Do you guys support your Local Clubs? (in this day and age)

[pasion1]

Lately been talking to a friend of mine who's in England. His whole high school (when he was young) supported Crystal Palace. And everyone from the championship, or 2nd , 3rd division were proud of their teams. But lately he's been telling me that everyone's walking around with either Liverpool/Man U or Chelsea jerseys when he goes to pick up his son.

The same has been going on in the US (from my travels there), and in a way in Canada (somewhat, because Toronto FC has been an incredible success).

Do you think that local loyalty (whether to your parents' team, or your own town/city) has been displaced by the obsession to "win trophies"?

*If it is, it's a shame, because for me football was never about just winning.

 

[Alejandrix]

It seems to be that way, Football right now is just money and winning trophies.

BTW, i still watching people going around with their hometown teams kits for example : i know a guy who supports Tranmere Rovers and he sometimes wears Tranmere´s jersey, the matter is that he also says that he supports Liverpool and he goes to Anfield wearing a Liverpool jersey. So i can only say that these days the loyalty in football is going down...

 

[Siawash]

Yeah, me and my brother have supported our hometown club even though we have moved out of the country,

 

[Tosiek]

In my case it's definitely not about "winning trophies". It's about tradition and loyalty. My grandfather was supporting Piast, my dad supports them and so do I. My local team is in the same situation as Hull City. It's only their second year in the top division. We're kind of a poor team but very well organized. It's always a pleasure to see us giving a lesson to a club which is richer and has more quality players.

 

[Dytza]

After Barcelona I also support very much my local club : Universitatea Craiova. Many of you probably don't know it but we've got a good history in Europe. Last season we were 1 round to go in Europa League . We lost in the last round and missed it. Too bad.

I was here at the match at the score of 0-1:



Interesting thread

 

[SCP19O6]

Nowadays, I want them to win and all, but they play in the portuguese 4th division, the quality of the game is so low, and the stadium is always almost empty, with a track and field...track, separating the crowd from the pitch, so there's no "atmosphere" to wish me to go to their games anymore.

In the 80's, when I was a child, it was a different story, the stadium was smaller and with a much larger crowd watching, we almost could touch the players, and although we never went higher than 2nd division, the football quality was good, with excellent local players. I sincerely miss those days...

 

[MikeyM]

I support Aldershot Town, my local team. But I also support Man Utd, because they were the first team I really knew about (I was four) and I liked their kits. So I became a fan and have followed them for 25 years - I have been to Old Trafford too.

During the same time I have followed Aldershot, but my parents wouldn't let me go to games in the bad days of 1980's hooliganism (even though we lived a goal kick away from the Rec) And when the team folded in 1989, I put some money in the collection to ressurect the team. And in 1992 Aldershot Town was born, and finally in 2008, they returned to the football league.

I like to say I'm Aldershot by birth, but United by choice.

 

[pasion1]

There's some really interesting points a lot of people make. It confirms a theory of mine (well,and a friend). Basically a lot of people these days still support their local club...due to some family or nostalgic bond.

But people make sure to keep their "real" or "secondary" team in the Spot light (Man U, Liverpool , Madrid,etc)....just to get "the champions league experience".

Awesome to see Glory Hunters still thriving more than ever. My English friends remember looking forward to watching the FA cup as a kid. Waiting for hartlepool, bristol Rovers, chestrfield and the like. Cross town rivalries. Now "FA Cup" football or even local football isn't good enough if it isnt covered with sparkling lights and the possibility for an infinite supply of tin (which is all trophies have become to big clubs lately).
Kind of sad.

 

[cmc211]

For mine, I support my local team in Korea - usually watching match on TV or going to stadium which just 20 minutes by bus -and some other teams. I support or like some european clubs and NTs and one of them is Manchester United. I actually have the most interest in my local team, Korean NT and Man Utd. Oh, Korean people faced foreign football since 2000s. Before that, they watched via illegal ways or using Japanese TV. Anyway, our professional football started from 1980s and that time and before(It was kind of semi-pro league)many people were interested our national league(National league is our second division name but no promotion ). In early 2000s, they faced Real Madrid, Juventus, Man Utd, 2 Milans etc. At that time as normally, people only knew about those big clubs. After 2002 WC (Some players transferred abroad), fans got many interest in smaller teams too. After the day of 2004, plenty of Man Utd fans created because Park joined Man Utd. Some of them didn't know what means united or even have no interest in fooball. I was fan little bit before that in 2003. It was started from silly impression, playing an arcade soccer and watched Beckham playing, just impressed me to become fan of Man Utd (Before that, I knew some teams but not actually liked them.).

Anyway, I'm sometimes frustrated lookig at some fans in my country. There are plenty of glory hunters and even many football fans claim that it isn't a problems. Also there are some minds that supporting not popular teams, praising newbies, underrating top players or keeping on the past of Leeds(This means that in my country, watching football for a long time could be a symbol of means you are intelligent. Haha very easy, isn't it?
It is so frequent that situation happens like this in private talk. "I was a fan of Newcastle, but they relegated and Citeh seems hopeful because of their new good players. I like Mark Hughes's leadership so I'll change my supporting team", "CR moved to Real Madrid, now I hate Man Utd because I supported Man Utd becaz of Ronaldo so I'll be the fan of Real Madrid, Liverpool or Chelsea next year" - I know that this happened a lot , "Gerrard is scum and arse. I hate Liverpool. I will support Everton or Man Utd."
Some fans become a fan of lower divison or remote team because they played well on fifa/pes or fm. That seems good.

Many fans from my country think our national league is garbage (Recently K-League is quite doing bad than 3 years before but still good) and sucks so they abandon to watch our league and only support teams in europe but they are eager to watch our NT games. Irony. Some even consider our NT garbage so they support other team when our NT met against others.For example, I still remember when Man Utd had a match between FC Seoul in 2007, and most of them were Koreans but Man Utd fans. Btw I was angry at some bastards made a flag that their staidum(In Korea)is another Old Trafford. Isn't an action of betraying?

Now those are getting much better than before. Fans are becoming awake and trying to know and understand other league teams like Celtic, PAO, Zenit, Galatasary etc.

I think not caring about their NT or their league and only interested in top leagues can make a total fail in their own football. They know a lot about european guys but they don't know who are playing in their club or NT(But some NT is possible to keep their ability when they have many players playing abroad and rely on them - This can make fun on football but finally without a good system of football association or well-working league, NT cannot stay well constantly like Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia etc - Which did well before 1990s but after they watch European football, they addicted to European leagues and didn't care about their national football so it made them a total failure on their football.).

 

[daS]

in Turkey, people think everyone should have a fav from Big 3 Galatasaray, Beşiktaş or Fenerbahçe .. and then you can support your local team too...Well, i was born in Istanbul (in 1990) , but my parents came from Eskişehir that the local team of the city "Eskişehirspor" was a successfull club years ago..when i was a little boy ( and a football lover boy too ) i didnt know much about Es-Es ( nickname of Eskişehirspor ) .. Cos my dad was not interested in football and he was saying bad words about Es-Es ..so i used not to support Es-Es..i had sympathy for Galatasaray and Beşiktaş n with the effect of my uncle , i become a Galatasaray fan ( i was 10 maybe ) .. then i grow up and learned more about Eskişehirspor!! the Es-Es fans always love the club and support Es-Es even the club was in third league and other teams had no fans..they used to go away matches and buy kits..so i realised i have to be in Es-Es fans stands..i love the style fans support the club like they're one of the top teams..( we are indeed :P ) .. Eskişehirspor fans are legend..now im 19..and im a total Es-Es fan.. i'll go to Eskişehir to buy new season kits..and take some special ability tests there about drawing .. i hope i can go to the University there ( Anadolu Uni. ) and i can be closer to Es-Es .. n support it in the stadium ! ..

 

[FF7]

Even though I've lived in Mexico and Italy, I still support my hometown team, Cruzeiro (from Belo Horizonte). Now I live in Rio de Janeiro.
I like to watch european football and in Italy I support Juve (I lived in Torino, used to go to the Delle Alpi) but I only trully care about Cruzeiro.

 

[pasion1]

CMS211, and daS, those were great posts guys.
I have an interesting story too. I was sent this post once talking about "Modern football" in europe.
"The impact on the national game - one-sided football, a tediously predictable leagues, absurdly paid stars, a sleazy underworld of agents, increasingly cynical and stagnating crowds, a weakened national side and the growing covert campaign to create a closed shop to protect the interests of owners which will freeze the league's membership for all time..."

I remember a Scot telling me once how he supported Celtic his whole life. But after opening his eyes to the real situation (economic dominance, sacrificing scottish football for their profits), he actually started supported Inverness Caledonian Thistle, a team that was created only a few years ago (due to the merger of 2 clubs). Since then he moved back home and got season tickets, never misses a game, even though they've been relegated.

He told me once that when Iverness CT beat Rangers last year (1-0) in a season game, the emotion he got from Ian Black's penalty was more than all of his years following Celtic (including all of their league titles). That's why I feel that many glory hunters can't appreciate what it feels to watch a losing side for years. The people, the passion, the cause. There's nothing like it (especially if it's a city that you truly have a connection with (family or live there)

 

[pasion1]

btw, I was born in Uruguay, but grew up in Canada (while also living in Uruguay for a year or 2 during my childhood).
Even though in Canada there are a lot...and i mean a lot of glory hunters with influence (especially from countries where football isnt a traditional sport), I've stayed loyal to my family team: Club Nacional de Futbol (which I loved as a child). The emotion i felt watching them go to the semi finals of the Copa Lib, was worth all of the years of losing.

Also Im happy that Canadians have taken so well to their home teams. Toronto FC, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps have tremendous support. Football in Canada is becoming huge every day, much bigger than in the US <less population but much more concentrated) (you rarely see hatred towards the sport like i do every time I go there).

 

[ARIAGA II]

He told me once that when Iverness CT beat Rangers last year (1-0) in a season game, the emotion he got from Ian Black's penalty was more than all of his years following Celtic (including all of their league titles). That's why I feel that many glory hunters can't appreciate what it feels to watch a losing side for years. The people, the passion, the cause.

...what I say say to millions of Arsenal fans.
I was born in Holloway (which is the current site of the Emirates Stadium) and moved to Haringey a year later. Both of these areas "fortunately" for me are the sites of two of London's biggest clubs (Arsenal & Tottenham). Although I lived in Haringey much longer than in Hollway , my status as an Arsenal was based upon my father's support of them (plus he lived in Islington for some time, location of Highbury)
Still with Arsenal not being my local club at the time I also supported my local club in Nigeria : Julius Berger. They were one of Nigeria's big teams in the 1980's-1990's and had some famous Nigerian players (Oliseh,Taribo West,Yakubu and Amuneke) and I used to watch them train on holidays (I was not allowed to watch games in Nigerian stadiums...too risky) now they are in the second divison but I still try to keep up with their scores etc.
So now I have two "local" clubs which I support.

 

[daS]

CMS211, and daS, those were great posts guys.
I have an interesting story too. I was sent this post once talking about "Modern football" in europe.
"The impact on the national game - one-sided football, a tediously predictable leagues, absurdly paid stars, a sleazy underworld of agents, increasingly cynical and stagnating crowds, a weakened national side and the growing covert campaign to create a closed shop to protect the interests of owners which will freeze the league's membership for all time..."

I remember a Scot telling me once how he supported Celtic his whole life. But after opening his eyes to the real situation (economic dominance, sacrificing scottish football for their profits), he actually started supported Inverness Caledonian Thistle, a team that was created only a few years ago (due to the merger of 2 clubs). Since then he moved back home and got season tickets, never misses a game, even though they've been relegated.

He told me once that when Iverness CT beat Rangers last year (1-0) in a season game, the emotion he got from Ian Black's penalty was more than all of his years following Celtic (including all of their league titles). That's why I feel that many glory hunters can't appreciate what it feels to watch a losing side for years. The people, the passion, the cause. There's nothing like it (especially if it's a city that you truly have a connection with (family or live there)

thanks .. your post is also great !!

do you guys know about FC United of Manchester and AFC Wimbledon ?? they both got fantastic stories .. fantastic for ME ..

 

[cmc211]

thanks .. your post is also great !!

do you guys know about FC United of Manchester and AFC Wimbledon ?? they both got fantastic stories .. fantastic for ME ..

Very fantastic no sorry.
AFC Wimbledon is now club 'Milton Keynes Dons'. I know Wimbledon had a good success on 1990s. This club is doing well on lower league and just promoted to Football League 1. Oh, they are just changing a team from Wimbledon to Dons but Dons do not share records of Wimbledon right? But I think FC United of Manchester is made from a hand of fans so it is tally a new club. So I think they started from local league.

Anyway we have quite a bit of fooball clubs have that history because in our country (I know changing location is worldwide but recently, it came from different reason than past - business), teams changed location quite a bit. Sure many fans felt it was betraying. So when clubs change their location suddenly by plane and without noticing them to fans and so, they made a total new club!! (Now two clubs did that in 2005 and 2006, now their club name is FC Seoul (It is so funny that they share the record of their older, previous team) and Jeju United (Many people call this two team betrayer couple) which is currently participating on K-League - Some guys may be surprised because Korea don't have promotion and relegation so they are actual professional team and second divsion is just a semi pro league and they also don't relegate and promote. It is a falilure to our football ) Anyway most of fans changed team to support to them but some fans created a new club called FC Bucheon 1995 (This club had a match before FC United of Manchester. They have similar history. They felt angry about the club's decision and fans made a club from their hand. Bucheon is now on the 3rd division which means currently amateur league. They are not professional footballers and they do at least one more job. Few days ago, I heard an info that the fans of Anyang (Team before FC Seoul) are trying to get a money abt $10,000~100,000 to make a new club by advertising on internet or newspaper. It is good because if these teams do well, then it is another good example of league.

Btw my local team is one of the worst team. Our team created in 2002 (As a citizen club - Still, there are many clubs running by corporation like Hyundai, Samsung etc.) but now is 7 years but never reached over midtable. Now our team is on 15th, which is the lowest spot of league. I know why this problem occurs on Not only us. When many teams (Especially citizen teams or teams without getting any support from anywhere) grew a good player, they always lose their player to a strong team on the league. Also managers in our country (Not only in professional league, it also happens a lot in school league or amateur league) are only interested in getting money and they almost kill youngsters or making a fraud to innocent young players. Also parents have same mind. They give a lot of money to manager and coach for their meal.

I want many people in the stadium, We built very big stads because of 2002 WC but those only fill 10,000 people. Sometimes, when I go to stadium I can only see people eating snacks or playing games instead of watching football.

in Turkey, people think everyone should have a fav from Big 3 Galatasaray, Be&#351;ikta&#351; or Fenerbahçe .. and then you can support your local team too...

For us, there aren't strong teams which are dominating the league. I know there are, but every season, teams between 1~8th stage (Midtable) are always changing. Having many good teams dominating the league seems good for our league because it is same as having many famous players for attracting. It will increase joy und fun and crowds for the league.

Btw do you guys like leagues which have play-offs for deciding a champion?

 

[adek1991]

First and foremost I support Chelsea. BUT, I am not a glory supporter, I have supported them my whole life through my fathers influence. He used to see them a lot when he was younger. I have only seen them once (We lost 2-0 to Leicster City ). But this is because we do not have a lot of money to see them more. However, I live in Folkestone, and I do support our local team (Folkestone Invicta), and I see them quite a lot.

 

[daS]

Very fantastic no sorry.
AFC Wimbledon is now club 'Milton Keynes Dons'. I know Wimbledon had a good success on 1990s. This club is doing well on lower league and just promoted to Football League 1. Oh, they are just changing a team from Wimbledon to Dons but Dons do not share records of Wimbledon right?

ah you're wrong about AFC Wimbledon .. when the old wimbledon club moved to dons , fans react that and they decided to set up a new team named AFC Wimbledon..so, they're also a "fans' team"..and afc wimbledon is older , if im not wrong..

i also appreciate what Union Berlin fans do .. they build a new stadium , worked for it .. and the team will play home matches in this stadium..i guess they've promoted to 3rd division..

 

[Arnau]

badalona cf what a team.
http://www.cfbadalona.net/

 

[Zlatan]

Growing up in Amsterdam means you can't support any other club then Ajax.