Changing allegiances

Fenian Army · 18-09-2012 05:01PM

Theres a difference between supporting a team and folowing one -

I support Celtic and that wont change, but over the years I've followed teams in various leagues, mainly utd and spurs but that could change

Lawrence1895 · 18-09-2012 05:02PM

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

If you were as good as to tell your own Supporters to go to Tolka every week rather then showing up at Cup finals maybe you could have a decent crowd now and then

Not everyone can go to every match, neither at Shels, nor at United. Some people might have to go to work, for example

And I rather go to a club, which has a smaller fan base, but dedicated supporters, rather than to a club, which is only supported by fans, jumping on the 'success bandwagon'

The_Kew_Tour · 18-09-2012 05:09PM

Lars1916 wrote: »

Not everyone can go to every match, neither at Shels, nor at United. Some people might have to go to work, for example

And I rather go to a club, which has a smaller fan base, but dedicated supporters, rather than to a club, which is only supported by fans, jumping on the 'success bandwagon'

True, anytime I cant make game in Ireland is due to work.

Dont have problem with small fan base, but for a Shels supporter to be telling people that they should be going to games is beyond funny when they all showed up in there numbers once they reached Cup Final last year.

FutureGuy · 18-09-2012 05:19PM

Supported United since around 87 or so and suffered massively. My Liverpool supporting cousins used to call every Sunday and I would usually be on the end of a slagging.

Then one day around 1990, I decided that enough was enough and maybe I might start supporting Liverpool. That lasted about 2 seconds lol. Sucked the defeats up even as United were dicing with relegation in 1990.

Then it all started to go right. FA cup, Cup Winners Cup and the League in a few years.

I've spent the last 20 years getting back on my cousins

tim_holsters · 18-09-2012 05:26PM

Gavin shels wrote: »

What do they mean to you?

And what would happen if Man Utd suddenly dropped down a few divisions for whatever reason and weren't on TV or anything anymore, how would you and the rest of their foreign support continue to "follow" them?

You seem to be implying that fans who support a team from a country other than their own may not be as passionate as the supporters from the country where their team is situated. If this is so you are wrong.

Zebra3 · 18-09-2012 05:26PM

Owryan wrote: »

Elton John??

Yeah, Elton John used to do Soccer AM. :rolleyes:

token101 · 18-09-2012 05:30PM

Skylinehead wrote: »

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.

That's why I hated them originally. It'd be interesting to see how many United fans would switch if they had a decline like Liverpool have had in the last few years.

tim_holsters · 18-09-2012 05:33PM

So Lovejoy was a Watford fan? Is this really true?

willowthewisp · 18-09-2012 05:53PM

Back in the early nineties there was a host of 11 to 13 year olds who dumped Liverpool for man u, arsenal or villa.
None of them would ever dare to admit it now.
In fact I remember a lad leaving school on a Friday evening in may 1989 with a red cany jersey and returning on the following Monday with a brand new Red JVC shirt........go figure.
Make a decision and stick with it.

Augmerson · 18-09-2012 05:54PM

Used to support United as a kid, probably because my big sister did. Then later on, one of my friends in our estate kept trying to convince me to support Liverpool, saying they were way cooler because they had Ian Rush. I just wanted to be cool like my mate so I started supported Liverpool. I've stuck with it though and I'm glad.

I reckon supporting a club is a bit like being born into a religion. My sister was a big influence on me and I was only following United because of her, but having had some sense, I converted to Liverpoolism

willowthewisp · 18-09-2012 05:54PM

FutureGuy wrote: »

Supported United since around 87 or so and suffered massively. My Liverpool supporting cousins used to call every Sunday and I would usually be on the end of a slagging.

Then one day around 1990, I decided that enough was enough and maybe I might start supporting Liverpool. That lasted about 2 seconds lol. Sucked the defeats up even as United were dicing with relegation in 1990.

Then it all started to go right. FA cup, Cup Winners Cup and the League in a few years.

I've spent the last 20 years getting back on my cousins

Do you ever think that worm will turn again?

Owryan · 18-09-2012 06:05PM

Zebra3 wrote: »

Owryan wrote: »

Elton John??

Yeah, Elton John used to do Soccer AM. :rolleyes:

Sense of humour gone missing ?

tim_holsters · 18-09-2012 06:12PM

Augmerson wrote: »

Used to support United as a kid, probably because my big sister did. Then later on, one of my friends in our estate kept trying to convince me to support Liverpool, saying they were way cooler because they had Ian Rush. I just wanted to be cool like my mate so I started supported Liverpool. I've stuck with it though and I'm glad.

I reckon supporting a club is a bit like being born into a religion. My sister was a big influence on me and I was only following United because of her, but having had some sense, I converted to Liverpoolism

Nah not really, well not for me anyway I renounced my religion when I was about 12 but renounce my football club, never.

niallo27 · 18-09-2012 06:18PM

Who was the fella here that was a utd fan and he changed to liverpool because he didn't like the utd fans or am I dreaming.

Where To · 18-09-2012 06:19PM

I've been going to six or seven Newcastle matches a season since I was knee high, I'm a club member but yet have never considered myself to be a Newcastle supporter. I'm just as happy watching Finn Harps v Athlone or Coleraine v Linfield (that was an interesting night:pac:) as going to SJP. Some people have strong allegiances, some just like soccer.

niallo27 · 18-09-2012 06:20PM

Gavin shels wrote: »

What do they mean to you?

And what would happen if Man Utd suddenly dropped down a few divisions for whatever reason and weren't on TV or anything anymore, how would you and the rest of their foreign support continue to "follow" them?

Well I presume if they were passionate like you seem to be about shels, they would continue to get to as many games as they can, it's only 30 mins flight over.

The_Kew_Tour · 18-09-2012 06:23PM

willowthewisp wrote: »

Back in the early nineties there was a host of 11 to 13 year olds who dumped Liverpool for man u, arsenal or villa.
None of them would ever dare to admit it now.
In fact I remember a lad leaving school on a Friday evening in may 1989 with a red cany jersey and returning on the following Monday with a brand new Red JVC shirt........go figure.
Make a decision and stick with it.

1989?

Well then he was not GloryHunter then

Red Crow · 18-09-2012 06:23PM

Supported United since I was 5 and my da supported them since the 1970's.

I know one guy who switched from Spurs to Chelsea to Man City towards the end of last year.

Most people I know support Liverpool because their dads did or they did because they were the most successful club during the 70's and 80's. Then loads of people started supporting Manchester United and now it's Chelsea.

There was one guy who supported Man City and now I know loads of people who are 'life long' Noel Gallaghers.

Lot's of people have switched from Manchester United or Liverpool to Barcelona but you can't really take any of those guys seriously.

KaiserGunner · 18-09-2012 06:33PM

I asked one of my mates last year who did he support/follow in football? His answer was winners!

So basically whoever won a League last season is the team/s he supports.

Washington Irving · 18-09-2012 06:43PM

KaiserGunner wrote: »

I asked one of my mates last year who did he support/follow in football? His answer was winners! So basically whoever won a League last season is the team/s he supports.

He must get burned every year with the CL so

I've always supported Liverpool because of both family and spending a lot of time there, especially when I was younger. Have a soft spot for Leeds, maybe it's just pity though :P

Have a 'favourite' team in most of the big European leagues (particularly OGC Nice) but wouldn't feel nearly as strongly about them as I would Liverpool and wouldn't consider ever switching teams. I know a few Arsenal and Blackbun fans who started supporting Chelsea around 2005/06

LiamoSail · 18-09-2012 06:45PM

tim_holsters wrote: »

You seem to be implying that fans who support a team from a country other than their own may not be as passionate as the supporters from the country where their team is situated. If this is so you are wrong.

I'm a Liverpool fan, but I disagree strongly. How can someone not from an area, with little or no connection to that area, who goes to a handful of games a season be a more passionate supporter then some who's community the club represents, who goes regularly and who has grown up in the city right in the middle of the local atmosphere

As I said, I'm a Liverpool fan but I'm from Ireland. I've cousins and friends in Liverpool an go over a few times a year, but Liverpool is just that, somewhere I go a few times a year, it's not home.

There is no way I could genuinely feel as passionately about the club as someone who grew up in the area does. Locals support the club because its their club, in their city, it makes sense. Most people over here choose their english club on the basis of who everyone else in their school, or their da's school or older brothers school was supporting

To suggest that someone with no tangible connection to an area can support a club that represents that area as passionately as someone who's community is represented by that club is neglecting the sense of tribalism in football and the extent of the sentiment of the club representing the city, a city that isn't your own.

I'm not saying you can't support a club from a different city, I do it myself. Just that you can never have the connection to the club that locals do

willowthewisp · 18-09-2012 07:16PM

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

1989?

Well then he was not GloryHunter then

Well that weekend in May just happened to be one when Michael Thomas scored the last minute goal to clinch the title for arsenal at Anfield, more glory hunting than that you could not get.

ROCKMAN · 18-09-2012 07:37PM

Eli Manning wrote: »

Supported United since I was 5 and my da supported them since the 1970's.

God now i feel old :mad::)

The_Kew_Tour · 18-09-2012 08:57PM

willowthewisp wrote: »

Well that weekend in May just happened to be one when Michael Thomas scored the last minute goal to clinch the title for arsenal at Anfield, more glory hunting than that you could not get.

Then he would have supported Arsenal. United were rock bottom then.

CSF · 18-09-2012 08:58PM

I changed my allegiances at 13 of sorts. Went from a Villa fan to a Shelbourne fan who likes Villa.

tim_holsters · 18-09-2012 09:06PM

LiamoSail wrote: »

I'm a Liverpool fan, but I disagree strongly. How can someone not from an area, with little or no connection to that area, who goes to a handful of games a season be a more passionate supporter then some who's community the club represents, who goes regularly and who has grown up in the city right in the middle of the local atmosphere

As I said, I'm a Liverpool fan but I'm from Ireland. I've cousins and friends in Liverpool an go over a few times a year, but Liverpool is just that, somewhere I go a few times a year, it's not home.

There is no way I could genuinely feel as passionately about the club as someone who grew up in the area does. Locals support the club because its their club, in their city, it makes sense. Most people over here choose their english club on the basis of who everyone else in their school, or their da's school or older brothers school was supporting

To suggest that someone with no tangible connection to an area can support a club that represents that area as passionately as someone who's community is represented by that club is neglecting the sense of tribalism in football and the extent of the sentiment of the club representing the city, a city that isn't your own.

I'm not saying you can't support a club from a different city, I do it myself. Just that you can never have the connection to the club that locals do

So you’ve an issue with passion, or the reasons for it. You’ll note that I was simply talking about equalities of passion. The source of the passion is immaterial to me there really was no need for you to go off on a tangent. Everybody has their own story and yours is interesting. It’s just that though, your own story.

I know fans of my own club who are from Ireland who are a lot more fanatical about their club than some supporters from England who live in the same city. This is simple fact and is obviously replicated at other clubs.

Frankly I just don’t think you’re passionate enough. Too much sanctimony in what you say.

I do hear what you’re saying though but there was just no need to say it to me.

srfc19 · 18-09-2012 10:38PM

frankled wrote: »

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

So a real fan then you mean?

Thats the problem with Irish football "fans".

Buying a jersey a year and going to a game every three years does not a fan make.

bullvine · 18-09-2012 10:57PM

I turned my closest Nephew to the darkside when he was 7, his Dad rang me up to tell me that he wanted to support Man United instead of Liverpool and that I had to buy him the jerseys cause he wouldnt. I think anything older than that is pushing it.

Sure arent all the Chelsea fans now Man City fans.....

tony1kenobi · 18-09-2012 11:10PM

KaiserGunner wrote: »

I asked one of my mates last year who did he support/follow in football? His answer was winners! So basically whoever won a League last season is the team/s he supports.

You're mates with John Terry?

Will I Amnt · 18-09-2012 11:12PM

srfc19 wrote: »

frankled wrote: »

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

So a real fan then you mean?

Thats the problem with Irish football "fans".

Buying a jersey a year and going to a game every three years does not a fan make.

And who made you an authority on what makes a real fan??
I can guarantee you I'm as passionate if not more about Manchester United as you are about Rovers.
It dominates my topics of conversation in work,with friends etc.
Results can affect my mood for days.
I'm excited as f**k about Sunday and I could be like a demon for the following week or in top form and slagging off my mates and workmates.
I've only ever been to Old Trafford a handful of times and have not been at all in years.

So anyone that wants to preach about what makes a real fan can f**k right off as far as I'm concerned.

Changing allegiances

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