Greetings from Sacramento

Let's see, how did I get here ...

I've been watching the game for a long time. I think I've seen every World Cup final since England's win in 1966. Definitely remember Maradona's Hand of God goal. Of course in the US the game was usually shown several days after the fact.

I made the big switch in the mid-90s. I was disgusted with everyone involved in the baseball strike, I'd been following the men's and women's national teams, MLS was getting started, and I was coaching my daughter's team. So I decided the heck with baseball, I'm watching soccer.

I grew up in Columbus, so I started following the Crew. They had this kid named McBride who was very impressive. Ended up becoming an Earthquakes fan because I could watch their games and they had an outstanding team before they left town. Haven't gotten excited about the new Earthquakes yet, and that for me extends to MLS at the moment. Much more interested in what's happening in Europe and with the national teams.

I noticed Fulham when they came with McBride to play the MLS allstars. So I started following Fulham over the internet to see how McBride was doing. By the time of the Great Escape I'd decided they were my kind of team, and that cemented it. I was a Cincinnati Royals fan as a kid in Ohio, and they moved to Sacramento (as the Kings) about a year after I did. The Kings and the Whites are always at a disadvantage against teams like the Lakers and Man U, but the perpetual underdog angle is appealing to me. None of those 'I just bought a Kobe jersey and I once watched a game all the way through so I'm entitled to talk smack' kind of fans.

If Dempsey leaves I'll still be a Fulham fan. When the Kings missed it by that much 8 years ago, 2 of the starters were Serbian, and we still have Serbian fans on the Kings website even though there aren't any Serbian players on the team now. That's me and Fulham.

And some day I want to get to the Cottage.

 

.Welcome sacffc, always enjoy the views of a fellow Golden Stater.

 

Welcome, thanks for your story

 

welcome aboard!

 

Welcome!

 

Cheers Sac!
We can always use more of the NorCal contingent.

COYW!!

 

Welcome Sacffc. best self intro I've seen. Makes me want to start a foundation to get you to the Cottage.

 

Welcome to FUSA sacffc!

 

Welcome to the fold, Sacffc. It's nice to know I'm not the only Fulham fan in the area!

 

Welcome Aboard!