Benwell Lad Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Yeah, it is a very small minority. I was born in Newcastle, moved to Australia when I was 8 years old (10 years ago). I was back home in December and January and didn't miss a match. I also stay up til all hours (this weekend its 3.45am) to watch us play, no matter who we're playing. So I don't know how anyone can question my loyalty because of where I live. Only an idiot would question your's or anyone else's loyalty because of where they live SM. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I'm just amazed how good the " International Supporters " are at English Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consortium of one Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 So it;s wrong to think that people should support the club of the place that they are from. Fantastic. In my opinion - and i know that my opinion is not particularly well-thought of, but 'meh' - it's not about people being "glory hunters", thats clearly not the case (although i think we did attract some when the first Keegan reign looked like it was going to produce something) at Newcastle. I just genuinely don't understand why anyone woudl want to support a team from somewhere that they are not from (or have a strong familial link to). With foreign fans, its probably more understandable, what with the all-pervasive coverage (and undeniable quality) of the Premiership, but lets face it, its by-and-large an arbitrary decision to support NUFC for these fans. And thats what i don't get, i suppose - the arbitrary nature of SELECTING a team to support. For me, its an almost tribal thing - its about where you're from, not the selection of a team because of certain players/managers/strip colour or whatever. But hey, I'm clearly a bad person for thinking that way. I understand exactly what you are saying. In fact, you could be talking about me in particular. Let me give you a little back story. I've been a New York Mets and New York Jets fan for nearly 40 years. Both have broken my heart. The Mets last year experienced one the most epic of collapses a baseball team has ever experienced. The Jets last appeared in a Super Bowl in 1969. My support has been undaunted. I was born and raise in Connecticut and NYC is about an hour away. They are naturals for me to root for because they are close. They're my teams and I live and die with them. I've been rooting for the UConn Huskies men's college basketball team for nearly 30 years. I started when the Big East Conference was formed. For 10 years they sucked. They were the doormats and everyones punching bag. For the last twenty years they have been great, making the postseason just about every year and winning two national championships. Rooting for them and standing by them made the winning SO MUCH more sweeter. I love the underdogs. And I hate the darlings. I hate the Yankees. I hate the Dallas Cowboys. I hated the LA Lakers. I hated the Chicago Bulls. I naturally hate the teams that other fans flock too. So anyways, I've been watching the EPL for a couple of years now. I played soccer in High School. Every Saturday morning on a local TV station they'd have an English "game of the week". I remember Nott Forest and Leeds, Newcastle and Sheffield United and some of the teams that used to be in the top tier. After watching for a couple of seasons I knew I couldn't continue without picking one team to root for. This is where for the first time I had to SELECT a team to root for, so I know what Northern Monkey is questioning. I honestly didn't know how to do it. Some teams were easy to eliminate. f*** the Big Four, especially ManU. ManU is too much like the Yankees and the rest are too good. It's hard for me to root for a prepackaged winner. The bottom tier was unappealing. It would be just my luck to root for a team and have it be relegated and I'd never get to see them again. I focused on two or three mid table teams. I chose Newcastle because it was a team that never realizes it's potential (much like the Jets and Mets) but had the potential to put it all together and legitamately become a top team. I want to be able to ride with a team to the top, I guess. I also believe I have ancestral ties to the North East so that kind of clinches it for me. So yeah, I kind of picked a team instead of being born with them and THAT IS kind of weird for me but I want to assure you of something: once I become a fan, there is no turning back. One would think that a fan of a team for less than a year, upon surveying the mess that is currently Newcastle United could walk away and perhaps choose another team to root for. I thought about doing just that. I can't do it. Once that decision is made, as cold and antiseptic as the original decision was, once I've cast my lot, I'm in for good. I don't miss a single game that is available in the states. I watch an hour of Sky Sports news every night that I can. I caught KK's interview on BBC Tyneside a couple of weeks ago. I have just as many Newcastle links as I have Mets, Jets and Huskies links. I would suspect that most foreign fans are just like me. We emotionally invest in our teams. I don't think there's any other way to be. I will say this: the teams I root for don't really experience much success. They are heart breakers. They knock me down but I always get up and root more. As Newcastle has fallen on hard times, I can't help but think that the fact I have started to root for them has contributed to their lack of success. My teams have a way of breaking hearts. Sorry for that, you're stuck with me Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 So genuine question CTtoon, is the love you feel for Newcastle as strong/rewarding/deep as for the Mets and Jets? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 the thing is CTtoon...what if your american teams were consistently crap so your son says "i'm not going to support the jets cos they are rubbish,i'm going to support the patriots cos they are the best" ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consortium of one Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 So genuine question CTtoon, is the love you feel for Newcastle as strong/rewarding/deep as for the Mets and Jets? No, not yet. You're talking 1 year vs. 38 so it can't be as deep. It may never be as deep because I grew up with the Mets and the Jets. Those teams helped define my childhood. How I feel about Newcastle can never be how a Tyneside native could feel just as you can never feel how I feel about the Mets and Jets if you became a fan. That doesn't mean that it still won't become strong/rewarding/deep just not as, simply because of time and yes, distance. Two things will make the connection deeper: paying dues as a fan for few years and living with the ups and the downs is one. The other would be to take in a tie at SJP. I think only time will make the connection deeper. Hopefully, I have plenty of that left Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consortium of one Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 the thing is CTtoon...what if your american teams were consistently crap so your son says "i'm not going to support the jets cos they are rubbish,i'm going to support the patriots cos they are the best" ? Well then I haven't raised them right have I? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I'm just amazed how good the " International Supporters " are at English Especially the Americans. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I'm just amazed how good the " International Supporters " are at English Especially the Americans. I know, it's class isn't it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I'm just amazed how good the " International Supporters " are at English Especially the Americans. dunno...i get pissed of with the color of the center forwards jersey. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JamesD Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I got on the "bandwagon" at a bad time, summer before SBR was sacked. So all I've really seen is Souness, Roeder, and Allardyce. I think that deserves some credit... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChezGiven Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I got on the "bandwagon" at a bad time, summer before SBR was sacked. So all I've really seen is Souness, Roeder, and Allardyce. I think that deserves some credit... Or the blame. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I got on the "bandwagon" at a bad time, summer before SBR was sacked. So all I've really seen is Souness, Roeder, and Allardyce. I think that deserves some credit... Or the blame. james the jinx Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I'm just amazed how good the " International Supporters " are at English Especially the Americans. dunno...i get pissed of with the color of the center forwards jersey. In their defense though.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LucaAltieri Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I got on the "bandwagon" at a bad time, summer before SBR was sacked. So all I've really seen is Souness, Roeder, and Allardyce. I think that deserves some credit... Glory supporter. You'd be supporting Chelsea if not for that InterToto Cup. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shak Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I got on the "bandwagon" at a bad time, summer before SBR was sacked. So all I've really seen is Souness, Roeder, and Allardyce. I think that deserves some credit... You're blatantly a good luck charm then. Anyway, I'd have to agree that locals can have a much deeper attachment to the club than I am capable of having. Something about growing up with it as part of your every day life that someone like me, who rarely hears much about Newcastle unless I go looking for it, can never have. That said, I don't necessarily think that just being a native makes you instantaneously a more devoted, or "true" if you will, fan. I don't doubt for one second that there are people who live in Newcastle and support the team that aren't really as bothered what ultimately happens to them at the end of the day as I am. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JamesD Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 I got on the "bandwagon" at a bad time, summer before SBR was sacked. So all I've really seen is Souness, Roeder, and Allardyce. I think that deserves some credit... Or the blame. james the jinx The Man U game will be the first game of the season I won't be able to watch, so we'll know whether or not I'm bad luck if we win. If we do, I may have to just I got on the "bandwagon" at a bad time, summer before SBR was sacked. So all I've really seen is Souness, Roeder, and Allardyce. I think that deserves some credit... Glory supporter. You'd be supporting Chelsea if not for that InterToto Cup. Best night of my life so far, winning that trophy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Soccermom He was convinced you were a girl alex iirc. Pm'ed me a picture of his cock as well. Soccermom He was convinced you were a girl alex iirc. Same here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Soccermom He was convinced you were a girl alex iirc. Pm'ed me a picture of his cock as well. Soccermom He was convinced you were a girl alex iirc. Same here. and i still think you're a girl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Soccermom He was convinced you were a girl alex iirc. Pm'ed me a picture of his cock as well. Soccermom He was convinced you were a girl alex iirc. Same here. and i still think you're a girl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 If the locals don't want "the others" supportin gtheir precious team then write to the FA and tell them to stop showing the matches all over the world and selling their merchandise all over the world too, which incidentally makes these clubs a hell of a lot of money. No more Sky or nada. Play the games in the stadiums and let that be it. That way only the thoroughbred fans can watch the games right? Sell off all the international players cuz you won't be able to afford them anymore and play real hardcore Geordies in the team only right? Why stop at just the supporters? Anyone who invests their time and money has the right to support who the hell they want quite frankly. End of. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brewcastle Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Maybe other countries have it like in Norway. Not sure? In Norway it's to understand that many Norwegians supports English teams. Norway have had tradition for allmost 40 years to show live football-matches from England on TV. As you maybe know; the season in England is between seasons in Norway. Of that reason it's perfect to have one local team in Norway and one team in England to suport. A perfect match "Visit Britain" have done an estimate of how many Norwegians visiting England every year. In 2006 it was over 640.000. Most of them/us was there because of watching football. That's some thousands every league-round From my point of wiew football is like religion. We have our club/God. We "pray", and have our pilgrim-trips to our Mekka/Betlehem/SJP. -I have never heard about anybody been called bad or not passionated enough Christians because they're not born in or living in Betlehem Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Soccermom He was convinced you were a girl alex iirc. Pm'ed me a picture of his cock as well. Soccermom He was convinced you were a girl alex iirc. Same here. and i still think you're a girl all be it an ugly one Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consortium of one Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 If the locals don't want "the others" supportin gtheir precious team then write to the FA and tell them to stop showing the matches all over the world and selling their merchandise all over the world too, which incidentally makes these clubs a hell of a lot of money. No more Sky or nada. Play the games in the stadiums and let that be it. That way only the thoroughbred fans can watch the games right? Sell off all the international players cuz you won't be able to afford them anymore and play real hardcore Geordies in the team only right? Why stop at just the supporters? Anyone who invests their time and money has the right to support who the hell they want quite frankly. End of. eh, I think it came out the wrong way. I don't think he understood how a fan comes to be a fan without being born into it. I can relate to that because I didn't quite understand it either until I became an NUFC fan. IMO, measuring the quality of other people's fandom is a waste of time. I always figured fans should look for ways to unite rather than seperate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 If the locals don't want "the others" supportin gtheir precious team then write to the FA and tell them to stop showing the matches all over the world and selling their merchandise all over the world too, which incidentally makes these clubs a hell of a lot of money. No more Sky or nada. Play the games in the stadiums and let that be it. That way only the thoroughbred fans can watch the games right? Sell off all the international players cuz you won't be able to afford them anymore and play real hardcore Geordies in the team only right? Why stop at just the supporters? Anyone who invests their time and money has the right to support who the hell they want quite frankly. End of. no-one is saying it should be stopped or whatever. does it not sit uneasy with you when you are talking to someone born and bred in brighton,no ties to manchester at all but tells you they are a man utd fan..do you not think "palstic fucker" or "glory hunter" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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