Why do fans support non local teams

ANONANON · 26 Oct 2013 at 18:45

What draws people to support a team that is hundreds of miles away? Such as someone living in birmingham supporting man united or liverpool. Why not support west brom, wolves, aston villa, birmingam city etc.

What drives that person to think "i've got all these local teams, but i'm not going to support any of them.

I don't get it.

Moothead2 · 26 Oct 2013 at 18:49

Popularity, success and 'Cause my Dad supports them".

Derek W · 26 Oct 2013 at 18:53

glory hunting ********

Caseh · 26 Oct 2013 at 18:55

I support Sheff Utd, and go to most games (I work weekends, so I have to use A/L to get to the matches). I'm from Sheffield, live in Sheffield and most of my family support Sheff Utd.

I however also follow Arsenal very closely, and have been to around 100 matches (I'm 25, so not too bad really). I follow Arsenal as when I was getting into football originally, David Seaman was my favourite player, and that just evolved into watching Arsenal more and more.

Zero Pope · 26 Oct 2013 at 18:56

Moving from an area. I was born in High Wycombe but live near Bristol, should I support City, Rovers or Wanderers?

Pighardia · 26 Oct 2013 at 18:56

I don't get it myself, but I think most just get in to it as kids, and support whoever is doing well at the time, or to be part of a group at school maybe? Most grow out of it, but not all.

foz2000 · 26 Oct 2013 at 18:58

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18284911&highlight=Local+team

Andybtsn · 26 Oct 2013 at 18:59

I suppose it's how you're brought up and as a kid you're going to be fickle and just support who's winning.

I just went with who my Dad supported. Damn him.

nemtizz · 26 Oct 2013 at 19:06

I was born in London but we moved to Worcestershire when I was about 5, so obviously I had no genuine allegiance to anyone at such a young age. Chose to support Newcastle when I was around 9. **** if I can remember why.

Just because you support your 'local' team doesn't make you some sort of super fan. Supporting your team should come down to loyalty, going to games as much as you can, not flip-flopping because they're in bad form etc.

el_dazza · 26 Oct 2013 at 19:15

I was born in Warwickshire, my dad was also but supports QPR. My mum was born in Devon but her mum was born in Liverpool so she supports them. Her dad supports Man United and has done since the 40's. My other grandad was born in Coventry but supports Aston Villa and my first game was a Villa home game in 1993 so I've supported them since

Fulax · 26 Oct 2013 at 19:18

I was born in Bristol, but the rest of my family is from Newcastle and supports Newcastle, so I was raised a Newcastle fan. My Grandad says he supports Sunderland, but that's just to wind everybody up.

drunkenmaster · 26 Oct 2013 at 19:31

Many many times more fans only watch football on tv, and like anything entertaining enjoy watching someone good and thus end up supporting whoever was entertaining to watch when they first got into football.

Why should football be a local thing, think about it, should a disabled kid who can't get to football games not be allowed to find football entertaining on tv, can he not watch football on tv and come to enjoy watching a particular team? What about Utd's Asian fan base, should they be banned from watching higher quality football with the worlds best players because they were born somewhere in Asia?

The idea that football is anything but entertainment and that somehow it's strange to enjoy watching better rather than worse teams is nothing short of ridiculous.

For people who enjoy watching their local team, great, for people who only ever watch on tv and pick a successful team(why, dear god would you watch an awful team say like Stoke and CHOOSE to support them?), great, it's something to watch, nothing more, nothing less. Why does someone have to choose to watch football or pick a team the way you did?

Would you choose to in the future only watch terrible films made by a specific director because once you watched a truly terrible film made by that guy? No, why would football be any different?

d_brennen · 26 Oct 2013 at 19:32

Feetball is for gayers tbh

Tunney · 26 Oct 2013 at 19:42

Supporting a club because they're success is like playing Doom with god mode turned on. You'll never truly experience the glory of winning.

No1newts · 26 Oct 2013 at 20:10

Scum.

For example at my sons footer today. 5/20 kids in Citeh jerseys. Glory hunting scum.

Shamikebab · 26 Oct 2013 at 20:10

Don't have a local team really. Also I grew up watching the team my father supported.

G|mp · 26 Oct 2013 at 20:24

I have a knack of knowing who the successful teams are going to be.

I have supported, Leeds, Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea.

I now swing more towards Dortmund as my great uncle bombed it in the war.

Fulax · 26 Oct 2013 at 20:36

G|mp said:
I now swing more towards Dortmund as my great uncle bombed it in the war.

As good a reason as any.

Germany is probably full of Coventry City fans.

mmj_uk · 26 Oct 2013 at 21:09

Most people from a poor background probably don't have much choice in the matter, it doesn't cost anything to support a Premiership team as you get massive media coverage.

If your local team is in the Football League then you really need to attend matches to follow them properly and that costs a bomb.

I guess they choose the big successful clubs because most of their friends do or because they hear about them the most.

fez · 26 Oct 2013 at 21:13

I only ever watched football on tv when I was younger so I picked the team I like watching most. My local team was colchester who were / are dire so where is the enjoyment in watching them. Its a retarded view that people should only support whatever club is closest to them no matter how poor they are. At what point do you deem a club large enough to support? Should I support the local village club above Colchester because they are closer.

People are free to support whoever they like be that local, not so local or even god forbid foreign.