Why do you not support your local team?

[spudbynight]

This is something which has always puzzled me. I was born in South London and grew up supporting Crystal Palace.

I have two younger brothers. The middle one supports Liverpool and the youngest supports Manchester United. Both of them supported the teams who were winning everything during their formative years. They are glory hunters without any link to either city.

I have another friend who is Canadian. He supports Newcastle - the reason is his father is from Newcastle and despite living in Vancouver for 40 years still has a thick accent. That seems fair enough to me.

I lived in Ireland for several years and I was amazed at the glory hunting of supporters over there. I would say at a guess something like 40% of Irish football fans support Man Utd. Liverpool are the other big side with maybe 25% of support. The remainder is mixed. There is a huge transient fanbase over there who will support whichever team is winning and will change like the wind. I remember seeing lots of Blackburn fans in the early 90s for example.

For those in here - if you don't support your local team and support someone else - why? Not looking to judge anyone, I'm just interested.

 

[spudbynight]

Sorry, I think you missed the question. I wasn't asking why you don't support Team X - what I was asking is why you support the team you do.

So for you why do you support United? Newcastle United I assume?

 

[spudbynight]

No Manchester United obviously,

I think that would only be obvious to a Man Utd fan.

The following clubs are all "united" as well

Sheffield United (1889)
Newcastle United (1892)
Scunthorpe United (1899)
Torquay United (1899)
West Ham United (1900)
Carlisle United (1903)
Southend United (1906)
Leeds United (1919)
Hereford United (1924)
Rotherham United (1925)
Peterborough United (1934)
Colchester United (1937)
Cambridge United (1951)
Oxford United (1956)
Hartlepool United (1977)
F.C. United of Manchester (2005)
Hayes & Yeading United (2007)

 

[spudbynight]

What ive never understood in this quest to make people support their "local team" is what happens when you move?!

You don't change your team.

Stevenage were a non league team when i was a kid so never really followed them

A lot to be said for non league football. I have a big issue with top level football now. I don't watch internationals any more and I don't watch the premierboat either.

Not really, I was too young to understand that really, I just liked watching the players play. We didn't really start dominating until a few years after I'd started watching them.

Plus my dad is a United fan so there's that link as well.

Ryan Giggs started playing for Man Utd in 1991* which is when they started winning things. They finished 2nd in the league that season to Leeds and had won the Cup Winners Cup the season before.


*I know he played 2 games in 1990-91 but 91-92 was then he really started his run in the first team.

 

[spudbynight]

Yes this little gem is always spouted by the "holier than thou" fans on here. Fact is you know perfectly well who I am talking about, you're just being a ****

No need to be abusive.

Fact remains lots of clubs have United in their name - saying you support "United" and expecting people to know you mean Man Utd is just wrong.

My Dad supports Everton, his Dad supported Everton, guess that's why I support Everton. I still support Wrexham though, used to go games all the time before I went to uni. Been to more Wrexham games than Everton. And of course I support Buckley Town, and now Argeod United.

I'll allow it

 

[spudbynight]

It really isnt.

Its arrogant perhaps but when you say "united" the default setting is Man Utd simply because they are currently the biggest "United". In 50 years time it may refer to Newcastle but as things stand "United" is the team at Old Trafford.

I agree it is arrogant, but I wanted to avoid using that word in case in inflamed things.

I do disagree though as to the use of United. It isn't clear and certainly isn't a default option.

 

[spudbynight]

Are you really saying that when a poster says "United" your first thought isnt "Man Utd"? (Well it might be **** but you know what i mean!! ). What im saying is when someone says "United" you dont think "Newcastle" or "Sheffield" you DO tend to think "Man Utd" rightly or wrongly.

What I am saying is if you live in an area where there is a "United" football club and you hear someone say "united" you are more likely to think of your local club.

If you went into a pub in Sheffield and said you were a United fan they wouldn't think Man Utd.

As an example (very quick Google) and you can see how other clubs will use the word "United"

http://www.compleatseanbean.com/sufcboard-press6.html

 

[spudbynight]

I'm aglory hunting united fan
Supported them since 1973 not sure what you think of that

I don't think Sheffield United have had much glory since 1973

 

[spudbynight]

Agree totally but this isnt a pub in Sheffield.

But that doesn't change the fact that "United" means different things to different people. Assuming that people will take that to mean "Man Utd" is just wrong.

There are posters on here from all over the UK

 

[spudbynight]

Indeed but when someone says "United" and people reply with "Sheffield?" that is being arsey for the sake of it.

No it is clarifying the point.

 

[spudbynight]

no, it's being arsey. When someone says Arsenal, I don't say "do you mean Arsenal de Sarandi?"

LOL - that is completely different and well you know it.

I stand by my point 100% but this is taking things way off topic.

 

[spudbynight]

I like watching good football, thats why I don't really support colchester.

The thing is football is tribal. If you don't support your team then they are not really "your team" at all.

As I see it there isn't too much of a difference between someone from Surrey supporting Man Utd and someone from England supporting Brazil.

I am English and would always support England - however we haven't won anything since 1966 and have endured heartbreak upon heartbreak.

Pity the Welsh who have never won anything and never will.