Is it ever okay to stop supporting your football club

[VidaRed]

I cannot fathom people changing football clubs. I could understand having a soft spot for another team whilst supporting the main team but switching ?

I reckon most of these people are casual fans or fanbois of individual players.

 

[Flexdegea]

Big chunk of my United supporting mates, also double up as Celtic, would go to games. Don't think it's too bad as they are seperate leagues, and there is a massive allegiance here to Celtic from prob a lot of their family members, so can understand it but it's defo not for me.

 

[NoLogo]

I woke up this morning as a Bayern fan, after breakfast I switched to PSG, now I'm a United fan again. Feels shite, I think I'll switch to Real fan in 15 minutes.

 

[Tavern in the town]

Yet another “we’re crap at football and I don’t like it” thread.

 

[Wolf1992]

Not supporting a club anymore it's OK.

But changing clubs because the club isn't competing for trophies anymore, that's not a supporter or a fan.... that's called a bandwagoner.

And it's more common to be a bandwagoner when you support a foreign club, because there is no sentimental bound to the club, you don't live in the city/country where the club originated.

A random korean, nigerian or a thai fan might change club if he sees that United is becoming shit and doesn't challenge for trophies anymore, a mancunian who goes to Old Trafford very often won't.

 

[Wolf1992]

Well, nobody goes from United to Liverpool or City, unless you’re 12, but it’s perfectly fine to fall out of love with United and generally just love football - if at all. Become a more objective viewer. Many foreigners are called glory hunters and I believe United of course have the most of them in the world given the long success over 20 years.

Will however a top red living in Manchester who goes to every game get more excited over a win or a trophy vs. some random Korean or Norwegian who became a fan after Solskjær scored against Bayern? Will the emitions fly higher? Of course not, it’s just football, which compared to a lot of stuff is pretty low on the list. The older you get and the more family members you have, as well as responsibility at work, the less time and effort is devoted to football. That’s my experience at least, I’d much rather watch PSG - City than United - Everton on a Wednesday night with this current bunch, gives me very little.

People who support a foreign club don't tend have the bound for such club, which is why for them it's easier to change their support if the their club stop competing for trophies.

Hard to change club when you support a club from your own city/country, or a club that your whole family supports the from generations.

 

[Lay]

It's sport, not a blood pact. Life is depressing enough, and sport is supposed to be a way to mitigate that. if your team isn't bringing you joy, feel free to move on.

I don’t think I could do it but I agree with this.

Sometimes people have so much negativity in their life, why add more to it by letting a sports club ruin more of your mood.

Where I’m at, I’ve become less interested over time. I had the same situation after we won the treble. Almost felt like we had completed football so my memories of the next two titles are minimal.

 

[elnorte]

Certainly nothing about the club at the moment that makes supporting them in any way appealling.

 

[DRJosh]

Supporting United isn’t just about the club for me.

In my case, I have distinct personal memories attached to being a fan right from when I was a young school boy cheering the team on with my dad, over 30 years ago. Even if I wanted to, it will be impossible to switch allegiances.

It’s a concrete part of my identity. My 2 young sons are die-hard supporters and I’d imagine they would feel the same way in the future.

 

[RacingClub]

If a known criminal and human rights abuser bought Arsenal I would stop supporting the club.

I think this is the correct answer for me.

If you are ditching your club because they aren't successful enough then it's so far removed from what I think a "fan" is that I can't really comprehend it.

For me the only way you can truly appreciate the highs of success is if you experience the lows of failure.

I think a significant portion of United fans grew up with sustained success and are having a really difficult time adjusting to being a side that just wins the B level cups (Something that 99% of clubs in the country would bite your hand off for) occasionally.

The new United fans who have been baptised in the shit fire that has been United since Fergies departure will appreciate the next League Title or Champions League more than those who suckled on the teat of Ferguson's dominance.

To bastardize a terrible boomer Joe Rogan Facebook meme "Hard Times create Good Fans. Good times create Weak Fans" and future generations of United fans will feel less entitled than the current one.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Straight out of McGregors basement.

I always assumed this was/is an English forum.

 

[Chipper]

Mostly no for switching.

A few exceptions I wouldn't have as much of a problem with.

You become disillusioned with top-flight football for whatever reason and start going non-league or lower league and really enjoy it. gradually drifting away from the bigger team until you don't care about them. Something like how FC United started. Similarly if non-league is all you could afford to go to and you just want a live football fix and you get really into it.

Or if you moved from Manchester to the USA for example and thought you'd check out the local MLS team and got into them.

Just stopping but not switching? That's okay as far as I'm concerned.

 

[UweBein]

Anything goes - I'd say.
I do not like this quasi religious sentiment to be attached to football.

 

[NicolaSacco]

I can understand falling out of love with your club, and slowly disengaging, I don’t even think it’s particularly rare.
But to transfer your allegiance? I just don’t see it. We all remember how it feels when you fall in love with your club; the excitement, the first goal you see live. How could you just do that again with a different team?

 

[Someone]

If football genuinely isn’t bringing you any joy then you don’t need to force yourself to follow it. Switching to another club is pathetic though, 0 chance of that. If I stopped following United then I’d lose an interest in football.

This. I can understand losing a bit of passion for your club, but switching is a no no.

 

[Frank Grimes]

I always assumed this was/is an English forum.

Nope. It's as Irish as Andy Townsend.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

United are the team for me

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

I always assumed this was/is an English forum.

Seriously?

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Stop supporting? Yes. Particularly if the club is doing something you find to be morally reprehensible. For example, being bought by the Saudis, or an equally nasty regime. If we were in Newcastle's boat, I think that'd be it for me.

Switching? I don't see how it's possible. To just unattach and reattach yourself to another club, with all the emotion that comes with it. I don't think you can manufacture that. I didn't choose United, it was never offered to me as a decision. My whole family are United fans, it was inherited from before I can remember. How do you migrate that over to another club? I just don't think you can.

 

[Robertd0803]

Ive no problem if you drift away as a fan for reasons of the club being rubbish/not competitive/owned by dodgy owners etc.

But switching to another club is 100% a no. Just stop watching football altogether.

 

[FriedClams]

Are there people who follow and support players more than clubs? Is that acceptable in football, to become a fan of whoever your favourite player transfers to?

 

[Deery]

Feck me, I can’t believe the amount of people agreeing with this, opposition fans will be reading this an pissing themselves.

 

[Mike Phelan's Former Tash]

Football is becoming more and more disengaging each week. I'm bored of the need to virtue signal and constantly bring politics into the mix. It's no longer a 'distraction' from real life, the players have too much too soon, are more concerned about their brand and have contempt for their own fans.

Then there is this issue of ownership and all the hypocrisy that comes with that. The soul of the sport has been washed away with all the money and lack of integrity.

 

[Tyrion]

It's sport, not a blood pact. Life is depressing enough, and sport is supposed to be a way to mitigate that. if your team isn't bringing you joy, feel free to move on.

Exactly. A lot of people here talk like Uniteds form is some sort of personal tragedy and other fans protect their clubs reputation like they're family members. In reality, they're a bunch of millionaires we've never met. It's not that important.

 

[Red_Manc_M15]

Straight out of McGregors basement.

 

[RC89]

This is an Irish forum?

 

[The Purley King]

and potentially to switch allegiances?
I realise that this is an Irish forum, and there are lot of people on here whom have a certain club close to their hearts.

How close are you to just switching to any club, if ever? Is it something frowned upon (well it is - by muppets in my opinion) and how have you handled this if you ever changed your colours.

Anywhoo, this thread doesn’t have to be about your experience but it’s also about how your experience would be.

I’m just going to go out and say it. I’m away to support Celtic.

If you have to ask this question to know the correct answer then you aren’t really a supporter.

 

[Offsideagain]

I have been a fan and supporter since the 1960’s. The difference between a fan and a supporter is in the wording. A supporter gives money to the club by way of tickets and merchandise and a fan follows the club mostly in the media. Since the Glazers took over, my support has dwindled and stopped some years ago. My brother growing up supported Chelsea and then Villa (when they were European Champions) and guess who he supports now? Yep, the Bitters.

 

[Redfrog]

I can’t stop supporting this club. The only way is to completely stop to watch football.
I might come to that, all this oil and oligarchs club are killing the game and the likes of Glazers are only in to milk it as much as they can. I’d rather be no part of that.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

Is this an irish forum?

We built London, run New York and own the Cafe.

 

[Spoony]

Feck me, I can’t believe the amount of people agreeing with this, opposition fans will be reading this an pissing themselves.

True. It's your tribe. You stick with them through thick and thin.

 

[IrishRedDevil]

I always assumed this was/is an English forum.

Have you ever seen an English man on a building site after 2pm? Here’s a clue - starts with N and ends with O. Lazy as sin. Couldn’t build a sandcastle nevermind the Cafe.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Have you ever seen an English man on a building site after 2pm? Here’s a clue - starts with N and ends with O. Lazy as sin. Couldn’t build a sandcastle nevermind the Cafe.

I just always thought the site was hosted in the UK somewhere.

 

[lex talionis]

I’m not sure what “ok” means in this context. Of course we each have a right to give up on a club for any reason one wishes. Worst scenario one switches from a club like United, to a direct rival like City, because City are now winning trilogies and United are not. It’s ok to switch clubs you support if that makes you happy, but it’s also ok for your mates let give you shit for you. Go ahead and switch, but be prepared for the consequences from your friends and family.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

Watching City and Liverpool kill it while we are crap is depressing. Still could not switch. Although I feel I support Chelsea too just to stop them.

Like in the cup today. I would rather Middlesbrough to win the cup than Chelsea, but since Chelsea have higher chance to stop Liverpool I just needed to support them.

 

[Camilo]

Absolutely. No point in supporting a team that isn't going to win. That'd make you some kind of psycho I reckon, punishing yourself over a game of men kicking a ball...not even men really, kids. Kids who do kneeslides like 5 year olds in shopping centres when they score.

 

[Hugh Jass]

We built London, run New York and own the Cafe.

How many posters are Uk and how many are Irish i wonder?

 

[jadajos]

People sincerely switch spouses, professions, passports, religions and much more. And football should be the one exception? People change, life changes.

You’d have to be very narrow minded in my opinion to categorically rule out this possibility. Football shouldn’t be a cult, it’s a hobby.

Certainly not necessary to ask anyone for permission.

 

[WeePat]

I watched the 2006 CL final with an Arsenal fan. He was in tears that night. We lost touch for a couple of years but then we found each other on social media and he was claiming to be a United fan. These days he calls himself a lifelong Real Madrid fan. There will always be fans like that who engage with the sport in a very superficial way.

I don't understand it myself and I can't take someone seriously if they're telling me they support Liverpool now but I know they were supporting Arsenal or Spurs before.

So yeah, quitting on your club is also weird but okay I suppose if you've genuinely lost interest in it but the switching is beyond weird and quite pathetic.

 

[TsuWave]

Get a hold of your emotions