Linfield Exile

Glentoran 1 Linfield 2

2011-04-19T13:20:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday , Saturday 9th April 2011, The Oval

Scorers: Munster, Carvill
Attendance:

Match highlights (BBC)

Linfield play rotten for most of the match, Glens do a Linfield and sit back, Blues score 2 goals in the last 5 minutes to win. That must have really sickened Idiot Mittens, the Crues et al. Lucky Linfield. Haha.

Table:

1 Linfield 34 73
2 Crusaders 35 70

Glentoran 0 Linfield 2

2011-04-11T16:27:00.001+01:00

Irish Cup semi, Saturday 9th April 2011, Windsor Park
Scorers: Tomelty, Thompson
Attendance:

Match highlights (BBC)

Two crackers. Another Irish Cup final.

Crusaders 0 Linfield 1

2011-04-02T16:24:00.001+01:00

IPL Matchday something, Friday 1st April, Seaview
Scorer: Garrett
Attendance:

Match highlights (UTV)

First time for segregation, and seemed to galvanise the Blues support. International d*ckhead up to his usual cornerboy antics after the game, watch the video. No chance of him ever playing for the Blues now. Good.

Table:

1 Linfield 33 70
2 Crusaders 34 67
3 Glentoran 33 62

Portadown 0 Linfield 4

2011-03-23T11:27:00.004+01:00

IPL Matchday catch-up, Tuesday 22nd March 2011, Shamrock Park

Scorers: Gault 21, Murphy 35, McAllister 45, 86
Attendance:

Match highlights (BBC)

Now that's a bit more Protestant.

Table:

1 Linfield 32 67
2 Crusaders 32 64
3 Glentoran 32 59

Linfield 2 Distillery 0

2011-03-22T19:04:00.002+01:00

IPL Matchday 32, Sat 19th March 2011, Windsor

Scorers: Murphy, Thompson
Attendance:

Match highlights (BBC)

Table:

1 Linfield 31 64
2 Crusaders 32 64
3 Glentoran 32 59

Linfield 0 Coleraine 1

2011-03-18T11:46:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday 31, Saturday 12th March 2011, Windsor

Attendance:

Match highlights (BBC)

So DJ conspires to destroy a 12-point lead in just over a month. My time with DJ's Linfield ended once and for all when he brought back in O'Kane, Murphy (a fine example to others for his behaviour on NYE when he disobeyed instructions, got blocked and rolled into training still hammered, then was dropped for a game, then made captain, a fitting reward I'm sure you'll agree) and Douglas, 3 players who should have never played together again at the back after the clusterfuck IC semi vs the Reds in April 09. We ended up on Sat with 5 players who in all likelihood will not be at the club next season - throw in Tomelty and Munster - and this says it all about how clueless and directionless Fearless Leader is. Long-term strategy indeed.

Table:

1 Linfield 30 61
2 Crusaders 31 61
3 Glentoran 31 56

Dungannon 0 Linfield 2

2011-03-11T16:56:00.003+01:00

Irish Cup Quarter Final, Saturday 5th March 2011, Stangmore Park
Scorers: Thompson 2
Attendance:

Match highlights (BBC)

Glens or Coleraine in semis.

Dundalk 1 Linfield 1

2011-03-01T10:22:00.002+01:00

Setanta Sports Cup, 28th February 2011, Oriel Park

Scorer: Gault
Attendance:

Match highlights - unlikely, unless Dundalk FC website filmed it

Linfield bow out of another Santa with a whimper. Murphy and O'Kane at the back, inspired.

Glenavon 2 Linfield 2

2011-02-26T22:19:00.000+01:00

IPL Matchday 29, 26th February 2011, Mourneview Park

Scorers: Turkington OG, McAllister
Attendance:

Match highlights (BBC)

Jeffrey with another tactical masterpiece, us 2 up and cruising, he takes our 2 strikers off, plays 4-5-1 with a disinterested Munster up front, we screw it up. Genius.

Table:
1 Linfield 29 61
2 Crusaders 29 55
3 Cliftonville 30 51

Linfield 3 Dunmurry Rec 0

2011-02-25T17:34:00.002+01:00

Irish Cup replay, Monday 21st Feb 2011, Windsor

Scorers: check the OS
Attendance: probably about 34, I've lost the will to live

Match highlights (BBC)

Linfield 1 Newry 1

2011-02-25T17:28:00.003+01:00

Saturday 19th Feb, Windsor

Scorer: who cares anymore
Attendance: see above

Match highlights (BBC)

Table (after Glens 2-1 defeat to Crues on Mon 21st):

1 Linfield 28 60
2 Crusaders 28 52
3 Cliftonville 29 50
4 Glentoran 28 49

Linfield 3 Dundalk 5

2011-02-15T11:55:00.004+01:00

Setanta Cup 2011 Round 1, 14th February 2011, Windsor Park.

Scorers: Thompson, Garrett, Allen
Attendance: 1200

Match highlights - not yet online

An embarrassment which shows up how bad our league is, when we can walk it while being so crap, so slow, so ponderous, so naive, so inferior. Our tactics don't cut it in this tournament anymore.

Linfield vs Dundalk: Ways to follow for exiles

2011-02-14T13:02:00.001+01:00

Radio commentary (Dundalk FM)

Live updates (Roy on the OS)

Linfield 1 Dunmurry Rec 1

2011-02-14T12:58:00.002+01:00

Irish Cup 7th Round, Saturday 11th February 2011, Windsor Park

Scorer: Allen
Attendance:

Match highlights (BBC)

I was back in NI, but for various reasons, didn't bother going. Apparently Dunmurry put 10 men behind the ball, scored with their only chance, but we weren't good enough to break them down, so fair play to them. Bad result, DJ, in typically inspired move, brought on Bru McCaul for an injured player, only to substitute him half an hour later, superb man-management, he really knows how to build a young player's confidence. Remember this kid played for us last season (not sure about this) for nothing. Bravo.

Attendances to date (as of 4/2/11)

2011-02-07T11:45:00.002+01:00

Ballymena 1888
Lisburn Distillery 1554
Coleraine 2032
Cliftonville 2475
Portadown 2429
Newry 1468
Crusaders 2088
Donegal Celtic 1349
Dungannon Swifts 1488
Crusaders 1553
Glentoran 5177
Glenavon 1410
Ballymena 2104

Which makes a 2010/11 average (so far) of 2093.
- It would be more, only for the amount of midweek and Friday games we have played
- Glens total down by ca. 2k due to weather postponement
- Still poor figures

Dungannon Swifts 0 Linfield 4

2011-02-07T11:42:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday 27, Saturday 5th February 2011, Stangmore Park

Scorers: Hanley (on debut), Mulgrew, Gault, Allen
Attendance: 890

Match highlights (BBC)

More like it Blues, at a difficult ground.

Table:

1 Linfield 27 59
2 Crusaders 27 49
3 Glentoran 25 45

Some Great Online Articles

2011-02-04T15:29:00.003+01:00

South Stand Says coming up with the goods:

Contract Night 2011

Dundalk Away Travel Arrangements - Stepford Fans Only Please

The Andy Conn Re-election Propaganda Machine Live Ticker 2011

Linfield dismiss Verona’s £10k offer for Munster

2011-02-01T13:12:00.002+01:00

Linfield dismiss Verona’s £10k offer for Munster

Linfield have rejected a ‘ridiculous’ deadline day offer from an Italian club for striker Paul Munster.

Hellas Verona, who play in Italy’s third tier, are understood to have tabled a surprise £10,000 bid for goal-getter Munster, but he won’t be going anywhere until the end of the season.

The offer was swiftly turned down by the Windsor Park club — even though they already know that the player will leave in the summer for nothing.

Verona play in the third tier of Italian football and with the transfer window closing last night they and Munster will now have to wait for another six months before they are able to clinch a deal — although he could sign a pre-contract in the meantime.

“We were approached completely out of the blue by an agent who said Paul was wanted by an Italian club,” revealed Jeffrey.

“They put an offer in to us that wasn’t just derisory, it was pathetically ridiculous.

“We don’t want to stand in the way of any player, but we have got to think of the club first.

“Paul has made it known that he sees his future away from Linfield and as his long-term girlfriend lives in Sweden I can understand that, but he is 18 months into a two-year contract.”

Jeffrey has faced deadline day sniping for his players in the past, mainly when Queens Park Rangers were trying to sign Peter Thompson five years ago.

“For some bizzare reason this happens to us all the time at the end of transfer windows,” said Jeffrey.

Munster has been something of a globetrotter throughout his career. He previously played his football in Canada, Sweden and the Czech Republic before signing for Linfield in August 2008.

Almost half of Munster’s 102 appearances for Linfield have come as a substitute, but he has still managed to score 33 goals for the Blues.

What a mad story. This rejection is:

Good: - If one of our strikers gets hurt, we'll need him as back-up.
- He scores goals in big games
- Winning the league is worth a lot more to us than 10k

Bad: - He's away at the end of the season anyway
- He's hardly getting a look-in
- We've denied the lad a big chance

Hanley signs for Linfield

2011-01-31T12:44:00.002+01:00

Nathan Hanley moves to Linfield from Ballymena United (BBC)

Linfield have signed midfielder Nathan Hanley from Ballymena United in a two-and-a-half year deal.

The 20-year-old was placed on the transfer list by United after being the subject of inquiries from Linfield and Big Two rivals Glentoran.

Hanley signed a two-and-a-half year contract on the same day as Linfield host Ballymena at Windsor Park.

He started his career as a Linfield apprentice before moving to England with Hull City.

Bit of a mystery this one. He can play left mid, but his preferred position is centre mid. Can't be right. Jeffrey would never buy a centre mid and play him out wide. Erm...

Oh, and the latest is that we intend to play him at left-back. And that Tomelty doesn't want to leave now. Our squad is far too big.

Linfield 0 Ballymena 0

2011-01-31T12:36:00.002+01:00

IPL Matchday 26, Saturday 29th January 2011, Windsor

Attendance: 2104

Match 'highlights'(BBC)

More turgid pish as the Blues stagger to their 50th title. Glens win at Whites to close gap.

Table:

1 Linfield 26 56
2 Crusaders 26 46
3 Glentoran 24 44

Linfield 1 Glenavon 0

2011-01-26T10:07:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday 25, Tuesday 25th January 2010, Windsor Park
Scorer: Michael Gault
Attendance: 1410

Match highlights (UTV)

Notes:
- Blues play poorly and win, sign of champions
- Blues go 12 clear (Crues won)
- Gault on fire at the moment
- Terrible crowd by all accounts

Table:

1 Linfield 25 55
2 Crusaders 25 43
3 Glentoran 23 41

Cliftonville 2 Linfield 4

2011-01-24T15:08:00.005+01:00

IPL Matchday 24, Saturday 22nd January 2011, Solitude

Scorers: Lowry, Thompson 2, Kane
Attendance: 1737 (575 Bluemen)

Match highlights (BBC)

Match report and photos (Analogue Boy, ie ABIADW)

A great win, long overdue up there, about time we won on a 3G pitch and which puts us 11 clear, what with the Glens match being postponed. Although judging by this picture, maybe ours should have been abandoned too.

Table:

1 Linfield 24 52
2 Glentoran 23 41
3 Cliftonville 24 40

Linfield 2 Glentoran 1

2011-01-19T15:08:00.004+01:00

IPL Matchday 23 (not really, rearranged from 27/12), Tuesday 18th January, Windsor Park

Scorers: Thompson, McAllister
Attendance: 5177

Match highlights (UTV)

Notes:
- Blues go 8 clear despite poor performance
- Jeffrey with usual bizarro starting 11 (Winkie? Curran?), subs (Garrett off?) and negative holding-on tactics
- Thompo's 1st league goal vs Glens at Windsor, Mac's 1st goal vs Glens
- Match braodcast live on BBc internet, Chris Morgan a good knowledgeable summariser

Table:

1 Linfield 23 49
2 Glentoran 23 41
3 Cliftonville 23 40
4 Crusaders 24 40

Tomelty Transfer Request Granted; Transfer rumours

2011-01-16T13:36:00.003+01:00

DJ - Jamie Tomelty transfer request granted

Tbh I've seen very little of him, though I'm reliably informed he is infuriatingly inconsistent; is played out of position at LM; and apparently doesn't see eye-to-eye with DJ. It seems being dropped for an Irish Cup match against junior opposition is the final straw. Another 10k wasted; he will surely be remembered for this screamer against the Glens at the Oval.

In other news, Blues linked with Sean Ward of the Glens and Donnelly of Crusaders. We don't need the former, he wouldn't come anyway, and I'm not convinced by the latter.

Linfield 5 Institute 1

2011-01-16T13:31:00.003+01:00

Irish Cup 5th Round, Saturday 15th January 2011, Windsor Park

Scorers: Lowry 4, Kane
Attendance:

Match highlights (bbc)

Next round: away to either Kilmore Rec or Dunmurry Rec.

NB Winkie was captain and was brought off near the end, the manner of which (big hug from DJ etc) suggesting to many fans that it was his farewell.

Jeffrey agrees new Blues deal

2011-01-12T13:13:00.002+01:00

Jeffrey agrees new Blues deal

MANAGER David Jeffrey has agreed an extended contract with Linfield.
Now in his 14th year at the club, Jeffrey signed a new one year 'rolling contract' which will keep him at Windsor Park until the summer of 2012.

The arrangement will kick-in with immediate affect – replacing his current deal.

"I'm thrilled to have the contract issued settled – and delighted with the terms and conditions," said Jeffrey.

"I appreciate they way the team committee – Paul Weir, Jim Kerr, Jack
Grundie, Richard Johnston and Billy Kennedy, conducted the business.

"It means I can now concentrate on on-field matters. I've been at the club for 14 years and have enjoyed every minute of it.

"Although I've been blessed with great success, you can never afford to
rest on your laurels.

"I've have good people around me – the players; backroom staff; the board and, of course, the supporters.

"I'm as hungry as ever. My focus now is on the Irish Cup tie against Institute on Saturday."

A massive favourite with the fans, Jeffrey has won the league title on seven occasions – and also hoisted the Irish Cup five times.

Linfeld, of course, are the only Irish League club to have won the Setanta Cup – their success back in 2005 is one of Jeffrey's many memorable achievements.

"We are delighted the talks, that have been on-going, have proved productive," said a Linfeld source.

"David is not only the manger but probably the club's top supporter – a
dyed in wool Blueman. He was happy with the new arrangement and a new
one year rolling deal."

Jeffrey has led the club to four domestic league and cup doubles over the past five seasons – and has bagged 22 trophies overall in his 14 years at Windsor Park.

The Blues are currently fve points clear in the Carling Premier League title race. The Gibson Cup is again the priority as the club celebrates its 125 anniversary this season.

Good:

- It gives the club continuity
- he can't blackmail the club in an underhand fashion as he did in 2008, if the club ever brings itself to sack him, the most they need to pay is 1 year of a contract

Bad:

- we may still be top of the league, but our form is stinking, and it looks like a reward for mediocrity and being ever-so-slightly better than the rank bad Glens in 2nd
- Linfield FC clearly have 1 rule for the manager and 1 rule for the players. Why can't we treat our players' contracts in the same fashion?

Addis off on loan to Whites

2011-01-10T12:48:00.003+01:00

Linfield keeper Stuart Addis joins Distillery on loan

Lisburn Distillery have signed goalkeeper Stuart Addis on loan from Linfield until the end of the season.

No great loss were it not for the fact that it leaves us dangerously short of cover in the event of Blayney getting injured. AFAIK, we only have 18 year-old rookie keepers in reserve now. Either DJ is getting another loan keeper in, or this is a poor move. It's not as if Addis is going to get on ahead of Matthews at Distillery when fit anyway.

William Murphy - On the way out?

2011-01-05T16:49:00.002+01:00

William Murphy fined and put on Linfield transfer list

Linfield defender William Murphy has been fined and put on the transfer list for what the club described as a breach of discipline at the weekend.

In a statement on Wednesday, Linfield said Murphy's suspension from the club had been lifted and he would resume training on Thursday.

Details of the breach were not revealed and the club said the case was closed.

Long-serving Murphy said he accepted the disciplinary action and regretted his "unacceptable behaviour."

"I wish to apologise unreservedly and most sincerely to the manager, players, staff, board and supporters," said Murphy on the club's website.

"At present my only aim is to attempt to repay the loyalty, support, kindness and goodwill that has been given to me since I arrived at Linfield from Ards in September 1997.

"I was totally in the wrong and I fully regret my actions."

It is believed that the club are considering placing the 36-year-old on the transfer list.

"William has been a great servant of the club but unfortunately there was a breach of discipline," said Jeffrey.

More on this:

Newsletter

Bel Tel

Disappointing, but 3 points to be made:

- He should have been shown the door at the end of last season. His recent performances have been shocking, by all accounts. He's well past his best
- A certain other player was with him on NYE, but called in sick next day. Time to show the door to him as well.
- A certain manager missed a flight to an away fixture on one occasion due to excess alcohol consumption. Did he fine himself or resign? No chance.

Linfield 3 Crusaders 1

2011-01-05T16:46:00.003+01:00

Matchday 22, Tuesday 4th January 2011, Windsor Park

Scorers: McAllister, Thompson 2
Attendance: 1533

Match highlights (UTV)

Notes:
- Blues and Crues fans were segregated in the Kop, which apparently made for a much better atmosphere and demands for more of the same.
- Glens lose 3-1 at Coleraine, putting us back 5 clear

Table:

1 Linfield 22 46
2 Glentoran 22 41
3 Cliftonville 22 39

JP Gallagher leaves Linfield for Dungannon Swifts

2011-01-04T11:59:00.000+01:00

JP Gallagher leaves Linfield for Dungannon Swifts

Defender JP Gallagher has rejoined former club Dungannon Swifts after parting company with Linfield.

Then 28-year-old joined the Blues two years ago but has left the club after being informed that he required further surgery on a troublesome knee problem.

Gallagher will be available to play in Tuesday night's basement battle against Donegal Celtic but Craig McClean and Ryan Mullan remain suspended.

Timmy Adamson, Ryan McIlmoyle and Adam McMinn are all ruled out with injuries.

Linfield boss David Jeffrey said the decision to release Gallagher had been made after "long and painstaking consultations and advice from the medical professionals".

"Given the nature of the injury JP sustained, it is just not possible for him to continue to meet the demands of playing, sometimes twice a week and training usually three times a week for Linfield.

"We have tried giving him periods of rest and just using him for matches only, but it has just proven too demanding for him."

Gallagher explained how he came to the difficult decision to leave Windsor Park.

"Nobody at Linfield came to me and put me under any pressure to leave.

"I spoke to Terry Hayes (Linfield physio) and I had the option of undergoing more surgery - the surgeon wasn't 100% sure it would help but he would have been willing to give it a go if I had wanted.

"I just wouldn't feel right if Linfield were paying for an operation on the off chance that it might be successful and I might be able to train properly and play again.

"Not only would the club be paying wages but they would have been out the expense of an operation - with no guarantee of any return on that outlay.

"I therefore made the approach to Linfield and basically said that I didn't feel I was worth the wages or the expense of another uncertain operation.

"At Linfield it is essential to train on a Thursday night to prove fitness for Saturday games but I was basically never going to be able to train on a Thursday and then be able to play on a Saturday.

"The club has given me all the time, help and support that they possibly could have done," said Gallagher.

Best of luck. Have to say, a waste of money.

Donegal Celtic 2 Linfield 0

2010-12-31T23:49:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday 21, Celtic Park, 31/12/10

Attendance: 647

Match highlights (BBC)

An absolute disgrace. They ARE a pub team. A disgrace to the shirt. Jeffrey was correct to order early 1st January training. Time Linfield grew a set of balls and showed they want to win this league, instead of getting outfought by inferior teams who battle harder than us, see Crues away, Glens reserves CAS final, Reds away, and now this abomination.

Table: (It's as you were, as Glentoran lost to Portadown at home 1-0 on New Year's Day, again failing to capitalise on Linfield's defeat. What a poor league.)

1 Linfield 21 43
2 Glentoran 21 41

Windsor Winter Wonderland

2010-12-20T17:02:00.002+01:00

Windsor as you've rarely seen it. Great photos, taken by Thompo.

Cliftonville 3 Linfield 1

2010-12-10T23:40:00.001+01:00

IPL Matchday 20, Friday 10th December 2010, Solitude

Scorer: A. Burns
Attendance: 1466 (463 Bluemen)

Match highlights (UTV)

Another big game away from home, another case of Linfield bottling it. Not good enough, time for our players to grow a set. Big three games coming up.

Glens scrape a 1-0 at DC to cut the lead to 2 points.

Table:

1 Linfield 20 43
2 Glentoran 20 41

Linfield 1 Glentoran 3

2010-12-02T11:34:00.002+01:00

County Antrim Shield Final, Tuesday 30th November, Windsor Park

Scorer: BJ Burns
Attendance:

And once again we let the Glens off the hook when they're down. Our 3rd successive final loss in this competition. Not good enough.

Match highlights (BBC)

Distillery 0 Linfield 4

2010-11-28T17:30:00.004+01:00

IPL Matchday 19, Saturday 27th November 2010, Ballyskeagh

Scorers: Thompson 2, Lowry, Garrett
Attendance: 840

Match highlights (BBC)

Match reports and photos (Analogue Boy)

Table:

1 Linfield 19 43
2 Glentoran 19 38

Linfield 1 Dungannon Swifts 0

2010-11-22T20:46:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday , 20/11/10, Windsor Park
Scorer: Thompson
Attendance: 1488

Match highlights and report (BBC)

Match report and photos (Analogue Boy)

Table (Burrows with injury time winner for Glens, so it's as you were):

1 Linfield 18 40
2 Glentoran 18 35

Crusaders 2 Linfield 1

2010-11-14T20:45:00.005+01:00

IPL Matchday 17, Saturday 13th November 2010, Seaview.

Scorer: Garrett
Attendance: 1407

Match highlights (UTV)

Match report and photos (Analogue Boy)

I was at this one. And...we got what we deserved from the game. Referee was a joke, three of theirs should have walked before half time, Garrett might have second half, I have no idea what that drop ball was about, but the Crues still deserved to win.

WE played right into Captain C*nto's hands all day, I can't remember our players running at him once, Thompson won his first header against him in injury time.

2nd half was a good game of football, apart from our team's inability to pass a ball. Our midfield went missing, Gault was playing centre forward for the last 20 minutes ffs. Every one of our substitutions made the team worse. Curran was woeful, he's just far too slow and ponderous. Carvill did nothing, ditto Munster. We lost all shape, everyone just piled forward for the pointless long ball, Garrett was forced to drop really deep but had no outlet, it was just a bad day at the office.

The Grove Tavern and Crues social club were empty too. Quite a few boys without tickets, but they were selling them at the gate, what is the point of these ridiculous H&S restrictions?

I'm a scud. We're lucky the Glens are playing so crap at the minute (2-0 loss at home to the Swifts) and that the rest of the league is so so poor.

Table:

1 Linfield 17 37
2 Glentoran 17 32
3 Crusaders 17 32

Linfield 6 Donegal Celtic 2

2010-11-10T10:42:00.005+01:00

IPL Matchday 16, 9th November 2010, Windsor Park

Scorers: Thompson 2, Allen 2, Garrett, McAllister
Attendance: 1349

Match highlights (UTV)

Match reports and photos (Analogue Boy)

N.B. Apparently we were terrible against a pub team. No minute's silence prior to the game has caused some discontent. It's as you were as the Glens won 2-1 at Coleraine.

Table:

1 Linfield 16 37
2 Glentoran 16 32

Portadown 1 Linfield 2

2010-11-07T14:56:00.005+01:00

IPL Matchday 15, Friday 5th November 2010, Shamrock Park

Scorers: Garrett, Thompson
Attendance: 1574

Match highlights

Match report and photos (Analogue Boy)

Table:

1 Linfield 15 34
2 Glentoran 15 29

Ballymena United 3 Linfield 3

2010-10-31T15:37:00.000+01:00

IL Matchday 14, Saturday 30th October 2010, Ballymena Showgrounds

Scorers: McAllister, Nelson OG, Thompson
Sent off: Mulgrew
Attendance: approx 2500

Match highlights

Table:

1 Linfield 14 31
2 Glentoran 14 26
3 Crusaders 14 26

Linfield 11 Kilmore Rec 0

2010-10-28T11:30:00.002+01:00

CAS Semi-final, 27/10/10, The Oval

Scorers: Armstrong 2,Garrett 2, McAllister, Thompson 3 Casement, Allen, Lowry
Attendance:

Match highlights

Match report

Newry 1 Linfield 1 (Newry win 4-3 on pens)

2010-10-24T13:03:00.002+01:00

CIS Cup, Saturday 23rd October 2010, Newry Showgrounds

Scorer: Gault
Attendance:
Missed pens: Tomelty, Mulgrew, Ervin

Match highlights

Match report.

Linfield 8 Crusaders 1

2010-10-18T10:33:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday 4 (outstanding fixture), 18/10/10, Windsor Park

Scorers: McAllister 2, Allen 2, Ervin, Thompson, A. Burns, Mulgrew
Attendance: 2088

Match highlights

Table:

1 Linfield 13 30
2 Glentoran 13 26

Linfield 4 Newry City 0

2010-10-15T21:42:00.002+01:00

IPL Matchday 13, 15/10/10, Windsor Park

Scorers: Thompson 2, Casement, A. Burns
Attendance: 1468

Match highlights

Blues move top. At least for about 20 hours.

Table:

1 Linfield 12 27
2 Glentoran 12 26

Coleraine 0 Linfield 2

2010-10-09T21:27:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday 12, 9/10/10, Showgrounds

Scorers: McAllister, Thompson
Attendance: 1984 (1014 CFC, 970 Blues)

Match highlights

Table:

1 Glentoran 12 26
2 Linfield 11 24

Donegal Celtic 1 Linfield 3

2010-10-06T13:24:00.002+01:00

IPL Matchday 11, Tuesday 5th October 2010, DC Park

Scorers: Thompson 2, Garrett
Attendance: 720

Match highlights

Table:

1 Glentoran 11 3 1 1 6 2 4 1 1 13 3 14 23
2 Linfield 10 3 2 0 6 0 3 1 1 7 4 9 21
3 Crusaders 10 3 1 2 11 11 3 1 0 9 2 7 20

Linfield 4 Portadown 0

2010-10-03T18:37:00.007+01:00

IPL Matchday 10, 2/10/10, Windsor Park

Scorers: Allen 2, Thompson 2
Attendance: 2429

Match highlights here.

Table:

1 Glentoran 10 2 1 1 5 2 4 1 1 13 3 13 20
2 Crusaders 9 3 1 2 11 11 3 0 0 8 1 7 19
3 Linfield 9 3 2 0 6 0 2 1 1 4 3 7 18

Notes: Today featured the first sighting of green seats at Windsor in living memory, as the temporary seating in front of the South Stand was erected in time for the NI-Italy match next Friday.

Glentoran 0 Linfield 0

2010-09-28T23:34:00.006+01:00

IPL, Matchday 9, 27/9/10, The Oval (game shown Live on Sky Sports 1)

Attendance: 3425

Match Highlights

Table:

1 Glentoran 9 2 1 1 5 2 4 1 0 13 2 14 20
2 Crusaders 8 2 1 2 10 11 3 0 0 8 1 6 16
3 Linfield 8 2 2 0 2 0 2 1 1 4 3 3 15

*NB Linfield did not concede a league goal in September. But they also have the lowest goals scored in the entire league at this stage. Yet are 3rd. You can imagine how exciting watching Linfield is at the moment.

Glenavon 0 Linfield 1

2010-09-22T22:07:00.006+01:00

Matchday 8, 21/9/10, Mourneview Park

Scorer: McAllister
Attendance: 2200

No cameras present, match report here

Note: DJ finally played Armstrong and Casement at CB and apparently both played well. He also played 4-3-3. Same again on Monday please.

Table

1 Glentoran 8 19
2 Linfield 7 14
3 Ballymena 8 14

Linfield 4 Killymoon Rangers 0

2010-09-19T17:53:00.003+01:00

CIS QF, 18/09/2010, Windsor Park
Scorers: Thompson 2, OG, Lowry

Match report (no cameras there apparently)

Notes:

1. Attendance was 820 - possibly Linfield's lowest ever on a Saturday?
2. South Stand was closed for this game while renovation/remedial work took place - all fans housed in the Kop Stand.

Linfield 0 Cliftonville 0

2010-09-15T20:55:00.005+01:00

IPL Matchday 7, 11/9/10

Attendance: 2474

Blues 0 Reds 0

Table

1 Glentoran 7 19
2 Distillery 7 13
3 Crusaders 6 12
4 Glenavon 7 12
5 Cliftonville 6 11
6 Linfield 6 11

Linfield 2 Cliftonville 0

2010-09-07T20:51:00.001+01:00

CAS Quarter Final, Windsor, 7th September 2010

Scorers: Allen 2
Attendance: ca. 800

Match Highlights

Newry 1 Linfield 2

2010-08-31T21:20:00.006+01:00

IPL Matchday 5, 31/8/10
Scorers: Graham OG, Allen
Attendance: 877 unofficial/760 official (ca 500 Linfield fans)

Newry 1 Linfield 2

Table 31/8/10

P Pts
1. Glentoran 5 13
2. Glenavon 5 12
3. Linfield 5 10

Linfield 1 Coleraine 0

2010-08-27T21:19:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday 4, 27/8/10
Scorer: Munster
Attendance: 2032

Linfield 1 Coleraine 0

Linfield 1 Lisburn Distillery 0

2010-08-21T21:17:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday 3, 21/8/10
Scorer: Carvill
Attendance: 1554

Linfield 1 Lisburn Distillery 0

Dungannon Swifts 2 Linfield 1

2010-08-14T21:11:00.003+01:00

IPL Matchday 2, 14/8/10
Scorer: Munster
Attendance: 740

Dungannon Swifts 2 Linfield 1

Linfield 0 Ballymena 0

2010-08-07T21:09:00.003+01:00

IPL, Matchday 1 7/8/10

Attendance: 1888

Linfield 0 Ballymena 0

Now We're Relying on the Ethnic Cleansers...

2009-04-25T21:35:00.003+01:00

25.04.09 IPL Linfield 2 Distllery 0

Glens won 2-1 at Coleraine though, which brings it down to the last game. Glentoran not winning at home to a team that will be weakened and taking it easy for the Cup Final the week after? Only ourselves to blame...

1 Glentoran 37 78
2 Linfield 37 77

FLAT

2009-04-19T09:11:00.003+01:00

18.04.09 Linfield 2 Cliftonville 2

The clip doesn't even show Carvill hitting the post and Curran blazing over from 6 yards in injury time. But we didn't deserve to win, it was all so flat, from fans and players, meaning we fail to capitalise on the Glens drawing 3-3 at home to the Whites. That was our last chance, I fear.

1 Glentoran 36 75
2 Linfield 36 74

Updates

2009-04-15T13:21:00.004+01:00

10.04.09 IPL Glentoran 1-1 Linfield

Watched this on Sky, Blues controlled the game, led through Munster, were a bit wasteful in attack, then Jeffrey, tactical genius that he isn't, takes off both our target men, sits back and invites the on-the-rack Glens to come at us. Leading to the inevitable late equaliser and the Gibson Cup destiny back in the Glens' hands. Raging.

14.04.09 IPL Coleraine 1-2 Linfield

We arrived 40 minutes late due the VERY late departure of the Raven fun bus :( Blues played well and controlled things, but again sat off near the end. Glens got a vital win at Seaview, looking good for them. Great day out, always good crack with the Raven boys. Standings:

1 Glentoran 35 74
2 Linfield 35 73

Irish Cup Semi 4/4/09

2009-04-05T13:25:00.001+01:00

Linfield 0 Cliftonville 0

Yawn.

Updates

2009-03-30T22:54:00.003+01:00

So we're a point behind at the split, with 5 games to go. I'm happy we're second, lovely Coleraine away on Easter Tuesday and Reds at home the following Saturday while I'm home, sweet. Oh, and the IFA dropped their ridiculous Big One Boxing Day ban, but left the £1000 fine for each club. Still a joke, but a smaller one.

21/03/09 Ballymena 0 Linfield 3

16/03/09 Linfield 1 Glentoran 0 - the Munster 93rd minute late show - the first time in my living memory we've sickened them in such a way. Title race on.

07/03/09 Linfield 3 Distillery 0 IC quarter-final

04/03/09 Glentoran 2 Linfield 0 Poor selections and a poor 2nd half condemn us to defeat

27/02/09 Linfield 0 Coleraine 1

IFA- Incompetent Foolish Amateurs

2009-02-17T11:09:00.012+01:00

On Boxing Day last, Linfield were leading Glentoran 3-0, when a group of Glentoran fans broke into no man's land between the two sets of fans, taunted Bluemen in the Kop opposite, and proceeded to launch fireworks, break seats and throw them at Linfield fans. One fan got onto the pitch and ran towards the Linfield end before he was wrestled to the ground by security. The stewards were powerless to prevent this attack, and it took the arrival of riot police, a full 7 minutes later, to send the brave schooligans running like billy-o back to safety. For anyone in doubt of the perpetrators, see for yourself:

Glentoran Scum, Boxing Day 2008

It turned out after the event that the action had apparently been pre-planned on networking sites such as Bebo, and that some participants were well-known, and even regulars on Irish League Supporters Forum. To date, no individual action has been taken by the authorities against those responsible.

Amazingly, despite the ashamed reaction of their fans, Glentoran FC came out fighting in an amazing piece of deflection, denial and revision:

The Boxing Day incident raised a number of issues on which we will seek clarification. These include problems in regard to stewarding and policing, the prolonged singing of party songs in the Kop (contrary to UEFA 10 Point Plan), fireworks being launched from Kop towards the North Stand and the non-functioning of the PA system in North Stand.

We must not lose sight of the fact that the vast majority of the large crowd behaved superbly well and for their sake it is vital every effort is made to eliminate any unsavoury incidents that detract from their enjoyment and safety.

Glentoran will co-operate fully with any official investigations into the events of 26 December. Hopefully any such investigations will be transparent, objective and constructive.

Admittedly, one can expect nothing less of Idiot Mittens Ralph, whose sole raison d'etre seems to be getting on up on Linfield FC - see Waterworth, Clarke, statements regarding recent postponed fixtures, etc etc. Linfield, for once, responded swiftly and correctly, and with dignity:

http://www.linfieldfc.com/latestnews.asp?nid=3635

Linfield FC statement on Boxing Day

Linfield Football Club wishes to express disappointment at what could be seen by some as attempts by Glentoran Football Club to deflect from the serious trouble instigated by a small section of their supporters at the 'Big Two' derby game at Windsor Park on Boxing Day.

The Oval club in a recent statement have called for clarification on a number of issues surrounding the game.

Linfield Football Club have no problem with the Irish Football Association fully investigating any breaches that may have taken place during the game in the various parts of the stadium and would insist that the report of the IFA assessor at the game will be crucial to any action being taken by the governing authority.

Considerable damage was caused to seating and other structures in the lower deck of the North Stand, which housed the Glentoran fans, a small number of whom seemed intent in having the game abandoned after their team had gone three goals behind. This is in no way a criticism of the vast majority of Glentoran supporters who were obviously as disgusted as the Linfield support at the disorderly scenes.

Until the referees and IFA assessors' report is fully considered by the IFA, it would be injudicious to make further comment.

Linfield fans were further nonplussed and no little angered when it emerged that the clubs had a 'Gentlemen's Agreement' whereby the home club was responsible for the cost of damages incurred, regardless of who inflicted them. So far, so bad.

However, events of the last 24 hours were the straw that broke the camel's back, and have shocked, angered, and convinced fans of both clubs that the Clubs' Committee, and the organisation in charge of our game have become detached from reality. To wit:

http://www.irishfa.com/the-ifa/news/4617/disciplinary-committee/

THE Irish FA’s Disciplinary Committee met on Monday evening.

Linfield v Glentoran – 26 December 2009

At a meeting of the Irish FA's Disciplinary Committee the following decisions were made in connection with incidents which occurred on the occasion of the above JJB Sports Premiership match.

1. Linfield and Glentoran have both been fined £1000.

2. No matches between Linfield and Glentoran will be played on a bank holiday, public holiday or in the holiday period between 24 December and 2 January for the next 2 seasons. This will be implemented from 1 August 2009

Rival clubs in holiday match ban

Where does one start with such a decision? Let's try the injustice:

1. How in the name of Mohammed, when it was Glentoran fans who broke down shutters, smashed seats, launched fireworks, encroached upon the playing area and threw dozens of seats onto the pitch and at opposition fans (admittedly some of which were returned in retaliation), do both clubs get the SAME punishment? The only justification I can see is that Linfield FC were responsible for security, in which case, considering the PSNI and BCC H&S signed off the safety plan, what aspects of that plan, if any, did we not follow? What else could we have been expected to have done? The blame lies at the incompetence of ScroteNI and their relative impotence to take affirmative physical action.

2. How exactly is punishing 10000 fans for the actions of 50 individuals in any sense 'just'? Kennedy came on the Nolan Show on Radio Ulster today trotting out the usual guff and lies, intimating that this move will mean 'true' fans will feel 'safer' and will get to see the rearranged game, thus suggesting that it was twice-a-year 'blow ins' who were responsible. What a crock. And how exactly will moving the game to another date reduce the capacity for trouble? People who want to cause trouble will do so regardless of the day, and there's not a great deal that can be done to stop them, save for swift police intervention of all kinds.

Both clubs will lose out on tens of thousands more than the original £1000 for disturbances. Put simply, Linfield-Glentoran Boxing Day is the biggest fixture in the local sporting calender, an occasional Big One Irish Cup Final aside. This is the showpiece game, always attracting 10000+ fans. My conservative estimate is that this decision could cost both clubs at least 30k each, no small beer in Irish League terms, especially in the current climate.

What good does it serve the Irish League removing this game from the fixture list? Kennedy claimed IL crowds are up. Are they? Did he see the swathes of empty seats at Mourneview on Saturday, a ground that used to be full when Linfield visited? Did he count the 562 at Cliftonville-DC at the weekend? Linfield and Glentoran's crowds are noticably down on last season, and this is coming from the fans themselves. In a period in the IL's history when we are trying to get every fan we can through the turnstiles, when one club cannot afford to stay in the top league due to low attendances, what is the logic in turning potential customers away? We really are down to the diehards plus the floating fans, Raymond: these mystical 'new' customers don't exist, they're down their local on a Saturday afternoon watching United and Liverpool, and your decision is not going to make them think 'Oh look, the IFA disproportionally punished a bit of trouble on Boxing Day, the Irish League is safe, I'm going to start going to the games'. FANS ARE NOT STAYING AWAY BECAUSE A FEW KIDS RIOTED.

The collective punishment is entirely counter-productive. I'm not advocating it, it's wrong, but I can understand the logic behind Linfield fans thinking 'if that's the punishment for damaging our stadium, let's do likewise' and reciprocating the act next time the clubs meet at the Oval. What happened to the punishment fitting the crime? And natural justice? The kids who kicked the crap out of the lower deck of the North Stand on 26th December must be laughing their heads off. Result!

Kennedy, surely the most incompetent association head in the world, ever, a suitable figurehead for his motley crew of amateur incompetents, also suggested that the Big One Boxing Day fixture was one to avoid for families, saying "SURE WHO'D TAKE THEIR FAMILY OUT TO THAT?!". Laughable rubbish. At least 6 of my immediate family were there, I'm sure many others are like me, and while they found the events unwelcome, they're not going to be put off attending again, and certainly, moving the game away from a Boxing Day will not make them think 'Oh it's safe now, we can go'.

Now we get into the ban-Big-One-games-over-the-Christmas-period decision.

Who made this decision?

- According to Jim Kerr this morning in the Newsletter, the committee is an "eight-man committee, made up of people who have no knowledge of running a senior club or finances" which would suggest it comprises of representatives from junior/intermediate football.

So there you have it. Blundering, incompetent old goats from football's backwaters wield the power in Irish League football. You couldn't make it up.

Why did they make it?

- One can speculate until the cows come home. Some suggest they wanted to flex their muscle, to show they have the power; some believe the the pro-summer football lobby wanted to torpedo the one cornerstone of winter football; others think they took a perverse pleasure in taking the biggest two clubs in Ulster down a peg or two; while some more reckon they wanted their teams to get a crack at the Boxing Day Linfield/Glentoran jackpot. I do not know. What I do know is that they should not be in a position to make such a decision, that finally, if any proof were still needed, this country needs a root-and-branch overhaul of its association's structure, to ensure that out-of-their depth amateurs with no experience at this level never get the chance to make utterly ridiculous, self-damaging decisions such as this ever ever again. In this respect at least, Howard Wells was right.

What I want to see:

1. Linfield sticking up for the club and its fans: Kerr's been doing a good job so far, both in the Newsletter and on the Nolan Show.
2. The Football Disorder Act introduced in Northern Ireland.
3. The PSNI actually doing something for once, identifying the culprits from that day and punishing them accordingly.
4. Linfield finding an effective alternative to ScroteNI.
5. Glentoran getting an appropriate punishment for the part of their fans in the violence, and a bill for the damages.
6. A radical overhaul of the IFA, ridding ourselves of the dead wood old school tie neetwork, and putting people in charge who care about the local game, have a clue about effective marketing and a business brain.
7. The Boxing Day fixture to be restored WITH NO RESTRICTIONS.

What do I expect? None of the above, with the possible exception of 1.

Both Glentoran and Linfield have said they will appeal; Kennedy all but invited them to during the radio interview; and the good money is on that appeal being successful. The downside of a successful appeal, however, will be a further restriction in attendance (probably available on to ST holders and members) and an early kick-off, probably at 11am.

Boxing Day Big One games will never be the same again, thanks to the actions of a stupid cider-soaked few on the terraces, and a gin-soaked few in an IFA boardroom. Shame on both of them.

Updates

2009-02-15T18:12:00.003+01:00

14.02.09 Irish Cup Glenavon 1 Linfield 3

31.01.09 IPL Glenavon 1 Linfield 4

24.01.09 IPL Linfield 1 Institute 0

17.01.09 Irish Cup Linfield 0 PSNI (Police) 0

And So We Slip Up Again... Linfield 1 Newry 1

2009-01-10T21:27:00.003+01:00

Our record against the weaker sides in the league this season: W3 D3 L3. 12 out of 27. Hardly championship form.

So on a day that should have been a good one (Kevin McHugh was presented to the fans before the game, 25k from Derry, should be a good good signing) we lose top spot. Not good enough.

Highlights from the Beeb.

What a Christmas Period!

2009-01-03T21:48:00.003+01:00

What a difference 2 weeks make. 3 wins, top of the league, some battling performances despite big injury problems, and our Management Committee coming out with a great statement in response to Glentoran deflection and oneupsmanship. 2009 has started out very nicely indeed. Lucky mascot Hancot inspires the comeback! For the record:

26.12. IPL Linfield 3 Glentoran 0

Glentoran fans rioting

Deco Curran's wonder goal on loop (he doesn't score very often!)

01.01.09 IPL Linfield 1 Ballymena 0

03.01.09 Cliftonville 1 Linfield 2

Linfield 1 Cliftonville 2

2008-11-06T23:22:00.004+01:00

CAS Final

Apparently we were appalling. Jeffrey must be on borrowed time.

Match highlights here (how that goal was disallowed, I'll never know).

The game, however, will be forever remembered, across the world thanks to BBC and Sky Sports, for a firework fired by scumbag Reds fans hitting Linfield player Conor Hagan as he was lying on the ground right after the final whistle. Linfield fans were rightly livid, and as usual, our MC sit on their hands and do FA. Now if the shoe had been on the other foot...

Scum firework hits Linfield player

This is going to be a long, long season...

Newry 1 Linfield 1

2008-11-06T23:18:00.003+01:00

So the great revival, lasts, er, all of one game, as the Blues blow the chance to go top with their game in hand. At least the Gurns surrendered bragging rights by losing the Santa final to Cork and behaving badly down there.

Match highlights.

Cliftonville 0 Linfield 4

2008-10-28T16:03:00.003+01:00

Well I didn't see that coming. Our first Sky TV win, and how.

Our first half performance was awesome, i could tell right from the off that we were up for it and wanted it more; it helped that Climville, as predicted, were pure muck.

Top performers? I think I love Carvill. Curran was excellent, I'll lay off the slaggings till I see him next. Munster was hungry and sharp. Garrett battled for everything, I thought he was going to walk 1st half, but he kept at it. Noel held it all together well. Thought Harkness did rightly, O'Kane and Winkie (save one shocking 'backpass' at the end) were ok. Spike wasn't really at it, but battled.

My only fear (negative fugger that I am) is that DJ thinks the 4 results were just a big blip, and that he's still the daddy. Encouraging as it was that he brought Spike and Noel off relatively, he'll still stick with them, justified by this result, much as I'd like to see Munster and Carvill up front.

However, I was (to quote DJ) proud of my team tonight. The most uplifting 45 minutes in a long, long time. Cliftonville are a poor side with some unpleasant individuals, none of whom did anything apart from try to kick the shit out of us. How that classless oik McMullan stayed on the pitch, I'll never know.

Slap it up you Chokenville!

DJ interview (slightly worrying he picked out the old guard for praise when 3 new boys were our best by a mile)

Oh, and the reason Linfield failed to sell out their allocation for this game yet again is that many fans are fed up with the double standards applied to us in order for us to attend this fixture, 10 years after going back to Solitude, it's a nightmare to get hold of a ticket, fans have to get to a nearby leisure centre car park one and a half hours before kick-off to travel 5 minutes down a road, there's not been a hint of trouble since we've been back and we're the only set of fans who have to go through this. Of my crowd of 8 who are all season ticket holders, only 1 went. I'd have given it a miss too.

The Overall Decline of Linfield FC - Part 2- The Official Site

2008-10-25T20:40:00.003+02:00

The Official Site of Linfield FC has its moments, and some hard workers who put long hours into the club. Some of their interviews (despite the manager's buck-passing, something the web team can do nothing about) and match reports are excellent (see Gary Peebles interview).

However, there are many things that have gone on on it recently that have been unprofessional and downright embarrassing. The number of 'filler' items has gone beyond the cringeworthy stage. This week alone, we've had

Praise for LinfieldFC.com

and

Advice from 2 supporters [to get behind the team on the back of 4 defeats]

This follows on from

100th defeat for DJ

One wonders if they'd be as quick to post and address criticism? Mr Conn's Chairmanship juggernaut rolls on unashamedly.

2008/9 Clusterf*ck of a Season Continues

2008-10-25T20:27:00.003+02:00

11.10.08 IPL Ballymena (3 points prior to game, worst team in league, 0 wins) 2 Linfield 0

18.10.08 IPL Linfield 0 Distillery 2

22.10.08 CIS QF Linfield 0 Dungannon Swifts 3

Jeffrey's on borrowed time, and his cringeworthy interviews, stubbornness, arrogance, and passing the buck fool no-one with 2 eyes in their head and half a brain. We've been saying it since the Clean Sweep season, and we're told to 'look at his record'. Well, his clinging on to past glories and the players that delivered them (Bailie, Spike, Winkie, legends in their own right, but so clearly done) has meant Jeffrey sacrificing a long-term long-lasting empire for short-term success. I've plenty more to say, but not now, I'm too sad and depressed. It could take a lot more clusterf*ck results like this before the Fat One is removed.

Never has the suspicion been more apt: In Spite Of, Not Because Of.

Derry City 3 Linfield 0

2008-10-08T00:38:00.002+02:00

Setanta Cup Matchday 6

So that was that then. Our fine Setanta record destroyed in the space of 2 weeks. Our first non-qualification. Dire's first win over us. Glentoran's first Santa progression. All most depressing. Watched it in the pub in Liverpool. I was the only one, fortunately.

Tonight showed us up finally for the average side that we are. We were second best all night long. The fact I thought we well deserved it and that we didn't play that badly says it all.

We just have too many journeymen players and off-form regulars. Let's be honest, Carvill aside, our injured players would have made little difference.

We are suffering the side effects of

1. Too many aging players in key positions
2. Too many new players expected to integrate too soon, and
3. The lack of players to glue the two together

Let's be clear here. Noel, Winkie and Spike may well win another Irish League, but they're done, despite Noel's many last-gasp interceptions (most bailing out the woeful Harkness) and Spike being our only real footballer.

Gault cannot be fit. A shadow of the player I saw in Zagreb.
O'Kane should never play LM for us again.
Harkness was very very poor.
Munster was anonymous.
Noel and Winkie are too slow nowadays, we were pulled apart tonight by quick interplaying strikers (Farren and Morrow were excellent).

Other than that, I thought we played ok, considering. Curran didn't do much wrong; I still think he's too slow to make a difference. Maccers at least tried to make things happen. Garrett was the only player who excited me when on the ball. Hagan was just ok.

I'm a bit depressed right now. Time for more alcohol.

Highlights Updates

2008-10-01T22:59:00.002+02:00

CAS Semi 30.09.08 Linfield 3-3 Crusaders (Blues win 3-0 on penalties):

JJB Prem 27.09.08 Linfield 1-0 Coleraine (2:38 in)

JJB Prem 23.09.08 Distillery 1-2 Linfield

JJB Prem 20.09.08 Bangor 0-5 Linfield

Setanta Cup 15.09.08 Linfield 1-4 Glentoran (no highlights, thank goodness)

JJB Prem 13.09.08 Linfield 1-0 Crusaders

Not at the games, no time for updates. Back home Saturday for the Glens match at the Oval. I'm not optimistic.

Linfield 1 St. Pat's Athletic 1

2008-09-04T00:17:00.002+02:00

Only got seeing the last 30 minutes of this one on TV (back in exile), glad I did. Bluenose told me the first half was fairly even; others said Pat's were more on top. Bad news reached me on my way to the pub: 1-0 down. What I did get seeing was most encouraging. We battered them, prompted by the efforts of the excellent Carvill (again, what a player he's turning out to be) an industrious Mulgrew, a battling Hagan, and a nuisance-factor in Miskimmon. Munster impressed greatly when he came on too. A couple of penalty appeals were turned away by the ever-awful Courtney, we hit the bar, had one cleared off the line, until a deflected shot by Mulgrew from a free gave us a deserved equaliser. We should be good for the semis now, a win against the Glens at home should do it.

Very encouraged now for the rest of the season, if DJ can only learn to hold up that '9' after an hour or earlier now, and Misky gets a fair crack of the whip, we should be good.

Downey away back to Cliftonville

2008-09-04T00:10:00.001+02:00

This was the best news I've heard all season, made my night. I wouldn't criticise DJ here, I think he's been very clever about this: he identified a striker shortage (admittedly of his own doing) at the start of the season, played Downey in the hole behind Spike until such times as we got in striking options, then shipped him out. Well done, DJ.

And good riddance to an overweight, gurny, ballgreedy wee shite who has contributed next to nothing at Linfield.

Linfield 7 Institute 0

2008-09-04T00:01:00.004+02:00

Great performance, good football, Carvill 3, Fergie 2, Miskimmon 2 after a great cameo, BJB great again, only poor player was Gault and Maccers who both weren't fit, poor crowd (1500ish), we stayed and got pissed in the VL. Lovely.

Dungannon Swifts 1 Linfield 1

2008-08-27T00:09:00.004+02:00

Billy Joe's Wonder Goal (courtesy of Crooksy). He'll not be with us much longer.

JJB Sports Premiership, Stangmore PArk, Tuesday 26th August 2008

Team : Mannus, Burns, O'Kane, Murphy, Bailie, Curran, Mulgrew, McAreavey (Martin 60), Downey, Ferguson, Carvill
Subs not used : Douglas, Lindsay, Addis, Miskimmin

Scorer: Burns (92)

Attendance: ca. 1000 (750 Bluemen?)

Right, I've just got in, and I'm pissed off after watching that.

First, as objective a summary as I can give. Both sides had chances in the first half, the Swifts looking dangerous every time they attacked, having a goal disallowed for offside/a foul on Mannus/goodness knows as we were at the other end and it didn't look like a foul. Linfield managed to break through on occasion, Mulgrew forcing a couple of saves from long-range shots, Carvill shooting straight at Nelson after breaking through, and Billy Joe heading wide when he should have done better. The Swifts took the lead in controversial fashion. They got a free-kick after Bailie was harshly adjudged to have pushed their forward (McAllister?), Carvill got booked for not retreating enough, the ball came in, looked to have hit Carvill on the knee, a penalty was given, McAree converted.

The second half saw Linfield with the bulk of possession but not a great deal of chances, Dungannon hitting us on the break. McAree cleared off the line, Carvill's follow-up from a Downey shot was ruled offside, Linfield had a number of ineffective long-range shots, and Billy Joe volleyed home spectatularly in injury time into the top-right corner to gain us an ill-deserved point.

Where do I start with that abject effort? The good:
-Billy Joe Burns. MOTM again. Confidence personified.
-Carvill worked hard
-Curran was better, always does look for the ball and played the simple passes well
-Aidy was ok

The bad:

- Our central midfield. Maccers was unfit. Again. A passenger. Again. Too slow. Again. Downey is not a striker, nor a in-the-hole player. He's too slow, can't shoot, too greedy.
-Our central defence. Leaky, rushed, panicked, like they've never played together. A season too far?
-Our passing was fu cking shocking. Atrocious.
-Our tactics, given the lack of width which we've been bemoaning for 2 years, was the same old predictable hoofball bollocks AGAIN AND AGAIN. We play a couple of pretty passes in the middle third, get nowhere with them, then hoof it up to Spike. Except a) Spike is getting too slow and laboured, and outbattled in the air, and b) half the time tonight, the hoofball was put up to Carvill, the smallest player on the pitch. We have no pace in our team save Carvill and he's not getting the through balls or the service. We're too slow, and static. The lack of movement in our team is scary, especially when Gault is missing.
-Our substitutions. Martin comes on for Maccers, with 30 minutes to go, we seem to shift to 4-4-2. Then... nothing. If Martin is the only Plan B we have until Christmas, we're fucked, quite frankly. Jeffrey clearly doesn't trust Miskimmon at all, if he's not prepared to throw him on in a game we're losing, where our main striker is knackered. I've said it before and I'll say it again, our (sorry, DJ's) over-reliance on Spike is going to cost us dearly. It's already foreced potentially able replacements out of the club, cemented our reliance on the panic hoofball and the precentages game, and it's going to take a lot of adjustment once Ferguson can continue no more. Jeffrey's incompetence in contract negotiations and dealings these past 8 months have meant we have to rely on him now until New Year AT LEAST. He cannot last 90 minutes anymore. The pace, the presence, has deserted him. We cannot rely on him anymore.
- Fearless Leader. Displaying his remarkable leadership qualities once more when the chips are down. Barking orders to his troops, motivating them, railing them, driving them on to get the equaliser? Was he fuck. Hiding in the dugout, hardly a peep out of him. I've rarely seen a Linfield support so quiet, subdued and resigned as tonight. We weren't clapping you, Jeffrey. We were criticising.

Billy Joe got you out of jail. Simply not good enough, Jeffrey.

Linfield 1 Newry City 0

2008-08-24T23:18:00.003+02:00

JJB Sports Premiership, Windsor Park, Saturday 23rd August 2008.

Team: Addis, Burns, Bailie, Murphy, O’Kane, Mulgrew, Gault (Martin 60), Downey, Curran, Carvill (Lindsay 90), Ferguson
Subs not used : White, Miskimmin, Douglas

Scorer: Martin (1st goal for Linfield on debut)

Attendance: ca. 3000 (approx. 40 Newry fans)

ZZZZZZ was the text Bluenose sent just before half-time, and it pretty much summed up the game. We were apparently playing a 4-3-3 in the absence of Maccers, Hagan, Kearney, Harkness, Dougie etc, but to most of us, we had no shape in midfield at all, players looked confused and swapped about, and we couldn't get going.

The second half was slightly better, we played quite a bit of neat one-touch football, but it was mostly all fart and no shite, no end product. It took Martin's substitution and almost immediate goal to spark some life into us, and Newry rarely theatened, apart from a brilliant save Addis made from a close-range header in the first half, and a brief revival near the end when Garrett (should never have been let go) perked up the Newry attack, on for the ineffectual Lee Feeney.

Other incidents: Gaulty clattering the post trying to get on the end of a Fergie cross (just bruising thankfully)
Collins looking a shadow of his former self, trying to intimidate and keep up with Gault and Mulgrew
Loughrey (going against the grain here) had a good game imo, let it flow where possible, always talking and explaining things to the players

On our players:

- Billy Joe Burns: made his full legaue debut at right-back, and was a revelation, pace, confidence, passing, touch, he's got the lot. Forced a great save in the first half, put Monkey Head on his back. Why it's taken this long, and the loss of THREE RBs to give him his chance, I don't know. He's a natural successor to Noel, if a) we give him a new contract NOW and b) if bigger clubs don't snap him up first
- Michael Carvill: impressed again, pace to burn, keeps going, gets up and gets on with it when busted, would be nice to see him at CF for a bit
- Curran: opinions divided among fans I spoke to. I just don't see the point. He brings nothing. Too slow, cumbersome, his passes unremarkable, his set-pieces poor.
- Downey: All fart and no shite. Nice turns, but he is one gurny wee fu cker, his attitude stinks.
- Spike: ever slowing and tiring. Still got the touches and the brain, alas not the body anymore.
- Addis: had a solid game, including that great save.
- John Martin: looks like he could do a job for us this season as an impact sub. Bit of pace.

The other depressing thing, despite the weather, was the fact that only around 3000 were there, despite it being free in. We really are down to the hardcore, people won't even come if it's free. Some kids tried to get an atmosphere going, but 30, in a 22k stadium, with only 40 opposing fans, were always fighting a losing battle.

Rumours during the game were that Waterworth is Derry bound. Another striker escapes us, and 1 week of the transfer window left. DJ in the NOTW today:

"We may have to go down the road of getting someone on-loan - perhaps from across the water. Time is running out... in the end we may have to go along with what we've got"

Not good enough. Fergie and Downey are not going to beat St. Pat's, or Derry, or the Glens. Sort it out Jeffrey.

Waterworth Update

2008-08-20T23:21:00.003+02:00

A striker we should have captured either last summer before Hamilton Accies snapped him up in the winter transfer window, Andrew Waterworth, has been made available for transfer after only half a season in Scotland. No reason has been given, homesickness, failure to settle, indiscipline or whatever, but he's definitely a player we should be signing. In a way, he'd be the ideal eventual successor to Spike: tall, good in the air, holds it up well, a bit of pace, comfortable on the ball, knows the way to goal.

He was at Windsor last Saturday for talks. However, he has been talking to Glentoran, St. Pat's, and Derry City too. We can afford the fee, rumoured to be in the region of 25k and apparently agreed terms, but:

1. The LoI sides have more money to offer for wages
2. The boy is said to be a big Glenmen (he was released by them when younger) and to prefer a move there
3. Apparently a signing-on fee and unwillingness to deal with his agent after an earlier 'to-do' with our manager could scupper things.

This would be a great signing imo, and after seeing Carvill last night, I feel the two of them could link up nicely, but I'm not confident.

Linfield 7 H&W Welders 1

2008-08-19T23:50:00.003+02:00

New boy Carvill (10)

Where the missing seats from the Railway Stand have gone

CAS 1st round, Tuesday 19th August 2008, Windsor Park

Team: Addis, Douglas, Bailie, Murphy (Lindsay), Hagan, O’Kane (Curran), Gault, McAreavey, Mulgrew (Carvill), Downey, Ferguson
Subs not used : Miskimmon, Burns

Scorers, OG, Ferguson 3, Carvill 2, Downey

Attendance: ca. 500

An entertaining game. We could have had double figures, but the Welders really should have scored about 5, a few shocking misses, especially from their number 10, wasteful crosses and trying to be too fancy. Defence looked really shaky (apart from Winkie's usual aerial dominance), some poor missed tackles.

Hagan really looks the part, I take it all back. Still not tested too much defensively. But great going forward.
Addis didn't have a great deal to do, came out well when needed.
The Dougster looks comfortable at LB, a few good deep crosses and surges and almost curled one in first half.
Jamie started well, was busy, but came off early.
O'Kane was ok.
Maccers is done. Seriously. He's a passenger. He looks permanently unfit, fat and too slow.
Gault was everywhere, as usual. Some of the tackles he throws himself into, even in such a game, are unbelievable.
Downey was his usual frustrating self. He was at the heart of most of our moves, but he's not mobile or fast enough to play the AM C role. Still a bit too greedy, still moans too much.
Ferguson posed the eternal dilemma. Scored a great hat-trick; still has the skills; still drops back far too much into midfield and gets in the way and breaks up attacks.

Carvill was a revelation when he came on, it was no coincidence that our performance suddenly picked up. Pacey, able to beat a man, not scared to mix it, great finishing, super at crosses, his cross for Spike's header was a peach. However, Bluenose reckons he is too small and should be played at RM, and EBB reckons that's his best position. You heard it here first.
Curran continues to be pointless. He just doesn't look like a footballer.

Crowd sparse, maybe 500 there. The only things I was annoyed with was the unwillingness of DJ to experiment with BJB and Misky. And We play pretty build-up play with Downey in the hole, but really lack pace and penetration through the middle, Carvill excepted, not much pace in the team.

A good workout.

Only In Northern Ireland Part 94

2008-08-19T00:58:00.005+02:00

The new-fangled JJB Sports Premiership was supposed to signal the dawn of a new era for Irish League football. Finally, we got a decent sponsorship package, backing from the IFA, a marketing strategy (which apparently features star players from each team in the IL on billboards not far from the grounds, and adverts on national radio, respect) and a bumper television deal with Sky Sports.

What a pity the same old clowns pervade the IL on the ground. We're now supposedly two matchdays into the new season, and the league table looks like this:

	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
1	Crusaders	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	1

2	Institute	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
3	Ballymena	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

4	Bangor	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Cliftonville	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Coleraine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
7	Dungannon Swifts	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
8	Glenavon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
9	Glentoran	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
10	Linfield	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
11	Lisburn Distillery	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
12	Newry	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

The reasons?

Matchday 1: the referees, in line with their Scottish counterparts, threaten to withdraw their services over pay, the absence of linesmen in the Championship, and recognition. Bear in mind this row has been rumbling on for years. Unlike Scotland, the IFA can't solve the dispute satisfactorily before the deadline, and as such, no IL games take place on the first weekend of the new-spangled Premiership season. JJB must be delighted with entering into partnership with such an organised, professional outfit.

Matchday 2: A torrential downpour (a month's rainfall in half a day) strikes Northern Ireland. The streets are already swimming before the match. The pitch is already covered in huge puddles BEFORE the match:

Now while I sympathise with IL referees wanting more money (they were getting paid 60 pounds per match, had to pay for their own uniforms despite them being sponsored, and when you consider the travelling they have to do, it's peanuts) but, when they make decisions like this, they really do themselves no favours whatsoever.

Alan Black is a particularly dislikeable individual. I have no idea whatsoever why he let this match go ahead, the pictures above show the pitch was unplayable and the game should never have started; maybe he wanted to get the ball rolling after he and his colleagues halted proceedings the week before; maybe he's just incredibly incompetent.

In either case, the losers are the prestige of the new league as a whole, and the common fan. Linfield FC compounded the problem on Saturday for not having any provision in place for refunding or recompensing fans after the game was abandoned. So there is a big dilemma about what to do for fans for the replay: charge the same again, thus pissing off hundreds who already paid 10 quid into a game only to see a mere half hour of a joke game, or let everyone in for free, thus creating the potential for hundreds of hangers-on and dickheads to cause problems and let the club down. Maybe a compromise is the best: free in for kids, half-price for adults.

In any case, the club are going to have to have a plan in place for any such future occurrences: a huge pile of Linfield-branded vouchers, with no specific date or opponent, should suffice.

All in all, billboards aside, it's not been a great couple of weeks for a would-be new professional era of Irish League football. A lot of work to be done.

UPDATE: Finally the MC have shown some common sense, and rewarded true fans by allowing free entry for all to Saturday's home game with Newry, getting the issue out of the way immediately as well.

It has been a long time since a game has been abandoned at Windsor Park and who could have predicted such an outcome in August, of all months.

The last game we can remember being abandoned was a famous game against Glentoran in the snow.

After Saturday's game and on the phone today, Windsor Park officials and staff have received several requests enquiring what the club proposed to do to reimburse supporters who through the "unprecedented acts of nature" did not get to enjoy a full 90 minutes of football on Saturday.

The issue has been debated fully at tonight's scheduled meeting of the Management Committee and the following has been agreed to reimburse supporters who may have been inconvenienced by Saturday's unfortunate weather and subsequent postponing of the opening JJB Sports Premiership game.

Linfield Football Club will grant free admission to ALL spectators to this Saturday's home game against Newry City.

Members and season ticket holders will have an extra match added centrally to their ticket allocation to ensure they are not disadvantaged in any way.

This offer will apply to ALL supporters home or away, whether they were inconvenienced on Saturday or not.

Linfield FC would point out that it would be virtually impossible to ascertain who was and who was not in attendance at Saturday's game and the club hopes that supporters understand and accept this gesture as a suitable way of reimbursing those supporters who were ( through no fault of this club ) inconvenienced by the unforseen postponement of this fixture.

Due to a heavy fixture load, it could be some time before the Cliftonville game could be rearranged and Linfield FC wants the issue of refunds cleared up as soon as possible, hence the decision to grant free admission to this week's game.

Linfield are working closely with Cliftonville regarding their supporters who were inconvenienced and when a decision has been reached, they will announce it to their supporters.

Well done MC (words you don't read on here very often!)

Linfield FINALLY sign a STRIKER!

2008-08-03T22:08:00.003+02:00

Michael Carvill

A NI under-21 international who was recently released by Wrexham. By all accounts, he's very nippy, but very small; no goals for Wrexham last season, but few appearances, and he has scored quite a few for the under-21s.

Here's a few views from Wrexham fans:

decent player only scored 1 goal for us although to be fair he didnt make too many appearances for us and most of those were off the bench.likes to take on players and has good pace.never really given a chance here so we never saw him at his best but with a bit of a run in the first team he could prove a good signing

yes, he's got alot of pace. he didn't really get much of a chance while he was here and only scored one goal but to be honest i'd liked to have seen more of him. i really hope he does well over there because he always looked like he was working really hard

he never really impressed for me when i saw him continually bustled off the ball by the defenders due to his lack of size.on saying that he was played out of position alot of the times he came off the bench.nippy player though and certainly seen worse play.

The more promising rumour is that Derry City have apparently offered us Sammy Morrow (injury-prone, coming back from injury now, but highly-rated) if we cease our pursuit for compensation over Tommy Stewart's 'professional development'. Now THAT would be a piece of good news.

Dinamo Zagreb 1 Linfield 1

2008-08-01T22:19:00.007+02:00

Champions’ League 1st Round qualifier, Wednesday 23rd July 2008

Team: Mannus, Douglas, O'Kane, Murphy, Bailie, Lindsay ( Ferguson ), Hagan, McAreavey, Gault, Mulgrew, Downey
Subs not used : Addis, Miskimmin, Gary Thompson, Burns, Kearney

Scorer: Michael Gault

Attendance: 3000 max (70 Bluemen)

What a result and what a performance. We rode our luck a little at times, thanks to poor finishing and a yet again inspired Tino, but we had chances of our own, and with a little luck, could have even won late on. This is what Jeffrey’s Linfield excel at: a gritty, backs-to-the-wall performance, featuring 100% commitment and application against a superior opponent, making our own luck and getting the result: see numerous previous Setanta ties (Drogheda, Cork, Shelbourne, Derry City).

The ground was a dump, we got rained on for 90 minutes, and I’ve a cracking photo from a Croatian newspaper I’ll scan soon showing the contrast in our fans, half huddled up together in raincoats and umbrellas, the other half, bellies exposed, waving their tops like scarves. But we all loved it, and could have sung on for another 90 minutes.

To the match itself. Zagreb scored early on after a flowing move and I feared a trouncing. Then the BBB must have lit at least 30 flares and proceeded to fire them onto the pitch, some landing dangerously close to Tino, the ref stopped the game for 3 minutes, he had a case for abandoning it.

But the Blues gradually found their way into the game, despite having a less-than-mobile overweight midfielder as our lone striker, and indeed created chances of our own in our brief forays into the Zagreb half, Aidy should have at least hit the target after a cross from the right was missed in the centre by a Zagreb defender, O’Kane wrecking the ball over the bar.

We all sheltered near the burger stand under cover at half time, and indeed some stayed there so long (ahem, MB, Rog and Carsie) that they missed our goal… we got a free kick over on the right touchline, (I just had a feeling we’d score from it), Maccers whipped it in, and there was that man Michael Gault (if only we’d a team of him) to head home from close range. We all went ballistic. Zagreb forced but Linfield were equal to everything. Late on, a cross from the right cleared their defence, if Downey’s first touch had been in any way good he’d surely have scored, but he overhit it and the keeper could save. Apparently from the resulting corner, Spike was brought down and we should have had a stonewall penalty, but I don’t even remember that. We clung on at the end to secure a great result. There were inspired performances all over the pitch: Tino once more, Dougie again inspired at LB, Hagan more than capable at RB, Jamie running his socks off, Maccers and Downey showing their skill (some of our short one-touch passing was a joy) but Gault was the undoubted star of the show. He was everywhere. What a player.

The celebrations went on long into the night, many of the fans joining the players for a few drinks and a chat, incurring the wrath of the local constabulary.

It was my first European trip, and I had an absolute ball, despite us being more or less confined to the hotel and needing police escorts EVERYWHERE (including round the corner to the Chinese for a meal one evening) because of the hooligan threat from the ‘Bad Blue Boys’, whose HQ was located round the corner from our hotel. I can’t wait for a ‘normal’ Euro away trip. Some of the many memories:

- Bluenose’s first text: “Zagreb is shite. Hotel OK though” High praise indeed for the hotel!
- Getting a police escort round the corner to a Chinese, told to wear no colours
- Torrens falling over in the Chinese, breaking a vase. Torrens would continue this permadrunk state for the duration of the trip
- No singing demanded by police
- “9 fellas and one girl”
- “Wednesday flight”
- “Shut the fu ck up, you’re a boring fucking borebag Torrens”
- Torrens’ topless headstands. What a mess.
- MARIIIIIAAAAAA – didn’t get bundled after the boys being warned, but had her feet tickled instead. Froots.
- Drive through Zagreb – near run into trams, dead ends, slum areas, BBB graffiti everywhere, stumbled upon the Laguna – shit outside, ok in, had a pint and a natter with the exiles 

mural outside our hotel

Luxurious Laguna

- Back to our hotel, boys already tanked up
- Reinforcements arrive including the Laguna crew and Mid-Shankill, police finding it increasingly difficult to enforce ‘no singing’ rule
- “Getty is a wanker”
- Flags flown proudly for photos outside the hotel, as the rain continues to piss down
- Mid –Shankill go off in their bus, we get a full-on police escort to the tram stop, singing non-stop, a few BBB appear, ushered away by cops “Who are ya?!”

- On the tram, bouncing away, the driver loved it, but the police were having fits, meanwhile meatwagons accompanied us alongside on the street
- “We all dream of a team of Michael Gaults, a team of Michael Gaults, a team of Michael Gaults, we all dream of a team of Michael Gaults, a team of Michael Gaults, a team of Michael Gaults, Number 1 is Michael Gault, Number 2 is Michael Gault, Number 3 is Michael Gault, and number 4 is Michael Gault” ad nauseam. All night long.

- Police kindly lead us to a bar near the ground, flags hung, many beverages consumed, songs sung, too much flesh exposed…

- Taken to ground, pissing it down, club paid for fans’ tickets (only 20 kuna, but still a nice gesture) ground is a shithole, puddles everywhere, no cover
- Shite crowd, loads of them behind the opposite goal, not much else, 3k max.
- “Tops off for the Ulstermen!”

- “Our city our rules!”
- “Nanananananana Get her get her bucked, get her bucked, GET HER GET HER BUCKED!!!!”
- “We all dream of a team of Michael Gaults, a team of Michael Gaults, a team of Michael Gaults, We all dream of a team of Michael Gaults, a team of Michael Gaults, a team of Michael Gaults, Number 1 is Michael Gault, Number 2 is Michael Gault, Number 3 is Michael Gault, and Number 4 is Michael Gault…” ad nauseam
- Torrens 90-minute top-off to win a bet with me of 5 pints. Mug.
- Mad number of flares shortly after their goal thrown onto the pitch. Disgraceful.
- Ahem, ‘old-school’ singing…

- Soaked to the skin by a constant downpour. Soaked.
- Mad dancing, singing while waiting to be let out (song might sound familiar)

- “We’ve got our own tram”. Eejits.

- Banter with the police, who were brilliant btw, many of whom were Dinamo fans and said that the hostility towards us was in part due to newspaper reports saying we sang ‘Serbia’ in the home leg
- Off to players bar after a well-deserved shower.
- Torrens talking more shite, (‘Wednesday flight’ to Spike, who deservedly replied with ‘what the fuck?’), slagging Downey for not clapping the fans after being substituted (YEEEO! Downey had a great game btw, the best I’ve seen him play)
- Torrens lit, drinking beer/peanut mixtures
- Getty up to his usual mischief after the others had faded, nice IRA tattoo on MB, ‘Get her bucked’ on EBB etc
- 3 hours’ sleep
- MB losing his flag next day :sob:
- Jonesy flagrantly ignoring Slovenian police’s demand for 35 Euros to use the motorways by just driving on ignorantly lol
- Betamax Klagenfurt airport, fecking Austrian May McFetridge on the plane talking shite to her schoolkids
- Shemale air stewardess to Getty in emergency door seats : “How old are you?”
- Fucked for 3 days afterwards

What a trip. I’m sure there’s loads I’ve missed out on, even though I wasn’t that blocked. Cheers to all I was with, you helped make it a cracking away tour. All being well, I’ll definitely be back next year for a more ‘normal’ experience…

More photos here.

Match highlights here (turn the screwed-up sound off):

Spineless Linfield Management Committee Dance to BBC's Tune Part 94

2008-07-31T21:39:00.007+02:00

...or: Kerr Out.

This non-story appeared on the BBC's website earlier:

Club removes 'provocative' pics

Linfield Football Club has removed a number of sexually provocative pictures from its website, BBC Radio Ulster has learned.

The pictures showed a female model in the club's new home kit, some of which had been ripped in a revealing manner.

The six most revealing pictures were removed from the website after board members discussed the matter.

In a statement, the club said a concern had been highlighted and it had now taken action.

Chairman Jim Kerr said he was not aware of the offending pictures, but would raise the issue at Monday's board meeting.

Here is a segment of one of the offending pics (saved onto his pc by a linfield fan, without the 'offensive' bikini bottoms and belly button) as well as one of the 'risque' pics:

Now this 'story' raises a number of depressingly familiar issues:

1. It is clear, demonstrably, that the BBC have an anti-Linfield agenda, no doubt driven in no small part by their friendliness with the NIO and wish to promote the Long Kesh Stadium proposals.

2. Who made the complaint, weeks after they first appeared online?

3. Who removed them? Conn?

4. Why were they removed? So as not to offend the sensibilities of the anti-Linfield lobby?

5. When is the burqa going to be introduced for women at our matches (in some of the Linfield Ladies cases, maybe not a bad thing :) )

6. Why was our erstwhile chairman unaware of the pics?

7. Why does our club feel the need to pander to our critics at EVERY turn? Castle Street, Windsor Roar, Hatchets and Hammers, St. Pat's away, now this. Why did they feel the need for them to be removed?

8. When is our club going to be dragged into the 21st Century with regard to our dealings with the media and approach to the world wide web? Our website is an embarrassment at the moment, club shop down for months, full of viruses, website down at regular intervals, parts not updated for months.

9. When is Mr. Kerr going to do the honourable thing, accept the collective responsibility, and resign?

Jim Kerr: the new Stafford Reynolds. No wonder the rest of the IL is laughing at us.

Linfield 0 Dinamo Zagreb 2

2008-07-17T22:15:00.003+02:00

Champions' League First Round Qualifier, Windsor Park, Wednesday 16th July 2008

Team:

Some observations:

-That was hard to watch
-Tino saved us from an absolute trouncing, that could be him snapped up by an English side now, then we're well and truly Donald Ducked next season, with no keeper and no strikers
-It's the first time in my life I remember Linfield taking the field with no (recognised) strikers. Playing 5-5-0 is an absolute embarrassment
-Linfield are pointless without a big player upfront to hold the ball up, ie Spike
-Watched the game in a city centre Portsmouth bar, the only person watching, with no sound
-Our players really did look amateurish at times, big rushed sliced clearances and passes all over the shop, no composure on the ball, like it was a hot potato
-Zagreb never really broke sweat, but I was still disappointed with the timing of the second goal, 1-0 would have given us the illusion of something to play for in the second leg
-Think we'd one shot on target all night, O'Kane from an acute angle. Shame really as their keeper looked a right flapper
-Downey is the best player in the world in his head. In reality, he cannot pass 2 yards away from himself
-Maccers is as unfit as ever, and needs shipped out
-The Dougster excelled at LB
-Lindsay is a liability, sell-the-ranch player. Why the fuck did we give him a 2-year deal?
-Hagan did ok
-DJ leaving Thompo on the bench. Wise up Davy.
-Kudos to Wintz for making DJ react in his usual arrogant 'how dare you' way right when the cameras were filming him :)
-The new HnH flag looked shit with no ties on the bottom. Should look better in Zagreb next week.
-Mile-long queues for tickets and only printing a minimum of concessionary tickets is a fecking disgrace and sums up our two-bit club with their new two-bit team.
-All the best, Thompo, thanks for the memories

Live: Linfield vs Dinamo Zagreb

2008-07-15T21:14:00.001+02:00

On Sky Sports 1!

Thompson to Stockport?

2008-07-15T20:58:00.002+02:00

As reported on the BBC and in the Bel Tel.

Well, after 44 goals last season and doing the running of 2 strikers, as well as a first international goal and 2 goals in the Cup Final, it was to be expected, especially with him entering into the last year of his contract. We shouldn't stand in his way, he deserves a crack at English full-time football.

Should he sign in the next week, or even tomorrow, it leaves us with ZERO strikers for the biggest games of our season, the Champions League qualifiers. Since the turn of the year:

January - DJ foolishly let Stephen Garrett leave 'cos he said he wanted to leave'. As he wasn't get a look-in due to Ferguson's undropability.

April - Adamson leaves, Linfield seemingly too big a challenge, his face not fitting in the dressing room, apparently not the tight personality for DJ's Linfield.

May - Dickson leaves, a lifelong Blueman remember, but seemingly the wrong personality, not helped by being woefully off-form for much of the season and constantly being played out of position at RW, a victim of his own success from the previous season and not getting a look-in due to Ferguson's undropability at CF.

June - Tommy Stewart declines a new contract offer and signs for Derry (one game, one goal, one assist thus far) after having seemingly the wrong personality, and being constantly played out of position at LM, not getting a look-in due to Ferguson's undropability... you get the picture.

Now for Europe, Ferguson is yet again unavailable as this is the only time of year he can book Disneyland, which left us with Thompson. Oh, and McSkimmon (first team appearances - one).

There is only one man to blame for the position we find ourselves in, Fearless Leader, the folically-challenged, pie-loving one. Short-term success and blinding devotion to Ferguson in his quest for the 600 is obviously valued greater than long-term dominance and development. Bravo, DJ.

The Pre-Season That Just Keeps On Giving

2008-07-09T23:07:00.005+02:00

Carrick 2-1 Linfield

-yes, experimental 4-5-1 with Zagreb in mind, but What. The. Fuck. Dinamo must be pissing themselves. Oh, and I'm going after all, along with at least 20 HnHers.

Transfer Rumours:

IN?:

Kevin Kelbie: rumours of a possible swap deal abound, but unlikely to have any basis in reality

Albert Watson: one-time target handed in a transfer request. Missed the boat, I think.

Mandy Smith: wants to leave Portadown for a IPL team. Still wouldn't take him.

OUT?

Conor Downey: handed in a transfer request. If we recoup close to the 10k for him, see ya.

Phil Mulryne: trained with us, DJ FINALLY realised after losing 4 strikers in 5 months and having only one available one for our CL games that strikers are our priority, so said no to Mulryne. Good.

Peter Thompson: Kilmarnock apparently showing interest with 2 bids. Seeing as he's only 1 year left on his current deal, why don't we try and sign him up? Our current situation demands that he stays, but as for the player himself, I wouldn't blame him one bit for leaving and trying to better himself.

Oh, and we rewarded our manager with a new 3-year contract, 2 years before his old one was due to run out. What a joyous club of double standards we run, one rule for the managers, one for the players. We've already lost players this summer due to FDJ's ridiculous prehistoric 'medals win contracts' policy, and we're due to lose our 3 best players, all homegrown, all NI internationals, next summer if we don't get them signed up soon. Can't see it.

We are in big big shit if miracles do not happen on the transfer front soon. Our manager has finally realised there are no available IL players of sufficient standard and has turned to the Eircom and England. Whoopy fucking doo. We have one shitty system of scouts, and one downright amateurish man in charge. But look at his record.

Champions League Qualifier Draw

2008-07-01T20:48:00.002+02:00

Linfield vs Dinamo Zagreb.

Crap. We'll get skinned, and flights are excessively expensive, if I could go on holiday to Croatia for 2 weeks and visit Split and the coast, it'd be worth it, but 240+ bills for 2 days is too dear. Could be a bit spicy there too.

But as some said, Modric must be counting his luck that he left and doesn't have to face the white Vieira!

Ah well, always next year.

This Pre-Season Just Gets Worse And Worse

2008-06-23T17:57:00.004+02:00

From Today's Bel Tel:
Mulryne set to rekindle career in Irish League

So:

Possible Ins:

John Martin - signed and sealed, apparently.

Phil Mulryne - where has he been the last 2 seasons?

Stephen O'Flynn - so good, he was released by bottom-of-Eircom Galway United. Apparently always injured, never scores.

Stuart King - so good, DJ released him 2 seasons ago, apparently we're so desperate that now he's a viable option again, despite not being good enough.

Out:

Tommy Stewart - ended specualtion by finally signing for Derry City. Disappointing. Never really got a chance at Windsor, an opportunity lost

Conor Downey - handed in a transfer request apparently. Disappointing attitude, and if rumours are true, and he doesn't buck up his ideas on and off the pitch, then cheerio.

Transfer Rumours - Latest

2008-06-16T20:08:00.002+02:00

In?

John Martin (Reds) - In talks with the club. We need a winger, but not a 32 year-old who was never quite good enough anyway

Tony Grant - We are interested, but he's holding out for Glenavon, his former club, and seems certain to go there now McBride has just been appointed boss. Too old too.

Steven Carson - we showed interest, he was always going to sign a new contract at Coleraine.

David Larmour - apparently only training with us with a view to getting fit in order to find a new club, but the way things are going, with us having only two strikers, who knows...

John Convery - rumours rumble on...

Out?

Tommy Stewart - revealed in the Telegraph at the weekend that he's now a free agent, Linfield offered a new contract and the offer still stands, but he wants to get back into full-time football in England and is training with Morecambe. Really can't see him coming back to us now, the South Stand hated him before, and when you get asshats on ILS comparing him to Haylock, you gotta think it's what we deserve. He's a full-time professional, owes nothing to Linfield, we're a two-bit club in a one-bit league.

Conor Downey - rumours in the Sunday World that he wants to leave, with Cliftonville his likely destination. I'd give him to January, and if his fitness and form still haven't bucked up, think about offloading him. Off-field rumours persist.

All most worrying. We have 2 strikers at the club at the moment, one of whom is off on holiday during our European games. Time to get the finger out, DJ.

Scurrilous Transfer Rumours

2008-06-07T14:08:00.002+02:00

Linfield don't appear to be signing anyone. Yet. Now, there's a dearth of talent in the league, but it seems that we're going to start the new season with only 2 strikers, one of them a 39 year-old. Which is a disgrace. In the absence of real news, rumour and intrigue do the rounds, and I thought I'd reveal who has been mentioned.

In?

Andy Smith (Ports) - I'd tear up my Season Ticket etc. Non goalscoring crock, would destroy team spirit with primadonna antics. Ideal DJ CF mould.

Mark McAllister (Dungannon) - no basis, apart from the fact he3 plays well against us and DJ picks him for the NI U23s.

Daryl Fordyce (Scum) - malicious, unsettling, unlikely.

John Convery (Ports) - heard this was a done deal, and one I'd welcome.

Wesley Boyle (Ports) - rumour been doing the rounds for over a month. We need a winger, but apparently this one plays well one in 5. Very possible.

Out?

Tommy Stewart - Still not gone, but apparently no longer in touch with the club, agent trying to get him a move back to England, Derry City and Glenavon and Glentoran sniffing around. My guess is he didn't get enough assurances from DJ that he'd be given a fair crack of the whip, that Ferguson will still be No. 9 next season, and so he's off.

Feel free to add your own.

Linfield: 85/86 Highlights/Lowlights

2008-06-07T12:12:00.002+02:00

Great nostalgic video on youtube, including tankings from the Ports and Crues, beating the Glens including Windy acting the cock as usual, and the secrets of Mark Cuaghey's success! I might even have been at a couple of these:

Contract Update

2008-05-25T22:01:00.002+02:00

Out:

Mark Dickson - to the Crues, despite being offered a new deal

Tim Mouncey - to Portadown, despite being offered a new deal. See a pattern emerging?

Tommy Stewart - probably - been offered a new contract and asked to mull it over, but still hasn't decided. Glentoran, Glenavon and Derry City are waiting in the wings, and it'll be a disgrace if he goes.

Staying:

Jamie Mulgrew - signed a new 3-year deal. The only piece of good news this week

In:

Stuart Addis - 2-year deal. When even Larne rejected him and many IL fans saying Addis was always good for a couple of goals a season for their team, you know the dude is dodgy and not Linfield standard.

Conor Hagan - 1-year deal, signed as a right-back cover, thus he'll be played out of his best position, Centre Midfield (ANOTHER CM). Quelle surprise. Ask Tommy Stewart, Mark Dickson, Tim Mouncey, Jamie Mulgrew, Damian Curran...

All very worrying. And apparently there's worse to come...

Contract Renewals Part 1

2008-05-19T12:01:00.003+02:00

It's that time of year when our intransigent manager hands out contracts, or not. No other time of year is appropriate, as trophies win contracts. Apparently.

Anyway, here's what's been decided thus far:

Stephen Douglas – 2 years [ correct decision, despite his inconsistency, there's not many good IL RBs out there ]

Kris Lindsay – 2 years [wrong decision. Seemingly always injured, 1 year would have been risky enough, I'd have even released him, his performances since Xmas have been dodgy to say the least ]

Noel Bailie – 1 year [correct, as long as he's a back-up player ]

Oran Kearney – 1 year [correct decision, let's see if he can stay injury-free ]

William Murphy – 1 year [correct ]

Jim Ervin – 1 year [correct, despite his long-term injury, it's right to stay loyal to him ]

Glenn Ferguson – 1 year [see Noel ]

In addition, Glenn Ferguson has been granted a Testimonial season in recognition of his quite outstanding and lengthy service in Linfield’s cause.

Pat McShane and Tim McCann have both been released. [both correct decisions, Pat has been a great servant to Linfield, and Tim never let us down despite hardly getting a look-in and being unlucky with injuries ]

Of the rest, Tommy Stewart is thinking over a contract offer, I can only imagine it's reduced to part-time, and I know a megabucks offer from Glenavon has been made to him, I can see him leaving, and I wouldn't blame him for a second. Rather to Glenavon than the other Glens from the East, put it that way.

Mark Dickson has apparently been made an offer but is likely to sign for the Crues, I'd hand him another one-year contract.

Tim Mouncey was due to head to the Ports, but now, due to their non-qualification for the Invitational League, that now looks all up in the air. I'd release him, 'ill' too often.

More still to come...

Linfield Nostalgia - The Early Days

2008-05-13T10:38:00.001+02:00

Well narrated video about the formation and development of Linfield FC:

Linfield Online: 1930 Irish Cup Final

2008-05-08T11:58:00.001+02:00

Classic old footage, a couple of minutes in. BAT was at it :).

Linfield 2 Coleraine 1 - TREBLE DOUBLE!

2008-05-05T01:44:00.007+02:00

Irish Cup Final, Windsor Park, Saturday 3rd May 2008

Team: Mannus, Lindsay, O’Kane, Murphy, Bailie, Mulgrew, Gault, McAreavey (Dickson 46), Kearney (Curran 87), Ferguson, Thompson
Subs not used : Stewart, McShane, Downey

Scorers: Thompson 2

Attendance: approx. 10000 (6000 Linfield fans)

A great day out, the weather stayed good, and Linfield managed to clinch an historic treble double, the first in 115 years. This team will go down in Linfield and IL history.

Quick summary, Coleraine had the better of the first half, though not as dominant as most of the press were making out, Linfield performed poorly, couldn't string 2 passes together, were outbattled and were deservedly booed off at the break.

Second half was a different tale. Maccers came off for Dicko, Jamie moved into the middle and we seemed to have more shape and composure. Peter Thompson, in what must be some kind of record, scored his second match-winning double in 3 years, the first, shrugging off the defender, beating him for pace and slotting home after a dummy from Spike let him through, then he scored a great one-on-one goal after being released by Spike again, two great opportunist goals. We then played out the rest of the game comfortably without excelling.

Well done DJ and players. I was particularly pleased that the team came into the bottom bar with the trophy after the match to let the fans congratulate the players and lift the Cup.

The evening was one big alcohol-fuelled celebration in the Edinburgh Club. What a day and what a night.

Next season is going to be the biggest challenge yet, with signs that a major refurbishment of the squad is necessary. But for now, we'll celebrate another trophy.

Thursday is the next major date, with contract renewals being announced. I expect Tim McCann, Pat McShane (retiring), Tim Mouncey (Portadown) and possibly Mark Dickson (Distillery) to be released, with Tommy Stewart (Glenavon) going in September when his contract is up, possibly to Glenavon.

Thompo's photos, for the last time (farewell, and thanks for the memories) here.

My poor photos here.

Gareth Irvine's photos here.

Press Eye photos here.

Very poor quality match highlights available here:

Better quality highlights here:

Linfield Crossbar Challenge

2008-05-04T10:44:00.002+02:00

On Sky Sports:

Linfield Crossbar Challenge

Crusaders 0 Linfield 3 - CHAMPIONS

2008-04-28T19:12:00.006+02:00

Team: Mannus, Douglas (Lindsay 63), O’Kane, Murphy, Bailie, Kearney, Gault (Downey 75), McAreavey (Dickson 46), Mulgrew, Ferguson, Thompson
Linfield Subs not used : Curran, Stewart

Scorers: Ferguson 2, Dickson

Attendance: Approx 4000 (ca 3500 Linfield fans)

3-in-a-row Champions, but you would have hardly known it. A crowd that was more akin to a library public. A flat, do-the-minimum-possible-to-win performance against an average side, typical for this season (with notable exception of Spike's goal and the well-worked third). A shambles of a trophy presentation.

I'm not unhappy with the kids on the pitch, in a way it was a shame we actually won the league and got presented with the trophy on the same day.

I'm thoroughly fucked off with

a) the inordinate amount of time it took for the trophy to be presented, resulting in people/kids being over-impatient and wanting on the pitch sooner, meaning
b) the players had no way of getting through the throng to do a lap of honour, meaning I stood extra long behind the goal waiting for, ultimately, sweet FA. I couldn't even really see the trophy and get the chance to applaud the players. And OK, I was pissed off at not being able to give my inflatable hammer to the Dougster, a big empty head who would have appreciated it

The whole day was one huge damp squib, imo. Yes, I do realise I'm a miserable old fu cker who soon will occupy his rightful place in the South Stand, but the game was flat, we yet again did the bare minimum, third goal excepted, against a very ordinary side, the atmosphere was pathetic, it really was like a library at times, even when whispering, I could be heard by those around me, and the farce after the final whistle just summed it up.

HOWEVER. This team and era will go down in history, regardless of opposition and manner of victory. Well done to DJ and the whole squad and backroom staff, now go complete the job next week, make real history in a treble double, and I'll be able to have a proper celebration and hopefully get my hands on a trophy.

Great photos as ever on SSS from Thompo.

Poor quality match highlights here: