Irish Supporters Network

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  • ISN Statement on Collective Punishment

    ISN Statement on Collective Punishment

    Since the unacceptable incidents at the Louth derby last weekend, which the ISN condemns unreservedly, there has been a worrying discourse developing in relation to fan safety and collective punishment. The reckless actions of the individuals responsible have unfortunately been followed by unhelpful and inaccurate statements by the Minister for Sport, among others.

    The statements from both clubs following the incidents should be noted, as should the positive work by the League of Ireland and clubs to improve fan engagement and experience in recent years.

    The FAI availed of UEFA Academy / Football Supporters Europe training for our League of Ireland SLOs, at ISN’s request, and the Disability Access Officers programme has also been a significant positive.

    We do not believe collective punishment, threatening funding, comparing football fans unfavourably to those of other sports or new legislation, all of which were suggested by the Minister for Sport this week, are the answer.

    Stadium closures would mean clubs, fans, and communities would suffer real financial impacts. With so many of the obvious measures to ensure fan safety from improper use of flares, the lighting and throwing of which is already a crime under Irish law, dependent on available budgets, this would be counterproductive. We would note also other sports have had their own issues in addressing the improper use of flares.

    Our immediate ask is positive and meaningful engagement between the Minister and all key stakeholders (FAI, Gardaí / PSNI, fan groups, players, and clubs) on how we can best provide a safe match night experience for all, while retaining the vibrancy and colour that reflect the passion fans feel for their clubs and localities. This is our League, and it’s the responsibility of all stakeholders to support and underpin its progress.

    The Irish Football Supporters Partnership (IFSP) – which includes CRISC, ISN, YBIG Mandate – is fully supportive of this call to action. IFSP represents both League of Ireland and International fans at various FAI governance mechanisms including General Assembly.

    For further comment or information, or to get involved with ISN, email: info@irishsupportersnetwork.ie

  • IFSP Seeks Views of Fans on the Future of Irish Football

    IFSP Seeks Views of Fans on the Future of Irish Football

    Following on from the 2021 FAI AGM, at which a draft strategic plan for the years 2022-2025 was presented, the FAI are now engaging in a process of consultation with stakeholders.

    The Irish Supporters Network, along with our colleagues in the Irish Football Supporters Partnership (IFSP), are seeking the views of Irish football fans on the direction of football in the country. These views will form the basis of the IFSP’s written submission to the FAI on the strategic plan, which is due to be finalised by the end of the year.

    We have prepared some questions to help fans and supporters to send their feedback to the IFSP, and they can be accessed here by means of a Google Form. For any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact us: info@irishsupportersnetwork.ie

  • Fans Back Protocols to Allow for Return to Stadia

    Fans Back Protocols to Allow for Return to Stadia

    Irish football supporters are anxious to return to grounds across the country as soon as possible and the overwhelming majority will adhere to Covid-19 public health guidance in order to do so, a survey has found. Supporters listed financial support of their club, football being their main pastime, and football as a key social outlet as the top motivations behind their desire to return.

    On the eve of the new League of Ireland season, a total of 1,826 football supporters responded to a survey led by the Irish Supporters Network (ISN), and supported by their colleagues in the Irish Football Supporters Partnership (IFSP), the Confederation of Republic of Ireland Supporters Clubs (CRISC) and YBIG Independent Supporters Mandate. The IFSP has had two representatives on FAI Council since July 2019 and works to ensure that all fans have a voice within the association’s structures.

    Photograph credit: Peadar O’Sullivan

    Of the supporters that managed to attend a League of Ireland fixture in the second half of 2020, there was strong praise for the efforts of clubs as well as their staff and volunteers in making fixtures safe, well organised and also welcoming those that could attend. 95% of respondents identified with a League of Ireland club from across the Premier and First Divisions. 

    Re-opening football

    Asked when they would like to return to watching live football, 71.5% said they would seek to return “as soon as possible”, ahead of “when there are no restrictions on gate numbers” (9.8%) and “when Covid is no longer an issue at all” (9.7%).

    Asked if they were willing to adhere to public health guidance and stadium protocols in order to facilitate a limited return when it is safe to do so, a huge majority (98.7%) of respondents answered ‘Yes’. In addition, 89.3% of respondents pledged to publicly support an awareness campaign aimed at promoting public health guidance amongst the wider football community if it helped to re-open/keep football open to supporters in the coming months.

    Irish football’s financial dependency on supporters was highlighted once again when respondents were asked why they wanted to return to stadia as soon as possible. The most popular ‘Priority 1’ was financial support for clubs and teams. The social and community element of football also shone through too, with the second and third most popular choices being: Football is my main pastime and It’s a social outlet for me.

    On measures that would encourage supporters to return to grounds once it’s safe to do so, masks were seen as an important consideration:

    • A requirement to wear a mask around the ground (71.3%)
    • Phased exit (59.4%)
    • Being able to attend with the people I normally go with (57.9%)
    • Assigned seating (56.1%)

    Just over a quarter of respondents had the opportunity to attend a League of Ireland fixture after grounds opened up again with limited capacity last summer. The vast majority that had this opportunity felt the guidance and instructions provided were ‘Very clear’ and, when asked to share additional feedback, comments strongly commended clubs for their work in ensuring games were safe and followed protocols. 

    In a further demonstration of supporters’ loyalty, 36.3% of respondents are still willing to purchase season tickets despite the uncertainty around timelines for supporters returning. Slightly less (35%) said they would prefer individual tickets for specific matches, with entry included in club membership (11.5%) third.

    “Everyone involved in League of Ireland football is anxious to have supporters back in grounds once it’s safe for them to return, and the survey findings include lots of useful information that can help inform preparations in the coming months. The vast majority of supporters want to return as soon as they possibly can and are hugely supportive of any public health guidance and the stadia protocols that will allow that to happen,” Niamh O’Mahony, Secretary of the Irish Supporters Network (ISN), said. 

    “The reasons why are also important to highlight – fans think about their clubs’ finances, football being their main pastime and football being a social outlet. That sense of community and belonging is key. The League of Ireland is underpinned by the dedication of supporters and volunteers and, as one respondent said, fans and passion drive this league more than anything else. That same passion has been largely missing from grounds for the last 12 months.

    “Feedback from the games in the second half of 2020 was really positive in terms of the clubs implementing public health measures and ensuring fixtures were run in a safe and organised manner. ISN, CRISC and YBIG Mandate have been meeting with the FAI regularly on this issue to ensure the voice of supporters is heard and taken into account in the ongoing Return to Stadia work. The data also speaks for itself – not a single Covid-19 outbreak was linked to League of Ireland games or training in 2020, and clubs, volunteers and supporters can all take credit for that.”

    For further detail on the survey findings or further information, email: 

    ISN: info@irishsupportersnetwork.ie

    CRISC: crisc@rissc.org  

    YBIG Mandate: ybigmandate@gmail.com

  • Fans Survey: Views on Return to Stadia in Ireland needed

    Fans Survey: Views on Return to Stadia in Ireland needed

    The Irish Football Supporters Partnership (IFSP) represents fans on FAI Council and is currently working with the FAI on Return to Stadia protocols.

    This survey aims to understand how supporters feel about measures that will allow us to return to live football in time. All responses are appreciated and all shares / RTs will help our efforts.

    Complete the survey here.

    The Irish Supporters Network (ISN) is working on behalf of League of Ireland supporters, while CRISC and YBIG Mandate work on behalf of ROI supporters clubs and independent ROI fans respectively.

  • Supporters Need To Be Heard in ‘Behind Closed Doors’ Debate

    Supporters Need To Be Heard in ‘Behind Closed Doors’ Debate

    Supporters have mixed views on how the League of Ireland should proceed in 2020 but are supportive of measures to help their clubs through the Covid-19 pandemic, a new survey by the Irish Supporters Network (ISN) has found.

    Asked if they support ‘Behind Closed Doors’ for the League, 52.7% of participants said they were in favour with 47.3% against the idea. Feedback from individual supporters on this specific question included statements of support for their club’s long-term viability as well as a desire for supporters’ well being, both physical and mental, to be acknowledged and recognised in discussions.

    Asked how supporters should be kept involved if Closed Games do proceed, a third (33.5%) of respondents stated a preference for a Fully Paid streaming service where everyone pays a fee followed by a service that would be available free to certain groups within the supporter base i.e. season ticket holders or club members (31.1%). A total of 27.3% stated a preference for the option: If it’s not safe for supporters, it’s not safe for anyone else. Just 8.7% of people stated a preference for a lottery-type system that would allow some fans to attend in small numbers while socially distancing inside the ground.

    Asked if they would support measures to not allow away fans in grounds until social distancing measures are lifted, 65% of people were in favour, with 35% against.

    An overwhelming majority of respondents were in favour of supporters being involved with the ongoing planning and discussions being held regularly at a national level – 81.5% saying fans should be involved, with 18.5% saying otherwise.

    Demonstrating their understanding of how precarious finances are for many clubs at the moment, a majority of participants (58.7%) stated a preference for some level of consideration for their 2021 season ticket renewal as the top remedy in the event of Closed Games going ahead. Second was an exclusive club event for season ticket holders (21.3%), 17.6% said they would be satisfied with a voucher or other non-monetary compensation while 16.4% of respondents believe an option for a partial refund is needed.

    Finally, when asked if their club had engaged with supporters on this topic, 63.8% said No with 36.2% saying Yes. Again, feedback included sympathy that clubs are also working in unchartered territory at present alongside a desire to be included and acknowledged.

    Comment:
    The findings of the survey reflect the ongoing discussion and debate seen right across the league at the moment – confusion, uncertainty, anxiety for the future. Supporters are key stakeholders in the League of Ireland and our clubs, literally, would not survive without the financial and volunteering contributions made right throughout the year and not just at grounds on match night.

    ISN is fully supportive of efforts to try and find the safest way back to playing football but we would like to see discussion and planning around a pathway for supporters to return to grounds in due course alongside the other considerations being worked through by clubs, the PFAI and the FAI at present. If League of Ireland fixtures become something supporters are excluded from – for whatever reason – without any consultation, the ‘loss of habit’ could have a permanent and devastating effect. And that’s something no one wants to see.

    The full survey results can be downloaded Behind Closed Door findings.

    ISN wishes to highlight and acknowledge the support of our fellow supporters’ organisations – CRISC and YBIG Mandate – in sharing the survey. All three groups have continued to work together to improve the experiences of all supporters in Irish football since being included on FAI Council for the first time last summer.

    For further information, contact: info@irishsupportersnetwork.ie

    -ENDS-

    Background:  The Irish Supporters Network (ISN) first came together in 2013 as a way for League of Ireland supporters and supporter-owned clubs to cooperate. Founded as a federal cooperative in 2016, it advocates for community ownership and supporter involvement in Irish football. Since May 2019, it has worked closely with CRISC and YBIG Mandate on topics that affect all supporters in Irish Football.

  • Cobh Ramblers Cooperative Society Limited joins ISN

    Cobh Ramblers Cooperative Society Limited joins ISN

    Cobh Ramblers Cooperative Society Limited has become the newest member of the Irish Supporters Network (ISN).

    Image credit: Ciara Aherne

    The cooperative was formed last month (June 2019) and aims to re-establish strong community ties and partnerships within Cobh town and Cork more broadly.

    “The new Board of Cobh Ramblers recognises the importance of greater engagement with our local community and re-igniting the great amount of goodwill that exists for the club in Cork and nationally.

    To this end, we have established a new cooperative which is member-owned and run with a range of membership options. Membership options will include Local Membership, National Membership (available from 2020) and International Membership. We also provide a special discounted rate for OAPs.

    Within this new structure, each member critically has equal voting rights into the running of the club in an open, inclusive and transparent manner.

    Cognisant of how well this structure works in other clubs, we are very confident this new member-owned model will help us prosper and grow sustainable as we approach our centenary year in 2022.

    We are delighted that the Irish Supporters Network has accepted our request to link up with them and we look forward to the networking opportunities that our club will now have with ISN, and further afield with SD Europe and Football Supporters Europe (FSE).

    This is a new dawn for Cobh Ramblers and we would actively encourage as many people as possible to get involved and join us on our adventure.”

    Anyone wishing to get involved with the football club as a volunteer or club partner is invited to get in touch directly via email on cobhramsPRO@gmail.com or by calling our club office on 021-4813078

    Memberships can be signed up to online here.