Fulham: 'Everybody's 2nd Favorite Club'

http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/story/ ... id-hirshey

 

Interesting, if a little trite. I have found it to be pretty true, however. At my local pub, where I'm the only regular Fulham supporter, I frequently get a "I actually don't mind Fulham" type comment, even from supporters of our blue neighbors.

Hopefully, our fine form will soon end that.

 

The article forgot to mention Fulham's first American, Eddie Lewis- a year or two before my time, but still noteworthy (and Kasey Keller for that matter). Pretty good article overall, though. Most of my friends who are into soccer tend to hedge on their English club (many are big fans of the Chicago Fire and US National Team, others go for Barcelona and the US National team)- but always admit a soft spot for Fulham since McBride's tenure with the team- and when I was at the Globe in Chicago watching Fulham beat Hamburg- pretty much everyone there was telling me they had been rooting for Fulham the last few matches of the tournament.

And yeah, no one seems to hate us. Then again, I've never met a QPR fan or a genuine long-time Chelsea fan (even if I met the latter, they seem to view as more a pesky little brother than a genuine rival... even though it hasn't been remotely easy for them to take 3 points from us for the last few seasons).

But I also snickered when I read "life-long clubs"- unless their parents emigrated from England, I doubt more than a handful of Americans were rooting for Man U, Arsenal or Liverpool before the mid to late 90s at the earliest (or Chelsea before the mid 00's).

~ Steve

 

Pretty interesting article and mostly true from my experience.

I also post on a music Radiohead message board which has a lot of English posters and the reaction is pretty similar when I mention I support Fulham. Everyone seems to like to see them do well.

 

To be honest, I would rather be feared and hated than loved by everybody. I hate the fact that we are this small club down by the river, some kind of David rather than Goliath, that everybody secretly loves. We have alot of potential so hopefully we kick ass in the next few years and fans other other clubs see us as a rival.