Football ...

[ZootHornRollo]

Like it or lump it, football is the sport of the masses in this country at least.
As far as cricket goes, not only is it boring but it is watched, and played by a slightly more middle class toffee nosed pile of C**** than you suggested played football. I cannot speak for it being owned by said people, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

Ironically, I shall be attending 3 Blackburn games shortly, despite being a spurs fan.

Ironically, White Hart Lane is my favourite ground - best atmosphere of any Premiership ground, used to be anyway. Can remember Klinsmann and Shearer duelling it out in 1995 (Spurs came out on top 3--1, Sutton scored the Rovers goal) and it was electric.

But as for the current football-watching constituency, it really has gone downhill: all you have now is a bunch of loud-mouth grousing fatheads who've grown up on Sky and expect immediate gratification and have no idea whatsoever what it is to follow a club.

Discuss.

[FellMonster]

Ironically, White Hart Lane is my favourite ground - best atmosphere of any Premiership ground, used to be anyway. Can remember Klinsmann and Shearer duelling it out in 1995 (Spurs came out on top 3--1, Sutton scored the Rovers goal) and it was electric.

But as for the current football-watching constituency, it really has gone downhill: all you have now is a bunch of loud-mouth grousing fatheads who've grown up on Sky and expect immediate gratification and have no idea whatsoever what it is to follow a club.

Discuss.

I can only share my own experiences. I have found fans at both White Hart Lane (my favourite ground also) and Ewood Park to be very hospitable though I was told not to cheer for Tottenham when they were at White Hart Lane as I'd get a beating (I sat on the Blackburn side)....The interesting frustration I found at White Hart lane was the supporters arriving 30 mins for the match and then constantly running in and out to the bar despite paying £65 a ticket for the games I was in attendance at......I guess some parts of North London are wealthy though.
I understand your point but it's very stereotypical....even more so than my snooty cricket fans comment.

[Derby Tup]

I used to love football but only really have a passing interest these days. Obscene wages haven't helped and in spite (pun intended) of the guy being a lunatic, Roy Keane hit the nail on the head with his prawn sandwiches comment a few years ago

[ZootHornRollo]

despite paying £65 a ticket.

does that not say it all?

I suspect we'd be in agreement about most things - though maybe not cricket by the sound of it!

Cricket, unfortunately maybe, became a game of the grammar school system, which I came from, from fairly lowly beginnings.

I like its values, just like I liked grammar school values.

Starting to sound like Alan bloody Bennett here.

[dominion]

So what is to "follow a club" then?

[FellMonster]

does that not say it all?

I suspect we'd be in agreement about most things - though maybe not cricket by the sound of it!

Cricket, unfortunately maybe, became a game of the grammar school system, which I came from, from fairly lowly beginnings.

I like its values, just like I liked grammar school values.

Starting to sound like Alan bloody Bennett here.

I've no doubt sir that you may be right. Perhaps we will yet share experiences about having hot crumpets nestling between our bottom cheeks as part of a grammar school club initiation.....after initially shunning grammar I too ended up there eventually.

[ZootHornRollo]

I've no doubt sir that you may be right. Perhaps we will yet share experiences about having hot crumpets nestling between our bottom cheeks as part of a grammar school club initiation.....after initially shunning grammar I too ended up there eventually.

begrudgingly, that made me laugh - almost out loud, but my grammar-school upbringing taught me not to show too much emotion.

[ZootHornRollo]

So what is to "follow a club" then?

dominion, I do realise I'm sounding very holier than thou, so let me defend my corner....

I do think there is a Sky generation: you come across lads shouting the odds in pubs, getting all worked up, and then you discover that they've never been to a match in their life.

So where does this 'passion' come from? It's not passion, it's not deeply felt, not in the way that for instance my mum's father went to Burnden Park in the 30s-40s cos it was more or less the only entertainment available.

I'm not saying it's 'invalid' - but now football is just another consumer commodity for a lot of people. Fine, OK, but don't pretend it's like it was, cos it ain't.

[FellMonster]

begrudgingly, that made me laugh - almost out loud, but my grammar-school upbringing taught me not to show too much emotion.

I'm pleased that you used the word begrudgingly. It shows clearly that we have much in common. And laughter suggests that perhaps you could possibly forgive me for the "fat feet" comment which was never actually directed at you in the first place anyway ......ask Iain R

[ZootHornRollo]

I'm pleased that you used the word begrudgingly. It shows clearly that we have much in common. And laughter suggests that perhaps you could possibly forgive me for the "fat feet" comment which was never actually directed at you in the first place anyway ......ask Iain R

Heh!

Got to admit, I am prone to taking offence re. feet - these paddies have given me so much jip over the years (that electric Clarke's foot-measuring device at the age of five? B * gger short-circuited when it met me), that it's one of the few things I'm likely to get wound up about.

Apart from Burnley.

And a cloudy pint, etc etc.