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Can I have a second team?

A tale of a bit on the side

16 November, 2011 9:00 28 comments
Can I have a second team?

Blades: Guilty secret?

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I’m a huge Arsenal fan, and I will support them through thick and thin, till I die.

I became an Arsenal fan in 1998, when I was five, when I watched Anelka and Overmars score against Newcastle United in the FA Cup final and fell in love with them. I’ve followed them intensely since then. I read all the blogs, visit the website lots of times every day and watch all the games at least once, usually twice, and I have always sung throughout every game I’ve been to. If someone was to ask who I supported, my response would be ‘look at what I’m wearing’, which - every single day - is an Arsenal shirt. Having a player score against Arsenal who is also in my Fantasy League team has never softened the blow of conceding like it does for lots of fans I sit near to at games. Every defeat makes me feel sick and angry in equal measure. I’ve read ‘Fever Pitch’ eight times and aspire to be more like Nick Hornby in my football-supporting. If funds were available, I’d go to every single Arsenal game home and away. I am truly an Arsenal supporter. However I’m a student and I live in Sheffield...

My dad is a big Leeds United fan, so from an early age I realised he’d be in a better mood and easier to be around if Leeds won. This meant that it was natural that I wished Leeds would do well in all games that didn’t involve the Gunners. He’d even take me to Leeds games, and what football fan would turn down free tickets to any game above the Conference? As an avid Arsenal fan, does that take away from the quality of my support for Arsenal? Does that make me disloyal?

Since coming to Sheffield University, I’ve chosen that my second team will be Sheffield United. I don’t expect that many people reading this will still think I’m the huge Arsenal fan I’ve stated myself to be in my opening sentence. In fact, most will probably stop reading now. But I think there’s a decent number of Arsenal fans, especially at University or living away from North London for different reasons, that have feelings for the team of the place they are living in. It costs me £40 for a ticket at Arsenal and costs £30 return travel. That’s £70, and I haven’t even mentioned things like food, drink, programmes, and other such necessities. As a student, I simply cannot afford to pay that kind of money more than once or twice a season. Sheffield United tickets cost £7 for most home games, for students, and I can just walk.

You can probably tell by the fact that I’m writing this article that I do feel a little bit guilty for going to watch Sheffield United and willing them on to win. I want to watch Arsenal every week but with ticket prices for the stadium and transport so high, that is just impossible. I’ve spent hours and hours wondering if my support for Arsenal can coexist with following a team in League 1 as well. My conclusion is that, as long as Arsenal comes first, it doesn’t take anything away from my quality as a supporter.

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28
comments

  1. Jekyll

    Nov 18, 2011, 2:52 #15121

    @Tom Martin just wanted to acknowledge the Exeter reference as am a frequent visitor to that town though have no affiliation to the team beyond that. Am a born and bred N4/N5 lad. May however be living in Exeter soon though and will probably go to their games in order to watch some live football at 3pm on a Saturday - which according to its Sky masters should not ever clash with Arsenal games - unless the Murdoch empire is about to fall of course (we can only live in hope).

  2. Rocky RIP

    Nov 17, 2011, 23:08 #15117

    As long as the two don't overlap and your loyalties aren't divided then I suppose it's okay. Although I'm so 100% Arsenal that I can't even have a fantasy team. When people console themselves when a player scores against us with 'he's in my fantasy team' I get wound up. Although placing a bet on the team playing us is a bit different. It's a way of softening the blow. Or is it? Maybe Chris Martin might know as he sings 'yellow', the insensitive sod. We want our yellow kit back Chris!

  3. Byrom

    Nov 17, 2011, 15:41 #15109

    Wait a min, your dads a Leeds fan and would take you to games, so I'm assuming you live in or around Leeds or your Dad is an avid fan, so why support Arsenal? This is the problem with football fans, no you are not a true fan of Arsenal to answer your question, not because of your 'second' team but because when Arsenal have a decline which they defiantly will during your lifetime, you will up and leave, perhaps to be Man City's number one fan !

  4. Bonehead

    Nov 17, 2011, 13:26 #15103

    "I read all the blogs, visit the website lots of times every day" - Blimey, you must be some kind of superfan or something Lol.

  5. Radfordkennedy

    Nov 17, 2011, 9:59 #15089

    My parents came to london in the early 60's from Dublin and Longford and settled in Highbury,where shortly after i was born in Mountgrove road a stones throw from the ground.My family (especially my grandfather)were and still are Celtic mad,they dont support them they suffer with it!!.But my Dad first took me in 1968 to highbury and that was it the game was up i fell instantly in love,Arsenal was my team. But because of family ties i do look for the Celts score and do cheer them on when they're on telly,i have been to parkhead on several occasions and the atmosphere is terrific but not quite the same as my beloved Gunners.When i got older and couldnt afford to go to an away match i would go with an old school mate to watch Orient and again i look for there results on saturday afternoon,you can enjoy these dalliances for what they are for there are no real emotional ties,so theres no need for any guilty feelings as you always return to your first and only true love The Arsenal!

  6. Hamza

    Nov 17, 2011, 9:13 #15087

    I've always liked to see myself as a football fan, THEN an Arsenal fan. Meaning that I can appreciate any good football. Not being from London (an anywhere withing 1000km) helps cos none of the pointless neighbourly hatred means anything to me. So I can appreciate when Chelsea play a good game and even enjoy a Spurs match (my dad's a Spurs fan). Still can't stomach watching ManU, though!

  7. Essex Womble

    Nov 17, 2011, 7:34 #15082

    I'll come at this from the other side. Arsenal are my second team, I get to as many games as I can & afford, Champions League and Sunday games usually. I'm a Wimbledon supporter and when the FA committed the dreadful act and allowed the owners to move the corpse of my club to Milton Keynes,I like many other Dons formed AFC Wimbledon. Watching football at Level 8 of the football pyramid is a bit like eating fish and chips from a mobile stall , it's OK but you know there's better quality food out there.So I took out Arsenal membership, because of the quality of football,Henry,Pires etc. Obviously the move to the new stadium made seats easier to get. I'm a season ticket holder at AFC Wimbledon and the last nine years have been an amazing journey back to the football league, however that hasn't prevented me being a part time Arsenal supporter, attending games that often lifetime gooners don't fancy (most red members are in the same boat) Apart from a pre season friendly against an Arsenal XI, AFC Wimbledon and Arsenal have never met. Financially an FA Cup tie would do us a favour, so here's hoping we can navigate a path through the first two rounds, and then get lucky. I must admit it would be strange watching a game at Arsenal from that corner of the clock end.

  8. GaryFootscrayAustralia

    Nov 17, 2011, 3:56 #15081

    Of course you can....I have a few "second teams". For various family, friend and heritage reasons, they are Boreham Wood, Heart Of Midlothian, and both Melbourne A League teams, Victory and Heart. I was in Leicester for 5 years during the Martin O'Neill League Cup winning era, which was a big deal for that club, and lived within walking distance of the old Filbert Street so I would quite often watch them as well...and if that's not enough, there's always Arsenal de Sarandi (Argentina), and FC Arsenal Kyiv (Ukraine). Don't worry about anyone saying you can't follow The Arsenal if you're from the north - they would also tell me that I can't be a lifetime Arsenal supporter because I wasn't born in England. Jeez....some people....

  9. Andrew

    Nov 17, 2011, 2:31 #15080

    It's fine to have a second team, I've had several over the years! As a lifelong Gooner (since my Dad took me to Highbury in the 1970s) but living in Sussex I often would go to watch Brighton in the late 80s early 90s as their home games would often alternate with Arsenal. I've also had soft spots for Portsmouth (another local team) and Rangers when I'd visit my grandparents in Scotland. Now I live 'down-under' in Victoria I've adopted Melbourne Heart as my new 'second team'. Despite all the affairs with other sides it's still only Arsenal's results that leave me either depressed or elated.

  10. Tom Martin

    Nov 16, 2011, 23:07 #15078

    I was born in Hackney but grew up in Exeter. My Dad told me he supported Oxford Utd because he was born in Oxford so I ended up supporting Arsenal because they were the nearest team to where I was born. Then around the early to mid-90s, I started to go and watch Exeter City with my Dad quite often and so they ended up becoming our second team. It's all good.

  11. MGJ

    Nov 16, 2011, 20:31 #15077

    There is no problem with having a "second team" as long as when or if they meet you know the Arsenal comes first and that they aren't a shi**y team like Milwall. I had a bit of a problem when Deportivo La Coruna played Arsenal in the Champions League as I'm from there originally but grew up in North London. In the end I came to the conclusion that I wanted both teams to play well, show why I supported them and that whoever went through I would be both happy for one and sad for the other.

  12. Westie

    Nov 16, 2011, 20:25 #15076

    I'm unclear why this article was viewed as worthy of publishing to the Online Gooner? It's your life pal - do what you want. I could never support anyone other than the Arsenal. Maybe it's because I was born into a North London family who have supported Arsenal for generations - I didn't choose to support Arsenal it's in the blood. Back to my original point - surely there are more important things to discuss in the Arsenal universe?

  13. win AFC

    Nov 16, 2011, 20:23 #15075

    CHRIS IT MUST BE ARSENAL FIRST MATE, ARSENAL FOR LIFE. YOU KNOW A.F.C. IS THE BEST. YOU MUST STAY LOYAL TO A.F.C.

  14. Don

    Nov 16, 2011, 19:46 #15074

    My second team is Pompey.My uncle lived 200 yards from Fratton Park.Saw GG play for them in the 70's.Loved going there when they were in the prem.Great supporters.Never forget the standing ovation they gave Thierry when he came off in the FA cup game when they were 5 down.So sad whats happened to them the road back is a long one.Play up Pompey

  15. mad max

    Nov 16, 2011, 19:12 #15071

    someone from sheffield supporting the arsenal is just as bad as the morons in london supporting man-ure, u northern numpty

  16. Andy S

    Nov 16, 2011, 17:33 #15070

    Walsall's my second team mate, I live in Leeds and follow the Gunners passionately, but work takes me to the Midlands and the Saddlers fans are so passionate its great to be present. Prem teams are seemingly losing the normal fans of the team and game, its all corporate now. Shame

  17. PerryG

    Nov 16, 2011, 17:20 #15068

    One club man and proud to say it, living in Ireland you will find alot of people supporting an EPL club and Celtic and/or local club but ever since i started supporting us, no one comes into the reckoning, id feel guilty following another team

  18. Harv

    Nov 16, 2011, 17:14 #15067

    Morecambe FC! I have been supporting Arsenal since '78. My Gooner mate stays in Lancs and has done since I've been writing to him in the mid-nineties (Penrith, Carnforth and now Bolton-le-Sands). He watched The Shrimps regularly with his son when they were still in the Conference up until a few years ago. Doesn't get down to London all that often so it's understandable. Doesn't diminish the love for all things Arse in my opinion. I will certainly be taking in a game at the Globe Arena with him aswell as hopefully 2 at The Grove when I visit Blighty in 2014. I even have a Morecambe shirt, probably the only one down here at the tip of Africa! I don't follow any local sport here in the good old RSA, but do watch a bit of my local side when out walking the dog. Meadowridge FC. The club is somewhere down in the dark depths of the Sterri-Nappi palooka league but they have under sixes right up to the seniors, so I'm always on the lookout for the next Wilf Copping! I have Gilles Grimandi's no. in case a snap signing opportunity arises! Up The Arse fom Cape Town!

  19. Ron

    Nov 16, 2011, 17:13 #15066

    You would be better being a Spud. Many carry sinister wishes about heavily wishing they had some how developed to be a Gunner! Its true. Anyway, i tease you. I go and see Wolves every so often with a mate of mine. Theyre a really good Club. Ive a soft spot for them and have had for years, but its not near like being 'a supporter', much like you with Sheff Utd.Losing doesnt hurt and the invitation to go has to orginate from him, otherwise id never go. Hes the same with Arsenal, but i tease him saying he should 'come out of the closet' and support us in full!!!

  20. maguiresbridge gooner

    Nov 16, 2011, 16:26 #15065

    going to watch another team is one thing but supporting them as your second team ? Ridiculous if you move university will you have a third team do they not have tv,s in sheffield i'll say it again Ridiculous.

  21. Arsene Wenger

    Nov 16, 2011, 16:10 #15064

    You dissapoint me.

  22. Chris

    Nov 16, 2011, 16:03 #15063

    I have followed Aldershot Town since 1994 as well as being a 5th generation Gooner. It's fine, worry not!

  23. the stig

    Nov 16, 2011, 16:01 #15062

    Cool story dude but actually i didn't get your point. Are you complaining bout ticket prices? Are you justifying the fact that you support another team. Maybe you should rewrite your story. No offence.

  24. Mike

    Nov 16, 2011, 15:35 #15061

    Dangerous words on this site mate. You will probably be berated for the love you have of football and watching it at a stadium even if it is not the team you love. Leeds is a team that has fallen form the lofty heights it was once on. I have supported Arsenal for many years but have hardly ever watched them live - why?, because I was always playing the game at a very amateur club level - does that make me less of a supporter - many people on this site seem to think so - however, it is what you think and not what others think - I don't think you need anyones' blessing to do so

  25. Jekyll

    Nov 16, 2011, 15:28 #15060

    Nothing wrong with going to see a cheaper, local, lower division team as far as I can see. I'm just shocked that you were born in 1993.

  26. RayB

    Nov 16, 2011, 15:12 #15059

    It's fine to have a second team. I'm 66 and I've supported Arsenal since I was a little boy, I first went to Highbury in 1956 and I've been a season ticket holder for over 30 years. Back in 1982 we moved from London to South East Essex and soon after went to see Southend United and fell a little bit in love with them. A deeply unfashionable club in the fourth division playing in a half empty ground, but the fans that were there were passionate and cared very much about THEIR club and contrasted nicely with some of the moaners I sat with in the West Upper. I will never be anything other than a real dyed in the wool Gooner, but there's nothing wrong with giving a bit of your heart to another smaller club - just don't make it sp**s.

  27. Tim (LUFC)

    Nov 16, 2011, 15:09 #15058

    I bet your Dad's not massively impressed with your choice of second team. Why not go the whole hog and buy a ManU shirt [wink] As you're only 40 mins away from Elland Road, why not stick with Leeds? (other than the London prices master Bates is sticking on everything!!)

  28. UpTheArse

    Nov 16, 2011, 14:55 #15056

    I have a similar affinity with Southampton, mate has a season ticket at st Mary's so go and watch them quite a bit. Decent side that play decent brand of football. Always look for their result. And Aberdeen as its my birth place. The gunners always come first!!