Supporting Other Teams

English Football
1

So I saw this discussion floating around on Twitter today and I thought it quite interesting, especially as it’s something I have recently been thinking a lot about. So how do you guys feel about supporting teams other than Arsenal? Do you follow other teams?

For me personally there’s two levels to this. There are some continental teams that I keep an eye on in real life just simply because I have had journeys with them on games like Fifa and Football Manager. Teams like Lyon, Atalanta, Shalke etc. But I don’t really think those count as they rarely come up against Arsenal.

Speaking of Arsenal, I’m a Northern bloke, from Yorkshire, and I’ve mentioned previously that all of my friends/family are avid Leeds fans. I live like a mile from Elland Road and probably should have always supported them. But I became an Arsenal fan at about 12 years old in 1996 when I saw them playing on TV and fell in love with them. One of my friends at the time who lived on the same road was also an Arsenal fan too. I think there was probably a bit of rebellion in there too that led me away from Leeds. But I’ve followed the Gunners faithfully for the past 22 years.

However, in recent years, it has become prohibitively expensive whether trying to attend games or even buying merchandise. It’s ridiculous.

And that leads me to today and my current question. I have recently begun keeping a closer eye on results of various local teams. I don’t think I will ever be a full fledged supporter of Leeds simply because of remembering them in the Prem and their run to the Champs League semi finals. They’re a bit too close to Arsenal and the Premier League for my liking.

However, I have also been keeping an eye on two local clubs that play non-league. Harrogate Town who currently play in the National League and recently became a professional club last year. I have also been watching Osset United which is another local team that play in the 7th tier of English football and were formed from two previous teams in the town, Osset Town and Osset Albion who recently came together to form Osset United.

Not only are the games much more affordable, it also feels much more enjoyable going. It feels much less of an ‘event’ than going to a Premier League or Cup game and I really enjoy the more grassroots feel to the atmosphere. Obviously the quality of football is absolutely nowhere near as good but it is still a lot of fun.

I still love Arsenal and will until I die. They are my club. But I have hovered over picking up a Harrogate Town shirt recently…

I would love to hear the forums views and opinions on the subject.

2 Likes
2

Slightly different as I’m in another country but I’m a Season Ticket holder at Shamrock Rovers. We’re probably talking League Two or conference level football on display but I love it. It’s far more honest than the displays you see on an average PL weekend .

I wouldn’t over think it to be honest, if it’s something you enjoy then do it.:slight_smile:

3

There is nothing wrong with supporting a local team, they can do with all the support they can get! I often go watch Colchester as that’s where I was born, but it’s not exactly a conflict of interest where Arsenal are concerned.

Supporting two big teams from the same league would be a no from me though. But I know some people have a soft spot for other teams, that’s OK, like half my family support West Ham, so I like to see them do well/not get relegated, but it’s not anything i’d lose any sleep over and obviously when we play them I hope they get smashed.

1 Like
4

You only support one team.

I couldn’t give a fuck about any one other than Arsenal

1 Like
5

I think the fine line is between like and support. For example, I really like Roma and Inter as teams but I can’t go on and say I support them. I think supporting someone is by having them in your mind most of the time, worry about them, have your weekends ruined because of them, stuff like that.
There’s nothing wrong in my opinion having a wide view of world football. If you really love football you can’t help but explore it more and more, which may result in you growing a bond with a team.
Personally, I do support 3 teams in 3 different countries but I think Arsenal stands atop as it’s the team that none forced upon me but me, was the team that I felt that connection and feel like expresses me the most.

6

Yeah, I think you’re pretty spot on. I also think the financial contribution is an implication too. So whilst I ‘like’ teams from the continent I wouldn’t be inclined to buy any merchandise or shirts or even really go out of my way to attend a game given the opportunity. And as @Phoebica said, I think having a soft spot for a team is fine too. But I know that lower league local clubs need the financial help of fans so it feels more like ‘supporting’, buying into the brand, the culture, the club as a whole. What would be interesting would be a situation like a lower league club making their way up the divisions, much like someone like Swansea or Bournemouth did, and coming into direct competition with a fans first team.

Or, if you follow a local team and they went on say a Carabao cup run and came up against the Arsenal, would you want the plucky little club you like to have a historic win or want the mighty Arsenal to smash the minnows and send them packing?

7

I’ve followed (online streaming) another European so called ‘big club’ for about 4 years and I’ve had a much better time watching them than I have Arsenal, even though their fortunes aren’t even better than ours. I’ve also bought and worn their shirt.

As for your situation, I’d say go for it. Following the PL has become more and more expensive and if as you say, you enjoy going to your local side, then you should do so and buy the merch. Your money will be worth a lot more to them than it would Arsenal.

1 Like
8

I still support Preston North End. I was born in Preston and my Mum’s side of the family are from there. It was my Dad that was an Arsenal fan and he took me to see the 79 Cup Final, from there I have been a lifelong Gunner. But I still watch out for North End’s results. They have been mid table in the Championship for the last several years.

9

See, I was like this with Forest last season. If we were going to go out of the cup, I didn’t mind it being to them

10

I support Ajax (domestic) and NEC (local) as well. But they both don’t come close to my feels for Arsenal.

3 Likes
11

Simon Jordan was talking about this very subject on talk sport this morning, he summed it up pretty well, you are either a supporter or a fan.
I support arsenal, spending my money on tickets, shirts and other club related stuff, but I am a fan of my local team, Bromley, I look out for their results, but have never bought a shirt or anything from the club shop !

12

My first home was in Plaistow and I went to school in East Ham, lived there until I was 24 in 2014. So I’ve always had a soft spot for West Ham. Part of my feels like I should have been a West Ham fan by rights given my East London roots and continuing affinity with the area. But my dad took me to my first Arsenal match when I was four, had secured my a season ticket by 7, so I was never going to be a West Ham fan. And ultimately, thank fuck for that :slight_smile:

So like @Phoebica, I want to see them do well and don’t like seeing them get relegated. But it doesn’t even come close to split loyalties.

I keep tabs on AFC Wimbledon. I guess the positive feelings towards them started when Wimbledon became MK fucking Dons. An absolutely disgraceful turn of events that means a lot of football fans developed a fondness for AFC. But that general positive feeling on became something a bit stronger when I went to uni and feel in with a crowd of posh South West London boys lol. They all live(d) round that way so we started going to watch AFC and we go once or twice a year and have been doing so for about six years now. So I’m very fond of AFC.

I’m also fond of Charlton. My mum and dad separated and my dad has lived in South East London in the Borough of Greenwich since about 2000, I’ve lived in the area full time since 2014, so I like to keep an eye on what they’re up to, a did love to see them back up in the Prem. They often were under top chap Alan Curbishley during my formative years, so that adds to the fondness.

But I couldn’t say I support any of those teams. My love for Arsenal is all consuming and I could never see myself being able to properly devote myself to any other team, which I think is what it means to support a team.

1 Like
13

I support Parma in Italy, as i have always have a big spot for them.

14

I thought you were from the Isle of Man??

15

I like that distinction between supporter and fan. I do think if it’s a different league completely, then you could be a supporter of two clubs; however, I still believe only one will have your heart completely. If we moved from the UK, I would probably support a local club, but Arsenal would still be my number 1.

In the US it’s quite nice that there isn’t this promotion and relegation with most sports. You can support a team not local if you don’t have one and still support a team in a lower league that’s local because they’ll never play your team.

16

I live in the Isle of Man, but I was born in Preston and my Aunty still lives in Preston.

17

I supported SK Brann whilst I lived abroad and still follow them and watch the games online, however, I could never follow another team in the way I do arsenal. The way you absorb yourself in every single detail of the club down to the financials and the player’s off field personalities, it’s fucking mental and I don’t have enough room in my head for all that for 2 clubs :joy::joy:

1 Like
18

I was thinking of going there one day, some people say say its awesome some people say there is not much to do there etc and there is not much competition for things like no stores like lidls, aldis etc just basic and that there is not much going on there. What is true, is it more in the middle? Have heard if you go there getting back and forth to the UK is stupidly expensive, but looks like a really nice place to be.

19

I follow quite a few La Liga teams, but that’s pretty much on a whim as to who’s playing the most entertaining football. Rayo Vallecano are probably the closest I come to fully supporting a Spanish team I guess.

I certainly enjoy following other teams but could never imagine ever having the same passion that I do for Arsenal

1 Like
20

Did you move there because of the deviance…:wink:

(Sorry I could not resist…)