Summer soccer (don't snigger) is now upon us. Tomorrow the floodlights will be switched on, dressing rooms will be swept and boots will be shined. It'd be great if a few more Dubliners got up out of that arsegroove they've made for themselves on the couch shouted at a real-live football match instead of the TV.
Domestic soccer is in a shocking state but nothing will change if the support base is not there. Some seem to forget that not only would we be unable to field a national team without a domestic league but that it's also been the starting off point for a quite a few of our current stars. Shane Long, James McClean, Kevin Doyle and Seamus Coleman all began their careers in the League of Ireland. If you go to a game tomorrow you could be watching some of Ireland's future stars.
I've heard all the arguments, the facilities are shit, the standard of football is shit... I usually hear them from people who've never set foot inside a League of Ireland stadium let alone watched a match! The facilities are adequate, they aren't fantastic, but they'll do. The standard of football is often better than you might think! Better than Ireland in the Euros in 2012 and 45,000 fans traveled 2000 kilometers to see them play!
EA Sports Cup Final 2012
The best thing about supporting your local team is a sense of belonging. The same faces every week in the same seats shouting the same things. For ninety minutes there's a camaraderie with your fellow supports that would never happen in a million years without the medium of football. Don't get me wrong there's been times, many of them, where I've cursed Drogheda United and wished I'd never fallen in love with them in the first place. Without them though I'd never have traveled to places like Helsinki, Tallinn and Malmo, I'd never have been to a Champions League match, I'd never have seen my team lift a cup in Lansdowne Road and I definitely wouldn't have all the wonderful memories I have. I've been to lots of fine stadiums, the Emirates, the Bernabeu, the Alliance Arena, but none of them delivered on the jittery excitement and homecoming feeling that walking into United Park gives me.
If you need more convincing have a look at this video produced by MNS for RTÉ at the end of last season.
So here's the low down on your local Dublin clubs. Why not go and support one tomorrow? Be a part of something.
Bohemians FCFounded: 1890Homeground: Dalymount ParkColours: Black and RedNickname: "The Gypsies"Ticket Prices -Individual: €15-Child: €5-Senior: €12-Student: €12
Saint Patrick’s AthleticFounded: 1929Homeground: Richmond ParkColours: Red and WhiteNickname: "The Saints"Ticket Prices -Individual: €15-Child: €5-Senior: €10-Student: €10
Shamrock RoversFounded: 1901Homeground: Tallaght StadiumColours: Green and WhiteNickname: "The Hoops"Ticket Prices -Individual: €15-Child: €7-Senior: €10-Student: €10
Shelbourne FC Founded: 1985Homeground: Tolka ParkColours: Red and WhiteNickname: "Shels"Ticket Prices -Individual: €15-Child: €5-Senior: €5 -Student: €10