Why do you support your club?

[Hightown hope]

The international break has do inne my head and will do for another day and a half, so I got to thinking of what may be an interesting new thread. Why do you support your club? I know alot of people on here don’t live anywhere near their supported club, many of you live in different countries or even different continents, thinking of you, Oz, Mav and Ed, so why Chucky do you follow Spurs while living in Finland? Mak and Sean living bin Ireland, why Liverpool? Ed, why Man Utd? Etc, etc. Nil, why Liverpool? I think Mikus and maybe threeps as well live on the continent, so why the Reds?

For me, it’s more obvious, being born and brought up in Merseyside, and my Dad taking me to Anfield as a 7 year old and instantly being transfixed by the noise, the colours, and I guess it helped that Liverpool were on their way to be the most successful team in the country in 1970. I often wonder if my Dad had been a blue rather than a red whether I would have maintained my love and passion for the game…or would I have just become sad and bitter like most Evertonians (safe to say that with no blues on here!).

To the best of my knowledge only Brian, gjblues and Adlab and of course myself are regular matchgoers on here, so what started the rest of you all as Gooners, Spuds, Manu and Chelsea fans?

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[Pagan]

I come from a non football family that moved to a rapidly expanding village when I was 5, I played footy and ended up training with the primary school team when my older brother played in it (2 years above me) the bloke that ran it was a Chelsea fan, so all his examples related to Chelsea players, simple as that. Had a season ticket in the early 80s as well as a season ticket for Notts County (lot of the lads I went to senior school with were County fans)

Now I don’t go to watch prem matches due to grass roots commitments in both footy and cricket, and even if I had the time I wouldn’t go to prem matches due to not being prepared to pay the money in order to pay someone hundreds of thousands of ponds a week.

Other than the grass roots footy and any free matches I can get to see via contacts (the odd game at St George’s Park and the odd league game) the only team I really watch is Millwall, due to having friends who have been lifetime Millwall fans, and to be honest they’re good days out…..Pagan

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[nine nine nine]

Like you Hightown my Dad took me to the Bridge as a 10 year old and that was it for me being a West London boy.

I went home and away through my teenage years and early 20’s was in the Stretford End for the 1970 FA Cup Final, marriage and children followed and needless to say both my boys followed their Dad and we had season tickets for the best part of 30 years.

Massive moment for me was being back at Wembley for the 97 Final with both my boys and their Grandad.

I’m marooned in Sunny Somerset now so it’s a 6 hour round trip to the Bridge I still get there when I can and it’s the main thing I miss about living where we do which is a great place to live but as the song goes:

The only place to be, every other Saturday
Is strolling down the Fulham Road
Meet your mates, have a drink, have a moan and start to think
Will there ever be a blue tomorrow? ?

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[sean the sailor]

My brother got me into Liverpool when I was 7. I remember watching Liverpool v arsenal and Niall Quinn scored on his debut. Liverpool lost 2-0 that day but that’s when Liverpool became my team.

I remember the morning after we lost 1/0 Juve in 85 European cup and my dad explained what happened

I always remember having a huge knot in my stomach when we played Chelsea at the bridge in 86 and the king scored the winner to win us the league

I’ve been to anfield many times. As I’ve grown older my love for the club had grown more and I drive my missus and dad crazy ?

My son is 5 now and he has the Liverpool kits and there is no way he will follow anyone else!

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[Hightown hope]

So a teacher for Pagan and, like me, the Dad for 999. Easy for 9 and me then with a Dad to take you to games as a kid, and that cements the passion for life. More difficult I would imagine for those who live away from their supported club

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[Pagan]

First saw Chelsea in the 70s, the teacher took the whole footy team, Notts County v Chelsea, would have been 75 or 76 I would have thought……Pagan

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[Chucky McChuckface]

Double H… good one, I’m sure Silly-Frilly-Willy will approve!! 🙂

Boxing Day 1980, I woke up to find that year’s Spud Kit under the Christmas Tree along with a ticket to go and see Spurs vs Southampton on Boxing Day. So, Boxing Day rolls around, I’m all kitted up, and my Uncle and all his mates took me down the Lane, and bless them all, took turns letting me sit on everybody’s shoulders so I could see the game. Losing quite badly at Half-Time I seem to recall, got a bag of chips, can of fizzy something, and a whole Gerhkin to myself from the “lads” to cheer me up and the game finished 4-4!! Of course, we all know what happened at the end of the 80/81 season, in case there was any doubt!!

The rest, as they say, is history!!! 🙂

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[Mikus LFC]

I have an older brother whose first game he got taken to was Liverpool back in the early 80s even though we were based closer to Manchester then, and it rubbed off on me as I grew up in the early 90s. Wasn’t easy growing up in a school predominantly made up of Man Utd fans in the Ferguson era but at least I couldn’t be accused of being a glory supporter! Used to go to a lot of the home games in the mid to late 90s so saw quite a bit of the Evans & Houllier eras – saw some interesting games to say the least. Don’t get much chance nowadays. Still based in the North West though, just a bit deeper into Cheshire now.

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[Hightown hope]

So you were living in London at the time?

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[Chucky McChuckface]

Born in Sydney, raised in London, moved back to Sydney in 97, moved to US in 99, moved back to Blighty in 05, moved to Denmark in 07, moved to this frozen wasteland of the North in 10…

Fook me, I’ve been here 9 years…

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[Hightown hope]

Mikus, was your Dad a Liverpool fan then? If you’re ever up for a trip to Anfield, I do occasionally get spare tickets available at face value if you’re interested.. Why did I think you lived in Germany?

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[Mikus LFC]

Hightown, no my dad is more of motorsport fan and used to do rallying (more amateur than professional). In football terms he claims to be a fan of both Man Utd and Liverpool ?. Hence it was my brother that brought me up on Liverpool. (Threeps is based in Germany I believe). That’s very kind of the offer, I just tend to be quite busy at the mo, but will give you a shout if I find a window!

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[Nike19]

Hightown, hello mate.

Were you on TT around 2008? A few of us on there spoke about this as this was alluded to the Real Fan Debate. Mark Holmes was the Regular Editor on a Friday where by those pages excelled and grew quite popular for these type of open discussions.

I was going to save this for Friday! 😀

As I’m leaning more towards Zzzzzz, I’ll try and Fast-track this particular explanation:

Essentially, it all stemmed from being in Junior School in the 1980s and with 3 Classmates that were Football Fans and I sort of fell into that. I don’t really have a vivid memory, so I can’t pin-point as to why or how. These 3 Classmates supported Everton, Man United and Liverpool.

I actually liked Man United and their Red Sharp kit not to mention Bryan Robson and Norman Whiteside. I also liked Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush. I also took a little bit of interest in Everton and the examples of Graham Sharp, and Gary Lineker.

I think what swung it for me was Liverpool winning Trophies and being Superior than Man United and Everton. As those mid 80s evolved into 86,87,88, etc, my loyalty and support just strengthened. I had no doubts and didn’t think about changing or supporting anyone else.

There were highs and lows in that decade as you know. Going into 1990 was going to be the last time we’d see Liverpool win the League Title. I was an avid follower of both ITV Results Service and BBC Grandstand Final Score. We didn’t have a Teletext TV in our house till around 1994-95. So this was how I received all my information.

I grew attached to Liverpool being Top Of The Table with Bruce Hornsby and That’s Just The Way It Is played in the Background on the BBC. On the other channel, you’d see Elton Welsby present and with Bob Colston bringing in all the classified football results. Around that time to me, we were simply perceived as one of the Greats in English Football – charismatic too, those I’m sure a lot out there would disagree with me.

I spent my secondary school days in the 90s living in hope that we could get back to those days in challenging for the title. This was after the Souness era, and knowing in the back of my mind our decline after Dalglish leaving. That never felt right, from the off.

I guess, all this time such registering myself on forums, I’ve felt that I’ve needed some sort of a purpose to try channel my energy and passion hoping that Liverpool eventually land the Title. The best part of my youth effectively has been spent on this. There’s not a great deal of other things that are interest to me, nor am I the type of guy that travels a great deal, so it’s always been this.

One of the best decisions I ever made in my life, and wouldn’t change it for the World.

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[Anonymous]

I was born in Canada and lived there til I was 9. My family had moved there from Ireland yadda ydadda.. Anyway, my grand dad came over 2 times and we went to Ireland 2-3 times in that spell. It’s important to note that my family are of irish decent but, my dads situation had been much like my own (his family moved to another country before he was born, because of the thriving economy).. So my dad was and uncles were born in Liverpool …Everton road is where they lived, to be specific. I don’t know HOW funny or just not at all funny that is but well, my uncles loosely followed Everton as kids and when they were quite young, moved back to Ireland.

So we have a kinda base here but it isn’t how you think right? Well, when I was I think 5, my Grandad visited us in Calgary and he’d watch a match it it were on. The thing is, the 2 times I remember him visiting, were big deals. I was too young at the time to realise the first and I have no idea why I have no memory of the second, other than my granddad maybe making a decision… The first match was in 1984 or 85 and was against Everton. I don’t know if it was a league or cup match, sorry.

The one thing I remember is the red and blue , my dad there and my granddad there. They were both supporting opposing teams and I was asked who I would supporter. I have such a vague memory of this but I swear i wasn’t pressured but… my dad never had a chance! My granddad was a Liverpool supporter and although I didnt get into the sport for about another 7 years, I was locked in as “Liverpool”.

Now, the second game I was talking about.. if it weren’t that my dad told me about it, I’d never have known. He came over and sat and watched Hillsborough in our sitting room. I don;t remember watching any of the match, I’m going by what my dad told me. He said that they watched the horror unfold. Now, it’s possible my dad is wrong, we don;t have the best memories and from what I gather, my dad at least didnt “stick around” to witness it all going terribly. Hey, I’m sorry to bring everyone down here, it’s just this was actually not long before my Granddad died. I didnt know he was dying at the time, I don’t even think my dad did. He was extremely private about the whole thing until it was very close to the end and it was actually his death that sprung my dad into action mode, moving us back home.

Sometimes, I think that other people are more sentimental or appreciate what really matters to them more than I do but I will often think about him and also what he’d think of me now as a man. That gives me fear one minute and a smile another.

Now, I said above that my dad was supporting Everton, well he was just hamming it up. Years later when we moved to Ireland and football became a part of my life (my first schoolbag was very cleverly picked out by my dad to try and help me fit in (Celtic))… well anyway he told me that he didnt really like football and it was just a bit of banter.

I’ll tell you lads here what I’ve done over the years though, I’ve annoyed and worn down my dad over the years by going on about Fowler and Gerrard and Hyppia and Alonso etc etc .. it eventually converted my dad not only to the red side but to a football appreciating side. He’s a light fan now but he’s a big fan of Klopp. You don’t need to know a damn thing about the sport to see the changes we went through over the years. The different phases had their up moment but anyone knows Klopp is special. Is he PL special? I’m not saying that. The PL has 4 great teams and we’ll just have to see.

I kinda strayed here and there, apologies lads, I’ve had a long day and I kinda got caught up in old memories a bit.

If anyone is wondering about how I could possibly have not known that Hillsborough was happening on own TV. I can’t give you an answer. The fact that I knew NOTHING about it tells me that my granddad likely sent me away in a manner that didn;t raise my suspicions. he was a lot quieter than myself,a deeper thinking and although my dad said he dodged working like the Irish builder from Fawlty Towers (not his words but fits), that he was a clever, charming guy.

Sorry if this is a total mess lads, I’ve had a few beers after a very very long but not bad day.

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[steveosnakeeye]

nothing wrong with a few beers after a bad day and long week and a nice reminisce over family members…

what part of Ireland are your family from Mak? My mums form one of the islands off galway bay, and she now leaves north of dubbers as does my sister and her family

for myself, my old man was never much into footy outside of the old results on a saturday and to check the Pools!

He took to me ot a Westham training ground with his busines saprtners and kids when i was young…they had..Jeff Parkes, Tony cottee, paul ince and other greats most as very young lads…i got all autographs and youd think that should be me done as a westham fan (they are closest to me in essex also)…but i was to young and had no one to take me or goad me on and wasnt overly interestd in footy myself either, then when i “came of age” around 13, got in to football nad basically copied my cousin who was the same age and had chosen Arsenal to piss off his Spud supporting dad…and once that choice was made here we are!

so very nearly Westham hence why i have a soft spot and if things hadnt been very different it could have been the spuds! thankfully life worked out OK! 😉

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[Chucky McChuckface]

So you’re a Goonie cause your cousin wanted to be an annoying little gobshite… sums that club up in a nut shell, really, if you think about it! 🙂

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[sean the sailor]

I’m from the Northside in Dublin stevo

Near malahide.

Some great reads lads. Nice one mak. Very interesting

My dad was a massive Leeds fan because of Johnny Giles but he fell out of love with football but now he’s a bit of a closet Liverpool fan. I watch some games with him and he is always cheering for us

There’s a big Liverpool supporters contingent in my family. I’m very close to my cousins and uncle who are massive reds and we all watch the games together

It’s a very special club

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[steveosnakeeye]

cousin but yes basically!
no idea what went on there to cause that, i made sure my son followed me though i did give him room to choose as his brother is liverpool and grandad Chelsea. fortunalty my passive aggressive emotional blackmail won through! top parenting! 🙂

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[Chucky McChuckface]

Come on Waspy, let’s not go down the “my club is extra special than your club” route… we all know how that went last time. It’s a very special club in your house, just like my Spuds are extra-double-top-secret-special in my house! 🙂

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[steveosnakeeye]

ive family Malahide Sean and other parts of subbers, my sister is up in Skerries and mum in Bettystown

most of the Irish family are Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal

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[Author]

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