I recently went to watch Arsenal vs. Blackburn Rovers at the new Emirates Stadium. It was fantastic, magnificent and awakened my dormant Gooner.
It did leave me with some searching questions.
Why were the Arsenal fans taunting Bentley, much more than the other Blackburn players? He's been praised for his performance playing for the England squad? I don't get it.
Why don't they swap shirts at the end any more?
Why do the fans who love Arsenal, really have a go when they make the slightest mistake? Do they really think they could do any better?
Why do we hate Chelsea (...oh we hate Chelsea – we are the ... etc.)
I have a new chant – sing to theme song from the Adams Family
'Adebayo (clap clap)
Adebayo (clap clap)
Adebayo Adebayo Adebayo (clap clap)'
How do I get it into the mouths (and hearts)of my fellow fans?
If I read Fever Pitch would it answer these questions?
Is it anything like About a Boy?
Answers gratefully received
Posts
Er, well, football fans often don't make that much sense (have you listened to 606 on Radio 5, or read the comments at the bottom of articles on the Guardian?), but let's see:
ReplyDelete- Fans always taunt ex-players (Bentley played for Arsenal). Although, erm, sometimes they don't. Tends to depend on whether the player helped them win something, or had a good rapport with the fans (whatever that means exactly; fans can sometimes take to a player for strange reasons).
- Shirt-swapping tends to take place mainly in cup games these days. Particularly when a lower league team is involved (they might never play Arsenal again, share a pitch with Cesc Fabregas, etc. so they tend to want a souvenir of the day).
- Why do Arsenal fans barrack their own team's players...? Erm, they just do. It's the same at most clubs as far as I know. Like I said, football fans don't always make much sense.
- The Chelsea-hating just seems to be a tradition amongst fans of the other London clubs. No idea why (lately, jealousy, perhaps?), but still, it might be the only thing they all have in common.
- Reading Fever Pitch might answer a few questions... though, possibly, only about Nick Hornby.
On the other questions, no idea. And actually I haven't read Fever Pitch at all... Or been to any matches outside of the Midlands. Plus, an actual Arsenal fan might have totally different answers. Erm, but anyway, hope those answers helped...
Hey Thanks OPOC - v useful.
ReplyDeleteOooh - don't tell Andy, he will be sooo jealous!
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I'm not the biggest footie fan, but I might be able to answer a few of your ponders (in my own way..)
1) True - football fans don't make much sense.
2) If you get your tune on the terraces I might become a fan.
3) Arsenal don't like Chelsea because Oz supports Chelsea and Andy supports Arsenal.
4) Fever Pitch is not at all like About a Boy.
That doesn't really help much does it...
I thought we decided on:
ReplyDelete'Adebayo (clap clap)
Adebayo (clap clap)
Adebayo give-him-the-ball and-he-will-score (clap clap)'
how do we collect royalties from 60,000 rabid footie fans?
Well ... I figure it's about tradition, rivalry, history, and ... macho men doing the equivilent of 'ape chest bashing'. Although most supporters are more like sheep than apes. The majority of what is said and done is said and done without much thought or consideration. It only takes one to chant something, and suddenly it's all round the ground and adopted as fact. Magic!
ReplyDeleteFootball shirts never used to be swapped, except in international matches. It started happening 'domestically' in the Champions League.
Fever Pitch won't explain it. It's inexcplicable!!
Well ... I figure it's about tradition, rivalry, history, and ... macho men doing the equivilent of 'ape chest beating'. Although most supporters are more like sheep than apes. The majority of what is said and done is said and done without much thought or consideration. It only takes one to chant something, and suddenly it's all round the ground and adopted as fact. Magic!
ReplyDeleteFootball shirts never used to be swapped, except in international matches. It started happening 'domestically' in the Champions League.
Fever Pitch won't explain it. It's inexcplicable!!