Irish people supporting English football clubs

[Eamonnca1]

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.

[JollyGreenGiant]

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?

[thewobbler]

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.

[Eamonnca1]

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 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.

[Eamonnca1]

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.

Can you tell me more about this? I don't know much about the Irish League. Are there many teams that fenians would support?

[Captain Obvious]

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.

[weareros]

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.

[Puckoon]

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? 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.

[Tony Baloney]

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?

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.

[RedHand88]

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.

[AustinPowers]

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

[ranch]

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.

[marty34]

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? 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?

[Wildweasel74]

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?

[brokencrossbar1]

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.