**Official** English Football Season 2024/25

[wpdavid]

Oddly enough, I don't come across any long-distance supporters of my team.

 

[Molehill]

Haha when I started supporting Arsenal (a decision taken whilst I was in year 2 at primary school, entirely motivated by me learning that my best friend supported them) they had just finished 12th in the league tbf.

My best mate became a Southampton fan largely because his Dad, his brother and me were all Pompey fans!! I actually used to go with him occasionally and watch games at The Dell when a big team visited - different times!!

 

[Molehill]

Oddly enough, I don't come across any long-distance supporters of my team.

Any reason why 2 years running, Palace have become the form team at the end of the season?

I do like reading Mark Steel's take on being a Palace fan on X, clearly a man who has suffered like all others during his lifetime of supporting them but now enjoying new highs.

 

[sledger]

My best mate became a Southampton fan largely because his Dad, his brother and me were all Pompey fans!! I actually used to go with him occasionally and watch games at The Dell when a big team visited - different times!!

I went to watch Arsenal at The Dell once, in 96/97 I think it was.

Paul Shaw scored the winner for Arsenal that day, but I don't suppose many remember him at all.

 

[Howe_zat]

Huge football news

 

[wpdavid]

Any reason why 2 years running, Palace have become the form team at the end of the season?

I do like reading Mark Steel's take on being a Palace fan on X, clearly a man who has suffered like all others during his lifetime of supporting them but now enjoying new highs.

Last season it was after Glasner took over. This season, I think we took a while to learn how to play without Olise, and I think it took one or two of the new signings to find their feet. Our form has actually been OK since the first 8 games, but they were so dire that we probably won't finish above 12th. tbf we've done it several seasons lately, not just the last two. We certainly did the same when Hodgson replaced Vieira two seasons ago, and I think there have been other times. Maybe the bigger question if why we start so poorly as often as we do.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Where I grew up, the local team was West Ham. Probably half hour down the railway line to get to the Boleyn Ground. Probably a similar distance to get to a lower league club like Southend or Colchester.

My dad's family were from Tottenham. My uncle worked for Tottenham. Tottenham was instilled in me from before I was born, I suspect. A decent number of my school friends were West Ham fans. A smaller, but significant number, supported Arsenal or Spurs.

But by far the biggest group of supporters were Liverpool fans. They were the big team of the time. Winning all the time, household names like Ian Rush. And as a collective, they were incredibly obnoxious. And it was hard to take it seriously when come estuary kid keeps banging on about Rushie this or the like. Put me off glory hunters for life! Probably why I follow smaller teams in most sports these days.

 

[wpdavid]

My best friend at university was born and bred in Taunton so naturally he supported Liverpool. tbf they weren't dominant when he started following them in the early 1970s, and I think his nearest professional clubs were the Bristol teams, who weren't really that close anyway. It was preferable to my Surrey mates who supported Man Utd because their first experience was the 1968 EC win, when there are alternatives in the London area.

 

[Molehill]

I went to watch Arsenal at The Dell once, in 96/97 I think it was.

Paul Shaw scored the winner for Arsenal that day, but I don't suppose many remember him at all.

The Dell was such a weird ground with that sloping stand. For my 13th birthday present, my Dad took me and 3 mates to watch Southampton v Liverpool (still find it slightly odd, but I guess he wanted to show me a higher level of football to what he'd been subjecting me to for the previous 7 years). Despite the fact the Liverpool team was littered with stars like Hansen, Rush, Lee, Whelan etc, the standout that night was a youngster called Townsend!! I wasn't tempted to change my allegiance.

It's also interesting looking at the teams, only two players not from UK/Ireland, Grobbelaar and Molby (and only one sub allowed).

Southampton v Liverpool, 14 May 1985 - 11v11 match report

 

[wpdavid]

The Dell was such a weird ground with that sloping stand. For my 13th birthday present, my Dad took me and 3 mates to watch Southampton v Liverpool (still find it slightly odd, but I guess he wanted to show me a higher level of football to what he'd been subjecting me to for the previous 7 years). Despite the fact the Liverpool team was littered with stars like Hansen, Rush, Lee, Whelan etc, the standout that night was a youngster called Townsend!! I wasn't tempted to change my allegiance.

It's also interesting looking at the teams, only two players not from UK/Ireland, Grobbelaar and Molby (and only one sub allowed).

Southampton v Liverpool, 14 May 1985 - 11v11 match report

Southampton were always picking old players for a last hurrah under McMenemy, and this lot were no exception. I'd completely forgotten that Mills and Jordan ended up there. But it usually worked for them tbf.

 

[honestbharani]

Am I allowed to support the Tranmere Rovers?

 

[Molehill]

Am I allowed to support the Tranmere Rovers?

Only if you don't call them THE Tranmere Rovers!!

 

[sledger]

The Dell was such a weird ground with that sloping stand. For my 13th birthday present, my Dad took me and 3 mates to watch Southampton v Liverpool (still find it slightly odd, but I guess he wanted to show me a higher level of football to what he'd been subjecting me to for the previous 7 years). Despite the fact the Liverpool team was littered with stars like Hansen, Rush, Lee, Whelan etc, the standout that night was a youngster called Townsend!! I wasn't tempted to change my allegiance.

It's also interesting looking at the teams, only two players not from UK/Ireland, Grobbelaar and Molby (and only one sub allowed).

Southampton v Liverpool, 14 May 1985 - 11v11 match report

The Dell was, in all honesty, a bit of a dump. Even 7 year old me could realise that. But at the same time, that was part of its charm. Grounds like that simply do not exist anymore. Certainly not in the top few divisions anyway.

 

[GIMH]

Am I allowed to support the Tranmere Rovers?

Yes

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Oddly enough, I don't come across any long-distance supporters of my team.

I know a couple if that makes you feel any better.

 

[Skipper Pup]

Last season it was after Glasner took over. This season, I think we took a while to learn how to play without Olise, and I think it took one or two of the new signings to find their feet. Our form has actually been OK since the first 8 games, but they were so dire that we probably won't finish above 12th. tbf we've done it several seasons lately, not just the last two. We certainly did the same when Hodgson replaced Vieira two seasons ago, and I think there have been other times. Maybe the bigger question if why we start so poorly as often as we do.

I've reserved my judgement for a little while but that Wharton is a serious player. Not many current English midfielders who are as complete as he is, if any.

Thought initially last season was an outlier but he's been superb since returning this season.

What's the general thought re his availability in the summer? Palace likely to negotiate?

 

[sledger]

The Dell was, in all honesty, a bit of a dump. Even 7 year old me could realise that. But at the same time, that was part of its charm. Grounds like that simply do not exist anymore. Certainly not in the top few divisions anyway.

Just watched the highlights of this match and it's one of those games that makes you realise how much the general quality of play has increased so massively over the last 30 years.

The only players who aren't just absolutely hoofing it every time the ball comes near them are Parlour (so underrated, WAG), Bergkamp and Le Tossier.

 

[aarav.sharma]

I am not sure about this?







But it is not batter ten Game lol

 

[Molehill]

The Dell was, in all honesty, a bit of a dump. Even 7 year old me could realise that. But at the same time, that was part of its charm. Grounds like that simply do not exist anymore. Certainly not in the top few divisions anyway.

Totally agree, so many modern stadia are simply soulless bowls - St Mary's and Madejski (or whatever it's called now) being perfect examples. But I think there are still quite a few old school grounds out there, Pompey and Palace being discussed regularly here would tick those boxes.

Just watched the highlights of this match and it's one of those games that makes you realise how much the general quality of play has increased so massively over the last 30 years.

The only players who aren't just absolutely hoofing it every time the ball comes near them are Parlour (so underrated, WAG), Bergkamp and Le Tossier.

Even the dominant Man Utd team at the time didn't really piss about with the ball - get it wide and get crosses in.

 

[andruid]

The Dell was, in all honesty, a bit of a dump. Even 7 year old me could realise that. But at the same time, that was part of its charm. Grounds like that simply do not exist anymore. Certainly not in the top few divisions anyway.

*Insert snide put down of Old Trafford here*