Official Football Thread

[Britpoint 4]

I don't think it matters who you support or why you started supporting them, as long as you keep supporting them throughout. Even if you did jump on the Man United bandwagon because they were winning everything, as long as you keep supporting them even if they get themselves relegated or something, then how is that any less special than supporting your local team?

Supporting someone because they are good, or because you like the way they play, or because you like the colour of their shirts are all just as valid as supporting them because they play in a field near to where you live. Or so I think.

[AMSKRR 3]

Platy said:

Are you saying Man City didn't exist until they were taken over?

No, but nowadays their success is purely down stupidly rich owners. 

You look at United and you see the class of 92, before the Glazers. You have a team that has only ever had managers from the British Isles, a team which is built around youth development and attacking football. I mean Welbeck is a modern example of the youth academy, Januzaj may as well be, Wilson, Lingaard, Lawrence and all these youngsters.

That is what football clubs should be about, look at how many young English players United have in their 1st and youth team. Compare it with City and it is a country mile different. 

[jordieDAFC 0]

This is the play-offs from last season all over again, tonights result is very tough to take :(

Saturday is going to be fun... :(

[EdMa 0]

I can see why people love supporting their lower league and smaller teams because they are local, because they are more personal and there's more of a fan culture. But that doesn't stop me getting involved when I go to a Wimbledon, Bury or Palace game - and keeping up with their scores and progress. But at the same time I don't like how their fans use that as some kind of moral high ground when it comes to arguments about support etc. 

Fair enough if it's over money and it's a great local club that's gone down the drain. Plus although a lot of big club fans will be gloryhunters, there are a lot that have influence from their families, perhaps where their parents were born, grew up and went to watch them in decades gone by. 

Ironically this is what annoys me about Liverpool and Arsenal fans on other forums and Twitter (but Yugin's alright - I'm sure he has legit reasons); I saw an Arsenal fan have a pop at Fulham fans because he said he thinks most are now Chelsea gloryhunters. They act as if they don't have gloryhunters because they haven't won anything (despite being in the top 2 biggest  clubs in London, and top 3 in the country, easily top 10 in Europe). Then there's Liverpool fans who are even worse. Won about 1 trophy in the last 10 years, say they aren't gloryhunter's because there parents supported them growing up , the funny thing being that would make them gloryhunters because they were winning everything in the 70's and 80's. 

The same could be levelled at every PL club though. 

Swings and Roundabouts. 

[Syn 2]

At my first Toronto FC (MLS) game! Windy as hell.

[jordieDAFC 0]

I don't mind the genuine fans of the big teams, its when you get people that have a decent local side, but for some reason choose not to support them? Why not?

Maybe i'm old fashioned in thinking that you support a local team....

Its always interesting to see who sticks around when it all turns pear shaped, only a fraction of the 20,000 we took to the cup final back in 04 did....

[sjsharp2010 186]

jordieDAFC said:

I don't mind the genuine fans of the big teams, its when you get people that have a decent local side, but for some reason choose not to support them? Why not?

Maybe i'm old fashioned in thinking that you support a local team....

Its always interesting to see who sticks around when it all turns pear shaped, only a fraction of the 20,000 we took to the cup final back in 04 did....

well I've always been a spurs supporter all my life my whole family supports them my dad did when he was alive and so does myy brother even back when we were achieving nothing better than mid table mediocrity I've supported them and I still do. We've only started to achiweve bigger things like European spots in recent years since Martin Jol was at the club and I remember us having a coyuple of brushes with relegation as well like when Christian Gross was in charge we nearly went down if it hadn't been for Jurgen Klinsmann coming back and bailing us out with his goal scoring prowess we would have.

[Tylerrnty1 0]

I think liverpool are done for.......I hope not. really want to see them end with the crown.

[Platy 6]

SynGamer said:

At my first Toronto FC (MLS) game! Windy as hell.

Not a bad first game to go to. Bradley scored a nice goal.

[f1since08 55]

I am so glad we stayed up! A true miracle and unbelievable task. Gus Poyet should be manager of the season.

As for the local team thing, although I live in Chester-le-Street and am closer to Durham than Sunderland, both of the earlier 2 are crap non league teams. I support Sunderland because my family do, it's not like I'm a glory hunter or anything. Neither are they for that matter, my Grandad's friend has seen us win the top flight once in 1936 and all of them have seen us win the FA cup at least once.

[Lukedfrt 87]

Britpoint said:

I don't think it matters who you support or why you started supporting them, as long as you keep supporting them throughout. Even if you did jump on the Man United bandwagon because they were winning everything, as long as you keep supporting them even if they get themselves relegated or something, then how is that any less special than supporting your local team?

But Man Utd and co won't be relegated in the next 20+ years, so if you support them you're guaranteed to stay up and almost certain to win a few trophies. 

United think they have had a bad season this year, they don't understand the suffering and heartbreak lower league clubs experience.

[jordieDAFC 0]

United's season was hardly one that threatened the very existence of the club unlike many other smaller clubs...

Who know's, maybe if people bothered to support these clubs, relegation wouldn't place so much financial strain on clubs

[AMSKRR 3]

Lukedfrt said:

Britpoint said:

I don't think it matters who you support or why you started supporting them, as long as you keep supporting them throughout. Even if you did jump on the Man United bandwagon because they were winning everything, as long as you keep supporting them even if they get themselves relegated or something, then how is that any less special than supporting your local team?

But Man Utd and co won't be relegated in the next 20+ years, so if you support them you're guaranteed to stay up and almost certain to win a few trophies. 

United think they have had a bad season this year, they don't understand the suffering and heartbreak lower league clubs experience.

I do agree with you, but it is not nice to see your team fall that far in one season. 

I am pretty gutted Norwich are going down, it is always nice to see them doing well. Ideally I'd love them to be 2nd behind Man United but that won't happen ;)

[EdMa 0]

Thats why I'm not so upset about beung trophyless this season, we've been so spoilt the last few years I don't feel like I should be talking about it being our God given right to win things, unlike the majority of Arsenal or Liverpool fans I've come across. Could only laugh when Athletico went 3-1 up. Still been a good season. 8/10 personally. If you had said taking the league down to Matchday 37 and a CL semi plus being two seconds away from beating Bayern I'd have been happy. Plus all our injuries came in the most important week of the seaaon so we just have to deal with what we've been given. Plus won all the big games bar CL second leg. Whats been the highlight of the season personally for each if you? Mine's either Ba's goal v PSG, Willian v Liverpool or sat in the pub smugly staring at my mate who supports Arsenal who said I was deluded that Eto'o would score in the 6-0 win :)

[Syn 2]

Platy said:

SynGamer said:

At my first Toronto FC (MLS) game! Windy as hell.

Not a bad first game to go to. Bradley scored a nice goal.

Dofoe had a great little chip shot too. Fun game, great atmosphere. Definitely want to go back when the weather gets better

[AMSKRR 3]

EdMa said:

Thats why I'm not so upset about beung trophyless this season, we've been so spoilt the last few years I don't feel like I should be talking about it being our God given right to win things, unlike the majority of Arsenal or Liverpool fans I've come across. Could only laugh when Athletico went 3-1 up. Still been a good season. 8/10 personally. If you had said taking the league down to Matchday 37 and a CL semi plus being two seconds away from beating Bayern I'd have been happy. Plus all our injuries came in the most important week of the seaaon so we just have to deal with what we've been given. Plus won all the big games bar CL second leg. Whats been the highlight of the season personally for each if you? Mine's either Ba's goal v PSG, Willian v Liverpool or sat in the pub smugly staring at my mate who supports Arsenal who said I was deluded that Eto'o would score in the 6-0 win :)

There has not been many highlights for me. Maybe the two Bayern games, more specifically, the Vidic and Evra goals. Or the 1-0 Arsenal win due to RVP's goal.

[f1since08 55]

EdMa said:

 Whats been the highlight of the season personally for each if you? 

Although the beating of Newcastle twice was good, I think the league cup semi final second leg has to be the best highlight of a game. For an individual moment though, it has to be Borini's goal at Wembley.

[Platy 6]

SynGamer said:

Platy said:

SynGamer said:

At my first Toronto FC (MLS) game! Windy as hell.

Not a bad first game to go to. Bradley scored a nice goal.

Dofoe had a great little chip shot too. Fun game, great atmosphere. Definitely want to go back when the weather gets better

Toronto have a good chance of making the playoffs this year, although going to games in October won't be that fun!

[f1since08 55]

Neil Adams says we had a lucky run of fixtures.

Of course, no team in the premier league plays every other team twice in a season....

And Chelsea, Man City and Man United away are obviously going to be easy wins...

[jordieDAFC 0]

Here, we go, leg 2 of the playoff semi final!


C'MON YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE PARS!!!!!!!!!!!

[AMSKRR 3]

Bit late but - Lingard scored for Brighton the other day. Hopefully he turns out as a quality player for United.

[f1since08 55]

I don't like these rumours about Gus going to West Ham... Hopefully Ellis Short will be sensible and give him what he wants (as well as tie him down to a long term contract). Gus is the best manager we've had for a long time.

Realistically where do you guys think we would have finished if Gus was manager throughout the season?

[onetwothree 0]

17th.

[AMSKRR 3]

Relegated I'd say. Wouldn't have got points at City, Chelsea and United.

[f1since08 55]

AMS97KRR said:

Relegated I'd say. Wouldn't have got points at City, Chelsea and United.

Really? Wasn't exactly a new manager bounce...