# I nEed a Premiere League TEam to Support **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 26, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765 "2003-08-26T15:57:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/1 "2003-08-26T15:57:40Z")
OK, I have become obsessed with the Premiere League. But I have not figured out which team I should be throwing my support behind. I was hoping SDMBers could try and sele me on a particular side. I can also be bought off…probably fairly cheaply too, I suppose. Naturally it cannot be Manchester United, because that would be too easy, complete front-running and that just seems unseemly. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/2 "2003-08-26T17:27:00Z")
Up the Arsenal! There. Done. That was easy! ---
**Author:** ![spogga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@spogga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spogga)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/3 "2003-08-26T17:34:39Z")
Believe me my eight tentacled friend there is only one team to support and at the moment they are top of the premiership. It matters not what other posters say, Manchester City are THE team any right minded person would follow, they are THE TEAM and you will be doing yourself a great favour by attaching your allegiance to Kevin Keegans magnificent men. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/4 "2003-08-26T18:34:55Z")
Hmmm…sawr that match yesterday via satellite, actually, Man C and Blackburn…mostly of cos David Seaman…was a bit confused by Martin Tyler’s commentary, and they didn’t go back over it – was it DS who knocked in the own goal? Or the other fellow…bit of rotten luck, but still came out all right in the end. ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/5 "2003-08-26T18:39:13Z")
I don’t know much about soccer, being an American, but I’m gonna say Manchester United, even though they’re the one team you said it can’t be. Why? Ruud van Nistelrooy! Check his goal against Juventus: [http://www.rvn10.com/goalclips.html](http://www.rvn10.com/goalclips.html) “The fans are really applauding this goal because it’s a magnificent goal” ---
**Author:** ![eutactic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@eutactic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eutactic)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/6 "2003-08-26T18:47:14Z")
Poor Man Utd, we’re so persecuted. It’s really a good side this year, too, and you don’t have to worry about cheering for Beckham! Christiano Ronaldo is bags of fun to watch, and the usual suspects appear to be playing to form (RvN, Scholes, Giggs, Keane). You could try Chelsea–they seem to be the “in vogue” team at the moment. And they’ve thrown an absolute pile of money at winning the league this year. (Don’t listen to Ranieri; they need to win now.) Arsenal play some pretty, pretty football (just don’t watch them in European competition), but are plagued by periodic bouts of disciplinary problems. As long as Thierry Henry is going, though, they’re a joy to watch. My advice is to watch a couple games featuring a few different teams, then pick the team that plays the most personally pleasing football. Or choose a player that you like, and go with his team. I did this years ago after watching Ryan Giggs in a U-14 game. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/7 "2003-08-26T19:43:50Z")
I really don’t want to pick Man U for the main reason that it would be easy to latch onto the most successful team. I think it is between Chelsea and Man City. Man City would really piss off my friend from Manchester, but having watched Chelsea play this weekend I rather liked their style. Newcastle is another possibility, I like Alan Shearer, but the game against Man U showed little to inspire me. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/8 "2003-08-26T19:46:51Z")
Wolverhampton Wandererers. They’re going places… i reckon they’ll be a Nationwide sensation next season. ---
**Author:** ![sirtonyh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@sirtonyh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirtonyh)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/9 "2003-08-27T07:21:32Z")
It has to be Tottenham. They will finish 4th this year and win the FA cup Next year they will finish second in the premiership and fourth in the champions league The year after that they will win the premiership and the champions league and the FA cup and will be declared the greatest team ever to play the game. Real Madrid will bow down before them and aknowledge this. … maybe. ---
**Author:** ![manwithaplan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@manwithaplan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manwithaplan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/10 "2003-08-27T07:57:15Z")
I’m an Arsenal supporter but I fully acknowledge that the existence of an additional Arsenal supporter would hardly make the world a better place. Go support Manchester City, my gun-totin’, ink-squirtin’ friend. Their need is great and I think you get a free Oasis album. ---
**Author:** ![pierre72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b2d939/32.png) [@pierre72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pierre72)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/11 "2003-08-27T11:05:25Z")
No, no no. This is all wrong. Don’t be looking for a namby-pamby, prima-donna, Gucci-wearing, Ferrari-driving, supermodel-boffing, weird-haircut-styling, more-than-the-Queen-earning footballers’ team. Go to the proper heart of the sport. Find a team that revels in its mediocrity. Your friends will think you’re so much cooler. Seriously. While they’re all talking about ManUre vs. the Arsenholes, you can be talking about QPR vs Rushden & Diamonds. Grimsby Town. Dagenham & Redbridge. Tranmere Rovers. Nottingham Forest. Find a name that evokes romance (OK, forget Grimsby). Wear a shirt that people wil ask “Who’s that, then?” A team you really need to trawl the internet to find nuggets of information about. And when you find it, really immerse yourself in it. Buy the shirt. Subscribe to the fanzine. Post on the messageboard. Live the dream. And if you ever get the opportunity to… go along. It may be poxy. The toilets may be al fresco against the wall of the stand (or down a rolled-up newspaper in the terraces). Half-time may consist of a pie of questionable filling and a mug of Bovril. But it’s real. And maybe, just maybe, your team will be lucky. Maybe you’ll get a good cup run. Maybe a giant-killing. Maybe you’ll get to the play-offs. Maybe you’ll see promotion. Success may not be as frequent, but when it comes, it’ll taste so, so much sweeter. Don’t follow the Premiershite. Follow proper football. You’ll thank me. You will… ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/12 "2003-08-27T11:21:00Z")
Surely it all hinges on how much he likes a punch up ? London a-die-hard-Tottenham-fan Calling ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/13 "2003-08-27T17:44:23Z")
pierre, I would consider a lower division team, it’s just that I live in the States and I pretty much would never get to watch them play or even get to see highlights. London ans sirtonyh, I would back Tottenham, but I truly doubt I could build up the proper amount of vitriol for Arsenal that I think is probably required. ---
**Author:** ![sc913](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@sc913](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sc913)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/14 "2003-08-27T18:42:13Z")
Sheffield Wednesday. Oh, sorry, you said premiership team. _exits the thread sobbing_ ---
**Author:** ![sirtonyh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@sirtonyh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirtonyh)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/15 "2003-08-27T20:10:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gangster Octopus \* > \*\* > London and sirtonyh, > > I would back Tottenham, but I truly doubt I could build up the proper amount of vitriol for Arsenal that I think is probably required. \*\* You won’t need to. Considering we will qualify for the champions league this year by finishing 4th, below Man United, Newcastle and Chelsea there will be no champions league spot for Arsenal. You can just look down your nose at an Arsenal fan and say, “nah nah nee nah nah”. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/16 "2003-08-27T20:48:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gangster Octopus \* > I would back Tottenham, but I truly doubt I could build up the proper amount of vitriol for Arsenal that I think is probably required. Who ? ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/17 "2003-08-27T21:37:58Z")
At least **Gangster Octopus** you are starting off with a clean sheet, 17 teams to pick from. Have some pity for us supporters of teams in the lower leagues who are committed to the cause of one particular team who is never going to make the premiership. V ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/18 "2003-08-27T23:02:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sirtonyh \* > \*\*It has to be Tottenham. > > They will finish 4th this year and win the FA cup > Next year they will finish second in the premiership and fourth in the champions league > The year after that they will win the premiership and the champions league and the FA cup and will be declared the greatest team ever to play the game. Real Madrid will bow down before them and aknowledge this. > > … maybe. \*\* Supporting Spurs: The Triumph of hope over experience… A good preparation for life. As I know only too well… Mind you, this year, things are different… the best Portugese player since Eusebio, Ziege fit again, Zamora in, Sicknote still injured… this could be our year. Again. 8th. 5th Round. …but next season will be the one… “In this world, nothing is certain but Death, taxes and Spurs finishing mid-table” Benjamin Thatcher. ---
**Author:** ![Barks\_dog\_food](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c68b51/32.png) [@Barks\_dog\_food](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barks_dog_food)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/19 "2003-08-27T23:26:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Vetch \* > \*\*At least **Gangster Octopus** you are starting off with a clean sheet, 17 teams to pick from. Have some pity for us supporters of teams in the lower leagues who are committed to the cause of one particular team who is never going to make the premiership. > > V \*\* As an Arsenal supporter I know I am lucky. Nick Hornby says it best: “There was no reason why we couldn’t have turned into Spurs after Rioch,” says Hornby. “People seem to think it’s part of the natural order of things that Arsenal and Man U are one and two in the Premiership more or less every year now. It’s not in the natural order things. It’s entirely because of Wenger.” Many Norwegian supporters are now forced to travel to England to see their team as norwegian TV doesn’t show any matches from 2. and 3. division. And I agree with \*\* manwithaplan \*\*. Support someone who needs it, Wolves! ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765/20 "2003-08-28T00:37:43Z")
A greater love knows no person than that of Glasgow Celtic. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-a-premiere-league-team-to-support/197765.md?page=2)