Tourist Brits reaction to Reading FC....

[Agent Balti]

I seem to recall in my distant, distant memory that Grimsby fans thought we were 'cockneys' at an FA Cup tie way back when we were truly shit. (oh...)

Not quite sure if there was mucho irony involved, but I guess they couldn't really come up with anything else that pithy.

P.S. I believe it may have been Richard Carpenter that 'did' for Casper?

[purleyroyal]

I seem to recall in my distant, distant memory that Grimsby fans thought we were 'cockneys' at an FA Cup tie way back when we were truly shit. (oh...)

Not quite sure if there was mucho irony involved, but I guess they couldn't really come up with anything else that pithy.

P.S. I believe it may have been Richard Carpenter that 'did' for Casper?

Didn't he do "Goodbye to love" with his sister Karen?

[Thaumagurist*]

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[Mike Hunt]

Football is a massive sport, and many feel like they should "support" a team just because it's so popular. Many enjoy watching it on the tv, but have very little actice interest. Because they like football they feel duty bound to pick a team.

That is exactly how it is in Australia. Most of my friends go for one of the Big 4. I have one Aston Villa fan (Does not watch Football often, has been a fan since he was , one that is an Everton Fan, one that has just brought Fulham season tickets (now living In Aussiesmith) and a mate that follows Leeds and Swansea (has family in Swansea)

Those people will always pick a big and successful club. At the outside they'll pick a sleeping giant because they like an underdog, but they know there's a chance they'll awake.

REAL football fans understand why you'd support your local team, or a team you have specific ties to instantly. They might be a bit confused about a foreigner who's never been to the place and got no family ties supporting them. But with a quick explanantion they'll understand.

They still look at me strange... lol "Reading.... Are you mad ? One bloke actually told me that I was a "real football fan" I was that excited a little bit of wee came out.

I honestly don't think fans with an active interest and passion for a club have a choice about who they support. One way or another they are captivated. From then on it's that club or no one.

I feel that way, Ian. Even though I have only followed Reading since they hit the Prem, in essence they are the only club I have supported, as I started following football at the same time (Aussies in the world cup)

In Sydney, it is Rugby League this, Rugby League that. I never got into how awesome football is. It is at the stage now, where I see Rugby League for the mugs game it is...


The way my passion for Reading came into fruitation was when I was at the club with my Football supporting mates, and they showed a Reading game (Championship) on the TV. I cannot remember who they played, but the way they played really caught my eye. I asked one of my mates why they were not in the Prem and he told me that they very could be.

So I followed them for the rest of the season, and then, when I was in the UK in 2006 - went to the Megastore and brought my first Reading shirt. I did not get to go to a match though, unfortunately.

Sorry for the essay, I just thought you would like to know how an Aussie - came to be a Reading supporter. Even though I do not go to the games, I have a massive passion for this club, and it is unfortunate that the geographical element will stop me from seeing them play.

[seahawk10]

Great story Mike, and you will get to see a match live one day.

[USRoyal17]

met a West Ham fan last night and he gave me the "Reading, Why Reading?"

I made sure to remind him of our 6-0 drubbing of them which he remembered well.

[hiro]

met a West Ham fan last night and he gave me the "Reading, Why Reading?"

I made sure to remind him of our 6-0 drubbing of them which he remembered well.

[PremAddict]

I started following RFC for two reasons:

1 - To follow two US-born players.
2 - B/C they WEREN'T the obvious choice (I'm like that)

I will continue to follow RFC b/c I like to read the shit posts on here.

FWIW, my personal feeling is most folks here in the US that choose the "big 4" don't really know that much about the sport and they make an easy choice. Frankly if I were to follow a bigger club, I'd probably follow a Spanish one - I like the style of play much better. Or I'd follow Arsenal (again, style of play) plus there's a strong link between the Rapids here and the Gunners (Koenke).

[Ian Royal]

Glad you're with us Mike. Hope you can get to see plenty of games on TV and make a real game some time in the not too distant future.

[Ark Royal]

The people I have spoken to here like and appreciate the fact that I have stuck by my local team in the town of my birth through thick and thin and that support for the club in my family has gone back generations.

They are also impressed that Reading date back to 1871 and that there are even a few more older clubs than that. Surprising, given that even some baseball clubs date back earlier than that.

[SteveRoyal]

Dara O'Brian thinks we're in Wiltshire.

Funny shite, that.

[Vision]

Curious what the response would be if we asked the Brits on here what American Football or Baseball teams they follow and why?

[Agent Balti]

Curious what the response would be if we asked the Brits on here what American Football or Baseball teams they follow and why?

I follow the San Francisco Giants. I've always had a passing interest in baseball, it's really not as dull as people think...

I was on holiday there in 2004 for a few days and took in a game and it was superb. The atmosphere, the music, the things that folk generally dislike about American sport just made it for me. Plus where the Giants play, the AT&T Park (was PNC Park back then) is possibly one of the most scenic places to watch a game; right next to the Pacific Ocean overlooking the bay.

The Giants are not the most successful nor currently any good, so I didn't glory hunt my team - unlike some who will quite possibly support the Yankee$ (as I believe they are known) by those who's taken a game in New York. Most of the chav who wear the NY logo over here in the UK probably have no idea it's the logo of the Yankees. Which is kinda sad.

[LUX]

I "follow" the Baltimore Orioles, although if someone were to tell me now that they no longer exist/have had their franchise transferred to San Antonio Texas or whatever, I'd look foolish.

I was on holiday in the 90' s in Baltimore and got into baseball, in particular their team. By far the best US sport.

ps back on track, well done to you far flung Royals. Luxembourg was full of (non British) Man U glory boys until very recently when, "inexplicably", they all wear Real Madrid shirts.

Ronaldo >>>Man U.

[Aly Murty]

I "follow" the Houston Astros for similar reasons to the two expressed above - my dad used to work in Houston quite abit so would always stop over there on the way to a holiday somewhere else in the States and watched a fair few games over the years. I do detest that the stadium is called 'The Minute Maid Stadium' though.

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I've been to baseball in Seattle, Toronto and at Wrigley Field, Chicago. Wrigley Field was a nice day out as the place prides itself on being the antithesis of modern sports stadiums. No music blaring out. No electronic scoreboard (just a manual one like a county cricket match). Not even any advertising boards in the stadium. Just an "old time" traditional day out. Really pleasant. Just a shame about the sport as I found baseball impossible to get even mildly excited about, despite giving it three goes.

[Ark Royal]

I have become a big Brewers' fan and was genuinely chuffed to bits when they made the play-offs last season for the first time in 26 years. Beating the hated Cubs in the very last game to clinch it is one of my greatest sporting experiences. If I am not at Miller Park, then I am watching on the telly. Miller is also a superb stadium and the retractable roof guarantees play.

[Rawlie19]

I follow the Cubs in baseball, but I have no idea why I chose them (I have always liked the underdog though so it could have easily been the Red Sox) and in American Football I follow the Dolphins... When I got into 'Football' and decided it was time I picked a team I went and looked to see who won the superbowl the year I was born, and found it was the Dolphins... The fact that they've been shit pretty much since then also sealed it for me.

[Ian Royal]

I'm massively prejudiced against US sports.

American Football is a duller version of the dull game Rugby played without the skill and wearing body armour.

Baseball is rounders with pretensions and a ten second attention span

Basketball is netball for men with half the difficulty taken out, played at 3 times the speed.

[Maria Kr.]

I started following Reading in 05/06 when a friend of mine who lives there whom I met through a TV show discussion forum started telling me about them. And then I did some research and found that they had 2 Icelanders playing (Ivar and Bryn), and being from and living in Iceland, that gave me more of a platform of interest. Then the ball really got rolling that season and I got most of my info through my friend. I'm still majorly chuffed that we didn't have the channel that airs the Prem for the 1st Prem season, and I only managed to see a few matches at my uncle's house. But I fixed that to a degree by buying the season review DVDs. Then the 2nd Prem season we got the channel, and I watched as often as I could,despite massive stick from my brother, as well as the frustration of all the losing. I was in a foul mood for a long long time after we were relegated. I found HNA that 2nd Prem season, and it's been a major help in regards to finding links to online audio commentary and such this last season, I'm on the chat for every match when I'm home, listening to commentary w. headphones on and flipping between Prem matches on TV w.o. audio.

Then last year I had a trip to London planned to watch the NFL game at Wembley, and when I knew there was also a Reading home match that weekend I HAD to get tickets. I did, and despite it ending 0-0 (vs. QPR) it was amazing. Went by the player's car park and met both Ivar and Bryn as well as Marcus and Bikey and some others, and got a ton of stuff signed. No Doyle or N. Hunt though, which I would've loved to see. Was also my first match to see live in a few years in England so that sweetened it up.
Am going back for another NFL match in October, and am delighted that there's a home match (Leicester) that weekend, am planning on going if I can.

I mostly got bugged by my brother over my support of Reading (for example he made fun of me when I realized that I'd been mis-pronouncing the name in the early stages of following, never having heard it pronounced), but after he went with me to the match he's pretty much stopped going on about it. People generally don't think it's weird that I follow them as my 2nd team (I guess you can call me a glory hunter, having supported Man U from around 10 y.o., but I follow more than a lot of people, am planning a return to OT one of these days) but I haven't seen much of people airing out their passion for a 2nd team like I do.