Changed Allegiances

[Pitsmoorian]

I've got allegiances to several teams. Started with Liverpool, then Lincoln City, dabbled with Wednesday, got hooked by the Blades, followed Barca for a few years, have held a season ticket for 15 years with Bohemians Praha, have connections to Celtic and St Johnstone, and show a passing interest in Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Southampton, West Ham, Stirling Albion, Wimbledon, St Pauli and also, the most puzzling one for me, Osasuna.

That last one only came about from going to Barca games and asking my mate whether all fans in Spain were so shit. He said the Osasuna fans were good.

Went to a few bohs games in Prague. Had mates who were teaching over there. The millwall of Prague apparently. Great atmosphere!

 

[Alan Birchenall's hair]

No, you can't change. You may watch Blades as summat to do, and you may want them to win rather than lose, but your heart should always be at Boro.....

 

[Maidenhead]

I absolutely LOVE that my mates from over the years (Scunthorpe, Northampton, Poole, Peterborough...) who growing up nailed their colours to the mast as Man United fans (glory hunters, barely go to OT) during the best of times are now having their loyalty well and truly tested in these years when they are properly shite.

If they are "properly shite" where the hell does that leave us in the pecking order?

 

[BarcaBlade]

Went to a few bohs games in Prague. Had mates who were teaching over there. The millwall of Prague apparently. Great atmosphere!

Not sure I get the Millwall comparison. Generally more left wing and aligned with St Pauli and the like.

 

[mattbianco1]

A very well known Blade was a Man City fan as a young un. I believe they moved over to Sheffield in the 80’s, and he became a mad, mad Blade.

There's a number of Man City fans who have started supporting Wednesday

 

[shorehamview]

There's a number of Man City fans who have started supporting Wednesday

Really? They’ve kept that quiet…..

 

[Middle Aged Blade]

No, you can't change. You may watch Blades as summat to do, and you may want them to win rather than lose, but your heart should always be at Boro.....

It’s a fair point and maybe you are right, but my heart is completely at S2 and I only keep a fond eye on Boro.
It just seemed more natural when I started to watch United and having season tickets year after year, which was something that I didn’t have with Boro.
I have lived in Sheffield longer than anywhere else and have no intention of moving.
I realise that won’t resonate with all people, but hopefully gives more of an understanding.

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

My dad grew up in the age of blokes going to Hillsbrough one week and the Lane the week after. The youngest of 3, his older brother used to take him to Hillsbrough (the brother was a staunch Wednesday). My dad eventually went to the Lane with a mate and said he "just felt right" and that was that. So not really a change of allegiance, but he kind of chose off his own back. Usually we follow our dad's, don't we?

 

[Kenilworth]

Left Sheffield to work in the south in the early 80’s Son born in 1998 has never lived within a hundred miles of Sheffield but he has been a season ticket holder from 1995 and now does more games than me . Through many difficult times it has united us I have no doubt his children will be blades

Proper parenting

 

[SherburnBlade]

Left Sheffield to work in the south in the early 80’s Son born in 1998 has never lived within a hundred miles of Sheffield but he has been a season ticket holder from 1995 and now does more games than me . Through many difficult times it has united us I have no doubt his children will be blades

My only question would be how he got a season ticket 3 years before he was born, but well done to all involved!

 

[Kenilworth]

Next one over from Bellhouse.

Bell end?

 

[Kenilworth]

My Dad was born on 8 May 1925 in 252 Sicey Avenue. His Dad had a ticket for the 1925 FA Cup Final but didn't go as the birth of his only son took priority. My Grandad was a keen Blade + brought my Dad up the same , despite living in a Piggy estate. Later they moved to 25 Fircroft Avenue , where I loved visiting my Grandparents. My Dad & Mum set up home just off Herries Road + I went to Longley school in Southey Green which was almost totally blue & white. So I was always a lone Blade until going to High Storrs in 1969. But then came 70/71 , amongst Blades at school , which was just brilliant.
I went to Uni in Brum but always returned to the Lane , then to London which made it more difficult. There came a point where I had the choice of 3 jobs , Paris , London or Cheshire so I chose the latter coz it was nearer the Lane.
My lad was born in Sale , Cheshire (technically Trafford + effectively South Manchester).
He came to the Lane with me but then from 11 started playing sports at a high level , which I saw as a far more healthy passion than supporting a football club , so the family tradition is broken.
He's 27 + lived abroad these last 4 years.
I'm glad he isn't obsessed with a football club like me.
I came from a modest 1960s childhood and following the Blades gave me a passion + opportunities (eg working at the ground for 7 years) which I wouldn't otherwise have had. My connection to the Lane is immutable.
My lad comes from a middle class childhood in another city in which he's so many opportunities for recreation that attending matches + getting obsessed with a football club as a supporter were never going to be as fulfilling as playing Water Polo for Great Britain

I allus feel sorry for the horses

 

[Middle Aged Blade]

My dad grew up in the age of blokes going to Hillsbrough one week and the Lane the week after. The youngest of 3, his older brother used to take him to Hillsbrough (the brother was a staunch Wednesday). My dad eventually went to the Lane with a mate and said he "just felt right" and that was that. So not really a change of allegiance, but he kind of chose off his own back. Usually we follow our dad's, don't we?

I never had the pleasure of going with my dad - He was never into football. I used to go with my big brother, who took me on occasion to Ayresome Park. His mates were all serious Boro fans, whereas mine were ‘fans’ of other teams, such as Liverpool or Man Utd.

 

[Rocketmark66]

No. I have lived in this region properly since 1983 but have never felt the need to go and cheer Pompey or Gosport Borough on. I follow them in the local press, and would like Pompey to get back into the Championship (so I can have an away day at Fratton) but frankly I couldn't give much of a fat fuck for the plastic cockney cunts.

pommpey

Brother in law lives in Gosport, has done since he joined the navy in the 70's.
I once asked him the same question about supporting a different team such as Pompey, as it's closer to home.
He gave me a death stare and told me to go fuck myself, i took that answer as a No.

 

[Keen Blade]

I allus feel sorry for the horses

They love playing once they're in the pool , but getting them out is tricky , coz there's no shallow-end

 

[Keen Blade]

I've got allegiances to several teams. Started with Liverpool, then Lincoln City, dabbled with Wednesday, got hooked by the Blades, followed Barca for a few years, have held a season ticket for 15 years with Bohemians Praha, have connections to Celtic and St Johnstone, and show a passing interest in Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Southampton, West Ham, Stirling Albion, Wimbledon, St Pauli and also, the most puzzling one for me, Osasuna.

That last one only came about from going to Barca games and asking my mate whether all fans in Spain were so shit. He said the Osasuna fans were good.

The most puzzling one for me is West Ham , the cheating Govt-backed bastards , I have a photo of Sir Trevor in my dartboard , the smarmy cunt

 

[CaptainMorgans]

My first live football games were watching Nottingham Forest.
Outside of them I was supporting Man Utd's late 90s team.
Then I hit secondary school and started following the Blades with lads my own age. Season tickets from year 7 onwards. In my 30s now & never looked back.
No soft spot for Forest or Man U.

 

[Keen Blade]

My dad grew up in the age of blokes going to Hillsbrough one week and the Lane the week after. The youngest of 3, his older brother used to take him to Hillsbrough (the brother was a staunch Wednesday). My dad eventually went to the Lane with a mate and said he "just felt right" and that was that. So not really a change of allegiance, but he kind of chose off his own back. Usually we follow our dad's, don't we?

Those were the days when going to the footy was truly an affordable working-man's pastime. I remember several of my Grandad's mates who went regularly to both grounds + just wanted the Sheffield team to win ... an era of genuine egalitarian sportsmanship embraced by several thousand. Yes , these blokes might have their favourite , but no enmity for the "other lot". This must be inconceivable nowadays to the tribal warriors but I saw it with my own eyes. Then came the 60s + the beginnings of footy violence which was my introduction to the scene , so I knew I had to pick my side.
I remember lots of good natured joshing & banter between my Dad's mates who were a mixture - fortunately it's never excluded Pig fans from my social circle , but over the course of 55 years , it's my Blades mates who stayed the closest , which I suppose is inevitable from the common bond which stretches all the way round the world from Canada to Australia , where two of them have lived for almost 40 years but still have STs !