Supporting a Football Club...

Okay, I know it's pretty easy to be a Liverpool or Everton fan if you're from Liverpool or from England and all but I'm quite curious about whether anyone can bring themselves to "like/support" a team?

Like, is it possible for someone to say "I don't know which team I feel like supporting, I might have to see this team or that team play first and see if I like them"?

As most of you probably know, I'm not a Liverpudlian, nor I'm English but I'm a Liverpool fan but I don't have a reason why I am. The best thing I can say is .. as Shankly once said "Liverpool was made for me and I was made for Liverpool."

Coming from a nation which sucks in football, I admit I've tried to like England and Netherlands in international tournaments but I don't feel it. In the end, Spain is my choice mainly because of the Spanish armada that was once at Anfield.

So, can someone force themself to support a team or there's just one team they magically feel a connection with?

Its the individual isnt it. The "Chelsea are doing well I'll follow them" "city are doing well Ill follow them" has been very obvious to me the last few years. That to me isnt a supporter its a glory hunter. Ive no problem with people liking football but dont have a side they support, but glory hunters are a no no.

With regards to following a team and then changing after a while what the fook is that?

Obviously for people like me following a team from a city Im not from or no older siblings got me hooked on there must be a starting point but Ive often wondered had I chosen say Spurs as a kid would I be as in love with them as I am Liverpool, I doubt it. Its the "magical connection " thing you mention. Theres something special and unique about LFC that reels you in and doesnt let go.

Makes senses but like I said, I've tried to be a Netherlands or England fan in the past but I just don't feel it.

I guess you can't force yourself to like a team, you just have to fall in love with a team for no proper reason!

From a Liverpool family from Liverpool so Liverpool come easy

Can't bring myself to like England thoguh

Im from Aus but my dad is scouse and i have a lot of family over in Liverpool. Thats how i became a LFC supporter sadly coming from a different country i know where Brian is coming from. There have always been Mancs around. Chelsea though is the biggest because of there big name players. Unfortunetly im seeing people now wearing City jerseys it is so pathetic.

Followed the team since I was eleven years of age, 1965 cup final versus Leeds. After that always followed the side over their successful and relatively lean years. Really enjoy the buzz of coming to Anfield, although not very often, still makes you appreciate the occasion even more. Some of my mates follow the Mancs, their are Spurs fans and even Evertonians amongst us so it is everyone too their own.

My dad told me to support Liverpool. I guess that's why I do. It's hard to understand though what the club actually means until you reach a certain level if maturity. For example, when icsigned up here in December 2008, I thought I was a huge fan. Over the years, from both reading posts and simply growing up, I've realised that I couldn't have been further from the truth. I even used to occasionally forget we were playing. It was shameful. Happy to say that I now do understand what supporting Liverpool Footnall Club is all about, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

As far as England are concerned, I only really supported them in World Cups. After all that's gone on with the FA and Suarez this season, I'm done with them. I wanted Holland to win the other night.

Weird question. I don't get why you would even try to force yourself to like a club or team. You either like something or you don't, having to force yourself pretty much proves you don't.

Good topic!!!

I always thought that their were (3) types of Sports fans/supporters.  The first is the supporter who is "Born" into it. Thats where your dad, uncle, grandfather, brother, mother etc...is a supporter or fan and you just grow up with it automatically. It also includes geography or region where you live.  Most supporters of a team, have a direct connection to that team.

The second type is an "Adopted" supporter. Thats where you have no direct connection to that team but for whatever reason you just follow them. Thats where I am.  I first became a Liverpool supporter in 1983-1984' somewhere around their.  My youth coach on my first soccer team was Spanish and when he was young he was scouted by Liverpool and trained with their reserve team, I don’t think he ever played a match  but, he was a HUGE Liverpool supporter.  So much so he made sure that our team colors were red/white and we had iron on patches of a Liverbird as our crest. For whatever reason, I became fascinated with Liverpool Football and tried to read about them and back then their was no Internet and here in the US , we didn't have a lot of books about Liverpool Football in our library. But, their was a local TV show on Sunday mornings at 6 am, which showed matches from Europe. It just so happened that it was a Liverpool match and it was Liverpool v Roma, the European Championship Final. That’s all it took. I was in shock at how massive the game was. Seeing a sea of Liverpool supporters, the songs and chants and the flags and banners. I never saw that before and at that time it was one of the greatest things I ever saw.  The only sporting event that ever remotely came close for me was the 1980 Olympics, when the US beat Russia in hockey. I will remember that Euro Championship forever.

After that my coach gave me a whole box of VHS tapes of Liverpool matches from the 80’s and from that day on I supported Liverpool.

The third type is the “Glory Hunter” or Bandwagon fan. They don’t know one thing about the team’s history or players. But love it when they win a title.  Then they talk sh*t and break your balls about it. We all know a few of those guys. They know just enough about the team to sound legit,  they cant tell you anything about the team or what happened last week, but love to talk about the number of titles the team has or how great their top scorer is.

Cant remember feeling any different, Liverpool FC have been with me and a major part of my life for as long as I can remember.

Michael Owen, 1998 World Cup. Fell in love with that little sh*t and the way he played, so decided to casually follow Liverpool (as well as any 12 year old in the late 90s could ). Once ESPN ramped up their coverage online, I followed Liverpool harder. Still impossible to watch matches, and I have yet to meet a Liverpool fan who is a thick and thin type supporter. In 2005 I saw them on campus and when I came home, and how I don't ever see any.

California is filled with Manure fans, and a lot more Barcelona fans over the past 3 years, curiously. I wonder the F**k why.

From a Liverpool family from Liverpool so Liverpool come easy

Can't bring myself to like England thoguh

I'll second that!

I think you can get a overwhelming love for anything if your heart is in it! Liverpool is like a drug to me though, expensive, addictive, sometimes dangerous but most of all the highs feel better than the lows! 

Cant remember feeling any different, Liverpool FC have been with me and a major part of my life for as long as I can remember.

I'll second that one Kelvo.

I only really started watching English Football within the last 15 years. Friend in college was into it but his team was Juve (he was Italian). So I got into watching...can't remember why I ended up choosing Liverpool...think of the little bit that did get televised over here in the states, LFC and MUFC tended to be on more than other teams. Also remember watching Arsenal play as well, but I always pulled for Liverpool. Kind of grew from there. I admire the support that locals have for the team...must be amazing to have grown up or been from that area and been "born" into that support structure.

Michael Owen, 1998 World Cup. Fell in love with that little sh*t and the way he played, so decided to casually follow Liverpool (as well as any 12 year old in the late 90s could ). Once ESPN ramped up their coverage online, I followed Liverpool harder. Still impossible to watch matches, and I have yet to meet a Liverpool fan who is a thick and thin type supporter. In 2005 I saw them on campus and when I came home, and how I don't ever see any.

California is filled with Manure fans, and a lot more Barcelona fans over the past 3 years, curiously. I wonder the f**k why.

You are right, I'm not seeing too many Liverpool shirts here in LA. Don't know too many diehards here, except for myself and Lester76. Mainly see Real Madrid and Barca shirts to be honest as well as the odd c**t in a Scum shirt.

The main question here is, can anyone actually like a team because their friends tell them to or because you just want to try to like a team?

I've fallen in love with Liverpool when I started following Michael Owen but after that, it was pretty much just the club, the history, the culture, the tradition, the fans, the city and practically everything about except Everton. My parents are hardly football fans and no one else in my family actually are big footie fans. I learnt about the club on my own.

I admit I basically just follow the Spain team in international tournaments but it wasn't because they won Euro 2008 or World Cup 2010. I liked them before they even played in Euro 2008. I may be a glory hunter as I hardly know anything about the Spanish team other than the fact they the only other major trophy they won was 1964. My support for them was mainly due to the fact we had a Spanish manager and five of the Spanish footballers wore Liverpool Red.

But as I've said, I've tried to follow England because of Owen and Gerrard in the past but it just couldn't work out!!

You are right, I'm not seeing too many Liverpool shirts here in LA. Don't know too many diehards here, except for myself and Lester76. Mainly see Real Madrid and Barca shirts to be honest as well as the odd c**t in a Scum shirt.

Do you have a local pub or anything where supporters meet? I can't find a gathering of Liverpool fans for the life of me in San Diego.

Do you have a local pub or anything where supporters meet? I can't find a gathering of Liverpool fans for the life of me in San Diego.

Unfortunately not, i would recommend meeting in the Fox and Hounds in Studio City. The kick off times kill the pub idea more often than not. If/when we get to the Cup Final maybe we should plan something.

Nobody in my family from Liverpool.
None of my family supporting Liverpool.

I used to like Liverpool after seeing Owen scoring at Euro 2004 against Portugal. (age 7)

It was this match age 7-8 years of age i truly knew i was a Liverpool fan

Luis García Vs Juventus Uefa Champions League 2005

I support Liverpool because it's my local club and because my family also support the club.

I think I'm just lucky to live where I do and unless I was in the shoes of someone not from the area, I'd never know why they'd choose Liverpool over anybody else. In Liverpool, you either support Liverpool or Everton, it's as simple as that, regardless of history.

The main question here is, can anyone actually like a team because their friends tell them to or because you just want to try to like a team?

I dont think you can be forced to abandon 1 team for another.  If I like Liverpool and my buddies like Chelsea, I'm not going to just all of a sudden be Chelsea.  I dont think anyone can just do that, and if they do then their not a true supporter.

I dont think you can be forced to abandon 1 team for another.  If I like Liverpool and my buddies like Chelsea, I'm not going to just all of a sudden be Chelsea.  I dont think anyone can just do that, and if they do then their not a true supporter.

What if you don't have a team? As in, you're suddenly got interested in the sport and you want to 'follow' a team?

I can't bring myself to force to support a team. It's never happened. It didn't happen with Liverpool. For me Liverpool just happened. I didn't make a plan and look at the Premier League table and point 'THAT is the team of my choice'. I guess my love of Liverpool stemmed from being a massive fan of Michael Owen. And then largely because Owen played for Liverpool I followed his progress there. When I got into football I only followed it at international level.  But what really mattered is that Liverpool really intrigued me. Perhaps it was the BRIGHT red of the strip.

I have no local team, the nearest professional football team was over 100 miles away so for me I feel very lucky that I didn't have the pressures from others to support. I come from a family with absolutely no interest in football so me and my brother were very much starting something different and there really is no finer stroke of luck or fate even in supporting Liverpool. I was 11 when I first realised I was a Liverpool fan. And it had nothing to do with success. It was towards the end of 2002, and we were on the verge of getting knocked out of the Champions League at the group stages (by Basle eventually) and we were performing terribly in the league.

As the saying goes, and I really do mean this, I didn't choose to support Liverpool. Liverpool chose me!