Why do Irish people support English teams?

James Brown · 18-06-2019 5:36pm

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Listen I'm not anti English by any means , i follow the Premier League and watch every game I can.

But I don't support any particular team. I follow St Pats.

That's my Dad's team. An Irish team.

Well they are the best team.

I think it's coverage. I know many Pat's supporters who would also support Man. UTD or Liverpool mainly. The coverage these teams get makes following them an almost daily event.

I was out with a mate from Glasgow a few years back and a lad was giving him a hard time commenting that nobody supports local teams, (him with a Celtic top on). "I'm from Glasgow!"

dundalkfc10 · 18-06-2019 11:33pm

georgewickstaff wrote: »

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

That will prob stop now they are ****e again

A dundalk "fan" mocking other supporters for their glory hunting. One man and his dog watching Dundalk a few years ago. Now its about 200 and a dog.

Wonder when it will revert to normal levels for you?

We have had an average of over 1,000 every season (900) in 2012 for about 15 years (including Div 1). Averaging arounf 2500 now. For a population of 30,000 that's good going.

Back in your box! It was a joke

SHOVELLER · 20-06-2019 7:10pm

Greyfox wrote: »

Your coming up with definitions out of thin air so I'm just pointing out that your definiteions have no basis in reality. I'm not missing the point, im pointing out the fact that even though clubs are founded with an area in mind there is never anything in place stating that if your not from the area your not welcome to support the club, no club is going to turn away fans for living too far away so if you don't feel a connection with your local team your free to find a team that you can feel a connection with.

Barstoolers are not brainwashed, they simply would rather watch an amazing team on tv rather then watch an ordinary team live. The fact is some people find it easier to fall in love with a team on tv as when its on tv its easier to access, you just cant accept the fact that people are different and not everyone has the same opinion as you. Nothing wrong with supporting a succesful team, again people are free to do what they enjoy. If they support a local team as well they can get the best of both worlds.

Reality is going to games in your own country. Ok if barstools are not brainwashed why don't they "support" hartlepool??

8-10 wrote: »

Funny, I don't feel embarrassed in the slightest! As I say, pride is what I feel

Who am I to judge them for changing? It's up to them, I would never do it personally but each to their own. Why do you care who I support?

I feel no shame in being Irish, or an inferiority complex. Part of a winning culture is terrific for sure, it's part of why I enjoy watching my team. I feel I understand the game well and I feel I understand fan culture in England well, but specific to the top league in England where my team plays. I would have much less of an understanding of the game and fan culture in the lower leagues or with the LOI, sure.

I support my team no matter what. To me that's what fans should do. But I have no issues with others experiencing the game as they wish. Do I like tourists going to Anfield and taking selfies? It's cringey, but if that's what brings them joy then more power to them. Soccer is a great medium and can be escapism for many people. I'm glad it exists and if people enjoy supporting their team in whatever way they want to then that's great in my book! The more people watching the better.

It is irrelevant who you "support" as you are not a football fan. Just someone who follows everybody else. I get it. It is convenient.

Greyfox · 20-06-2019 8:45pm

SHOVELLER wrote: »

Reality is going to games in your own country. Ok if barstools are not brainwashed why don't they "support" hartlepool??

No it's not, reality is doing the things you love and not listening to people who talk nonsense. Reality is understanding people are different and that watching football is an entertainment product.

Because hartlepool don't have any great players and when your young it's great players that make you fall in love with a team. Reality is EPL teams make life more enjoyable for most football fans in Ireland, there good for Irish people.

If your a football fan you enjoy watching football at the highest level, and if your a football fan your going to get emotionally invested in the result so supporting a great team outside Ireland is perfectly normal if your a real football fan

Greyfox · 20-06-2019 9:02pm

SHOVELLER wrote: »

It is irrelevant who you "support" as you are not a football fan.

What about the players who play for your club and also support an EPL team, I suppose there also not football fans.

Omackeral · 20-06-2019 9:23pm

Greyfox wrote: »

If your a football fan you enjoy watching football at the highest level, and if your a football fan your going to get emotionally invested in the result so supporting a great team outside Ireland is perfectly normal if your a real football fan

I know this is bad and all but for the love of Jesus it's YOU'RE. You are = you're.

8-10 · 20-06-2019 9:33pm

SHOVELLER wrote: »

It is irrelevant who you "support" as you are not a football fan. Just someone who follows everybody else. I get it. It is convenient.

I don't get it. I'm a Liverpool fan. They are a football team

Get over yourself

D14Rugby · 20-06-2019 9:40pm

8-10 wrote: »

I don't get it. I'm a Liverpool fan. They are a football team

Get over yourself

I think that sums it up quite well. Thinking of them as a team rather than a club says it all.

Omackeral · 20-06-2019 9:43pm

People being very harsh on 8-10 here. He likes Liverpool, he's a fan of theirs. Fair enough s/he might not be at all the matches or volunteer but that's most Irish people. To say they're not fans of football isn't fair... or accurate.

D14Rugby · 20-06-2019 9:56pm

Wasn't really saying that to 8-10 in particular, just so happened to be his quote that summed up how the majority of Irish fans of English teams view them. As teams rather than clubs.

20-06-2019 10:41pm

Well, this famous thesis might be especially relevant on this topic: Narcissism of small differences

8-10 · 20-06-2019 10:52pm

D14Rugby wrote: »

Wasn't really saying that to 8-10 in particular, just so happened to be his quote that summed up how the majority of Irish fans of English teams view them. As teams rather than clubs.

I don't make a distinction between the 2, it's like using soccer or football interchangeably as far as I'm concerned. I don't mean any difference by using one over the other so you can consider it club instead if it makes you feel better.

Surprised though, you're not usually one to nit pick at my posts

D14Rugby · 20-06-2019 11:00pm

8-10 wrote: »

I don't make a distinction between the 2, it's like using soccer or football interchangeably as far as I'm concerned. I don't mean any difference by using one over the other so you can consider it club instead if it makes you feel better.

Surprised though, you're not usually one to nit pick at my posts

The first team is a sub section of a club. A club will contain many teams and many more parts as well.

8-10 · 20-06-2019 11:08pm

D14Rugby wrote: »

The first team is a sub section of a club. A club will contain many teams and many more parts as well.

Got it. I didn't intend to distinguish but I probably mean something in between. I support the first team but I also follow a lot about the academy and reserves and know a bit of the backroom staff.

However I wouldn't consider myself a fan of the Liverpool under-18's for example. I'd watch goal videos posted online occasionally and I can name most of the squad and like knowing what players are doing well etc but I don't watch full games and my interest is mainly in the context of players who could go on to the first team rather than specifically following that youth team. I have been to an under-23 game before alright.

On it's own though I'm not going to be elated with an under-18 league win or disappointed with a loss in the same way I am with the first team.

So I guess I'm a fan of the first team but supporter of the club as a whole? Is that it?

Jim Gazebo · 21-06-2019 8:06am

8-10 wrote: »

Got it. I didn't intend to distinguish but I probably mean something in between. I support the first team but I also follow a lot about the academy and reserves and know a bit of the backroom staff.

However I wouldn't consider myself a fan of the Liverpool under-18's for example. I'd watch goal videos posted online occasionally and I can name most of the squad and like knowing what players are doing well etc but I don't watch full games and my interest is mainly in the context of players who could go on to the first team rather than specifically following that youth team. I have been to an under-23 game before alright.

On it's own though I'm not going to be elated with an under-18 league win or disappointed with a loss in the same way I am with the first team.

So I guess I'm a fan of the first team but supporter of the club as a whole? Is that it?

There is a small difference here I suppose. I would be heavily involved in the Local club here, between coaching and just generally helping out and from senior to U12, a big cup final is supported by everyone, and a win in a league or Cup is celebrated by everyone. Its a great feeling to have and see.

8-10 · 21-06-2019 9:57am

Jim Gazebo wrote: »

There is a small difference here I suppose. I would be heavily involved in the Local club here, between coaching and just generally helping out and from senior to U12, a big cup final is supported by everyone, and a win in a league or Cup is celebrated by everyone. Its a great feeling to have and see.

Right, so are people in the stands who only follow the first team not fans? I’m a little confused by the argument. I don’t see what the issue is calling yourself a fan or supporter even if you only watch first team games. That’s the majority of people who follow the sport. Even in LOI when my father used to manage the u-18’s team of a Premier Division side there wasn’t a crowd for his games like there were for the first team, I know I was there. So I don’t fully get this “you support a team not a club” thing

Or why it matters!

B_ecke_r · 21-06-2019 10:00am

how has this thread dragged on this long? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

8-10 · 21-06-2019 10:13am

B_ecke_r wrote: »

how has this thread dragged on this long? :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Yeah I honestly thought we had answered the original question multiple times, and said as such.

Some people are either new to the conversation though or just don't understand our reasons for supporting a club in England. Now the latest conversation is how following Liverpool means you are not a "Supporter" and a difference between a "team" and a "club"

These small definitions and details and real v fake fans seems to be very important to one side of the debate. From the start I've been of the stance that we support who we want to support and the reasons don't matter at all, but I can't help but be really curious as to why it seems to matter so much, primarily to fans of the LOI.

Why do they need to create their own strict definitions of what being a fan or supporter is? Or why you should or shouldn't support a team? It's an interesting thing to walk through I feel and I'm learning from it.

My own opinion is that people who are judging others for what they enjoy doing, or try to diminish their interests and feelings towards it by trying to downplay their level of support under self-imposed definitions of what a supporter should conform to are either uncomfortable with their own feelings or are bitter or jealous for some reason maybe because they see a majority of Irish fans getting joy supporting a league that is different to the one they support themselves.

But everybody is entitled to feel as they wish, it's just interesting to hear the viewpoints.

When you see someone seem to care so so so much about something that is as natural as anything to you, it just makes you really curious as to why. It's like someone questioning why you like driving an automatic car.

SHOVELLER · 21-06-2019 12:41pm

Greyfox wrote: »

No it's not, reality is doing the things you love and not listening to people who talk nonsense. Reality is understanding people are different and that watching football is an entertainment product.

Because hartlepool don't have any great players and when your young it's great players that make you fall in love with a team. Reality is EPL teams make life more enjoyable for most football fans in Ireland, there good for Irish people.

If your a football fan you enjoy watching football at the highest level, and if your a football fan your going to get emotionally invested in the result so supporting a great team outside Ireland is perfectly normal if your a real football fan

Only barstoolers talk nonsense as they have no real understanding how the game works. EPL teams are good for Irish people:D:D:rolleyes:

Your last paragraph is so wrong on so many levels and proves your complete lack of understanding of anything to do with the game. AGAIN real fans go to the games in their own city/country. Go to any country and you will see this:rolleyes:

Omackeral · 21-06-2019 1:01pm

Or... why not do both if it's feasible.

RobMc59 · 21-06-2019 1:20pm

Having a problem with people who support/prefer to watch English teams(or other teams) is a very inward looking, outdated attitude imo-in this multicultural day and age we are exposed to an unprecedented amount of sports from other countries which was unheard of thirty years ago-why should someone preferring to watch Liverpool or Bayern Munich annoy anyone?

Dr. Bre · 21-06-2019 1:30pm

Omackeral wrote: »

Or... why not do both if it's feasible.

Exactly. It’s not rocket science

8-10 · 21-06-2019 2:25pm

SHOVELLER wrote: »

AGAIN real fans go to the games in their own city/country. Go to any country and you will see this

Is your source for what a "real" fan does a photo of a sticker on a pole?

Hamsterchops · 21-06-2019 3:21pm

I have a friend who supports an Italian football team :eek:

...their flag is similar to ours, so maybe that's ok then?

8-10 · 21-06-2019 3:30pm

Hamsterchops wrote: »

I have a friend who supports an Italian football team :eek:

...their flag is similar to ours, so maybe that's ok then?

If it's the team, yes. If it's the club that's a whole different mentality

Greyfox · 21-06-2019 4:00pm

SHOVELLER wrote: »

Only barstoolers talk nonsense as they have no real understanding how the game works. EPL teams are good for Irish people:D:D:rolleyes:

Your last paragraph is so wrong on so many levels and proves your complete lack of understanding of anything to do with the game. AGAIN real fans go to the games in their own city/country. Go to any country and you will see this:rolleyes:

Most Barstoolers understand the game far better than you. Ah so you lost the argument so you just keep repeating yourself, posts like this are doing a disservice to the Airtricity league. Of course the EPL is good for Irish people, can you not see how happy Liverpool fans are? We both know my last paragraph is 100% correct, if you were a football fan you'd understand but your posts show a real lack of football knowledge.

Omackeral · 21-06-2019 5:08pm

8-10 wrote: »

Is your source for what a "real" fan does a photo of a sticker on a pole?

Nah, sticker on a car

8-10 wrote: »

But it's more than just financial support you give. There's a sense of community, discussions you have with work colleagues etc. Hanging flags, stickers on your car, social media

YFlyer · 21-06-2019 5:16pm

I supported Tottenham Hotspur since 1982. Supported Limerick before then when known as Limerick United.

Bonniedog · 21-06-2019 5:19pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

Having a problem with people who support/prefer to watch English teams(or other teams) is a very inward looking, outdated attitude imo-in this multicultural day and age we are exposed to an unprecedented amount of sports from other countries which was unheard of thirty years ago-why should someone preferring to watch Liverpool or Bayern Munich annoy anyone?

What has multi culturalism, or culture at all for that matter, got to do with Irish people being infatuated with English popular culture from soccer to soap operas and cr@p newspapers and music?

Greyfox · 21-06-2019 5:31pm

Bonniedog wrote: »

What has multi culturalism, or culture at all for that matter, got to do with Irish people being infatuated with English popular culture from soccer to soap operas and cr@p newspapers and music?

It means we have opened our minds to things other than RTE so choosing local only is quite backwards when there's a world of great stuff out these, a mix of local and foreign is ideal but picking just local or just foreign is silly and close minded

Why do Irish people support English teams?

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