drogheda united to face trabzonspor in tallaght created on friday, 15 march 2013 15:48 www.fai.ie
who would ever have believed that a turkish süper lig team would travel all the way to ireland at their own expense to take on drogheda united in tallaght stadium?
yet that is what will happen on thursday, march 21. it is a unique occasion and one that drogheda united has been working on for two years with the assistance of the turkish government, the turkish embassy in ireland and turkish airlines. in fact turkish airlines are subsidising the visit and sponsoring the game.
drogheda united and trabzonspor developed a relationship some years ago because of their shared colours of claret and blue as well as the star and crescent symbol that features on drogheda's crest and on the turkish national flag. two years ago the board of trabzonspor made drogheda united its official sister club. the great importance that the turkish people place on such associations is reflected by the numerous posts in turkish on drogheda united's facebook page by supporters not only in trabzon but also in istanbul, germany, holland and across europe. indeed, depending on what reports you believe, trabzonspor has a global fan base of between 4 and 12 million!
it is with good reason therefore that the turkish government sees drogheda united as the catalyst that will build political and trade relations between turkey and ireland. thetrabzonspor delegation will include turkish ministers, politicians, heads of industry and dignitaries from trabzonspor. the delegation will jet into dublin on a specially commissioned turkish airlines charter next wednesday. the members will meet their irish counterparts throughout their two-day visit, which will culminate in the football match on thursday evening at 7:30pm.
trabzonspor is the first team outside of istanbul to have won the turkish süper lig and has won it six times in total. its supporters are known to be among the most fanatical in europe and the excitement that they generate wherever their team plays has to be seen to be believed. they are famous for their 61st minute celebrations during each game (the stadium is in city code 61) when they go completely crazy and create an unbelievable atmosphere. up until two months ago, the black sea club was managed by legendary turkish manager senol günes. he was the manager of the turkish national team that finished 3rd in the 2002 world cup championship. following senol günes' resignation, in january a new manager tolunay kafkas took over the reins. a former successful midfielder for trabzonspor, kafkas has been tasked with rejuvenating a trabzonspor side that is having one of its worst ever seasons, currently lying in 13th position in the 18 team league, 16 points behind table toppers galatasaray. trabzonspor have, however, made it through to the semi-finals of the fa cup, which will give them some consolation.
fans from turkey and across europe will travel to tallaght stadium this week to support their team when they finally come face to face with their sister club and the airtricity league's surprise package of last season, drogheda united. the game will be broadcast in ireland and turkey by setanta. it is an event of which everyone involved in drogheda united is extremely proud.
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