Northern Ireland Stadium News

The Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs has urged the Irish FA to set up a ‘working group’ that would study the plans for a new national stadium in detail. The call was made in a presentation, yesterday, to the executive committee of the Irish FA, when the Amalgamation communicated fans’ fears to football’s governing body and called for a group to be established that would look at all the issues “likely to have an impact on football in Northern Ireland.”

Their proposed working group would consist of members of the IFA’s executive council, the AONISC, Irish League supporters’ groups and an independent member.

Gary McAllister, Amalgamation spokesman said:

“Our representatives set out our position and articulated our concerns with regard to how the Government intends to invest in football and the sporting infrastructure in Northern Ireland, particularly in relation to the Maze proposals. The Amalgamation delegation also put forward a proposal that the IFA should establish a working group to look at the National Stadium issue and other related matters. We believe that such a focus group would allow the wider ‘football family’ to look, in a collective manner, at the key issues which are likely to effect Northern Ireland football in the short, medium and longer terms. We will continue to pursue this proposal with the Chief Executive and the Executive Committee of the Irish FA to consider how it can best be taken forward.”

The calls were made the day after DUP minister designate Ian Paisley Jr, who seems to have taken on the role of Chief Maze Cheerleader now that Edwin Poots has taken the DCAL ministry and has to portray an air of neutrality, hinted that his party would take a decision to proceed with the plans for a stadium at the Maze regardless of the wishes of sports fans in Northern Ireland.

Mr Paisley said that the decision which the direct rule ministers were going to take six months to make could be made in three months by the local ministers and assembly. What Mr Paisley seems to be forgetting is that it’s no use speeding up the decision making process if you still end up with the same bad decisions. At least when the NIO were making the decisions we knew they were making bad choices deliberately to force our local politicians back round the table. What’s Mr Paisley’s excuse?

The full Amalgamation press release is available for download.

OK, it’s not really a range, but Northern Ireland football supporters are to produce T-shirts with a “Say no to the Maze” logo, featuring a white elephant, prior to the upcoming matches in Lichtenstein and at home to Sweden.

The proceeds are to go towards the Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs “fighting fund” to highlight the level of opposition to the Maze plans within footballing circles and encourage the IFA to look at the alternatives.

If anyone wants one, more information is available from the OurWeeCountry web site. Note that the last date for orders is Thursday 15th March.

An online poll of Ulster Rugby fans has shown that a whopping 82% of Rugby fans reject the Maze stadium. According to a poll on the “Ulternative Alster” fansite, 2% supported a move to the Maze, 16% supported playing only larger games at the Maze and 67% in favour of a new stadium in Belfast.

At the same time, a leading a senior individual in the tourism industry has said that the government plans for a stadium at the Maze amount to a “Grave Mistake” and that economically it would make more sense to find a site in Belfast where it could make use of existing infrastructure. His comments follow those of Alan Clarke, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board who last year said “Large numbers of the tourism industry support the view that the infrastructure in central Belfast is capable of supporting the likely footfall of a new stadium and will therefore realise the project’s full economic and tourism potential.”

Football fans don’t want it, rugby fans don’t want it and the tourist industry don’t want it. Stop the white elephant and build the stadium in Belfast. Sign our petition today!

The Irish FA have been accused of ignoring the fans after they failed to send any representatives to a public debate on Northern Ireland’s new stadium. 4 members of the Irish FA were invited to speak to the representatives present to explain their support for the Maze despite the overwhelming opposition of the fans. One of those sent apologies that they couldn’t make it while the other three, including Howard Wells (Chief Executive) and James Boyce (the President, who claims to want a stadium in Belfast but yet won’t translate this want into any form of action) simply didn’t turn up. S4B understands they were in Germany for a meeting however reliable sources indicate that both the internet and telephones have indeed reached Germany and yet no apologies were received. Edwin Poots, contrary to our earlier report, found time to attend the debate and reports indicate that those present were impressed with his speaking but remained unconvinced by his defence of the Maze plans.

Gary McAllister from the Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs was baffled that the IFA are still refusing to explain their support for the white elephant to their disgruntled customers - the fans. “We have yet to get an honest answer from the IFA as to whether they are supporting the Maze site, no matter how many times we have asked.”

Mr McAllister went on to explain that the government were guilty abusing sport for political ends. “The Government has shrouded this in secrecy and won’t tell us how much the project will cost or why they chose it over the Belfast proposals… It’s not a sporting decision - the Maze is not in the interests of football as it is too big and doesn’t have good enough transport links.”

Gary has outlined just some of the reasons to stop the white elephant. Act now and sign our petition.

The Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubsand Belfast City Council are to host a debate on the national stadium issue in the Waterfront Hall on 25th January. Councillor Bob Stoker (Community & Recreation committee chairman) will be representing Belfast City Council, Gary McAllister (press officer) the Amalgamation of NISCs and Michael Smyth as an lecturer on Economics from the University of Ulster.

The Political Development has been invited to take part and the Maze Consultation Panel have been asked to nominate a representative as well to ensure a balanced panel. The Maze Consultation Panel’s chairman Edwin Poots (whose DUP party colleague Jeffrey Donaldson illustrated many politicians’ understanding of the situation perfectly when he dismissed the argument as a Belfast vs Lisburn issue and accused Northern Ireland football fans, overwhelmingly opposed to the Maze plans, of sectarianism at a council meeting in Lisburn) has already declined the invitation and the vice-chair Paul Butler (Sinn Fein) said he was unaware of any such invitation.
The Amalgamation has already made clear its opposition to the Maze plans due to a large number of different concerns through protests and press announcements and are in the process of establishing a website at NoToTheMaze.com

Although it’s being called a public debate please be aware that, because of demand, attendance is by invitation only. Invitations can be requested by emailing the Amalgamation of NISCs.

Stop the madness. Stop the white elephant. Sign the Stadium For Belfast petition.

Representatives from the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs have had meetings with senior officials from Belfast City Council recently to discuss the plans for a new national stadium in Belfast.

Following the meetings the Amalgamation issued a press release in which a spokesman indicated they were impressed by the detail and quality of some of the proposals submitted to the council, and satisfied that there was an opportunity to develop “a credible and feasible alternative to The Maze.”

Hopefully then by September the government-spun myth that there is “no plan B” can be put to rest once and for all.

The Amalgamation of Official NISCs is currently embarking on a ‘roadshow’, taking their arguments on the National Stadium debate to various locations throughout the country. The presentation is set to be given to NISCs and local Councils in the coming weeks - a successful presentation has already been made to Ards Borough Council’s External Relations and Planning Committee.

The next in the series of these events will be held as follows: The Royal Hotel, Cookstown at 8pm on Wednesday 26th April. Portstewart FC, Portstewart at 8pm on Wednesday 3rd May. These events are open to the public and admission is free, so why not come along and take part in the national stadium debate.

Meetings are also planned with Carrick Borough Council on Mon 15th May, Lisburn City Council (who stand to gain the most from the Maze proposals) on Mon 5th June and Ballymena Borough Council on Mon 12th June.

The County Antrim delegate to GAA congress spoke out at a recent meeting in Killarney over government proposals for the new stadium at the Maze (or ‘Long Kesh’). He is quoted in the Irish News (April 22nd - not available online without subscription) as saying: “as for the national stadium - and I use that term loosely - at Long Kesh, we don’t think we need a national stadium there; maybe we could use a training ground there.”

Clearly Antrim GAA  don’t feel like they’d get much benefit from a new stadium at the Maze. With Rugby and Football both preferring a site in Belfast, it would appear common sense to go with the wishes of those who actually need the stadium. If the GAA would benefit from an extra training ground out there then perhaps they could be accommodated out of the money saved by not building the extra 15,000 seats to remain unfilled.

Despite opposition from over 90% of the national team’s fans, the Irish FA have agreed to send Northern Irish football to the proposed Maze Stadium, to be located on the former prison site just outside Lisburn. This comes just days after the Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs released a very convincing and detailed paper documenting their opposition to the Maze project and very strong research to back it up. It would be easy to get the impression that in a few months, the Amalgamation have done more research than the IFA and government combined!!

For more details see the full story.

86.5% of Northern Ireland’s football team’s supporters oppose the Maze stadium according to a survey carried out by the Amalgamation of NISCs on members and on fans present for the World Cup Qualifier against Wales last month. Also this weekend, the local press seems to have realised what a daft idea the Maze proposals are.

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