You're right about the club picking you. Back in 2005 or so I picked up watching EPL, and really wanted to be an Arsenal fan, but it never "clicked," even with Henry...so I started looking at clubs with American players. Man City and Fulham had history with some and I was this close to latching onto Man City (before they became the crazy money club they are today) but instead of fell for Fulham...mostly because I pulled for the Texan on the team...Clint Dempsey. Attended a preseason match at The Cottage vs Roma and bought a Dempsey jersey (had to special order the kit as he was new to the team). Never looked back. Now I pull for players like Ream and Jedi...stuck with a club that faces relegation on a routine basis, but can't help it now. They're my club.
I don’t see how anyone new to soccer could ever become a Chelsea fan, especially now. They are a team of mercenaries with no heart or identity. If I was a neutral I think Brighton is playing some of the most attractive soccer and is a great non big 6 option.
#COYS since 1992. Years of suffering watching Spurs bottling it and I still watch obsessively and love it. You might want to mention local support groups and watch parties, some people will be down for that. Blackburn and QPR were fun to watch back in the day.
My journey began today with Tot/Man U. I am now a diehard spurs follower and and I have purchased full home & away kits being delivered overnight...am I doing it right?
I was lucky. I became a fan of the beautiful game in 1966, a rabid follower of the Dallas Tornado from day one. learned about the European game from shows on PBS such as Soccer Made in Germany.
started following ManU back when Bobby Charlton, Georgie Best and Denis Law were on it, but have moved on to following Liverpool (something my son and I follow together) have been and always will be a fan of Bayern (Gerd Muller, Franz "Der Kaiser" Beckenbauer). to get news about the Bundesliga I would head down to Kuby's and purchase a copy of Kicker Sport (thank goodness I took German in HS) to get Bundesliga News
I've attended or watched every WC since 1966 to present. oh for the days of closed circuit TV broadcasts of the WC Finals
I've followed FC Dallas since the beginning. My son follows Houston Dynamo since he was born there. (I still prefer Dynamos original name of Houston 1836 too bad the beginnings of wokeism killed it)
today I've feel like i've died and gone to soccer heaven able to follow and watch the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and more via the internet and satellite tv
I would be interested to know how many subscriptions ApplePlus sold of their MLS package
Just finished a book on the history of London teams and found myself drawn to Palace over and over. I’ve lived in the UK 7 years and have only ever paid attention to the local team - Oxford United.
I find Palace to be similar to my love of the Rangers - mediocrity for years with small bouts of greatness but never quite where you want them to be. Dipping my toe in the water with Palace. Finding them easy to cheer on - and not setting up expectations for a strong season.
Had to buy a Chelsea jersey for someone’s birthday once. Felt gross.
I’m a weird one on picking an EPL team. Back in the late ‘00s I started following City specifically because they weren’t United. I ended up falling off on them right before they were transformed. Didn’t really mind missing out, either, as it didn’t feel natural.
I tend to find myself gravitating to the bottom of the table. Watching the desperation to stay above the regulation line can be quite the battle in the final weeks.
But in that vein, I tend to like the “lesser” teams in an area, like Spurs and Everton. It’s a bit satisfying when they get the better of their derby rivals.
Newbie here. Buddy from Denmark told me about Eerling Haaland hanging at Peticolas one day. The next weekend I put it on and he scored 2 ridiculous goals. Had no clue who Man City was or that they were even good. Just thought Haaland was fun to watch. Def picked me bc now I’m obsessed. And as lame as I know it is front running or whatever but it is what it is. Can’t go back now already hooked.
I will admit that when I started following the Prem back in 2007, it was, in part, because Tom Hicks already owned 2 teams I rooted for, so why not add a 3rd to add to the disappointment...and because you supported them.
But I quickly realized just as my college team had a storied history (OU), so too, did Liverpool. And it didn't hurt that their primary color is also red.
Since then, I've lived through the unexpected title challenge in 2008-09 when Liverpool did the double over United, including a 4-1 win at OT, to the lows of H&G almost pulling us into administration (shocking that from a Tom Hicks owned club), through FSG stewarding the club, to almost winning the title in 2014, sinking in 2015 and at the start of 2016 when Jurgen Klopp was hired, to qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in years, to the unlikely run to the CL Final in 2018, title challenge in 2019 along with erasing a 3-0 deficit in a semifinal tie to Messi and Barca and then winning it for a 6th time in Madrid, and to, finally, the one thing Reds supporters had yearned for for much longer that I had been a supporter.
Getting back on that F'ing perch years after Fergie knocked us off of it!
Thanks Bob very helpful to a neophyte like me. I still don’t get it and don’t like watching the game, but I usually watch the 2nd half of a football game- I’m an odd duck as I like NCAA men’s lacrosse. I do respect you EPL soccer guys and how you keep up with all the teams and players. I have toured the Man U stadium and HOF museum when I was over there in 2007 because I knew a bit of the history and was staying in Manchester for a few days. As a sports fan, why not go see it?
Who are the best writers, journalists, Twitter follows, podcasts, misc. media?
You're right about the club picking you. Back in 2005 or so I picked up watching EPL, and really wanted to be an Arsenal fan, but it never "clicked," even with Henry...so I started looking at clubs with American players. Man City and Fulham had history with some and I was this close to latching onto Man City (before they became the crazy money club they are today) but instead of fell for Fulham...mostly because I pulled for the Texan on the team...Clint Dempsey. Attended a preseason match at The Cottage vs Roma and bought a Dempsey jersey (had to special order the kit as he was new to the team). Never looked back. Now I pull for players like Ream and Jedi...stuck with a club that faces relegation on a routine basis, but can't help it now. They're my club.
I don’t see how anyone new to soccer could ever become a Chelsea fan, especially now. They are a team of mercenaries with no heart or identity. If I was a neutral I think Brighton is playing some of the most attractive soccer and is a great non big 6 option.
All gunners are runners.
#COYS
#COYS since 1992. Years of suffering watching Spurs bottling it and I still watch obsessively and love it. You might want to mention local support groups and watch parties, some people will be down for that. Blackburn and QPR were fun to watch back in the day.
My journey began today with Tot/Man U. I am now a diehard spurs follower and and I have purchased full home & away kits being delivered overnight...am I doing it right?
Absolutely not because why would you willingly choose an existence of constant suffering.
I was lucky. I became a fan of the beautiful game in 1966, a rabid follower of the Dallas Tornado from day one. learned about the European game from shows on PBS such as Soccer Made in Germany.
started following ManU back when Bobby Charlton, Georgie Best and Denis Law were on it, but have moved on to following Liverpool (something my son and I follow together) have been and always will be a fan of Bayern (Gerd Muller, Franz "Der Kaiser" Beckenbauer). to get news about the Bundesliga I would head down to Kuby's and purchase a copy of Kicker Sport (thank goodness I took German in HS) to get Bundesliga News
I've attended or watched every WC since 1966 to present. oh for the days of closed circuit TV broadcasts of the WC Finals
I've followed FC Dallas since the beginning. My son follows Houston Dynamo since he was born there. (I still prefer Dynamos original name of Houston 1836 too bad the beginnings of wokeism killed it)
today I've feel like i've died and gone to soccer heaven able to follow and watch the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and more via the internet and satellite tv
I would be interested to know how many subscriptions ApplePlus sold of their MLS package
Just finished a book on the history of London teams and found myself drawn to Palace over and over. I’ve lived in the UK 7 years and have only ever paid attention to the local team - Oxford United.
I find Palace to be similar to my love of the Rangers - mediocrity for years with small bouts of greatness but never quite where you want them to be. Dipping my toe in the water with Palace. Finding them easy to cheer on - and not setting up expectations for a strong season.
Had to buy a Chelsea jersey for someone’s birthday once. Felt gross.
I’m a weird one on picking an EPL team. Back in the late ‘00s I started following City specifically because they weren’t United. I ended up falling off on them right before they were transformed. Didn’t really mind missing out, either, as it didn’t feel natural.
I tend to find myself gravitating to the bottom of the table. Watching the desperation to stay above the regulation line can be quite the battle in the final weeks.
But in that vein, I tend to like the “lesser” teams in an area, like Spurs and Everton. It’s a bit satisfying when they get the better of their derby rivals.
Haha I remember your original post...its what lead me to even think about perhaps rooting for a prem team. Sergio Aguero took care of the rest.
Newbie here. Buddy from Denmark told me about Eerling Haaland hanging at Peticolas one day. The next weekend I put it on and he scored 2 ridiculous goals. Had no clue who Man City was or that they were even good. Just thought Haaland was fun to watch. Def picked me bc now I’m obsessed. And as lame as I know it is front running or whatever but it is what it is. Can’t go back now already hooked.
Okay...you’ve convinced me. I know nothing...but Aston Villa grabbed me with the Scottish connection.
I will admit that when I started following the Prem back in 2007, it was, in part, because Tom Hicks already owned 2 teams I rooted for, so why not add a 3rd to add to the disappointment...and because you supported them.
But I quickly realized just as my college team had a storied history (OU), so too, did Liverpool. And it didn't hurt that their primary color is also red.
Since then, I've lived through the unexpected title challenge in 2008-09 when Liverpool did the double over United, including a 4-1 win at OT, to the lows of H&G almost pulling us into administration (shocking that from a Tom Hicks owned club), through FSG stewarding the club, to almost winning the title in 2014, sinking in 2015 and at the start of 2016 when Jurgen Klopp was hired, to qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in years, to the unlikely run to the CL Final in 2018, title challenge in 2019 along with erasing a 3-0 deficit in a semifinal tie to Messi and Barca and then winning it for a 6th time in Madrid, and to, finally, the one thing Reds supporters had yearned for for much longer that I had been a supporter.
Getting back on that F'ing perch years after Fergie knocked us off of it!
Thanks Bob very helpful to a neophyte like me. I still don’t get it and don’t like watching the game, but I usually watch the 2nd half of a football game- I’m an odd duck as I like NCAA men’s lacrosse. I do respect you EPL soccer guys and how you keep up with all the teams and players. I have toured the Man U stadium and HOF museum when I was over there in 2007 because I knew a bit of the history and was staying in Manchester for a few days. As a sports fan, why not go see it?
Go Canaries!
Fulham seems to have a pipeline of American world cup players. They're a fun follow too. #COYW