent bystanders EG would have us think

Where do you expect NI fans to be if not in Belfast? Do you condemn RoI fans for being in Dublin some years ago when England fans rioted?

did the Irish fans retaliate in the same manner as the ni fans did ?
I cant remember that !!

So you agree that the Poles initiated the violence? That's progress, I suppose.

how so - the originators of this were not in question (apart from maybe the voices in yer head !!)
would look like they started some of it, but who knows, cant rely on tv/media reports...
either way there was a disturbing desire to fight among the ifa contingent that the Irish fans didnt have when under worse provocation in lansdowne road.

Different circumstances altogether. The English lot didn't kick off until they were in the ground, at which point the guards made sure there was no way the Irish could get involved. Might've been a different story if the trouble had started in pubs in the city centre.

Whataboutery at its very best!

Perhaps, but Im inclined to agree.

What do you think would happen if English fans caused trouble in Dublin before a game?

Would ROI fans just ignore it?

The fact that the English fans were segregated to a degree in Landsdowne that day saved a lot of trouble I think.

[Myles Na G.]

Whatever the problems the fact remains that North of Ireland fans do have a capacity, much like Kate Adie, of being present in troible hotspots, eg Bratislava, in Belfast with rioting Poles etc.


They are certainy not the poor innocent bystanders EG would have us think

Where do you expect NI fans to be if not in Belfast? Do you condemn RoI fans for being in Dublin some years ago when England fans rioted?

did the Irish fans retaliate in the same manner as the ni fans did ?
I cant remember that !!

So you agree that the Poles initiated the violence? That's progress, I suppose.

how so - the originators of this were not in question (apart from maybe the voices in yer head !!)
would look like they started some of it, but who knows, cant rely on tv/media reports...
either way there was a disturbing desire to fight among the ifa contingent that the Irish fans didnt have when under worse provocation in lansdowne road.

Different circumstances altogether. The English lot didn't kick off until they were in the ground, at which point the guards made sure there was no way the Irish could get involved. Might've been a different story if the trouble had started in pubs in the city centre.

Whataboutery at its very best!

Is that 'whataboutery'?

Might'vebeenery, surely?

[wallyman]

Whatever the problems the fact remains that North of Ireland fans do have a capacity, much like Kate Adie, of being present in troible hotspots, eg Bratislava, in Belfast with rioting Poles etc.


They are certainy not the poor innocent bystanders EG would have us think

Where do you expect NI fans to be if not in Belfast? Do you condemn RoI fans for being in Dublin some years ago when England fans rioted?

did the Irish fans retaliate in the same manner as the ni fans did ?
I cant remember that !!

So you agree that the Poles initiated the violence? That's progress, I suppose.

how so - the originators of this were not in question (apart from maybe the voices in yer head !!)
would look like they started some of it, but who knows, cant rely on tv/media reports...
either way there was a disturbing desire to fight among the ifa contingent that the Irish fans didnt have when under worse provocation in lansdowne road.

Different circumstances altogether. The English lot didn't kick off until they were in the ground, at which point the guards made sure there was no way the Irish could get involved. Might've been a different story if the trouble had started in pubs in the city centre.

Whataboutery at its very best!

Is that 'whataboutery'?

Might'vebeenery, surely?

or 'completely off topic, but il change the subject because im under pressure!!'

[lynchbhoy]

Whatever the problems the fact remains that North of Ireland fans do have a capacity, much like Kate Adie, of being present in troible hotspots, eg Bratislava, in Belfast with rioting Poles etc.
They are certainy not the poor innocent bystanders EG would have us think

Where do you expect NI fans to be if not in Belfast? Do you condemn RoI fans for being in Dublin some years ago when England fans rioted?

did the Irish fans retaliate in the same manner as the ni fans did ?
I cant remember that !!

So you agree that the Poles initiated the violence? That's progress, I suppose.

how so - the originators of this were not in question (apart from maybe the voices in yer head !!)
would look like they started some of it, but who knows, cant rely on tv/media reports...
either way there was a disturbing desire to fight among the ifa contingent that the Irish fans didnt have when under worse provocation in lansdowne road.

Different circumstances altogether. The English lot didn't kick off until they were in the ground, at which point the guards made sure there was no way the Irish could get involved. Might've been a different story if the trouble had started in pubs in the city centre.

not different circumstances at all...
plenty of opportunity for the Irish fans who would have seen it on the telly to also come out and have a go at the english hooligans if they were so inclined - but thats the point ....they were not and in contrary to the ni fans who were.
my point stands.

[T Fearon]

I was in the West Stand at Lansdowne that night. The first instinct of myself and very other fan was to get out of Dodge  pronto. Some mght call us cowards, but I myself knew the Garda would sort it out with the old batons

[red hander]

Same when the Norn Iron fans were assaulted in an Irish bar in Slovakia. Makes you wonder.

Flicked over to the Rangers game earlier there, and thought I heard the words "Bobby Sands" being sung in a song by one set of the supporters. Not 100% though on that. What song would or could they be singing?

Assaulted my hole ... they removed a tricolour from the wall, the bar staff attempted to stop them, the bar staff were attacked and the bouncers weighed in to protect the bar staff, but the version we got was that two wee innocent huns from Fermanagh were beaten up for absolutely no reason

Wouldn't matter what version you got. In such circumstances, bigots like you make your own story up to fit in with your prejudices.

FYI, it came from an OWC supporter who was in the bar when the thing happened

I don't believe  a word of that, Red Hander, since I was in Bratislava myself and spoke to fans who were in the pub at the time. I trust their word over yours, never mind that of your (fictitious) "OWC mate" any day.
Of course, I don't expect you or like-minded individuals to take my word for this, so I've followed up some references (alluded to by MnaG above) from foot.ie, an ROI soccer fans' website.

To put this into context, the ROI played a game in Bratislava the year before the NI game. Prior/subsequent to the ROI game, and again prior to the NI game, ROI fans were warning, from personal experience, of the dangers of "The Dubliner" bar (or more accurately its doorstaff), as follows.

Prior to the ROI Game
1. "Citizenerased" on 09/08/07:
Hi all, I have just returned from Bratislava yesterday the 07 August 2007, I went on a stag party with my friends for the august weekend...            ...however I have one small problem, as I sit here writing this I am finding it difficult to see out through my eyes as I was severely assaulted on my last night there, I went to the hospital yesterday where I received four stitches to my nose as a result of the assault.
It happened in the Dubliner Irish Pub(I am Irish by the way), I would urge any man thinking of going over there not too, I was dragged downstairs in the pub by what I can only describe as two (security staff) ex army men, huge from steroids and crazy from drugs towards a very dark room where they proceeded to kick the crap out of me, I managed to break free and a friend of mine spotted me, he had been looking for me for ten minutes, he was kicked away as he tried to intervene, then he raised the alarm.
2. "Soylent Green" on 20/08/07:
Not to get people too worried but I got the following warning from my cousin living in Slovakia:
"Avoid police and nightclub staff. Bratislava is NOT a place to get into a situation at night. You can get mugged easily by the bouncers believe me. Old trick your mates get in,someone gets hit and a large drinks bill is presented to you as a way out. Anyway worst case syndrome but it does happen"
3. "KoemansCC" on 21/08/97:
one common thing I've seen on all sites/forums is regarding the Dubliner pub...not friendly, over priced, over zealous doormen...
4. "Mento" on 21/08/07:
Hviezdoslavovo square the place to be and stay away from Dubliner

After the ROI Game:
5. "Zinedineontour" on 14/09/07:
Got to agree with all the comments thought Bratislava was a bit of a kip and the bars and restaurants didnt want the service and i wont even start about the dubliner "irish " bar with the 8 bouncers outside !
6. "Piggy" on 14/09/07:
I thought Bratislave was the biggest sh*t hole i ever had the misfortune of being in! Apart from the fact that we got attacked by a couple of thugs and the bouncers on friday night i just thought the attitude of the people was terrible. The staff in the pubs were ****ed off because the place was so busy and they didnt give a **** about service.
The police were also a disaster. They didnt care that we had been attacked and refused to give us their names or numbers so we could follow up. Sorted that problem by taking pictures of their badges with my phone.
My buddy is off to A&E this morning to get his broken nose fixed. The third world A&E in bratislava couldnt be bothered!
7. "upkerry" on 14/09/07:
Lads from the offset the locals had no regard for the Irish. Unfriendly, unhelpful and only out for the quick buck. As for the so called Irish pubs. The Dubliner had what I could only call several thugs on the door. I was lucky enough not to have any problems but I saw many decent Irish fans turned away or evicted for nothing including several elderly supporters.
8. "Rogue Trader" on 18/09/07:
i never encountered this poor local attitude in Bratislava except in that bloody Dubliner pub(Which i avoided after what i seen was on the Door).
9. "Neil McD" on 18/09/07:
Again Bratislava was great craic as long as you stayed away from the Dubliner which I thought was a shocker of a bar.

Before the NI game:
10. "GUFCT" on 29/08/08:
(Hope you don't get the torrential rain we had last year) or the gestapo bouncers.Stay far away from the Dubliner Bar by far the biggest bunch of thugs i have ever come across in all my travels.

After the NI game:
11. "Bottle of Tonic" on 08/09/08:
I see some of the NI fans took a batein in the Dubliner bar in Bratislava. (bbc website) Having been there this time last year i'm not surprised. They had four heavies kitted out in army gear as bouncers and wouldn't let any of us in when the place was only half full. Total cants.


That is just a selection, gleaned after a perfunctory search. Of course, I suppose it is just possible that all those ROI fans were involved in removing Union Jacks and singing Loyalist songs etc, but I doubt it. Or I could just be making it all up*.

However, I prefer the explanation which subsequently emerged from a conversation between an NI fan and a local contact in Slovakia, who explained that most of the "Security" Firms who provide doorstaff for Bratislava pubs and clubs etc are owned by organised crime. As such, they are actually operating protection rackets against the owners of these venues, and periodically make a display of "muscle" to keep the owners intimidated. Apparently football fans make as good a victim of this muscle as any. Certainly, the thugs who attacked the NI fans were all dressed alike in black, military clothing, with baseball bats and knuckle-dusters etc.

* - I've often wondered how myths such as eg NI fans being the cause of the violence in Bratislava, rather than the victims etc emerge. I used to attribute it to misunderstandings and exagerration and so on. But from this particular thread, I see that at least some derive from malicious liars simply making things up, to suit some bigoted agenda...

Good post EG - what I was trying to say, only with better research!

Why don't you bend him over and rim him...

All that guff (as usual) EG comes up with doesn't have a thing to do with what sparked the trouble on that particular day and is all circumstantial bullshit.  Neither of you two clowns were talkiing to anyone who was in the bar at the time, I was.  A respected, middle-aged fan from a small village in Co Down who regularly travels to owc matches and was disgusted by the behaviour of so called 'fans' in the pub... You can think what you want about my information, I don't care, I know it to be true...

BTW, had to laugh at 'what I was trying to say, only with better research!' MnaGobshite ... if it wasn't for the 16 wee funny faces on the posting page you would have NOTHING to say

[Main Street]

I am surprised that Myles did not claim he was there in person.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

I am surprised that Myles did not claim he was there in person.

Sure he has a pretence to keep up!

[stew]

I am surprised that Myles did not claim he was there in person.

Sure he has a pretence to keep up!

Doesnt he just.

[Myles Na G.]

'Neither of you two clowns were talkiing to anyone who was in the bar at the time, I was. '
When you come up with a bit of corroborative evidence to support your argument, as EG has done to support his, I'll start taking you seriously. Until then, I repeat my response to your last post.

'Why don't you bend him over and rim him...'
You seem to know a lot about that kind of stuff. Something you want to share with the board?