Some Great Online Articles

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

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

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.

Jeffrey agrees new Blues deal

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

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?

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.

JP Gallagher leaves Linfield for Dungannon Swifts

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.

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

...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 Nostalgia - The Early Days

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

Linfield Online: 1930 Irish Cup Final

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

Linfield Crossbar Challenge

On Sky Sports:

Linfield Crossbar Challenge

Jim Kerr – Out Of Touch, Out Of His Depth

I was present, for my first away trip to Dublin, at the St. Pat’s – Linfield match last night. We had a great day out, bus down with friends and acquaintances, a few shandies consumed, nice feed at the Carrickdale on the way, a good old singsong, an inadvertent tour of Dublin, stress-free walk to the ground, and a police escort to the motorway on the way home. In fact, from my perspective, the only bad thing about the day was the woeful performance of Linfield on the pitch.

Imagine my surprise when I learned on the way home, and when I got home, that there had been some trouble. Apparently there were a couple of minor scuffles outside the ground, during which 4 Linfield fans and 2 St. Pat’s fans were arrested. According to eyewitnesses, the Garda were demanding ID (bizarre) from a section of fans just before kick-off (most fans were long in the ground), started trying to confiscate Union flags and Ulster flags from said fans, during which an altercation ensued, leading to the Garda getting out the batons and being heavy-handed.

The Garda themselves dismissed the crowd trouble incidents as "minor public order disturbances", and said they were brought under control very quickly.

Not surprisingly, the press, never slow to put the boot into Linfield, where blowing things up. My beef here is not really with the press, I’ve come to expect nothing more of the weasels. However, I’d like to point something very briefly at this juncture before moving on: the blatant double standards employed by the media both North and South of the border. To wit:

St. Pat’s – Glentoran: Glens fans arrested, some trouble, net press coverage: virtually none.

Drogheda – Cliftonville: some trouble outside the ground before and after the match, net press coverage: virtually none.

St. Pat’s – Linfield: minor scuffles outside the ground, 4 arrests from a crowd of 800+, net press coverage:

Belfast Telegraph: Six arrested at Linfield match in Dublin

Irish Independent: Ugly face of football as violence flares at cross-border clash

Newsletter: Linfield fans clash with Dublin police

BBC: Trouble flares at Linfield match

At least the Newsletter allowed a Linfield fan to put their point of view across. The double standard meticulously applied to Linfield FC and fans was doubtless inspired by the large numbers of ‘freelance’ press photographers in exactly the right place at the right time, again. To wit, see the numerous photos of:

Press eye

Pacemaker press

Sportsfile

Let us recap:

Linfield fans present: 800+

Number of arrests: 4

Newsletter: “The Garda dismissed the crowd trouble incidents as "minor public order disturbances", and said they were brought under control very quickly.

A Garda source added: "It is not clear who started the different
incidents of fighting, but they were separate incidents controlled very quickly."”

Not exactly a major incident, hardly comparable with Dundalk ’79. Remember 800 fans went to the game, watched it and had a good day without trouble. So how does our esteemed chairman react? In an incredibly kneejerk, over-the-top way:

Linfield club chairman Jim Kerr insisted those arrested were drunken hooligans who had tagged themselves on to true Blues supporters.

He added the team is now considering its future in the competition to avoid the team's name being dragged through the mud by yobs.

The club chief said: "The biggest problem was people fuelled by alcohol and people spoiling for a fight.

"I saw people at the grounds I have never seen before in my life being aggressive to security staff. I condemn it utterly.

"Should we continue in Setanta next season then we have to look at busing supporters from Windsor Park... but we will have to look at whether we are going to continue.

"There is no place in football for these people – totally uncalled for."

I find that statement frankly pathetic. It was made no later than two hours after the conclusion of the game, when there was no way that Mr. Kerr could have been in full possession of the facts, and was clearly done, yet again, as a pathetic, sniveling, handwringing apology to the media, to be seen to be doing something, to wipe his hands of the whole matter, in short, to protect the image of the club, yet again, at the expense of the vast vast majority of fans (he’d have been better off saying nothing).

Well Mr. Kerr, I’ve had enough of your lies and gutlessness. I’ve had enough of you coming out in the press and tarring ALL of your OWN fans with the same brush. I’ve had enough of your amateurish gutless dealings with the media. I’ve had enough of the Irish media putting the boot in, only for you, as my club’s ultimate representative, feeling the need to kick me when I’m down, even though I’ve done nothing wrong.

You’re a liar and a gutless coward. You’re scared of the BBC, Stephen Nolan and so-called ‘popular opinion’, and you, in your ivory tower, cannot see that nothing this fine club and its fans do will ever stop these people sniping at us or finding fault in every little thing connected with us. You lied when you said a 3-word banner would get us points deducted. You condemn all of our fans for the actions of a tiny minority who were doubtless provoked, then impose yet more draconian measures on a support already the most controlled in Ireland. You lied that these fans were hangers-on; their faces are well-known as loyal Bluemen.

Your agenda is now clear for all Linfield fans to see: to create a sanitized Stepford Supporters base who you can take anywhere, won’t say boo to a goose, won’t offend anyone in any way, and who you can control.

Well I, along with many others, have had enough. You’re out of your depth, Mr. Chairman. You cannot deal with the media at all, and are just a pandering apologetic puppet. You hang loyal fundraisers for the club out to dry after a smidgen of uninformed criticism from a radio shock jock, without even going on to defend the club’s name. You’re so out of touch with the feelings of supporters, it’s unreal. See the reaction of supporters at the recent Newry and Glentoran matches, belting out ‘Hatchets and Hammers’ almost to a man in defiance of your ‘no longer welcome’ policy, based on cowardice. Now it is your wish that supporters should only travel on Linfield FC-approved buses, with no alcohol and presumably no noise, very much in line with the current ridiculous restrictions still in place if we wish to go to Solitude. I will not be dictated to in this way. I have never committed an offence within or immediately outside a football ground in my life, and I will not be treated like scum BY MY OWN CLUB because you’re scared of our precious public image.

Enough is enough, Mr. Chairman. If you’re not prepared to defend your club or stand up for your members or supporters, 99.6% of whom behaved impeccably last night and had a great time, then do the honourable thing and resign.

The Anti-Linfield Witchhunt, 2008-Style

At around 3.30pm on Saturday after the conclusion of the Linfield- Cliftonville Irish Cup game, and the Rangers-Celtic Old Firm game, 2 men were injured in Belfast city centre after an altercation outside a (Nationalist) pub, one seriously after being stabbed in the neck with a bottle. It was an apparently unprovoked, premeditated assault, which I thoroughly condemn, and one from which I hope both men make a quick recovery. Photos from the scene can be viewed on Press Eye.

It didn’t take long for Sinn Fein to apportion blame on Linfield fans:

Sinn Féin said the trouble was started by a crowd of Linfield supporters.

Sinn Féin assembly member Paul Maskey said: "I urge people not to get involved in any retaliation. The people who carried this out need to be ashamed of themselves. They need to be arrested and put behind bars for a very long time." [oh the irony]

The next day, though, it turned really ugly, with the Sunday World and Sunday Life indulging in some disgracefully sensationalist journalism, leaving it in no doubt that it was rampaging bigoted Linfield fans who were responsible.

The Sunday World’s headline read:

Fenian Hating of football club Linfield, known as the Blues

In an instant undoing all the good and tireless work the club has been doing for years to try to eradicate the stigma long given to Linfield fans as intolerant, bigoted and anti-Catholic. This despite the fact that the likes of Paul McAreavey, Aidan O’Kane and Michael Gault are among the most popular players with the fans at Linfield FC.

The Guardian, a well-known nationalist rag, published the following sensationalist article:

A Celtic fan was seriously ill in hospital last night after his throat was slashed during a mass loyalist attack on a pub in central Belfast. The supporter was set upon by a mob of up to 70 Linfield fans returning from yesterday's Irish Cup semi-final clash with Cliftonville at The Oval.

Eyewitnesses in Castle Street - a mainly nationalist thoroughfare - said that at around 3.30pm the Linfield supporters alighted from a bus and rushed towards the area.

At first the mob tried to get into the Belfast Bar at the junction of Castle Street and King Street, but were repelled by up to 100 customers who had been watching the Celtic-Rangers Old Firm match on television.

'It was after the Linfield crowd were beaten back from the bar that they singled out a guy in King Street,' said one witness. 'They knew he was Catholic because of his Celtic shirt.'

A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed they had to deal with serious disturbances in central Belfast yesterday and that one man had had his throat cut. Up to eight PSNI jeeps were still patrolling the area late yesterday afternoon.

Leading Sinn Fein figures, including a former Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alex Maskey, and Bobby Storey, a former IRA prisoner and confidant of Gerry Adams, arrived at the scene shortly after to calm rising tensions.

The next day, Stephen Nolan couldn’t wait to stick the boot in, blaming Linfield fans and the sectarianism and violence inherent in local football for the trouble, wondering why Linfield fans didn’t have tighter ticketing restrictions placed on them before the game (a totally fatuous and irrelevant argument, seeing as the violence took place over an hour later, miles away from the game) and calling for tighter controls on Linfield fans, despite them being the most restricted and controlled in the country.

When eyewitness accounts from 1) a man in the pub on the day in question, and 2) a passing taxi driver revealed that there were NO Linfield or for that matter red/white/blue colours on the persons of the gang involved, only people wearing typical casual/ hooligan gear, ie dark colours, faces covered, Stone Island clothing etc, Sinn Fein and Stephen Nolan backtracked, making themselves look ridiculous in the process.

1. Sinn Fein changed their story to allege that in fact the attackers were wearing Linfield SCARVES. Aha. So, notwithstanding the fact that you had originally alleged that Linfield shirts were on display, you’re now totally disregarding the widely-known fact that football firms don’t wear colours and saying that the eyesight of the (SF) witnesses were that good that they could see the words ‘Linfield FC’ on a red/white/blue scarf? Dead on.
2. Nolan changed tack, seemingly realising that Linfield fans and Linfield FC weren’t responsible for the trouble, and went on the attack with regards to a well-known Linfield FC song apparently glorifying violence, “Hatchets and Hammers”. Obviously, having been made to look silly in his original line of attack, he’d dug and shitstirred to find anything else possibly linked to Saturday’s events, and found that Linfield fans sang the following song:

My old man, said be a Linfield fan
And don’t dilly dally on the way
We took the Oval in half a minute
We took Coleraine and all that’s in it
With hatchets and hammers, Stanley knives and spanners
We’ll show the b*stards how to fight!
If you can’t beat a Glenman in half a minute
Then you’re not a Linfield fan.

Slightly violent admittedly, but then football fans are tribal and posturing, and this song has been doing the rounds for 40+ years, during the whole course of the Troubles, without anyone insulting mine and other people’s intelligence by suggesting that it incites football fans to violence. Ban Rocky! Ban Eastenders! Ban any TV violence, otherwise I’m going to go out and stab someone! Wise up.

Nolan then revealed that a similar version of the song is available on the ‘Windsor Roar’ music CD in the club shop, and that by implication, Linfield FC are partly responsible for the violence! What a crock. The Windsor Roar initiative was established to raise funds for the club and to help create a noisy, non-sectarian atmosphere inside Windsor Park. His allegations would be taken more seriously by myself and others if it weren’t for the fact that he is a Glentoran fan. He even said on the radio that he’d be at next Monday’s Setanta game at the Oval between Glentoran and Linfield. Hopefully he’ll be welcomed with big licks of ‘Hatchets and Hammers’, and have a few suitable songs and banners aimed at him. All in the interests of non-violence, of course. They're gunning for the Forum 'Hatchets and Hammers' too. Good luck with that boys.

Strange too that Nolan hasn't got onto Manchester United about their singing of this song and claiming of it as their own:

http://www.tshirtsunited.com/sale/tshirts/hatchetsandhammers.html

What has Linfield’s response been to all this? The Chairman, Jim Kerr, at least went on the Nolan show on Monday to re-iterate what the police said, ie that Linfield FC and fans were not connected to the city centre violence, it was unconnected to the game and in amy case, Linfield FC can’t tag fans and control their every action (yet).

However, no official representative went on the show on the Tuesday to stand up for the club, it was left to a prominent fan to back us up. After Nolan’s promptings and slurs, the club released the following statement with regard to the CD, totally backing down and yet again pandering to the handwringers and anti-Linfield merchants who have no love for our club, its traditions and traditions of the fans, but only want to attack it at every turn and demonise it in accordance with their clear anti-everything-that-is-ostensibly-unionist agenda:

Withdrawl [sic] of CD

Linfield Football Club have withdrawn a CD containing twenty songs one of which contained material which could offend and may be deemed to encourage violence.

We would make it clear that this CD was produced independently by supporters.

Once we were made aware of the contents of this song, the CD was immediately withdrawn.

An embarrassing climbdown, in my eyes. They were happy to take over 8k from the person who made the CD, a diehard Linfield fan who stood in all weathers for years selling the CDs and badges to raise money for the club he loves. Hopefully now they'll return all the money, though I wouldn't hold my breath.

Their statement regarding Saturday’s violence was commendable, but still didn’t go far enough:

Statement on weekend violence

Linfield Football Club unreservedly condemns the mindless and unprovoked acts of violence that occurred in Belfast City Centre on Saturday afternoon.

Those who perpetrated the violence may or may not have been soccer fans, but in no way could they be described as true supporters of the game. They must be brought to account and face the full rigour of the law.

So far, there has been no evidence to suggest that the people involved in this attack were in any way involved with Linfield Football Club, as senior PSNI officers have confirmed.

The genuine concern of Linfield Football Club is extended to the unfortunate victim who sustained serious injury and we would hope that he makes a full and speedy recovery.

Linfield Football Club is dismayed at press and media reports, and statements by public representatives, over this incident and we would reiterate that it is always been the policy of this club to abhor violence from whatever quarter.

More than three thousand Linfield supporters attended the Irish Cup semi-final tie at the Oval on Saturday and together with the Cliftonville fans, they behaved in an exemplary manner.

Relations between Linfield and Cliftonville are excellent, as they are with all other Irish League clubs and we have cooperated closely in ensuring that all games played between our clubs are conducted in a peaceful and sporting manner.

Let’s remember, Linfield fans were described thus IN THE TITLE:

Fenian Hating of football club Linfield, known as the Blues

And to top it all off, now rumours are doing the rounds that the away game vs St. Pat’s Athletic in Dublin on May 15th is going to be moved to Windsor Park, thus screwing up the plans of many many people and making us out to be uncontrollable thugs, despite the fact that we have to jump through hoops to get tickets for any game of significance.

So who do I think was responsible? A loose ‘firm’ of Scottish, English, and N. Irish ‘hooligans’, probably affiliating themselves to Chelsea, Rangers and Linfield, taking advantage of the two Protestant-Catholic derby games in NI and Scotland that day to test themselves and show some strength. A member of the ‘Our Wee Country’ forum made the following observations: [Edit: I do not concur with this poster's following assertions , I'm merely including them here as a Point Of Information]

lets get the facts from the fiction, something that other patrons and admin should have done by sunday at the latest!!

FICTION:

There was not a bus load of Linfield fans left of at the top of castle street, the SW journo should be sacked for such crap.
There is no connection with C18/NF/BNP/Neo Nazis etc etc all that crap died away years ago.
No one involved in this attack was wearing Linfield or Rangers gear.
The time of the KO did not play any part either, however I do think it was the right call to play it early. (and yes I was at the Linfield game and support Rangers)
The IL does not suffer from secterian violence and for people to say it is has are talking crap. The IL have had problems but is mainly major conflict with the 2 main protestant clubs (blues & glens) Linfield and Glentoran have both been to DC, Cliftonville and to the Republic without any serious problems if any at all!!

FACTS:

On friday night catholic youths from the lower falls and carrick hill attacked brown square, the police had millfield closed for an hour. (for those who dont know the city, its the same area as saturdays attack)
There was english guys with this group although Im not sure where they were from.
There was a few === members involved, who considered it as pay back for the night before.
A very small section of Linfield fans (well known to everyone) were involved.
Cosgroves Bar was well aware of what was happeing, as were Sinn Fein and the IRA.
Within less than 10 minutes Bobby Storey and Eddie Copeland where on the scene!!

What I do know is that it was not anything to do with Linfield FC or any of its over 3000 fans who were at the match on Saturday, and the agenda of Sinn Fein, the Sunday World, Nolan et al to drag our name and club through the mud, to demonise our club and its fans is clear for all to see, and should be disregarded as such. But I know it won’t be by the general populace. This incident, unconnected with us, has put us back years. And our Management Committee continues to bend over backwards to appease these people, instead of defending and supporting its true loyal fans. Their priorities are ALL wrong, and they are alienating their own through their appeasement tactics. Theirs should be the motto of the fans:

No-one likes us, we don’t care.

Linfield on the WWW

Mate in Berlin, Endi, found this on the web today and sent me it, it's an article in German about Linfield, I'll translate it here:

Linfield yet again

The best football club in Europe are called FC Linfield Belfast... they won their national championship for the 52nd [sic] time this year, more often than any other club in Europe...

...update: OK, I found out more. In the text beside the badge on Wikipedia, it states that Linfield, with "more than 200 trophies - 46 of those league championships alone", are the most successful team in the world. I can't be bothered counting out the exact number of championships [le: I put him right :) ], it's a lot. What is interesting is that as well as League and Cup, there are 6 other competitions stuffing the calenders of Irish footballers.

Like I said, it's now 47, 52 will take another 5 years :)

There's also an interesting interview (in German) that derStandard in Austria did with Michael Boyd, IFA Community Relations Officer, about the IFA's Football For All scheme and attempting to eradicate sectarianism in the Irish League and for the national team. I can't be assed translating it here, maybe later. The most interesting part for Linfield fans is here:

derStandard.at: Can Windsor Park (home stadium of the national team, but also of Linfield Belfast with a staunchly loyalist fanbase) offer a welcoming environment to Catholic fans for Norn Iron games at the moment?

Boyd: Yes!

derStandard.at: Is it foreseeable that a neutral anthem will be played before international matches, instead of the British National Anthem?

Boyd: Yes.

In other news, Linfield are apparently in for Damian Curran from Newry City. Doesn't inspire me, we don't REALLY need a CM who can also play LM. What inspires me even less is DJ's apparent comment that other than Curran the Blues do not have "a specific transfer target". That can't be serious. We're crying out for a new centre-half. Leaving successful teams to go stale by not adding quality reinforcements in close seasons has been our downfall before.