Chelsea Forum

[GrenadaRed]

Doing some research for my Fantasy League team tonight (yes I take it seriously) I went on to the Chelsea forum, which incidentally is terrible compared to this one. Well looking at what they talk about is just ridiculous. They are arguing about whether they should buy Vieri, as they also have Jimmy FH, Gudjohnnson, Mutu, Crespo, plus Cole, etc out on loan.

There is also some rumour about them buying someone or other for 20+ million and they dispel the rumour because it mentions that the payments would be made in instalments and they would never need to pay by instalments.

Now I have had my fair share of away trips midweek to Tranmere, away to Colchester in the rain, etc, but this feels like real football with real fans and is special. Although I dream about us competing in the Premiership, reading that Chelsea forum struck me as being just such an unreal world and almost a different sport to the one in which we and many others compete.

In my opinion the Champions League is just a joke, when you can come 4th and still get in it, then get knocked out and go into the UEFA cup.

A lot has been done to make the rich richer and the poor poorer and remove the dream of clubs climbing from top to bottom and have a chance of staying up. But we have one advantage. We have real fans who would do anything for their club, no prawn sandwiches (chance would be a fine thing) and we have relatively low expectations.

So some day we are going to feel incredible glory that the top clubs just can't feel. If MU or Chelsea won through to the FA cup semi-final for example, or even just beat Arsenal in the league, then it's not even a major deal, although of course they are happy. For us those events would be incredible. I remember being at Anfield when we beat Liverpool and that was like winning the lottery.

So although we have some rough times as City fans, I think that at least we are living in a real world, with truely loyal fans, not motivated by glory and although we should strive for the big time, if we ever make it then we will look back fondly on the days of Swindon away. We will believe me!

p.s. By the way anyone know is Wayne Bridge injured or dropped?

[Redminster]

Quality post mate.

I agree entirely. When my Premiership armchair-fan mates ask me "Why the hell do you support a division 2 club?" I just tell them that I love the real football experience and (very!) occasional upsets like Liverpool are just the icing on the cake. When you're talking to a Man Utd armchair fan from Somerset who has never been to Old Trafford, and whose support for them extends only to watching The Premiership every week, they fail to grasp the point.

Days out like Saturday encapsulate it for me. Relatively short trip (for me), relatively #### game enlivened by the injury-time winner and lots of singing. I had a cracking day out!

[Southport Red]

Absolute quality post. Couldn't agree more! I get asked often "Why do you support Bristol City when you are so near Liverpool? Fact is, it's not a choice and hasn't been since I lived in Sea Mills in 1963 - I'm City that's all. I've been to Liverpool games (they are now my 2nd team) and I clap when they score. But that's it, I CLAP when they score, at City matches I jump around like a lunatic when we score - big difference. REAL footy fans cannot fake it, you have your team, whoever they are and that's that, some of these Johnny Come Latelys actually CHANGE TEAMS!! I've heard a number of people say "I used to support Liverpool but now it's Man Utd" - HOW DO YOU DO THAT??

The number of Prem shirts you see wandering around Broadmead depresses me dearly, everyone wants some form of sanitised, victory guranteed experience every Saturday, preferably watched from behind double glazing whilst sat in a comfy chair whilst eating prawn sandwiches (bloody hell, I'm agreeing with Roy Keane!). It's got to the stage when I'm even glad to see someone wearing a gas shirt in Bristol Centre, at least they support their local team. (Actually, seriously I admire Rovers fans, it cannot have been at all easy in recent years).

No it's a life sentence for me I'm afraid, the posters before me got it bang on when they said that our experience is the real football "Lets pay cash cos we're rich" is not reality. City til I die (and I hope we're all still so grounded when we win the Champions League in 2010 )

[bucksred]

Absolute quality post.  Couldn't agree more!  I get asked often "Why do you support Bristol City when you are so near Liverpool?  Fact is, it's not a choice and hasn't been since I lived in Sea Mills in 1963 - I'm City that's all.  I've been to Liverpool games (they are now my 2nd team) and I clap when they score.  But that's it, I CLAP when they score, at City matches I jump around like a lunatic when we score - big difference.  REAL footy fans cannot fake it, you have your team, whoever they are and that's that, some of these Johnny Come Latelys actually CHANGE TEAMS!!  I've heard a number of people say "I used to support Liverpool but now it's Man Utd" - HOW DO YOU DO THAT??

The number of Prem shirts you see wandering around Broadmead depresses me dearly, everyone wants some form of sanitised, victory guranteed experience every Saturday, preferably watched from behind double glazing whilst sat in a comfy chair whilst eating prawn sandwiches (bloody hell, I'm agreeing with Roy Keane!).  It's got to the stage when I'm even glad to see someone wearing a gas shirt in Bristol Centre, at least they support their local team.  (Actually, seriously I admire Rovers fans, it cannot have been at all easy in recent years).

No it's a life sentence for me I'm afraid, the posters before me got it bang on when they said that our experience is the real football "Lets pay cash cos we're rich" is not reality.  City til I die (and I hope we're all still so grounded when we win the Champions League in 2010  )

I'd agree with that, we have nearby the following sides: Wombledon MK, Northampton, Luton, Watfart, Wycombe, Oxford, Brentford, QPR, and all ya ever see these days are Manure, and Chelski shirts with odd Arse, Spors, West Ham, Liverpool & Newcastle shirts.

Always make a point of chatting to any nationwide shirts I see bar Baadiff, and Milwall, cos we support our teams through (mostly) bad times and good, and, and it is like a bond between the paupers.

do feel for the Gas sometimes, most people mistake em for Blackburn, and for all City's problems, least we have some sucess on the pitch, and wouldnt trade Wonder-son for Grey doom for anything!!

Cider-red for life, not just for Christmas!!!!!!!!

[nickD]

Brilliant post matey. Well said. And now for my take...

I now live in brum, and i still see Man U and Arsenal shirts everywhere. on some days its more than the locals of villa, albion, brum and wolves. Now cos my missus is born and bred in the black country (no jokes please) her and all her family support the albion, and so they are my second team (Southport Red - I applaud as well, dont cheer!) and I follow them whenever I can. However my heart is still with City.

Even at school in Weston (where i grew up) people didn't wanna watch teams that never got on Match Of The Day. Some would even go to the Man U away match at Villa so they could say they were Man U fans. Ah well....life goes on!!