Do you follow a foreign club?

[Blue Man]

I've been a season ticket holder at Leeds since I was 12, (Im 23 now) so I get to my share of games. Our European run was magic, although the low point was bein in Istanbul when I was 15. Shocking night all round and I hope I never see anything like that again supporting Leeds or the LoI

[dcfcsteve]

I've been a season ticket holder at Leeds since I was 12, (Im 23 now) so I get to my share of games. Our European run was magic, although the low point was bein in Istanbul when I was 15. Shocking night all round and I hope I never see anything like that again supporting Leeds or the LoI

I doubt you'll see something like that following the LOI.

Conversely, I have no doubt you'll witness it again if you insist on following the English game....

[Blue Man]

I doubt you'll see something like that following the LOI.

Conversely, I have no doubt you'll witness it again if you insist on following the English game....

I follow the Irish game equally, but have no affiliation to a club here anymore. Also unless you were in Turkey, you really have no idea what happened that night. Exact same could be said if I followed the Scottish, Dutch or French game. Just because LoI teams dont bring a lot of away support, you can never say never

[Duffman]

Tranmere Rovers and Fortuna Düsseldorf.

[Scrufil]

No I do not support any foreign team. There is only one Athlone Town and it is horrible to see people spending money on foreign jerseys when that money should be spent supporting their own local team.

I often wonder if the part of Ireland which has gained independence really is just a pale shade of a Republic with so many people willing to display a love for all things foreign except for the foreign workers that have slaved away here for the last 5 or 6 years.

It is also a shame to see so many on here who slate the GAA. Ireland is too small an Island to let differences of this sort pull people apart. I often suspect that the foreign interferrence that has cursed this place for so long is also well at play on these web forums. I'd sooner see everyone wearing a GAA jersey than sporting the rotten trash of foreign nations' soccer shirts and other goods attached to same.

[sligoman]

Used to class myself as a Man United fan but I was young and stupid at the time. Just Rovers now. Look out for results of some other teams these days but that's it.

[sullanefc]

My Granny was a massive Blackburn fan
Pffft. Only since 1995 I suppose.

I started supporting Spurs when Klinnsman first arrived. Used to buy the jerseys etc. Don't anymore. I still go over from time to time, but I'm much happier in Turners Cross.

Spurs are top of the league at the moment, but I'd give up a spurs league win in favour of City being financially stable at this stage. I don't know which is more likely.

[Buller]

I used to look at Liverpools results and watch them on motd, then I went to my first Rovers match in 2003 and have been hooked since... "Real football, real fans" never seemed so apt for the LoI against the EPL.

[old git]

Just keep an eye out for Derry City results from time to time.

suppose technically they are a foreign club :D:D

[ped_ped]

I support Limerick FC, obviously (alongside Limerick GAA, and most Irish national sides) and I watch out for Liverpool on RTÉ (Premier Soccer Saturday, Live Champions League...). Also, partly through my inexplicable hatred of Real Madrid, I look out for Atlético, though I only purchased a jersey during my recent school tour to Madrid (which is justifiable, I'd argue).

The fact of the matter, embarrassing as it is, is that until around two years ago, I barely knew the LOI existed. Honest to God. It was partly because I rarely read papers, rarely went online, and my friends and schoolmates were all Premier League fans. I didn't know that a few miles away lay Jackman Park. I didn't know Limerick FC existed. I'm ashamed of it.

But it was not my fault :( It's poorly advertised (especially this far out of the city).

Since I've discovered my glaring omission I've supported them, I've brought friends along to games, I've even hypocritically complained to my other friends who can't see beyond the media-driven English tunnel-vision.

But at the same time, it's hard to 'quit' my subscription to Liverpool. I followed them passively until a short while ago, then as soccer REALLY grabbed my eye I got seriously into it. With the ridiculous media-bias, every single person in the school following them or their rivals... it's hard to get out of it.

But at the same time I'd gladly exchange each Liverpool win for a Limerick one (LOI PD here we come if I could :D). Liverpool's losses aren't my losses. Limerick's are.

[dcfcsteve]

I follow the Irish game equally, but have no affiliation to a club here anymore. Also unless you were in Turkey, you really have no idea what happened that night. Exact same could be said if I followed the Scottish, Dutch or French game. Just because LoI teams dont bring a lot of away support, you can never say never

Don't give me the 'you had to be there to know what happened' line.... :rolleyes:

If you think the unfortunate incidents that befell Leeds supporters in Istanbul had nothing to do with the fact they were either a) Leeds fans, or b) English football fans, then you may as well not have been there for all you understood of it. Reputations preceeded, and all that...

[Magicme]

Pffft. Only since 1995 I suppose.



Ha ha! As if! They won the Premiership the day of her 90th birthday party and she had us tortured running from the hotel ballroom to the bar to check how the matches were going and was the happiest woman alive when Man Utd could only draw.

[Boo_Boy]

Used to be a Manchester United fan until I was about 12, fell and smacked my head off the ground during PE in school. Knocked some sense into me.

Sligo Rovers are first and always will be. Hamburg SV second.

[endabob1]

Always a Spurs fan but I try to watch live football where ever I am, I used to go to Mels when I was at the RTC (neither today nor yesterday) when I moved to London became a proper Spurs fan, season ticket and all that but left London in 2002 so have only been occasional since, also occasional to regular at Kettering Town for a couple of years while I lived close to them. Seeing them winning the Conference North was a great day in my football watching memory;
I'm fortunate to have lived in a few different places, so I've seen and mildly supported South Melbourne when I lived in Oz & Ajax Cape Town since I've lived here.

[gustavo]

Used to be a Manchester United fan as much as a Sligo Rovers fan but it just kinda faded over the last decade , now I don't really care how they do.

I like to see Sampdoria and Atletico do well but that's about it

[Mayo Red]

I'd be a big Liverpool fan aswell since I was a kid and have been over to see them a few times but Sligo Rovers would always be first. I once had a bit of a row about this with a friends cousin who supports Arsenal and would not really follow the LOI. He could not understand how I could be serious when I said that if I had to trade I'd rather Rovers to win the League or FAI Cup than Liverpool winning the Champions League!!

I'd also have a soft spot for Barcelona and believe it or not Melbourne Victory!

[CJTheGull]

Hibernian F.C.

[sheao]

I have followed Man United in the premiership since i was very small,mainly just my tv team really.
I would never follow them with the same love and dedication that i support Cork City.

[passinginterest]

Like most people on here that live outside league of Ireland strong holds I supported an English team growing up, it was Liverpool for me, I blame Ronnie Whelan. As I've taken more of an interest in League of Ireland and realised how ridiculous it is to say you support a team you have no intention of ever seeing live their results have come to mean less and less to me. I'd also have a soft spot for AC Milan, Marco Van Basten take a bow, I was a sucker for a good volleyed goal as an impressioanble 4 or 5 year old.

[Réiteoir]

The Norwegian Premier Division club Vålerenga are my other side - as I'm based in Oslo that constitutes most of my live football fix at this moment in time

As we're also naming the teams we look out for the results of - I also look out for results of Kickers Offenbach in Germany, Djurgårdens in Sweden, FC København in Denmark, Athletic Bilbao and Hibs

[magnumpi]

1.FC Nürnberg (german league has the best atmosphere in europe - bring back terracing) & Athletic Bilbao.

[Lionel Ritchie]

No I do not support any foreign team. There is only one Athlone Town and it is horrible to see people spending money on foreign jerseys when that money should be spent supporting their own local team. A noble sentiment alright. Though it might be leaning a bit toward the tired tradition of viewing support for your local club as a charitable work and obligatory undertaking. These days it's more about entertainment.



I often wonder if the part of Ireland which has gained independence really is just a pale shade of a Republic with so many people willing to display a love for all things foreign except for the foreign workers that have slaved away here for the last 5 or 6 years. Well you're into a much broader social hangover there that has manifested itself in many ways in the past and in ways that go far beyond supporting cross channel football clubs.

For example -we traditionally don't celebrate our artists, actors, musicians and bands UNLESS they've been embraced first by the outside world -and let's face it that means Britain primarily. Long before Glen Hansard won a gong I used say that while I wasn't a fan of the Frames as such -their popularity here in Ireland was a good thing in itself as it represented a rarely seen maturity that allowed Irish people embrace a band that weren't especially successful anywhere else but Ireland. Same can actually be said for the likes of Aslan (spits) and Jerry Fish.

I agree with you we're not much of a Republic. We have a deeply ingrained yet at times unspoken class system in this country and we re-enforce it with a generally poor social contract. I'd imagine for example that marriage between persons of different social strata/income groups/background is even more rare here than elsewhere in the western world.

We'd love a royal family and have been struggling to create one since we went solo.

Sorry if I've gone off on a bit of a John Waters but I did at least avoid use of the word 'Zeitgeist'. Aw crap.

But the football thing ...it's primarily about entertainment. I love going to watch Limerick and the craic and the banter. Though I've not managed it in a while -I also love going to watch Leeds United at Elland Road. It's just a different football experience. Not neccessarily better -just different to the football experience I have here in the LoI.




It is also a shame to see so many on here who slate the GAA. Ireland is too small an Island to let differences of this sort pull people apart.
They started it.:p


I often suspect that the foreign interferrence that has cursed this place for so long is also well at play on these web forums. Would that be the same 'foreign interference' that 'introduced' 'foreign games' to Anglicise us? The Gah Museum is a good place to kill an hour but I'd suggest it's a poor source of historical information.


I'd sooner see everyone wearing a GAA jersey than sporting the rotten trash of foreign nations' soccer shirts and other goods attached to same. You'd love where I work. They've a thing called 'County Colours Partys'. You can guess the rest.

[Da Real Rover]

St Pauli, Marseille, Besiktas, St Etienne, Panathinaikos, Dynamo Kiev, Athletic Bilbao, Livorno - All teams I just look out for, but nobody comes close to Rovers.

[Da Real Rover]

A noble sentiment alright. Though it might be leaning a bit toward the tired tradition of viewing support for your local club as a charitable work and obligatory undertaking. These days it's more about entertainment.
Not at all.
That is a new sentiment that has encroached itself on the consumerist football markets in the world.
But overwhelmingly in global football the local club is still the bedrock of footballing support, just not in the more affluent leagues.

[Ronnie]

AFC Wimbledon and non league in England. Not as a fan, but very interested in how strong some of these clubs are compared to ours, and really the clubs we should be trying to imitate.

[jinxy lilywhite]

England: Been a Tottenham follower since 1987. My enthusiasm for them has dropped though in the last decade since I started really going to Dundalk games and when I went to a game in 1997 and got hauled in by immigration

the rest I would generally look out for on league tables

Sampdoria: Dont know why could be Vialli and Mancini in the 90's
Barcelona: Something about them
Bayern Munich: don't know.

[marinobohs]

Family from Liverpool and fortunately they were of the red persuasion so have had many good days/nights at Anfield and would consider myself a Liverpool fan.
Still not cose to De Boez though, especially in recent years as the saccerine Premiership has diluted my interest in English football. Ony this week I was mortified at some of the "Liverpool fans" that showed up at Dalymount for a friendly (and Yes, I was sporting Bohs colours).

Interesting to contrast the plastic quiet "Prem" fans on Monday night with singing, cheering Dundalk fans on Tuesday night. As our PA on Tuesday put it "nice to see real fans watching real football" ;)

[Sunny Jim]

I supported the Villa all my life until the Youths came along. And while I would still look out for Villa’s scores, the Youths are firmly my number one team now.

I also look out for Barca, Hibs, East Stirling, Cardiff City & Forest Green Rovers (and Iceland, though they’re obviously not a club. Fabulous country, though).

[brendy_éire]

Although not foreign, I'd be a bit of a fan of Institute, simply because they're from Derry. Would try and get along to their matches if they're playing in Belfast.

Like to see Bilbao do well, and, through my foreign friends, I end up looking out for the results of Everton, Southampton, Partick Thistle and Celta Vigo.

[SalvadorSanchez]

Lived In Huddersfield so I keep an eye on them (going up this year!. I spent some time in Argentina so I keep an eye on how Boca are doing (went to a few games over there..completely mental experience)

[steno]

Liverpool they were the first team I saw on the tv as a kid

[Da Real Rover]

Liverpool they were the first team I saw on the tv as a kid
Were they not playing someone else on telly?

[PartySaint]

Teams i look out for- Fiorentina, Barcelona,Athletic Bilbao, NAC Breda,Hertha Berlin and Banfield(Argentina)

Dont really mind what score their matches finish just like to see how they are all doing

[dcfcsteve]

Liverpool they were the first team I saw on the tv as a kid

I do love the intricate sense of identity, passion and heritage that goes into Irish people's choice of which foreign football club to follow.

Did they happen to have a nicer jersey than the other team they were playing that day.....? :)

What was the first international football team you saw on TV by the way ? I'd be fairtly confident it wasn't Ireland.

[Réiteoir]

Bilbao vs. Tromsø is being streamed live online by Basque TV tonight:

http://www.eitb.com/reproductores/popup.php?hostname=cp70268.live.edgefcs.net/live&filename=eitb-ETBSat@5219&nombre=ETB%20Sat&formato=cuatrotercios&idioma=es

[fionnsci]

What was the first international football team you saw on TV by the way ? I'd be fairtly confident it wasn't Ireland.

Ireland.

My brother told me that my dad was there to which i replied "which colour is he playing in?"

[dcfcsteve]

Ireland.

My brother told me that my dad was there to which i replied "which colour is he playing in?"

Are you Steno.....? :confused:

[SkStu]

the randomness of some of these second teams just shows what a weird bunch we are...

"Im a die-hard Liverpool fan through and through. Been to Anfield once too in 91. You follow Bohs? Thats weird man..."

"Yeah, i folly Bohs alright but i look out for FC Katmandu, 1.FC Wiggles and Hergeeflurgee from Norway"

[GalwayRed]

the randomness of some of these second teams just shows what a weird bunch we are...

"Im a die-hard Liverpool fan through and through. Been to Anfield once too in 91. You follow Bohs? Thats weird man..."

"Yeah, i folly Bohs alright but i look out for FC Katmandu, 1.FC Wiggles and Hergeeflurgee from Norway"
At this point i should also mention i keep an eye out for Kidderminster Harriers results:) Went to see them a few times when I was younger including seeing them throw away a 4-0 half time lead once.

[peterc1992]

ARGH! MOTD spoiler!

Soft spot for Tottenham Hotspur.



Glory hunter!!:p:p:p:

ONly joking,they looking very good this season,Will ifnish ahead of man city and will prob sneak 4th if the top 4 hav a bad season..


Im a liverpool fan,more a liverpool fan than a league of ireland supporter.JUst the wya i feel,father brought me up as a liverpool fan rather than being hardcre athlone and i started to go dwn to town matches and had a interest.Go down everyweek though hoping we do well.But if be more upset if liverpool lost than if Athlone lost to longford! IL probably get stick for this,ah well

[A face]

Time to be honest! Is there a foreign club you follow?

No, just City .... and thats enough in itself ;)

[steno]

Were they not playing someone else on telly?

:o

well they won most of the time as well and I was three.

[fionnsci]

Are you Steno.....? :confused:

Don't really understand, sorry.....

I would have thought that my username would give my name away!

[steno]

I do love the intricate sense of identity, passion and heritage that goes into Irish people's choice of which foreign football club to follow.

Did they happen to have a nicer jersey than the other team they were playing that day.....? :)

What was the first international football team you saw on TV by the way ? I'd be fairtly confident it wasn't Ireland.


well I was three they were on the Tv and they won. I can't remember who they were playing, hows that?

calm down

[steno]

Are you Steno.....? :confused:

Have I got a pick on me sign around my neck steve or have I missed the point, should I get my coat and hail a taxi? :confused:

Some one started a thread on which foreign football team do you follow and I said Liverpool saw them on tv when I was three, get over it.

[First]

Sligo Rovers, they are far enough from me to be classed as foreign.

Across the water, Everton.
In mainland Europe, Barcelona

[ger121]

Liverpool but certainly wasn't cheering for them the other night when we played them.

[ped_ped]

Liverpool but certainly wasn't cheering for them the other night when we played them.

Oh come on, that wasn't Liverpool! ;)

[dcfcsteve]

Have I got a pick on me sign around my neck steve or have I missed the point, should I get my coat and hail a taxi? :confused:



Are you Fionnsci......? :p

What is it with people answering posts addressed to other people.... ? :)

[SkStu]

Oh come on, that wasn't Liverpool! ;)

agreed but try telling that to the 6-7000 or so Irish people in Liverpool jerseys who were there... Happy days! :D


(it wasnt really Bohemians either!)