And there you have it. As good a football team selection device as was ever invented! 
Just to point out that both United and Chelsea are currently in debt to the tune of about £750 million each.
It may not matter for Chelsea, who owe the vast majority of the outstanding amount to owner Roman Abramovich, but it costs United £80 million per annum to service their externally sourced loans.
Yeah but two important differences:
- United make far more per annum than Chelsea. Chelsea are basically never paying Roman back.
- United are in debt because of the strange way they were bought, they didn’t go into debt buying players or anything. That they are paying 80m p.a. and can still afford to waste 30m on an unfit football player shows how rich they are.
As a Man city fan (from when we were shite and barely above relegation), I can safely say that it is an adventure pulling for them. One minute we are signing Robinho, the next we are losing to Everton at home and looking like utter crap.
However, the older fans of the club are incredibly passionate, they have a very nice home ground, and their colors are gorgeous. They are also loaded with cash, but their manager cannot be trusted to do the right thing with it. Three months ago, you would have been a bandwagon jumper if you started following Man City, right after they were showered with cash. Now it is safe since their form has been awful, and are at least a year away from breaking the big 4.
Lastly, like someone above mentioned, watch some games, look at some of the fan boards, and go with your gut. I was in the same boat as you about 4-5 years ago, and just fell for City. Don’t make a decision based on a club’s success or failure, those can be fleeting.
You’ve just joined them, then?
It’s been a few years, hahaha! And then there is this year… but I guess that is what happens when you put someone from the dark side in a management spot. All in good fun though.
Remember, this board is about truth and facts, not scurrilous internet rumours. West Ham supporters are scum and filth, all of them.
You’re really starting to annoy me now.
This is your yellow card, you know what happens if you get another.
That’s right, trained Ninja assassins kicking down your door and then …
You follow Cristiano’s lead and roll around on the ground as if your ankle was hit with a load of hot shrapnel!
I beg to differ.
I know two that are not. That is sufficient to disprove the assertion that all West Ham supporters are scum and filth.
I’ll accept “all bar two” though. 
The best one was recently when he got a ‘knock’ on the wrist. He was dying to have a good whinge, but the crowd would have ripped him mercilessly!
Chowder, bear in mind I do a fair bit of cycling, I am quite nippy on my feet, and discretion is the better part of valour. In other words, “Ner, ner, ner, ner. Ya can’t catch me!” 
( Ninja Assassins are an Urban Legend…aren’t they? Come on, I know you guys can’t lie!)
Cycling?
Hah, do you know just how fast Ninja assassins can move?
And if they don’t get you the Gnomes will
As an American I found that the best thing to maximize my viewing pleasure was to pick a team in the big 4. Your only reliable TV options are a few EPL matches a week and the Champions League. This makes rooting for Spurs or Villa difficult - you’ll only really see a fraction of their important matches. For me I just watched the big matches for a season and saw what developed - for some reason Arsenal was the team I found myself rooting for so that’s who I adopted (Henry and them making the CL final were probably the deciding factors).
Then, I generally just follow the teams that are interesting from year to year. For example, Hull City is quite fun this year, and Reading were a blast while they were up. And, as many people have said upthread, Villa have a lot of players worth watching (and generally entertaining matches).
As a non-native you can safely ignore the “required” hatreds - I have nowhere near the expected level of animus towards Spurs as an Arsenal supporter. The only teams I really dislike are ManU and Chelsea.
Consider yourself an honorary Man City supporter.
Your official scarf and chicken balti pie should be with you shortly
This is a great article by Bill Simmons as ESPN on picking an English soccer team to support. 2 years old, so a bit dated, but still a great read.
I tried to hate Man U, but they’re on TV the most, they’re always winning, they play a great, tough, winning brand of soccer, and, well, I kind of like them. And I love Berbatov - especially his understated almost shy grin after he’s scored. Such a great counter point to the sommersaulting, cartwheeling masses.
Aston Villa has Brad Friedel, pick them.
I’d go with Man City, says the Man U fan. Wright-Philips back in the correct color of blue is worth the price of admission alone.
Leeds. They are in the first division just like when I used to watch them 35 years ago.
I think you should reconsider Liverpool, despite being one of the big four and playing in red. I don’t know how you can consider the Arse but discount Liverpool. The Arse are much more Yankee-like than Liverpool. Liverpool have always played attractive football and generally avoided player and managerial egomania.
Thank you for all the replies.
As of right now, I’m leaning toward Aston Villa, which hadn’t even made the short list. It seems to be the top choice of the posters here (besides Man City) and of course, the guys at Wallenstein’s office. Only on the Dope could I get intercontinental sporting advice. Man City just seems like a bit of bandwagon jump at this late date, despite their recent terrible form. All that money has got to start working at some point.
Checking my television schedule, the following games are on this weekend: Bolton v. Portsmouth, West Ham v. Aston Villa, Blackburn v. Stoke, Arsenal v. Liverpool, and Newcastle v. Tottenham, so I seem to get a good mix of big and smaller clubs. Of course, maybe that’s just because Man U. is in Japan this weekend.
Anyway, I’ll watch West Ham v. Aston Villa (that must get confusing for the away team, seeing as they are used to passing it to the guy in claret and blue) and make my final decision. I never knew I’d end up a Villan.
This.
When I was picking an English team to support, lo these many years ago, I ended up choosing Leicester City, because at the time, Kasey Keller, the American #1 keeper, was their keeper. This gave me a personal attachment to Foxes, since there were (and still are) very few Americans in the EPL. It helped that Leicester City had just managed a promotion to the top flight; rooting for a team that’s just been promoted is always fun, because you know that ever game in really, really important!
Coincidentally, the manager of Leicester City at the time was Martin O’Neill. He’s a damned good manager, and he’s got Villa outperforming their usual selves. And you will see plenty of Villa on Fox Soccer Channel, since FSC doesn’t limit itself to just the big name teams with its lineup.
Meanwhile, I’ll be hoping that Foxes manage to maintain their current form, putting them on pace to return to the second flight. Well, no one said rooting for a team was always easy!!! :rolleyes: :eek: