Five teams you love to love...

[Matt the Shrimp]

...other than Southend United, of course. As the counterpoint to Uxbridge's thread, let's get that lovin' feelin' going on. My five clubs are:

1. Flamengo. My first love in football, growing up in Rio. How can you fail to love a side that has Zico up front and Junior supplying all the guile in the world?! My first ever live game of football was watching them clinch the league title with a 2-1 win over Santos in front of 158,000 at the Maracana. Amazing.

2. Olympique Lyonnais. At the risk of sounding like a glory hunter, I've always had a soft spot for OL because I have good mates who live in and around Lyon. Going to watch OL is also always enjoyable - they play attractive footy on the deck, it's always easy to get in the ground (and costs peanuts in comparison to watching top flight footy in the UK), and there's a fantastic bar just outside the ground. Not bad when you're also seeing the best side in France play (as they have been for the last 5 years) every week. Top banana.

3. Swansea City. I still think that 4-2 win - Freddy's debut - is the best Southend United game I've ever seen. Moreover, it seemed that from that moment on, our love-in with the Swans began. There were two teams, playing fantastic football, giving no quarter over 90 minutes - or indeed 46 league games - but who at the end of it all could shake each others' hands and congratulate them on their successes. We didn't begrudge the Jacks' clinching of promotion from League Two on the last day at Bury; they stayed and applauded our clinching of promotion the next season at the Liberty. Plus, going out in Swansea is a laugh, and I've never really liked the Bluebirds.

4. Manchester City. How can you fail to admire a club who attracted over 34,000 to Maine Rd for their League One fixture against Macclesfield? They're also the most long-suffering fans in the country - particularly having to share a city with Man U - and you have to applaud them for that. That they also love The Goat is the cherry on the cake.

5. Ipswich Town. I know that GlasgowSUFC will chastise me for this, but I have always had a soft spot for the Town. Their play-off win over Barnsley in 2000 remains the most perfect, Roy-of-the-Rovers game I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing... turning up at Wembley, the ground bathed in sunshine, and walking in to see the stadium perfectly divided, half in red and half in blue - and no corporates either, just 73,500 footy fans. Barnsley took the lead very early in the first half, the goal coming via deflections off the crossbar and then bouncing back off 'keeper Richard Wright into the net. And with that goal, the blue touch-paper was lit - completely end-to-end action, with Town ending up as deserved winners. They've always played football the right way - stylish and on the deck - and have given us our two most successful ever England managers, and that's why I like them.

Honourable mentions go to Airdrie (the father-in-law's side), Chesterfield and Charlton Athletic.

Matt

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

1. Whoever is playing Wet Sham
2. Whoever is playing Col Ewe
3. Whoever is playing Birmingham
4. Whoever is playing Franchise Scum FC
5. Whoever is playing Liverpool

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

5. Ipswich Town. I know that GlasgowSUFC will chastise me for this, but I have always had a soft spot for the Town. Their play-off win over Barnsley in 2000 remains the most perfect, Roy-of-the-Rovers game I have ever had the pleasure of witnessing... turning up at Wembley, the ground bathed in sunshine, and walking in to see the stadium perfectly divided, half in red and half in blue - and no corporates either, just 73,500 footy fans. Barnsley took the lead very early in the first half, the goal coming via deflections off the crossbar and then bouncing back off 'keeper Richard Wright into the net. And with that goal, the blue touch-paper was lit - completely end-to-end action, with Town ending up as deserved winners. They've always played football the right way - stylish and on the deck - and have given us our two most successful ever England managers, and that's why I like them.

Git :thump:

Only joking, each to their own, my only reason for hating ITFC is due in the main to having had to suffer living in Ipswich & District! In fact, the stag weekend I'm on next week will have one the most fanatical Ipswich fans I've ever me going and no doubt I'll have to be polite about them then (if only for the Mrs who got on with this bloke's wife spectacularly at the hen weekend!)

That playoff final caused my life indirectly to take another spur, but hey-ho that's not for a mention here and now! :(

Leave it with me I'll have a think about my 5!

 

[Firestorm]

Clachnacuddin
Cobh Ramblers
Billericay Town

 

[BoyWonder2]

1) Liverpool - Just for European nights at Anfield.

2) Bournemouth - Bit of a strange one, they always remind me or Southend. Lovely attractive football, decent place to go and have always impressed me when I've seen them.

3) Bristol City - Where I work I deal with the South West of the country (Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire) and I have an affection for all the teams in that region but City and my 2nd favs behind Bournemouth.

4) Real Madrid - Went to the match vs Barcelona where they won 2-0, cracking game, cracking atmosphere. Also, Beckham is probably my faviourite player therefore I keep an eye on the teams he plays for.

5) Fulham - Don't know why, but I always keep an eye out for their results. Don't even know why.

 

[canveyshrimper]

Hartlepool United - my first memories were always them being perennial strugglers.

Stenhousemuir - no reason other than I love the name

Swansea City - a great place to visit, with two sets of fans who have great mutual respect

Fiorentina - to watch Southend play in Europe, and a great city

AFC Wimbledon - I hope they grow to replace MK franchise in the league

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

My 5 (although I'd like to point out I only have one love in football and that is Southend United) :

1) Celtic
As a kid I was obsessed with Kenny Dalglish, much in the same way as kids get Beckham crazed now. I'll hold up my hands here & now and admit to being a Liverpool "supporter" in the days before I knew what that really meant (and before anybody takes me to task for this, please refer my 5 choices of love to hate!). This obsession was so bad I knew all about Dalglish's career at Celtic Park and developed my love of all things green/white. To be honest (although there was many other reasons) this was a factor in moving here, getting to live the Celtic Park experience, which I did in my first ever game a home win against Rangers. Having also had a season ticket for 2 seasons gave me an indication of the club, althogh to be honest now, I've had enough of it, the SPL is a shockingly bad league (with most teams playing 11 behind the ball) as well as not having that week in-week out pull of loving a club like I do Southend. I know this choice will annoy some posters (and banned posters who probably still view the board) but my like of Celtic is in now way sectarian or religious based, it's purely grown from the eyes of an impressionable 6 year old!

2) Watford
I knew vaguely of the animosity between Watford & Southend in the 80s but wasn't this partly due to the convenience rivalry thing like we had with the O's in L2 as Luton were playing at a far higher level than the Horns? Basically, I have a very good mate from uni who is a Watford nut (he was actually born in Vicarage Rd Maternity Hospital) and while I was at the Uni of Herts we often went to Watford games. To be honest, their fans are the most like us Shrimpers I've come across and you're always assured of some great banter on Watford away-days. I think to be honest if the dark day of SUFC going to the wall ever came, after a suitable period of morning I might defect to Watford!

3) Alloa Athletic
One of the most solid friends I've made up here was a former colleague who's a lifelong Alloa supporter. We found we had a lot in common from our love of "unfashionable" football teams and created what we termed at the time as a "sh*t football team exhange programme", I've been to a couple of Alloa games and always swear or tut when I see they've let in a goal on Soccer Saturday (quite often to be honest), he's registered to the Southend OS and always has words of encouragement or congratulation for me.

4) Empoli
Stayed near there in Tuscany and although didn't get to see them play competitively, got to see them train. They're having a storming season in Serie A and will probably make the UEFA Cup.

5) Benfica
For similar reasons to MtS and Flamengo, I got to see Benfica play, while I was a kid when were on holiday in the Algarve, at Portimonense. They had a great away following with typical continental fire-crackers and huge flags. Also they had this amazingly tricky Brazilian midfielder called Simao who had three fingers missing from one of his hands, I still think he has to be one of the best players I've ever seen. In fact, seeing George Square in Glasgow today with all the (sorry James) Sevilla & Espanyol fans preparing for tonight's UEFA Cup Final has taken me back to being 12 again!

Other honourable mentions to Hartlepool (similar to Alloa) & Barnsley/West Brom (again other uni related mates)!

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

CD Javea - My local team. On the verge of being relegated to the Primera Regional (so what a 'great' season this has been for me) but it's all about supporting your local club and there is no better way of integration than to join the locals at the local football ground. Find out more about Javea Football.

Schalke 04 - One of the biggest clubs in Germany yet very few people actually know anything about them. See the article I posted earlier this week about this FANtastic club.

East Stirling - Our adopted Scottish side, simply because they are so crap yet they keep going. I believe this could be their last ever season in the Scottish League and, if so, then another honest club will disappear.

Billericay Town - I was born in Billericay and spent my first 18 months of life just around the corner from where BTFC play. One of my first ever trips to Wembley was to see Billericay beat Stamford 1-0 in the FA Vase in 1976; they won the competition three times in four years in the late 70s and no other team has won it more times.

And lastly ...

West Ham United - My family has three generations of West Ham fans stretching right back to the Thames Ironworks days. I know that this perceived rivalry between the Hammers and Southend is only one-way; most West Ham fans would pick the Shrimpers as their second or third team they look for in the Sunday results pages. Cue the abuse but I don't care. I'm not going to drop them just because a few people don't like them ...

 

[C C Csiders]

[East Stirling - Our adopted Scottish side, simply because they are so crap yet they keep going. I believe this could be their last ever season in the Scottish League and, if so, then another honest club will disappear.

With you XS. Always look out for the East Stirlingshire results. Have done for the last 5 years, since the season where they hardly won a game.

Have you read this book. You must get it. Absolutely wonderful read.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pointless-J...3582011?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179324067&sr=1-1

My others (although with no great effinity (sp.?):

1FC Nurnberg


That's about it.

 

[SARF]

Been a poor season for me as nearly all the clubs I look out for have annoyed the fk out of me..
In no real order..
SPURS.. Old man follows them., I hate the original gyypos Arsenal, but after our game with them, well.......
SAINTS.. Due to a few mates here at work supporting them, proper fans, (this one has obviously gone very well this season..)
PALACE.. No idea why, I thinks its something about the way that poncing blonde nerd that owns them dosent take any ****e.. the way he served that writ to Dowie as he did his Charlton press conference was class..(Losing to them at the Hall..how? 1st half at Selhurst was great this season though)
M.K.DONS.. because everyone else hates them.. and, I think they will do really well in years to come annoying people even more!
BILLERICAY as there Vase Finals where my first real memories of Wembley as a kid..

 

[Firestorm]

Billericay Town[/B] - I was born in Billericay and spent my first 18 months of life just around the corner from where BTFC play. One of my first ever trips to Wembley was to see Billericay beat Stamford 1-0 in the FA Vase in 1976; they won the competition three times in four years in the late 70s and no other team has won it more times.

I was brought up in Billericay Mike, saw all 3 wembley appearances and went from Cardiff (where is was at Uni) to Nottingham, by train for the Sheffield Replay.
A great little team who are now having their best ever season.
A few years ago when we looked like going to the wall, I was working out who I would watch next, it was either Billericay (the reverse journey I used to make 30 years ago) or Wakering (cos they are so close)

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Schalke 04 - One of the biggest clubs in Germany yet very few people actually know anything about them. See the article I posted earlier this week about this FANtastic club.

Superb article about Schalke in last weekend's Observer - humbling stuff. Gutted that they've blown the Bundesliga again...

:(

Oh, but the article was all wrong in one respect - it compared Schalke to Newcastle feckin' United. AAARGH!

:thump:

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Superb article about Schalke in last weekend's Observer - humbling stuff. Gutted that they've blown the Bundesliga again...

:(

Oh, but the article was all wrong in one respect - it compared Schalke to Newcastle feckin' United. AAARGH!

:thump:

Because they are twinned.

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Because they are twinned.

Schalke got a rum deal, then. They sound a lot more genuine than the barcodes...

:thump:

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Schalke got a rum deal, then. They sound a lot more genuine than the barcodes...

:thump:

Schalke, named after a district of Gelsenkirchen, a former coal-mining town, are often compared to Newcastle United. Twinned towns, they share an industrial history, a huge fanbase and are perennial underachievers. They also share a friendship of sorts. Back in 1999, a fan exchange took place. Schalke's representative, Dirk Martensen, set off for the Toon - knitted beer can holder around his neck, wrists decked in blue-and-white scarves - to meet Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd. The two discussed ticket prices: at that time Schalke charged about £3 for the cheapest ticket. 'Oh you won't win anything charging that,' said Shepherd. 'Our fans expect the best players.' Martensen smiled sagely and said, 'We won the Uefa Cup two years ago, what have you won?'

:D

 

[Reg Martin]

My 5 (although I'd like to point out I only have one love in football and that is Southend United) :

2) Watford
I knew vaguely of the animosity between Watford & Southend in the 80s but wasn't this partly due to the convenience rivalry thing like we had with the O's in L2 as Luton were playing at a far higher level than the Horns? Basically, I have a very good mate from uni who is a Watford nut (he was actually born in Vicarage Rd Maternity Hospital) and while I was at the Uni of Herts we often went to Watford games. To be honest, their fans are the most like us Shrimpers I've come across and you're always assured of some great banter on Watford away-days. I think to be honest if the dark day of SUFC going to the wall ever came, after a suitable period of morning I might defect to Watford!


As mentioned on the love to hate thread I was a late 70s Watford hater though no strong feelings either way about them now so would seem it was a convencience rivalry thing - though post-SUFC oblivion defection to Watford does seem a step too far!:D

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

Hmmmm, these is really tough, do I even like five other teams....

1) Arsenal - Two of my first ever live matches were at Highbury, seeing Arsenal win 5-0 and 4-0. That kind of results make an impression on a kid!! Since which I always look out for the Arsenal, I really enjoy watching them play, I like their football, and their players. Always the team I want to see win the Premiership, Champions League etc

2) Southampton - Their fans were great after the match the other week. Really good, and appreciative of our fan-tasticness.

3) Crawley - Always like to see that they have won, dont know why!!

4) Watford - They have been really courageous this season, and you cant help but admire them!!

West Bromich Albion - When they were bottom of the Premiership at Christmas, they year they acheived their great escape, I predicted they would do so, everyone thought me mad. So the fact they proved me right makes me like them

 

[canveyshrimper]

2) Watford
I knew vaguely of the animosity between Watford & Southend in the 80s but wasn't this partly due to the convenience rivalry thing like we had with the O's in L2 as Luton were playing at a far higher level than the Horns? Basically, I have a very good mate from uni who is a Watford nut (he was actually born in Vicarage Rd Maternity Hospital) and while I was at the Uni of Herts we often went to Watford games. To be honest, their fans are the most like us Shrimpers I've come across and you're always assured of some great banter on Watford away-days. I think to be honest if the dark day of SUFC going to the wall ever came, after a suitable period of morning I might defect to Watford!

The Watford rivalry at that time (late 70's) was in part due to Watford under the idiot Taylor and Sir Reg Dwight were big news, and it was perceived by Southend supporters that we never got the publicity we deserved, as Dave Smith's side had a fine record against the Hornets. Also I remember the cup draw when it was us or Watford against Liverpool, and the papers all saying that Taylor's Watford were about to face the Anfield giants. Thanks to Andy Polycarpou this didn't happen. I for one could never forgive Taylor for breaking John McKinven's leg, and found it most ironic when Taylor himself had to retire early through injury.

 

[Uncle Leo]

1) Celtic Difficult not to love them after seeing an Old Firm game at Ibrox in the Celtic end. Was also lucky enough to be one of the 80,000 or so who made the journey to Sevilla in 2003. I try to get to a game a season and will hopefully get the chance to do so again next year (I'll be in touch if so Mr Reade!) Truly great fans. And, as the song goes, "If you know the history, it's enough to make your heart go woo-oo-oo-oo-oo......"

2) Real Betis Started following them as a boy when either them or Sevilla were the nearest Primera Liga side to where I lived (not that they were particularly near, it was a good three hours journey away). Picked Betis ahead of Sevilla (pathetic reason) because I liked their green and white colours. Alas I have only seen them twice - two 4-0 defeats as well. Hoping for better luck at my stag do in a few weeks time when they entertain Osasuna.

3) Athletic Bilbao I just love the whole ethos of the club. They have stayed in Spain's top flight for over eighty years despite only ever fielding players of Basque origins. This is becoming a major struggle now, but hopefully they'll stay up for many years to come.

4) Everton Always keep an eye out for the Toffees as my Mum is a fan, bless 'er.

5) Uruguay This quote from Danny Baker pretty much sums up my affections for them. Proper hard *******s. "Late one night last week I was in a hotel bar among a group of hard-bitten veteran supporters representing six competing nations. We found ourselves in unanimous agreement over the following statement: happy clappy, corporate supporters adore Brazil. Serious football fans love Argentina. But all true hardcore nuts are patiently waiting for the long overdue revival of the mighty Uruguay!"

 

[Cheltenham Shrimper]

1. Cheltenham Town - Have got a real soft spot for them having lived in this area for 3 years. I'll always look out for their results.
2. Ipswich Town
3. Dagenham and Redbridge
4. Hornchurch
5. Celtic

I can't really love to love the team in the 'town' I was born in now, can I?! But I do have a little soft spot for them, for obv reasons.

There are a couple of others, but seeing as it's only 5 teams, i'll leave them out for now :D