Steve Crook

And all the "Manchester United fans" around the world - the ones that buy the merchandise and can name all the players but have never seen a match and don't even know where Manchester is

Steve

David Brent

There are more United fans living in Asia than in the whole of the UK.
Don't kid yourself though that they do not know anything about Manchester or the club. Many are very loyal, knowledgeable fans and watch every United game, every week - on television.
I believe that for the real ardent Asian supporters there are regular charter flights organised that take fans over to the UK to watch their favourite team play. They only stop for the game and then return more or less straight back home.
That takes a lot of loyalty - and money.

Dave.

Steve Crook

Yes, that's what I meant. They know about the club, but not much about Manchester, the city.

Steve

samkydd

You can tell they're all a bit thick spending money on the most obvious trinkets and trappings like Ferraris and Rolex watches. Why not have a bit of class and show a bit of dignity, not flaunt their wealth in the faces of fans, many of whom have to work for ten years to earn what Frank Lampard earns in a week!

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

batman

FIFA Womens World Cup

This starts in China on 10/9/7 and goes on till the Final on 30/9/7.

England qualified for the tournament by knocking out highly rated France. Their first match is on 11/9/7 against Japan followed by a game against Germany (the hot favourites) on 14/9/7. Their last group match is on 17/9/7 against Argentina.

England put on some good performances in Euro 2005 and were unlucky to get knocked out in the group stages. Since then the team has improved it's world rankings and has one of the best female players in the world in striker Kelly Smith.

If you have not watched women's football before give it a look, I think you will be very surprised at how good it is. I have watched them a lot on TV and have seen a couple of England games at Carrow Road and they have all been very exciting.

The BBC are showing all England's matches live with regular highlights programmes throughout the tournament.

You'll find more info here ...

TheFA.com - Schedule

Bats.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

orpheum

and remember that Arsenal Ladies are the European champions

Welcome To Highbury The Home Of Football

batman

And very good they are too .... unbeaten in all competitions last season and with a side that features about three quarters of the England team!

Bats.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

orpheum

Lets just hope that the Ladies can do what the men most singularly cant,get to the final of a competition and maybe beat the germans on penalties.

Welcome To Highbury The Home Of Football

batman

Absolutely!



Come on girls!

Bats.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Fareham_Bee

Sorry but that is more like glory hunting than loyalty. They wouldn't be there if it weren't for the successes of the past and future. Granted they can't know much more than the tele will show them but they are only there for the prestige and experience. Come on they have no real affiliation to Manchester/Liverpool/London etc. Should their adopted club go bust tomorrow it would have no great effect on them, unlike those that support the club that is part of their community or run their weekly lives round the fixtures.

Real loyalty is the likes of us smaller club fans that know we are going to win nothing, maybe get a big draw in the third round of the cup if we are lucky, push for play off place if our small squad can hold together. We still turn out week in week out, travelling around the country from all over the country and in a few circumstances weekley or at least once a month from Europe. All that and in most cases we have seen consistant struggle to survive leave alone compete. It is not only a sense of loyalty that compels us to do it, but downright stupidity in most cases LOL.

lordtednfs

How many of us will always think of the 1990 world cup when we here Pavarotti sing Nessum Dorma? A classic piece of BBC editing that brings footie and a little bit of opera to the masses. God bless you Pav, come on England, come on England.

________________
Hooked off the line

batman

As a Chelsea fan of 40yrs who lives in Norwich, I get a lot of stick from people who accuse me of 'glory hunting' because Chelsea have been successful over the past 2 or 3 years. During the first 30yrs of my support Chelsea won 2 or 3 cups and that was it. Not a sniff of a championship, just mid-table most of the time plus a relegation. No one criticised me supporting Chelsea in those days. Suddenly, because they have won a couple of championships, it has become a crime to support Chelsea, especially if you don't live in London.

I don't care who anyone supports. I enjoy the banter with DB7 re Liverpool and with orpheum re Arsenal .... and I enjoy hearing about the travails of being a Brentford fan.

Football should be about having fun and enjoying watching your team, having a bit of banter with rival fans and having a damn good moan when Malouda or Gerrard or whoever cons the ref.

Good luck to Liverpool, Arsenal, Brentford et al ...... have as good a season as you deserve.

Bats.

ps - Good Luck for tonight England!

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

orpheum

I actually dreamt last night that i was making my debut for Arsenal at Highbury.then alas i woke up.

Welcome To Highbury The Home Of Football

batman

Never mind, Mr Gerrard, there's always next year .

Bats.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

batman

A 3-0 win for England over Israel. A much better performance but still way short of what will be needed to beat a good team.

Bats.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"