Changing Clubs

[Sports Prophet]

Do you support a different RL club to the one you supported as a child?

If so, what’s the story behind your change of clubs?

[gingerjon]

1 minute ago, Sports Prophet said:

Do you support a different RL club to the one you supported as a child?

If so, what’s the story behind your change of clubs?

Yup.

Supported Salford as a child as, as the crow flies, they were sort of the nearest to my front door and Dad (a Man United fan) liked that they were called the Red Devils.

Moved away from the north in the early 90s, RL went a bit weird, sort of fell out with the game.

Went to a London Broncos game at the Stoop in 1999 and have supported them ever since.

[hunsletgreenandgold]

Thought this was going to be about golf....never mind. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

My father loosely supports St Helens and so I felt more affinity to them than anyone else - I’ve also followed them home & away in the past but less so now.

I used to do a lot of freelancing across the north of England and always adopted the local-ish RL side at the time.

This means I’ve taken an interest in Hull KR/Huddersfield/Halifax/Sheffield/Leigh/Barrow/Swinton amongst many others drawing the line at Wigan, Leeds or anyone else competing with Saints.

So I wouldn’t say I’ve ever swapped teams but I’m happy to have a ‘second’ team - I know for some this is hearsay.

[Pete Grady]

Yes me too, btw as a way of convincing my wife that my new 'unauthorised' set of clubs were not new, I told her that they were infact my old clubs, but I'd had them 're-gripped'.    Smart!

[RP London]

I support 2 if that helps.. Warrington as it was where my maternal grandparents were from which was one of the reasons for me switching codes when I had the chance.. and Sheffield as its where I live and grew up, always used to be that it would be Sheffield ahead of Warrington (not something that has been put to the test that much lately) but the Warrington support grew a fair bit when the whole Shuddersfield debacle happened.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

Do you support a different RL club to the one you supported as a child?

No

[WakefieldCityLoyal]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

Do you support a different RL club to the one you supported as a child?

If so, what’s the story behind your change of clubs?

No, if you do you have no soul.

[Gav Wilson]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

Do you support a different RL club to the one you supported as a child?

If so, what’s the story behind your change of clubs?

 

Although I've always supported York, I followed Doncaster in 93-96 as my uncle played for them. He used to take me to training with him and because of that I idolised Vila Matautia, and because of that I also had a strong affinity to St Helens in the early SL days.

[Hopping Mad]

In my case, address change = allegiance change.

Did most of my growing up between Halifax and Huddersfield. We weren't locals - both my parents are from Sheffield - so saw nothing wrong with attending Fartown one week then Thrum Hall the next.

Going to university, with several clubs close by, got me started supporting the game rather than a particular club. St Helens and Warrington were nearest therefore the clubs I watched most during three years in Liverpool. Also saw a number of games at Runcorn, Widnes and Wigan.

When I worked in west Cumbria, I watched Whitehaven (though I did get along, every so often, to Barrow, Carlisle and Workington).

When I worked on Teesside, and lived at Great Ayton, I started watching York - because they were the nearest pro club. It was a 45-minute drive down the A19.

Moving again (via Bronte Country [I went to Cougar Park fairly often], Devon then Lincolnshire), I've lived in York 13 years. They're the club I watch most - maybe four or five times a season at home. One or two away. But happy to go anywhere.

Looking forward to attending Monday's York-Fev game!

[Wigan Riversider]

Due to my dislike of Super League I prefer the amateur game and now watch Chorley Panthers.

 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

Yes.

I was introduced to rugby league in the 1960s, when my family moved to Lancashire from Gloucestershire.  I went to school in Bolton, very much a soccer town, but my new best mate was from Atherton; I lived a bit further down the road at Astley.  He took me to see Wigan and Leigh.  I probably supported both, but Wigan more so.  Even with my limited technical knowledge, I could see that their centre-wing combination of Ashton and Boston was really not too bad at all!

Moves away from the heartland meant that I really lost touch with the game, save for matches on BBC tv.  

When, by now living in Wiltshire, I was persuaded to get Sky tv in the 1990s, I got back into the game.  Initially, I reverted to supporting Wigan (and still do to a degree), but liked the idea of a French club located in a 'sensible' place, i.e. the game's heartlands, so became a fan of Les Dracs.

Meanwhile, on returning to the Skipton area from time to time to visit my in-laws, who lived between Skipton and Keighley in Cononley, I would pop down and take in a Cougars game if possible.

I eventually got to see Catalans live when I saw them at Wembley, when they beat the Wire.

So, I am first a Dragons fan and second a Wigan fan, but with a soft spot for Keighley too! 

Allez Les Dracs...et Les Guerriers...et Les Pumas!

 

[Tommygilf]

1 hour ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Allez Les Dracs...et Les Guerriers...et Les Pumas

Are you seriously suggesting the French have no word for Cougar???

[Dunbar]

10 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

No

Who do support Sir Kevin? The drawback to your balanced and consistently even handed views across these pages is that it is difficult to decipher which your favourite team is.

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

12 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Do you support a different RL club to the one you supported as a child?

No

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

12 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Do you support a different RL club to the one you supported as a child?

 

11 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

No

Thought you still was a child?

[TheYoungBaron]

Yup. Moved to York many years ago and got involved in the local rugby scene. Went to the games and never thought that the team that I grew up watching and my forefathers watched and supported, would ever play in the same league as York. 1983 is a special year for me; that's your clue. Think of me on Monday night. Half of me shouting for York and the other half shouting for the mighty Rovers. 

[JDINTHEHIZZOUSE]

Yes and no. I'm a Leigh fan through and through. Massive caveat (sorry mr Beaumont)  I have a soft spot for saints, batley and featherstone rovers, I enjoy seeing them win

[Whippet13]

No, Wigan are my number 1 and always have been but I do support a dozen or more "secondary" clubs in addition and go to plenty of non-Wigan games.

This is generally based on whether they are trying to expand and grow themselves and the game or not.

For example: I'm going to watch Cru on Saturday at Miners, I like Barrow because they are being really proactive in growing their fan base, and am warming to Swinton based on the latest 40-20 podcast highlighting their development work.

Conversely, I used to like Keighley but now do not because they openly suggested killing off all the non-heartland clubs last year to increase their cut of central funding.

[Guest]

I used to support Bradford when they were successful but prefer Leeds now. Of course I'm joking, I now support Leeds Tykes.

[Desert Skipper]

Steadfastly refused to change clubs from Warrington, against the advice from my psychiatrist. 

I think I would have a second ‘expansion’ club though, if I lived near one. 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

11 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Are you seriously suggesting the French have no word for Cougar???

I am seriously suggesting that with my French language education ending c. 1965 with an 'O' level pass, I had no idea what the French word was so 'googled' it.

Even with that self-confessed, distinctly modest level of French linguistic expertise, I could translate the following:

couguar - terme qui figurativement fait référence à une femme qui a un penchant pour les hommes plus jeunes

So I opted to use the other word offered, namely 'puma'.  Perhaps I was making a distinction that doesn't really exist in everyday French 'as she is spoke'.

 

 

[Tommygilf]

9 minutes ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

I am seriously suggesting that with my French language education ending c. 1965 with an 'O' level pass, I had no idea what the French word was so 'googled' it.

Even with that self-confessed, distinctly modest level of French linguistic expertise, I could translate the following:

couguar - terme qui figurativement fait référence à une femme qui a un penchant pour les hommes plus jeunes

So I opted to use the other word offered, namely 'puma'.  Perhaps I was making a distinction that doesn't really exist in everyday French 'as she is spoke'.

Did you try "Milf"?

[Jughead]

The uniting thing throughout my Dad’s side of the family is the mutual passion for a specific rugby league club and that transcends geographical location and is the one binding thing we all have in common regardless of profession, other hobbies or interests and when their is a family event, it’s one of the main discussion points, so no, I can’t say I’ve ever contemplated changing side. 

[Sports Prophet]

I grew up as a Balmain Tiger fan growing up in the Eastern Suburbs, for no reason other than I liked the idea of supporting the Tigers. I miserably watched two GF defeats in 88 and 89.

When the Tigers merged with Wests, that was it for me with them. For no reason other than as an Eastern Suburbs snob, I was never gonna support a team that plays home games in Campbelltown. I mean how could I. I have too many teeth, wouldn’t you agree @Farmduck? So the Balmain Tigers no longer exist in any fashion as far as I’m concerned.

Anyhow, 13 yrs later and returning to Sydney, I found myself thinking, well, it’s gotta be Easts or Souths as that’s where I grew up. As it turned out, living away from the Eastern Suburbs for 13 years helps you lose some of the snobbery, and we moved to Cronulla. Immediately loved the place, never hated the Sharks, decided, they are my team now. Two yrs later they win their first prem in their 50th season. It’s hard to think I will ever change again, but I don’t live in Cronulla anymore, so never say never.