Supporting a National League team is hard work. Travelling by car or the security of the supporters bus is always interesting. Standing [ or sitting ] in the same place as the last time you visited that ground and other such superstitions. At the end of the day we all love it. Personally my visits outside Dublin were few and far between before this season when there was four Premier Division grounds I'd never visited before [ Cork, Harps, Sligo and Derry ] . Your intrepid reporter will give you a diary of his personal experiences at each away ground.
Drogheda fans never change. The same chants, the same insults. You know the ones," sh*t ground no fans" and of course " Tom McNulty is a wan*er, is a wan*er and all that crap. Dundalk always bring their fair share but being a League Cup game it lacked the atmosphere. Mind you there was one Drogheda fan beside who looked quite mean and getting a bit heated up so I made a mental note to stand somewhere else in the second half. The game was boring, only brightened up by an altercation between Crawley and Nugent. With the pitch so close the fans could give their opinion as well so it was no suprise that when Nugent was hammered into the turf right beside the Dundalk fans he got the biggest barrage of insults he'll ever get.
Going to Richmond Park knowing you're more than likely to lose isn't good for the old self confidence but we go anyway. Pats are a club going through exciting times. Pat Dolan stood outside signing autographs for Pats and some Dundalk fans. He's a legend and having met him on three previous occasions he stops me to say " You can't lose tonight mate ". A reference to how I supported Pats in last season's title race and became a part time Supersaint during the European games against foreign team Celtic. Inside the reception is fairly friendly with a couple of fans thanking the Dundalk fans for winning them the League last season. Pity the team weren't so thankful, we got hammered but only lost 3-1 . Walking out of the groundI nearly became tempted to throw down the Dundalk scarf and pick up a Pats one but that would be too easy. You feel a lot better walking out of the ground after a 3-1 defeat wearing the Dundalk jersey than you do sitting at home watching the result on television. It promotes you to a role of importance at the next home game when you tell non travellers the tale of woe.
My first visit to Turners Cross. I went on the bus which meant leaving at 8 in the morning and returning at 11 o clock at night. The journey isn't so long with stops for breakfast and for dinner, getting pulled over for speeding and frequent toilet stops. Tom Symmons is there. I have great respect for this man who travels the length and breadth of the country to support the National League. Anyone who can be in Dublin on Friday, Cork on Saturday and Derry on Sunday despite not owning a car or other such luxuries deserves some sort of award. The Shed was what I expected it to be although it was smaller than what I expected. The noise is still the same although I expect it was a quiet game for them. We get stuffed. Withnell misses a sitter and hears about it . With the players touching distance away from the fans Mick Doohan provided one of the quotes of the season. One Dundalk fan shouted " Organise them Mick " to which he replied " How can I organise them if they're fuc*ing asleep.At the end only Witho and Williams acknowledged the fans who'd given their day to travel to Cork and support the team. There's gratitude for you. Everyone was pretty tired on the way home except for me who decided to lie back and listen to the radio. Even if it was Bray vs Shelbourne.
The first away point of the season. Travelled by car and arrived 10 minutes late after a family member took the wrong turn in Dublin and sent us down a one way street. Bray have a new 600 seater stand and we sat there. The game was so boring it was time for a few jokes. Was Jim McLaughlin asleep and was Lee Thew actually Brian Irwin. A photographer from a local paper came at half time and while others posed for pictures I made the journey to the shop which was actually closed. I took my time getting back just in case I might get in the local paper, not a good idea. Tom Symmons was there again, telling of his trip to Richmond Park the night before. Nothing else to talk about apart from the occasional chant. Lifeless game .
Given a choice between standing on top of the Andes or the highest point in Dalymount Park I would choose neither but for the love of the club I travelled, again by car . With the Bohs fans protesting against O Connor I spent the first half in fits of laughter. The Bohs fans are the undisputed kings of sarcasm with references to John Ryan, Ian Douglas, Howie King and Roddy Collins being O Connor's puppet. Withnell got knocked out twice [the second time after colliding with the keeper, who played on for five minutes and spent them stumbling drunklike around the goalmouth before coming off ].The Bohs fans took out a flag saying "O Connell ruined our club ". A steward came up and took it off them which saw him get abuse from both sets of supporters. I couldn't help but wonder why us Dundalk fans didn't do something like that if we wanted McLaughlin out. We weren't close to the players and with the space around Dalymount so vast any fans shout echoed around the ground. This place is falling apart as I discovered when going to lean back against the wall and turned around to find a loose screw pressed against my back. It will be a great ground when it becomes all seater. Worst trip home all year. Felt really pissed off with the team and management. Life goes on.
My second trip to the RSC. No Jeff McNamara this time. Leaving at 2:00 on a Friday afternoon meant not as many fans could travel. Traffic on the way in Dublin meant we only got there 15 minutes early. The game was crap. Waterford have seats installed now on the far side from the main stand. Bray have a similar situation. I wonder if Dundalk will ever do that. The Waterford fans were very friendly which made their team a lot harder to hate. A short trip home compared to the way up. Stopped at a chipper in Carlow. There was something eerie about 20 depressed Dundalk fans walking down a street in Carlow at 11.30 on a dull Friday night . Finn Harps is the next away trip. I wonder can we come home by Thomastown. Maybe not.
My first trip to Ballybofey. We arrived two hours early to sample the delights of Donegal. Yes that's right, a bit of grub and a visit to the pub. The voiciferous travelling support were literally singing in the rain. My sister Fiona went the whole way by taking out the umbrella and dancing around. However her intoxicated jig came to an end when she fell headlong into a puddle. The driving rain did not deter us from our new game. Guess who the number 23 is. Chap, Chappie, Chapman, Kappa, English fella and Shaw were some of the more realistic efforts. We sang for the first five minutes which resulted in the Finn Harps pre-pubescant choir making an appearance with a charming rendition of " Finn Harps, Finn Harps". A well earned point. The chat on the bus home was as interesting as always as the insomniacs had a senseless chat about the ways of the world and illegal practices. Roll on Sligo. After all we haven't lost since Waterford.
We came, we saw, we lost. Simple really . Got the bus there, waded to the ground, shivered for the 90 minutes and came home. Ah the joys of supporting a National League team. But behind all the suffering and cold cold feet, we'll all be there the next time and next year, and secretly we love it.
A cold night so nothing better to talk about to warm us up than which players we are selling. This is a serious situation as everybody has their own informer with different opinions. Only Brady and McNulty and Harte have not been linked to any team .A dismal crowd at Tolka and to keep themselves warm the Dundalk fans all decided to spread out. A fluke goal brought suprise cheers but we found our voices in the second half. The photographer was on patrol at half time so I ran off to the shop. A funny sort of atmosphere but the chant of "Sack The Board " at the end was what we were all thinking the whole night.
So here it is Merry Christmas everybody's having fun. Apart from the Derry fans though, they're in a hell of a bad mood. Yes my first trip to the Brandywell and certainly not my last. 90 minutes of pure unadulterated shouting and complaining from all sections of the ground added to a bit of missile throwing made the game instantly unforgetable. I have to admire the youths who were throwing the missiles. Having got over the disappointment of going to the wrong game [as all 5 were wearing Celtic gear ] they still managed to throw some of their sweeties at the Dundalk fans added to half a bottle of coke. The older more experienced angry section of the Derry crowd turned their attention to the referee who gave them all the corners and penalties he could after the first 30 minutes where he gave Dundalk everything. After 18 or so matches this season it was about time. The loyal Dundalk following had seen every kind of defeat possible this season as the earlier editions of this feature show so when the man with the computerised board held up the 5 minute sign we all groaned fearing the worst. But we held on and won. The Derry fans shut up. It was either that or Celtic were on the TV. The Dundalk players lined up and applauded the fans and suddenly all the other trips seemed worthwhile. Oh I wish it could be Christmas every day.
Has it been that long since my last away game ? Amazingly this may be my last visit to Tolka this season which does not seem right. A poor crowd of Shels support who were very hospitable. If I'd have found Fintan Cassidy I could have got free admission but alas no hot dog. There seemed to be quiet a large Dundalk support there . It was pretty dire stuff in the first 45 minutes brightened only by a Dundalk goal. The second half was a good oppourtunity to give Doolin and the Shels' bryllcream boys some abuse. When Geogeghan scored it got worse. With normal time about to finish Jumbo Brennan was substituted. The resident Galway supporter Julian Canny decided it was time to stand up and brand him a reject while John Sharkey scuttled onto the pitch. Little did we know this masterstroke would win us the game. But it did and when little John scored the winner we erupted with happiness. I have never seen Dundalk support so happy. We travelled home on the bus with shocked look on our faces. I write this now on Thursday and I have a permanent smile on my face. I couldn't give a damn what else happens today it's like a big weight has been taken off our shoulders. One step closer to survival. Next stop, the hip college campus of UCD on Sunday.
A wayward driver saw me end up 10 minutes late for this game. I doubt I missed much. Stood behind the goal for the second half but I was never threatened by Dundalk's shooting. I was looking for UCD fans but it was tough work. I hate this place and each season I pray UCD get relegated so at least there will be 12 real clubs in the top flight but it doesn't look likely. Clive Delaney is huge. He's the height of two John Sharkeys. In fact the UCD defence contained at least two giraffes. Boring game, less said the better
The cup always brings out extra travelling support and today was no different. Two buses from Oriel, one from Castlebellingham and others from around the town meant around 300 made the trip. We stopped at the Everglades where Dundalk supporters and players recharged the batteries and then onto the match where we lost 2-0. The Derry support were well - generous in victory. Naturally after the two hour stop in the Everglades and the defeat at the match I ended up on the rickety 81 reg bus. And just before Newry it fell apart. There we were stranded in the middle of nowhere for around three quarters of an hour waiting for a substitute. Eventually one came and we got home.
I came expecting to lose but while we did I was disappointed with the manner we lost. John Feighery the man in black came in for a bit of stick which is just. That mouthpiece Eddie Gormley was on good form. This new state protection that he's getting from referees is doing him no harm. A sizeable travelling contingent despite plenty of vocal encouragement failed to break into song despite a few stop start valiant efforts. Richmond was buzzing before the game. There really is a revolution going on there but I still think the ground is too small. Mind you it's one of the grounds where you are really close to the players so there is still a good atmosphere. Once again the programme is brilliant. £1 for a magazine twice the size, twice the quality and half the price of Kickin, Ireland's biggest and brightest soccer magazine which this month linked to some important Irish sites as FC Porto and Bayern Munich. Once again I've strayed from the main point but you get the jist. We lost, the ref was crap, Pats are great etc.
They say you're really mad when you go to a Leinster Cup game away from home so my fate is sealed. There was something Ballykissangellike about the whole town, the corner shop, the homely restaurant/pub. The pitch surrounded by mud. I found myself sinking as I stood there. Jim McLaughlin walks by us, sporting a new hat. Tommy Connolly walks by. Someone says something about St Patricks Day, the scheduled date for the final. " What's on that day " he says. " The final " someone replies. " Sure we won't be there " he says . This is before the match by the way. So here I am standing two foot deep in shite after spending the day coming to the Dublin mountains to be told that the managers find it a laughing matter that they think we're going to lose and frankly don't care if we do or not. Super. The game proceeds and the players get plenty of stick after a woeful display. David Ward gets the worst of it as he was just gently running off the Sunday dinner. Wayside get the prestige date in Dalymount against Athlone on March 17th and we get to spend the rest of the day scraping mud off our shoes and the bottoms of your trousers. Two weeks until we have another game now. I scarcely think we can play worse. Cork were held 0-0 by a Munster Senior League team away from home today and won on penalties. I wonder if any Cork fans travelled to that. I'll meet them in the asylum I'm sure.
The weekend trip to Cork is a prestige date in the year of a National League supporter. The thought of being away with National League fans like yourself for one whole weekend is just too exciting for some and this weekend it was our turn. We stayed in the Comyns Inn, a nice hotel which was under construction. I thought we'd come to stay in a building site when I first arrived but we found the main hotel. The weak headed for the bar straight away and never left it unoccupied with people slipping off in groups of four of five to change for the night ahead. It was a long night with a out of tune Dundalk group outsinging some nutter across the way from Cork whose singing made the hotel management damn glad they had double glazing. Then some more Cork fans came and how brave they were. Sure they only knew one song and had probably only been to Turners Cross for the Pats match but it was a bit of a laugh. The Dundalk crowd filtered away one by one with only the most drunk or insane staying until closing time. I must say I am part of the latter category who was removed at 4:30 from the residents bar. Six insomniacs moved onto another room where some fell asleep noisily, others made phone calls home while yours truly decided not to touch a drop, stay sober, remember everything that happened and withhold the information for blackmail purposes in the future. I found my room at 6:00 and 3 hours later woke to the news that some people had gone missing overnight. Worried room-mates wondered where they were, had they been kindnapped by the Cork fans or had they just fallen asleep in a strange room on alcohol stained pillows. I wonder. Anyhow after locating all missing fans we made our way to the match which we lost. If you've read the match report you know what happened. Paul Dunne rang our Geneva with the updates as we waited for him to pull a rabbit out of his large black and white German hat. The angry Dundalk crowd were frustrated and if we had been armed then would have been dangerous. We even got four special stewards to stop us from running onto the pitch at the end to strangle the bald git. The trip home was quiet at the start with people who had not located their hotel rooms dozing off to sleep. We stopped in Abbeyleix where we were served our meals by some sort of performing circus. Still it was a good trip even if that ref had spoiled it with his Mickey Mouse refereeing.
Nothing to say, Bray played crap lost 1-0, plenty of crossroads in Shankill if you every try to get to Bray. Bohs, Dalymount still cold and depressing, same Bohs fans there as last meeting, nearly the same result only Crawley curls in a free kick which had me eating humble pie as I was betting on which floodlight he would hit.
Gutted
And now the end is near. In fact the end is here. Dundalk's brave away fans made the final trip to a Premier Division ground this year and the players responded by losing 1-0 . OK so it wasn't their fault, they weren't good enough. But I have to say the travelling support was brilliant, we never stopped singing for the whole second half. The majority probably didn't know what they were singing and the version of " My Way " was slightly disjointed but its the thought that counts. Some of Finn Harps younger fans were so confused and jealous of our harmonious singing that they decided to pelt us with stones. Cowardly as it was it was the only sign of life from the home support which was crap for a team playing in a Cup final next Sunday. We cheered when Bohs were confirmed as the playoff team and started singing " down with the bohez etc .. " for a while. The Harps fans were confused because surely we should have been angry and cynical but we knew our fate last week so why be depressed now. My throat is sore from all the singing but I don't care. Then after the game it was time to look for the players jersies. one lucky fan got Williams jersey but the rest had to go into the dark abyss of the dressing room. It was time for reconciliation. One Dundalk fan who shall again remain nameless who had plastered David Ward with abuse when he came off the pitch at half time in the RSC actually went up and hugged the chap. Now that's double standards but he managed to pinch Melvin's shirt. Meanwhile the bus was positioned just outside the exit of the ground so as all the players came out one by one they gave a quick wave back to the mere mortals on the bus possibly for the last time Soupy saluted us and Jim slipped past the throngs. So that's it for this season, a season of speeding tickets on the way to Cork, a chippie in Thomastown, Christmas joy in Derry, Cup nightmares in Derry, a magician in Cork and stoned fans stoned in Ballybofey. Division One here we come.