I couldn't agree more, plus they have kept that great spirit to this day, for example their advertising for and contributions to UNICEF and Charity work in places like Mali. We can admire their anti-facist history but more importantly know the spirit hasn't gone as it seems to have in many teams now which are purchased by and run for the benefit of their Billionaire owners.
Supporting English Soccer Teams.
- Thread starter Locke
- Start date
I couldn't agree more, plus they have kept that great spirit to this day, for example their advertising for and contributions to UNICEF and Charity work in places like Mali. We can admire their anti-facist history but more importantly know the spirit hasn't gone as it seems to have in many teams now which are purchased by and run for the benefit of their Billionaire owners.
This really "grinds my gears", fair enough the standard of football is not great, but if you can justify €200+ to go to see Liverpool v Stoke you should be able to stroll down to your local ground. I've enjoyed it anytime i have gone, the banter in the stands is better than in England/or at GAA games.
just another couple of points...
the EPL is always going to attract the best Irish players as it is the best league close to us, but I want the best Irish players to play in the best possible leagues as it will benefit the Irish team.
A lot of people I know support teams that had historical Irish connections, just look at the amount of Irish that have started to support Sunderland.
I support Southampton (I was born there), I feel you don't have a choice who you support (well you have to make your mind up at an early age), I often wonder if it is worth the effort.
Because I support Saints I was often the one man and his dog in the pub to watch an "unimportant" game, but if I go to a pub that has advertised that it is going to show the football I will watch the game regardless of what other sport happens to be on.
My comments were not meant to insult you in any way.
All I am saying is that I understand the romantic idea of Barca but I think its a thing of the past and can't really be used as a reason just to prefer a club any more. Do you think, like a lot of people I know, that I should support Barca instead of Real Madrid because I am an Irish nationalist? All this stuff about not being able to speak Catalan in old and out of date. They can now anywhere they want - thats why I was saying I could move on. Its a bit like Irish anyway, the vast majority of people in Barcelona speak Spanish and not Catalan. Like English here.
I am a football fan first and foremost. I began to support Real Madrid for football reasons. I am not Spanish so all the Franco nonsense meant nothing to me. Plus I am not a great believer in conspiracies in the football world around 'state' team or 'Gov' teams. Its like all those Celtic fans crying that they never get a decision in Scotland - time to grow up and move on. If you examine the stats they always prove that this bias doesn't really exist. I really admire Barca and what they stand for. I have also been admiring their football of recent years !! But I like watching Madrid and indeed travelling over to watch them every trip. Same way I enjoy my NI games at Windsor, yet many would hang me for going becuase they won't move on.
I support Utd and love going to OT - will bring my boys too as soon as they're old enough....Ditto Croker & Parnell Park to watch Dublin.
I don't go to LOI games because I don't want to - as I have absolutely no interest in the domestic league.
I also have no interest in ridiculing people who frequent whatever sports & teams they like (except scousers naturally
).
I don't go to LOI games because I don't want to - as I have absolutely no interest in the domestic league.
I also have no interest in ridiculing people who frequent whatever sports & teams they like (except scousers naturally
).This got me thinking as to who I support and why. Scared me when I saw the number of teams
1: The lads, as in the local club at home, it's where I was born and bred, it's who I played for (badly mostly, but I still togged out), it's the first thing I look for in Monday's Cork Examiner and I still love going back for a championship game. My abiding memory is of my 79 year old dad running across the pitch with his walking stick in the air after we'd won the junior chapionship for the the first time in 35 years.
2: Cork, born and bred again. Been there for the good days( '84 Munster final stands out) and the bad ones, (09, Nowlan park, ouch !!!!)
3: Munster, abiding memories, 92 v Australia, 99 v Saracens in Watford and of course 06 in Cardiff, I'm trying to forget the pat on the head my Carlovian wife gave me at Croker a few weeks back after BOD sprinted down the field for the 3rd try.
4: Arsenal, since the 70s when they had an Irish team(Jennings, Rice, Nelson, O'Leary, Brady, Stapleton, Devine) and an Irish manager (Terry Neill). Spent many a happy day at Highbury in the 90s when I lived in London, seen them win the cup at Wembly, my abiding memory, Spurs in '93
Have to say in recent years, I've lost a bit of interest, partially the hassle of getting tickets, partially the wimpish nature of Premiership football, partially the behaviour of the players.
5: Leyton Orient, lived 2 stops up the line from them for 10 years in the 90s, if I wasn't at Highbury, I was at Brisbane Road. There was a time when they were so bad it was entertaining. I still fly over at least once a year. Memories? Wembly for the playoffs and Fulham away 2 years ago in the cup, + the day the full back got taken off at half time as he was high as a kite (no one in the crowd knew that at the time but he was so bad you had to laugh).
5: Washington Capitals. Ice hockey in case you wonder. Love the physicality of it, fell for the Caps after working the autumn of 2000 in DC. Ovechkin rocks as far as I am concerned
So what ties these together, They all wear red (bar the club at home), and at some stage in my life I've lived near them or at worst there was an Irish connection in some way. I've never lived close enough to a LOI club to really classify myself as a supporter, more a casual fan
Then there is a whole host of clubs who I either follow( in other words, if they were in town I might go and watch them) or keep an eye out for their results and keep up to date with them. They include Cork City, Cobh Ramblers, Leinster rugby, London Irish and the Boston Red Sox and Carlow GAA. I've no doubt in time the local GAA and rugby club where I now live will also make their way up the list
Of course then there is the national sides on top of all of that!!!!!!!!
1: The lads, as in the local club at home, it's where I was born and bred, it's who I played for (badly mostly, but I still togged out), it's the first thing I look for in Monday's Cork Examiner and I still love going back for a championship game. My abiding memory is of my 79 year old dad running across the pitch with his walking stick in the air after we'd won the junior chapionship for the the first time in 35 years.
2: Cork, born and bred again. Been there for the good days( '84 Munster final stands out) and the bad ones, (09, Nowlan park, ouch !!!!)
3: Munster, abiding memories, 92 v Australia, 99 v Saracens in Watford and of course 06 in Cardiff, I'm trying to forget the pat on the head my Carlovian wife gave me at Croker a few weeks back after BOD sprinted down the field for the 3rd try.
4: Arsenal, since the 70s when they had an Irish team(Jennings, Rice, Nelson, O'Leary, Brady, Stapleton, Devine) and an Irish manager (Terry Neill). Spent many a happy day at Highbury in the 90s when I lived in London, seen them win the cup at Wembly, my abiding memory, Spurs in '93
Have to say in recent years, I've lost a bit of interest, partially the hassle of getting tickets, partially the wimpish nature of Premiership football, partially the behaviour of the players.
5: Leyton Orient, lived 2 stops up the line from them for 10 years in the 90s, if I wasn't at Highbury, I was at Brisbane Road. There was a time when they were so bad it was entertaining. I still fly over at least once a year. Memories? Wembly for the playoffs and Fulham away 2 years ago in the cup, + the day the full back got taken off at half time as he was high as a kite (no one in the crowd knew that at the time but he was so bad you had to laugh).
5: Washington Capitals. Ice hockey in case you wonder. Love the physicality of it, fell for the Caps after working the autumn of 2000 in DC. Ovechkin rocks as far as I am concerned
So what ties these together, They all wear red (bar the club at home), and at some stage in my life I've lived near them or at worst there was an Irish connection in some way. I've never lived close enough to a LOI club to really classify myself as a supporter, more a casual fan
Then there is a whole host of clubs who I either follow( in other words, if they were in town I might go and watch them) or keep an eye out for their results and keep up to date with them. They include Cork City, Cobh Ramblers, Leinster rugby, London Irish and the Boston Red Sox and Carlow GAA. I've no doubt in time the local GAA and rugby club where I now live will also make their way up the list
Of course then there is the national sides on top of all of that!!!!!!!!