Man Utd 4 Man City 3 - Roy of the Rovers sfuff?

[Jonny Whizz]

I think there's now a league rule stating that clubs must remain in the geographic area that they take their name from or something like that, preventing a repeat of the Wimbledon scenario. Actually, AFC Wimbledon are now in the Blue Square Premier - it's possible that they could make it into the league in the not too distant future.

[stevezodiac]

My pot and pan (old man) took me to the Den around 1964/65 and I have been a Millwall supporter ever since. I was in their away travel club from 1978-1981 when I was a Suedehead and travelled all over the country with my mates who were Skins. Some of the things I saw and heard were a lot more entertaining than some comic strips. I remember our football special train returning to Paddington in flames. Watching a lone Millwall fan get into Swindon's home end and trying to take them on (he disappeared under a mass of bodies). The turnstiles at Portsmouth being dismantled brick by brick by one of our fans with a club hammer. Unfortunately Millwall seem to have picked up a bad reputation but they are just loveable cockneys with a great sense of humour. I have stood on the terraces at the Den and heard a fan shout "I hope you die of cancer, referee!" or "Rip his lungs out!" Such ingenuity of wit. It all sounds like a real horrorshow but when you grow up with it you accept it as normal. I always felt safe among my own fans. Although I must admit some of them don't appear to have evolved much since one million years bc.

[Digifiend]

But the thing I can't fully get my head round, Digi, is that you have a league team in your city but you only support them as your second team, having decided on a whim to nail your colours to Manchester United's mast. I'll put this another way. If I'd been born and brought up in Hull, I would have grown up supporting the Tigers, and I would still be doing so.

Believe me, when I was at school, it wasn't cool to be a Tigers fan. They were so bad they almost went out of business once - they even got locked out of Boothferry Park! Everyone supported either Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool or Leeds instead. Although nowadays, kids are more likely to pick Chelsea, and never Leeds, not since Hull overtook them.

[AndyB]

I think there's now a league rule stating that clubs must remain in the geographic area that they take their name from or something like that, preventing a repeat of the Wimbledon scenario.

So will Arsenal be moving back to South London?

[Jonny Whizz]

Arsenal's just about the only rootless name in England - they're not called Woolwich Arsenal (or Dial Square) any more! In Scotland, however, Celtic and Rangers, plus St Johnstone (who play in Perth), are rootless. The names of the first two are officially only 'Celtic' and 'Rangers', not 'Glasgow Celtic' and 'Glasgow Rangers'.

Port Vale used to be Burslem Port Vale, and Queen's Park Rangers are named after Queen's Park, where most of the original players came from.

[Phoenix]

I think there's now a league rule stating that clubs must remain in the geographic area that they take their name from or something like that, preventing a repeat of the Wimbledon scenario.

I may be wrong but I don't think this had anything to do with Wimbledon going to Milton Keynes. I think it was when they were planning to relocate offshore, to Ireland if memory serves.

[chrissmillie]

Arsenal's just about the only rootless name in England - they're not called Woolwich Arsenal (or Dial Square) any more! In Scotland, however, Celtic and Rangers, plus St Johnstone (who play in Perth), are rootless. The names of the first two are officially only 'Celtic' and 'Rangers', not 'Glasgow Celtic' and 'Glasgow Rangers'.

Unlike England, there are a few Scots teams not defined by their area, i.e. Hibernian, St Mirren and Morton (now called Greenock Morton mind you). The latter being named after a company. Raith Rovers are also not named after the town they play in (or any town for that matter). Rumour has it, it was again named after a company's works team, though I can't find much to back that up.

[Phoenix]

Believe me, when I was at school, it wasn't cool to be a Tigers fan. They were so bad they almost went out of business once - they even got locked out of Boothferry Park! Everyone supported either Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool or Leeds instead.

When I was at school I learned to think for myself. The only crowds I chose to join or follow were those already on the way to whichever match I had decided to go to.

[STARBOY]

The Man Utd scenario has taken place in Scotland (and elesewhere in the world) for years, more buses leave Aberdeen, Dundee and even Edindurgh to go to Rangers and Celtic grounds than attend their own town/city home matches so lots of outta towners support the Celts/Gers - and of course lots come over from Ireland (both countries) and England as well so its not uncommon to support a team outwith your area/city (but I still don't get it lol). Raith Rovers are actually named after an area in Kirkaldy called err Raith ( a very small area over a bridge where a battle was fought ) Mortons name seems to have been named after a founder or company no one is 100% sure although they have called themselves Greenock Morton on and off for a while - St Mirren is named after a boys club (and a saint) St Johnstone is the ancient name for Perth (St Johns Town) - Rangers were named after an Englsih Rugby club and were originally really only called Glasgow Rangers (although they use it more now) by English commentators to make them separate from Queens Park Rangers (strange as they are QPR?) lots of strange names in Scotland - East Stirlingshire are actually from FALKIRK (although they were technically in Stirlingshire) Clyde is named after the River, Third Lanark (and old successful and for Scotland largish club that went bankrupt in 1960 ) were named after a Sciots army regiment - Albion Rovers an old truck company called Albion and probably the most famous strange club name of all Queen of the South named not after the Bible quote but froma poet that called Dumfries (the town they come from) queen of the south (its is a nice tiown but its not that pretty a town)etc - yikes gone into footy geek mode sorry what was the question again!

[chrissmillie]

Raith Rovers are actually named after an area in Kirkaldy called err Raith ( a very small area over a bridge where a battle was fought )

I know there's a place called Raith nearby but I do remember Radio Scotland saying that it was named after a company, rather than the area.

Having grown up in Renfrewshire, I remember St Mirren talking about changing to Paisley St Mirren due to them becoming a European power(?).

As for me, Inverness CT. I was living there during the merger, so have supported them since their beginning. How many fans can say the same?

[Phoenix]

The Man Utd scenario has taken place in Scotland (and elsewhere in the world) for years

When Jimmy Armfield was appointed manager of Bolton Wanderers in 1971, his first managerial appointment and Bolton's first ever season in Division 3, he discovered that a local coach firm was using the Burnden Park frontage as a pickup point for local supporters going to Old Trafford. He soon put a stop to that caper.

[chrissmillie]

I think there's now a league rule stating that clubs must remain in the geographic area that they take their name from or something like that

Salford United?

[Jonny Whizz]

United are more in Stretford really, but it's still within Greater Manchester, and just not that far from the city centre (the fans are another matter ). On the other hand, I don't think anyone could describe anywhere within Milton Keynes as 'Wimbledon'.

[Phoenix]

I've just watched an old celebrity I think was called Len Goodman on Football Focus (I recognised him but unfortunately I can't remember where from). Anyway he talked about being allowed to go on a short bus ride as a six-year-old to watch West Ham at Upton Park. That day they became his team and all these years later he still supports them. He also said that he was given an early opportunity to go and watch Arsenal at Highbury. He looked at the flag with references to league titles and FA Cup wins and compared it to the flag at Upton Park, the only honour on which was their 1923 Cup Final defeat. Did he then think 'Arsenal will do for me'? Nahhhhhhh! Now he's my kind of supporter. Have some jellied eels on me, lad.

[Digifiend]

United are more in Stretford really, but it's still within Greater Manchester, and just not that far from the city centre (the fans are another matter ). On the other hand, I don't think anyone could describe anywhere within Milton Keynes as 'Wimbledon'.

That's why they changed their name to Milton Keynes Dons. Or as I like to call them, Franchise FC.