29 replies to this topic

[Maksimov]

I like many aspects of English culture and London is one of my favourite cities in the world, but there are also things that I don't like. The most obvious one is English tourists and/or ex-pats and how some/many behave when they go abroad. Some of them seem to think being English gives them a license to do whatever they please and some of them expect to be treated well no matter how obnoxiously they behave. I'm not anti-English, mind you, because I've always enjoyed myself when I've been in England as the people tend to be quite polite towards me, but there's something that happens to some of them when they leave the country. I don't want to tarnish all of them with the same brush, but it's harder to notice the ones who behave well, when the idiots are the noisy ones.

When it comes to international football, I'm quite indifferent towards team England. If they play entertaining football, then I obviously enjoy watching them, but I don't really care all that much whether they win or lose. Finland's my team, but we've yet to make it to the proper Euro or World Cup tournaments(although we have played in the youth tournaments), so I watch the big tournaments mostly as a neutral football fan and although I'm mostly neutral when I start to watch a tournament, I always have favourites who I like to see do well(usually based on the sort of football they play). It's usually about the football, but sometimes the fans help me decide which team I'd prefer to do well. Whenever any set of fans decide to disrespect the other nation's national anthem by booing, whistling, etc. I tend to want them to lose if I'd otherwise be neutral towards the teams. I have huge respect for Danish football fans "The Rooligans" who seem to have a great time in the stands, but they seem to know how to behave themselves as well.

So to make it short... No, I'm not anti-English, but there are aspects of English fan culture that I don't like. I've watched team England take part in many entertaining matches, so I like to watch them play, but I don't usually care whether they win or lose(unless they play Finland), just as long as the match is entertaining.

[Valerie]

I'm a Dutch Anglophile. I enjoy travelling through England (I've been to Scotland only twice), and I love being in London. Most Brits I've met are friendly and helpful, and I've managed to avoid the yobs and no-hope binge-drinkers (except for Shed Enders at a piss-up, so it's not ironclad ). Like any country, England (or Britain) has its good and its bad sides. I support England only when there are a number of Chelsea players on the pitch, and as far as other sports are concerned I don't give a toss what England are doing. In fact, British tennis supporters make me hope no British player will ever win Wimbledon.

And while I'd love to be able to go to many more Chelsea matches, I'm not sure I would want to live in or around London (no use living in Sodding Chipbury if you want to go to Stamford Bridge). The alarm going off at 6.30am is just as awful in London as it is in Amsterdam, the every day worries are the same too.

[undertow]

Maksimov, on 03 January 2012 - 10:19 AM, said:

there's something that happens to some of them when they leave the country.

cheap alcohol. lots of it.
well, at least here in central/eastern europe :)

[EdinburghBlue]

Being a Scot I'd never root for the English national team, no offence guys, just a bit of a friendly rivalry & you're better than us and actually get to EC/WC ha. But I've been to London a couple of times and the people are really nice, infact when I was younger a guy moved to my primary from Newcastle and left a few years after, still one of my best mates today, couldn't ask for a nicer bloke!

[the blue gazelle]

i have just followed chelsea as a kid,born in glasgow and mostly always stayed here,i just wanted to support an english team.

and have had a top every xmas and bday since,compared to the footy i watch up here too,it is not rocket science lol.

and any time i have been to london,i loved it,so i will have to get to the bridge on one day soon.

[Cam]

I lived in England for almost the first 7 years of my life (born in Aus, moved when 6 weeks old, moved back at 7).

For a fair while, I considered myself English, because I didn't really know better. As it is, I still love England 15 years since moving back...and the lasting support of Chelsea stands as a testament to that.

But when it comes down to it...I'm Australian. :)

[erskblue]

Did 'The Bridge Tour' a few years ago and I was like a kid on Christmas Morning.

[Carshalton Blue]

IMO the worst fans for being anti English & an English club fan is Irish people, a mate of mine a Forest fan moved to Waterford a few years ago with his wife, he ran a sports memoribilia shop.

He experienced so much anti English racism, for example during the day he sold a local lad a signed Roy Keane Utd pic, then the same night got dogs abuse from the same lad & his mates while watching England or Forest in his local pub.

He also had things like being ignored for ages while at the bar just for being English.

When we lost to Portugal in the 2006? world cup he got spat at by a lad wearing a Liverpool shirt & got shouted anti English abuse at, so there was an Irishman supporting an English club abusing an Englishman!

I'm glad to say my pal is now back in England.

Edited by Carshalton Blue, 03 January 2012 - 07:10 PM.

[wxwax]

P4L.Chelsea, on 03 January 2012 - 08:27 AM, said:

we were giving them the naughty smiles that they deserved

Oh no, not the naughty smiles! :)

[mac]

Scottish, lived in Glasgow for 35 years, supported Chelsea since I was 8 years old. Kerry Dixon was my hero and the rest is history as they say. Have no problem whatsoever in supporting England much to the disgust of most of my mates and do so at every opportunity. My Gran was English (born in Kent) and had I been good enough would have opted to play for England :)