Champions League Thread 2014/2015

[Starfish]

I have been in all of the LoI grounds in and around Dublin in the last few years and it really is quite depressing. I was in the Carlisle Grounds towards the end of last season for a game between Bray (desperately in need of points to stay up) and St. Pat's (top of the league and in need of a win to stay there) and there were approximately 900 people there. The official capacity is 7,000 but if Shamrock Rovers (for example) are travelling there, they normally limit it to about 3,000. And unnecessarily too, generally.

And Dalymount Park is an absolute shadow of its former crumbling self - the national team used to play there - famously in the 1980s for a friendly against Italy when there were an estimated 40,000 in the ground.

According to Wikipedia ..

The modern capacity of Dalymount that is in use is 3,193.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalymount_Park

Again, according to Wiki, the largest stadium in the LoI is Limerick (a rugby ground) and the stadium with the second highest attendance capacity is the Brandywell in Derry (7,700), and that's in the North.

[From Despair To Where?]

Carlisle Grounds bears more than a striking resemblance to Slough Town's old ground at Wexham Park.

[Starfish]

I'm sorry I have dragged this thread in this direction (a discussion about grounds in the LoI in a CL thread - who'd have thought it), but the LoI really does sadden me. Irish people go on and on about being the best fans in the world and we are gr8 ... if it's the national team. Or f-ing Celtic. I manage to get to 2-3 LoI games a year (I live in Germany) but the majority of people I know back in Dublin would never dream about going to a game. Yes, the standard is pretty low but it will stay low if no-one goes to watch games.

Then again, the majority of Irish people I know in Germany prefer to sit in the pub and watch the Premier League rather than go to see the Bundesliga. They're absolutely clamoring for tickets to see us getting hammered by Germany in Gelsenkirchen in October though.

[From Despair To Where?]

One of my cousins in Mayo has a Liverpool season ticket. I once suggested going to watch Sligo and she near pissed herself laughing.

[Pepe the Horseman]

One of my cousins in Mayo has a Liverpool season ticket.

Source?

[From Despair To Where?]

Yeah, I kind of relish people coming up with that old joke

[Starfish]

One of my cousins in Mayo has a Liverpool season ticket. I once suggested going to watch Sligo and she near pissed herself laughing.

[From Despair To Where?]

Against that though, another cousin fought bitterly against GAA opposition and interference for years to set up a football team in his town which is still going strong after 30 years. He was a decent Gaelic footballer himself and got banned from entering GAA property.

[Ark Royal]

Carlisle Grounds bears more than a striking resemblance to Slough Town's old ground at Wexham Park.

Worked on the south side of Dublin and used to catch Friday night games at Bray. Nice location with a good view of Bray Head.

[TBM]

Celtic currently 2-0 down (6-1 agg) with 25 to play

[paultheroyal]

Celtic currently 2-0 down (6-1 agg) with 25 to play

indeed

[Hendo]

Do I remember hearing their manager going on about how they shouldn't have to qualify an be put straight into the group stages due to their performances in the group stages in previous years?



Forster will be off to saints now then.

[sandman]

Legia Warsaw being investigated for allegedly fielding an ineligible player.

[leww_rfc]

If Celtic get through because of that

[TBM]

Arsenal could face Spanish side Athletic Bilbao in Friday's draw for the play-off round to reach this season's Champions League group stage.


You know it's going to be that then

[TFF]

If Celtic get through because of that

They have.

PriceLOLess

[leww_rfc]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28701951

Celtic back in.

Celtic have been reinstated to the Champions League after Legia Warsaw were kicked out of the competition for fielding an ineligible player.
Legia won the third qualifying round tie 6-1 on aggregate but brought on Bartosz Bereszynski for the last two minutes of the second leg, while he was supposed to be serving a suspension.
As a result Celtic were handed a 3-0 'walkover' win for the second leg, taking them through on away goals.

Ouch

[dizzynewheights]

Celtic

[Platypuss]

Ouch

Celtic lose 4-1 at Legia Warsaw

Legia missed 2 penalties too. Could come back to bite them.

[leww_rfc]

Bye to the group stages for whoever gets Celtic then