What team should I follow?

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Originally Posted by Redie

There was a time when where you were from was the only thing that determined what club you support.

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Aye, and everyone walked or cycled to the ground, looking down on those "foreigners" who had to catch the tram...

Times have changed, people move around, there's football on the telly and a million other distractions competing for peoples attention and money etc.

Imo the true test of a supporter is how loyal you are, not where you come from. And the best example I've ever heard of this is a guy I know who supports the NI team. He's from England and has no connection with NI whatever (other than his first name "Shaun", with an "h"!)

For some reason, he had been fascinated by Albania since his schooldays and wanted to visit, but the country was closed to tourists etc in those days. Then he heard NI had been drawn to play there in the Euro Champs in 1995, so he asked the IFA if he could tag along with the Official Party (i.e. would entitle him to an Entry Visa) and they said "Yes"!

Cutting a long story short, he greatly enjoyed the trip, made new friends, ditched his former faltering allegiance to the England team (disliked the hooliganism) and he hasn't missed an NI game since, home or away, competitive or friendly.

At the last count, his run of consecutive games is 115 (I think). We have no more committed fan; as a mark of this, he wrote a book about his experiences, all of the proceeds of which went to charity (over £10k).
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Theres-Alway...=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

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Originally Posted by Redie

Am I missing something or is ticktock taking the p1ss???

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Seems you are. He's been smitten by LOI football, would like to support Galway like his father, but lives in Dublin which makes it difficult, so is wondering whether he should choose a local team instead.

Good luck to the guy. I suspect LOI football may need fans like him slightly more than those who would sneer at someone, simply because he hasn't lived his entire life on the same street as the club he follows...

Support your local team! If you aint from London/Manchester/Liverpool why would anyone support a team from these cities.

Simple answer. Glory hunting barstool supporters!

In terms of atmoshphere, it's hard to beat that created by Rovers fans, and this will only get better going forward in Tallaght. They are a club that's run very well, with the CLUB's best interests at heart.

The only down side is that you will have a fair bit of commuting and bus/train changes to get to Tallaght from Airfield

I think you should just go for your nearest team. Will be easier to get to matches and you will more than likely be living near fellow supports. If you want to get involved in any goings on in the club in the future you will be near by too. You might feel more affiliated to a near by team to you. No reason why you can't still keep an eye on Galway United results and like to see them do well also.

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Originally Posted by EalingGreen

Cutting a long story short, he greatly enjoyed the trip, made new friends, ditched his former faltering allegiance to the England team (disliked the hooliganism) and he hasn't missed an NI game since, home or away, competitive or friendly.

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Bloody glory-hunters! :rolleyes:

ticktock, if you support Bohs you will be able to go to three games with your aul lad, and beat him up afterwards. Great craic altogether! :D

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Originally Posted by Macy

Aye, and the sligwegians walk the walk as well as talk the talk on that!

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plus they always put cards on my car window everytime they visit!!:D

Whatever you do, don't go for Fingal. Nothing club. Preferably Shels, but if not, then go for one of the other Dublin clubs.

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Originally Posted by Martinho II

plus they always put cards on my car window everytime they visit!!:D

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its pure love Marty;)

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Originally Posted by CSFShels

Whatever you do, don't go for Fingal. Nothing club. Preferably Shels, but if not, then go for one of the other Dublin clubs.

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Like Fingal:D

I'd reckon go for Galway! If you are mainly based in Dublin they will be playing most of their away games there anyway when they play the likes of Bohs,St Pats and Shamrock Rovers.

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Originally Posted by sheao

I'd reckon go for Galway! If you are mainly based in Dublin they will be playing most of their away games there anyway when they play the likes of Bohs,St Pats and Shamrock Rovers.

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obviously Im going to agree here, but you could also add in drogs, dundalk and bray there as they are vitrually just down the road !

I would recomend going to a different club in the Dublin area for 6 weeks and stand in the singing section of each of the 10 premier clubs and maybe Shels and Fingal in the 1st division.

By then you will already know which club you feel that you can support in the long term.

With 4 clubs (Bray included) in Dublin then that would mean even if you decide to follow a "country" club you will get to see them on your doorstep 8 times in the league plus cups games.

I think most "country" clubs also have supporters clubs based in Dublin as well.

You decide!

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Originally Posted by Candystripe

I would recomend going to a different club in the Dublin area for 6 weeks and stand in the singing section of each of the 10 premier clubs and maybe Shels and Fingal in the 1st division.

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Spot on.

As a Shels fan i'll recommend Fingal. You're a new fan so go to a new club, basically go anywhere but Shels

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Originally Posted by kingdomkerry

Support your local team! If you aint from London/Manchester/Liverpool why would anyone support a team from these cities.

Simple answer. Glory hunting barstool supporters!

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I think you'll find that people start supporting clubs long before they're old enough to start drinking in pubs. :)

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Originally Posted by Hairy Bowsie

As a Shels fan i'll recommend Fingal. You're a new fan so go to a new club, basically go anywhere but Shels

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Are you saying you wouldn't welcome new fans to Shelbourne? :confused:

If everyone at Shels had that attitude the club would be dead in a few decades. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by dublin_owl

Are you saying you wouldn't welcome new fans to Shelbourne? :confused:

If everyone at Shels had that attitude the club would be dead in a few decades. :rolleyes:

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No, it makes sense. If you're right, driving away new fans will buy them a lot of time.

Clearly Derry is the best club to support no matter where you live in the country :)

But if it must be a Dublin team my personal view is that I wouldn't touch Fingal with a Barge-pole, and I really don't like Shels. Bohs would be handy, but I have to say I enjoyed the neutral Pats games I went to when I lived in Dublin. On the other hand Rovers could be very enjoyable to watch in their new ground this season, but its a bit far from Coolock.

Don't even think about Bray - its the coldest place on earth.

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Originally Posted by Redie

There was a time when where you were from was the only thing that determined what club you support.

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Well then I'm screwed... Grew up in Ballyfermot now living in Drumcondra via Harold's Cross and Lucan...

I used to go to Pat's games when I was younger but never really got into em never felt an attraction. On my first night in Tolka I was set and a Shels man. No feeling like it. The pain you go through when you love a club is something and supporting an English club never comes close. The last minute of last season when Limerick scored that equaliser had me in tears. I was never in tears watching MUFC.

Ticktock, I reckon that you should go to a game in Dalymount or Tolka to sample the atmosphere of a club with history I don't think going to see Franchise Fingal will be of any use to you if you are trying to get some joy out of the LOI.