Supporting yer local

[Nowhereman]

East Fife have never technically been my 'local' team. Born and brought up in Kirkcaldy and apart from a spell down south, spent all my adult life in Edinburgh. My dad's side of the family are from Methil though and my dad, grandad and great-grandad all supported East Fife. I can remember not really being that interested in football before my dad took me to my fist game. I had to check this but it was the 29th of August 1992, a 3-0 home defeat to Forfar... great stuff. Like a few folk have mentioned old Bayview and older grounds in general were a big part of the attraction. At that age, the game's never going to hold your attention all the way through, so being able to wander and explore the ground was fun. Climbing up things, running down behind the goal for corners. I must have been hooked straight away because I can remember asking my dad when the next game we could go to was. Weird things I remember from that season, a 1-1 draw with Stranraer in March must have been the first draw I was at because I still remember asking if we could go to the replay as well, like a total idiot.
Obviously, growing up in Kirkcaldy, in the early 90s, Raith were enjoying a great spell and like a lot of kids in the town, I was really excited when they got to the League Cup final and bugged my dad to get us tickets so we went with some Rovers supporting family friends. I kind of saw myself supporting both teams for a while and can still remember thinking that I had to decide to actually support one and not the other but it was always going to be East Fife.
The highs and lows supporting a diddy club are brilliant. And really, every team that isn't winning trophies all the time or constantly in one of the big leagues is a diddy club. There won't be one supporter on here that hasn't sat through at least one or two absolutely demoralising seasons. But the next time a promotion or title win or cup upset or something rolls along it just makes it all the better. Even take the games against the Rovers. If I hadn't gone along to defeat after defeat after defeat, there's no way the two wins we've had this season would have felt as good. It's one of the reasons I was so happy Montrose won L2 last season, not in a patronising way, but it's been such a long time since they've done something of note, it just made me happy to know just how fucking amazing it would be for the guys that have suffered over the years to have that day.
Edit: Seen East Fife at 33 of the 42. Don't have Celtic, Hibs, Motherwell, Dundee, Dundee Utd, Ross County, Inverness, Partick or Edinburgh City.

Something else which I'm sure people on this thread can relate to is measuring your life in football matches. Can remember who we played the day I got married ( my mates went to the second half while the photos were being taken), who we played two days after my first son was born (took him to the game the following week) and generally when remembering any family or life event I always relate it to whoever the Sons were playing that week. It's quite sad really but it's just the way it is.

[AUcal]

Brilliant thread this. Thought I'd have a look through the L1 forum and have been hooked reading all these stories.

Been supporting ayr since i was about 7/8, the majority of my family are big raving Celtic fans. My dad, who supported Celtic as a teen but had since become quite disillusioned with all that, wasn't keen on me supporting one of the old firm so I spent most of childhood just watching football on the TV without really having a team to support.

Because we had moved from Glasgow to Troon my dad decided to try out Ayr Utd as he remembered Somerset Park from when he followed Celtic back in the day. First thing he said upon walking in was "this place hasn't changed a bit" [emoji23].

I was hooked after the first game, just loved absolutely everything about it and have been Ayr united mad ever since. Almost all my friends at school supported Celtic and rangers - sums up how bizarre Scottish football support is that being an Ayr fan was considered strange despite me attending a school in ayr.

Now live in Ayr about 10 mins from San Somerset and I am thankfull every day for my dad taking me to Ayr utd instead of to one of the bigot brothers.

[Scottydog]

On ‎08‎/‎01‎/‎2019 at 22:03, RRFC2711 said:

come from three generations of Rovers supporters nearly the whole life of the club, remember taking my son and his Rangers daft pal (from Glasgow but his dad didnt take him) to a game and on the way back home he asked with child like innocence "who do youze really support"

One of my favourite Scotland moments was back in 2012 in the Prince of Wales Pub in Cardiff (Weatherspoons?) , the toilets were honking and I commented to two other Scot's lads in there that it smelt like the lavvies in the Wee Dublin end at Cappielow. One complained at my insolence as he was actually a 'Ton fan, the other one was a Rangers fan and he was laughing until I announced I was a Rovers fan (remember this was in the wake of Turnbull's dead parrot sketch at Hampden and Sevo in Div 3). He was even less happy when I asked him who his Big team was.

In my time I've seen Raith romp to promotion in the SPL and more recently slide into the 1st division in ridiculous/laughable circumstances.

I've seen us beat Celtic to win the LC,  Rangers to win the Challenge cup but also lose to a Bernie Slaven goal to see 2nd Division Albion knock 1st Div us of the Scottish and a 19 stone Mark Yardley destroy us in the LC amongst many other awful results.

I wouldn't change a thing, yes of course it'd be nice to be better but when you've seen the shit, the good bits are so much more satisfying

[The_Kincardine]

14 minutes ago, Scottydog said:

One of my favourite Scotland moments was back in 2012 in the Prince of Wales Pub in Cardiff (Weatherspoons?) , the toilets were honking and I commented to two other Scot's lads in there that it smelt like the lavvies in the Wee Dublin end at Cappielow. One complained at my insolence as he was actually a 'Ton fan, the other one was a Rangers fan and he was laughing until I announced I was a Rovers fan (remember this was in the wake of Turnbull's dead parrot sketch at Hampden and Sevo in Div 3). He was even less happy when I asked him who his Big team was.

Tragic to be a diddy if this shite is what you're reduced to.

[Scottydog]

1 hour ago, The_Kincardine said:

Tragic to be a diddy if this shite is what you're reduced to.

And that just about illustrates beautifully what this thread is all about.

Cheers.

[Guest bernardblack]

Tragic to be a diddy if this shite is what you're reduced to.

There it is.

[The Moonster]

5 hours ago, The_Kincardine said:

Tragic to be a diddy if this shite is what you're reduced to.

It's not that tragic, he could be a Tory voting, pish stained bigot.

[Old Diamond]

Reading the post about the away days you have had I started thinking about the grounds that I have visited that are no longer there (or no longer used for football), I visited Broomfield (obviously), Boghead, Shawfield, Clydebank, Annfield, Bayview, Brockville, Firs Park,Muirton, Love Street and the old Douglas Park!

[Gordon EF]

6 hours ago, The_Kincardine said:

Tragic to be a diddy if this shite is what you're reduced to.

Rangers are a diddy club to be fair. You win f**k all. Embrace it m8.

[JakeSAFC]

Tragic to be a diddy if this shite is what you're reduced to.

Could be worse, could "support" a club thats fans let die. That would be an absolute minter.

[Old Diamond]

7 minutes ago, JakeSAFC said:

 

Could be worse, could "support" a club thats fans let die. That would be an absolute minter.

 

And it could easily happen again, I for one would not invest a penny in them even if I won euromillions

[Brother Blades]

Fantastic thread until the Home Counties cirrhosis candidate stuck his fuckin neb in. More stories please.

[The clean living guy]

I started getting took to Broomfield in the late 80s. My Grandad, Dad and older brothers were Airdrie supporters although my Dad had a soft spot for Rangers and occasionally took me to Ibrox. The compination of Airdrie having a winning side at the time and the atmosphere probably got me hooked but the big thing was being able to go nearly there very week my school friends who also supported Airdrie. 

I don't have a problem with anyone who follows their team and the connection you form could be for any number of reasons but i do find it strange people from the other end of the country choosing to follow Celtic and Rangers. 

[Karpaty]

I grew up in a scheme five minutes from Broadwood and played football in a wee grassy bit which was elevated so you see the floodlights through the trees. I didn’t know anything about Clyde (family are Rangers) but my pals dad took us to a game and that was that. Even when my mum didn’t give me money to go to games I would stand on the hill behind the goal (no longer there sadly) to catch the atmosphere. 

Not ashamed to admit it (I’ve no children nor married so may make sense) but beating Celtic in the cup is the only time I’ve had literal tears of joy rolling down my face. I went to the catholic school next to Broadwood, think I was in second year, and mind being ribbed all week that we were going to get shagged. I remember one boy in particular trying to say our first goal was offside (despite having three wrongly ruled out, a red card they should have got, we missed a penalty and hit the post along with a host of other chances) and that they should have got a draw. Maybe it was him that wrote that statement last week.

I sat next to a boy in French who would say we were shite because we “didny huv  a tracky” and we “hud macdonald coaches as a team bus an no parks a Hamilton”. What an fucking roaster. 

I grew up watching good Clyde teams in the very late 90’s and 2000’s until the money we didn’t have dried up and finished bottom three years on the trot, plummeting to division three. We haven’t been promoted since 2000 so it’s fair to say if/when we do it’ll be some party. The current Clyde team are a fantastic bunch who have a togetherness with the fans that I’ve never seen before. On Saturday there, a huge win up in Peterhead, every single one of them shook our hands after full time. Never felt buzzing for a three hour drive afterwards. 

I turn 26 in a few weeks so age is on my side if the club can keep the finances in check. The amount of money I’ve spent following Clyde doesn’t bare thinking about but I don’t regret a single penny or moment. I even got the badge tattooed on me two days after my 18th birthday after four years of planning (your fault @Adam). 

Pretty much all of my closest friends are Clyde fans who I’ve met solely through going to games. May be sad to say but I genuinely can’t imagine life without Clyde in any form, there’s no way I could follow another Scottish club and I’ve no interest in the Scotland National side. Just doesn’t bare thinking about. 

Regarding supporting your local team, my dad bought me a season ticket at Ibrox during the Le Guen season (I vivedly remember trying to keep my excitement as Steven Milne(?) scored that over head kick for St.Johnstone) and would only go when Clyde weren’t playing but I didn’t get it. My dad was in his element but I thought it was torture. I went to one Old Firm game and the atmosphere was as poisonous as diddy team fans think it is. Hated every second of it. 

[Raithie]

Aye a lot of memories of my child hood flooding back reading this thread following my club. I remember at Primary school when Panini stickers were all the rage and being desperate to get the Rovers section finished when we were in the Premier League, that was a lot of fun trading stickers during our lunch breaks. The game at 'home' against Bayern Munich which was played at Easter Road and being mightily confused why we weren't at Starks and even thinking Bayern had  huge support only for my Dad to tell me the bulk of the ground was full of Rovers fans. 

Fans of most clubs at this level will probably all agree we see more mediocre seasons these days but now and again something tremendous happens that just makes following your club so much fun. So lets get more stories going, what was your favourite season following your club and why?

[baillieinleeds]

My dad being a huge Dundee United fan tried to indoctrinate me into following the Arabs. He took me to Tannadice at the age of 5 with my cousin. I literally fell asleep. My Uncle who played for the Rovers in the 70’s urged my dad to come down to Starks. As a Kirkcaldy boy I felt more at home in my beloved hometown, watching my beloved team even at 5. My hero was Murray McDermott. My uncle is Davie Hunter and was gutted when I mentioned my appreciation for McDermott. He said bloody goalie eh! That’s my preferred position. But I was awful. 6’2 and getting lobbed at the 5’s tells you all about my skillls. Rovers are my team. A defeat is painful and a win is delicious. I seethe demonstrably even on here after a gutless defeat. But the fact we can actually talk about the game is the fascination. Something OF fans will never feel.

[Boghead ranter]

Was taken to Boghead from age 4 or 5 as my folks were both ST holders.

Stopped going when I was in S1, my Dad is a 'character' (by any of the definitions) who, depending on who you are, gives you a laugh at games, ruins games for you, or somewhere inbetween. Puberty hormone me couldn't hack the pure beamer of standing beside him, so I started staying home on  Saturday.

Went back at ~16, as all my close mates still went, it became a 'thing',  and we all also started going to away games on the bus. When we left school a couple of years later and got jobs or went to Uni, going to the games became the only time we all got to hang together.

By early 20s, most of us had passed our driving tests,  so took turns to drive to away games, and at that point away became  even better than home, as going to the game was a day out - leave early so as to get a pint on the way there, then stopping somewhere for a few on the way home.

Still managed most games when I moved to Gourock in the late 90s, but since I moved into the FK postcode in 1999, married and started a family, going to games has turned into one of the things that's too much of a luxury (both in terms of time and money), which is just the way it is. I still try and get along if we're playing at Stenny, Falkirk, Alloa, Stirling or whatever.

So many great memories from both Boghead, and traipsing round the country though. Trips to Angus were always my favourite, thanks to Auchterarder, and it's Golf Inn and excellent chippy.

[Squirrelhumper]

I'm from Ayrshire, Kilmarnock were the closest team, my dad grew up supporting them and I was going nowhere else.

We were 2nd Division when I started going and I've been lucky that we've spent the last 25+ years in the top flight but a few of those years have been a hard watch, conflict with the board almost had me at breaking point but the last 18 months under Steve Clarke is reminiscent of how the club was under Burns.

I've been fortunate to see us win both domestic cups, my dad has seen us win both and be Champions of Scotland.

I thought that would never even be possible for me, I highly doubt it ever will but Steve Clarke has me believing and you just never know.

No matter what league we're in, no matter how badly we play, I just can't see me not being at a Killie game if we're playing. Whether it's at Rugby Park, Aberdeen or Arbroath, it's my team and i'll be there.

[farflung lichtie]

As a lifelong Lichtie, despite decades working abroad, a few general observations

 

1. I think you need to experience the dismal times to appreciate the rare better times. You have to laugh at bigteam followers some of whom melt down after an occasional setback (calling for the managers/boards head etc). Builds character, especially the vital skill of expectation management.

 

2. Much prefer small grounds and trad stadia where you get close to the action. You can occasionally influence stuff on field (eg Cowden’s Mark Baxter sent off at Gayfield after overreaction when a fan forcibly returned the ball). You can move around rather than, like budget airlines, get jammed far away from the action.

 

3. Big time footie seems more of just another consumer experience, milked by the big clubs. Supporting a lower league team is qualitatively different - a sense of community, even ownership - which means you tend to be more involved than mere paying customer

 

 

[Nowhereman]

4 hours ago, Old Diamond said:

Reading the post about the away days you have had I started thinking about the grounds that I have visited that are no longer there (or no longer used for football), I visited Broomfield (obviously), Boghead, Shawfield, Clydebank, Annfield, Bayview, Brockville, Firs Park,Muirton, Love Street and the old Douglas Park!

Meadowbank?