American looking for Premier League team to support

[chicoazul]

Shut it. Don't you have some previews to write or something?! Who let Chico out of his box?



(sorry, never really was good at the bullying thing...)

MODS??????

 

[wm02]

I'm not sure following a club could be such a reasoned, rational exercise. Pros and cons and all that mumbo jumbo. Love doesn't work that way either.

 

[roydo]

No other football team has a forum anywhere near as funny, irreverent, plain daft, with casual homosexuality thrown in for good measure as GOT.

Every club has passionate fans, (obviously), every club thinks they are something special, (again, obvious), But no-one does those, together with self loathing, the ability to laugh at ourselves, self depreciation and general soundness like Evertonians.

And that my friend, is your answer.

Recommended reading to see what I mean is here mate.


http://www.grandoldteam.com/category/match-preview/

 

[Pat's Van]

I'm not sure following a club could be such a reasoned, rational exercise. Pros and cons and all that mumbo jumbo. Love doesn't work that way either.

no I didn't think so either, but having looked at the reasons given, I'm now gonna support Stoke

up the stoggies !!!

 

[Dutch Toffee]

I'm not sure following a club could be such a reasoned, rational exercise. Pros and cons and all that mumbo jumbo. Love doesn't work that way either.

Spot on post that. Sounds very strange to me to looking for a club to support and having a list of criteria that said club has to fullfill to be considered 'worthy' to support. Not having a go here at the OP btw.

For me the reason to support Everton was obvious, I simply was chosen and as soon as Everton crossed my path for the first time, I was hooked.

Back to the eighties. There was no such thing as internet and not that many games shown on television. In 1984, my local team Fortuna Sittard, who I started to support,because well they were my local team (and that's considered the right thing to do, isn't it?), just defeated Wisla Krakow in the 2nd round of the ECWC. We were the only Dutch team to survive in the European Cups that year and I was anxiously waiting for the draw.

Even in that time, for some reason I was drawn to English football more than any other league outside my native country. Didn't really 'support' an English team at the time, although I always kept an eye out for the Nottingham Forest results. Not because I knew anything about them, but because of the name and the link of that place with my childhood television hero, Robin Hood.

Remember opening the morning newspaper the day after the draw (wasn't on the telly back then) and noticed we were drawn against an English club called Everton Football Club. The name sounded both mystical and magical to me at the same time. Started to look out for their results and tried to gather as much information about them as possible. Mind you, wasn't that easy for a 12 year old lad at a time of no internet or other social media. Also, the English footy magazines weren't that common over here during those days as they are now.

Finally the day of first leg, an away match at Goodison Park came along. As my parents couldn't afford to pay for my dads and my travel with Fortuna to Goodison, I had to listen to the radio. Again no television, I was and still am outraged about that. Fortuna lost 3-0 in the end and the commentator said that Fortuna got a standing ovation from the Goodison crowd. Don't know if that's true, but that was what he said. Guess it was something that I loved to believe.

The 2nd leg we got tickets for. Went there with my old man. It was a sell out and I was standing on the South Stand of our old stadium. Just next to the away end. Also, lots of Evertonians who bought tickets for the away end. As I was only 13 at the time and the English football fans didn't have that good a name across Europe, I felt a bit uneasy standing there. One of the travelling Toffees must have noticed that and came over to me. Gave me a quick stroke over my head and handed over his Everton scarf to me. Still have that scarf to date.

That was the moment I fully 100% realised. I was chosen to support this great club. It was my destiny, my fate. Never looked back since and I won't do as long as I'm alive. Everton are in my heart and in my soul.

Believe me when I say, that's a lot better way of getting to support a team than by having a list with criteria a club has to fullfill.

This club is ultra special. Brought a lot of mates down to Goodison over the years, with no loyalty to the Blues beforehand. Quite a few of them never understood why Everton meant that much to me. After leaving Goodison they knew it though. They understood exactly why I fell for this club. Everton are special, they are unique.

It's a grand old team to support!

 

[PotentialFan]

I got a facebook invite/request from the Chelsea supporters organization. They seem to have branches throughout the US with viewing parties. Sounds like it could be fun from a social experience perspective.

What's the scoop on Chelsea?

Magnificent arm-folding indeed! That was hilarious! I thought it was rather ridiculous for FIFA to have every single player do the same(ish) pose like that. But, now that there is a compilation, it is quite enjoyable.

Anyways, I went through a similar process two years ago before I found out I was an Everton fan my whole life. As an American, I had a few factors I looked at, although they were a bit different from yours.

1. Wanted a club with Americans on it
2. Didn't want a commonly popular club (aka Man U, Man City, RS)
3. Didn't want a club that had gambling or other dumb sponsors on the front of their shirt
4. Club that is at least in the running each year and had a good chance of never being relegated

It's tough to chose based on American players since so many of them jump around so often. It's better to have a team with a history of long-term American players that way they can always be associated with the club. Everton has a good history of Americans; Joe-Max Moore, Brian McBride, Landon Donovan, and of course Tim Howard who has just signed a 5 year deal with EFC, so he'll be around quite a while.

As far as sponsors, EFC has the longest running sponsorship deal in EPL right now and they just signed with Chang for another 3 or 4 years so the shirts will have the same basic logo for the foreseeable future as well. Chang is a beer, but most people don't realize that in the States. They just see a cool logo with elephants on it. And who doesn't like elephants. Honestly?

Lastly, it's great to have a club that has such a great rivalry with the RS. Liverpool is a wonderful city and it's fun rooting for the more upstanding and family-based team in the city. You'll see plenty of folks wearing RS shirts around, because they sell them at every [Poor language removed]'s Sporting Goods and Foot Locker in town, but to get an EFC shirt, you have to get it from the official store (or online store) or a few select websites.

So, those other clubs, other than RS, are fine. You just have to go with your heart! Believe me, if you go to an Everton match, either at Goodison or away, you will NOT be disappointed. The fans are wonderful.

NSNO,

Kip

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response and for understanding the process I'm in!

England nailed the arm-folding except for maybe the last guy. They seem to have coordinated ahead of time to all look up and not smile.

I am a Czech Evertonian. In my honest opinon, based on your thoughts, you should decide between Everton and Spurs
Liverpool = defending of Suarez, deluded and racist fans, biased love from media and refs, their international fans are absolute bandwagoners who want to support a club who mainly wins and is so "cool" in everything thankfully to that bias from media
Man Utd = a lot of similar things to Liverpool, but mainly they as a club are the biggest factory of money, they are literally just buying trophies, because they have so much money from all these bandwagon companies and fans who support them only because they win...
Arsenal = their fans are usually whiners who complain about everything, their manager is similar to them, their players are cheaters and divers... they just paid off debts for their stadium, so they will likely become the next club who will buy trophies and will be loved by everyone, I would call them mini version of Man Utd
Aston Villa = they are going absolutely nowhere with their poor style football and poor squad, have racist and usually unfriendly fans, usually think they are bigger than they ar
Stoke = for long years known in the whole planet for their amazingly poor style of football, cheating, fans are total assholes - they are singing songs about Munich air disaster and go to matches looking for trouble, they are stuck in 1970s
Tottenham = their fans are usually quite arrogant, they are trying to buy so many players every year and try to show the world that they are a big club as well, and because of that they are usually kicking out their managers a lot... they are building a new stadium which will help them a lot to become true member of media likable and created "Sky Sports' Big 6", but at all, I would consider them as an o.k. club for me.

Everton = you just fell in love with them, if you give them a chance - 2 of my mates gave them one and they are similarly addicated Evertonians as me now... We are a club with such an amazing history full of incredible moments and traditions, we are a club which brought to football a lot of new things (http://www.nsno.co.uk/everton-firsts/), we have incredible home and away fans (one of the best in the league), we are usually doing things in our own "Everton way". Our owner and chairman is a big Evertonian, our manager is a super-likable guy with who you will fall in love in a few minutes after you will listen or read a few words from him. We have mainly likeable (from neutral point of view) and special squad of players, with no divers or cheaters, we are playing nice football full of passing, if you put together Spanish style and English style, you got something like Everton style. We have an old stadium who just will give you a feeling people go there to enjoy watching football, we have likeable prices of tickets. We are usually hated by media, who usually think we are a club who is lucky that exists. We don't have a lot of money, but we are trying to compete in this hard times for fans, where money can buy you almost everything. We are a friendly club who is doing a lot of special thing for community in Liverpool (try to look after all the things we have done for Liverpool FC with Hillsborough tragedy) and all-around the world as well (just look for the name of Richard Wee). Unlikeable things about us? Well, it is not "cool" to be our fan for an international fan, as it is ''cool'' to be a fan of a "Sky Sports' Big 6" club. But that seems not to be a problem for you... Try to give us a chance, watch a game... and you will probably enjoy hearing a song like this even on your TV, as our fans are so loud...

Thank you for your helpful response!

Great preview Chico, needs more pictures but its a step in the right direction.

Also @PotentialFan what are your views on grown men snorting cocaine off other men's testicles on the coach home from an away game?

Hmm, can you fill me in?

 

[kingdom]

There's only one answer for you.

 

[Bungle]

Hmm, can you fill me in?

Would you like to at least go out for dinner first?

 

[deak]

I got a facebook invite/request from the Chelsea supporters organization. They seem to have branches throughout the US with viewing parties. Sounds like it could be fun from a social experience perspective.

What's the scoop on Chelsea?



Thank you so much for your thoughtful response and for understanding the process I'm in!

England nailed the arm-folding except for maybe the last guy. They seem to have coordinated ahead of time to all look up and not smile.



Thank you for your helpful response!


Hmm, can you fill me in?

We have Everton USA twitter and Facebook pages. @evertonUSA

 

[Dutch Toffee]

I'll make it easy on you.

1. If you want a team that spends zillions each year, has a lot of bandwagon fans, have the media crawling up their arse, are prepared to sell their soul for a few bucks extra, pay for their glory rather than earn it, think money equals greatness, than make a choice out of City and Chelsea who score a perfect ten on all fronts, or Liverpool, United, Arsenal or Spurs who fullfill at least a few of these criteria.

2. If you want true grit, determination, fighting spirit, pride, loyalty and respect, a never give up attitude and general bossesness, than there's simply one choice.... Everton.

Or you could go for option 3 I guess. Follow the deluded bunch that is Newcastle.

 

[TX Bill]

@PotentialFan support us mate

if u support Villa you'd be on suicide watch for the rest of your life.

Whereas with us, it's just on certain weekends.

 

[Kiwi]

@PotentialFan Chelsea is a moneybags club, bought their success through a Russian oligarch with slightly dodgy business dealings bankrolling them to titles. Current manager Mourinho is entertaining but also a bit like Ferguson in being a total douche.

 

[PotentialFan]

@PotentialFan Chelsea is a moneybags club, bought their success through a Russian oligarch with slightly dodgy business dealings bankrolling them to titles. Current manager Mourinho is entertaining but also a bit like Ferguson in being a total douche.

Yikes!

So is it a generally reliable rule of thumb that if a club is wealthy, glamorous, have name recognition in other countries, and have sophisticated and aggressive PR departments, that there's something sketchy about them?

I wouldn't be surprised. In many things non-sports, power and money simultaneously corrupt people and attract minions.

 

[Kiwi]

Yikes!

So is it a generally reliable rule of thumb that if a club is wealthy, glamorous, have name recognition in other countries, and have sophisticated and aggressive PR departments, that there's something sketchy about them?

I wouldn't be surprised. In many things non-sports, power and money simultaneously corrupt people and attract minions.

usually for the most part. It's always worth doing your own research though.
United is alright as a club and have done things the right way mostly although less so with the American owners, and the fanbase are gloryhunting meffs. I've said my bit on Liverpool and Chelsea, I don't mind Arsenal or Spurs, and we're sound. Man City are have been through the ringer but are like the new Chelsea (with their older fans being sound having stuck by the team through relegation etc.)
I'd be suggesting that keep all that in mind, watch the games and fall in love with a team that isn't Liverpool, Chelsea, United, City, or Newcastle and you'll be right. Whoever you choose you'll be welcome on the forum though, its always good to have differing opinions from other fans as long as they're sound, we have the likes of Neville and RED and Alan Whittle who are all fans of other clubs and likewise sound posters.

 

[Kurt.]

Mick ???