e55exseagull
New member
- Jun 20, 2023
- 9
Hi fellow Seagulls I have something on my mind. I would be grateful if you could read the following and give me some advice (even though it is long)
Today, my Liverpool fan friend called me a bandwagon fan.
I have some admitting to do:
My first season of briefly following football was 2008-09. Man United won the league that season so as a stupid, mis-informed 7 year old, I hopped on their bandwagon - note that I did not have family team. I grew into watching football as United won trophies and initially I was happy. But when they stopped winning trophies, I noticed a change of attitude, an unappreciative mentality from their fans which I didn't like. I wanted to change, but I was told to be loyal and didn't want to stop after the first season after Fergie left.
Then, during the 2016-17, United won stuff again under Mourinho. I had to admit I didn't feel great, that club was not what I wanted but continued under the principles of loyalty. Then, one day at school, a friend called me out to be a bandwagon in around June 2017. Of course, this made me reconsider everything.
During the offseason, I chose Brighton. It happened to be the season that they got promoted and were on a high but I considered several teams, including my local team Southend and also Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. Brighton stood out to me the most because of their history and humble fanbase - knowing about how we lost our ground in 1997 and nearly lost our Football League status and how the fans rallied around to save the club: this inspired me to want to be a part of this. Also, I had been to East Sussex before and driven past the stadium and it's a beautiful place and great people but this is the extent of the place connections I have.
I did not have this connection with neither the aforementioned more 'local' teams, nor other teams I was reading about. I knew I wanted a non-big 6 team but also at least a Football League team, as I came from a background where my family did not want me going to football matches because of the negative stereotypes around football fans - so I had no local connection and no family team.
For months in school, I had been a Brighton fan but shy to admit it, so when people asked me, I simply replied being a 'neutral' fan. But then my friends told me to 'stop being weird' so I admitted I liked Brighton and have been supporting the Albion from 2017-18 season until now, got some Seagulls gear and really enjoying myself.
However, today my Liverpool fan friend called me bandwagon, and so I am reconsidering everything.
In my school, the majority of people supported a 'Big 6' team or West Ham (for the reason that it was their local Prem team). In fact, others supported Southend + a big Prem team. In fact, this dude is from South London - his local is Charlton and supports Liverpool because it's his family team. I wanted Brighton because it made me sick that in school, like half the year would be United fans (and about 80% supporting big 6 teams) and I wanted to be unique. Does that make me more plastic or bandwagon than them?
He told me that football fans support a team for 2 'acceptable' reasons: either their local team or family team.
With my background, ultimately I don't get the thing around 'local' because I never really got it from my background were my parents influenced my upbringings including football.
I'm not claiming to be a 'pure' Brighton fan who followed from the start. In fact, on Brighton Twitter, I agree with some of the humble opinions that Brighton fans view because I understand and appreciate where we have come from. I just eradicated the mistake I made earlier in my life and chose a team I have a deep connection with, so I just want to fit in with Brighton fans who I really admire.
So, my question is: if I go to a Brighton game, given this passage and how I admit I'm a changed person, would I be accepted here? Does my friend have a point - should I still be supporting Brighton, or would that violate football fan principles? Honest opinions would be appreciated, thank you
Today, my Liverpool fan friend called me a bandwagon fan.
I have some admitting to do:
My first season of briefly following football was 2008-09. Man United won the league that season so as a stupid, mis-informed 7 year old, I hopped on their bandwagon - note that I did not have family team. I grew into watching football as United won trophies and initially I was happy. But when they stopped winning trophies, I noticed a change of attitude, an unappreciative mentality from their fans which I didn't like. I wanted to change, but I was told to be loyal and didn't want to stop after the first season after Fergie left.
Then, during the 2016-17, United won stuff again under Mourinho. I had to admit I didn't feel great, that club was not what I wanted but continued under the principles of loyalty. Then, one day at school, a friend called me out to be a bandwagon in around June 2017. Of course, this made me reconsider everything.
During the offseason, I chose Brighton. It happened to be the season that they got promoted and were on a high but I considered several teams, including my local team Southend and also Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich. Brighton stood out to me the most because of their history and humble fanbase - knowing about how we lost our ground in 1997 and nearly lost our Football League status and how the fans rallied around to save the club: this inspired me to want to be a part of this. Also, I had been to East Sussex before and driven past the stadium and it's a beautiful place and great people but this is the extent of the place connections I have.
I did not have this connection with neither the aforementioned more 'local' teams, nor other teams I was reading about. I knew I wanted a non-big 6 team but also at least a Football League team, as I came from a background where my family did not want me going to football matches because of the negative stereotypes around football fans - so I had no local connection and no family team.
For months in school, I had been a Brighton fan but shy to admit it, so when people asked me, I simply replied being a 'neutral' fan. But then my friends told me to 'stop being weird' so I admitted I liked Brighton and have been supporting the Albion from 2017-18 season until now, got some Seagulls gear and really enjoying myself.
However, today my Liverpool fan friend called me bandwagon, and so I am reconsidering everything.
In my school, the majority of people supported a 'Big 6' team or West Ham (for the reason that it was their local Prem team). In fact, others supported Southend + a big Prem team. In fact, this dude is from South London - his local is Charlton and supports Liverpool because it's his family team. I wanted Brighton because it made me sick that in school, like half the year would be United fans (and about 80% supporting big 6 teams) and I wanted to be unique. Does that make me more plastic or bandwagon than them?
He told me that football fans support a team for 2 'acceptable' reasons: either their local team or family team.
With my background, ultimately I don't get the thing around 'local' because I never really got it from my background were my parents influenced my upbringings including football.
I'm not claiming to be a 'pure' Brighton fan who followed from the start. In fact, on Brighton Twitter, I agree with some of the humble opinions that Brighton fans view because I understand and appreciate where we have come from. I just eradicated the mistake I made earlier in my life and chose a team I have a deep connection with, so I just want to fit in with Brighton fans who I really admire.
So, my question is: if I go to a Brighton game, given this passage and how I admit I'm a changed person, would I be accepted here? Does my friend have a point - should I still be supporting Brighton, or would that violate football fan principles? Honest opinions would be appreciated, thank you
