Changing allegiances

IsThisIt???

Thought of this question while reading the "support more than one club thread"

Has anyone ever changed the team they support?

I reckon from your late teens/early twenties onwards it would be very rare to hear of anyone having done it, the club you support as a youngster usually sticks no matter how you ended up supporting them.

I've support AC Milan as long as I can remember and reckon it's from a combination of watching Serie A on Channel 4 back in the day and not wanting to be a Man Utd fan like my brother

So is anyone out there willing to admit they've changed clubs and if so when??

(and I'm not considering changing my club no matter how poor things look at the minute )

Maximus Alexander

Nope. Supported United since I was 6 or 7 (1991/92 I think). I have developed a soft spot for a couple of other clubs in that time though.

I don't know anyone who has changed allegiance either, but then they'd hardly admit it!

It happens and you can be sure there's a few in here.

No way anyone will admit it though.

I know a guy who was a Villa fan when we were in school. Now a Utd fan.

PRAF

IsThisIt??? wrote: »

Thought of this question while reading the "support more than one club thread"

Has anyone ever changed the team they support?

I reckon from your late teens/early twenties onwards it would be very rare to hear of anyone having done it, the club you support as a youngster usually sticks no matter how you ended up supporting them.

I've support AC Milan as long as I can remember and reckon it's from a combination of watching Serie A on Channel 4 back in the day and not wanting to be a Man Utd fan like my brother

So is anyone out there willing to admit they've changed clubs and if so when??

(and I'm not considering changing my club no matter how poor things look at the minute )

A mate of mine (born 1979) started out supporting LFC and then switched to Man Utd in the summer of 1990 (aged 11). He's had 33 years of unparallelled success as a fan!

Jax Teller

There's a guy on here who used to openly support Man United now supports Barca .

GavRedKing

I have a cousin who supported Leeds until he was about 11 or 12, his Dad is a huge Leeds fan, Yorkshire born, goes over 3 or 4 times a year.

Anyway, cousin comes home one day and says hes supporting Man Utd, hes lost interest in Leeds and his Dad laughs it off until he notices him not wearing the jersey and not watching Leeds games after a few weeks. 14 years later he still follows Man Utd but never understood why he changed.

froog

rarnes1 wrote: »

It happens and you can be sure there's a few in here.

No way anyone will admit it though.

I know a guy who was a Villa fan when we were in school. Now a Utd fan.

what's wrong with it though? the vast majority of irish fans have no real connection with english football clubs. this "allegiance" thing is a bit daft tbh.

Xavi6

Ultimate sin imo.

ohyesthefinest

''You can change your wife, change your politics, change your religion. But never, never can you change your favourite football team''

invinciblePRSTV

Know of a guy who was an Arsenal fan, but then switched to Nottingham Forest following their successful 94/95 season and Arsenals/George Grahams indiscretions that season.

That worked out well for him. Tbf i think he stuck with them.

Seaneh

I support A.C. Milan (and Athlone town) but I have a soft spot of Swansea, They'd be the only team in the English league structure I give a toss about, was in the city in me teens and went to a game at the Vetch, been keeping an eye on them since. Even through the current crap and back a decade ago when Milan finished outside the top half of Serie A, I will always be a Milan fan. I don't like Berlusconi, but I respect what he has done for the club in the 26 years there, they have been the most successfull club in the world in that time, had some of the greatest of all time playing in the San Siro and played some great matches and without Berlu it wouldn't have happened, but he needs to go now.

Easy Rod

I know there is a picture of me with a pool jersey on as a child (about 4) but i reckon it was a hand me down from a cousin.

I reckon I was a hardcore Villa fan from the age of 6 or 7.

bohsman

Was a Man U fan when I was a kid, started going to Bohs games when I was 16 or so, still have a soft spot for Utd but don't really care if they win or lose.

frankled

Old friend of mine supported Leeds (had jersey and all), he was a teenager and they went downhill, thus he converted to Man Utd.

I supported Crystal Palace for a week whilst my cousin had trials with them, but I was 8 and I don't think that really counts anyway. I'm a Liverpool fan.

bohsfan

I started supporting Liverpool when I was a young lad- it was the in thing to do! Then as my sister used to live in London I started to support Wimbledon as it was always handy to get tickets for them. Then they sold their soul and I didn't really follow anyone for a few seasons. I then moved to Reading for a while so started following them. Will probably keep on supporting them as my English team now as I have some link to them.

I'm from Kilkenny originally so used to follow Kilkenny City. Then they folded... Moved to Dublin and lived in Phibsboro so started following Bohemians (hence the username) but I have since moved in beside Richmond Park so have started attending St Pats games.

I guess I don't really buy into the whole allegiance thing!

Fenix

Mate of mine supported Blackburn all through school (Early prem), lost interest around 2000, now sports a City top at least twice a week.

Lawrence1895

I would never do that, I follow the rule 'from the cradle to the grave'.

Though I started to have a quite biggish soft spot for Shels, but adding a team to the list is always a different story, I suppose

GLaDOS

Supported Liverpool as a kid because my brother did, interest waned when I was about 14. Started Following Bohs when I was 17. Actually going to matches makes a big difference.

Coletrickle88

Coletrickle88 wrote: »

There's a guy on here who used to openly support Man United now supports Barca .

Tell us more

oldyouth

There are acceptable reasons why you could stop supporting your favourite club, such as death or gender re-assignment. However, that should not give you the right to start supporting a different club. Ultimate no-no

Helix

my oul lad likes to tell people that i used to support arsenal and liverpool, which simply isn't true. he's a gooner so always assumed i would support them, and one of my mother's friends bought me a liverpool jersey one year that was looked at in disgust and thrown away without ever being worn, but that's the extent of it. i supported drogheda united since i was about 7 and my father started bringing me to games, and when i was 9 i think it was, i decided to support villa because my cousin was on YTS there

LuckyLloyd

rarnes1 wrote: »

It happens and you can be sure there's a few in here.

No way anyone will admit it though.

I know a guy who was a Villa fan when we were in school. Now a Utd fan.

GavRedKing wrote: »

I have a cousin who supported Leeds until he was about 11 or 12, his Dad is a huge Leeds fan, Yorkshire born, goes over 3 or 4 times a year.

Anyway, cousin comes home one day and says hes supporting Man Utd, hes lost interest in Leeds and his Dad laughs it off until he notices him not wearing the jersey and not watching Leeds games after a few weeks. 14 years later he still follows Man Utd but never understood why he changed.

The fight becomes too much for some people, and they bolt for the winner's enclosure. I can't say I blame them - why not take the easy road for entertainment's sake?

I'll say this much though - eventually getting there after years of relative pain and suffering (there are always clubs worse off than yours) is the sweetness. That night in Istanbul (the whole run really was justice).

bohsman wrote:

Was a Man U fan when I was a kid, started going to Bohs games when I was 16 or so, still have a soft spot for Utd but don't really care if they win or lose.

The anti - Liverpool part of the equation stuck though huh?

Nuri Sahin

Coletrickle88 wrote: »

There's a guy on here who used to openly support Man United now supports Barca .

Ditto a guy here who supported United in the 90s and then switched to Arsenal in the noughties

Actually, I know a couple people who switched allegiances from other clubs to Chelsea when Roman came along.

bohsman

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

The anti - Liverpool hating part of the equation stuck though huh?

Very much pro Liverpool hating

Stopped supporting Utd after the 99 CL final, nothing left to win, was all getting a bit predictable.

Hawk Wing 2

I know loads of people who used to support Liverpool and then switched to United or Arsenal when Liverpool went downhill, what about all these Blackburn and Sunderland fans? where did they disappear to?

bohsman

Lars1916 wrote: »

I would never do that, I follow the rule 'from the cradle to the grave'.

It's different here because the majority support foreign teams and don't grow up going to games. (Not starting some LOI EPL thing here, more try starting this thread in the GAA forum and see the response)

pickarooney

I get confused between having to follow my local team and never switching allegiance so every time I move I just add a new team. During college I had to support half the LoI due to moving house. It's a tough gig but I have an app to manage all the thirty-seven clubs I'll love till I die.

LuckyLloyd

bohsman wrote: »

Very much pro Liverpool hating

bohsman wrote: »

Stopped supporting Utd after the 99 CL final, nothing left to win, was all getting a bit predictable.

Must be nice.

bohsman

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Must be nice.

Not really, have always gotten much more joy out of supporting the underdogs. Wins when they come mean so much more.

Turtyturd

Grew up with a guy who not just changed from Liverpool to United but used to switch between the two, got to the stage where it seemed like he was doing it every week.

Also knew a United fan who became a Blackburn fan, aint seen him recently but I doubt it stuck. Never considered changing but Newcastle would be the only other PL team I would have a soft spot for.

GavRedKing

-Ade- wrote: »

Ditto a guy here who supported United in the 90s and then switched to Arsenal in the noughties

Actually, I know a couple people who switched allegiances from other clubs to Chelsea when Roman came along.

We all did sure.

Wait until city win the UCL, then I'm going jumping ships, or if Kess73 is to be believed, I'm a closet Liverpool fan.

I'll wait until Romans money is going before deciding though.

Lawrence1895

bohsman wrote: »

It's different here because the majority support foreign teams and don't grow up going to games. (Not starting some LOI EPL thing here, more try starting this thread in the GAA forum and see the response)

Must be the influence of the GAA, isn't it?

I'm here for 8 years now, and I never fully understood, why 'foreign' teams are more important than a local team.

Maybe it's really different in Germany, usually, you are born into a team, like your Dad takes you to a match, shortly after you learn to walk...and in 99.9% of all cases, that works out well.

super_furry

Fenix wrote: »

Mate of mine supported Blackburn all through school (Early prem), lost interest around 2000, now sports a City top at least twice a week.

I know a similar lad went from Blackburn to United and likes to pretend he never supported Blackburn. Went nuts when there were old pictures of him in a Blackburn shirt stuck up on facebook.

bohsman

Lars1916 wrote: »

Must be the influence of the GAA, isn't it?

I don't think so, it's more that the massive marketing machine that is Sky Sports and the Premier League have been doing a great job gaining support since 1993.

If anything the GAA would get people more interested in all things Irish.

Lawrence1895

super_furry wrote: »

I know a similar lad went from Blackburn to United and likes to pretend he never supported Blackburn. Went nuts when there were old pictures of him in a Blackburn shirt stuck up on facebook.

Did he ever walk around Ewood Park in his United jersey?

Lawrence1895

bohsman wrote: »

I don't think so, it's more that the massive marketing machine that is Sky Sports and the Premier League have been doing a great job gaining support since 1993.

If anything the GAA would get people more interested in all things Irish.

I can understand the GAA part, it's some sort of tradition alright.

But why is the Airtricity League not supported in the same way? I guess, higher attendances at the matches would create more revenue...

magma69

I used to be a hard core fan of Liverpool and didn't care for LOI. The opposite is more accurate now.

The_Kew_Tour

The only one that sticks out for me is lad who supported Norwich, Aston Villa and now Blackburn when in school. Stuck with them since to be fair.

Kinda had soft spot for Spurs when they had Gazza and Lineker, but that faded soon enough.

Will I Amnt

Used to work with a fella that supported Manchester United,seemed like a die hard tbh.
Then Chelsea won their 2 in a row under Mourinho and he said "f**k this,think I'll support Chelsea next season"
Me thinking it a joke just laughed.

New season kicks off he arrives in sporting a full Chelsea tracksuit with jersey underneath :eek:
United winning the next few seasons was a source of great entertainment.

Just shows how fickle some fans can be,all he did was talk about United before that.

bohsman

Lars1916 wrote: »

I can understand the GAA part, it's some sort of tradition alright.

But why is the Airtricity League not supported in the same way? I guess, higher attendances at the matches would create more revenue...

There's an endless list of excuses but it basically is because parents didn't bring their kids to games so their first club became an English one, when exactly that started happening I'm not sure. When Match of the day started being shown here I would say.

The_Kew_Tour

bohsman wrote: »

There's an endless list of excuses but it basically is because parents didn't bring their kids to games so their first club became an English one, when exactly that started happening I'm not sure. When Match of the day started being shown here I would say.

Ya hard to believe that in places like Cork 2 teams would get 20-25,000 at games each week easy.

Now 2,000 is seen as decent crowd in LOI.

Pity.

sReq | uTeK

I remember being 8 or 10 and supporting liverpool even had a stan collymoore jersey that was bought for me however I did it as all my mates were pool supporters and I grew up on a rough enough estate where you didn't really have an opinion you just did what your mates did especially if you hung out with mates that were 2/3 years older than you.

Ironically when I started playing ball and watching ball properly around the age of 12 I realised quickly it was united who I liked and also cause dad supported them.

It's been united every day since and couldn't imagine ever changing even if we don't buy a CM for a few years.

Lawrence1895

bohsman wrote: »

There's an endless list of excuses but it basically is because parents didn't bring their kids to games so their first club became an English one, when exactly that started happening I'm not sure. When Match of the day started being shown here I would say.

Let's put it this way, I would bring my stepson to Tolka. But the kick off times are usually brutal. And there is no chance of matches to be played on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, because everybody wants to watch the EPL, I suppose?

bohsman

Lars1916 wrote: »

Let's put it this way, I would bring my stepson to Tolka. But the kick off times are usually brutal. And there is no chance of matches to be played on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, because everybody wants to watch the EPL, I suppose?

Correct, I really like games with a 6pm or so kickoff time on a Saturday but just doesnt work for most teams.

tok9

I remember my cousin/next door neighbour trying to get me and the brother to support Everton when we were between 4-6 but we were having none of it

Then the brother decided to support United so I said grand I will too. Never really properly followed them tbh, only if a big game was on but once I turned about 12 or 13 and really got into soccer I started to support Liverpool.

Now that I look back I'm not sure why I changed really as no one in the family other than the brother followed soccer massively and he was a bit of an avid United fan by that stage... so maybe it was just to compete.

I've gone from not caring about soccer too much to watching Liverpool reserve matches!

Lawrence1895

bohsman wrote: »

Correct, I really like games with a 6pm or so kickoff time on a Saturday but just doesnt work for most teams.

And then you have some brutal public transport in the evening, which makes it even harder for away supporters to attend a match.

I give it up...but just for the moment

LuckyLloyd

sReq | uTeK wrote: »

I remember being 8 or 10 and supporting liverpool even had a stan collymoore jersey that was bought for me however I did it as all my mates were pool supporters and I grew up on a rough enough estate where you didn't really have an opinion you just did what your mates did especially if you hung out with mates that were 2/3 years older than you.

Ironically when I started playing ball and watching ball properly around the age of 12 I realised quickly it was united who I liked Utd who won the league every year while Liverpool sucked and also cause dad supported them.

It's been united every day since and couldn't imagine ever changing even if we don't buy a CM for a few years.

Fixed that for you.

sReq | uTeK

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Fixed that for you.

token101

Supported Utd for about a week until I realised I hated every single one of their fans from my school. So my cousin got me supporting City with Big Niall and the mighty Uwe Rosler up front. It was pretty grim until about 5 years ago and now you get the United clowns making their hilarious jokes about you being a glory hunter. Also keep an eye on Huddersfield as I used to live there for a little bit, again usually grim until last year.

Mint Sauce

Supported Chelsea for one season in the late 80's, then switched to Liverpool as most of the lads in class supported/followed them, supported them since.

Have followed AFC Wimbledon since their formation and have seen them a few times at Kingsmeadow, as used to go to Plough Lane as a kid to see Wimbledon FC, and followed them until they left Selhurst Park.

Skylinehead

token101 wrote: »

Supported Utd for about a week until I realised I hated every single one of their fans from my school. So my cousin got me supporting City with Big Niall and the mighty Uwe Rosler up front. It was pretty grim until about 5 years ago and now you get the United clowns making their hilarious jokes about you being a glory hunter. Also keep an eye on Huddersfield as I used to live there for a little bit, again usually grim until last year.

Funny, because a hell of a lot of United fans who grew up in the late 90s is a gloryhunter. My school had 20 people in our class, me (Arsenal fan), a mate (Celtic) and the rest United fans.