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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not understand all the obsession with footbaall

320 replies

Thomasina79 · 17/05/2025 19:14

Live and let live and I understand people love it, but it’s a mystery to me? DH has been glued to telly today watching Crystal Palace!

OP posts:
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jetlag92 · 18/05/2025 22:40

I find people watching sport odd. Just play it yourself - really don't get the interest in watching random people kicking a ball around (and spitting)

Littletreefrog · 18/05/2025 22:26

HighLadyofTheNightCourt · 18/05/2025 22:23

My DH loves football and soaps.
I don't like either ... how does that fit with your stereotype? 🤷🏼‍♀️

My DH loves football, musicals and classical music. I love rugby, rock and pints. It would be boring if we were all the same.

HighLadyofTheNightCourt · 18/05/2025 22:23

TranceNation · 18/05/2025 20:15

Men have their football, woman have their soaps. It's just the way it is.

My DH loves football and soaps.
I don't like either ... how does that fit with your stereotype? 🤷🏼‍♀️

JackGrealishsCalves · 18/05/2025 22:06

namechangeGOT · 18/05/2025 21:22

🎼 QUEEN VICS ON FIRE - Martin Fowlers terrified!

I nominate that as the Hammers anthem next season 😁

Brefugee · 18/05/2025 22:04

namechangeGOT · 18/05/2025 20:37

Hopefully you’ll see the back of Chansiri soon before he runs the club into the ground. I don’t think we’ll succeed next week, bitter experience at Wembley tells me that but if we do, hopefully you’ll join us the next season.

well you never know, play-offs are a strange beast (ask Wednesday...)

I'm happy to stay in the Championship, although as I'm often moaning when i ever make it to Hillsbrough - i pay less for my tickets to my Bundesliga team so i would like that to get sorted.

As for all the pp with: women like soaps bollocks...
i was at a Bundesliga match yesterday with DH. We bumped into a bunch of Scottish chaps who were over for a stag weekend with a bit of footy thrown in (sorry, lads, they were bloody awful yesterday). And i was described by DH, and they agreed, that i am "the perfect girlfriend" because of my love of football, beer & pizza. Can't argue with that, I'm afraid 😂

namechangeGOT · 18/05/2025 21:22

TwistedWonder · 18/05/2025 21:00

Of 60000 Eastenders fans singing a chant about their favourite character to the tune of Freed From Desire

🎼 QUEEN VICS ON FIRE - Martin Fowlers terrified!

TunnocksOrDeath · 18/05/2025 21:13

I understand why people get so excited about the game - lots of people love their hobbies. What I don't understand is why so many people who enjoy football think that their hobby is so amazing that they should be able to impose that enjoyment onto everyone else as a national event, like rescheduling meetings during the world cup, having pubs open weird hours, setting up annoying huge screens and bars in public parks and so on.
I used to live near one of the closest public transport points for Craven Cottage; as a young solo female, the tube journeys home squashed into a carriage full of boorish semi-inebriated football fans were just grim.

LetsGoFlyAKiteee · 18/05/2025 21:11

TrishM80 · 18/05/2025 20:58

The soap analogy doesn't quite cut it though. The emotional attachment to football is way stronger.

Like, a fan of Neighbours isn't going to be depressed for weeks if Emerdale finishes ahead of it in the ratings.

Or you won't get thousands of Coronation Street fans travelling down to east London to watch their favourite show, and looking to get into fights with fans of Eastenders!

I duno..I used to watch Hollyoaks and one of its thing it's done a few times and seems to still be doing is bringing characters back from the dead....some teams come back from the 'death'

Can't say ever watched and felt wowwww this is excitement anything could happen they're making history however 🤣 mean maybe with the amount of now alive people they have!

fisherlong · 18/05/2025 21:06

My sons are Arsenal fans and we as a family get really excited when they are playing.
I caught the last 10 mins of the Crystal Palace match and the atmosphere was incredible,the players sheer joy at winning was a beautiful sight and the fans were ecstatic. They made History which made it more special. Watching any kind of celebration is heart lifting considering the rubbish world we live in .

ilovesooty · 18/05/2025 21:00

TranceNation · 18/05/2025 20:15

Men have their football, woman have their soaps. It's just the way it is.

Really?

TwistedWonder · 18/05/2025 21:00

TrishM80 · 18/05/2025 20:58

The soap analogy doesn't quite cut it though. The emotional attachment to football is way stronger.

Like, a fan of Neighbours isn't going to be depressed for weeks if Emerdale finishes ahead of it in the ratings.

Or you won't get thousands of Coronation Street fans travelling down to east London to watch their favourite show, and looking to get into fights with fans of Eastenders!

Of 60000 Eastenders fans singing a chant about their favourite character to the tune of Freed From Desire

TrishM80 · 18/05/2025 20:58

The soap analogy doesn't quite cut it though. The emotional attachment to football is way stronger.

Like, a fan of Neighbours isn't going to be depressed for weeks if Emerdale finishes ahead of it in the ratings.

Or you won't get thousands of Coronation Street fans travelling down to east London to watch their favourite show, and looking to get into fights with fans of Eastenders!

namechangeGOT · 18/05/2025 20:37

Brefugee · 18/05/2025 20:12

another Owl here, i really think a city like Sheffield really should have a PL team. Unfortunately with our owner it's not going to be Wednesday so you lot will have to do it.

Hopefully you’ll see the back of Chansiri soon before he runs the club into the ground. I don’t think we’ll succeed next week, bitter experience at Wembley tells me that but if we do, hopefully you’ll join us the next season.

Kirbert2 · 18/05/2025 20:20

UName38 · 18/05/2025 20:05

I’m a Newcastle United fan and the city has a different atmosphere when we play well. Unfortunately I don’t think that the DV has moved in the same way but the violence and racism is much reduced.

As regards the overpaid players it’s arguable many people are overpaid such as celebrities. Some will be selfish like the rest of the population.

Equally like the rest of us many footballers don’t forget their background. They have foundations, they visit hospitals (not just for the cameras). And Rashford who through his letter and campaign persuaded a government into providing food for children as poor as he was growing up.

My son was in hospital over Christmas and met some Leeds United players. He happens to support Leeds and he was delighted, especially when his favourite player signed his Leeds shirt and had a good chat with him.

TranceNation · 18/05/2025 20:15

Men have their football, woman have their soaps. It's just the way it is.

Brefugee · 18/05/2025 20:12

namechangeGOT · 18/05/2025 19:45

Haha!! My husband and son are Wednesday season ticket holders and take their commitment to the pigs (sorry!) very seriously! There has been no mocking this season, at all, not one bit, I promise!! 👀

another Owl here, i really think a city like Sheffield really should have a PL team. Unfortunately with our owner it's not going to be Wednesday so you lot will have to do it.

UName38 · 18/05/2025 20:05

I’m a Newcastle United fan and the city has a different atmosphere when we play well. Unfortunately I don’t think that the DV has moved in the same way but the violence and racism is much reduced.

As regards the overpaid players it’s arguable many people are overpaid such as celebrities. Some will be selfish like the rest of the population.

Equally like the rest of us many footballers don’t forget their background. They have foundations, they visit hospitals (not just for the cameras). And Rashford who through his letter and campaign persuaded a government into providing food for children as poor as he was growing up.

Read Marcus Rashford's letter to the government in full

Manchester United letter has sent a passionate letter to all MPs asking for them to reconsider their decision to end free school dinner vouchers

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/marcus-rashford-letter-government-manchester-united-free-school-meal-vouchers-a9565801.html

namechangeGOT · 18/05/2025 19:45

Hillarious · 18/05/2025 19:42

And the mention of SUFC to someone with SWFC in her life gives us two strangers an instant connection . . . which could take us in a number of directions.

Haha!! My husband and son are Wednesday season ticket holders and take their commitment to the pigs (sorry!) very seriously! There has been no mocking this season, at all, not one bit, I promise!! 👀

Hillarious · 18/05/2025 19:42

namechangeGOT · 18/05/2025 19:34

Yeah don’t watch soaps, personally consider them for the hard of thinking but there’s plenty of drama at SUFC that could do with some ‘duff duffs’ at the end of the 90 minutes.

And the mention of SUFC to someone with SWFC in her life gives us two strangers an instant connection . . . which could take us in a number of directions.

namechangeGOT · 18/05/2025 19:34

NeedAnyHelpWithThatPaperBag · 18/05/2025 19:09

I still think football/sport is the male equivalent of soap operas.

Yeah don’t watch soaps, personally consider them for the hard of thinking but there’s plenty of drama at SUFC that could do with some ‘duff duffs’ at the end of the 90 minutes.

House0fBamboo · 18/05/2025 19:24

NeedAnyHelpWithThatPaperBag · 18/05/2025 19:09

I still think football/sport is the male equivalent of soap operas.

Why? I've never watched a soap opera or pretty much anything that isn't the news or sport but love football darts and snooker and I'm female. Ive attended matches since I was 18 months old- took all the children boys or girls and they still attend with me. (None of them inc the females watch soap operas either)

elusiveemz · 18/05/2025 19:17

NeedAnyHelpWithThatPaperBag · 18/05/2025 19:09

I still think football/sport is the male equivalent of soap operas.

Never watched a soap.

Love football.

BinLordSeverustheMagnificent · 18/05/2025 19:17

Different strokes for different folks.

I’m far from a die hard but I follow my local team and keep an eye on the Premier League. I would’ve watched the FA Cup Final but I was out.

I’m not sure why me and others who enjoy it need to be “understood”.

TooGoodToGoto · 18/05/2025 19:16

TwistedWonder · 18/05/2025 19:14

Agree. I like football and don’t watch soaps.

There’s a lot of outdated, inaccurate stereotyping on this thread

Sometimes I feel watching my team is like a soap opera, but such is the game of football, highs and lows…

Love it though…

Americano75 · 18/05/2025 19:16

I love football and soaps.