I have a simlar experience as a Blues fan. I'd get grief and gloating, especially when living in Dublin, for going 20 minutes walk up the road to watch them in Dalymount or Tolka from people I knew. Now I am living in London, no one seems to think it remotely odd that I occasionally travel back for games to the point that when work colleagues hear I'm going back or see me with a big bag they presume I'm off to a game. I even get this from the non-football fans.