Michael O'Neill - An Uncle Tom

I know quite a few from a RC background who support NI.  I don't really know their politics.

Some of it is an age thing.  We had very few fans from north of the border until the past 30 years or so.  It is mainly anecdotal but you wouldn't hear northern accents in the 70's & 80's at Lansdowne.  There were 3 or 4 Cliftonville fans who followed us away in the 80's.  Now we have probably proportionally more home and away fans from north of the border than south of it.     

Some of this is down to northern born players playing for us in the 1990's as that hadn't happened since the 1940's.  

Now our side is seen very much as representing the whole island.  This was definitely not the case until recently.  

There was also widespread support south of the border for NI in the 82 & 86 World Cups.  I know in 93 a lot of the hurt over NI wanting to win so badly rankled with those who cheered them on in the 80's.  I did point out I know loads of England fans who want us to win but........ "Ah but that's different"