To not understand the allegiance that some people have to sports clubs?

[MuseumofInnocence]

I have some friends and family who are fans of certain sporting clubs (I'm referring to football mainly). I can sort of understand it for those who have some connection to the club (maybe they grew up near the club or their parents did), but I have friends who became fans of clubs hundreds of miles away when they were children, have been a handful of times to a game, but act as if they're the biggest fans ever.

Am I unreasonable, or is this weird?

The type of people you describe are not fans but followers. Fans go to games as often as they can followers watch on TV. I have been a fan if Manchester City since 1966. I have met people who claim to be City super fans but have never been to a game and have only been interested since 2011 when we started to be successful. again. Glory hunters I call them.

City fans call utd rags rather than scum - this gies back to a period in history when they were such a poor club that their shirts were little more than rags. City, as ever a benevolent club, gave them a set of strips to spare them further shame.

@10IAR I'm another one who wants to stop the 10 lol.

Rangers have blew it this season though so hopefully they manage it next season.

I was a season ticket holder for ibrox however I had to stop when I fell pregnant with DD.

I also work at Celtic park for every home game lol.

GrandTheftWalrus it's funny you know, I worked at Ibrox when you were going for 10

What do you do at Celtic park? Our STs are in the Lisbon Lions stand. In the family bit with Hoopy and Hailey all over the place!

I'm usually in the kerrydale suite. The amount of rangers fans that work there and vice versa is quite funny.

Aye I loved working the stadiums, tynecastle was minging inside but the others weren't bad. DP built the Kerrydale Suite and the No 7 restaurant (well was part of the team that did). I'm not posh or rich enough for hospitality

I live nowhere near Manchester but I've suppported United for 33 years so I don't class myself as a glory hunter! I started supporting them after seeing a picture of Bryan Robson at the 1986 World Cup and as I fancied him it was obvious that I would support United. I followed his career after that but United have always been my team.

I admit I've never been to a game, but it wouldn't matter if I lived next door to Old Trafford as I still wouldn't go because of the crowds. I went to a match with DH years ago and it was one of the worst nights of my life because of the crowds of people and I spent most of the night panicking.

10IAR for all the much publicised extreme stuff from hate filled numpties, ime the vast majority of banter between old firm fans is just that, banter. Most people can take a long view and know there are always ups and downs for every team and you may as well make the most of laughing while you can as at some point it will be going the other way :) (I'm getting a bit sick of the waiting but next season I have high hopes for.)

icannotremember I completely agree, my best pal is a Rangers fan, in fact a few of my friends are and it's only ever been banter. None of the bigotry or awfulness associated with both sides. I loathe it all, especially recently. I'm that weird Celtic fan that actually agreed with the OBAF act, and wishes it hadn't been repealed.
I love the atmosphere at an old firm game, but then it's all in good fun to me.

The kerrydale is open to everyone you just need to be in early as there are people with passes for there.

I've not been to the new tynecastle yet but I worked the main stand when I went over. Easter road is another one I dont like lol.

Oh I didn't know that! I thought it was hospitality only!
Aye it was 20 years ago I worked at Tynie and didn't like it one bit. Never worked Easter road funnily enough, it's about the only one I didn't!

I think on certain games it can be hospitality only. It just depends on the amount of packages theyve sold.

I worked at Hamilton accies last year and the place is tiny! But then I'm used to the bigger stadiums like ibrox, Celtic, hampden, murrayfield etc

I've sent you a PM.

DH supports Rangers (through working in the area and having friends there) and Sunderland as his local team (through both the good and better times) going to matches regardless.

DS supports both of the above due to going to matches since age 4 with DH and also supports Man City (after watching them on MOTD aged about 6 and thinking they had some fantastic players)...

So now they travel to Sunderland matches regularly, Man City approx 6 per season and DH usually goes to Rangers matches with friends but has promised DS a trip there next season too.

Personally I've never been a supporter but watching with DH and DS is now second nature and I've been to one or two matches with them. It's bareable and helps knowing whats going on for when I support DS and his team.

I'd rather DS was involved with football then spending half his life on technology.

I genuinely feel sorry for people who don't understand the passion involved in supporting a team.

You really ABU. People without passions and real interests are not people I want in my life

Yup

Football obsessed family here! DH & I are fourth generation Man City fans, DS is fifth.

DF used to take me to Maine Road as a child and I loved it, even when we were awful! The recent success is amazing and we’re loving every second of it. We get new shirts each season with our favourite players names on the back (no prizes for guessing mine!)

It’s weird as my DB & DSis’s aren’t bothered at all by football, but it’s a HUGE part of our lives and a lot of DH & I conversations are about football.

I live nowhere near Manchester but I've suppported United for 33 years so I don't class myself as a glory hunter! I started supporting them after seeing a picture of Bryan Robson at the 1986 World Cup and as I fancied him it was obvious that I would support United. I followed his career after that but United have always been my team.

If you'd seen a picture of him a few years earlier, you'd have been stuck supporting West Brom.

I genuinely feel sorry for people who don't understand the passion involved in supporting a team.

You really ABU. People without passions and real interests are not people I want in my life

That's ok, I feel a bit sorry back. I understand the interest and supporting a club, but I see (in some cases) an overriding obsession that takes away from passions and real interest.

If I picture someone with a passion for art and a real interest in renaissance art (say), that seems more fulfilling than an obsession in a particular sports team.

I didn't say obsession. I said passion. And it's perfectly possible to be passionate about loads of things.

I didn't say obsession. I said passion. And it's perfectly possible to be passionate about loads of things

But my op wasn't about passion, it was about obsession.

Although perhaps I didn't make it so explicit

I follow my football team to many cities in England. I can indulge my passion for art in a multitude of galleries. Visit museums and Cathedrals, national trust properties galore.
Then off to the match to support my team.

Passion doesn’t equal obsession. People might be passionate when the game is on and might chat about it at work or with friends a few days later. That doesn’t make it obsessive. There are plenty of people that spend money/time/energy on their interests and its fine and normal.

A passion for art is no more “fulfilling” than a passion for sport either, that’s purely your opinion, To be honest I think you sound a bit prejudiced and want to make out all people that support or follow sports teams fit your pre conceived stereotype

Good point Lifecraft, thankfully I was only 6 when he joined United so I was saved! Thankfully he'd got rid of the perm by 1986 otherwise I might never have noticed him!