Why do you support the team you do?

**osarusan** · 09/02/2007, 1:30 PM

Originally Posted by NY Hoop

Quite a compliment coming from a limerick fan

KOH

I thank you.

**BohsPartisan** · 09/02/2007, 1:35 PM

Don't worry BD converts like us are often the most fervent in promoting their beliefs unlike those who were simply born into their religion.

**Sam_Heggy** · 09/02/2007, 1:36 PM

well since i can remember ive had Liverpool fc drummed into me by my uncle. then when i was about 10 our neighbour (an avid harps fan) asked if i wanted to go to finn park. i hadn't a clue wat he was goin on about but i went anyway. i havn't looked back since, im now 23. don't get me wrong im a big liverpool fan (couldn be bothered wi that scottish pish) but harps win out every time. the weekend aint the same without goin to a harps match, even through the hard times (all in the past now hopefully)

**eirebhoy** · 09/02/2007, 2:32 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

One of those family members had to be a first...

Oh and the "country" lads never told us how far away/close they were to the grounds. In fact I think I'm the only one to use location

Limerick fan from Limerick, Cork fan from Cork, Sligo fan from Sligo, Derry fan from Derry, Kildare fan from Kildare, Galway fan from Galway.

Seriously though, there's a big difference there. If I really loved my county like most country folk do and there was one big team basically representing that county of course I'm going to support them playing the sport I love.

**michaelguineys** · 09/02/2007, 3:27 PM

its not about "loving your county" or whatever you mean by that.
It pains me to say it but a lot of cork people hate city and would never go to turners cross.
I cant understand the mentality. There is a big anti-city sentiment in some parts and i dont know why.
I already told ye bout my brother saying if city were playing out in the back garden he would close the curtains. It just baffles me!!
A lot of fellas i know have the same attitude, never go down to the Cross but yet they are in the pub every Sunday sreamin at the telly, willing "their" team to win!
Its a joke and il never understand it.
They dont realise what they are missing out on by supporting your local team.
They will never experience at atmosphere like there was in turners cross on nov 18th 2005 when we finally won the league again, or when we won our one and only FAi Cup in 98 beating Shels after a replay, or the pride you feel when YOUR team beats some cocky European team who thought they were only coming over here on a holiday.
Or even last year, walking down Patrick St and seeing our Club Shop having pride of place in the middle of our main street and full of customers....
It's all about pride and these pathetic barstoolers dont know what they are missing out on.....

**ciarandcfc** · 09/02/2007, 3:32 PM

i used to live right beside the brandywell and my dad started takin me when i was about 4 or 5 years old. i cant remember wat game it was oviuosly but iv rarly missed a match since then

**TheBoss** · 09/02/2007, 3:38 PM

I am mainly a follower Parvilla as I live about 3 mins from the stadium but I was born in Drogheda so I chose them as an EL team to follow.

**Pauro 76** · 09/02/2007, 3:41 PM

Longford Town. Was relatively late to the scene, they're my local team and I've supported them since two seasons before we got to the Premier. Was a Liverpool fan in my formative years but not too bothered about how they do these days..

**Poor Student** · 09/02/2007, 3:42 PM

I started going to games at Belfield in my first year at UCD out of curiosity. I attended as a neutral but fast developed an affinity for the team.

I also love Celtic. I went to my first game in 1988, aged 4, while visiting my relations in Scotland and have been to a good 30 games since on my visits. My father is of a GAA background from Mayo and I have no LOI tradition. I'd say that also plays a factor in lack of support for Dublin clubs in proportion to the population. A lot of our parents would be from outside Dublin and many from spots like Mayo that don't have a LOI club. The death of so many clubs in Cork before Cork City also severs the lineage of a direct family tradition of supporting the same club.

**passinginterest** · 09/02/2007, 3:47 PM

Originally Posted by NY Hoop

You're contradicitng yourself there. What buzz and banter do you get "supporting" an english club in a pub?

There's a shels fan that travels from wexford for every game.

BTW I love your line: "I follow bohs but have never been to dalymount"

KOH

By banter I meant in school or work rather than the pub (never a fan of watching games in the pub, although can be a good atmosphere at times). When your best friends support Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool, or in my case Everton, they don't want to talk about St Pats or Bray. I'd often go into school after a league of Ireland match was on the tv and try to talk about it but nobody else had the slightest interest. It was the same in my last job. Although where I am now there's a mad Bohs fan and a Pat's one which makes a nice change.

I follow Bohs in much the same way I follow Liverpool these days, I've never been to Anfield either. As the name suggests it's a passing interest. I will however, take a greater interest in Wexford Youths.

Fair play to the Shels fan for travelling from Wexford, but it was never an option when I was younger and it never appealed to me since I've been living in Dublin.

I think Wexford people will support the team and a new generation of 'real' supporters will develop and pass the passion down through the generations.

**wws** · 09/02/2007, 3:51 PM

Originally Posted by passinginterest

I think Wexford people will support the team and a new generation of 'real' supporters will develop and pass the passion down through the generations.

I think 'Pass The Passion' is the Carneigie Irish League slogan.

**Soper** · 09/02/2007, 3:54 PM

Started going to Rovers when I was very young, and got hooked.Supported Manure too, purely because my two favourite players, Giggs and Keane, played for them.Got hooked on Rovers though, went to nearly every home and away game that me and my family could.

The first time I realised what a barstooler was when some muppet (of the gah persuasion) in my primary was obsessed with Manure, and how his father had a magnet of champagne for when they won the European Cup.

People, eh.

**Pauro 76** · 09/02/2007, 3:56 PM

I used to follow Liverpool as a kid, but I've been persuaded to watch a few Spurs matches here as a few of my housemates are Spurs nuts and the bug has caught. But it just doesnt compare to watching your own team back home. If anyone here asks me who my team is. Its Longford Town.

**pete** · 09/02/2007, 4:02 PM

I think anyone who really likes football will want to see it live as tv only gives you a glimpse. This is the reason why International managers attend games as opposed to just watching on tv.

I would not expect a 5 year old to ask to be brought to an eL ground so its logical he/she will watch tv & get attached to a popular team.

**G-Man** · 09/02/2007, 4:06 PM

Coming from Wexford I'd agree with Passing Interest on most of his comments. Closest EL team to me would have been Waterford (about 50 min drive away) but there was never much coverage of EL on tv growing up and always had Premiership or Italian football (of which I'd have far more interest in and have attended much more Italian league games than Premiership, not hard seeing as I havent been to a Premiership game). When Waterfrod were on a good cup run a few of us would go watch games at the RSC, and since I've moved to Waterford I have gone to the odd game.

But I never really had a passion for the team or the club. I used to watch the Wexford Youth teams quite a lot, and would have far more sense of having a team when they played, so I was delighted to hear we now have a team in the EL and it will be a start of EL supporters in Wexford.

**passinginterest** · 09/02/2007, 4:08 PM

Thanks Pete that's kind of the point I was trying to make, however badly. If there had been blanket media coverage, a match of the day type programme etc. in place, I'm sure many more young people who don't have a team in their county or community would have supported another Irish team and maybe grown up to become a true supporter and started attending matches. Instead we were soaked in UK football and the home based teams never stood a chance.

**Seagull** · 09/02/2007, 4:11 PM

I grew up in a GAA heartland but hated it so Match of the Day was our saviour every week. I moved to Bray in the early 90's and was really disillusioned with the soulless English game on TV so I went along to watch the Wanderers play one Sunday afternoon and was instantly hooked- they lost but the atmosphere was great and the Carlisle was a very welcoming place. Actually, I bought a scarf so then I had to go back! I remember when we won the Cup in 99, the semi away to Shels on Good Friday, back to Bray but all the boozers closed! Now I bring my young lad along with his mate and they love it. It's a great League once you give it a chance imo.

**Gaillimh Al** · 09/02/2007, 4:16 PM

I think my first Galway Utd game was in 1988, when I was about 10. One of the first memories I have is of Vinny Arkins getting an awful slagging for the state of his haircut.

I think the crux of this debate, "who do you support if you have no ties", comes down to whether you're interested enough in watching the drama of live football. The choice between sitting in the pub having the "craic" watching a game, or going out in the freezing cold to follow a team through thick and thin is tough. For me,attending live football will always win out.

**Jerry The Saint** · 09/02/2007, 4:17 PM

Things would be a lot better if everyone followed the Frank Skinner rule for deciding this:

Originally Posted by Frank Skinner

The only criterion anyone should ever use when choosing a football club - Geography. You sit with a pencil, a ruler, and a map, identify the nearest football club to your place of birth, you buy a scarf with their name on it and that's that"