Chris Redfearn
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.
