Aside from the obvious who is everyone's least favourite team in england and why? I'd have to say Liverpool. In the 70s and 80s they were little more than a state run oligarchy thanks to being owned by a major pools company, the level of refeeing bias at Anfield in those days was frightening with opposition players being arrested if they even went into the Liverpool penalty area, if you wanted to know the definition of arrogance you only had to look at the players and management team and elements of their fan base would make the Kray twins and all their cohorts look like Mother Theresa. We'll gloss over the racism because apparently that neevr happened.....I could go on but I think taht's enogh for now. So come on guys and gals - vent your spleen now.
Generally I don't waste much energy on this hate business, but if there's one it has to be Chelsea for me and it goes back many years to watching Bolton (Frank Worthington et al) play there with my brother-in-law (who was Bolton-born and bred) and my then pregnant sister. We stood in the away end, yet at half time, when Bolton were 3-0 up we were abused and threatened by a bunch of middle-aged yobs...and not a steward in sight. Can't say the coming of Abramovich and his dubiously acquired billions has done anything to ameliorate my dislike...
Obviously they would have to be #1 on my list, but as they are currently not a league club they might not meet the criteria of the posters question. Therefore I would leave Millwall and Dirty Leeds to fight it out for this accolade...but on a personal basis it would be closely followed by The Spuds simply because my as my old dad reminded me whenever the subject of football came up, they were "wrong 'uns"!
Theo,think I'd have been more worried about my pregnant sister playing for Bolton. Did she get any kicks ?
not just in the mix - but absolutely out there in front. Don revie on his own ( reading about his antics makes me sick), but it gets worse. Ridsdale & then Bates, the dishonest ownership - the administration and curious buyout . (Technically they should have been thrown out of the league. ) West Ham over tevez makes me queasy (esp. considering who runs our club and his role in the affair) but they are innocuous generally. As a general point, the clubs that seem to be mos dislikeable are the 'fallen giants' i.e. those whose supporters always think they deserve to be higher up the leagues than they are. Sheff Wed, Birmingham, Leeds (again!) Derby, Forest, and Man U ( no really - their arrogance, led by the manager is insufferable). I haven't had a good rant for ages . There, all over now.
Not a great venter Dan, but do remember going to the Old Den round about the mid 1950s. "You must be mad to go there, you are unlikely to get home in one piece" I was told, so even that far back there was a reputation that has been upheld. Despite a new ground and lots of efforts by the club to improve the image, they still attract a selection of trouble makers. Last season the worst lot that came on these boards were the fans from Forest who showed themselves up to be on the wrong side of sub-human. My friend who lives out here and supports Forest was not surprised as he spent fruitless hours trying to teach them, and was very glad when the option of retirement came about.
"Generally" is interesting in this context. I lived for 5 years or so in the 60s just south of Manchester and Old Trafford was the nearest ground. So I watched perhaps a 100 games or so there, including the era of Best, Law and Charlton. It means of course I don't have the same antagonism towards Man U that many down south do and I suppose if we ask this same question to some clubs who shall be nameless our beloved Hornets might get a mention or two!
Going back to the 70s and 80s it would have to be Chelsea, not just because of the mindless thugs who supported them then but because they seemed to have a high element of NF influence judging by having seen about 2,000 or so on the Shed giving the Nazi salute in unison - I will never forget that and hope never to see the like again. Generally now I like to see clubs with big bank balances lose so I am always glad to see Chelsea, Arsenal, or the two Manchester clubs on the end of a hammering.
Lucky to have seen that- they were a great team. I suppose I'm making the assumption that they are disliked because of the number of fair-weather, glory hunting supporters they accumulete. To be fair all the big (read wealthy) clubs do. 'They'll be singing in the streets of Torquay" as MUFC go 3 nil up, and all that.
