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Shelbourne FC - Champions 2003, 2004 |
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There was a time, when all LoI fans could sit together, sing and shout their hearts out, then go down to the bar underneath Section E for some beers together. Recently though, there has been a growing number incidents between the leagues 'Big Clubs' coming here, most recently Bohs last night when 6 or 7 of the so called 'Fans' made their way up the steps of the new stand and stood behind a group of Shels fans, with an age group between 10 - 15 years old, with the Bohs 'Fans' being around 20+ years of age. These rock hard 'Fans' began to chant 'De Boez, De Boez', and then proceded to light into the bunch of kids as if they where punching bags. Thankfully the kids where dragged out of harms way and it was over nearly as fast as it started. The police got into the stand straight away also, arresting the 'Fans'. But what i have to ask is, where were the paid stewards?? Not for the first time they seemed contempt at watching the fight happen from a distance, and not do a single thing to A) Prevent the incident from happening, B) Try to get in and break the fights up. To me this in unacceptable, and i am sad to say, we need segregation NOW when the likes of Bohs, Pats, Rovers come to Tolka Park. This is the only way to keep Tolka Park a safe, family environment, as the officials and fans of the club want it to be. Making these matches all ticket will help prevent future incidents like this from happening. Bohs need to ban the 'Fans' from last nights matches for ever, because clearly they are not going to these matches for the football, but to see what kind of violence they can rustle up. If the league is to progress at any kind of rate, we need to take action now, and not wait for years, like the English and Scottish Football Associations and clubs did. I call on all Shelbourne Fans to contact Tolka Park about last night, and demand that the future games between these clubs become an all ticket event. Well, as you's have all noticed, Shelshomepage has been down for a month now. This is due to the data center being hacked by some fool. It took me a week to realize it was hacked, when i then contacted my web host who told me what happened. Then i got the domain re-instated but i was without ALL Shelshomepage files. My web host then contacted the Data Center who were basically no help at all and closed down their server and erased all my files. I then had to go trace down some old files from the site from over a year ago, hence some of the pages not as up to date as they should be. Bear in mind, that i gave Shelshomepage a FULL upgrade two days before it was hacked, i put in a new fully moderated forum, and excellent new chat room with Chan Operators, put in 5 new wallpapers for download also. Anyway, Shelshomepage is up and running fully now, updating regularly now, so thank you for coming back and enjoy all Shelshomepage has to offer in the coming years. Kobenhavn RevisitedIt has been about 7 months since Shelbourne ventured into Kobenhavn for a European Cup tie. This years tie brought myself and many other Reds fans to the Danish capital. Im going to take you through the magnificent time me and the lads had while there. It started out with me and Dex heading out on wednesday morning and arriving in Kobenhavn at about 11 o clock. The first thing we did was hunt through the city center to get a couple of quick pints into us and then we found our hotel. As FCK where playing SS Lazio in the champions league we decided to go and get tickets for that so off we headed down to the FCK ground and got tickets. We where seated in the middle of the FCK faithful for the match which saw FCK getting a surprising, but well deserved victory. After the match we headed to a pub to meet Davey and some others for a few more pints and then this is when we came up with the idea of having a pub crawl while waiting for Reilly and Mick (who took the long route to Kobenhavn) to arrive. Now the pub crawl started and finished in a pub called the Dubliner. There we met a few FCK fans and had allot of craic singing songs and stuff with them. At this point Reilly and the lads came into the pub to the sight of me and Dex dancing (very drunk) on the tables. It was at this point where the night started to get a bit blurred. The next morning (thursday) was match day and we headed off to the pub for some breakfast and some more Tuborg. Me, Dex, Mick, Breen, "Big Al", "Rambo" and Reilly headed off to a pub called the Hytten. As we walked up to the pub we could hear some irish tunes being played by the band. As we walked in there was loads of Brondby supporters there who welcomed us in and showed us an excellent time. We had the usual singing and jeering with Brondy supporters while making sure we kept ourselves well stocked with Tuborg which was only 1 kroner for a beer. The only peoples names that i can really remember from that day is Kimme, Michelle and Kenni. Anyway, when the time came for the match we headed off to meet up with the Reds fans and hung up our flags and assumed or positions for the match. Shels played very well in the match and where unlucky to loose 2-0 and have Geogo sent off!. That didnt stop us heading back to the Hytten for a few more and we eventually headed off back to the Dubliner (bringing some Brondby supporters with us). After closing time in the Dubliner we headed off in search of another pub, but who can forget on our way there when 2 shams ended up in a fountain!! We did find another pub open and we eventually got home when the sun was coming back up. Yet again on friday morning we headed off to the pub for breakfast and more beer. As it was some of the lads last day there we went to the Tivoli Gardens fun park and we went to the Dubliner again after that. After the Dublin we went to an excellent nite club called Rosie mcGees whos main attraction was a vibrating dance floor and excellent looking women. At about 5am we staggered out of there and me and Reilly (who had to leave at 7.30) headed off for more beer and left everyone else to go home. The two of us walked home in a less than sober manner to put it mildly and we said our goodbyes to the lads, leaving me and Dex who where supposed to be going home on sunday morning. Saturday again, was another day of beering in the Dubliner. Me and Dex decided again to head to Rosie McGees for a few more beers and this time we persuaded Barry (who was staying untill monday) to come along too. Our flight however was at 9 on sunday morning. We figured we had to leave the hotel at about 7.15 to get to the airport for 8 o clock so we stayed in Rosie McGees untill about 5.30 and go back to the hotel for 6 so we could get an hours sleep into us. Sunday moring was pure madness. As our alarm didnt go off we woke up at about 10.30, a hour and a half after the flight left. We ended up having to go out to the aerport and buying more tickets home. This may have been a blessing in disguise though, as we had an excellent extra day in Kobenhavn. We watched a bit of the stickball on tv in the pub as we got stick off the lads that remained there. I finish this story with fine words that a Reds man said while over there, "Even the ugly ones are gorgeous". Marvellous It only seems like yesterday that i decided to make this site, which started off as a four page project and has progressed into what you see before you. I originally uploaded this site to see what type of reaction it would receive and thought i would take it down again soon after, but the response has been so positive that i decided to develope the site as an alternative source of information over the ShelsWeb. This site has notched up over 4000 hits since its launch, a figure that i never expected in a million years. This has inspired me to continue with the site and hopefully develope even more and be a an even better source of information to Shels fans. Since i developed this site i have also been busy behind a computer developing other sites like the Shels PictureHouse which is kind of an extension to this site in its original design of being for pictures only. I have also developed sites like the Complete Ian Brown and El Rey Mono's Guide To HTML, which you will have to visit to find out about them. Knowbody knows what the future has in store for the Shelshomepage, but hopefully as Shelbourne FC becomes more successfull both on the domestic front and in their european adventures this site can develope along with it and progress for the future. Once again, i would like to thank everyone who visited the site, and i would like to thank in advance the people that will visit this site. The Webmaster The next issue of the Red Inc Is on sale at the match this coming friday. Time To Give It up????After all that has gone on over the Marney saga, St Pats where re-instated with the 9 points they where deducted after the original punishment of only a fine. The club, who broke the rules is now again, left with just a nominal fine and have full points. The thing you have to ask yourself is, why are rules there, if when broken, they are not going to be enforced. And as we all know, it took Ollie Byrne to point out to the FAI (F**K All Intelligence) that indeed, there was some rules broken. Should the governing body of our national league not have noticed the breach of the rules?? Or is that asking too much of them at this stage when we all know that the EL is not on the top of there list. I am sorry that it seems to be Shels reputation that has been dragged through the muck when it is clearly a lack of professionalism by both St Pats and the FAI that has made a mockery of our league, and the bad publicity will only give the non followers more ammunition as to why they should never visit an EL game. The FAI should look at themselves and question themselves, and maybe some officials should consider resigning and a major revamp of officials should be considered to give some credibility back to the league Is it also time for Ollie Byrne to consider giving up his fight with the FAI/Pats over this???. All this talk about quitting the league is nonsense and no Shels fans wants to hear Ollie saying that, as it is not the view of any real Shels fan that this drastic action should be taken. Ollie should now start thinking about the Shels fans and ask them about these decisions, afterall, without us there is no Shelbourne. Maybe its just time to let football do the talking, and the rest as they say, will be history. Do you have any views about this or anything else associated with Shelbourne?? If so mail me
I have recenly launched a new Shelbourne FC called the Shels PictureHouse, it is the ONLY Shels site dedicated to the club in picture format. It is well woth a look as it has pictures of Shels european games, fans, Tolka Park, Squads and players and more. As it is hard for me to get pictures for the site myself i need donations of pictures from fans, whether they are new old or even seem irrelevant to you.... i would like to have them so if you could email them to me a picturehouse@shelshomepage.net or webmaster@shelshomepage.net. I am also looking for Shels fans to send in their story of Shels, match reports, or general moans about Shels to update this page. You can do that by emailing me at the previous address or by submitting them here. 
'Well done to Dave for making the training squad for the Ireland U17 team. Guess you were right for not drinking. If you do get in please don't get f**ked out!!!!', Colm The boys from Tolka Park would like to wish long time fan Neil Curry all the best when he goes to France for 3 months on the 5th of June. We have the money and the squad so it should be a good future' Martin Up and down the length and Breadth of the country, following the Eircom league can provide you with some memorable moments, most of which don’t come on the pitch, but from the mouths of the officials and supporters of the clubs and the league. Therefore I have decided to compile a list of some of the more memorable quotes and comical scenes. However, since I’m a reds fan, I’m usually drunk and therefore have killed so many brain cells that I’ve forgotten most of them. But here goes anyway. - "My team of mine will never loose 5-0 again" . Ah. Good auld Bucko. The only thing that can be said about that little gem is, 10 -0 to the refugees!- "Congratulations to Shelbourne and all their fans in Drumcondra and Manchester". This one came after a season of hearing that we had no fans, now we have a world wide fan base. Nice one Pat. - "A Club without a ground, are like a lonely cloud floating at the behest of a capricious wind". This little beauty came in the same page of programme notes as the phrase "Effervescent Mountain Stream" and "Our visitors today are themselves no strangers to the nomadic experience", No prizes for guessing who came up with that lot. - "If you want to see good football, go up and watch Rico’s lot in Santry". That is, believe it or not, a quote from one of the biggest men in the Supporters club after criticism of the performance of the team. - I recently had the "pleasure" of a conversation with a couple of Bohs fans in a pub, who were slagging me for wearing my Reds shirt. The conversation went along these lines:Me: "And when was the last time Bohs won the league"? Bohs Fan: "1992 and we knocked Rangers out of the Champions League". What can you do, but laugh? Bohs Fans: "When was the last time Shels won a game in Europe?" My God they have short memories, or no intelligence, One or the other Bohs fans: talking to each other after we beat them 4-2 in Tolka earlier this season: "Don’t tell your Dad it wasn't’t a peno, he’ll only say it was. Anyway we might aswell let them have it. After all when was the last time they won anything?" - "Well what can I do about it". Our beloved supporters club chairman after anything is pointed out to him. - "Well Bohs are obviously a threat, but Roddy’s their manager so they’ll inevitably f*ck it up" A Certain Shelbourne official at the start of the season. - One of Dolan’s greatest preaches is on the evils of English soccer. He preaches this as often as possible, in an English accent, which he picked up while plying his trade across the Irish Sea. - One of the most humorous incidences of the season occurred in Ballyboffey when one of our club officials, who will remain nameless in case he does to me what he does to the referees, dropped a pound on to the edge of the pitch. Since he could not reach the money himself, he tried to get some youngfella to jump over the wall. The kid refused, so the official made the Harps keeper pick up the pound before he took the goal kick. Heaven forbid he should do with out his beloved pound coin. - A quote from a Real Irish football fan: I wished I got to see Celtic play in the old ground, Park Head, before they moved to Celtic Park. - We’ve just gifted the league to Shelbourne. A Marvelous quote from our big friend Mr. Dolan after Pats obviously won us the league. It had nothing to do with the fact that at that stage we had only lost one game all season - The first time I seen him play I didn’t rate him, Dermo on Stephen Grant. - Shut Up Ollie The player’s reaction to unofficial instruction from the sideline. - You’re only a legend in the national league. At least I didn’t spend my whole career with my head up George Grahams Arse - "To be honest with cha, I just bleedin’ hir i’" Shero after the cup final in ’96. - "I’m not racist, I’ve got a colour t.v." - After the recent incident of the extra man at the Bayern Munich and Man U game, a Shelbourne fan came up with the idea of doing the same thing at a Shelbourne game and seeing how long he could get away with it for. He figured he’d be caught when he showed he could actually play football!!!!!! - The linesman to Richie Baker after he made a comment while he was warming up "Hey! You’re only here to warm up, I don’t want any comments out of ya". Richie laughed. - A Shels Fan after the Ref sent off Barry Bourke in the Presidents cup game the booked Chris Bennion, for moving the ball "F*ck you ref., you should be put in a coffin.....with the f*ckin’ Queen". To end this segment, I’d like to congratulate Damien Richardson on not getting involved in the childish bickering that Dolan, Keely and Shwoddy Collins indulged in all season. Actually, come to think of it he probably did get involved but nobody could understand him. Paul ReillyI am just going to take the time now to air my views on some of the things concerning the EL recently. The first being Aertels "latests results" of the EL. This, as we all know is a very poor service because the scorelines don't come in on time. They seem to come in about a half an hour late and I find this quite irritating in many ways, (1) You think your team is winning 1-0 and then al of a sudden its 2-1 and full time (2) It is very hard to keep track of very important games throughout the league. I can tell you now that this wouldn't happen to the English Premiere matches which are updated within minutes. On the up side this has led to trial runs of "live Updates" on the internet which are updated by fans when the goals go in. Many club sites are running this and it is an excellent idea. It will unite EL fans with one common goal in keeping fans across the country informed, and it also shows aertel and other mediocre results services that the EL fans are not going to take this lackluster service anymore. I just hope that this will become a permanent fixture for clubs next season and let this new revelation be a stepping stone for EL clubs and fans alike to maybe a great future. I would also like to see some national papers running an EL Fantasy Football League, because they are quick enough to run one on the English Leagues and maybe this will raise the profile of the National League among the non believers around us. Another short point, as we all know Bernard O' Byrne has stepped down from his position at the FAI. He took voluntary redundancy after his plans for Eircom Park collapsed because he could not get funding from the government because they wanted the FAI to play at the proposed National Stadium, this is the same government that gives the GAA 10's of millions of tax payers money to fund Croke Park. All of O'Byrnes efforts to give irish football a spiritual home were in vain, and now all we can do is hope that the FAI does something sensible for irish football and hires somebody that actually knows about football this time. After throwing the League away in Dundalk at the end of the 1997/98 season, all Reds were devastated. However the draw for the UEFA Cup at the start of the following season meant that everyone involved with the club had a chance to put that disaster behind them. The Reds were drawn against Rangers. One of the biggest clubs in Britain would be coming to Tolka Park to play Shels in a European tie, and for once the Dublin footballing public would be cheering on the Irish side instead of the British side .However events started to go drastically wrong. Fears of trouble were played up in the media surrounding both the political situation in the North because of Drumcree, and memories of Rangers last visit to Dublin in 1983 against Bohs which was marred by crowd trouble. Shelbourne Football Club then issued a statement saying the home tie was to be switched to England to avoid any disorder at Tolka Park, and to maintain the good name of our club. The Shelbourne Supporters Club chairman was then interviewed on television, on the same day the annoucement was made, proclaiming that "all Shelbourne supporters agreed" with the decision to switch our home tie to a foreign country.The match went ahead at Prenton Park, home of Tranmere Rovers F.C., and was beamed live around Europe by Eurosport. Despite storming into a 3-0 lead, Shels were to lose 3-5. Travelling back to Ireland after the match, a group of Reds deceided that a new independent Shelbourne supporters group was needed after what had been said by the chairman of the S.S.C. Reds Independent was born. Over the following weeks open meetings were held in the Trinity Inn on Pearse Street. After a few months it was decided to discontinue the meetings, and that a fanzine would be produced. The first issue of "Red Inc." (Jan 1999) was sold outside Tolka Park before a league match with Cork City. All 240 copies of the fanzine were sold-out. "Red Inc." has continued since then going from strength to to strength. Available roughly every couple of months, it has proven very popular with Shels supporters, and at 50p why not? Roughly two dozen Reds to date have taken the opportunity toput their views to paper on subjects ranging from team performances to players' commitment, and eircom Park to the Atlantic League. Tales regaling trips to Europe, mad drinking sessions, and everyone's favourite Hoopies 'Slasher and Stabser' have also added a light-hearted touch to a serious fanzine. It is hoped that "Red Inc." is delivering an independent voice to Shelbourne supporters and raising questions about issues that some supporters' representives would gladly sweep under the carpet. Reds Independent,March 2001. If you want to submit articles for "Red Inc.", or if you want any back issues, or simply have a query regarding our fanzine please mail us at: redsindependent. So the FAI have stopped in their pursuit of making Eircom Park a reality, a good thing some might say because the FAI stand to gain about £125m from agreeing to play in the national stadium. This a first glance seems like a great deal for the fans of the Nl because every club stands to gain from it. But you have to ask yourself how much money will NL clubs actually see, ask yourself how much the FAI has done in the past to help the cash strapped NL clubs. The answer....not much, dont get me wrong i am not against the principal idea of the FAI getting £125m and spreading it amongst the NL but what is more than likely going to happen is they will give themselves a nice bonus for their efforts, then a big pay rise, then a holiday for their efforts. I think that it is wonderful that the FAI finally has money but there will probably be more money spent on the national team than ever now that they have a bigger budget and the NL will still probably be low on the list of "things to do" for the FAI. I do hope i am wrong in my prusumptions so i wait here eager for the FAI to prove me wrong.... |
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