The Best reason to support a specific Premiership team?

Bounty Hunter

A lot of the recent comments made about Suderland and their "Bandwagon" supporters got me thinking, what do you guys actually think is a good reason to support a specific Premiership or championship team for that matter?

now i dont want this thread filled with LOI fans saying there is no good reason but considering most of us would not have geographical ties to the team you support, its interesting to see what makes your support of a team more legitimate than the new Sunderland fans.

Personally Im a Villa fan and will admit my reason for supporting them is simply that when growing up my favourite players played for Villa, some of which were the only players i knew at an extremly young age. I always wanted these players to do well and growing up always wanted Villa to do well, and before i knew it i was a Villa fan. (McGrath, Staunton, Houghton... whom as a player friends often likened me to). and being honest this isnt to dissimilar to the new Black Cats fans following all the Irish boys and their idol Keano

I was always proud of the fact that i chose my own team to support, and had not been influenced by anyone else, most of my friends were Man utd or Liverpool fans. many of whom supported their team because a) they were succesful or b) their fathers had supported them (is that a good reason to support someone, cos someone else does).

so honestly why should someone support a team?

Royale with Cheese

People generally choose who they support at a very young age, and stick with that team their whole life (you can hardly blame somebody for that can you?). Although Man U/Liverpool supporters are an easy target I don't think anyone should be criticised for a decision they made when they were 8 years old.

kaisersose77

People usually support a certain club from a young age because a family member supported them. I think I was about 7 when I got my first Man Utd jersey and I'd say that was down to my brother supporting them as I cant remember why I started supporting them. I'd say 90% ppl support a certain club for that reason and anyone who says they made a decision themselves when they were 7/8 is probably supporting that club because they were successful at that time and seen a lot about the club on tv. I dont think your going to get many 7/8 years olds making a decision by themselves to support Millwall etc. A friend of mine supports Arsenal and he has 3/4 older brothers, all of whom support Arsenal.

wheres me jumpa

My Da supported Utd, then my two older brothers supported Utd so there was no choice really!

The Rooster

"Because Roy Keane is their manager" is as good a reason as any to start supporting a Premiership club.

But I don't believe Sunderland have gained that many Irish supporters, just plenty of followers, who when Roy Keane moves on, will also move on.

"Because my Dad supported them" is my reason for starting to support Liverpool. And my son says the same. My daughter however is torn between the Hammers and Villa - because she likes the colour of the jersey :rolleyes:

gimmick

I think everyone should support Sunderland unconditionally, because sher theres a load of Irish lads playing for them, and you should want them to do well.

I also know a few other clubs where there are plenty Irish lads playing for them, but Sunderlands new fanbase couldn't give a rats arse about them.

kaisersose77

thats true about Keane and as was said before, there wasnt as much fuss about Sunderland and their irish connections before Keane took over. Where ever Keane goes, his team will get support. And I dont think 7/8 yr olds are going to know or care about Saipan, as long as there Daddy says Keane is great then they'll support him. And a lot of Man Utd supporters will want Sunderland to do well as it'll mean theres a better chance Keane will become Utd manager one day.

gustavo

I find the best reason is if there is a lot of Irish players at the club , then it becomes a de facto Irish club , Its kinda like they are representing Ireland

raido9

Starting supporting Man Utd from a very early age because my dad supported them.
His reason was that his favourite player when he was younger played for Utd. So its thanks to George Best that I'm a Utd fan!

DerekD Goldfish

I have no problem with kids deciding to suport sunderland when they are chosing their first club what annoys me is people who have only a semi interest in football deciding to jump on the sunderalnd bandwagon and people who do suport another team chosing sunderland as thier "Second" team and wanting them to do well they have become the new celtic the team irish fans are suposed to wish well. I like roy keane but I hope sunderland crash and burn in the premership

_blank_

This thread is going to be a nice love in, because any comment made by an eL fan will be seen as 'trolling' by a certain mod. I urge you all to show restraint.

We aren't allowed to criticize this 'phenomenon' one little bit. If we do we have an 'agenda'.

All I want to say, to all Irish people who support teams in other countries, nice one, thanks very much. Irish football is dieing on it's knees. You get what you deserve from the FAI and the National Team.

Call Me Jimmy

The Rooster wrote:

"Because Roy Keane is their manager" is as good a reason as any to start supporting a Premiership club.

This is true. I started watching man utd when I was young because they were winning everything and most people I knew were man utd supporters.
The reason I have kept watching them is because they play some of the most exciting football around.

Basically I like watching fast, flowing football and the teams that provide it are the ones I watch. I'm no die hard supporter of any team, I just like watching good football.

DerekD Goldfish

seansouth wrote:

This thread is going to be a nice love in, because any comment made by an eL fan will be seen as 'trolling' by a certain mod. I urge you all to show restraint.

We aren't allowed to criticize this 'phenomenon' one little bit. If we do we have an 'agenda'.

All I want to say, to all Irish people who support teams in other countries, nice one, thanks very much. Irish football is dieing on it's knees. You get what you deserve from the FAI and the National Team.

Indeed
I Suport a LOI side
I also watch forigen football was a united fan for years till I grew to hate them but thats another argument still concider myslef a fan of Milan altough not really a suporter.
I dont have a grudge against people who follow foreign teams.
but I think its idiotic to follow a forign team under the premise of them being "Irish"
I also think its stupid to follow a club because a manager who playing cearear you respect was appointed I didnt start following bray when gormley was appointed I didnt start suporting Livorno when Donnadoini got the job.
Roy Keane was one of my favorite players in the world but I dont see that as anmy reason to suport sunderland.

Kingp35

DerekD Goldfish wrote:

I have no problem with kids deciding to suport sunderland when they are chosing their first club what annoys me is people who have only a semi interest in football deciding to jump on the sunderalnd bandwagon and people who do suport another team chosing sunderland as thier "Second" team and wanting them to do well they have become the new celtic the team irish fans are suposed to wish well. I like roy keane but I hope sunderland crash and burn in the premership

This is exactly what I think and why I hope Sunderland fail miserably.

I started supporting Leeds because when I was 6 I got some money for my birthday and I was brought to the shops. I picked out the Leeds United Race for the Title 89/90 video that I wanted. It was the video of Leeds winning the old second division and I must have watched that video at least once a day and I have been a die hard Leeds fan since then. I go to at least ten games a season.

As for Bray Wanderers, I started supporting them because they are my local Eircom League side and have been a season ticket holder for last few years. I will admit that I don't have the same passion for Bray as I do for Leeds.

Mushy

I will admit that, at first, I did support Man Utd, but that was because my brother did. I have no idea how he got into them. Then at some stage I just wanted to change(was about 6), wanted a feeling of independance:p. What followed was years of Leeds following. Wouldnt be as die-hard as Kinp35 just above me here, but I can start going to matches now that I've a lot more time/money. Wont be relying on parents to bring me, and lets face it, what set of parents want to take their kid to a Leeds match:D?

PHB

I saw Ryan Giggs play in real life and that was that.

gustavo

PHB wrote:

I saw Ryan Giggs play in real life and that was that.

If Giggs had been transferred at any stage would you have started supporting his new team ? Seems logical to do so.

Mr. Presentable

kaisersose77 wrote:

thats true about Keane and as was said before, there wasnt as much fuss about Sunderland and their irish connections before Keane took over. Where ever Keane goes, his team will get support. And I dont think 7/8 yr olds are going to know or care about Saipan, as long as there Daddy says Keane is great then they'll support him. And a lot of Man Utd supporters will want Sunderland to do well as it'll mean theres a better chance Keane will become Utd manager one day.

It's funny really, but I have liked Sunderland since they beat Leeds in the cup final 1973, but have severed my allegiance since RK joined. Apart from that I don't care for any EPL team particularly, I just have players I admire and enjoy watching and that determines who I'd watch - if at all.

The best reason to support a specific Premiership team? Because you have no alternative - if you did you'd follow a Spanish or even Italian side

RE*AC*TOR

Ronnie Whelan .. Liverpool... was a factor for me at the time.

People support teams for different reasons, but I don't think anyone can claim a moral high-ground when essentially choosing to support a team that they have no tangible connection to. At the end of the day something to do with that particular team has appealed to our romantic nature, and that's it.

kaisersose77

PHB wrote:

I saw Ryan Giggs play in real life and that was that.

and you travelled to the match on your own?

Mr. Presentable

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

something to do with that particular team has appealed to our romantic nature, and that's it.

In a nutshell. Good man!

Bounty Hunter

wow this is the best response ive gotten to a drunken 3am post thus far.:D

Zaph

nipplenuts wrote:

It's funny really, but I have liked Sunderland since they beat Leeds in the cup final 1973

Funny, that match is the very reason I can't stand Sunderland. I'm just about old enough to vaguely remember the match, but for years and years I've had to endure Ian Porterfield's goal when the 3rd round is played and again when the final itself is on, just so the old "romance of the cup" cliche can be dragged out. The fact that I don't like Roy Keane makes me dislike Sunderland even more.

As for how I became a Leeds fan - well it's because of the same reason that many pick a team to support, they were the most successful and high profile team when I was of an age that I wanted to support someone, and you really don't know any better at that age. My brother is 6 years younger than me and is consequently a Liverpool supporter.

PHB

If Giggs had been transferred at any stage would you have started supporting his new team ? Seems logical to do so.

Nope, cause the reasons you start to support a team aren't the reason you continue to support a team.

and you travelled to the match on your own?

My Dad if he had to pick a soccer team would support Leicster, more of a rugby fan

The Muppet

seansouth wrote:

All I want to say, to all Irish people who support teams in other countries, nice one, thanks very much. Irish football is dieing on it's knees. You get what you deserve from the FAI and the National Team.

YAWN


United supporter since the early 70s. I don't really know why.

Jonny Arson

I remember seeing Man Utd and Ryan Giggs, Eric Cantona and co. on TV by chance circa 92/93 thumping some team and playing the most sensational football - I had no interest in football before that moment and I have been hooked on the sport since. That was why I became an Man United fan. I think for most of my young life I was fed too much of a diet of Sky Sports Premiership football on the TV and I began a passive interest in LOI football and Shelbourne in particular as they were the nearest club geographically to me. I attended a few matches gradually over the years and eventually became hooked on breathing in the action on the pitch instead of through a TV screen. I realized then I never had the same attachment to Man United than I now had with Shels, been there at the action, feeling the atmosphere and passion of football before your very eyes is 1,000,000 times more satisfiying than watching a team through a TV screen who inevitably you will never have the same attachment to. Shelbourne are my No.1 but I owe Manchester United for getting me hooked on this fantastic sport and I will always consider my big follower on Man United but they can never be my No.1 team.

Bounty Hunter wrote:

now i dont want this thread filled with LOI fans saying there is no good reason

I don't think most LOI fans have an issue with the notion of Irish people supporting or having a very keen interest in British or foreign football teams, it's your choice who you support even though I believe all football fans in this country should make an effort to support their own league. The issue LOI fans like myself have is when people claim to be Irish football ''supporters'' when they don't contribute anything to our domestic game and our teams by supporting a club or even attending matches which for any national football association is essential for the sport to thrive in any country. I know people who support British teams but still attend eL matches and contribute to our domestic game, that is perfectly fine even if they are Sunderland supporters! I do understand that some people may no be located anywhere near on eL club to develop any sort of attachment but if you're from Dublin or in the parts of commuter-belt Leinster region there is no excuse for not getting of your arse and going to eL matches. The Irish international team needs a strong and well supported domestic league in order for game in this country to thrive, to produce young players and to compete competitively on the international stage. As far as I'm concerned, if you don't support an Irish team or don't support or contribute in any manner to our domestic league you have absolutely no right whatsoever to complain about the Irish national team or call yourself an Irish football ''supporter''.

In summary, there are good reason why people support British football teams but there equally is very little reason at the same for people to call themselves Irish football ''supporters' who shamefully ignore and put-down their own domestic game which is the grassroots for the Irish national team.

GuanYin

seansouth wrote:

This thread is going to be a nice love in, because any comment made by an eL fan will be seen as 'trolling' by a certain mod. I urge you all to show restraint.

We aren't allowed to criticize this 'phenomenon' one little bit. If we do we have an 'agenda'.

Nope not at all. I'm happy for eL fans to talk about it. I even started a thread for just that reason. I just didn't want anyone taking shots at a specific set of supporters in a thread for those supporters, which is what was happening.

By the way, FYI, I played for a former LoI team and supported LoI football when I was in Ireland (I can't see it now). I also supported an English League team, because my uncle did and he took me to see them many decades ago.

Reacting as you are now, is pretty much throwing toys from the pram because ye didn't get your way. As I said, if you guys want to discuss the issues, I think it's fair and valid, I just don't hold with hijacking other threads and threadspoiling them while doing it.

dor83

I follow Utd coz everybody in the family supports them and I cant realy say why I follow Inter, I think it might have something to do with watching Football Italia on Channel 4 when I was a kid.

The Muppet

Jonny Arson wrote:

The issue LOI fans like myself have is when people claim to be Irish football ''supporters'' when they don't contribute anything to our domestic game and our teams by supporting a club or even attending matches which for any national football association is essential for the sport to thrive in any country. I know people who support British teams but still attend eL matches and contribute to our domestic game, that is perfectly fine even if they are Sunderland supporters! I do understand that some people may no be located anywhere near on eL club to develop any sort of attachment but if you're from Dublin or in the parts of commuter-belt Leinster region there is no excuse for not getting of your arse and going to eL matches. The Irish international team needs a strong and well supported domestic league in order for game in this country to thrive, to produce young players and to compete competitively on the international stage. As far as I'm concerned, if you don't support an Irish team or don't support or contribute in any manner to our domestic league you have absolutely no right whatsoever to complain about the Irish national team or call yourself an Irish football ''supporter''.

In summary, there are good reason why people support British football teams but there equally is very little reason at the same for people to call themselves Irish football ''supporters' who shamefully ignore and put-down their own domestic game which is the grassroots for the Irish national team.

Supporting The LOI and The Irish National team are two completely different entities. It's quite acceptable to do one without the other, In fact the have little in common apart from the FAI.

I don't feel any shame for putting down or not supporting the L of I , when it's run properly my opinion may change . I don't feel any less Irish because of my opinion. I don't feel I need an excuse not to support something I have little if any interest in.

The county has managed to produce lots of quality players despite the LOI. I really would not consider it the grass roots of football in this country, I think the work done at schoolboy level is more deserving of that title and we all knom the route those talented enough will take i and it' not Lof I. The LOI mostly caters for players that will never be good enough to represent us at international level with the odd exception.

Limerick Dude

I think I started supporting Newcastle when i was about 6 or 7 years old. I remember i thought the black and white stripes were of the jersey were cool, then i just fell in love with the beautiful attacking football that we played in the keegan era, ferdinand,shearer,beardsley......*Sigh* beautiful stuff. Ive been hooked on newcastle ever since, through all the heartbreak. Ive been to St James' once in the 05/06 season where we beat Liverpool 1-0, class. I cant wait to go back to SJP again

Thrill

I liked the look of the name Liverpool. That simple. I was only a child at the time and didn't even know what a league table was. I was at school and saw the older boys looking at a page from a newspaper and I sneaked up next to them to hear what they were talking about. I didn't understand a word. They talked about points and offside and strikers and stuff like that. They gave me the page when they were finished and i picked out the name i liked the look of most.

KdjaCL

therecklessone wrote:

Hated my brother, so ManYoo were out. Most of my school were Liverpool, so chose to stand out...picked Spurs, probably because of Ardiles and Villa, though two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup in four years helped...:D UEFA Cup final 2nd leg against Anderlecht in 1984 sealed it for me, a great game with an amazing atmosphere obvious from ITVs live coverage...the sight of the Shelf and Park Lane swaying mesmerised a 6 year old up way past his bed time, the crowd's reaction to the unfortunate Danny Thomas who missed his peno in the shootout still gives me goosebumps, chanting "one Danny Thomas" as Eidur Gudjohnsen's dad stepped up to take Anderlecht's last peno. Magic stuff.

I was nearly turned to the Spurs side after the 82 cup final, the world cup that followed had numerous references to argentinan spurs players, my match and shoot mags had pics of spurs players i was so close to choosing them (da pool fan, bro Man utd, uncles man utd). The world wanted me to be a spurs fan but alas Richer was closer and some exception had signed for Man Utd so there my allegiance went when Div 1 football was on, "how did our black pearl do" i would ask as i watched MOTD. I was a Villa fan in the 90s for a while but even i could see they were ****

Was also a Boro fan mid 90s but if i had to choose a english team it would be utd simply for Mc grath. When you see someone play in Richmond then Old Trafford then the Giants Stadium then somewhere in the middle of england and not once look out of place it reminds how small a world it is when football is concerned.

oh Motherwell FTW!!!

kdjac

Bacchus

I started supporting Liverpool when I was very young. I can't remember when I went from generally liking football to actually supporting Liverpool but I do remember a final they were in against (I think) Man Utd. It would have been '89 or very early 90's. They lost but I was cheering for them right through.

Big Ears

As usual I picked my team at about 6 years old , it was the Keegan era at Newcastle and the football they played was what attracted me to them .
Of course you could make the argument if Newcastle weren't a top team at the time they wouldn't have been on tv and I wouldn't support them now but that's the way things are . Another reasons why I choose them could have been(not really sure tbh) that they wore the same colour jerseys as Juventus.........who I'm going to admit for the first time on this forum is actually my first (football club I) love . I still do have a soft spot for Juventus and they will always have a place in my heart .

I don't have an Eircom League club in my area but I do watch Limerick occasionally and they would be 'my club' .

SectionF

Bounty Hunter wrote:

now i dont want this thread filled with LOI fans saying there is no good reason but considering most of us would not have geographical ties to the team you support, its interesting to see what makes your support of a team more legitimate than the new Sunderland fans.

You either want a discussion or you don't.

ciaran76

I started supporting Everton when I was about 7 years old. They had just won the league and I seen them lose to United 1-0 in the cup final on tv. The game Kevin Moran got sent off !

I also liked Kevin Sheedy as a player and that helped sway things for me. A few years ago I spoke to Kevin at a Bohs v Tranmere friendly and told him this and he said he was amazed at how many people had also said the same thing to him.

For the record I also support Bohemians and attend alot (not all) home games most seasons depending on whats going on.Friday nights can be akward esp. when alot of family and friends have 21st,30th's, 40th's on a Friday night so can make things difficult esp. as most of my family live outside Dublin.

SectionF

The Muppet wrote:

I don't feel any shame for putting down or not supporting the L of I , when it's run properly my opinion may change . I don't feel any less Irish because of my opinion. I don't feel I need an excuse not to support something I have little if any interest in.
The county has managed to produce lots of quality players despite the LOI. I really would not consider it the grass roots of football in this country, I think the work done at schoolboy level is more deserving of that title and we all knom the route those talented enough will take i and it' not Lof I. The LOI mostly caters for players that will never be good enough to represent us at international level with the odd exception.

Hard to argue with anything you say here, because it's got its own hermetically sealed logic. Self-justifying, self-fulfilling, and defensive.

Mossy Monk

Supporting Arsenal for longer than I can remember. Never was bothered about Irish football as it was always inaccessable when I was growing up. English football was always available on tv.

Nalz

My Dad lived in Manchester for a while, so I've supported United from there. Luckily enough cas my Uncle is a city fan! I hope Sunderland do well and as for them being peoples second team, Ive no problem with that. People reading too much into this.

Bacchus

SectionF wrote:

You either want a discussion or you don't.

He does want a discussion. About why you started supporting your club. People moaning about others not supporting Irish clubs is not part of that discussion (at least the OP didn't intend for it). This is why we have separate threads for separate topics. Otherwise boards.ie would be one giant thread discussing everything under the sun.

PHB

I think if you look at the majority of the responses, the answer is almost always starts the same, "when I was seven...."

Personally I don't see why every LOI club gives 50% of their stadium to kids in school to get them hooked, and if you get one generation hooked, you've won the battle essentially.

Bounty Hunter

Bacchus wrote:

He does want a discussion. About why you started supporting your club. People moaning about others not supporting Irish clubs is not part of that discussion (at least the OP didn't intend for it). This is why we have separate threads for separate topics. Otherwise boards.ie would be one giant thread discussing everything under the sun.

thank you, saved me some typing.

have to agree hook the kids when they are 6/7/8 years old and you have supporters for life.

gustavo

I suppose the best reason to support a specific team in the Premiership would be to pick the more successful ones that way you have a chance of seeing your team win stuff regularly

SectionF

Bacchus wrote:

He does want a discussion. About why you started supporting your club. People moaning about others not supporting Irish clubs is not part of that discussion (at least the OP didn't intend for it). This is why we have separate threads for separate topics. Otherwise boards.ie would be one giant thread discussing everything under the sun.

So he doesn't want anyone to put that in the context of Irish people not supporting Irish football, because he considers that 'moaning', which appears to be code for awkward truth.
AS has been observed, seven and eight-year-olds love watching teams in nice red kits winning the English Prem, and go on to adopt them for life, to the extent that they call them 'we', and 'us'. They also love to have discussions where they get to edit the nasty bits by closing their eyes and sticking their fingers in their ears.

Kingp35

SectionF wrote:

AS has been observed, seven and eight-year-olds love watching teams in nice red kits winning the English Prem, and go on to adopt them for life, to the extent that they call them 'we', and 'us'.

They love to watch the Prem because that is what is available to them. You choose your team when your young and if the English Prem is what your are exposed to then that will be what you watch in the majority of cases. If Clubs like Bohs actually did something to get kids to support EL then there would be more fans going to games but they don't, they do nothing.

As has been said, let school and soccer summer camps etc in for free and get the kids hooked.

stovelid

Most kids either go for a popular/flair team of the era, get indoctrinated by family or a geographical link.

Born in Manchester and lived there 'til I was 11 + dad was a red so no chance.

Have to say the dad thing is a big factor because all my cousins are city.

I can kinda understand kids swapping teams at an early age but anyone that jumps ship later on ....

CiaranC

The Muppet wrote:

I don't feel any less Irish because of my opinion.

Nice mind-trick there. If you exclusively support a British club you are less Irish (in a footballing sense). Its quite simple. There isnt any debate.

Bounty Hunter

SectionF wrote:

So he doesn't want anyone to put that in the context of Irish people not supporting Irish football, because he considers that 'moaning', which appears to be code for awkward truth.
AS has been observed, seven and eight-year-olds love watching teams in nice red kits winning the English Prem, and go on to adopt them for life, to the extent that they call them 'we', and 'us'. They also love to have discussions where they get to edit the nasty bits by closing their eyes and sticking their fingers in their ears.

no put simply i thought asking what people thought would be a good reason to support their prem team despite most not having geographical ties would be an easy target for the people who tend to turn threads into LOI vs EPL so i specifically asked that that not happen in the first post, so that the thread would not go off topic. I regularily go to LOI matches personally (Bohs generally, cos of my location) and support the game just thought this thread did not have to be a repitition of many other threads most of which ended up being locked, ok?

... on topic i alsoconsider myself a fan (not a supporter as i dont make the Journey to games) of Milan. Once again when about 7/8 i turned on ch4 italien football and watched a game. Milan were trailing Torino or possibly Genoa 3-0 at half time when i started, but in the second half they played the most breathtaking football i had ever seen. it ended 3-3 but before the end i turned to my brother and said im supporting them in Italy, then when it ended the league table came up and Milan were about 10points clear and i jumped up "YES"... i had made a good choice. was then that i also became a huge Van Basten fan

SectionF

Kingp35 wrote:

If Clubs like Bohs actually did something to get kids to support EL then there would be more fans going to games but they don't, they do nothing.

As has been said, let school and soccer summer camps etc in for free and get the kids hooked.

They most certainly do not do nothing.
Bohs have regular kids-go-free offers and have two promotions officers who actively link up with schools. My understanding is that most Irish clubs make similar efforts.

zAbbo

My Aunt & Uncle live there, so I always got liverpool kit when I was younger, Been supporting them since a very young age, and the obvious Irish connection also helps.

astrofool

CiaranC wrote:

Nice mind-trick there. If you exclusively support a British club you are less Irish (in a footballing sense). Its quite simple. There isnt any debate.

ah, the "Irish" scale. Does following a foreign game in the first place not invalidate who you support? Is supporting a premier league team offset by wearing all green one day a week? Maybe a bit of wife beating would allow you to support a cricket team?

Could there be an "Irish" tax, whereby someone can pay someone else to do something profoundly Irish when you do something non Irish? Maybe sponsor a poor Gaeilge speaking family in the arse end of nowhere. Should we be forced to make one post a day in Teach na nGealt to maintain membership of boards.IE. Could the foreigners start drinking, wife beating, following hurling and gaelic enough so that they are truly Irish in this scale of yours?

Anyway, you sir are a ridiculous person imo.

(and you invalidated your post by making it as bearla)