Local Football Clubs

[northbank123]

Just interested, does anybody ever watch their local team play or otherwise take an interest? Anything from lower league clubs right down to village kickabouts?

(JD we know Arsenal are your local team, I'll save you the hassle )

[Leyton Gooner]

Well actually only fans of small clubs like Wolves, Stoke and Wigan "support their local team", as they always take great delight in letting us know.

In serious answer to your question, I do go and watch matches at Orient when Arsenal aren't playing or I can't attend an away game, but I wasn't born and brought up in Leyton so I'm not really fussed what the score is, just go to watch a football match.

[BournemouthRED]

I moved down to Bournemouth 7 years ago this summer and have been once!!

Thought it was shit tbh, wasn't cheap and full of *word censored*. Home from home you might say then

[cdparky]

My local team is Aldershot, started going there when my parents declared I was too young to head up to The Arsenal. Freshly relegated from the football league and into administration - after 1992 it's awful they've been managed this badly again. Still go along when I can (and assuming they still exist next season).

[wilko49er]

Crawley town.Shitty little ground but not bad game against Afc Wimbledon, 2011. Would go again, eventually.

[northbank123]

I went down to watch Cardiff 3 times around Christmas one season when I couldn't get to Arsenal games for a few months for one reason or another. Never had any interest in them but fancied a football fix. Quite different going to Ninian Park and being able to stand but despite them being the best Cardiff team for a few years (at the time) they were still only pulling in well under 10,000 as I recall, none of these gobby younger fellas that are 'massive CCFC fans' now they're in the PL.

I also used to go and watch Wales all the time when I was younger - when they were a good team you could get a season ticket for 5 qualifiers for £50 adults £25 kids - and as many on here will testify Millennium Stadium is a great place to go to a football game because of its location.

Unfortunately the FAW is doing its absolute best to butcher Welsh football

[SWLGooner]

Fulham or AFC Wimbledon for me. I used to go over Fulham with a mate when they still didn't do barcodes and it was £10 for a child ticket which worked for both of us
Always in with the away fans mind, Fulham fans do my head in

[g88ner]

I've never had a local team

I was in a taxi in Swansea a few months back, and we got talking about football. He asked who I supported, and I said Arsenal (obviously) which didn't seem to impress him much given my northern accent. Anyway, I asked who he supported, and his response - coming straight from the JD school of patronisation - was certainly intended to put me in my place... "I'm from Swansea boyo, so I support Swansea. You should always support your local team".

Anyway, I then explained that I don't have a local team owing to the fact I was born and raised in the heart of the Lake District. Barrow FC are possibly my local team, but given that they're nearly an hour away by car and are never ever mentioned in my local newspaper, I have zero reason to like them whatsoever. Likewise Lancaster FC and Morecambe, who again are an hour in the opposite direction and are never discussed down the pub or in the local paper - so I've no reason to have any interest in them either

So, brought up in a sporting vacuum that is the Lake District, I took on the team my dad supported and that was that. Gooner ever since.

Was at Bristol university, so followed Rovers and City from time to time and now settled in Derby, so go to Pride Park once in a blue moon. Oh, and my brother's a Preston North End fan, so I've been to a few play-off finals down the years as well (they lost all of them ).

Anyway, that's my autobiography. Makes for a riveting read, doesn't it?

[storrmin571]

My local team are now in the Premiership, been down to ninian park once or twice and a few more to the new ground.

[northbank123]

Jesus g88ner the Lake District sounds like a rather boring place

I was convinced when I came to Nottingham 4 years ago that I'd go to watch Forest and County once but discovered pretty soon I couldn't be arsed to be honest I'd rather save the money and put it towards going down to see Arsenal. And then spend it on going out and getting pissed instead

To be fair some of the prices are a bit surprising. It would have been twice as expensive for me to go and watch Notts County in League Two than watch Forest push for automatic promotion (plus they had an unbelievably good home record).

I don't know what the going rate is but £20 a ticket seemed very steep to watch League Two football. Can't be hoping to attract many non-hardcore fans with that sort of price at that sort of level.

[Rosie_titters]

use to go and watch Woking, a few years back, when they had a decent cup run, beating WBA at the Hawthorns and just losing out to Everton at Goodison, memory serves me right Clive Walker, did well for the cards

[StuartL]

Have been to see Ipswich once or twice over the years but not for at least 10 !!
Did a couple of Colchester away trips by minibus when I played for a local(ish) pub team which was even longer ago than that.

Never the same though as I didn't particularly care about the match result and therefore the rush / buzz / adrenalin just isn't there.

As mentioned it still ain't cheap to watch championship (or lower) sides so why bother ?

I much prefer to go and see a gig now - bands play their best, appreciate you coming to see them and generally you have a good night without feeling ripped off / angry / frustrated.

[arseofacrow]

Just been to watch Fortuna Koln v Viktoria Koln in the Regionaliga (conference).

3-1 deserved victory for Fortuna - piss poor turnout from the Viktoria fans, who I think collectively shat themselves at coming over the Rhine to get their arses spanked.

It's not that cheap, if you compare it to FC Koln (Championship) but a good set of fans, good and original songs, plus getting drenched in the rainstorm

Finally, went to see Union Berlin last week and it was effing brillant. Puts the Arsenal "expereince" to shame.

[Rugby Gooner]

Rugby Town. Were called V.S. Rugby when they won the F.A. Vase,but have reverted to Rugby Town.I was there Mascot/ball boy in the 70,s,and I was also there in 1991 when they beat Man Utd in a testemonial for the then Manager,Jimmy Knox,(brother of Archie),at Butlin Road,
I got to have a good chat with Alex Ferguson that night,I tried to make a joke to him about his then Goalkeeper,(Jim Leighton),having tried to throw himself under the team bus because of the defeat,but it went underneath him,but he didn't seem impressed!!!

[LDB]

Sutton united. Been twice, to a play off semi final first leg last season which they lost and once with my dad when I was 9 or so. Wasn't as cheap as I expected and full of fucking mongs.