Most people have heard of Irish Iron, the official Scunthorpe United Supporters Club in Ireland – they have even been featured on ITV's Calendar programme in the past - but few people realise how much they actually do.
Griffin started Irish Iron in 1995. Membership usually approaches 100 for each season. Members pay an annual subscription of 20 Euros which gets them a t-shirt, keyring, pen and membership card.
Members come from across Ireland but also from further afield. As long as you follow Scunthorpe and like a few drinks and a chat about the Iron then you’re welcome. Many Irish Iron members grew up in Scunthorpe in Irish families, but since then either they or their families have moved back to Ireland.
Others just started following the club as an alternative to supporting Manchester United or Celtic – the Irish love an underdog and many of the most fanatical Irish Iron members had no connection with Scunthorpe when they started following the Iron. They soon make friends in the town though.
It isn’t easy following a team from a different country but Irish Iron members regularly come across for matches in groups or individually, depending on where they live in Ireland. Many aim to make it for the last home game of the season where the Irish Iron present their player of the season award and launch a new t-shirt in that player’s honour.
For Bernard and others up in Donegal and Irish Iron members in Northern Ireland the Carlisle away fixture used to be the handiest – only a drive of a few hundred miles and a ferry journey and then another few hundred miles drive. Then Carlisle dropped out of the League, and Yeovil isn’t quite as handy.
Every penny of the money raised by Irish Iron, through membership, merchandise and fund raising events such as quiz nights and raffles, goes on player sponsorship. This season they are sponsoring Lee Ridley’s entire home kit, the home shirts of Andy Butler and Kevin Sharp and the away shirts of Cleveland Taylor, Cliff Byrne and Wayne Graves. They have also added new signing Andy Keogh to that list.
Irish Iron merchandise is well produced and sells well – and every penny raised goes back to the club.
Irish Iron have also done their bit to raise the profile of Scunthorpe United in Ireland. Between 2000 and 2003 Bernard ran a coaching course for kids in Donegal with Lee Turnbull and the Football in the Community lads going over for a week to coach around 56 to 60 Irish youngsters. Bernard raised sponsorship from local businesses in Donegal which covered all the costs including accommodation for Lee and the lads, the hire of the facilities and meals and drinks.
At the time only three football clubs could successfully run coaching courses in North West Ireland – Manchester United, Celtic and Scunthorpe! Not only was it an opportunity to spread the word for the Iron, but two of the lads who came along were considered good enough to be invited to join the first team when they played friendly at Ballymena.
Irish Iron also stepped in to get David Sloan the Northern Ireland caps he should have received when he played three internationals in the 60’s. They were asked if they could sort something out from their end as, despite turning out for his country three times after he left Scunthorpe, he had only ever been given one actual cap. They arranged with the FAI to buy the caps and these were presented to David on the pitch last season.
Over the years Irish Iron has become something of an institution, making friends whenever they are in town. They fly the Iron flag in Ireland and have been featured on TV and radio and in many press articles.
No other lower division club has such a following over the water, and nobody can accuse Irish Iron members of being glory hunters. Irish fans like Bernard love the club and the town and just want to do what they can to support the club in every way possible. And long may it continue.