Why do you support your team?

JamJamJamJam

I pay attention to the premier league, but I've never really had a reason to start supporting any club in it. The closest I've come was literally picking a team out of a hat a few years ago! It was Reading, but (surprisingly ) I never felt as though I had a real reason to support them passionately... Although I was glad to see them doing well tonight!

So I was wondering, why did you start supporting your team?





Hope this thread's okay here. I couldn't see a similar thread

srfc19

JamJamJamJam wrote: »

The closest I've come was literally picking a team out of a hat a few years ago!

It is as good a reason as most Irish people have. Top of, or close to the top of "The Greatest League In The World"

Lawrence1895

I support Liverpool, because Kenny Dalglish was my childhood idol...as a player, of course

Where To

I support the closest English side to where I was born. Technically Berwick Rangers are closer but f***k that!!

Helix

villa because my cousin was a trainee during my formative years, and was able to get me loads of villa gear, as well as autographs from all the players. drogheda united because my dad was a regular when he was younger, and decided to start going to games again with me when i was 6 or 7

Washington Irving

Liverpool, because a lot of my family support them and I have spent a lot of time there since I was a kid

BetterCallSaul

My Dad asked me as a 4 year old who I wanted to support.

My response "Bluecastle"

Que 20 years of frustration following the Toon and many more to come.

Guy:Incognito

My Liverpool supporting German cousin gave me the Crown Paints jersey when I was 7. Been a follower ever since.

CSF

Local club.

Skylinehead

My uncles started supporting Arsenal because of Pat Jennings (they're from Belfast), and to a slightly lesser extent Pat Rice, Liam Brady, David O'Leary and Frank Stapleton. I was then conditioned as an Arsenal fan from birth.

Royale with Cheese

It has the word arse in the name

im invisible

All the cool lads in my class supported united, so i did too

adox

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

It has the word arse in the name

Barnsley supporter eh?

Sanity_Saviour

No one else seemed to support them and I didn't want them to feel left out

Roger Sterling

Everyone else supported Liverpool and I'm not a man to follow the herd.

Mars Bar

I fancied the pants off David Beckham. I actually have family in Manchester although they are Irish too.

If we're going by birth place and current EPL teams then I could have been a Fulham, QPR or Chelsea fan. I lived in Watford too so they are my "second team".

Banjaxed82

Because they won the FA Cup in 1991. Only two mickey mouse league cups since then. I was conned as an innocent Gazza loving 9 year old.

grenache

14 April 1991 - FA Cup Semi Final. A certain young man from the north side of Cork shines for Nottingham Forest as they sweep aside West Ham 4-0 at Villa Park.

Heartbreak in the final against Spurs, on the day i made my First Communion. But I've been hooked on Forest ever since.

They're a grand auld team to follow with a great history and a promising future.

Soups123

Michael Thomas

Paully D

No choice in the matter and it will be the same for my kids.

Justin10

United because whole family supported Liverpool.
Also knew they had a couple of Irish lads.

klose

Roger Sterling wrote: »

Everyone else supported Liverpool and I'm not a man to follow the herd.

I was the opposite everyone supported united so I went with Liverpool. Nawt finer then ynwa being sung even at a young age it really got to me, hair stands on my neck still everytime I hear it today.

Also liked the liverbird...

Hammer Archer

grenache wrote: »

14 April 1991 - FA Cup Semi Final. A certain young man from the north side of Cork shines for Nottingham Forest as they sweep aside West Ham 4-0 at Villa Park.

Heartbreak in the final against Spurs, on the day i made my First Communion. But I've been hooked on Forest ever since.

They're a grand auld team to follow with a great history and a promising future.

I think a certain man in black shone more for ye that day

West Ham simply because I enjoyed the football that they played yet didn't want to support a team just because they won everything.
Only started following UCD this season as I was in college and lived next to the Bowl.

G.K.

Paully D wrote: »

No choice in the matter and it will be the same for my kids.

Likewise.

GLaDOS

Dragged to a game and just kept coming back

WesternZulu

I supported United when I was younger because they won everything if I am being brutally honest.
We didn't have the english channels so didn't get to see them much at all so they were very much built up in my head with some sort of nearly mythical stature...

This was until they won the Champions League in 1999 (the 1st time I had really got to see them win a trophy live on TV) and I realised that I didn't feel anywhere near the joy or connection to the team as I would have with watching Ireland or Mayo gaelic footballers.

I then went on a search for a new team because it was nearly seen as weird as a young lad not to support a premiership team. So having already decided that United wasn't for me and that I didn't want to go all mainstream and support Liverpool I chose Spurs. I liked David Genola, Stephen Carr and their jersey and that was that.
That lasted a few years with every season realising that I had nothing in common with a club in N.E. London so I eventually gave up the ghost and said that I didn't support them any longer.

Now in all this time I was mad about soccer (and still am) but never felt the connection to really feel what it meant to be a supporter.
I support no-one now but would watch any soccer game going and have a huge interest in the sport. I just don't feel there is a need to.

weemcd

Because Eric Cantona was the Don at United

Dennis Irwin & Roy Keane also helped, that and them winning. Started to watch match of the day when I was roughly 7/8, so thats 95. I can remember watching a few games, then Cantona came back against Liverpool.

(Thanks Leeds, for Irwin too)

gebbel

Skylinehead wrote: »

My uncles started supporting Arsenal because of Pat Jennings (they're from Belfast), and to a slightly lesser extent Pat Rice, Liam Brady, David O'Leary and Frank Stapleton. I was then conditioned as an Arsenal fan from birth.

I'm similar. Watched a video tape of the 1979 FA Cup final a few years after. The Irish players Arsenal had then made me a fan.

frankled

Crystal Palace for a week when I was 8 because my cousin had trials with them, mad.

But Liverpool, because of my Dad's support for them, Mam too.

Cantona's Collars

My first 'proper' football was a Manchester United one (I was only about 4) & that was the start of it.I actually found some football cards from when I was a kid with the likes of Whiteside etc.

My young lad has no choice but to follow United.

starviewadams

Only support Ireland and I support them because I'm Irish.

I go to the odd LOI game with my uncle,usually Rovers or Pats.Would attend more often if I could convince a few of my mates to go.

bhamsteve

I support Birmingham City because I was born and lived in South Birmingham. It was £1 for a kids ticket to stand on the terraces at the time so a cheep day out.
I started going to matches at the time we had Barry Fry as manger and he averaged 3 signings a month during his 2 and a half years, so always some new names on the team sheet to get excited about.
Happy days.

inforfun

Feyenoord because i was born and raised in Rotterdam.

Add to that 1 neighbour who played for them in the 60's, another neighbour who has been a member for over 70 years and in that time filled over a dozen of positions in the club (from player to moc at press conferences) it could only go into that direction.
Still remember the very first time i was taken to the Feyenoord Stadium, an evening match in the 75/76 season.
If your first match you ever go to as a kid is in a packed Feyenoord stadium in the evening, you are hooked for life.



My sig shows the stadium as it is now.

I know it is a touchy subject here but i really cant see why you would/could support a team you live so far away from, have no real link with. Favour them in their league... yes, i too have a favourite team in most leagues (usually because they have a former Feyenoord player in their squad).

But really support them?

Chazz Michael Michaels

I took an interest in soccer at a relatively late (12) stage. That was Newcastle's first season in the PL and I thought they were fairly impressive to watch, so I went with them. I'm glad I didn't follow Man Utd, like all of my friends did as I thought that was kind of like playing FIFA with the cheats on, and because (to quote Vanilla Sky) "without the bitter, baby, the sweet ain't as sweet."

Still waiting for the sweet...

RoryMac

As a kid growing up I used to play in goal Packie Bonner was my hero so started started supporting Celtic.

Also have a soft spot for Everton because of Neville Southall.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

My Dad used took me to my first game at Ibrox when I was five, He also used to take me to Parkhead and Shawfield (Clyde). It wasn't long before I really only wanted to go to Ibrox that was 53 years ago and through all the up's and downs I still go regularly to watch my team

SantryRed

Shels: Local Club

Watford: Dad's from there and was season ticket holder for 15+ years.

Easy Rod

Houghton, Townsend, Staunton but mainly McGrath - I've based my footballing style on him...mainly the perputual search for the minimum amount of energy exerted while playing.

Eirebear

I was born this way.

Cokeistan

My grandfather started supporting United after the Munich Air Disaster, followed by my father, followed by my older brother, followed by me. I was lucky enough to be a kid when United won the treble

I try to make it to as many Cork City matches as I can too

Captain Havoc

Support West Ham because my brother moved to Upton Park when I was 12. Support other teams because I lived there Lausanne-Sports, PSG and I have a soft spot for Birmingham City (but can't be supporting two English teams ). I've been going to Shamrock Rovers games as I got my drivers license two years ago and they're the closest premier division team to work (years of following KK city in Div 1 has left scars).

bhamsteve

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Support West Ham because my brother moved to Upton Park when I was 12. Support other teams because I lived there Lausanne-Sports, PSG and I have a soft spot for Birmingham City (but can't be supporting two English teams ). I've been going to Shamrock Rovers games as I got my drivers license two years ago and they're the closest premier division team to work (years of following KK city in Div 1 has left scars).

I'd stick with West Ham if I were you, the owners are serious business men, even if they did make their millions selling porno mags and strap-on dildos . They did a great job at Birmingham, built a new ground (well three quarters anyway) and will make west Ham self-sustaining and successful.

Birmingham are now stuck with a penniless Blag artist from Hong Kong who is in the process of being done for money laundering :mad:

Captain Havoc

bhamsteve wrote: »

I'd stick with West Ham if I were you, the owners are serious business men, even if they did make their millions selling porno mags and strap-on dildos . They did a great job at Birmingham, built a new ground (well three quarters anyway) and will make west Ham self-sustaining and successful.

Birmingham are now stuck with a penniless Blag artist from Hong Kong who is in the process of being done for money laundering :mad:

It's a shame, I lived there when they were doing alright under Steve Bruce. It's a nice stadium and they had cheap tickets for some of the premiership games.

Fr Tod Umptious

starviewadams wrote: »

Only support Ireland and I support them because I'm Irish.

Same as that

Republic of Ireland are the only soccer team that can illicit any passion in me.

Like to OP I could never get into supporting any club team, even though I tried when I was younger.

Maximus Alexander

Asked my dad who he supported when I was six or seven, then copied him.

Turns out he was lying and never followed football. Too late now.

ROCKMAN

Because my older brother was a Liverpool fan ,so I had no choice but to start supporting United ,

Thank god I was only 7 at the time and didn't know much about Everton been their aim rivals ...:D

v3ttel

Manchester United, because my father supports them. My best friend growing up supported Liverpool, so there was always a great laugh between us.

Second team is Sheffield Wednesday. I used to love the name and the blue and white strips. I used to particularly like Chris Woods, Chris Waddle & Kevin Pressman. Also, the Sheffield derby was always broadcast on tv, and I didn't like that Sheffield United also had 'United' in their name. There was only one United to me, and it wasn't them. It's great that the fans are bat-sh!t crazy and create a great atmosphere wherever they go.

Balmed Out

Started following Liverpool as a kid as they had a lot of Irish Internationals at the time but would be far more passionate about Cork city. Rarely get to go to games for last 5 years as i work till 9 most Fridays but will always read what I can about them, follow results etc.

Dont understand how people can be so passionate about teams from places they have no connection with. While I still watch out to see how Liverpool are doing id much prefer to see Cork win the league then Liverpool. Was in LA when Liverpool won the Champions League and while happy and all, it wasnt a big deal to me. My friend on the other hand is from Cork but an Everton fan and he actually cried.

Leftist

everyone supported liverpool when I was a kid, because they were by far the most successful team. I watched them beat united 4-0 at anfield in a room full of liverpool supporters in 1990 and said I'm having some of that underdog loving.

boom, out of our way. Lucky charm etc.

As such, liverpool support old enough to remember liverpool winning the league and call united support glory hunting always makes me laugh.

meriwether

As a 6 year old, I was inspired by the defensive system and rigidity of the George Graham Arsenal back 4.

Not for me your Gazza's, or John Barnes. Give me an Andy Linighan sliding tackle, a perfectly coordinated 'step-up' to catch David Speedie offside, or a Steve Bould flick on at the neat post during a corner.

In retrospect, I was quite a dull boy.

Red Crow

Because of my da. Nothing special, he's supported them since the 70's so it was an obligation that I followed suit.

What annoys me about the Irish contingent of PL fans is the ridiculous comments that you hear/see:

a) You're a scouse or manc c*nt for supporting Manchester United/Liverpool - No you're not. You're not even nearly from the area. Shut up and don't be stupid.
b) "Manchester United fans don't come from Manchester" - Says the Liverpool fan in Dundrum or the City fan in Belfast - Despite that statement being proven false it's also cringe-worthy to hear.
c) The Irish flags you see in Old Trafford, Anfield, Stamford Bridge etc. - No I don't give a f*ck that the regulars from Christy's Bar in Walkinstown are in Old Trafford and you certainly don't need to write it on a tricolour.