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Original poster

Does anyone else really dislike football?

120 replies

wildwoodflour · 10/10/2023 19:14

Not a TAAT but I've just replied to a thread about things we don't like, but wish we did. My thing was football, and I wondered if anyone else feels the same?

I've never enjoyed anything to do with football, but since being with DP I absolutely despise it. DP got back into playing it after a hiatus a couple of months ago, and now I have noticed lots of nuances that MAKE me dislike it, which I hadn't thought about before.

This is what I put;

DP loves it. Plays for a local team every week and practices several times a week. Follows it. Watches England and local city each time they play.

This will sound melodramatic but believe me it isn't given some things that have occurred-it actually gives me trauma responses thinking about it. The days DP has playing then socilaising with the team are so horrendously boring I'd honestly rather be more or less anywhere. They talk about nothing else, they are so loud, they gamble over each other and they go on and on and on and I HATE it, hate it!

I wish I liked it. Wish I could enjoy the days out DP has, wish I looked forward to the matches, wish I enjoyed watching England, wish I loved socialising with DPs team.

I am a sociable person, love having a good chat, laughing, being a bit silly, I'll even drink far too much booze on occasion like they seem to do every week-but I CANNOT gel with them at all, any of them! They seem to be a different species. I have nothing to say to them nor they me.

I can just about enjoy being at the pub with DP while the lionesses are on probably down to copious amounts of prosecco.

But I don't generally like it. I hate it.

I am very judgmental about it too Sad and this isn't like me- generally I am very much a live and let live sort of woman. I like doing/seeing/experiencing 'new' things even if they're not my thing. I don't clutch pearls at many things that I see bother people both in real life or on MN, but football and all that goes with it I do. I find the whole thing immature, silly, puerile, idiotic even. I know I am being unreasonable and I am sure many good people play, follow and enjoy it-I know I am-please anyone who follows football on here don't think I don't know that I am being awful-I do. B

But things have happened with my relationship due to it, and also, unrelated to anything personal, I see grown-ups acting in a certain way, showing off, the chants, the shouting- and talking none-stop about 'Fuh'-ie' for HOURS and hours and it has left me so lonely and upset so many times. Last time I joined DP at an event I was so so fed up, I was exhausted, hungry, tired beyond belief, couldn't stomach another alcoholic drink and so so bored. Such a killjoy when I am normally nothing like that. I asked DP for us to go home just a little earlier than scheduled and it was a no (and before anyone says why didn't I just leave, I couldn't, we live quite far apart and I had nowhere to go). It's taken much of my relationship and DP is a different person since playing.

I genuinely 100% wish I could join in! I really wish I could talk to everyone and enjoy it, wish I liked it, wish I 'got' it.

But I don't.

That was cathartic!

OP posts:
Beachwaves127 · 10/10/2023 21:24

No I love it. But I think I feel the same about rugby as you do about football. And I’ve known because of that since I was about 15 I’d never be able to date someone who was a bit rugby fan - I’d simply wouldn’t work for me!

Chestnutz · 10/10/2023 21:33

I don’t like football. Your post was super long so I didn’t read it thoroughly. Fortunately the rest of my family aren’t mad keen on it either.

YouJustDoYou · 10/10/2023 21:37

I grew up with my whole childhood centred around my brother's football. Every fucking weekend. Afterschool training. Driving hours each week for it. Poor kid didn;t even LIKE football, our dad made him do it. All the hawking up spit and gobbing on the floor the boys would do (learned it from the men - I mean, why?? WHY do they do that?). The swearing, yelling dads on the sidelines. The fake "oh I've broke my leg" rolling around on the floor shit (that they learned from the adults). The freezing, wet cold hours and hours wasted every weekend of my life bored out of my brain, waiting around for him to finish whatever tournament/trainging/events they were all doing. The aggressive male competitiveness. The pub matches we also had to go to to watch it on the tv - men shouting and yelling at the tv. Getting mad. Arguing over goals

Swore to god I would never, EVER date any man into football. Secretly hope if I even had a son he would never be into it, and thank god he;s not.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Football
Soubriquet · 10/10/2023 21:39

I hate football. My dad was all about it and would constantly take us to the pub to watch the latest match.

I really don’t give two figs about it.

toastofthetown · 10/10/2023 21:40

No it's just you. 8 billion people in the world, and somehow it's just you who doesn't like football.

Skullcollector · 10/10/2023 21:51

I absolutely hate it, too! I live in a city with two teams, and there are some very passionate die-hard fans who just take things too far. It’s the fan violence, the spitting, the rolling around on the floor (like someone has stabbed them when actually another player just looked at them) that I can’t abide. Oh, and the traffic on match days. Ugh!

Original poster
wildwoodflour · 10/10/2023 21:53

Thank you for responses.
@toastofthetown , don't be obtuse on purpose, of course I know not every single person is, I just wanted to know if anyone on MN could affirm my feelings somewhat, what are discussion forums for, after all.
@YouJustDoYou that sounds awful for you, I'm sorry. Did you have anything you were into that got equal attention? It doesn't sound like it, has your Dbro ditched it as an adult?

OP posts:
SoAndSoSaidSo · 10/10/2023 21:54

Not our thing at all. Neither of us have ever watched any. Can't stand the aggression that comes with it.

DS1 has no interest , DS2 has some interest.

Original poster
wildwoodflour · 10/10/2023 21:56

And yes! All the things you describe. I find it so, well, odd and so immature Sad and yes the spitting too!! 🤮(these are women)!
@Beachwaves127 maybe I'd feel the same if it was rugby inspiring similar behaviour..My BIL is a retired professional(?)not sure what that consists of but it was his career. I've not been too involved in it though.

OP posts:
BellaAndDave · 10/10/2023 22:00

I despise it. I’m glad DH nor any of children liked it either. Where I grew up there was a lot of trouble around two specific teams and many fans were very sectarian.

discoafters · 10/10/2023 22:02

The days DP has playing then socilaising with the team are so horrendously boring I'd honestly rather be more or less anywhere. They talk about nothing else, they are so loud, they gamble over each other and they go on and on and on and I HATE it, hate it!

I don’t understand this .. why are you there?

Wineocloc · 10/10/2023 22:03

I can’t stand it and it’s annoying how it’s sort of the thing everyone talks about at work, even people who I know aren’t really interested in it and just do it for networking purposes.

JustKen · 10/10/2023 22:08

I dislike what it turns some people into.

Suchapain · 10/10/2023 22:15

I enjoy watching it (live and on TV) but don't like all the pub culture and laddishness that so often surrounds it.

I go to watch our local team with DH but, for a 3pm kick-off, he will go to the pub at 12 and get home between 7 and 8. I meet up with them at 2 to travel to the game and most often I go straight home afterwards, although when the team win (rare) I might go for a celebratory pint with them.

TxtSpk · 10/10/2023 22:16

I hear you op! Although I’ve mellowed more about it recently, I absolutely loathe football, or more accurately, what it’s associated with. I resent that I know so much about it because apparently, this one sport counts as news. It’s like a religion and I can’t be doing with any sort of fanatic. The shameful amounts of money involved. I associate it with being in the pub and all the men acting like toxic wankers. They probably don’t realise how scary they sounds screeching in unison like being in a documentary on male chimps’ group behaviour. The racism and homophobia involved and the behaviour and reputation of England fans abroad. But most of all, the fact that during England games, domestic violence incidents increase against women whether they lose or win.

What changed my mind was watching the women’s football. You could hear the difference in the stadium. Every fan I saw being interviewed remarked on the different atmosphere from the men’s games (men and women). I could appreciate the skill involved. I’m also a little tempted to join a local women’s team to improve my fitness and be part of a team. Maybe it’s just men’s football I hate.

Devilsmommy · 10/10/2023 22:16

Have always hated football and got lucky with my DH as he absolutely can't stand it either 😁

AlisonDonut · 10/10/2023 22:19

I fucking hate it.

Splitscreened · 10/10/2023 22:22

discoafters · 10/10/2023 22:02

The days DP has playing then socilaising with the team are so horrendously boring I'd honestly rather be more or less anywhere. They talk about nothing else, they are so loud, they gamble over each other and they go on and on and on and I HATE it, hate it!

I don’t understand this .. why are you there?

Yes, why on earth are you there? DH used to work in PL football and was also a huge fan (of a different team to the one he worked for), and I absolutely never went to any games or socialising surrounding games, either in his professional capacity or his fan capacity. It bores me rigid.

Mischance · 10/10/2023 22:23

I don't like it. Kicking is an intrinsically aggressive act and seems to bring out the worst on the players and the fans.

Borborygmus · 10/10/2023 22:26

Yes I hate it, but then I hate all sport. But look on the bright side, it's trivially easy to ignore.

skippy67 · 10/10/2023 22:33

I don’t understand this .. why are you there?
I'd like to know this too.

I love football as does my DH. DC love it too. It's a very big part of our lives.

SouthLondonMum22 · 10/10/2023 22:34

It’s the opposite here, I love football but my DH isn’t a fan.

I think disliking it is absolutely fine, it isn’t for everyone just like how I’m not a fan of rugby or golf but at the same time, I do think you’re blaming football for some of your issues when you should be blaming your DH who needs to remember that he has a family and his whole life shouldn’t revolve around football.

It’s possible to enjoy football, even play it as a hobby but also not talk about it constantly and make everything about football. It’s just the considerate and respectful thing to do if you decide to be with someone you know isn’t bothered about it.

Rainbowx90 · 10/10/2023 22:37

I absolutely love it. Obsessed. I have been since I was 9 and my dad took me to my first game.
Our lives pretty much revolve around when the football is on 😅
We have 2 children and neither are that fussed by it but husband and I are the total opposite. I couldn't be with someone that supported another team.
Some of the best memories I have are at/involving football, I feel like I am in a huge minority though being so obsessed with it and being a female.
We even had our football team as our theme for our wedding 😂

CombatLingerie · 10/10/2023 22:43

I also hate it and all other sports. I particularly hate it when it takes over the TV schedule. Even football is only interesting to a minority of the population. Why should it and other even more minority sports dominate TV channels for hours at a time ?

DaizenShine · 10/10/2023 22:54

CombatLingerie · 10/10/2023 22:43

I also hate it and all other sports. I particularly hate it when it takes over the TV schedule. Even football is only interesting to a minority of the population. Why should it and other even more minority sports dominate TV channels for hours at a time ?

Supply and demand! The only time football takes over the tv schedule is the World Cup/Euros. About 12 million viewers. Wimbledon is roughly the same. Sure Rugby is much more surprisingly. Football doesn't dominate TV channels because you have to pay a high costs to actually watch football games these days sadly, so it could be worse I suppose.

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