[Archived] Your Hometown Teams (not Rovers Obviously)

[cn174]

I go and watch most Chorley games if Rovers aren't playing.

If you think watching Rovers is bad at the moment, you should come watching Chorley for a while

[Mr Creosote]

If Ince stays as our manager you may get your wish!

Cant you give it a rest ffs?

[Uddersfelt Blue]

Rastrick Juniors Under 14's

Currently 2nd in Huddersfield Junior League and have provided one of Rovers' U14's academy squad

[jim mk2]

I live exactly half way between Oxford and Swindon which makes for great fun seeing the locals argue!

I don`t really care either way but I was born in Swindon so would edge towards them if I had to.

I would prefer to see Reading do well. That way I can see the Rovers there again!

Faringdon perchance?

[Rovers in America]

FC Dallas is my local team in the MLS. Haven't made it out to see a game in a while though and they failed to make the playoffs this year.

[T4E]

Swindon Town FC. Swindon was my home town and lived 42 happy years there. Well remember the heady days of John Trollope, Don Rogers, Ernie Hunt etc. At one time lived close to the ground and walked my dogs round the park adjoining the County Ground every day. Swindon Town FC has many links with Rovers including our Beamo, and of course, Paul Ince, who actually got some coaching badges whilst he was there. There are many, many more. Swindon Town has travelled up and down the leagues during the years, mainly settling in Division Three (now League One).

I went to see Town away to Walsall today. Absolutely woeful.

Faringdon perchance?

I've got a feeling Alan lives in Pusey, although I could be totally wrong but I think he's said that before.

[Ricky]

My hometown is Hereford and I look out for their results, been to a few games too.

I've spent most of my life in Leicester and I've been to a few games at Filbert Street and the Walkers Stadium, most of those were either Premiership games or pre-season games that are too good to turn down like Barcelona, Inter Milan and Brazil. Also went to a few when they played Blackburn, a long time ago now!

Hometown is also Hereford, but unlike you Hainesey I havent escaped.

[RoversFanUSA]

LA Galaxly will be my local club. Its been a while since ive ben out to seen them seeing as the later part of the season we held up the bottem of the leauge for most of the season.

Just wondering what this coming season will be like seeing as Becks wll be in Milan and Donovan will be in Germany

[American]

New England Revolution from when I was living in Boston. Went to a lot of Real Salt Lake matches when I was there this spring.

[waynerovers]

hometown Halifax who are currently top of the unibond premier division north. the club folded in the summer and a new team formed and was relegated two leagues. Live in Leeds absolutely hate Leeds united and all their fans, awful club

[trueblue]

Hometown team Oldham Athletic... where I was a season ticket holder for 15 years before moving to Blackburn for work reasons some 15 years ago

[dcbrfc]

Currently Scunthorpe United as I've moved over here for work. Going grreat guns in League One although dropped off top spot after a couple of defeats recently.

I also look out for Lincoln City as I worked there as a steward while at uni. They are @#/? though!

[awhom111]

My hometown team is San Jose Earthquakes. We finally returned to action this year after a few years on hiatus. We had one of the better seasons for a debut team and finished level on points with the hated Galaxy, so things look hopeful for the near future.

[patrickvalery]

AFC Totton. Reached the FA Vase final in 2007. Used to live next door to the guy who scored the decisive penalty in the semi final shoot out. Kevin Record.

[emerton]

Melbourne Victory FC

Currently top of the league in the A-League around mid season and at times look like the real deal.

I attend every home games & 1 or 2 away games per season

[ihtd]

Hull City when i am at home from university, but my local team would be Bolton up here

I used to go to a lot of games when i were little lad down the old Boothferry Park (can't even remember if its spelt like that) when they were on the verge of going out of business, felt strange because even though the club was about to die, i really didn't care because i've always been Rovers through and through, and when my dad would take me to City, i'd be wishing i'd gone with my grandad to Ewood. I thought i'd of been a bit sad at the thought of a team i'd been to see loads being on the verge of closing but i wasn't even bothered.

[Paul]

Aldershot Town for me. The original Aldershot was my nearest league club as a child and used to go from time to time but usually I watched Guildford City (now a housing estate!) in the Southern League (now Conference I suppose) when the local derby was Wimbledon.

First ever Football league game was Southampton v Newcastle at The Dell. Went on the train with my grandad, unle and the biggest bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk I'd ever seen. Terry Paine was playing, so I have a soft spot for the Saints.

[Exiled_Rover]

I go and watch most Chorley games if Rovers aren't playing.

If you think watching Rovers is bad at the moment, you should come watching Chorley for a while

I don't even know where their ground is!

[Finch]

Wouldn't class myself as a fan, but there was a lot of local interest in Yeading Town (who are a few miles away and in the same West London Borough) when they drew Newcastle in the FACup 3rd round in 2005. They were in the Ryman league at the time (London equivalent of the Unibond).

As for the rest of the London teams - not even a tiny bit interested. They get way too much coverage as it is

[Rover down South]

Brighton & Hove Albion. Would love to see them get a bit of luck. They have struggled over the last decade, Goldstone Ground was sold under their noses, forced to groundshare with Gillingham (not even in the same county), now play in a shack of a ground (Withdean Stadium) which is only undercover on one side & have had trouble getting permission for their new ground. If things go according to plan, they should be in their new ground by 2011.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I go see Southampton play when I can and also Gosport Borough play in the Southern League Division One South & West. I always want Southampton to win as they are my home town team but if they played Blackburn then of course i'd support the Rovers. Sometimes I wonder whether I would have been a Southampton fan if the old Division One didn't change into the Premier League as games weren't on TV as often before that. Without the Premier League forming and the rights being bought by SKY TV, I wouldn't have been able to follow Blackburn Rovers as much as I can now. The fact people can now watch every Premier League game on TV/Internet just shows how football is being taken away from the local community and now become a world wide phenomena. Gone are the days when people would only support their home town club...and if i'm honest it's probably a negative thing as young kids who live in towns surrounded by cities where their football team is in League 1 or League 2 would probably rather support a team like Manchester United or Liverpool.

[Mc Love]

Wouldnt really follow them as much as Rovers, but have been to a few matches and they might get promoted next season.

Limerick 37

[Lathund]

My local team is IFK Göteborg (UEFA Cup winners '82 and '87) but I don't go to all that many games anymore. I'm also more of a fan of Gothenburg in general; I mean I want IFK to win, but I'd rather have fellow Gothenburg clubs GAIS, ÖIS and Häcken in 2nd, 3rd and 4th than other teams. Which I suppose is pretty rare, but is based on my best friends growing up all supporting different clubs, so we all also got to see the positive sides of the other clubs and their fans.

IFK, along with Malmö FF and to a lesser extent AIK, have been the major clubs in Swedish football. IFK is the only club to win a European trophy (UEFA Cup twice), but Malmö FF reached the 1979 European Cup final; IFK lost in the semi final to Barcelona one year on away goals so have been close to. In the early-mid nineties IFK won several titles in a row, and had some limited success in Europe. One newpaper clipping I have saved is that of the final standings of a 94/95 CL group in the mid nineties, where IFK Göteborg are top, ahead of Barcelona, Manchester United and Galatasaray. In the late 90s IFK hit a slump that lasted for almost a decade, even getting close to being relegated. Huge economic problems due to living beyond our means combined with poor signings led to a downward spiral. However things changed a couple of years ago. Legendary player Håkan Mild retired and became Director of Football (sort of) and made "youth first" a club policy.

With that policy the club replaced departures mainly with academy products, coupled with the odd signing to improve the team. In 2007 IFK won the championship, with a very young team (Veterans Bengt Andersson and Niclas Alexandersson increased the average age a lot of course, but apart from them). Included a back four where three of the four starters were 22 or younger. IFK won despite selling top scorer (15 goals in 16 games IIRC) Marcus Berg to Groningen midway through the season. Instead of signing a Brazilian or African striker to replace him as most clubs would, IFK instead moved Pontus Wernbloom, a Roy Keane-type lawnmower, up front and he played really well. This years squad was made up of only three foreigners, the rest Swedes. And many of them local. The foreigners were two Icelanders (Who even have names that could be Swedish) and one Dane.

In Europe it didn't go too well, but almost beat Basel in the CL qualifiers. IFK were winning the game 85 minutes into the second leg when first a poor refereering decision and then sloppy concentration cost us advancement. Swedish clubs in general do poorly in Europe, the last club to appear in the CL group stages being AIK in 99. Some highs have been Helsingborgs IF knocking out Inter, and HIFs success last season; getting past the UEFA Cup group stage, knocking out Heereenveen and Benfica along the way. Also seen tems suffer embarrassing losses to Irish and various eastern european clubs.

[Mike Graham]

Darlington....nuff said

[only2garners]

Although I was born 25 miles from Ewood and actually nearer Southport, Liverpool, Everton and Preston, I've always been a Rovers fan through my mother's family. I did often go to Southport with school mates when they were in the league - conveniently they used to play on Friday nights. Going back to the original post I can remember a trip to see Southport win away at Barrow to go to the top of the old Fourth Division.