Brix Fantastic script V impressed with your trojan work Let it not go un rewarded with a Suitable reply
Thanks for the appreciation guys. Actually wasn't that difficult a job as most pages comprised direct 'lifts' from your comments. Just a question of organisation, presentation and getting it sent off really (it eventually went in the post last night - first class of course!). The principal difficulties were finding the time to get it done (serious health-related issues in me day job that left us without two key players, MD and IT boffin, leaving yours truly as deputy chief looney to run our over-sized asylum!); and finding a way of making the document available for you to browse through (not easy - thanks Roller). Anyways, it's done now so we'll see what Rangers make of it all. I'll let you know if and when I hear anything.
Thanks North. Mick Byrne, His Pub and the Mayo Râs September 28th, 2011 | Category: Fanzone Early one Saturday afternoon, I was meandering down Main Street, Castlebar, where things were relatively quiet after the hustle and bustle of Christmas and the New Year in this somewhat typical Mayo townâ¦.âwhere the ocean kisses Ireland and the waves caress her shoresâ. It was a damp, grey day and it all felt a bit like the day after the night before, indeed a bit depressing, with the locals getting back to reality that is a recession which has hit these towns and its peoples hard. But I was up for a pint of the black stuff and where better to go than Byrneâs pub situated at the lower end of town. Indeed Mick is not only renowned for his Guinness, but also all things sport across the County of Mayo and of course thereâs his beloved QPR. Over the years when commenting on Mid-West Radio about sport in general, he rarely misses an opportunity where he could somehow talk QPR. When you walk in the front door itâs just like any pub, but itâs in the back bar where you feel immediately at homeâ¦.itâs almost a shrine to the club ! The craic was good and although a busy man, Mick took the time to talk all things Rangers. He doesnât get over as much as he would like to, but thereâs no doubting his passion for a club that in these parts has had to compete with the so called âbig clubsâ over the yearsâ¦.but things are now without doubt changing at last. We have many loyal fans in Mayoâ¦.and itâs growing. Iâve lost count of the number of people who text me and who now ask about the Râs since we made it to the Prem ! So after a few beers, a few photos and plenty of craic, it was time to go back outside to that damp, grey day, but I didnât want to be anywhere else. One thing is for sure that thereâs no place like homeâ¦in Mayoâ¦.in Mick Byrnes Pub. Jimmy Murray I was pleased to notice some years ago that one of my local Newsagents in South Harrow stocks the âHammersmith & Shepherds Bush Gazette every week. I was even more surprised to also see copies of âThe Mayo Newsâ which I pick up for my mate Jimmy. Before handing over the latest edition, Jimmy told me that heâd heard that Mick Byrne was featured in the series: âFanâs Fareâ, where local Premiership fans have their say. Indeed he was and this is what Mick had to say: âIt was back in 1966 as a nine-year-old when I first caught the QPR bug. They were playing West Brom in the League Cup Final and won 3-0, I was hooked. It may have been 45 years ago, but the soccer script hasnât changed too much since. Back then you were either a Liverpool fan or a United one. To follow QPR was a bit like going Irish dancing instead of having a kick-about with the lads. It wasnât cool. Iâve been through thick and thin since then and yes, before you say it, there have been a lot more thins. I can remember almost getting relegated to Division 3 and getting beaten in the replay of the 1982 Cup Final, but then there was the 4-1 demolition of Man United back on New Yearâs Day in 1992, the days that make it all worthwhile. The great Dennis Bailey scored a sublime hat-trick at Old Trafford and is the main culprit for my fondness for the coffee-tasting liqueur of the same name. I think I was toasting Baileys with everyone for weeks after that. They were great times. And what about the 1975/76 season ? Don Givens, Gerry Francis and Stan Bowles became household names and went perilously close to lifting the old Division 1 title. I remember heading over to Loftus Road for the last game of the season. We needed to beat Leeds to have any chance of doing it and the lads duly obliged, winning 2-0. There was an unbelievable atmosphere at that one. But Liverpool still had one game left due to their participation in Europe. Lo and behold they pierced daggers by beating Wolves 3-1at Molineux ten days later. We were champions for ten days, ten great days. There were times when I thought that I would never see those heady days again, but now, under Neil Warnock, weâre back in the big time. It was certainly a baptism of fire on the opening day when Bolton dished us out a 4-0 hammering, but we got lost in translation there and the club was in the middle of big changes. Now weâve new owners that gave Neil money to spend and heâs dished it out shrewdly. Like you, I wasnât going to rush to the Post Office to send Joey Barton a Christmas card, but since heâs arrived at Loftus Road, Iâve been converted. What a player. He has character, something missing from a lot of lads in the Premier League. He didnât take too long to get back in the headlines either as on Saturday evening he called Wolvesâ Karl Henry, âlittle more than a Sunday League playerâ after we whipped them 3-0. Joey was a great signing, so was Shaun Wright-Phillips and Anton Ferdinand and weâve brought in other players of genuine Premier League class so I would be very hopeful of staying up. I know some QPR fans would be hoping for more, but if we can keep our heads above water Iâd be happy. Iâm not the only one you know. Thereâs other Mayo men who follow QPR too. Brendan Costello from Claremorris heads over to Loftus Road a couple of times every year and there are 10 or 12 of us in a local supporters club. The craic is mighty and thatâs what itâs all about. The plan now is to set up a QPR Connacht Supporters Club and we were even featured in the programme recently. Iâm hoping to make it over in November for the Arsenal match at the Emirates. Theyâre leaking goals lately too. Maybe we could nick a point, or maybe three. Come on URrrrrrrrrs !!!â Mick sounds quite a character and well done to him for flying the flag in Castlebar. Steve Russell Got a feeling we know Brendan on here don't we?!! Alright Mayo (if it's you)!
That's brill North. I can almost taste the pint and the sweetness of the Baileys when I read that. That famous day when we beat Utd 4-1 on their patch, I went into my local and ordered a triple Baileys off the owner, who I knew well, and was a Utd fan......he blanked me and sent his wife up to serve me! How sweet it was! I'll have to drop in to Mick's pub and have a pint and a natter next time I'm up that way.......just to get out of the rain, of course!
Thought so. Nice one Bren. Key Rs supporter that's for sure. Nextg time you're in Main Street, Castlebar, give our love to Micky Byrne... and tell him his establishment is definitely on the list as a Rangers landmark for any doing the west coast! [Come to think of it, get him to sign up on not606 - as ByrneQPR... we've already got a Mayo!!]
And a bump for the famous IrishR's thread, to wish them all good luck in getting to the play-offs. About time they qualified again.
Thanks Northolt; a draw will do, and a draw I think we'd settle for, as those Armenians are scoring for fun these days and we're not firing on any cylinders. I expect a high scoring draw, 2-2.
Ahh well we made the playoffs....AGAIN. At least this time we're seeded so will be drawn against either Turkey, Bosnia, Montenegro OR Estonia. Avoided Portugal, Croatia and Czechs. Still won't be easy as our home record is not what it used to be. Draw is Thursday about midday.
Yeah, best of luck Ireland - from an 'English' cont! Btw - still ain't heard back from our Mr Beard re our letter. Keep phoning the nos. on the offish but no one ever answers... Any ideas anyone?
