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Westmeath Football thread

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As a Meath fan i expected us to bring a big crowd yesterday, but never to the extent it was , it must have been 5 or 6 to 1. the crowd won that free in front of the posts near end by roaring to linesman on 3 men back. anyway i think westmeath are a right decent team and too good to have been relegated in some ways. the issue with support is probably cultural, there just wasnt enough success to make following the westmeath football team a cultural touchstone like it was in meath. meath winning all irelands each generation from 1940s. also hurling is fairly strong if not seen as equal in westmeath where its definitley isnt in meath. i do notice from nieces and nephews that around places like navan when Meath senior footballers are playing a match at home its the only show in town among teens aged 12plus the all want to go and be seen to be there, its seen as a cool thing to be involved in particulalry now with girls. the meath ladies winning senior all irelands in 2021 and 22 has been a huge boost to GAA in general in Meath. in 2022 meath brought over 30,000 fans on thier own to croke park for the womens final, that had been the biggest meath support in croke park since all ireland semi final in 2009 v kerry. even bigger than the last leinster final they won in 2010. things like that just keep the flame lit. no real rugby or soccer helps as well. also getting huge amounts of interest among 2nd generation kids of emigrants from all over ireland and globally as well as kids of dubs now supporting meath teams. dont know how to bring this to a county but huge PR work needed in westmeath dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 810 - 03/03/2025 15:49:00 2594469 Link
Replying To dickie10: "As a Meath fan i expected us to bring a big crowd yesterday, but never to the extent it was , it must have been 5 or 6 to 1. the crowd won that free in front of the posts near end by roaring to linesman on 3 men back. anyway i think westmeath are a right decent team and too good to have been relegated in some ways. the issue with support is probably cultural, there just wasnt enough success to make following the westmeath football team a cultural touchstone like it was in meath. meath winning all irelands each generation from 1940s. also hurling is fairly strong if not seen as equal in westmeath where its definitley isnt in meath. i do notice from nieces and nephews that around places like navan when Meath senior footballers are playing a match at home its the only show in town among teens aged 12plus the all want to go and be seen to be there, its seen as a cool thing to be involved in particulalry now with girls. the meath ladies winning senior all irelands in 2021 and 22 has been a huge boost to GAA in general in Meath. in 2022 meath brought over 30,000 fans on thier own to croke park for the womens final, that had been the biggest meath support in croke park since all ireland semi final in 2009 v kerry. even bigger than the last leinster final they won in 2010. things like that just keep the flame lit. no real rugby or soccer helps as well. also getting huge amounts of interest among 2nd generation kids of emigrants from all over ireland and globally as well as kids of dubs now supporting meath teams. dont know how to bring this to a county but huge PR work needed in westmeath" You make a lot of good points but remember the population of Meath is 220,000 while Westmeath is just 100,000.Westmeath GAA is 40% hurling while in Meath it's 10%. But we have a major PR job to do in both codes in Westmeath no doubt about it especially as per head as a GAA county we are far ahead of Meath. jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1643 - 03/03/2025 16:13:55 2594482 Link
@chops and @claretandblue - Just happened to click into this thread as it was top of the list when I opened the Forum. Would like to answer two points: You have a county board who threaten to take away home league games from clubs who don't come up with referees? This is a good measure. We've had in place in Wexford now for the past three years, where if clubs don't supply an active referee, they lose home advantage in adult League matches and underage championship matches (lose one match in each grade & code for the first year they don't have a ref, lose two matches the second and any subsequent year). Note the emphasis on active referee - they must referee a quota of matches each year. Can't get around it by just sending somebody on a referee course and then that person making excuse after excuse that they can't take the matches they're allocated. County players banned from playing club league games. Common across the board. Can't expect county players to play a Club League match on a Friday night, for example, and then a National League match on Saturday or Sunday. However, county players not in the matchday 26 can be released to their clubs that weekend all right, and if there's not a county match on any given weekend, the entire county squad can be free to go play a club match. Whatever chops might think about it, it's not specific to Westmeath, and is not a sign of your County Board being 'out of touch' or anything else. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2734 - 03/03/2025 16:43:24 2594499 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Some rant. What would you suggest county board does with clubs who don't supply referees? At a recent county clubs meeting it was mentioned that seven clubs don't have referees and that includes the senior champions in both codes plus Tyrrellspass in those three. Make some suggestions. You think other counties let players play club league games during the national league? If so why did Noel McCaffrey bring forward his recent motion? Westmeath subs at National league games have played for their clubs on the Friday before league games, Joseph Moran, Andrew Kilmartin, Fionn O' Hara and Mark Evers to name four recently. County boards don't stop players playing anything, it's managers. We're in division 2 of the league, should that not entice supporters out to watch?" What do you suggest to get bums on seats then? All you do is give out that Westmeath has embarrassing support, and the 2004 brigade blah blah blah, how would you cure it?? Chops (Westmeath) - Posts: 780 - 03/03/2025 17:44:28 2594522 Link
Replying To Chops: "What do you suggest to get bums on seats then? All you do is give out that Westmeath has embarrassing support, and the 2004 brigade blah blah blah, how would you cure it??" Chops if you care to read my posts they're generally positive, especially about our footballers efforts this league, I asked you in a previous post to suggest things to solve issues that you brought up. Needless to say you have suggested nothing. I stated facts about our support like many other posters here have. Finally, I've never mentioned 2004 etc in a post here so at least get some facts right. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2047 - 03/03/2025 17:49:50 2594526 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Chops if you care to read my posts they're generally positive, especially about our footballers efforts this league, I asked you in a previous post to suggest things to solve issues that you brought up. Needless to say you have suggested nothing. I stated facts about our support like many other posters here have. Finally, I've never mentioned 2004 etc in a post here so at least get some facts right." On the 27th of January only days after the worst storm we have seen you were going on about the fair weather supporters from 2004.... With experts like yourself sure there's no need for anyone to go to games. You consistently harp on about how lamentable, and embarrassing it is. Nobody is making you go chief if it embarrasses you then stay at home. Get your own facts right..... The Westmeath support was as usual lamentable, easily outnumbered by the Louth supporters, its very rare that we ever have greater support than any visiting county, it must be demoralising for players and puzzling for new management teams, no idea why? Likes of Roscommon, Offaly, Longford, always have great home support. People always have an excuse, weather, matches on tv. The fair weather supporters from 2004 etc have gone back into hiding. Any solutions? Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2040 - 27/01/2025 12:59:01 Chops (Westmeath) - Posts: 780 - 03/03/2025 20:10:37 2594565 Link
It amuses me and probably others that you spent time looking back on my posts. To say our support levels are embarrassing is absolutely true, I'm entitled to say it seeing that I attend approximately 90% of our games in both codes at all levels. I love going to Westmeath matches, always have, I've asked you questions in posts today but you've yet to produce an answer. I doubt your next response will include one either. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2047 - 03/03/2025 20:38:14 2594571 Link
Ps Chops. You used the word expert, not sure why? People giving opinions here and suggestions, doesn't make us experts. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2047 - 03/03/2025 20:41:05 2594572 Link
I have an answer, we have development officers do we not? Why not have them going out to schools and encouraging young people to take up refereeing and let them progress along doing U-8 and U10 challenge games? They should be encouraging all aspects of the games, not just the playing side. Why in the middle of January should the county board be putting a gun to the heads of clubs who in turn have to put a gun to the head of members to come up with names. It's counter productive. In a lot of cases the clubs will give a name or 2 and a couple of months later they pull out again. Chops (Westmeath) - Posts: 780 - 03/03/2025 22:34:43 2594587 Link
I know Meath have a large supporters club and do great work organising buses and tickets for away games. I'm sure other counties have similar set ups to encourage support. I haven't heard of one in Westmeath (I could be ignorant to it). Obviously, this would only be feasible if there is demand and support within the county to fill buses and seats. Whether that type of loyal support is plentiful in Westmeath is debatable. We don't have very vocal support at games. The Meath support at the weekend were loud and passionate whereas Westmeath get a good score and its met with a small ripple of applause. dakid (Australia) - Posts: 287 - 04/03/2025 07:27:54 2594600 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "It amuses me and probably others that you spent time looking back on my posts. To say our support levels are embarrassing is absolutely true, I'm entitled to say it seeing that I attend approximately 90% of our games in both codes at all levels. I love going to Westmeath matches, always have, I've asked you questions in posts today but you've yet to produce an answer. I doubt your next response will include one either." As a matter of interest would you attend 90% of your club games? I know a lot of people would be out with the clubs on a Sunday morning for games/training and it's probably 12 or 1 by the time you'd be home. Our own ACFL starts earlier than most counties and people are probably occupied with their club. Again, not necessarily a reason but it contributes I'm sure. OverTheHill85 (Westmeath) - Posts: 28 - 04/03/2025 07:43:14 2594604 Link
Replying To dakid: "I know Meath have a large supporters club and do great work organising buses and tickets for away games. I'm sure other counties have similar set ups to encourage support. I haven't heard of one in Westmeath (I could be ignorant to it). Obviously, this would only be feasible if there is demand and support within the county to fill buses and seats. Whether that type of loyal support is plentiful in Westmeath is debatable. We don't have very vocal support at games. The Meath support at the weekend were loud and passionate whereas Westmeath get a good score and its met with a small ripple of applause." Meath fans do have a bit of chip on shoulder sometimes which brings out the passion d mentality of everyone hates us we dont care type Millwall thing, when you see the ref on sunday sometimes you see why. but theres definitley a thing of circle the wagons sometimes, they sometimes feel aggrieved as being portrayed as villans v Louth 2010, Mayo and Tyrone in 96, all three counties whinged and still whinge over those defeats. leaves meath fans very defensive of their county i think. dickie10 (UK) - Posts: 810 - 04/03/2025 09:28:44 2594613 Link
Replying To OverTheHill85: "As a matter of interest would you attend 90% of your club games? I know a lot of people would be out with the clubs on a Sunday morning for games/training and it's probably 12 or 1 by the time you'd be home. Our own ACFL starts earlier than most counties and people are probably occupied with their club. Again, not necessarily a reason but it contributes I'm sure." A guy from the Annebrook hotel organised a 38 seater bus for the Cork game, six people signed up to travel. Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2047 - 04/03/2025 10:06:50 2594622 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Roscommon and Cavan always bring much greater crowds than we do and that's for home games. Attributing the difference in support to population base is another excuse." In fairness I'd go a bit easier on the supporters especially as yer hurlers were in action in Tullamore which is very convenient for Westmeath hurling fans. You'd imagine that the powers that be would double up fixtures if at all possible. We almost had a similar but worse situation two weeks ago. Hurlers were due to play Down in Trim at 2.00 (I think) with the footballers playing Roscommon in Navan at 3.45. Game in Trim postponed dour to the very heavy rain. MillerX (Meath) - Posts: 1094 - 04/03/2025 19:21:17 2594771 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Roscommon and Cavan always bring much greater crowds than we do and that's for home games. Attributing the difference in support to population base is another excuse." In fairness I'd go a bit easier on the supporters especially as yer hurlers were in action in Tullamore which is very convenient for Westmeath hurling fans. You'd imagine that the powers that be would double up fixtures if at all possible. We almost had a similar but worse situation two weeks ago. Hurlers were due to play Down in Trim at 2.00 (I think) with the footballers playing Roscommon in Navan at 3.45. Game in Trim postponed dour to the very heavy rain. MillerX (Meath) - Posts: 1094 - 04/03/2025 19:24:03 2594774 Link
Replying To jobber: "You make a lot of good points but remember the population of Meath is 220,000 while Westmeath is just 100,000.Westmeath GAA is 40% hurling while in Meath it's 10%. But we have a major PR job to do in both codes in Westmeath no doubt about it especially as per head as a GAA county we are far ahead of Meath." What a really stupid way to have a dig ,," per head" come on now u can do better than that. otherlad (Meath) - Posts: 140 - 04/03/2025 20:22:49 2594783 Link
Just on the supporters thing - I've not missed a home game this year and I travel down from Belfast. I remember we played Louth in Drogheda under Tom Cribben and we were flying. That day you'd be hard pushed to notice Louth fans at that match while Westmeath had packed the Grandstand. Boidu was in his prime. Swings and roundabouts with support in all counties. Let's not throw the Baby out with the Bath water. Good luck to both teams this year. It isn't easy having a county operating at both codes to a high level. Maroon Heaven (Westmeath) - Posts: 41 - 04/03/2025 23:02:29 2594814 Link
Replying To Maroon Heaven: "Just on the supporters thing - I've not missed a home game this year and I travel down from Belfast. I remember we played Louth in Drogheda under Tom Cribben and we were flying. That day you'd be hard pushed to notice Louth fans at that match while Westmeath had packed the Grandstand. Boidu was in his prime. Swings and roundabouts with support in all counties. Let's not throw the Baby out with the Bath water. Good luck to both teams this year. It isn't easy having a county operating at both codes to a high level." It's fair point by you but also by others shows there are little genuine supporters or less than think westmeath aren't I lowest division they ate doing well competitively no reason why crowd couldn't be up Gaaforlife2023 (Longford) - Posts: 614 - 05/03/2025 09:25:45 2594834 Link
Replying To Chops: "I have an answer, we have development officers do we not? Why not have them going out to schools and encouraging young people to take up refereeing and let them progress along doing U-8 and U10 challenge games? They should be encouraging all aspects of the games, not just the playing side. Why in the middle of January should the county board be putting a gun to the heads of clubs who in turn have to put a gun to the head of members to come up with names. It's counter productive. In a lot of cases the clubs will give a name or 2 and a couple of months later they pull out again." Young referees do go games but that means they're a good few years too young to ref adult games. What's your solution to that? Gaawestmeath (Westmeath) - Posts: 91 - 06/03/2025 06:48:38 2594969 Link
Replying To Maroon Heaven: "Just on the supporters thing - I've not missed a home game this year and I travel down from Belfast. I remember we played Louth in Drogheda under Tom Cribben and we were flying. That day you'd be hard pushed to notice Louth fans at that match while Westmeath had packed the Grandstand. Boidu was in his prime. Swings and roundabouts with support in all counties. Let's not throw the Baby out with the Bath water. Good luck to both teams this year. It isn't easy having a county operating at both codes to a high level." Swings and roundabouts, I agree. But what are the county board doing to promote Football and Hurling? What are they doing in trying to engage supporters? Not near half enough. Meath allow supporters to kick a ball on the field at half time, they do photo shoots with young supporters and put them on the front page of their own match programme for home games. Meath post player and manager interviews after a game, most counties do this actually. You need a prolific social media presence for starters, connect with clubs, schools etc. The importance of fan engagement is undeniable. iarmhiabu (Westmeath) - Posts: 132 - 06/03/2025 08:21:53 2594975 Link