It usually has to do with whether the team is winning or not It isn't chance that Chelsea winning means they have a LOT more fans and United winning continues their global fan dominance
The lengths that glory hunters go to these days is amazing The term "plastic fan" and "glory hunter" is much more known throughout not just the football world but even non-football fans and NOBODY wants to be pegged as one. So, little Johnny in New York City sees Chelsea or United or Liverpool on TV one day and says, "I want to be a Chelsea/United/Liverpool fan!" even though he hasn't the slightest clue what football means to those fans who actually attend matches. He signs onto a forum and pronounces how long he has been a fan (add in a few years for good measure of course) and people start telling him congrats Several days later people realize that he pronounces players/coaches names incorrectly and can't ever seem to actually describe any of the traditions. Sure, he will run to Wikipedia and claim he knows all the history but he knows jack ****. Due to the vast amount of fans that the Big 4 are getting, you see forums not STARTED by glory hunters who tell their own fans that you don't need to attend a game to be a fan and Little Johnny in NYC is just as much a fan as everyone else who has grown up near the stadium and been attending games for years now. Why? Because Johnny bought a t-shirt online and really loves to see the team winning. The pure stupidity knows no bounds with glory hunters If you live thousands of miles away and have NEVER been to your teams stadium before....and can't sign their chants.....SHUT THE HELL UP...YOU ARE A GLORY HUNTER. You choose your team because they are a Big 4 team.
Stoke City! 3rd oldest team! Loudest stadium in the Prem and the craziest fans known to man! Naughty Forty! We have an age old hatred of Man Utd it's only 45mins away... we were picked to go down but we have pride the prem big wig teams don't have... they can buy a championship but you can't buy pride and true fans who stick with their team no matter what... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keHgXZrzy5o"]YouTube - Football fan writes poem - Stoke City[/ame] The legend of stoke is older than any modern prem team! Sir stan! gordon banks!
I started following the Premiership last year and made the best choice I could have with Aston Villa. I picked them because the backup goalie went to the same college as me, and because I liked their kits. Then they made a great run, cracking the top 4 for most of the season. Since then I've learned a lot about the organization and I'm very satisfied with my choice. Being an American it's tough to find connections to European teams, but Villa is American owned and have 3 yanks on their first team. I love Martin O'Neill's style and to top it off they donated their jersey sponsorship to a children's hospital... come on, how can an American fan NOT support these guys!
What I like about Villa is that they are not a "glamor" club, so it feels quite special supporting them, but at the same time they are a big club and have won the European Cup, so if things break their way, they could certainly cultivate trophies.
i still think americans would have more of a connection to a club like fulham who had mcbride and now dempsey as 2 of their main players and are a growing team with probably the best english coach
Hell, I still refer to them as Fulhamerica from time to time since they were basically promoted over here as "America's Team" of England. But yeah, I'd definitely recommend supporting Fulham to anybody. For the same reasons, plus they're always exciting. Especially when they miraculously escaped relegation in 07/08. I love the end-of-season Relegation-Evasion dance every year, but 07/08 was just awesome. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH6mXjLJLec"]YouTube - Fulham Football Club 07/08 PART 3: THE GREAT ESCAPE![/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shSH66osPIQ"]YouTube - Fulham FC 07/08 - The Greatest Escape[/ame]
I can definitely see the draw of Fulham for American fans... especially with how visible Dempsey has been with the US MNT... but then there's Everton with Tim Howard who is like a GOD to US Soccer right now, and Everton tends to spend a lot of their off-season every year here in the States. Still, any new US based fan that asks me, I have to push hard for Villa. What Lerner and O'Neil have done there is the template for running a club right. Also, they have a ton of English players that we'll eventually see in the WC. I love how Villa has become the most English team in the English Premiere League. Manchester City is turning into some weird Irish/Argentine/Brazilian All-Stars team...
He was just saying that Villa have a lot of English players. James Milner, Ashley Young, Curtis Davies, Nathan Delfounso etc. Also they've just signed Fabian Delph.
Very well said. It seems to me that most Americans only believe there are 4 clubs in England. I have been a Forest supporter for many years now. That alone should prove I'm no plastic glory hunter. As Sean Connery said in The Untouchables, "Who would say they were, that weren't." You don't pick a club, the club picks you.
Poor mental healthcare on a global scale? But of course consider the Cloughie era - back then Forest were a glory team and County were the choice of the ignorant (speaking as one who's Dad went to Nottingham University in the 70's and had an ST to Meadow Lane as he was too poor to take the train to London and watch Chelsea). But of course any notions of glory hunting are dispelled after continued support through multiple relegations - any initial glory potential is well and truly doused by going down. A sodding miserable experience if ever there was one. I look forward to the day Forest are back where they belong in the top flight. Totally agree with your footnote, unless of course you're threatened with violence if you don't follow your old mans team
Cheers KDB. You're right, the threat of domestic violence can sway your allegiance. Best of luck to your boys this season. Love the user name.
Imagine how smart Kerry is if his boots are that intelligent. His boots also managed to land a very lovely girlfriend as well. Incredible.
My dream is relegation in baseball, football, basketball and hockey here in the U.S. I know it's really not possible, but how cool would that be? Worst team in baseball? Welcome to Triple A!!
To put this thread back on track--- I have been reading it with both interest and amusement. This will be just my third year of following the EPL and I have yet to form any strong team attachment. Since I live on Chelsea Circle I thought that might be a sign, but things just didn't work out there. I love some of the players, but one just rubs me the wrong way so--onward. For this year it's Fulham and not because of any of the Fulhamerica stuff. Last year I had Schwarzer as my goalie in fantasy league and he was great. So, I love Schwarzer--I love Fulham. Why not? And there is a Craven St. here in town. Another sign?? Speaking of fantasy leagues, I set one up at www.fantasy.premierleague.com (code 648995-200876). We could use some more members. Think about it. If I'm in it then there is at least one person you can beat! Looking forward to Saturday and Fulham's move into the top 4!