I currently do not have any European team. Just the Phoenix to support.
I tried to support Reading a while back but found I can never really get excited by big wins or feel shattered over losses or motivated to get up and watch them. For someone living in Wellington how do you come to support a European (preferably English team)?
There is so much banter at school about it, and I want to have a team to really support so I can be a part of all the banter but I just can't get into it. Obviously it helps if you've lived in the area, but do you have to stay with them and natural love for them will grow or something?
How did you guys get your team to support? And how can I? And suggestions on who to support even... Help appreciated...
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I started supporting wigan coz every1 at skool support the big four for the glory, n i thought id annoy them by being full into a random team..
The only problem was that was 2 years ago, and im still a mad Latic who watches the live games..
The only problem was that was 2 years ago, and im still a mad Latic who watches the live games..
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I tried to support Reading a while back but found I can never really get excited by big wins or feel shattered over losses or motivated to get up and watch them.
I think you should stick with the team you first supported. Reading.
The only other option is to look back through your family history. Where did your grandparents come from? Did they suport any teams? See what yo can find out about your family's past... inherited teams are the best ones to support.
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Just pick the winningest team, and go for them.
I wish I had.
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Watch as many games as possible. Therefore an English team is the best option.
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Just pick the winningest team, and go for them.
�
I wish I had.
Take that back, you glory hunt in the A-League.
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well i got into chelsea cos my dads from that area in london and was a season ticket holder (my uncle still is). went over in 94 and saw them beat man city 3-0 at the bridge.
it was just natural for me to support chelsea so i would agree to look back in family history to see if you have any family ties to a specific club.
or just go for shrewbury cos its a yum biscuit 
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Well, Dad always says he never supported anyone or anything but he always talks about going to a Chelsea game if we ever make it to England, so might be something in that...
Might investigate grandparents, uncles etc.
Like the idea of keeping a team running through the family.
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I'm a lifelong Chelsea fan because I was born and raised in SW London, my Dad took me as a kid because he followed the blues everywhere (including Athens for the CWC Final in 1971) from his childhood onwards, my Grandad was Chelsea too. Although we're a top four club now, believe me it's a relatively new thing for us blues. I lived through the tough times of the 80's and 90's.
That's the way most people in the UK start supporting their clubs - by area of origin or family ties. I for one believe it increases the passion with which you follow your club and I also believe you can NEVER change the club you support. You stick with them through thick and thin - that's what it's all about.PaulSG2010-05-06 19:39:59
That's the way most people in the UK start supporting their clubs - by area of origin or family ties. I for one believe it increases the passion with which you follow your club and I also believe you can NEVER change the club you support. You stick with them through thick and thin - that's what it's all about.PaulSG2010-05-06 19:39:59
Freelance Football Writer
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Get a tatoo of a club badge on your forehead and then you are pretty much tied in to supporting them with a passion.
All I do is make the stuff I would've liked
Reference things I wanna watch, reference girls I wanna bite
Now I'm firefly like a burning kite
And yousa fake fuck like a fleshlight
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i'm not gonna lie, i only became a chelsea fan in 06, never watched football before then, and it was only because they won in 05, and had Frank Lampard who i love haha. but i get up for every single game, and it ruins my day completely when we lose. no idea why i get so into it for a club i haven't got any ties with, but i do!
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Make a call and stick with it, no matter what happens.
Personally I'd avoid the big four (and of course Norwich) just because that is too easy (and awful). It takes bravery to pick someone other than the four, but you need something to make the initial connection valid, a win that you watch that sticks in your head or something.
Personally I'd avoid the big four (and of course Norwich) just because that is too easy (and awful). It takes bravery to pick someone other than the four, but you need something to make the initial connection valid, a win that you watch that sticks in your head or something.
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I'm gonna wait, find out what the family ties are and see how it pans out. Not rush into anything.
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Marius Lacatus covered this in an earlier Hand of God thread.
But I agree with HN - while connection with your local club or family ties is very compelling, there are other ways of forming a (valid) connection.
Paul Ifill also mentions how he followed Spurs and then decided on Newcastle and has followed them ever since.
In the end it doesn't matter how you end up supporting the club(s) - it's just how much you stick with them (wonder how many pyul supporters will switch next season).
Junior822010-05-06 21:48:30
But I agree with HN - while connection with your local club or family ties is very compelling, there are other ways of forming a (valid) connection.
Paul Ifill also mentions how he followed Spurs and then decided on Newcastle and has followed them ever since.
In the end it doesn't matter how you end up supporting the club(s) - it's just how much you stick with them (wonder how many pyul supporters will switch next season).
Junior822010-05-06 21:48:30
"Phoenix till they lose"
Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.
Genuine opinion: FTFFA
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I'd prefer it to be in an established EPL club cause then there is plenty of fun banter at school.
I have had thoughts about Fulham after their memorable run in the Europa League. But still unsure.
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Also the Chris James, Simon Elliott and Ahmad Elrich links.
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I'm gonna wait, find out what the family ties are and see how it pans out. Not rush into anything.
a sterling attitude young chap, just make sure you don't get her in the family way
ooo hang on, have i..?, i mean are you ..? , oh never mind
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I had no ties, family or geographical, to any team. Saw Owen dance through the Argies defence in '98, thought he was the man. Didn't really follow any club that much although didn't like Man U, so had to be someone else.
Remember watching Gunners vs 'Pool, FA cup final and (i think) that game sold me Perennial strugglers Liverpool. Went on the lfc tv boards and chatted football, being part of the community.
Actually maybe if that Stephane Henchoz handball was called or a few other things happened, I'd be a Gooner.
Remember watching Gunners vs 'Pool, FA cup final and (i think) that game sold me Perennial strugglers Liverpool. Went on the lfc tv boards and chatted football, being part of the community.
Actually maybe if that Stephane Henchoz handball was called or a few other things happened, I'd be a Gooner.
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I had no ties, family or geographical, to any team. Saw Owen dance through the Argies defence in '98, thought he was the man. Didn't really follow any club that much although didn't like Man U, so had to be someone else.Remember watching Gunners vs 'Pool, FA cup final and (i think) that game sold me Perennial strugglers Perennial strugglers Liverpool. Went on the lfc tv boards and chatted football, being part of the community.Actually maybe if that Stephane Henchoz handball was called or a few other things happened, I'd be a Gooner.
Well you should count yourself as very lucky then!
"Phoenix till they lose"
Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.
Genuine opinion: FTFFA
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Also the Chris James, Simon Elliott and Ahmad Elrich links.
Elrich should be a point against.
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I went with leeds because years ago i got them as a random team managing in some form of football manager,and also felt a connection with a few Kiwis and australians in the side.
Dont pick your side,let your side pick you i guess?
Allegedly
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pick the team who's strip you like the best
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I'd prefer it to be in an established EPL club cause then there is plenty of fun banter at school.
I have had thoughts about Fulham after their memorable run in the Europa League. But still unsure.
If you do support fulham you know you'll be able to get tickets when you get to London.
I still think it's very hard to actually support a team having not seen them live or visited their ground etc. You have no concept of what kind of people support that club, what it's actually like going there etc. For example, Spurs is in an absolutely awful part of London and their fans are pretty different to what you might be used to, Arsenal is a brilliant stadium butthere is no atmosphere and loads of corporates...there are a lot of geezers down at West Ham and if you're not from the east end you might not feel that much a part of the club, at Perennial strugglers Liverpool or United if you only go to the odd game and aren't from the area you'll be considered a day tripper and won't be looked on well by the local fans and everyone else will consider you a glory hunter.
As for picking a team, whose results do you look for first in the paper? You don't HAVE to support someone just for the sake of it, watching football games without worrying about tribal links can be a lot more enjoyable, I go with a mates to quite a few different clubs in London despite being a Perennial strugglers Liverpool fan and have always enjoyed it.
james dean2010-05-06 23:27:06Normo's coming home
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Make a call and stick with it, no matter what happens.� Personally I'd avoid the big four (and of course Norwich) just because that is too easy (and awful).� It takes bravery to pick someone other than the four, but you need something to make the initial connection valid, a win that you watch that sticks in your head or something.
Pretty stupid comment really. What if your 'valid' connection makes you top three? To me, deliberately choosing someone else is as pathetic as choosing a top three team....choose the team for the right reasons.
I chose the team because of my French ancestry and the prevalence of quality French players in Arsenal. This was ten years ago or more and now that will never change.
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Hampster,
You might like to read this article by the US journalist Bill Simmons, a columnist for Page 2 and ESPN The Magazine.
It may help you decide. It was written 2006 I think. He has some valid points to make about being a fan of an EPL team to the US audience.
Start on this page http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060719 and continue through the link to the next page for his conclusion.
Funny enough, it does make good sense.AllWhitebelievr2010-05-06 23:50:45
You might like to read this article by the US journalist Bill Simmons, a columnist for Page 2 and ESPN The Magazine.
It may help you decide. It was written 2006 I think. He has some valid points to make about being a fan of an EPL team to the US audience.
Start on this page http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060719 and continue through the link to the next page for his conclusion.
Funny enough, it does make good sense.AllWhitebelievr2010-05-06 23:50:45
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Make a call and stick with it, no matter what happens. Personally I'd avoid the big four (and of course Norwich) just because that is too easy (and awful). It takes bravery to pick someone other than the four, but you need something to make the initial connection valid, a win that you watch that sticks in your head or something.
Pretty stupid comment really. What if your 'valid' connection makes you top three? To me, deliberately choosing someone else is as pathetic as choosing a top three team....choose the team for the right reasons.
I chose the team because of my French ancestry and the prevalence of quality French players in Arsenal. This was ten years ago or more and now that will never change.
talk about clutching at straws to justify jumping on a big club bandwagon. Having "French ancestry" does make supporting Arsenal a valid connection. 10 Years ago Leyton Orient, Gillingham and Stockport County had french players, so you could have chosen one of them. Just admit you chose Arsenal because they were the best at the time and you are a glory-hunting, band-wagon jumping, fan boy.
Did you also have a valid connection to Melbourne Storm 5 years ago because you once went outside when it was raining really hard?
All I do is make the stuff I would've liked
Reference things I wanna watch, reference girls I wanna bite
Now I'm firefly like a burning kite
And yousa fake fuck like a fleshlight
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Make a call and stick with it, no matter what happens. Personally I'd avoid the big four (and of course Norwich) just because that is too easy (and awful). It takes bravery to pick someone other than the four, but you need something to make the initial connection valid, a win that you watch that sticks in your head or something.
Pretty stupid comment really. What if your 'valid' connection makes you top three? To me, deliberately choosing someone else is as pathetic as choosing a top three team....choose the team for the right reasons.
I chose the team because of my French ancestry and the prevalence of quality French players in Arsenal. This was ten years ago or more and now that will never change.
Tenuous French links really are the essence of Arsenal Football Club - nothing at all to do with being smack bang in the middle of North London. Try telling that to a gooner supporting black cab driver like the one who drove me home last weekend, they'll welcome you with open arms. They just love having more glory hunting fans...
Normo's coming home
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Make a call and stick with it, no matter what happens. Personally I'd avoid the big four (and of course Norwich) just because that is too easy (and awful). It takes bravery to pick someone other than the four, but you need something to make the initial connection valid, a win that you watch that sticks in your head or something.
Pretty stupid comment really. What if your 'valid' connection makes you top three? To me, deliberately choosing someone else is as pathetic as choosing a top three team....choose the team for the right reasons.
I chose the team because of my French ancestry and the prevalence of quality French players in Arsenal. This was ten years ago or more and now that will never change.
talk about clutching at straws to justify jumping on a big club bandwagon. Having "French ancestry" does make supporting Arsenal a valid connection. 10 Years ago Leyton Orient, Gillingham and Stockport County had french players, so you could have chosen one of them. Just admit you chose Arsenal because they were the best at the time and you are a glory-hunting, band-wagon jumping, fan boy.
Did you also have a valid connection to Melbourne Storm 5 years ago because you once went outside when it was raining really hard?
ouch.
to be fair to the lad he still claims to be a fan when theyve won sweet f**k all over the past few seasons
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Also the Chris James, Simon Elliott and Ahmad Elrich links.
Elrich should be a point against.
Only one??
On a serious note, I think heritage can have a big part to play, if you have ancestery from the UK find out where from etc, not just for footy reasons but to help understand where your lot came from
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I'm not sure my dad would let anyone in my house support an English team that isn't Libpool! Just grown up around it, got up for the big games and my first memory of a game was that 2001 FA Cup Final... Cracking game, but mostly I just remember the excitement of my dad and the excitement of waking up in the middle of the night! Hooked for life.
As for Atleti, well, again, that's to do with my grandfather. Once I started talking to him about football in Spain, it was always going to be Atletico. So yeah, I think I've been pretty influenced by people around me!
Wouldn't have it any other way. I have been acused of being a "Top Four" fan (not this season, though!) and it does get on my tit when someone tries to talk to me about Libpool and they know f**k all about it. That's the downside. But its how I've been raised, I didn't choose it.
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I've supported Arsenal all my life. Couldn't care less what people think about me because of it.
Three for me, and two for them.
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I support Ipswich Town as my cousin (Lee Norfolk - first Kiwi to play in the premier league) played for them in the 90's. I think he was playing in their 9-0 loss to Man U - he definitely played in that season.
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The short answer is don't do it.
By all means enjoy watching the EPL from an objective perspective but you shouldn't support a team unless you were either born there or lived there. And even then you need to have lived there for long enough that you developed a true understanding of (and connection with) the place.
James Dean makes a good point. How big a dick will you feel if you pick, for instance, West Ham, only to go there and discover that all West ham fans are actually a bunch of gobby Kray twin wannabe wide-boys who will shake your hand while nicking your wallet with the other. Plus, if you innocently wander anywhere else in London in your West Ham shirt you will get a good kicking and when you open your month to plead for mercy your accent will only make things worse as you are instantly identified as the day-tripping fake that you really are.
The only exceptions to this rule are Manchester United, Perennial strugglers Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and more recently, Manchester City. These clubs are now so divorced from their communities and so shamelessly commercial that it actually makes no difference where you come from if you want to support them. In fact, these clubs openly have a global agenda and welcome new "customers" from around the world (can't really call them fans though).
Of course, the end outcome of supporting one of these clubs is the same - you still end up looking like a tit. After all, you are really only supporting a soul-less corporation. You might as well buy a Telecom scarf and wave that above your head.
This is why we should all be grateful to have the Wellington Phoenix here. It's ours.
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This is why we should all be grateful to have the Wellington Phoenix here. It's ours.
"Phoenix till they lose"
Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.
Genuine opinion: FTFFA
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If you have French heritage wouldn't you want to support a French team..
Buffy - wouldnt you be happier supporting Milwall..Dino102010-05-07 13:31:57
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Make a call and stick with it, no matter what happens.� Personally I'd avoid the big four (and of course Norwich) just because that is too easy (and awful).� It takes bravery to pick someone other than the four, but you need something to make the initial connection valid, a win that you watch that sticks in your head or something.
Pretty stupid comment really. What if your 'valid' connection makes you top three? To me, deliberately choosing someone else is as pathetic as choosing a top three team....choose the team for the right reasons. I chose the team because of my French ancestry and the prevalence of quality French players in Arsenal. This was ten years ago or more and now that will never change.
�
talk about clutching at straws to justify jumping on a big club bandwagon.� Having "French ancestry" does make supporting Arsenal a valid connection.� 10 Years ago Leyton Orient, Gillingham and Stockport County had french players, so you could have chosen one of them.� Just admit you chose Arsenal because they were the best at the time and you are a glory-hunting, band-wagon jumping, fan boy.
�
Did you also have a valid connection to Melbourne Storm 5 years ago because you once went outside when it was raining really hard?
Cool story bro.
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The short answer is don't do it.
By all means enjoy watching the EPL from an objective perspective but you shouldn't support a team unless you were either born there or lived there. And even then you need to have lived there for long enough that you developed a true understanding of (and connection with) the place.
James Dean makes a good point. How big a dick will you feel if you pick, for instance, West Ham, only to go there and discover that all West ham fans are actually a bunch of gobby Kray twin wannabe wide-boys who will shake your hand while nicking your wallet with the other. Plus, if you innocently wander anywhere else in London in your West Ham shirt you will get a good kicking and when you open your month to plead for mercy your accent will only make things worse as you are instantly identified as the day-tripping fake that you really are.
The only exceptions to this rule are Manchester United, Perennial strugglers Perennial strugglers Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and more recently, Manchester City. These clubs are now so divorced from their communities and so shamelessly commercial that it actually makes no difference where you come from if you want to support them. In fact, these clubs openly have a global agenda and welcome new "customers" from around the world (can't really call them fans though).
Of course, the end outcome of supporting one of these clubs is the same - you still end up looking like a tit. After all, you are really only supporting a soul-less corporation. You might as well buy a Telecom scarf and wave that above your head.
This is why we should all be grateful to have the Wellington Phoenix here. It's ours.
i consider myself a fan of LFC despite having no connections to Perennial strugglers Liverpool. every goal torres scores has me jumping on the couch in celebration and every loss ruins my week. im as passionate as any throughbreed scouser when it comes to supporting the club. Stop focusing on what the board rooms are trying to do, thats the nature of proffesional sport, at the end of the day its all about what happens on the pitch
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pick the team who's strip you like the best
Well, that's easy then: Phoenix.
"Phoenix till they lose"
Posting 97% bollox, 8% lies and 3.658% genuine opinion.
Genuine opinion: FTFFA
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The short answer is don't do it.
By all means enjoy watching the EPL from an objective perspective but you shouldn't support a team unless you were either born there or lived there. And even then you need to have lived there for long enough that you developed a true understanding of (and connection with) the place.
James Dean makes a good point. How big a dick will you feel if you pick, for instance, West Ham, only to go there and discover that all West ham fans are actually a bunch of gobby Kray twin wannabe wide-boys who will shake your hand while nicking your wallet with the other. Plus, if you innocently wander anywhere else in London in your West Ham shirt you will get a good kicking and when you open your month to plead for mercy your accent will only make things worse as you are instantly identified as the day-tripping fake that you really are.
The only exceptions to this rule are Manchester United, Perennial strugglers Perennial strugglers Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and more recently, Manchester City. These clubs are now so divorced from their communities and so shamelessly commercial that it actually makes no difference where you come from if you want to support them. In fact, these clubs openly have a global agenda and welcome new "customers" from around the world (can't really call them fans though).
Of course, the end outcome of supporting one of these clubs is the same - you still end up looking like a tit. After all, you are really only supporting a soul-less corporation. You might as well buy a Telecom scarf and wave that above your head.
This is why we should all be grateful to have the Wellington Phoenix here. It's ours.
so im from hamilton, never lived in wellington so i guess i better stop supporting the nix huh?
what a load of garbage
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