Football fandom - addendum...

[rhythmaning]

I recently wrote about being a fan. I had been thinking about it for a while, although the immediate impetus was watching England playing in the rugby world cup.

There was a deeper prompt, too. F. had been saying how she supports whichever football team her partner supports. Plus, she keeps up with them - so she also supports teams her ex-partners supported (mainly Chelsea, but she's gone off Chelsea because they fired Jose Mourinho). She also supports teams her friends support, so she supports Villa, too.

So that is Spurs (for me), Chelsea, and Villa. And that is just the premiership!

She doesn't get it at all when I tell her that this isn't supporting, or being a fan; this is at best following, or maybe keeping an eye out - just having an interest.

Because supporting - and much less being a fan (I don't really consider myself a fan, for reasons I think I explained before - mainly because I haven't been to a football match in thirty years, and it isn't the end of the world if my team loses. Just as well since that team is Spurs. Although at least they didn't lose today. No, they drew. JFC!!!) - well, it isn't something you chose. You can't chose your team. This is why most Man U fans don't count.

The football team you support is something you have no option about. It isn't a rational thing - and it really isn't down to whichever is the best team at the time. You can't switch it on and off. It is an integral part of your being.

(Nick Hornby said all this a lot better in Fever Pitch. But then, he supports Arsenal.)

It is a bit different at an international level. Not in football - there is no way I could ever be anything than an England supporter (even if the team is a bunch of overpaid prima donna numpties who continually disappoint and underperform). But in rugby, I chose to support Scotland.

This is largely down to the crowing English media who assume that England have a god-given right to win, and are shocked when anyone actually makes a show of it. (British Broadcasting Corporation my arse.) Perhaps it is because there is a natural inclination to support the underdogs.

Comments

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

This is why most Man U fans don't count.

But some of us do!

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

I also support Yeovil Town. And Leeds United, because someone I used to work with supported Leeds United. And I supported Newcastle when I was going out with Rob, at least in part because I fancied Alan Shearer. But I've gone off them now.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

The ones I had in mind were those who only started going to the game when it got cool; and chose to go to Old Trafford because United were winning, or likely to!

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

OK, let's try this again... You don't chose! It isn't a question of going off them! It just couldn't happen - if you were a fan...

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

As opposed to those of us who had a grandfather who was going to Old Trafford pre 1914 and who stood on the terraces 40 years ago.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think would pass even my tight criteria. Although clearly you couldn't cope with Man U's success, and were forced to emigrate to avoid seeing them win.

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

One of the last things I did before moving to Canada was watch the 1984 cup final. I had a rather excellent seat just below the Royal Box.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

Now those Royals, they are johnny-come-latelies! Not real fans!

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

I'm a retired fan of Partick Thistle, in the sense that it's the team my dad supported, and I could not possibly contemplate supporting any other Scottish football team; you will know that this is not exactly a happy position for anyone to be in.

The footballers in my English family support Chelsea, (aand Yeovil town) again for age-old reasons, though B. had to explain carefully to my son that Chelsea weren't always in such a good position...

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

I have a soft spot for Partick, if only because they refuse to pay their players lots of money. The downside is that they rarely win, of course!

But if I were forced to pick a Scottish team, it would be Hibs. I have absolutely no idea why this would be, but there it is.

[coughingbear]

I am a Spurs supporter. I have been since I was about eight. I have no idea what set it off, now; they're not a team any of my family support (those would be Bournemouth, Liverpool, Reading and Wolves, though my sisters now support Arsenal. Bah). It just happened, and I've been stuck with it ever since. As you say, it's not something you can choose to stop doing, even though I'm not really a football fan these days. I've been to White Hart Lane about three times in the last ten years, and only once since I started living down the road. Though I do love being in a Spurs area, having spent a few years living in Highbury, where I was once forced to watch the Arsenal triumphal bus go down our road.

At football international level, I'm much less bothered. I support England, but can and have supported other teams (Italy, mostly).

But for cricket there is no question, I am an England supporter and that's in my bones too. And I am a cricket fan, in that I follow matches as closely as I can, and go to them when possible. This is more obviously explained than Spurs: I've been listening to Test Match Special since I was born, or possibly before. I used to go round chanting 'Intikhab', apparently, when I was about three and Pakistan were touring England, having picked the word up from the radio. (I'm much less interested in county cricket, where I support Hampshire if anyone, but am not committed to any side.) Rugby too, it's definitely England and I can't choose to support anyone else, though I sometimes wish I could.

(I know that Man U fans are all supposed to be JCLs who only turned up when they started winning, but oddly the only ones I know are Mancunians who remember the days when they didn't win anything.)

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

I follow matches as closely as I can


Yes. On every radio in the house, despite the fact that (a) you can only be in one room at any given moment, and (b) you carry your portable radio everywhere during the cricket season anyway, just in case you get stranded on the stairs and can't hear any of the other ones.

[coughingbear]

Of course. Anything might happen otherwise.

[topicaltim.livejournal.com]

Hence the apocryphal exchange when Eric Morecambe was introduced to the Queen in the reception line at a Royal Variety Performance.

Eric: "I believe you go to the FA Cup final every year, ma'am?"
HMQ: "That is correct, Mr Morecambe."
Eric: "Between you and me, I always got the impression you don't actually enjoy the games much."
HMQ: "Well between you and me, I'm not really what one might call a football fan."
Eric: (pause) "Can I have your ticket then?"