Just one photo to date of the display vs Linfield at the weekend in the Irish Cup HERE. Apologies for the poor quality.

Tommy Sewells photos from the Portadown display have arrived, and are NOT to be missed. HERE

Also, there are a FEW spaces left on the Ballymac bus to Bohemians away on Saturday 13th. Contact this email for more information.

A cracking photo from a Portadown fan from the pyro display at Shamrock Park has surfaced with Tommy Sewell's still to come. HERE

A big two derby with an added twist - a quarter final of possibly our only route into Europe and to save the club from financial ruin. After this weeks well publicised words from former boss Alan McDonald and the battle cry from interim Boss Scott Young, Saturday just cannot come quick enough for us fans.

Legion 1882 have been rebuilding in behind the scenes and efforts in the stands lately have been improved. Saturday is our chance aswell as the rest of the fans to show what we're made of. Scott Young has called for his faltering players to show their worth; Legion 1882 is doing the same to the fans. It's a new start for the players, to show what THEY are made of. Time to get behind them and save the season which has promised so much but delivered few and far between.

Come 3pm on Saturday afternoon, the players sure as hell will be up for it. So lets join them.

Forever and ever

A quick update on this - the facebook page is continuing to grow rapidly in popularity with the twitter page having a slow start. More members/followers = more updates so get joining!

We still have some Legion 1882 t-shirts left. There are around 10 or so left in sizes small, medium, large and XL, but limited numbers of each. Contact matthew@legion1882.com if interested or if you have any questions.

The Legends game due to take place this Sunday (28th Feb) has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Hollywood. The game will be re-scheduled asap.

As an ongoing part of Legion 1882's revitalisation, a Twitter and Facebook page has been set up in a hope that we can relay information to a broader range of supporters.

Should you wish to follow us on either page, click on the link above and you'll find your way. Hopefully this is just the beginning of a much improved and bigger group, one which we hope will be known throughout the UK.

Semper Superne Nitens

With photos from the display vs Portadown here.

If you are going to the Glentoran v Linfield game on Saturday, 6^th March at the Oval keep an eye out for a few familiar faces who will be holding a “bucket” collection in aid of the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children. Glentoran Legend, Jim Cleary along with members of the Glentoran Legends side and members of his family will be collecting in aid of the charity ahead of the forthcoming charity game on 21st March at Ulidea, which is also in aid of the NICFC.

“I would like to thank Stafford Reynolds and his fellow directors at Glentoran for giving us the go ahead to hold the collection on the 6^th. With such a big game and a large crowd expected, I really hope that we can collect a sizeable amount for this great charity.” said Jim “Knowing the Glenmen and indeed the Linfield fans, I am sure we will get tremendous support on the day.”

Please show your support to Jim and the NICFC by contributing what you can to the collection.

Disaster on the pitch but a good result in the stands as Legion 1882 returned with a good display and most importantly a good atmosphere. The display consisted of several flares, several 7 foot red and green flags and a 12x8 foot banner containing a big Legion 1882 logo and the words "Against Modern Football" in response to the IFA's attempt to bring into legislation laws regarding flares and the like.

There's a lot more to come. It's not the end. Not by a long stretch.

Photos soon

Things are about to liven up

If you are not doing anything on Sunday 21^st March, you could do a lot of good for a very worthy cause by going along to the Ulidia Playing Fields on the Ormeau Road for a special charity game in aid of the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children. The game will take place at 12 o’clock and will see the Glentoran Legends face a team made up of the Rosario Y.C. 1995 Under 11 side. Now before you scratch your head about the Legends opponents, all will be revealed.

For more information on the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children, please log on to www.nicfc.com

Atmosphere - check, performance - check, 2nd half performance - missing but top of the league with points on the board.

Time to move forward and build on tonight. The title awaits the winner

The rearranged fixture from Boxing day; with more significance. Linfield on a not so good run, ourselves on a high after Saturdays entertaining performance.

The atmosphere to date has been slack and it must change; not just from Legion 1882 but from all fans. It was just over a year ago that the  hugely anonymous Legion 1882 set a benchmark for supporting the team (Portadown CIS semi), over a full year since their first display on Boxing day 07. From then, fans and players combined and we pushed for the title.

What's to stop us doing it again?

..Again. The lack of matches (just one to date in the past month) and excitement off the pitch has lead to a lack of news. Hopefully things should pick up soon with the boxing day match rescheduled for next Tuesday. More to come!

But the chance of a football match anytime soon is highly unlikely hence no news!

Now that disastrous December is out of the way, albeit with a couple of games wiped out due to the weather, we move into the final stretch. 11 games until the league split and for the first time in a long while we have a realistic chance of retaining the league title. With the weather intent on wrecking the fixture list, a pileup is evident which can only lead to more pressure on the team. We as supporters will be there for them like we were last year, in numbers. The feeling as the final whistle blew on yet another game, a vital win for the charge. We'd give everything to feel that again. Wins away to Cliftonville, Coleraine, that vital draw against Linfield at home and the likes will live in the memory for the emotion, the pure joy we experienced as we saw the team we love walk off the field of play having took a step towards being Champions; the supporters thoroughly enjoying themselves in the stands throughout the game aswell.

We want that again, we want to remain champions. If my memory serves me correctly we sang our team to the title, like champion fans, in the final stretch. What's stopping us this time? Back to back awaits, we dare to dream.

Is in severe doubt. The pitch inspection is some time around 3.

Not the result, there wasn't one. Why it was called off (with conspiracy theories aplenty) remains a mystery. Moving on..

The day is upon us and the biggest match of the season. The tussle for the title has gotten even tighter and nothing less than a win will do. Nothing fancy, just get the job done.

It's times like these when supporters can show their true worth as the driving force behind the team. No-one's asking for a Milan-style atmosphere nor several thousand strong bellowing in one voice. It has been proven before that even the smallest of numbers can create an atmosphere. The potential is there to be the 12th man, we can do it. In the build up to the 7 games this month, I stated the following: We as supporters, they as footballers are charged with the duty of becoming champions again. The long road is getting shorter, we are half way there. Mistakes from the first half of the season on and off the pitch can be rectified. Time to test the character and resilience of this football club and prove our worth as the supporters and players of the badge, colours, stadium and club we would give so much for. This is it. For the red, green and black that we bleed, we have to give it everything. To glory or to failure, united we stand, united we fall.

The long road has gotten shorter and each point is treasure. Mistakes have been rectified and new ones made. The character of this club has been tested and still we stand. As bad as we have been in some matches this month, there is more than a glimmer of hope of the football we can play (Institute and Linfield) and sometimes it is enough to breed confidence.

It's boxing day. It can be a success for the team and their supporters. We can make it how it is.

Legion 1882 would like to wish every Glenman a very merry Christmas and here's hoping for 3 points tomorrow.

More on the game later in the day/matchday morning.

Everything but a goal and embarrassing refereeing to boot; the blow softened only by another Linfield defeat. The next game is crucial. More towards the end of the week.

Legion 1882 were forced to congregate at the top of the centre of the north stand due to over the top, atmosphere killing, restrictions from an embarrassing Linfield membership committee which saw the away crowd restricted to the railway end of the north stand only; with the kop stand also seeing bizarre restrictions with the top 7 or 8 rows cordoned off and a tightly condensed row of security men around the 'atmosphere section' compared to the odd 1 or 2 scattered over the rest of the stand. Here we have a league dying on its hole, with boards and committees looking to end atmosphere all together in an over cautious approach to safety issues whilst being light years out of touch with the lifeblood of the club, supporters. In a league devoid of glitzy football, modern facilities and big crowds 99% of the time, atmosphere is all we have. Here we have grounds with sheds a plenty, seated stands with low roofs making for a good atmosphere. While it's understandable that H&S and the PSNI have a say in matters, its noticeable that supporters' input (to whatever extent) is not sought after despite the fact that WE attend matches, WE pay the club for 90 minutes entertainment and without US, they wouldn't exist.

Upon the coming-into-legislation of the new laws, the IL will attempt to replicate the English and Scottish model which has seen once cauldrons of atmosphere turned into soulless stadiums where the fans are forced to follow strict rules out of fear of a heavy fine or prison time. While Legion 1882 does not condone acts of violence, the model that the suits in this league are trying to enforce is pathetic, unnecessary to an extent and will simply not work. I personally pride myself in being a supporter in a league that stands out from the others in the British Isles (barring maybe Wales).

Our football association can embarrass itself time and time again whilst killing the very thing that made supporting football pure, but sooner or later they will have to listen. Listen or lose us all.

It was building up, and we finally have a result that sets in stone that we can be a slick passing team that plays good attacking football and sets a benchmark for the type of football we expect for the rest of the season.

Tonight's display involved 2 large TIFO flags and 8 medium sized half red/half green flags. Evidence of vocally supporting the team is there, and the big month is heading in the right direction but it isn't over yet. Newry, Linfield and Portadown remain. Time to define ourselves.

A polished performance that easily could have been double the final 3-0 scoreline. A fun day out had by all, Legion 1882 and Freelance members in particular who chose to dress up in fancy dress for the occasion with such outfits as Superman, SpongeBob Square Pants and Buddha (not forgetting the granddad with err huge parts) taking centre stage in the shed behind the goal. A decent atmosphere that picked up in the second half added to the joyous away day, one which could turn our season around. Lets not get ahead of ourselves though, game 4 of our big month up next at Windsor on Tuesday.

Lets continue the atmosphere, lets continue supporting the team. We are the champions afterall :)

The Ballymac bus to Institute this Saturday leaves the clubrooms at 1pm. All visitors are welcome.

Not the result we wanted and certainly not the result that reflected the general play throughout the game but there's another hour and a half of football to be played and to turn this around, it is far from impossible.

Kicking off the month in a self aiming rejuvenation fashion from Legion 1882, the display included two sticks spelling out "CHAMPIONS", several other classic two sticks, red and green flags and several red and green smoke bombs with the big tifo flags flying high over the top. Certainly an improved atmosphere compared to games of late. However, everything can be improved on. The height of things has yet to come. By the end of the month, hopefully the complexities of being a football supporter, who sings and who doesn't, why they choose to do what they do (all respected opinions) will be that little bit clearer.

Next up, Dungannon at home on Tuesday night. The league our bread and butter, we crave it above all.  From the start Glentoran FC

If the weather holds up that is. Game 1 of a massive month for Glentoran. Game 1 for the supporters and players to show what they are made of. 2 legs to make it happen, 2 legs to reach the semi final and reach out for a trophy. The players need us tomorrow, we must deliver. Every single supporter has a choice, every single supporter can watch it happen, or do something about it. Time to be united and be the one thing that the Champions need; one voice, one support and a world of motivation. To victory.

Get into them

Irish Ultras is a new website just launched, covering groups in the island, made by a Waterford United fan - http://www.irishultras.zxq.net/home.html