Page 40 - 358264 LP231909 A Love Supreme 48pp A5 (Issue 257)

I LOVE TO HATE YOU
There are some clubs I have
always had a soft spot for. I live
in Northampton and married a Northampton Town fan so, that’s
a given. I started watching out for Manchester United when Chris Turner joined them, breaking my heart as a ten-year-old and, because my Dad was born there and supported them, Bolton Wanderers hold a special place in my heart. But, outside of that, the vast majority of clubs simply don’t worry me. When Wigan play Morecambe, the only interest for me is how it will affect Sunderland. Other than that, I just hope it’s a decent game.
But there are some teams that, whoever they’re playing, I want the other team to win. Teams who, for a whole range of reasons have found themselves on my naughty list. After much thinking, I’ve come up with a definitive personal list of five teams that I love to hate.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
This one doesn’t really need explaining. There are not many things as annoying as a noisy neighbour. Especially one who keeps telling you how much better than you they are. I don’t think I’d find
them quite so irritating if they were, in fact, any good. There’s obviously a history both ancient and modern but, strangely, I have no such adverse feeling towards Middlesbrough. They are, as the chant has it, a small town in Yorkshire and not
worthy of any real interest. Imagine if Arca had gone to Newcastle. It would be catastrophic, a crime, unforgivable. But Boro... well, it was just nice he was still playing without moving house, because who wants to move house? You never know what your neighbours will be like.
WEST HAM
To be fair, it’s rare I’d support a London club against anyone else but, while everyone from Arsenal to Fulham to Spurs have irritated me from time to time there are things about West Ham that take them to a different level. One person’s happy go lucky, chirpy cheeky Cockney is someone else’s self-obsessed East London criminal. Their absolute belief that they beat Germany single-handedly to win the World Cup in 1966 as ridiculous as thinking they beat the Germans in Escape To Victory. Travel to
that part of London and you will meet more Roberts, Robertas, Robs, Bobbys and Bobs than is entirely normal. And then there’s the song. Some clubs have incredible songs about togetherness or coming back and falling in love with their club. Hearing Hibs sing ‘Sunshine on Leith’ or being inside Anfield just before kick-off are special experiences. Wise Men Say talks of love that we wish we could give up. Even Blaydon Races, despite being nothing to do with football is, at least, a local song for local people. But Bubbles... what the hell is that about? An American show tune randomly adopted by people who can’t even pronounce bubble properly. Having said all of that, West Ham took a step too far with the appointment of their current manager. David Moyes is, far and away, the worst manager of Sunderland AFC in my lifetime (and when you look at the competition that’s quite an achievement). I didn’t think I could want West Ham to lose any more than I already did, but combined with my desire for Moyes to be shown up as the fraud that every Sunderland fan knows he is tipped them over the edge. They are, unquestionably my least favourite football team.
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