BernardLambourde

I wasn't drawing a direct parallel between football and ballet. Merely using it as the hypothetical ballet fan's main interest and passion in life.......yet never getting off his ar*e to go and see it.

So who would you support if they played Chelsea?

You have it both ways.....but this isn't the case for everyone is it? Many people only support a foreign club. I used to watch Italian football on channel 4 when I was a kid and said that Samp were my favourite..........but like the original poster, I didn't really give a s*** about them. That's all I'm really querying. And people telling me they support Chelsea cause they liked the socks in 1999 or were given a kit won't change what I think. And yes, I do think you should attend matches if you're going to walk round in a replica shirt, talking about it all day. What is wrong with that belief?

Explain to me why you think it is the worst comparison ever. And I think you're the one being a bit slow 'Sals'. I've reiterated several times that I'm not judging people on who they support and why.....as I said, it's up to them what they do. I just stated that I don't understand why people would want to follow a club the other side of the world when they could actively participate in something at home. Is it that hard to understand?

Try and look at photos of it on the net. It looks ridiculous. Even Liberace would find it too camp. I don't really see the thought process behind it. I know that the football isn't on all year round, but surely given it's location, then the football should have played some significance in the nature of the new bar? And I can't see it being rammed for the rest of the time anyway. It's a relatively quiet area during the week....so they'd be relying on weekends. People might stop off there for a few drinks, but they're not going to stay there all night as it's a bit isolated. They'll head to Fulham Broadway or a club on The King's Road. I think it'll be shut within a few months. The hopefully it'll turn back into something more suitable. I don't see why they didn't make it a Chelsea theme bar. With Chelsea memorabillia on the walls. It'd obviously be rammed for match days and when it's quiet in the week, might attract tourists. What the hell has a Polynesian monstrosity got to do with anything?

But then if you're in Peru and have decided to follow Chelsea on a whim.......you can hardly complain that you're too remote to attend matches. That's what tends to happen when you decide to support a club on the other side of the World! Ha ha. That was my point. And if you live in SW6 and claim to passionately support Chelsea, then I really see no reason why you wouldn't go to some matches. There are people at my work who support various London teams.........yet NEVER go to a game. As I have previously stated......it's up to them what they do and I'm not going to tell them what they spend their money on. Yet they talk about football and their clubs EVERY day at work. "See Fabregas wants to move to Barca?" etc. They go on football websites, read about it in the papers and buy the replica shirts. Yet they never bother to see a game and I don't get it. They're clearly really into it, so why not? If a guy bowled into work and only ever spoke about ballet......and constantly went on online ballet forums......and came in wearing an 'I love ballet' t-shirts.....and read the daily ballet section in the paper (if this even exists).......and you asked him what was the best ballet performance he had ever seen and he replied "oh, I've never actually been", then you'd be utterly flabbergasted right?

The King's Head/Slug is called The Broadway Bar and Grill now.....so another pub turned into an eatery. I walked past The So Bar a fortnight ago and what has replaced it looks pretty w@nky. I go to The Elk which is alright but will never be for the more vociferous supporters. Has anyone tried The October Fest? It's a German theme bar.........on The Fulham Road but a bit of a walk away.....heading towards Craven Cottage. www.octoberfestpub.com Just read this about the So Bar's successor on the net: Welcome to Kona Kai, a Polynesian inspired port of pleasure that transports you to the shores of the South Seas. Located on the Fulham/Chelsea border, Kona Kai is less than 2 minutes walk away from Fulham Broadway station. With its Tiki decor, exotic fresh fruit cocktails, sunshine party tunes and its friendly and fun atmosphere, Kona Kai offers guests not simply a bar, but complete escapism from the stresses and strains of everyday life. If you are looking for an exotic holiday party vibe, plenty of yummy Cocktails and delicious food served in a laid back and fun-filled atmosphere, then Kona Kai is your ultimate destination. So 'Don't be shy', come along and experience the journey to Tiki Paradise and indulge yourself with the pleasures of distant lands beyond the sea. Christ on stilts!

It's not about feeling superior or seeking a pecking order. Having been attending games at The Bridge since 1987, I do have more connection than a guy the other side of the World who has never been to England.....that is just a fact (And there are people who have attended far more Chelsea games that me). Like a Miami Dolphins fan in Miami who has been going to matches for years and years has more connection to them than the fictional kid in Norwich we're talking about. I'm not saying people shouldn't do this either as I have already stated. It's up to them what they do. I was just saying I don't understand it. I don't know why you'd want to get up at 3 in the morning to watch an internet stream when you could go and see Norwich (or whoever) in the flesh - and properly feel part of it. Much like how I don't understand why people want to have an 'online relationship' with someone they've never met on the other side of the world when they could go down their local meat market and get stuck in.

No, but you can have at least some link to the club you decide to support and then take it from there. And yes, I could pick out John Phillips from a Police line up. In fact, I could pick out him, Mickey Bodley and Joe Allon from a Where's Wally picture.

Not saying they'd be as big as Chelsea.....but they'd be bigger than what they are and the standard would improve subsequently. AIK Solna average about 9,000 in the Rasunda which I believe holds over 30,000. If they filled it up, it would generate interest and it would be more enjoyable to attend.

I agree, it's not a contest.....and as I said, they're free to 'support' who they want. I was just saying I struggled to understand it when they have their own teams they could actually go and see live in the flesh and have some sort of connection to. As for jumping on and off the bandwagon at a whim.....I'm afraid that is invariably the case. Would all those people in Malaysia be wearing Chelsea shirts if we went back to having players like Andy Dow and David Hopkin? I don't think they would.

But I don’t feel an affinity with Chelsea as ‘an English club’...........when Chelsea win in Europe, I don’t rejoice in the fact that an English club is doing well. For me it is all about the club itself and South West London. Besides, it’s not like Chelsea have only just started playing non-English players. John Tait Robertson, the player manager in 1905 was a Scotsman. And when I was a kid players like Monkou, Johnsen, Durie and Clarke were playing. I couldn’t give a sh*t about that. Maybe I’m being a bit old school about it, in the sense that I feel you should have some sort of link to the club/area. I appreciate the game is more global now and the world is getting smaller. I just can’t relate to kids in England claiming to ‘support’ The Miami Dolphins cause they ordered a replica shirt from the internet and watch matches on a dodgy stream. I can see why they might take an interest in watching the games.......but as for claiming they’re a passionate fan of them.....it’s totally alien to me.

Wise playing head tennis with a fan in 1994/95 (I think against West Ham) Wise taking out a Turkish pitch invader in the Champions League against Galatasary in 99/00. David Platt scoring a bicycle kick at the Shed for Villa in 90/91 but the ref disallowing it as he had blown the half time whistle as Platt was mid air.

I agree, I've never been able to understand this phenomenon. How can you claim to have an affinity with a club based on the other side of the world? My whole family have supported Chelsea.....generation after generation.....and have all attended matches. I have an affinity with the club, the area and past teams/players. I'm sorry, but how can someone living the other side of World who has never been to SW6 feel the same? And it isn't arrogant to say I'm more of a supporter than them.....it's just a fact. I've been going to Chelsea since the glorious relegation season of 87/88 and have spent a s*** load of money on it. I was there for most of the great moments since then.....and also the worst ones. A bloke in Malaysia who just buys a replica shirt wasn't. It is in no way comparable. He wouldn't recognise Andy Myers if he broke into his house and wiped his bum on the curtains. Also, why don't they get behind their own teams? If they put as much effort into them as they do with United, Liverpool and Chelsea then they'd be big clubs with a good following in their own right. By the way, not saying they shouldn't 'follow' Chelsea......up to them what they do. Just saying I don't really understand it.