England, Joey Barton and Me

[Longtime Blade]

On Newsnight yesterday Jeremy Paxman interviewed Joey Barton following the appointment of the

new England manager. Barton said that there was a North/South divide in English football and that

there were many great stadiums on the North of England. He didn't spell it out any further but the

clear implication of his remarks is that many fans up North resent the fact that all England's home

games take place at Wembley and that, perhaps, they are less than totally enthusiastic in their

support of the national side.

It was in the late sixties, I think, that the decision was made to play all England's future home games

at Wembley and that has happened ever since (apart from two or three games about ten years ago).

Well, I've resented it ever since then and I'm not ashamed to admit that, although I do support our

national side - especially against the big teams like Germany and Italy - I do get a bit of secret joy

when they fail to win at Wembley. If they always play their home games in London they seem like a

London team.

Has any survey ever been carried out to find out from where the fans at England's home games

have travelled to get there? For my part, I would never consider spending time and money going to

London to watch an England game at Wembley. I'm ready to be slated by faithful England followers

but I bet there are United fans who post on here who feel the same way.

 

[Large Mendonca]

No slating from me, and to be honest i'm largely passive as to how England perform in any competition.

 

[mpjacko]

The problem with Barton is that one min he talks sense i.e with the north / south divide yet the next he will do something silly which hinders the team like being sent off or destroys the dress room spirit by criticizing the manger if they don't get on.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

No North/South divide for me. Big England fan - although the Blades come first, obviously.

 

[Bladesman]

The problem with Barton is that one min he talks sense i.e with the north / south divide yet the next he will do something silly which hinders the team like being sent off or destroys the dress room spirit by criticizing the manger if they don't get on.

He talks sense sometimes but then lets himself down and gives people more reason to think he is still a prick.

 

[dannycorker]

Love England, watch them on TV. But never gone down to Wembley to watch them, only seen them once at Old Trafford. Would be better if games were played at Birmingham or somewhere like that, in the middle. We shouldn't really complain though, England is tiny compared to most countries! 3 hour drive down to London isn't so bad.

 

[TopBoy]

I used to go to every England home (Wembley) game and did Euro 2004 but that clown Sven did it for me. How he continues to get well paid jobs is a bloody miracle. I don't think there is a North / South divide when it comes to supporting England, in fact most of the lads we used to bump into were "Northern".

 

[CrookesBlade]

When the England side went 'on the road' whilst Wembley was being re-built it seemed to create an upsurge of interest in the national side. I'd love to go to an England match but can't really justify forking out nearly £100 for tickets plus travel for a meaningless friendly, especially when supporting United home and away is such a dear do.

How many other countries with populations similar to ours (or bigger) constantly make their capital the focus of everything? Germany, Spain, France, Italy etc recognise the importance of their other major cities both in sporting and non sporting terms and are better off for it.

 

[SwissBlade]

England played a number of games in the north whilst the new wembley was being built and it was during a period of great support for England, it was passionate and inspiring.

Now, because of the agreement with the FA to pay for wembley, England games, cup finals, play off finals and FA cup semis all have to be played at wembley. Great.

However, wembley and England's fans at wembley provide a dour, lifeless atmosphere to match the tepid football. There is no passion. I've held England membership for years and will cancel it this year when my renewal comes in.

It's fair to say that I don't like wembley

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

The games have to be played at Wembley to cover the ridiculous decision to build it in the first place.

Yes it would be better if the England team toured the country, even if qualifiers were played at the "national stadium". But that should have been around the Coventry/Birmingham area where everyone can get to it easily, rather than at the arse end of a crud encrusted industrial estate.

 

[stannyblade]

3 hour drive down to London isn't so bad.

For us maybe but what about those further north?
They should never have rebuilt Wembley and it should have been just off the M1 around the M42 turn off

 

[Ted Danson]

Couldnt give a flying feck about England until the major tournaments start and I wouldn't even be bothered about them if there was proper footy happening. Its just a good excuse to go out boozing and I suppose its quite novel watching footy with my piggy mates and be supporting the same team. Even if they played at BL I dont think Id bother going. If England started playing with the passion of say Mexico I might get a little more interested but recently the players look like they dont want to be there either.

 

[VespaBlade]

I love my country as much as I love the Blades but I have never been happy that they play at Wembley all the time. It was better when they went around the country.

The decision to rebuild Wembley stadium where it is was a daft one.
It should of been in a more central part of the country for easier access to get people in and out of.

Trying to get away from the stadium in playoff finals, cup semis and England matches have never been easy(although I have never left there after seeing my team win, so it might be better with a smile on my face)

As for Barton I realise I will be in the minority when I say I like him and he does talk sense sometimes and although I didn't see the interview I agree with his comments.

 

[judge]

Asking Joey Barton about playing for England is like asking me about robinsons barley water

 

[Ted Danson]

I love my country as much as I love the Blades but I have never been happy that they play at Wembley all the time. It was better when they went around the country.

The decision to rebuild Wembley stadium where it is was a daft one.
It should of been in a more central part of the country for easier access to get people in and out of.
.

I dont think its the ordinary people they care about. The corporate sponsours are the only ones who are important to them and we cant have them having to drive all the way out of london can we

 

[VespaBlade]

True...

They spent a lot of money on building the bloody thing and are now devaluing the game by staging semi-finals there etc..
But that's the FA for you.. money orientated and out of touch.

 

[Bath Blade]

I don't think there is a North / South divide when it comes to supporting England, in fact most of the lads we used to bump into were "Northern".

I agree, in my days of following England (before commitments put paid to it), it was more of a Premier / non-Prem divide in terms of the fans. The significant majority of fans who followed England away supported lower league teams, but from all over the country.

 

[Paulus]

For us maybe but what about those further north?
They should never have rebuilt Wembley and it should have been just off the M1 around the M42 turn off

I know what you mean but there isn't an M42 turn off on the M1!

 

[judge]

I know what you mean but there isn't an M42 turn off on the M1!

End of thread

 

[metalblade]

Trying to get away from the stadium in playoff finals, cup semis and England matches have never been easy(although I have never left there after seeing my team win, so it might be better with a smile on my face)

dunno I was in our house at just after 8 o'clock after the Burnley game at Wembley, final whistle, 10 mins later on tube to Kings Cross, straight on the 18:00 Edinburgh express 1st stop at Donny at 19:25, cross the platform onto a Sheffield local just ready to leave, taxi from Midland station just before 20:00 home just after 8 in time to kick the poor cat.

I do know some people who had just managed to leave the car park by the time I was home.

 

[Melbourne Blade]

Hang on, didn't they hold a world cup & european champ qualifier outside Wembley before? Prob while it was being build but I'm sure they played games at Stadium of Light and Old Trafford.

I think London will always be the location of choice purely due to geographical reason (international teams will fly into London - although there are other airports in the UK of course!) and it's where the fat cat FA are based.

On the subject of England, perhaps because i'm an expat or perhaps because they've played so shit in the past few tournaments & the team is full of your automatically picked premier league darlings, but I find my passion for the national team dwindles each year unfortunately. Even to the stage I don't give a shit about the upcoming tournament. (don't think it's an expat thing as my dutch mate is beyond excited!)

 

[shorehamview]

England? Meh. I don't really give two hoots if England win the Euros or get tonked in the group stages and fail to get a point. They're not my team, they're a set of under-achievers no more deserving of my support than Germany, Spain or any other side. The FA don't give a shit about teams lower than the Premier League. And any organisation that's got Trevor "Me old mates West Ham - I scored the winner in the Cup Final you know" Brooking can go fuck themselves, frankly.

The England team also seem incapable of translating their club form into international form too. I'll watch them and hope that any ex-Blades in the side do well, but that's about it. I watch the World Cup and the Euros for the football, not for England. I love football, but not the England team that consistently lets us down. There's only one team that constantly breaks my heart, and it isn't England.

 

[IOM Blade]

No North/South divide for me. Big England fan - although the Blades come first, obviously.

Dito. My bro works for the FA and gets a few tickets per match so we usually go across for the qualifiers. Went to Germany in 06 too. Love the tourneys, nothing generates passion and unites the country as much as a good WC or EC.

Oh, and you can shove your Olympics up your arse.

 

[Ted Danson]

True...

They spent a lot of money on building the bloody thing and are now devaluing the game by staging semi-finals there etc..
But that's the FA for you.. money orientated and out of touch.

Err isnt that because of us though?