I don't mean this in a confrontational way, I'm just genuinely curious about it, and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it. If you're an Irish person who supports an English soccer club, can you please answer the following questions. Just be as straight and honest as you can with each one.
1 - Which team do you support?
2 - How long have you supported them?
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
Many thanks.
A very interesting thread.
I will say there is an absolute hypocrisy in passionately supporting an English Club Team, giving them money, attending their games etc, and then having a virulent hatred of the National Team, and not only actively supporting ANY team against them, but passionately celebrating when they lose.
I mentioned it on another thread that I stopped following an Irish Food Influencer after I saw him cavorting around (in an Irish Jersey) in celebration after Argentina scored their second goal against England in the World Cup (he was at the game). The level of joy he was experiencing was akin to what you would expect if Ireland had scored or had won something. It was unfathomable.
Subsequently, people took him to task in the comments about his well documented support of Manchester United (he also regularly travels to England to film content). All he had was some bogus positive rebuttals (such as "United would be nothing without its overseas support" - which is entirely untrue considering there is currently ongoing ructions over the movement of long standing Season Ticket holders from seats they have occupied for years .
But to me, it really shone a light on the fact that there is a hypocrisy, regardless if people want to agree or not. Why support one of their teams, and then CELEBRATE when the national team loses?
1. I follow Spurs. Cant say I support them as my average "investment" per annum in them would see change from a £20 note.
2. Since 1987.
3/4. I spent a fair bit of time in London growing up, family over there. But the reason I picked up Spurs is I went to see AC Milan (Van Basten, Gullit, Rijkard, Maldini, Baresi) in a pre season friendly at Wembley, and came away infatuated with Chris Waddle. In my teens and early 20s I went to see them play a dozen times, even a few away trips. Since then my interest levels have dropped and risen sporadically. Not so much to do with success, but style of play and the actual players. Harry Kane kept me focused for a decade. Currently I'm quite passive about all.
5. I generally root for England when there's Spurs players involved, and o root for Harry Kane whoever he is playing for. Generally I'm ambivalent about England winning something. I don't think it would produce the same feelings for me that others have "can't turn on the news or read a paper for a month". It's very easy to ignore media these days. Plus they've some likeable players who do deserve a big win.
6. I'd honestly love to support Newry City, but in my lifetime - apart from the rebuild after they folded when I did know quite a few of their players - their team has largely been made up of players from anywhere but Newry and Mourne. Now I will preface this by declaring that my area's record for producing high class athletes at any sport is truly abysmal - but at same time I've no interest in watching a bunch of mercenaries traipsing in from neighbouring boroughs, with a sole intention of either gathering coin, or using Newry as a pedestal to playing with a bigger Irish League club. And on the Irish league, it's a cesspit of pretend effort, pretend loyalties, pretend bank accounts, pretend everything. NI soccer takes all the worst attributes of soccer and clings to them like a prize.
My personal take:
I lived in Manchester for 8 years. Never got into the soccer scene, but it was impossible to avoid it. The locals there are just obsessed with their football even more than the Irish are about the GAA. For some people it was all they ever talked about. After a couple of weeks living there I was fed up hearing about football, but the best I could do was tolerate it. There was also a certain off-putting culture of aggression about it that seemed to go beyond friendly rivalry.
In hindsight I wished I had gone to at least one game at Old Trafford and one at Maine Road just to see what it was like, but I just didn't have a high opinion of soccer as a sport at the time. Only the international game could keep my attention since I could relate to the teams and the ROI lads were doing well under Charlton.
Today my view of soccer has mellowed, I've come to appreciate the game better and would love to see the Irish team getting back to the top flight. I researched the history of it for my book (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1496115058?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback) and I've come to admire it as a global unifying force, which is why I was quite glowing in my praise of it.
8 years of living in England helped to moderate my view of that place too. The people were always nice to me. England was an economic lifeboat for generations of Irish, including my dad who met my (Scottish) mother there.
This animosity that Irish people seem to have for the English is not reciprocated, and I'd be a bit horrified if they found out what a lot of my fellow Irish really think of them. Cheering for England's opponents is not something I want to get involved in.
I also know people who shout for England's opponents. I have one mate who changes his FB profile pic to the flag of whoever's playing agen England. I sometimes thank him for his "continued support for British soccer" when he posts stuff praising Glasgow Celtic.
I know it's different for northern soccer fans who are not exactly going to support their local team if it's Harland and Wolf Welders, but fans in Derry and in the south don't have that problem.
Quote from: thewobbler on August 07, 2026, 06:40:31 PM1. I follow Spurs. Cant say I support them as my average "investment" per annum in them would see change from a £20 note.
2. Since 1987.
3/4. I spent a fair bit of time in London growing up, family over there. But the reason I picked up Spurs is I went to see AC Milan (Van Basten, Gullit, Rijkard, Maldini, Baresi) in a pre season friendly at Wembley, and came away infatuated with Chris Waddle. In my teens and early 20s I went to see them play a dozen times, even a few away trips. Since then my interest levels have dropped and risen sporadically. Not so much to do with success, but style of play and the actual players. Harry Kane kept me focused for a decade. Currently I'm quite passive about all.
5. I generally root for England when there's Spurs players involved, and o root for Harry Kane whoever he is playing for. Generally I'm ambivalent about England winning something. I don't think it would produce the same feelings for me that others have "can't turn on the news or read a paper for a month". It's very easy to ignore media these days. Plus they've some likeable players who do deserve a big win.
6. I'd honestly love to support Newry City, but in my lifetime - apart from the rebuild after they folded when I did know quite a few of their players - their team has largely been made up of players from anywhere but Newry and Mourne. Now I will preface this by declaring that my area's record for producing high class athletes at any sport is truly abysmal - but at same time I've no interest in watching a bunch of mercenaries traipsing in from neighbouring boroughs, with a sole intention of either gathering coin, or using Newry as a pedestal to playing with a bigger Irish League club. And on the Irish league, it's a cesspit of pretend effort, pretend loyalties, pretend bank accounts, pretend everything. NI soccer takes all the worst attributes of soccer and clings to them like a prize.
Can you tell me more about this? I don't know much about the Irish League. Are there many teams that fenians would support?
Don't follow any English football club however have followed the sport in general for decades although has become less and less with the sportswashing and how low risk boring tactics have become a way to success.
From my observations the sport is like a religion to it's supporters of a club with Anfield,Old Trafford etc their place of worship.
Lots of the English clubs have or had strong Irish connections and if your Dad, Brother or school friend was following an English club it was only natural to do the same.
As for the England national team who are for England and England only. That isn't comparable and loads of Irish people prefer to see any England national team or individual English sport stars whatever the sport fail than succeed.
Irish people in general like sports. The winter months are long and dark and the English soccer is something that is on and a bit of escapism. There was a time when it was rare to see live, just maybe the FA cup (Liam Brady setting up 3 goals in Arsenals 3-2 win over Man United in 1979 had many Irish households glued to TVs), and those who had BBC depended on highlights of Match of the Day at night. However it was also competing with Gay Byrne's Late Late Show which was like a religious experience for some families unless Gaybo had something controversial/filth on and next thing Match of the Day was on again. The opening music was considered cool, especially the way it was spliced with a highlight of the day. I remember Steve Heighway unleashing an unmerciful shot from way out that whacked off the crossbar as the commentator cried out: did you see that? Then cut to da da da da da duh do.
Exciting stuff for a young lad but now I can hardly watch a club game. International only for me where soccer is concerned.
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on August 07, 2026, 05:43:30 PMI don't mean this in a confrontational way, I'm just genuinely curious about it, and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it. If you're an Irish person who supports an English soccer club, can you please answer the following questions. Just be as straight and honest as you can with each one.
1 - Which team do you support? Arsenal
2 - How long have you supported them? 1989
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No No No No
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I was 9. You got to see limited football and I just gravitated towards the team. What were you gonna tell your friends at 9 or 10 - that you couldn't support Arsenal cause you lived next to St Julians Road and had to watch Omagh Town RIP)?
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
Toggle between C and D
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
There were - but the standard was different. You can enjoy supporting your local high school at Friday Night Lights - and still follow the 49ERS.
Many thanks.
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on August 07, 2026, 05:43:30 PMI don't mean this in a confrontational way, I'm just genuinely curious about it, and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it. If you're an Irish person who supports an English soccer club, can you please answer the following questions. Just be as straight and honest as you can with each one.
1 - Which team do you support?
Liverpool. Hardly watch soccer anymore. VAR thoroughly ruined the spectacle for me so I'm definitely a casual fan these days. When I was a cub I would have had all the gear and was a proud member of the Ian Rush fanclub. Still have my hat and scarf from the 85/86 double year.
2 - How long have you supported them?
From day one (see 4) but earliest I can remember is about 1983 or '84.
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
No.
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I was born into a Liverpool supporting family on my mother's side. My granda was in the Merchant Navy so I always presumed it was from that. My granny was a huge fan of Kenny Dalglish so it could be that they were the team of choice from his move there in 1977. I'll never know.
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
Previously e but now d.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
Ballymena United growing up would never have been a wise choice. It just always seemed a local sport for themmuns so it passed me by for 50 years.
Many thanks.
1 - Which team do you support?
Liverpool
2 - How long have you supported them?
Can remember back to the FA Cup final 1995 so in around that year.
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
No and no.
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
It was the players at the time. Fowler, Redknapp, McAteer, Barnes, Rush
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
Meh probably b. Wouldn't mind to see them winning but I still find the crushing defeats a bit funny.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
Typical nordie sectarianism. I'd follow them from a distance and wish them well.
1 - Which team do you support?
Man Utd
2 - How long have you supported them?
Since 1985
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
No, no, no, no (there's no limit)
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
Soccer coverage was few and far between. I was too young to stay up for MOTD then. My cousin was a Man U fan, and would have filled me in about it. FA cup final was the only live match really then, so decided to tune in and support United v Everton. Norman Whiteside scored, and I was like, hes from up the road. So was Paul McGrath , Frank Stapleton and Kevin Moran. They may as well have only lived around the corner as far as I was concerned. Then my da filled me in about Moran having played Gaelic for Dublin. I suppose those "local" links were important for me then as an impressionable young lad (like Dennis Taylor and Barry McGuigan were , in 1985 as well)so I would have watched out for United's results without really getting into it all properly until around 1989/90. I was hardly a glory hunter in those early days . Everyone at school had a team , so it was just something you had to do I suppose at that age. Then the Panini stickers started , so we were at that.
In recent years I've become so disillusioned with the whole game. The money , the competitions, the poor quality, the half arsed players. Means very very little these days. As a teen I'd be miserable if United lost , now I honestly couldn't care less. I record MOTD , then Usually forward on to see most of the goals. That's about as much PL soccer as I can tolerate these days.
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
E-ish I wouldn't say I want them stuffed. I just want them out asap by any means, so you can relax knowing they won't win it.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
Attending soccer matches just wasn't a thing in my world. GAA was the only sport on the agenda in our house, attending-wise.
I've only been to Old Trafford once, and only because I was in Manchester for something else and managed to get tickets. So I'm not exactly giving them lots of my hard earned wages. I doubt I'll ever be back
1 - Which team do you support?
Manchester United
2 - How long have you supported them?
As long as I remember (in my mid 30s now)
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
Not from there.
Never lived there.
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
My father supported them since the mid 50s and my older siblings all did too. Never really had much of a choice in it, been attending matches since mid 90s.
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
E. I just want them knocked out as soon as possible so the risk of them winning is gone.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
I support local soccer in my area. Have attended Irish league and local junior football matches from an early age.
Quote from: Puckoon on August 07, 2026, 09:34:43 PMQuote from: Eamonnca1 on August 07, 2026, 05:43:30 PMI don't mean this in a confrontational way, I'm just genuinely curious about it, and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it. If you're an Irish person who supports an English soccer club, can you please answer the following questions. Just be as straight and honest as you can with each one.
1 - Which team do you support? Arsenal
2 - How long have you supported them? 1989
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No No No No
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I was 9. You got to see limited football and I just gravitated towards the team. What were you gonna tell your friends at 9 or 10 - that you couldn't support Arsenal cause you lived next to St Julians Road and had to watch Omagh Town RIP)?
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
Toggle between C and D
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
There were - but the standard was different. You can enjoy supporting your local high school at Friday Night Lights - and still follow the 49ERS.
Many thanks.
Not trying to go off topic - what happening to Omagh?
I remember they were in a lot of finals and going well in league (iirc) etc. when I was younger.
Are they still going in a lower level capacity or gone completely?
More to the point, why do these people support these UK teams. not go out and watch their local soccer teams, or support the main soccer team in their county? Is it because these uk games are on at weekends, and 2/3 times in a week and can be watched from home or in the pub?
1 - Which team do you support?
Liverpool
2 - How long have you supported them?
Since 1981
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
No
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available
Growing up they were the best team in the old Division 1 so were on the TV most. My best friend had cousins who were from Liverpool who regularly came home so that added to it. At the time they also had a lot of very good Irish players like Whelan, Lawernson and Berlin so there was an affinity. Mostly though it was because they were the best at the time.
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
The issue I have with the international team is the insufferable approach of the media and the Empire-Esk approach of the fans. That is the tribalism of sport I know but it is challenging when you associate the accent and attitude to men in green uniforms pinning you against a wall. If there was a little more self insight and reflection then it might be easier to wish them well.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
I watched a few Dundalk games over the years and went to 1-2 Newry games. I now live near Solitude but have never been to watch Cliftonville and I run past the stadium 2-3 times a week! I just have no interest in it but I know people involved in it and some of the local underage feeder clubs and they are a very good set up. Rangers actually use Cliftonville as their main local base for players u16 who are not allowed to travel over yet. GAA is my main thing and I'm on a field 4-5 times a week so it's never an option for me.
Have been to Anfield a few times but wish I could get over more. Love the atmosphere.
1 - Which team do you support?
Liverpool
2 - How long have you supported them?
Since about 1987
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
No and no.
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
My big cousin got me into them and then I just adored John Barnes
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
Living in the states you at least don't have to put up with media and all 'it's coming home' crap. Found myself wanting to beat the Argies but then wasn't bothered when they did go out.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
Played for my local team and would've went to see Ballianmallard numerous times but it's just not the same
Quote from: marty34 on August 08, 2026, 08:44:47 AMQuote from: Puckoon on August 07, 2026, 09:34:43 PMQuote from: Eamonnca1 on August 07, 2026, 05:43:30 PMI don't mean this in a confrontational way, I'm just genuinely curious about it, and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it. If you're an Irish person who supports an English soccer club, can you please answer the following questions. Just be as straight and honest as you can with each one.
1 - Which team do you support? Arsenal
2 - How long have you supported them? 1989
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No No No No
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I was 9. You got to see limited football and I just gravitated towards the team. What were you gonna tell your friends at 9 or 10 - that you couldn't support Arsenal cause you lived next to St Julians Road and had to watch Omagh Town RIP)?
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
Toggle between C and D
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
There were - but the standard was different. You can enjoy supporting your local high school at Friday Night Lights - and still follow the 49ERS.
Many thanks.
Not trying to go off topic - what happening to Omagh?
I remember they were in a lot of finals and going well in league (iirc) etc. when I was younger.
Are they still going in a lower level capacity or gone completely?
Got into financial bother in 2004/5 ish. Had to fold. Real shame.
A new version was started in 2024 at underage with the first senior team playing this year I believe. But will be competing with other local clubs like Strathroy, Tummery etc for players. Be a while before it hits the previous heights!!
Quote from: RedHand88 on August 07, 2026, 10:26:04 PM5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
Meh probably b. Wouldn't mind to see them winning but I still find the crushing defeats a bit funny.
Why is that? Noticed in the world cup thread you were fairly supportive of England. Not to have a dig but genuinely curious when the supporters of the club you support would be fairly notorious for not supporting England? 'Scouse not English'.
Quote from: Wildweasel74 on August 08, 2026, 11:45:50 AMMore to the point, why do these people support these UK teams. not go out an watch their local soccer teams or support the main soccer team in their county? Is it because these uk games are on at weekends and 2/3 tmes in a week and can be watched from home or in the pub?
Same as Cheltenham. It's a weekend away on the beer.
Most Irish daytrippers know hee haw about soccer. It's a jolly boys outing
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 09, 2026, 11:03:18 AMQuote from: Wildweasel74 on August 08, 2026, 11:45:50 AMMore to the point, why do these people support these UK teams. not go out an watch their local soccer teams or support the main soccer team in their county? Is it because these uk games are on at weekends and 2/3 tmes in a week and can be watched from home or in the pub?
Same as Cheltenham. It's a weekend away on the beer.
Most Irish daytrippers know hee haw about soccer. It's a jolly boys outing
If they were really going for the jolly it's a very expensive way of doing so.
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 09, 2026, 11:03:18 AMQuote from: Wildweasel74 on August 08, 2026, 11:45:50 AMMore to the point, why do these people support these UK teams. not go out an watch their local soccer teams or support the main soccer team in their county? Is it because these uk games are on at weekends and 2/3 tmes in a week and can be watched from home or in the pub?
Same as Cheltenham. It's a weekend away on the beer.
Most Irish daytrippers know hee haw about soccer. It's a jolly boys outing
That's just not true though. They would know a lot more than the ones who sit at home.
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 09, 2026, 11:03:18 AMQuote from: Wildweasel74 on August 08, 2026, 11:45:50 AMMore to the point, why do these people support these UK teams. not go out an watch their local soccer teams or support the main soccer team in their county? Is it because these uk games are on at weekends and 2/3 tmes in a week and can be watched from home or in the pub?
Same as Cheltenham. It's a weekend away on the beer.
Most Irish daytrippers know hee haw about soccer. It's a jolly boys outing
There are *lots* of "tourists" at the big team grounds, but there are plenty of people going over with tickets secured via a supporters club they are in. The latter are invested in both the sport and their team and are not casual fans you see on coaches with Rory's Travel Club! And I'm not knocking the latter is a means of getting tickets when sometimes it seems impossible.
I don't even know why English people support English soccer clubs.
1 - Which team do you support?
Arsenal the Liam Brady era, then when he left to go to Italy, Everton due to Kevin Sheedy. Both left footed like me ;D
2 - How long have you supported them?
Pre 1981 Arsenal, post 1981 Everton till today
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
No and no.
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
Left footed Irish lads on the team. I'm fickle that way.
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
It's the English press and pundits that put you off them and willing on their opponents
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
Wouldn't occur to me to go to a local game. I did go watch a mate playing for Glentoran once in the Oval and never again.
Quote from: johnnycool on August 11, 2026, 11:50:29 AM5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
It's the English press and pundits that put you off them and willing on their opponents
Without meaning to divert the conversation, I listened to the plaudits England got after beating Mexico. They basically just hoofed the ball upfield for last 30 minutes. Mexico just couldn't get the breakthrough. It was classed as one of the greatest performances ever (mainly by Shearer) , yet they did exactly the same v Argentina and they were ridiculed for it.
Having said that , Rooney did say after Mexico that park the bus tactic won't work against better opposition. He was proved correct.
The English media and pundits(mainly Shearer) would sicken your hole
Why don't ye watch English games on RTÉ if they upset ye so much? or don't watch them at all!
Meanwhile many GAAboarders going to the meaningless soccer friendly match in Croker?
I think there is a danger in over thinking this.
Following an arbitrary English side is easy. It's for the casual fan. Real soccer fans are either involved with their local club and actually going to soccer. Everyone has a suitable LoI or IL side within an hours commute. I don't want to come across as a purist, but for some people soccer is exclusively a tv thing. Some may occasionally go to their team, but most don't. That's fine, but lets not pretend it's normal.
It's not mutually exclusive to have an English team and want to see England lose, but it is more credible if you aren't wearing an English club team top in the pub while cheering on their opponents.
This thing in Croker is peak commodification of football. Two foreign sides in a non soccer arena designed to cut the FAI out. They even brought over the match official team in order to completely shut the locals out. We may laugh at that, but it's wrong.
Quote from: Rossfan on August 11, 2026, 01:05:45 PMWhy don't ye watch English games on RTÉ if they upset ye so much? or don't watch them at all!
Meanwhile many GAAboarders going to the meaningless soccer friendly match in Croker?
Partitionist RTE blue screen their coverage.
;D
1 - Which team do you support? Aston Villa
2 - How long have you supported them? since 1992
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No connection to Birmingham
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I picked them solely for the Irish connection on the pitch. McGrath, Staunton, Houghton etc. Nobody else in my family really followed a team at all. I was free to choose without influence really. There have been some ups, but many many downs. School could be rough at times lol
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
I'd be in-between d and e here. I do enjoy watching England big it up and then eventually fall. I dont particularly want them to win anything but I would be devastated if they did.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
The biggest club in town is of course Glenavon. Mourneview was really a no go zone in the early 90s. I could of course support Lurgan Celtic but that level never appealed to me. I enjoyed playing for local Mid Ulster clubs but that would be as far as local support goes. Many from the town go down and support Cliftonville. That never appealed to me either.
Quote from: Rossfan on August 11, 2026, 01:05:45 PMWhy don't ye watch English games on RTÉ if they upset ye so much? or don't watch them at all!
Meanwhile many GAAboarders going to the meaningless soccer friendly match in Croker?
Because it's worth it when they do fall apart. Tuchel was a genius after Mexico , then they want him sacked after Argentina for resorting to the same tactics. Tis great entertainment when it goes tits up for them
No, to your second question. I'm not sure I'd go to a Man U game if they were a mile down the road.
Quote from: lurganblue on August 11, 2026, 02:24:34 PM1 - Which team do you support? Aston Villa
2 - How long have you supported them? since 1992
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No connection to Birmingham
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I picked them solely for the Irish connection on the pitch. McGrath, Staunton, Houghton etc. Nobody else in my family really followed a team at all. I was free to choose without influence really. There have been some ups, but many many downs. School could be rough at times lol
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
I'd be in-between d and e here. I do enjoy watching England big it up and then eventually fall. I dont particularly want them to win anything but I would be devastated if they did.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
The biggest club in town is of course Glenavon. Mourneview was really a no go zone in the early 90s. I could of course support Lurgan Celtic but that level never appealed to me. I enjoyed playing for local Mid Ulster clubs but that would be as far as local support goes. Many from the town go down and support Cliftonville. That never appealed to me either.
Here is the odd. Not picking on you per say, but you picked a foreign side because of Irish players but cheering on 11 Irish lads in North Belfast doesn't appeal. You can see how all this comes across as strange.
It's quite lucky this 'my local side is shite so I am arbitrarily picking a winning team' never caught on in Gaelic games.
Where are you from? Enniskillen. I follow Kerry in the football and Limerick in the hurling....
1 - Which team do you support?
Arsenal
2 - How long have you supported them?
11 May 1979
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
No to all.
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
FA Cup final 1979 choice between Arsenal and Man U, choose Arsenal.
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
E. I support the ROI national team and after that don't care about the results of other teams apart from their effect on ROI. I only care about Arsenal players in the context of them not getting injured or knackered.
It is the same for club teams you will support one and not care about the rest but some you might want to see lose more than others eg. Spurs for Arsenal fans and Rangers for Celtic fans. England are the team you hear about most in NI so not wanting to listen to gloating plays a big part in it.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
I doubt if I knew local (NI) soccer existed when I started following football and with no local teams in the area there was never any particular interest for anyone I knew to attend games.
BB2 the irish league can be quite sectarian and when you're used to the GAA that's kind of hard to get used to. I say this as someone who has been to multiple Cliftonville games. I wanted to get into supporting someone local but I struggled.
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 03:53:46 PMQuote from: lurganblue on August 11, 2026, 02:24:34 PM1 - Which team do you support? Aston Villa
2 - How long have you supported them? since 1992
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No connection to Birmingham
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I picked them solely for the Irish connection on the pitch. McGrath, Staunton, Houghton etc. Nobody else in my family really followed a team at all. I was free to choose without influence really. There have been some ups, but many many downs. School could be rough at times lol
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
I'd be in-between d and e here. I do enjoy watching England big it up and then eventually fall. I dont particularly want them to win anything but I would be devastated if they did.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
The biggest club in town is of course Glenavon. Mourneview was really a no go zone in the early 90s. I could of course support Lurgan Celtic but that level never appealed to me. I enjoyed playing for local Mid Ulster clubs but that would be as far as local support goes. Many from the town go down and support Cliftonville. That never appealed to me either.
Here is the odd. Not picking on you per say, but you picked a foreign side because of Irish players but cheering on 11 Irish lads in North Belfast doesn't appeal. You can see how all this comes across as strange.
It's quite lucky this 'my local side is shite so I am arbitrarily picking a winning team' never caught on in Gaelic games.
Where are you from? Enniskillen. I follow Kerry in the football and Limerick in the hurling....
Life through the lens of a freestater.
Quote from: imtommygunn on August 11, 2026, 04:04:14 PMBB2 the irish league can be quite sectarian and when you're used to the GAA that's kind of hard to get used to. I say this as someone who has been to multiple Cliftonville games. I wanted to get into supporting someone local but I struggled.
I accept that to a point. But doesn't explain why Celtic are so popular.
But is there not a danger of 'I won't follow a local side because there might be Prods about, so I am off to London for my fix' hypocrisy?
It's not because there's "prods about" though. Certainly not for me anyway. There's an atmosphere I just don't like.
(I wouldn't be too bothered about Celtic either)
Quote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:21:12 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 03:53:46 PMQuote from: lurganblue on August 11, 2026, 02:24:34 PM1 - Which team do you support? Aston Villa
2 - How long have you supported them? since 1992
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No connection to Birmingham
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I picked them solely for the Irish connection on the pitch. McGrath, Staunton, Houghton etc. Nobody else in my family really followed a team at all. I was free to choose without influence really. There have been some ups, but many many downs. School could be rough at times lol
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
I'd be in-between d and e here. I do enjoy watching England big it up and then eventually fall. I dont particularly want them to win anything but I would be devastated if they did.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
The biggest club in town is of course Glenavon. Mourneview was really a no go zone in the early 90s. I could of course support Lurgan Celtic but that level never appealed to me. I enjoyed playing for local Mid Ulster clubs but that would be as far as local support goes. Many from the town go down and support Cliftonville. That never appealed to me either.
Here is the odd. Not picking on you per say, but you picked a foreign side because of Irish players but cheering on 11 Irish lads in North Belfast doesn't appeal. You can see how all this comes across as strange.
It's quite lucky this 'my local side is shite so I am arbitrarily picking a winning team' never caught on in Gaelic games.
Where are you from? Enniskillen. I follow Kerry in the football and Limerick in the hurling....
Life through the lens of a freestater.
Or just cop on.
I won't follow a team in a league with Linfield in it, so I follow a team in a league with Rangers or Chelsea.
I wish people would just be honest.
"I have a passing interest in soccer so picked the team from the big shiny league that was winning when I was a lad"
There is nothing wrong with that.
Quote from: imtommygunn on August 11, 2026, 04:27:06 PMIt's not because there's "prods about" though. Certainly not for me anyway. There's an atmosphere I just don't like.
(I wouldn't be too bothered about Celtic either)
But even more vitriolic atmospheres are fine from the couch/barstool....
English soccer remains racist and violent. But Cliftonville is too much?
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:28:00 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:21:12 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 03:53:46 PMQuote from: lurganblue on August 11, 2026, 02:24:34 PM1 - Which team do you support? Aston Villa
2 - How long have you supported them? since 1992
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No connection to Birmingham
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I picked them solely for the Irish connection on the pitch. McGrath, Staunton, Houghton etc. Nobody else in my family really followed a team at all. I was free to choose without influence really. There have been some ups, but many many downs. School could be rough at times lol
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
I'd be in-between d and e here. I do enjoy watching England big it up and then eventually fall. I dont particularly want them to win anything but I would be devastated if they did.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
The biggest club in town is of course Glenavon. Mourneview was really a no go zone in the early 90s. I could of course support Lurgan Celtic but that level never appealed to me. I enjoyed playing for local Mid Ulster clubs but that would be as far as local support goes. Many from the town go down and support Cliftonville. That never appealed to me either.
Here is the odd. Not picking on you per say, but you picked a foreign side because of Irish players but cheering on 11 Irish lads in North Belfast doesn't appeal. You can see how all this comes across as strange.
It's quite lucky this 'my local side is shite so I am arbitrarily picking a winning team' never caught on in Gaelic games.
Where are you from? Enniskillen. I follow Kerry in the football and Limerick in the hurling....
Life through the lens of a freestater.
Or just cop on.
I won't follow a team in a league with Linfield in it, so I follow a team in a league with Rangers or Chelsea.
I wish people would just be honest.
"I have a passing interest in soccer so picked the team from the big shiny league that was winning when I was a lad"
There is nothing wrong with that.
The last bit, it's pretty much what alot of folk have said. The fact the people don't want to attend hate fest games in their locality and all that comes with it is completely understandable, unless of course you don't have that lived experience....well?
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:30:58 PMQuote from: imtommygunn on August 11, 2026, 04:27:06 PMIt's not because there's "prods about" though. Certainly not for me anyway. There's an atmosphere I just don't like.
(I wouldn't be too bothered about Celtic either)
But even more vitriolic atmospheres are fine from the couch/barstool....
English soccer remains racist and violent. But Cliftonville is too much?
What vitriolic atmospheres am I fine with then? Enlighten me? Are you just looking to attack people here?
Quote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:31:18 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:28:00 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:21:12 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 03:53:46 PMQuote from: lurganblue on August 11, 2026, 02:24:34 PM1 - Which team do you support? Aston Villa
2 - How long have you supported them? since 1992
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No connection to Birmingham
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I picked them solely for the Irish connection on the pitch. McGrath, Staunton, Houghton etc. Nobody else in my family really followed a team at all. I was free to choose without influence really. There have been some ups, but many many downs. School could be rough at times lol
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
I'd be in-between d and e here. I do enjoy watching England big it up and then eventually fall. I dont particularly want them to win anything but I would be devastated if they did.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
The biggest club in town is of course Glenavon. Mourneview was really a no go zone in the early 90s. I could of course support Lurgan Celtic but that level never appealed to me. I enjoyed playing for local Mid Ulster clubs but that would be as far as local support goes. Many from the town go down and support Cliftonville. That never appealed to me either.
Here is the odd. Not picking on you per say, but you picked a foreign side because of Irish players but cheering on 11 Irish lads in North Belfast doesn't appeal. You can see how all this comes across as strange.
It's quite lucky this 'my local side is shite so I am arbitrarily picking a winning team' never caught on in Gaelic games.
Where are you from? Enniskillen. I follow Kerry in the football and Limerick in the hurling....
Life through the lens of a freestater.
Or just cop on.
I won't follow a team in a league with Linfield in it, so I follow a team in a league with Rangers or Chelsea.
I wish people would just be honest.
"I have a passing interest in soccer so picked the team from the big shiny league that was winning when I was a lad"
There is nothing wrong with that.
The last bit, it's pretty much what alot of folk have said. The fact the people don't want to attend hate fest games in their locality and all that comes with it is completely understandable, unless of course you don't have that lived experience....well?
But they support teams in England that are involved in hate fests. What do you think Man U v Leeds, Chelsea v West Ham, Arsenal v Spurs, Villa v Birmingham or Newcastle v Sunderland are?
Quote from: imtommygunn on August 11, 2026, 04:34:24 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:30:58 PMQuote from: imtommygunn on August 11, 2026, 04:27:06 PMIt's not because there's "prods about" though. Certainly not for me anyway. There's an atmosphere I just don't like.
(I wouldn't be too bothered about Celtic either)
But even more vitriolic atmospheres are fine from the couch/barstool....
English soccer remains racist and violent. But Cliftonville is too much?
What vitriolic atmospheres am I fine with then? Enlighten me? Are you just looking to attack people here?
Whatever English or Scottish team you pick has at least one game that makes Cliftonville v Linfield look like tea and sandwiches in the park.
The idea that local soccer is too rough so I watch English soccer instead is ludicrous.
I get the sectarian angle, I really do, but soccer does mirror life. And life at your English club is currently Brexity stop the boats noise.
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:39:55 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:31:18 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:28:00 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:21:12 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 03:53:46 PMQuote from: lurganblue on August 11, 2026, 02:24:34 PM1 - Which team do you support? Aston Villa
2 - How long have you supported them? since 1992
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No connection to Birmingham
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I picked them solely for the Irish connection on the pitch. McGrath, Staunton, Houghton etc. Nobody else in my family really followed a team at all. I was free to choose without influence really. There have been some ups, but many many downs. School could be rough at times lol
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
I'd be in-between d and e here. I do enjoy watching England big it up and then eventually fall. I dont particularly want them to win anything but I would be devastated if they did.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
The biggest club in town is of course Glenavon. Mourneview was really a no go zone in the early 90s. I could of course support Lurgan Celtic but that level never appealed to me. I enjoyed playing for local Mid Ulster clubs but that would be as far as local support goes. Many from the town go down and support Cliftonville. That never appealed to me either.
Here is the odd. Not picking on you per say, but you picked a foreign side because of Irish players but cheering on 11 Irish lads in North Belfast doesn't appeal. You can see how all this comes across as strange.
It's quite lucky this 'my local side is shite so I am arbitrarily picking a winning team' never caught on in Gaelic games.
Where are you from? Enniskillen. I follow Kerry in the football and Limerick in the hurling....
Life through the lens of a freestater.
Or just cop on.
I won't follow a team in a league with Linfield in it, so I follow a team in a league with Rangers or Chelsea.
I wish people would just be honest.
"I have a passing interest in soccer so picked the team from the big shiny league that was winning when I was a lad"
There is nothing wrong with that.
The last bit, it's pretty much what alot of folk have said. The fact the people don't want to attend hate fest games in their locality and all that comes with it is completely understandable, unless of course you don't have that lived experience....well?
But they support teams in England that are involved in hate fests. What do you think Man U v Leeds, Chelsea v West Ham, Arsenal v Spurs, Villa v Birmingham or Newcastle v Sunderland are?
Escapism Coco
Quote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:49:06 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:39:55 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:31:18 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:28:00 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:21:12 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 03:53:46 PMQuote from: lurganblue on August 11, 2026, 02:24:34 PM1 - Which team do you support? Aston Villa
2 - How long have you supported them? since 1992
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No connection to Birmingham
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I picked them solely for the Irish connection on the pitch. McGrath, Staunton, Houghton etc. Nobody else in my family really followed a team at all. I was free to choose without influence really. There have been some ups, but many many downs. School could be rough at times lol
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
I'd be in-between d and e here. I do enjoy watching England big it up and then eventually fall. I dont particularly want them to win anything but I would be devastated if they did.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
The biggest club in town is of course Glenavon. Mourneview was really a no go zone in the early 90s. I could of course support Lurgan Celtic but that level never appealed to me. I enjoyed playing for local Mid Ulster clubs but that would be as far as local support goes. Many from the town go down and support Cliftonville. That never appealed to me either.
Here is the odd. Not picking on you per say, but you picked a foreign side because of Irish players but cheering on 11 Irish lads in North Belfast doesn't appeal. You can see how all this comes across as strange.
It's quite lucky this 'my local side is shite so I am arbitrarily picking a winning team' never caught on in Gaelic games.
Where are you from? Enniskillen. I follow Kerry in the football and Limerick in the hurling....
Life through the lens of a freestater.
Or just cop on.
I won't follow a team in a league with Linfield in it, so I follow a team in a league with Rangers or Chelsea.
I wish people would just be honest.
"I have a passing interest in soccer so picked the team from the big shiny league that was winning when I was a lad"
There is nothing wrong with that.
The last bit, it's pretty much what alot of folk have said. The fact the people don't want to attend hate fest games in their locality and all that comes with it is completely understandable, unless of course you don't have that lived experience....well?
But they support teams in England that are involved in hate fests. What do you think Man U v Leeds, Chelsea v West Ham, Arsenal v Spurs, Villa v Birmingham or Newcastle v Sunderland are?
Escapism Coco
Eh?
Quote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:49:55 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:49:06 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:39:55 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:31:18 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:28:00 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:21:12 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 03:53:46 PMQuote from: lurganblue on August 11, 2026, 02:24:34 PM1 - Which team do you support? Aston Villa
2 - How long have you supported them? since 1992
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No connection to Birmingham
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I picked them solely for the Irish connection on the pitch. McGrath, Staunton, Houghton etc. Nobody else in my family really followed a team at all. I was free to choose without influence really. There have been some ups, but many many downs. School could be rough at times lol
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
I'd be in-between d and e here. I do enjoy watching England big it up and then eventually fall. I dont particularly want them to win anything but I would be devastated if they did.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
The biggest club in town is of course Glenavon. Mourneview was really a no go zone in the early 90s. I could of course support Lurgan Celtic but that level never appealed to me. I enjoyed playing for local Mid Ulster clubs but that would be as far as local support goes. Many from the town go down and support Cliftonville. That never appealed to me either.
Here is the odd. Not picking on you per say, but you picked a foreign side because of Irish players but cheering on 11 Irish lads in North Belfast doesn't appeal. You can see how all this comes across as strange.
It's quite lucky this 'my local side is shite so I am arbitrarily picking a winning team' never caught on in Gaelic games.
Where are you from? Enniskillen. I follow Kerry in the football and Limerick in the hurling....
Life through the lens of a freestater.
Or just cop on.
I won't follow a team in a league with Linfield in it, so I follow a team in a league with Rangers or Chelsea.
I wish people would just be honest.
"I have a passing interest in soccer so picked the team from the big shiny league that was winning when I was a lad"
There is nothing wrong with that.
The last bit, it's pretty much what alot of folk have said. The fact the people don't want to attend hate fest games in their locality and all that comes with it is completely understandable, unless of course you don't have that lived experience....well?
But they support teams in England that are involved in hate fests. What do you think Man U v Leeds, Chelsea v West Ham, Arsenal v Spurs, Villa v Birmingham or Newcastle v Sunderland are?
Escapism Coco
Eh?
Indeed, why you shouldn't be dictating to northern men of a certain vintage.
Quote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 05:02:50 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:49:55 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:49:06 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:39:55 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:31:18 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 04:28:00 PMQuote from: JoG2 on August 11, 2026, 04:21:12 PMQuote from: Baile Brigín 2 on August 11, 2026, 03:53:46 PMQuote from: lurganblue on August 11, 2026, 02:24:34 PM1 - Which team do you support? Aston Villa
2 - How long have you supported them? since 1992
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? No connection to Birmingham
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
I picked them solely for the Irish connection on the pitch. McGrath, Staunton, Houghton etc. Nobody else in my family really followed a team at all. I was free to choose without influence really. There have been some ups, but many many downs. School could be rough at times lol
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
I'd be in-between d and e here. I do enjoy watching England big it up and then eventually fall. I dont particularly want them to win anything but I would be devastated if they did.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
The biggest club in town is of course Glenavon. Mourneview was really a no go zone in the early 90s. I could of course support Lurgan Celtic but that level never appealed to me. I enjoyed playing for local Mid Ulster clubs but that would be as far as local support goes. Many from the town go down and support Cliftonville. That never appealed to me either.
Here is the odd. Not picking on you per say, but you picked a foreign side because of Irish players but cheering on 11 Irish lads in North Belfast doesn't appeal. You can see how all this comes across as strange.
It's quite lucky this 'my local side is shite so I am arbitrarily picking a winning team' never caught on in Gaelic games.
Where are you from? Enniskillen. I follow Kerry in the football and Limerick in the hurling....
Life through the lens of a freestater.
Or just cop on.
I won't follow a team in a league with Linfield in it, so I follow a team in a league with Rangers or Chelsea.
I wish people would just be honest.
"I have a passing interest in soccer so picked the team from the big shiny league that was winning when I was a lad"
There is nothing wrong with that.
The last bit, it's pretty much what alot of folk have said. The fact the people don't want to attend hate fest games in their locality and all that comes with it is completely understandable, unless of course you don't have that lived experience....well?
But they support teams in England that are involved in hate fests. What do you think Man U v Leeds, Chelsea v West Ham, Arsenal v Spurs, Villa v Birmingham or Newcastle v Sunderland are?
Escapism Coco
Eh?
Indeed, why you shouldn't be dictating to northern men of a certain vintage.
So when a Dub makes a point you can't quite argue around, call him a Stater. Good man.
Started when a young kid for me in the late 70s. Rest of the class were supporting Liverpool, so I cluelessly tagged along as I started to play and learn the game (I was a late starter having spent early years in the US before we moved back).
Developed into an obsession for a while as a kid and then a very keen interest that I have maintained my whole life.
When I could as an adult, I went to Finn Harps games, whether at home, in Dublin where I lived for many years, or if they were playing in part of the country I happened to be in that weekend (saw them in Galway, Cobh and a few other places).
Still a committed Liverpool fan to this day, while Harps are not as easy to view these days apart from You Tube highlights of their current travails.
You'll never understand it BB.
Postulate and prance all you like, but the Troubles was a very real and complex time.
Which you'll never understand
Quote from: thewobbler on August 11, 2026, 05:36:42 PMYou'll never understand it BB.
Postulate and prance all you like, but the Troubles was a very real and complex time.
Which you'll never understand
That's a cop out.
Saying I won't keep an eye on, say, Cliftonville or Newry because of the troubles while following British clubs instead is inane.
You follow Man United or Liverpool because it's easier to casually follow them. Stop with the pseudo sociology.
For me it's not so much the shiny league but the fact coverage was easier when I was young growing up. There was no local football on tv and given the nature of clubs in the north, I or my family, weren't travelling to soccer games. It was a very real concern when growing up.
I did try to go to a few games in my older years, but the standard was terrible, and that quickly put me off it. Was a real slog to watch. Maybe I was unlucky with the games I went to, but as a spectacle, it was poor fare.
That was the good thing about MotD. You only got the highlights, so that grew my interest in English club football and as a result Liverpool. I should also mention the interest in Italian football too as a result of C4.
I don't mind cheering on Liverpool while at the same time hoping England get beat. For me it's too different things. It might be odd, but I don't see it as straight hypocrisy. IMO anyway.
Thanks for the responses so far, this is interesting. I have some more questions below, which I've bolded.
Bit of a pattern emerging here. A lot of it seesm to be hereditary. People supporting an English club because their dad or another older relative supported them.
If you answered like that, can I ask why your relatives supported them?
Would they have lived and worked for a while in the city where "your" club is based?
I know my dad spent a bit of time around Luton in the 60s (although he moved quite a bit with the construction of the motorways) and since then always took at least a passing interest in the fortunes of Luton Town. He was never a vociferous supporter of them, and any interest he had in English soccer was more to do with the pools, and the Saturday evening ritual of watching the results coming in on Grandstand's Vidi-printer followed by the classified results. It was vastly eclipsed by his love for the GAA though. I digress.
In our class at school there were two die-hard Celtic fans, and I get the impression that they inherited that from their dads. I don't know if they spent any time in Glasgow, but I know it was an industrial powerhouse in the 19th and early 20th centuries, so a lot of Irish would have gone over there. I know my Irish grandparents spent some time there.
I would say there were generations of Irish that worked in Britain and picked up a following of local soccer clubs that they later took back to Ireland with them and passed on to later generations, which probably accounts for some of the support that still exists today, based on the responses we're seeing here.
For the ones that picked teams at random, that was a little harder for me to fathom, but I think I have it now. Is it like when your mates come into school talking about the latest happenings in a soap opera, so you feel the need to get into it yourself to see what's going on and you can partake in the conversation? I remember being completely lost in a lot of coversations at school among lads who would just discuss English soccer every day at lunchtime. It'd be a big incentive to get into it. I probably would have been less of an outcast if I had a strong opinion one way or another on who was going to win.
Finally, there are definitely parts of Ireland where there's not much in the way of soccer (good quality or otherwise) to support. Given the sheer blanket coverage that the EPL gets on free-to-air TV, you're probably more likely to see Man-U v Liverpool than Glenavon v Glentoran. And when you do, the EPL games just look better because of the big crowds, the big stadiums, and the noise they make. A big crowd is part of the spectacle, it makes you feel like you're watching something worthwhile. That's why the LGFA and Camogie finals in Croke Park always look a bit understated to me. Vast empty areas in the stands and behind the goals are not a good look, and it really detracts from the atmosphere. It certainly doesn't look good on TV. Similar is the two men and a dog that seemed to watch Irish League matches the last time I saw any of that on BBC NI's coverage.
I mean, compare Ballymena United:
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTzSq1m7RAVmQ5cdUf4hUxzgn9cDXaKImwNwT2ANrMbtC6-m5_3diloGaSl&s=10)
to Dortmund:
(https://assets.bundesliga.com/contender/2026/1/imago1070511734.jpg?crop=0px%2C430px%2C8256px%2C4644px)
It doesn't take a genius to see where the better atmosphere is.
So if there were a soccer team near you, that played in a large-ish and modern stadium, attracted a big enough crowd to generate a good atmosphere, played at a high enough standard, and didn't have a sinister or sectarian atmosphere about it, would you be more likely to support them and go to their games on a regular basis?
Yes absolutely to the last one if I grew up with it there. Too late now.
Which team do you support? Leeds United
2 - How long have you supported them? Since 1990/91 season
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now? no connection
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available? my dad started to get into football at time of the 1970 fa cup final between leeds and chelsea, he picked leeds.
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
I grew up in Larne and won a season ticket in a competition when i was 8 or 9. I went to most games for a few years then got chased home by local protestants for being a catholic a few times. It was in the Rangers 9 in a row era and the loudest cheer at Inver Park was them winning or Celtic losing every week so by 12/13 I realised they weren't for me and i wasnt for them.
Quote from: SaffronSports on August 11, 2026, 09:08:57 PMI grew up in Larne and won a season ticket in a competition when i was 8 or 9. I went to most games for a few years then got chased home by local protestants for being a catholic a few times. It was in the Rangers 9 in a row era and the loudest cheer at Inver Park was them winning or Celtic losing every week so by 12/13 I realised they weren't for me and i wasnt for them.
So mid-80s to mid-90s then? How old would you have been at the time? That'd certainly be enough to put anyone off supporting the local team. Mad stuff.
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on August 11, 2026, 09:16:11 PMQuote from: SaffronSports on August 11, 2026, 09:08:57 PMI grew up in Larne and won a season ticket in a competition when i was 8 or 9. I went to most games for a few years then got chased home by local protestants for being a catholic a few times. It was in the Rangers 9 in a row era and the loudest cheer at Inver Park was them winning or Celtic losing every week so by 12/13 I realised they weren't for me and i wasnt for them.
So mid-80s to mid-90s then? How old would you have been at the time? That'd certainly be enough to put anyone off supporting the local team. Mad stuff.
More late 80s to late 90s. Was it 89-97? I was born in 1984 so you're probably looking about 1995/96ish as i found once they went to big school, lads i knew from the local estate where i lived changed in terms of religion.
Quote from: SaffronSports on August 11, 2026, 09:57:51 PMQuote from: Eamonnca1 on August 11, 2026, 09:16:11 PMQuote from: SaffronSports on August 11, 2026, 09:08:57 PMI grew up in Larne and won a season ticket in a competition when i was 8 or 9. I went to most games for a few years then got chased home by local protestants for being a catholic a few times. It was in the Rangers 9 in a row era and the loudest cheer at Inver Park was them winning or Celtic losing every week so by 12/13 I realised they weren't for me and i wasnt for them.
So mid-80s to mid-90s then? How old would you have been at the time? That'd certainly be enough to put anyone off supporting the local team. Mad stuff.
More late 80s to late 90s. Was it 89-97? I was born in 1984 so you're probably looking about 1995/96ish as i found once they went to big school, lads i knew from the local estate where i lived changed in terms of religion.
They became more hostile when they went to secondary school?
Another question for those who selected Option E for opposing England's national team, can you tell me your reasons? Select all that apply:
- Fed up hearing about 1966 and dread hearing it for another half century if they were to win the damn thing again
- Fed up with the attitude of them expecting to win every time and having a big post-mortem every time they don't
- Hooliganism
- Don't like the English personally
- Bad experience with British solidiers during the Troubles
- Bad experience with English people when living in or visiting England
- 800 years of oppression, colonisation, famine/genocide, etc.
- Other, please specify ...
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on August 11, 2026, 10:12:52 PMQuote from: SaffronSports on August 11, 2026, 09:57:51 PMQuote from: Eamonnca1 on August 11, 2026, 09:16:11 PMQuote from: SaffronSports on August 11, 2026, 09:08:57 PMI grew up in Larne and won a season ticket in a competition when i was 8 or 9. I went to most games for a few years then got chased home by local protestants for being a catholic a few times. It was in the Rangers 9 in a row era and the loudest cheer at Inver Park was them winning or Celtic losing every week so by 12/13 I realised they weren't for me and i wasnt for them.
So mid-80s to mid-90s then? How old would you have been at the time? That'd certainly be enough to put anyone off supporting the local team. Mad stuff.
More late 80s to late 90s. Was it 89-97? I was born in 1984 so you're probably looking about 1995/96ish as i found once they went to big school, lads i knew from the local estate where i lived changed in terms of religion.
They became more hostile when they went to secondary school?
Yeah, boys i was friends with as youngsters would be lads who would end up trying to start fights with us as we got older. Larne would be a very much protestant town and it would have been a regular occurance to get chased or hit as a teenager in the town. Few times it was by those same lads who i had lived beside.
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on August 11, 2026, 10:19:16 PMAnother question for those who selected Option E for opposing England's national team, can you tell me your reasons? Select all that apply:
- Fed up hearing about 1966 and dread hearing it for another half century if they were to win the damn thing again
- Fed up with the attitude of them expecting to win every time and having a big post-mortem every time they don't
- Hooliganism
- Don't like the English personally
- Bad experience with British solidiers during the Troubles
- Bad experience with English people when living in or visiting England
- 800 years of oppression, colonisation, famine/genocide, etc.
- Other, please specify ...
I think i wanted them to win Euro 96 and was gutted in 1998 as Michael Owen was amazing to watch. By 2002 i was delighted when Ronaldinho scored over Seaman. Maybe i changed when i went to big school too lol
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on August 07, 2026, 05:43:30 PMI don't mean this in a confrontational way, I'm just genuinely curious about it, and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it. If you're an Irish person who supports an English soccer club, can you please answer the following questions. Just be as straight and honest as you can with each one.
1 - Which team do you support?
Man Utd (from a distance)
2 - How long have you supported them?
Late 70's
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
No
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
Father and older brothers followed, dad supported them as a kid, he was pulled in by the Busby babes period the Munich air crash for him was the big sentimental thing that generated a lot of support around Belfast.
Full disclosure
I've literally no care whether Utd were relegated to the conference and enjoy the banter with mates of other teams.
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
Wouldn't support England, couldn't careless if they win or lose either way
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
Used to live ( a different life time ago) in the street that tho away fans headed into Solitude, would not have been from North Belfast but would have headed round watched the games, hit friendly with locals and did a couple of seasons, standard was poor, craic was better but just didn't have any real connection as GAA was the only show in town for me..
I did the Donegal Celtic v Linfield at Windsor. Purely out of I knew it was going to be mental lol
Many thanks.
https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026/08/12/croke-park-to-host-largest-ever-crowd-for-a-soccer-match-in-ireland/
The match between Manchester United and Leeds United at Croke Park will be the largest crowd ever at a soccer game in Ireland.
All 82,000 tickets for Wednesday evening's game, priced between €50 and €155, have been sold – and some have made their way on to the black market at seven times the going rate
The GAA is a very confident, outgoing organisation now," said its president, Jarlath Burns. "We know that many GAA people also support soccer clubs, like myself. I'm an Arsenal fan. I go over to the Emirates whenever I can.
"These things are not mutually exclusive. People have a right to support whatever sport that they want."
Crufts 2027 $$$ you heard it here first
Which team do you support? Tottenham
2 - How long have you supported them? Since 1981 FA cup final
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? No. None.
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? Villa and Ardiles and Hoddle
All the other boys were Liverpool or United
I didn't want to be like them . ;D
Don't care about England
Norwegians and Danes are mad about English soccer. Smaller markets cannot compete with the glamour.
Jarlath a soccer fan😲😲
Quote from: thewobbler on August 11, 2026, 05:36:42 PMYou'll never understand it BB.
Postulate and prance all you like, but the Troubles was a very real and complex time.
Which you'll never understand
It started well before the Troubles. Belfast Celtic were a successful Nationalist club who won the Irish League in the 50s and they were bullied out of it by the Unionist clubs.
1. Fed up hearing about 1966 and dread hearing it for another half century if they were to win the damn thing again
I don't begrudge them that. Those of us fortunate enough to see our county win even a single AI senior title cherish that memory all our lives and live in hope that it will happen again. Can't blame the English for being the same way about their national team.
2. Fed up with the attitude of them expecting to win every time and having a big post-mortem every time they don't
Do they REALLY expect to win every time? Is this not a cliched projection from those of us looking in from the outside? Maybe I'm sheltered from it having lived in the US for two decades now, but the podcasts I listen to (The Athletic, the Guardian one) are generally brutally honest in the analysis. They might expect, given their available talent, that the England team should make the semis at least, but that's hardly unrealistic, anymore that Kerry or Dublin media//fans expecting their counties to make AI semis and finals on a highly regular basis.
3. Hooliganism
Thing of the past surely, at this point? Yeah, they had the issues with the Euro final a few years back, but that was hardly connected to the old tradition of English hooliganism so much as the modern, social media-driven mob behaviour you see now every time a team in a prominent large city makes a final, regardless of the sport.
4. Don't like the English personally
No issues with individual English, and I've known and know many. But I've never personally ran into any gobshites longing for the glory days of the empire or spouting anti-immigrant nonsense. If I did, I would dismiss that person in the same way I would a MAGAt spouting nonsense. I wouldn't base my impression of an entire nation around that single gobshite,
5. Bad experience with British solidiers during the Troubles
Not really applicable to me beyond them walking through the Bus Eireann coaches at Belleek checking IDs (did see a lad pulled off the bus one time for refusing to show them any).
6. Bad experience with English people when living in or visiting England
No
7. 800 years of oppression, colonisation, famine/genocide, etc.
My enjoyment of their losses is purely rooted in the long tradition of resentment for their historical conduct in Ireland.
8. Other, please specify ...
Quote from: Rossfan on August 12, 2026, 11:37:02 AMJarlath a soccer fan😲😲
Won't someone think of the children! ;D
Brian McEniff played for one of the Cork LOI teams back in the early 70s under a fake name due to the ban at the time.
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on August 07, 2026, 05:43:30 PMI don't mean this in a confrontational way, I'm just genuinely curious about it, and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it. If you're an Irish person who supports an English soccer club, can you please answer the following questions. Just be as straight and honest as you can with each one.
1 - Which team do you support?
2 - How long have you supported them?
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
Many thanks.
1. Arsenal
2. Since 1984
3. No
4. RTE used to show games and I watched Arsenal and then asked people about them and they said they were good to the Irish in the 70s/80s.
5. E
6. Been to a few Dgn Swifts games, even as a journalist. Went to Irish Cup final last year.
Mayo players Tommy Conroy,Darragh Berine,Eoin McGreal,Enda Hession,Diarmuid O'Connor and Matthew Ruane in Croke Park tonight supporting Manchester United.
(https://i.ibb.co/Vc50BVPR/FB-IMG-1786576611755.jpg) (https://ibb.co/q3VL1BPK)
Feels like there is an argument here that we should only watch the local channels, and go to the local theatre rather than watch the big movies. This is entertainment. It is not life and death. This judgement even in the initial question being phrased needs to be countered. It is sport and entertainment. There are as many die hard finn harps fans as I know who are die hard wolves fans. One. One person (Mickey if you're out there I apologize for doxing you). Its ok.
I don't mean this in a confrontational way, I'm just genuinely curious about it, and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it. If you're an Irish person who supports an English soccer club, can you please answer the following questions. Just be as straight and honest as you can with each one.
1 - Which team do you support?
Leeds
2 - How long have you supported them?
Since 1972
3 - Are you from the same town or city as that club? If not, do you have any personal or familial connection to it? Did you live there for a while? Do you live there now?
No
4 - If the answers to 3 are all no, why do you support this team? How did you pick them out of all that's available?
When I first started getting into football, they were the top team, and on the TV more than others. They also had my favourite footballer at the time - Allan Clarke.
5 - When England plays in international competitions, how do you feel about them? Do you
a - Root for England, particularly any players from your favourite EPL club?
b - Don't have a strong opinion one way or another, but would lean slightly towards wanting England to do well
c - Don't have any opinion at all
d - Have a mild preference for England to lose
e - Vigorously support England's opponents, and yearn for the English to do on the receiving end of a bloody good hiding
E. I actually thought I was getting milder in my old age and moving towards D, given that some of the players come across as decent, but ultimately, cometh the hour, and they are one up with fifteen minutes left in a World Cup semi-final, I'm pleading for an equaliser.
6 - Are there any local clubs in your own town or city that you could give your support to? If there are but you don't, why not? Is the quality of the competition not worth your while? Are the facilities crap? Did you just never get into it? Is it not well publicised and you don't know the games are on?
Armagh City. Never really got into local soccer. Probably the standard was a factor. It didn't help that playing local soccer myself ensured I couldn't go to games, even if the notion took me.
Can I add - I do notice an increasingly loud narrative being pushed in social media around this issue - people who follow English Clubs, being challenged because they don't follow / support local clubs. Interesting.
Many thanks.
Alot of LOI fans really unhappy that the game last night got 82k people and the average LOI attendance is what, a few thousand at most?
Just let people support whatever team they want.
Quote from: RedHand88 on August 13, 2026, 10:28:49 AMAlot of LOI fans really unhappy that the game last night got 82k people and the average LOI attendance is what, a few thousand at most?
Just let people support whatever team they want.
Not really the argument.
I don't think 99% of the Irish there would be aware of the existence of the LoI and the soccer lads don't care.
The issue they seem to have is more how the game was technically not a soccer game as the organisers didn't have any FAI sign-off never mind any fee to them. Even the referees were brought in. At least these games in the Aviva give the FAI a rental income.
Hope the parents of the wee scrotes who ended the United v Leeds match early out of sheer selfishness are happy with themselves. Parents and kids need a good slap....