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Sergey
06-08-2019, 04:38 PM
I read this online today and it's quite a good read. Copy and pasted below:

The predominant narrative of the modern football supporter paints us all as one club obsessives, but for many
of us that all-encompassing obsession can be complemented with a number of “soft spots” for other clubs as
well.


When the subject of allegiance came up in my formative football education, I chose to read from a very
outdated syllabus. Unlike my 1980s school peers, I shunned the ‘big five’ to follow sides from England’s lower
divisions. On a given day, I could arrive in the playground wearing a Kidderminster Harriers cap or a Brighton
& Hove Albion scarf. To some friends, this overt polygamy was anathema. As a fan of football, rather than a
football fan, I wasn’t constrained by such tribal sensibilities. I soon found myself looking out for the results of
a wide range of clubs and for a wide range of reasons.


Family connections were responsible for some affinities. Holidays in Colwyn Bay fuelled a fondness for the
North Walian side. And frequent trips to my seafaring Grandparents in Suffolk were synonymous with reading
Felixstowe Town articles in the East Anglian Daily Times while everyone else watched Howards’ Way. Around
this period, I wrote to hundreds of teams in England, Wales and Scotland requesting memorabilia. Dartford,
then of the Southern League, replied with a six-page hand written letter from the ‘secretary and tea lady’
thanking me for getting in touch, along with autographs and a bundle of programmes. It ensured them a
permanent place in my affections. So much so, that when the Darts lost their ground and withdrew from the
pyramid in 1992, I felt a genuine sense of sorrow.


What really piqued my emotions though, were team names. The more obscure, the better. On certain magical
Saturdays, the Grandstand vidiprinter would churn out results from the early rounds of the English and Scottish
Cups. Alongside Manchester United and Liverpool, appeared Gala Fairydean, Civil Service Strollers and
Billingham Synthonia. It was a rare portal into a fascinating word, long before the internet shined a light on
football’s darkest recesses. I developed attachments to a raft of new clubs that in some cases have stayed for
life. What I couldn’t ascertain was how widespread this phenomenon might be. Was I just a bit odd? Or were
kindred spirits lurking out there? So a few years ago, after the topic unexpectedly arose during an animated
pub debate, I posted a message on a forum to see if anyone else had soft spots for random teams. The
response was life-affirming.


Among the predictable explanations – “my Dad was born in the area”, “a family member had trials” – were
some fabulous rationales. A Hibernian fan liked Bangor City because he managed them to multiple title wins
on Sensible World of Soccer, while a groundhopper from Kent was fond of Ebbsfleet United as he drove past
their ground to go fruit picking. Using a more mathematical approach, a Bristol City follower compiled a list of
clubs in the top eight tiers of English Football and ordered them in distance of where he lived. Blyth Spartans
were the furthest away. He has looked out for their results ever since. Outside of Great Britain, a few people
expressed sentiments for Melbourne based Dandenong, a regular feature of the Sunday papers’ Australian
Pools Coupon that signalled that start of a long and barren summer. “To pass the time during the close season,
you also needed an Australian team and I plumped for Dandenong.” says a Brentford supporter. “I liked the
name. Well, who wouldn’t?”


Although most of these affiliations involve little more than a cursory glance at the relevant fixture lists, some
fans take their interest to another level. A good friend of mine who loves Tranmere Rovers and steak in equal
measure, has an ongoing affair with Cowdenbeath based on their name resembling cow-then-beef. After
receiving a Blue Brazil scarf one Christmas, he made a pilgrimage from Sheffield to their Central Park home in
Fife, a round trip of nearly 600 miles. As admirable as this dedication is, it does have drawbacks.


Names are a major reason football fans develop soft spots for other clubs. They can be amusing, unusual or
have personal significance. In my overactive mind, names conjure powerful connotations that seldom bear
the scrutiny of reality. Recently, I discovered Shepshed Charterhouse FC weren’t, as I had once envisaged,
imbedded in the rich top-hatted history of a public school, but named after Charterhouse Holdings, a garment
manufacturer in the East Midlands. It was an illusion-shattering blow. Football forms part of an increasingly
homogenised Huxleyan landscape. Sports shops stock the same narrow range of replica shirts. New grounds
are engineered to look identical. Imagination offers refuge from this monotony. I’ve always pictured Highland
Leaguers Inverurie Loco Works playing next to a siding full of vintage trains at the foot of a snow-capped
mountain. It makes the idea of the club very appealing. Part of me would like it to stay that way forever.


Then again, in worryingly unreal times, there is a strong case for casting off the shackles of fantasy and seizing
the moment. So next year, I’ve promised myself a trip to the emotive sounding Forres Mechanics, a boyhood
favourite. I doubt I’ll find philanthropic industrialists or scholarly men discussing vehicle maintenance in the
damp embrace of a glen. But this doesn’t really matter. We increasingly conduct ourselves through a masked
medium of online monikers that force us to construct an imagined world. Life shouldn’t be that impersonal.


Sometimes it’s nice to put a face to a name.

Iggy Pope
06-08-2019, 04:56 PM
Enjoyable read.

Turnbullsmate
06-08-2019, 06:07 PM
My surname is Hill so i developed an affinity with Hull City.

Arsenal are my favoured EPL team as back in the days of black and white tv my dad would say "just like watching Hibs this" as the strip was identical to hibs in all but colour which was negated on B /W TV. Plus the Bakerboy played for them which swayed me no end.

The fact that Joe's brother Gerry played for Ipswich sold the tractor boys to me as well.

I REALLY NEED TO GET A LIFE.

Tobias Funke
06-08-2019, 06:58 PM
My surname is Hill so i developed an affinity with Hull City.


I totally get that. My surname is Wang so I started following FC Boby Brno.

Turnbullsmate
06-08-2019, 07:11 PM
I totally get that. My surname is Wang so I started following FC Boby Brno.

Seem more like a Kanye Swallows type to me .... i can be flippant too WANGer

Scott Allan Key
06-08-2019, 11:15 PM
Lovely post. There are a lot of sweeties too that entice us to support Hibs too, as we grew up. I've developed soft spots for a variety of clubs as well.

My father grew up in Sussex, and he follows B&H Albion, so I have a soft spot for them.

My mother grew up in Merseyside and she supported Liverpool and it was oh so easy to support them in the 80's. However, Everton won the Cup Winners Cup on my birthday and I had a friend while at university in the 90's who was an Evertonian and he worked hard to detail the history of this great club just as I educated him, I like to think, with my Hibees propaganda. Not long after I wrote to Duncan Ferguson on his problems with SFA, and to my great surprise he wrote back on headed Everton paper, thanking me for my support. What with Stubbsy with us and a dear Everton colleague from work to swap football stories with, my leanings are more to the toffeemen now.

I holidayed in France, off-road biking in Brittany, particularly around Rennes, where I have very enjoyable memories of food, drink and culture. I love the French way of life. I have since discovered through research into my French surname that not only do my ancestors come from the area, but the highest concentration of my name sakes is in the Rennes district, so I've grown warm to this progressive, liberal city's football club too.

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk

Haymaker
07-08-2019, 12:35 AM
I'm a Hibs fan first but I was born and raised in England. I follow West Ham in England but have soft spots for Mansfield Town (friend supports them, went to a couple games) and Corinthian casuals (their history and my mate is the manager) and Southampton (went to university there).

Mixu62
07-08-2019, 01:40 AM
Other than Hibs, I spent some of my youth following Meadowbank Thislte, whose players came from and went to a variety of lower league English clubs. Shrewsbury and Goole Town being 2 examples. Also family holidays in Yorkshire sparked an affinity for York City and Scarborough. One family holiday in Norfolk gave me and my brother a chance to go and see Norwich City play an amazing 4-4 draw with Southampton. Had a soft spot for both clubs ever since.

dunedinhibs
07-08-2019, 03:47 AM
I've always thought it was strange when people had second or English teams (especially Man United). Except I've become one of those people as Im starting to have a side team in Aston Villa. Since Mcginn has gone there I have followed them and after promotion I'm really looking forward to seeing what they can do.

JXM73
07-08-2019, 08:17 AM
Hibs were my soft spot...

Aberdeen fan as a kid
Brighton fan when i lived down south
Anyone but the old firm until couple years ago..

pontius pilate
07-08-2019, 08:39 AM
Lived in colchester for a while and fancied a EPL game 1 weekend so decided on spurs and it's been that way since 96-97 season. Alternated spurs and colchester United. Had a couple of friends who supported Nottingham forest and gillingham so look out for their results. First love will always be Hibs tho.

GGTTH

surreyhibbie
07-08-2019, 08:50 AM
I have friends who support Arsenal, Palace, Spurs, Chelsea, Mansfield town and Brentford so always look for their results so I can commiserate/celebrate with them. Not sure that makes a soft spot but I like to see my friends happy.

I probably have a soft spot for West Ham as they are like Hibs in many ways, cool shirts and a reputation for good football but rarely win anything!

In Scotland, its Dunfermline but not sure why...

But Hibs are the only team that make or break my weekend with their result. :agree:

Since452
07-08-2019, 09:06 AM
Falkirk were/are my soft spot. Best mate from school was the one and only Falkirk fan there through his dad and never once wavered so always still look for their results. Plus they had a great wee team back then. Crunchie, Stainrod, Cadette and Brockville was brilliantly bad.

Bill Milne
07-08-2019, 09:22 AM
Bristol Rovers (Gas) have always been my English team, a result of them winning the Watney's Cup while we were winning the Dryburgh Cup up here!!

HibsGW
07-08-2019, 10:35 AM
Somebody own up, who’s got a soft spot for Rangers

essexhibee
07-08-2019, 10:44 AM
Being born and raised in Englandshire I have had season tickets at West Ham 2000 - 2003 and Southend during the championship season (think it was 06/07).

Hibs are my team first and foremost and the only one that can ruin a weekend. But I didn't really realise my feelings toward the mighty shrimpers until that last min goal to stay up at the end of the season just gone. I went ballistic in the house and surprised myself . They are a family orientated club and its a "real" football experience going to Roots Hall imo. None of this EPL popcorn and a pint for 12quid rubbish. We try to go along to 5 odd games a season.

Living in Chelmsford now I should really support Chelmsford City who play in the Conf South - but their kit is maroon :rolleyes: and they play at an athletics stadium which the fans affectionately call "The Gulag" :greengrin

Hibbyradge
07-08-2019, 11:02 AM
I have a soft spot for Crystal Palace cos I used to live 5 minutes walk from Selhurst Park. I watched them in the late 80s and early 90s when they had the likes of Ian Wright, Mark Bright and John Salako playing for them.

I have a soft spot for Spurs. At the same time as I was watching Palace, I started going to White Hart Lane with a mate who was trying to pull a lass who was a ST holder. It was weird because most weeks, Palace were away when Spurs were home and vice versa.

Eventually one of the guys in the group got signed by a semi-pro team and I got his ST. This allowed me to go to the FA Cup semi against Arsenal 2-1 and the final v Forest 3-1.

What a team. Gasgoine, Lineker, Mabbut, Samways, Van den Hauwe and a player who I called Pennicuick - Justin Edinburgh.

I have a soft spot for Manchester United. I liked Ferguson.

I have a soft spot for Ipswich. I used to have filthy sex with a lass who supported them.

I had a soft spot for Arsenal - they used to play lovely football.

I want to have a soft spot for York but they're utterly pants.

Frankly, apart from Hibs, I'm a football tart.

Wakeyhibee
07-08-2019, 11:42 AM
I was born near Lincoln and moved shortly afterwards. So Lincoln City was a team I looked out for on the vidiprinter until by chance my friend moved there and I took in a game 20 years later.

Growing up in Lancashire, I watched Burnley a few times with mates. Huddersfield Town, Barnsley, Leeds Utd latterly when I lived in Wakefield and Hibs wasn't possible.

The oddest one was taking a shine East Stiringshire. It was close season, my son and I were getting the withdrawal symptoms of an odd numbered year with no World Cup or Euros, so we went along to a pre-season close by, Retford v Shire. The banter was brilliant (my son in Hibs top). I learned their owner "Makin" had bought the ground only to oust them. They were in danger of losing league status if they came bottom again (before play offs). So I took to them and their hardy bunch on 20 or so regular away followers, who told me they'd rather watch this level than the big team stuff.

The last day at Firs Park was a standout and bittersweet as they had lost their battle for Firs Park but won their fight for league survival last game of the season win v Montrose.

Coincidently a bunch of NorwayShire supporters had come over that day. Strangely the Norweigans had taken to Shire and Stenny too I believe.

SJNB Hibby
07-08-2019, 11:52 AM
Spent 66-74 in Croydon so been a lifelong Eagles fan---when they were the Glaziers of course, and played in Claret and blue. The first few seasons in Divi one were magic, saw us slaughtered by Man Utd and then us slaughter them. Charlie Cooke at Chelsea was my favourite player, so when we signed him(making up a forward line of Gerry Queen and 4 wingers) I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
My Aunties brother-in-law played for Villa, so have always followed them, and my first ever English game, in '64 was when a neighbour took me to see Gillingham v Chesterfield

Here’s Lucy!
07-08-2019, 12:59 PM
Leeds United, QPR and Wolves for me.

green day
07-08-2019, 01:03 PM
Sister stays in Bath, been to watch them with my bro in law a few times - he has a ST - its like the 1970s, crumbling terracing, chip vans and guys selling sweeties :greengrin

Wont see them this weekend when we are down, they are away to Welling Utd

SRHibs
07-08-2019, 01:42 PM
Newcastle for me out of convenience, although Gateshead are close too.

PatHead
07-08-2019, 01:52 PM
I've always thought it was strange when people had second or English teams (especially Man United). Except I've become one of those people as Im starting to have a side team in Aston Villa. Since Mcginn has gone there I have followed them and after promotion I'm really looking forward to seeing what they can do.
You will get a chance to see SJM this weekend. Villa v Spurs live on Sky on Saturday evening.

Eyrie
07-08-2019, 07:02 PM
Had a soft spot for Liverpool in the late 70s/early 80s due to Dalglish, but that's the closest I've got to looking for another team's results.



Somebody own up, who’s got a soft spot for Rangers
I would, if I could find a big enough area of quicksand.

hibstag
07-08-2019, 07:15 PM
Lived in Dingwall 77-98 so have a soft spot for Ross County

hibbyfraelibby
07-08-2019, 07:20 PM
I have a soft spot for Hearts...its a peat bog just outside Lanark near Carstairs

lyonhibs
07-08-2019, 07:38 PM
I've got mates who support Wolves, Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Leicester and various others. Always prefer to see them win but don't really care. I used to really quite like Arsenal in the mid 90's pre Wenger and late 90's as well.

But really, it's only ever Hibs (and Scotland) that I actually care about.

Green Man
08-08-2019, 07:15 AM
I used to live 5 minutes from Firhill and went to a good few Partick Thistle games at the time, so I’ve maintained a soft spot for them.