It's a bit like earlier when you claimed you had to go as friends were coming round but according to the bottom of the screen you were still browsing this thread. When I pointed this out, you logged off two minutes later. You're fooling no one!
Politics doesn't affect your life? So you don't pay tax, VAT, or claim any benefits? You don't buy food or clothes or cars or houses? You don't pay council tax, sit in a council owned park or ever need help from the police or fire services? You've never used the NHS or have children at school or college or university? Plus a myriad of other things which are directly and indirectly affected by politics? You must share with us how you manage to completely avoid politics in your life!
as I said the computer doesnt follow me around ya numpty I just went and ordered a takeaway, but was 'logged on'
Years ago one of the sponsorship boards at Old Trafford was that late lamented book maker - Mecca. He's been hooked ever since
you probably wont believe it anyways but here goes I was about 6 coming to the UK, had never really seen or heard of football (played hockey and cricket) Stoke were in the first division (there was also vale) all around me were city fans and it was themain topic of converstion in the playground etc Yet as a minority you avoided match days and being near the old victoria ground, and the area (stoke not stoke on trent as a whole) was a no go area for minorities generally The other main football was England There was a lass at my school (she looked like beryl the peril) who was a massive UTD fan and had moved to stoke from manchester and being a 'foreigner' struck up a friendship with me and 'introduced' me to the UTD players and UTD. started from there really Since then went to OT never had problems, still get hassled at Brittannia. As I mentioned before somewhere I took a load of BME kids to their first England (U21) game as part of the 'kick racism....' thing and we got nothing but abuse. It was at the Brittania V Portugal. some of the lads had england tops on etc but we still had to be escorted on to the bus. One of the aisan lads even had trials at stoke but left due to the abuse he got thing is most of them and me are/were footie mad. PS the other option was LFC as thats what my cousins etc supported Funnily enough I didnt want to be a glory hunter like them
Whats your point? half your board, even your Belfast mod get into the local rivalries (calling L,pool fans scouse scum etc..) despite being hardly near the place. I do not get caught up in such idiocy during tyne-wear derbies as I know I am not from the place. But at least the town where I grew up is actually called Newcastle which may go a short way to explaining why I support the team which gives me a slightly more genuine reason than half the plastics on the utd board who all have their own unique reasons why they are true fans and not glory hunters despite not having the slightest connection with the place
My point is that you were bringing attention to United's foreign fanbase, despite being a supporter of an overseas football team yourself.
I dont have a connection with the place Jackie and I guess in some people eyes (not saying you) I am a plastic But for me support is not how some people see or define it. For example when I was studying for my degree I lived in merseyside. I made 'scouse' friends and was invited and taken to LFC matches. Ian Rush testimonial and an FA cup 4th round (i think) against Villa. I had no problems going and wouldnt with any other club unless there were safety concerns etc I dont 'hate' ANY club in the way some do and I have often gotten grief for saying rooney isnt world class etc Now some think this is due to not being a 'proper' fan. However I am the same with the other passion in my life, cricket. I have been to watch england v India in the WC at edgbaston, no probs. Have seen australia, but despite knowing a few pakistan players on a personal level, have never watched pakistan live and cricket and pakistan were my 'first love' as the national sports when I was born were hockey and cricket
I have no problem with out-of-towners following United. As long as they stay loyal to one team. However - and some people may disagree with me here - I'm not sure non-local fans (and I don't mean people who have moved away) can ever have quite the same passion for their team. Because they have no real affinity for the area their team represents. Football may be a global game, but I still think that even with teams that have big foreign and non-local followings (United, Liverpool, the Glasgow clubs etc), they represent their home city. I love Man United, but I also love Manchester/Salford. Just my opinion before anyone goes mental.
Stoke's not too far from Manchester though is it fan? No real difference between a stokie supporting united and someone from Stevenage supporting Arsenal. As a watford fan i get a bit annoyed at London Liverpool or man utd fans constantly ripping the piss and not taking it back but at the end of the day our football teams, musical tastes and book and film choices are about all that define us as individuals so live and let live i say.
