02 Apr 2026 22:24:05
The club have announced that as part of this summer's pre-season we will play a friendly against Leeds Utd on 12th August at Croke Park in Dublin.
Apparently, this will be the first time ever a club football match will have taken place at this venue.

Quite an honour!
This will be a real opportunity for all you Irish lads to watch the boys on your home territory.

1.) 03 Apr 2026
03 Apr 2026 00:52:56
I'm not sure people will realise what an honour it is and how historic an event it is. Truly remarkable. I'm so pleased.

2.) 03 Apr 2026
03 Apr 2026 10:24:46
Absolutely, Ken. Croke Park is an extraordinary venue, and having a game like this there is a huge step for the GAA and for Ireland in general, given the history there.

3.) 03 Apr 2026
03 Apr 2026 13:19:25
There will be some serious trouble for that game. Dirty Leeds are supposed to be bringing thousands & with Utd's Irish following, I suspect there will be major trouble.

4.) 03 Apr 2026
03 Apr 2026 14:32:37
No, there won't.

5.) 04 Apr 2026
04 Apr 2026 10:29:00
I doubt it, and, besides, I'm sure the Irish authorities are, unfortunately, due to their turbulent political history, well versed in dealing with crowd trouble. You'd be foolish to travel there with the intent of causing trouble.

6.) 04 Apr 2026
04 Apr 2026 12:11:32
Dumb post shappy we don't have trouble at big sporting events in Ireland.
Voted best traveling fans at every competition we ever qualified for.
Fans in ire rugby and gaa sit with other fans from opposing teams even at international level.

Ignorant post.
What turbulent political history? You mean the history of having your country invaded like Ukraine or Palestine and standing up for you freedom?
Tell me what crowd trouble the Irish police are used to?

7.) 04 Apr 2026
04 Apr 2026 12:47:19
I assume you're on a wind up there, Shappy. Crowd trouble is hardly ever a thing here. There sometimes is trouble for refs at GAA games, but fan vs fan trouble doesn't happen. Even when the English hooligan group tore up Landsdowne Road around 30 years ago, it was entirely one sided.

It always strikes me as incredibly sad how much football fans miss out on because of needing to be segregated. Gaelic games and rugby games are so much more fun to go to because of how much the fans mix.

8.) 04 Apr 2026
04 Apr 2026 12:48:07
Ken, what I'm saying is the Irish authorities have recent history in dealing with far bigger issues than some drunken ejits at a football match.

The Irish fans always do themselves proud wherever they go, and I don't think anyone is suggesting that if there was to be any trouble at this game that it would be the Irish fans. It's the traveling English fans, who, it is being suggested, could cause trouble.

All I'm saying is, given everything Ireland has dealt with, that it would be foolish for English fans to try and start trouble over there.

I certainly don't want to make this into a political debate.

I accept that I am woefully ill-equipped to discuss the intricate details of the problems that have happened in Ireland. I'm just highlighting that they have dealt with far worse than some drunken football fans trying to start a scrap.

For what it's worth, I don't think any of the fans who would look to start trouble will likely travel to Ireland for a pre-season game anyway. Certainly not in the kind of numbers that would actually pose a serious problem. I'd imagine 90% plus of the stadium will be filled with local Irish fans taking the opportunity to watch Manchester United without the expense of crossing the Irish Sea.

9.) 04 Apr 2026
04 Apr 2026 13:26:42
I read Shappy's post and didn't interpret it that way at all, lads.

Not ignorant or dumb, Shappy. Thanks for the follow up post trying to clarify it, but there was no need at all.

10.) 04 Apr 2026
04 Apr 2026 14:34:49
I hear Shappy, and yes there are eejits here too that can cause trouble, but as sporting fans on a mass scale, there is a completely different feel to what you experience in other countries when you go to major sporting events.
There are more issues with minor and junior parochial club games, to be honest.
The history surrounding the venue is worth a read, and intl matches were played there during the rebuilding of Lansdown Rd rugby too.

But the fact that 2 English teams are playing there is breaking new ground, and is most welcome, and a huge step forward that would be welcomed by the vast majority of the Irish people. It's hugely significant and great news.

11.) 04 Apr 2026
04 Apr 2026 16:13:07
I'm sure it'll be a great event and will only be positive for Ireland. I might look and see if I can get a ticket. Being the summer holidays, I could take a few days off to enjoy the Emerald Isle.