How to Support a Team?

exactly. i probly should have read all the replys before posting again lol

spot on kiwipie paulm2010-05-08 11:53:12

I follow Blackburn, WBA, Plymouth and more recently Ipswich and 'Boro. Why yes, there is a pattern emerging. Wouldn't classify myself as passionate supporter but do try and make an effort to watch as many games of these teams as I can. I don't think there is a need to be a "passionate supporter" to join in the banter... to me it's all good fun.

Also take an interest in Braintree town fc, more as a laugh then anything else, after I started playing as them on football manager. However in possibly the world's biggest coincidence I found out that they we're my grandfathers old club's biggest rivals back when he lived in England and so that's kept me interest. Guess what I'm saying is that you don't have to be "passionate" to take an interest and support a football clubs games.

I would really only say there is one (maybe 2) club's I support strongly - and I sort of see what Frankie is saying about the long travel and how it gives games more meaning. Can tell you I was a whole lot more gutted when the Phoenix lost when I started traveling up for games from CHCH than before I did. Possibly the worst trip I've ever done is a 10 hour return day trip from Blenheim to Wellington to sit with 100 other people and watch Canterbury United lose 2-1. I don't know if sitting on a sofa watching a side you can really feel as passionately as the people who have taken ridiculously long trips across Britain to watch their team.

Having just read back over this I feel like it might come across as somewhat of a "holier than thou" post. Forgive me if it does - It's not intended that way.
Mr_Incredible2010-05-08 10:26:40

Frankie and James certainly seem to be "holier than thou", or at least think they are.

Frankie and James are simply reporting similar experiences to many Kiwi-born football fans who've gone to the UK and then had their perspective altered.

Nobody's trying to spoil anyone's fun, and nobody's saying that Kiwi EPL fans don't feel passionate about their teams. But it seems ridiculous to me that a Kiwi who supports Perennial strugglers Liverpool can describe themselves as being just as passionate as a scouser who lives within spitting distance of Anfield, has a season ticket, and hasn't missed a home or away game for twenty years. If you were that passionate you'd be over there too surely?

I already know I feel way more passionate about the Phoenix than I could about any English team. It's my home town team and it really means something. I've been to games at Wembley, Highbury, Old Trafford, White Hart Lane, West Ham, the lot. But those two sold-out games at Westpac last year (NZ v Bahrain and Phoenix v Perth) were the two best games I've been to in my life, bar none. We don't need to look to England anymore, we've got everything we need here.

Support whomever you like Hamster.

Theres no doubt some are Die Hard as as frankie described,and it is impossible for someone in NZ to be like that,due to the fact their side is on the other side of the world.

That's not a very good analogy.

What you guys are effectively saying is "I only only like Chinese food from Beijing (or Shanghai or wherever) and all other Chinese food is sh*t".

What I'm saying is enjoy all the Chinese food and don't worry about where it's from. In fact, I prefer the Chinese food from my local just down the road.

Confused much Hamster??

Thread keeps on giving.

so say i flew to Perennial strugglers Liverpool and went to a few games at anfield..does that make me a more passionate fan than a scouser who literally cant aford to go to any games but still lives and breathes the team??

I eagerly await the expert ruling on this one.

btw that Perennial Strugglers  Perennial strugglers Liverpool Perennial strugglers Liverpool Liveprool thing still cracks me up...actually like

I think it's inaccurate. They're not perennial strugglers, they're perennial bridesmaids imo.

Thanks for all the advice and all fellas. Is good to see everyones opinion. I'll think about it over the off season, am heading over to Europe in June/July so might find something then. Have supported the French in the WC when NZ aren't in it just because they're the only overseas nation I've been to. So some might say an Arsenal connection. But yeh, I know my uncle is a pretty big football fan so I'm gonna ask him. Grandparents didn't have anyone.

I support Celtic and St Pauli because of the politics of their fans. Started supporting St Pauli when i was squatting in South London with heaps of European punks who were fans. Its pretty much the 'official' football club for punks. Also love the amount of support they get even if theyre 3rd division. However, getting promoted to the 1st division next season and having a new stadium on the way could potentially change the nature of the club. Predicting to see way more skull and crossbone tops around the world in the next few years. Support Celtic cos i like their history and hate the huns. Pity Lennon wasnt manager from the start of the season. 

lol. charming 

great thread, i reckon

but i don't reckon thinking about it is the answer, it's more like falling in love - it'll just happen

I suppose you could 'take a team out' a few times to see if you 'fancy them' but then a week later Rotherham (in a great cup run) could walk around the corner, wiggle it's cute little hips and you'll be gone

Even if your family didn;t historically support a team, maybe find out what town the last british migrants in your direct family came from,. And then pick the main team for that town (if it isn't a big city with many teams)?

There's always the first game rule. First club you go to see live at home is the team you have to support.

OR, pick one of the newly promoted side to the EPL when the next season starts.That will ensure you get the full range of emotions next season. I'd actually suggest WBA. They have a kiwi connectino in Chris Wood, and they try to play an attacking style. And they will be promoted into the EPL next year.

Since others have placed their reasons for their club, I suppose I could tell you why I support Tottenham Hotspurs.

I know as a Spurs fan, that when we win but played terrible looking football, we get very annoyed with the team. We rather have a draw or even lose and look good at playing the game. We see playing ugly football as a pathway to hell.

However what I am proud of is how the club is able to manage consistent results with hardly any superstars, having more local English players in the team and not relying heavily on oversea players and yet on the books the club produces the financial figures that is the envy of all top clubs without being in the Champions league. Better than most Champion league clubs. If any of the top 4 clubs were able to manage like how Spurs does, then they would not have a large figure in the liabilities side of the balance sheet.

One main reason why I follow Tottenham Hotspurs was their playing style and their innovation of the push and run fluid passing way which was way ahead of it's time in British football in 49' and was better than how other European clubs played in the 60s when it was the first club to do the "double" in 60-61 and then trying to keep simple football to an art form. Clean, tidy and quick. Back in the days, when the football league started, they were the first non-league side to win the FA Cup. First British club to win a major European trophy in 63. First British club to win two different major European trophies. First in having a five man midfield. They were first in almost everything as a club and that paints a colourful picture.

Another reason is the fact they wear white uniforms like our NZ Men's National team, the All Whites. There weren't many teams that wore white, they tend to wear red or blue or yellow, so I didn't feel as connected. They previously had Alan Sugar (Amstrad computers) as chairman who is also known to be the boss in the UK Apprentice show and that has a loose connection of a similar vein of Terry Serepisos in the NZ Apprentice show who has connections with the Wellington Phoenix.

Nothing hit me well as Ricardo Villa goal in FA Cup Final 1981 as a fan to top a great year when the All Whites did well to get to Spain. To dare and sign the first oversea player (Osvaldo Ardiles) on the books.

To me, Spurs is typically what I enjoyed about football. The way they conduct their business and how they want to connect with the fans and they are there to entertain people in the game. At the moment, the current manager is Harry Redknapp that would be the frontrunner of being the next England Manager with an English background. But being a club manager may have a better pay.

I am sorry but what the f**k are you on about?

 that is said so very often

That is some good advice (although obviously not everyone has English heritage, in which case your second suggestions make sense).

Jeez, if you're going to end up supporting West Brom at least let the reason be because they used to have The Three Degrees...



terminator_x2010-05-09 10:59:56

Support the team with the handsomest, most polite captain.

support the team with the most interesting patterns on the pitch following the use of the big mower

Don't do it.

Perennial strugglers Liverpool have arguably the closest ties to the Irish. .  . .

Those patterns still amaze me, how do they do it? Googled. Sorted.

Also, this has been a good thread.
linds2010-05-09 21:30:46

Lawrie Cunningham = best English winger since Stanley Matthews

as for Smoking Joe Regis he really was a genuine powerhouse. So good Cruyff wanted him at Ajax.
late '70s WBA is all win, even the strips are magic.

And Everton. I have Catholic Irish heritage and that contributed to why I support the blues

interstingly the liverpoo/everton catholic divide is a bit of a myth, both teams have protestant (methodist) origins.... nobody seems to know when/why everton got given the "catholic" label.

Trouble with climbing aboard Cheslea is that everyone will think it's bandwagon jumping and all, despite the family thing. Only thing stopping me right now tbh.

Trouble is everyone knows I haven't.

Support Fulham then. They're from just down the road, and they hate Chelsea the most. . .. 

Everton were playing great footy when I was a kid, were on telly nearly every week and, most important, they wore blue.

Decisions are easy when you're 8.

Torres, but Aguero if he signs with Chelsea.

looks like its all faling in place for you to become a chelski fan...