Dear Barclays Premier League Fans

[The Dragon Saga]

I like how in Scottish football the names always read well, but when a Scottish person pronounces it, it never sounds as good as you'd imagine. Kevin Bridges the comedian does a small routine on it, can't locate it on YouTube though.

 

[Барбоса]

Hibernian. Simple but effective.

And named after Ireland

Dundee United...aye, very poetic.

But for ever dur sounding name there is a Partick Thistle and (formerly) Airdrieonians. Even teams named after towns like Cowdenbeath and Stenhousmuir sounds far more colourful than most

 

[DirtyJosé]

I asked this about a year back, with similar guidelines. I think I ended up an Everton fan. So yeah, those my boys.

 

[Tastycles]

Everton don't have fans, Liverpool just have bitter detractors.

 

[RoadhogJ]

I know im abit late but lets give it a try! I being a Chelsea fan (Come on you boys in blue) would normally say Chelsea but seeing as you have already crossed them of the list im going to say Newcastle! They have two great senegalese strikers in Papiss Demba Cisse and Demba Ba, theyre midfielders are good but Hatem Ben Arfa (Right Mid) is of top class, type in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MuvmO40YoU and youll see his wonder goal against bolton this weekend! Theyre defenders are decent but nothing too special and theyre goalkeeper tim krul is outstanding. Thats why i say Newcastle United are the team to support because they have the players, theyre in form.........oh and theyre above Chelsea in the league

 

[Lee]

The best team I can think of to meet your criteria would be Sunderland. First off, their look fits well with your team color preference:

Secondly, you'll have an automatic Mets / Yankees style rivalry established with Lee - our resident supporter of their biggest rivals, Newcastle. Both of these teams are as blue collar as you get.

Finally, they are a solid mid-table team with arguably the best manager in the Premier League in Martin O'Neill. No one could accuse you of jumping on any bandwagons!

Some basics:
Founded: 1879
Stadium: The Stadium of Light (capacity 49k)
Nickname: The Black Cats
Wiki Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunderland_A.F.C.

*cough*

Stupid Mackems.

Good man.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Some of the Highland League teams have some cracking names too. Clachnacuddin, I'm looking at you. To non-Scot accustomed ears, I think that would almost sound like a threat the first time you hear it.

Hence the 'arguably' part. However, O'Neill has several years of managerial excellence:

He brought Wycombe from non-league obscurity to the cusp of the old Division One (now the Championship).

Leicester City gained two League Cups and mid table security under his watch.

With Martin, Celtic broke the Rangers stranglehold on the SPL Title (something they had only managed once in the previous 12 seasons).

With limited funds he brought Aston Villa from a relegation dodging 16th to three straight 6th places.

Even in his current role, O'Neill has taken Sunderland from being 16th and in the relegation dog fight to 11th in the space of four months. It is also highly possible that he could lead them as high as 7th and this in a team bereft of any notable players.

To me, this is a résumé that gives him a legitimate claim to being the best manager in the Premier League as he can hardly be faulted for not having the bankrole that Sir Alex has.

I'm not disputing that O'Neill is talented as a manager, he certainly is. Like you said, he's had a positive effect on every club he's managed and known when to call it a day, but I was thinking more about this season. Getting Sunderland whipped into shape was a bit of a task, but over the past 2 or 3 seasons they've had very Jekyll and Hyde halves of the season so it seems that them doing well for one half isn't an isolated thing.

As I said, next season will be important for Martin as he can reorganise the team over the summer and have his way for the whole season rather than just half of it. If he does what he's capable of doing, then I wouldn't be surprised to see him nominated for manager of the season, but this season I think the 4 men I mentioned earlier are going to be higher up people's lists for what they did over the whole season, if you see what I mean?

And JGlass, this isn't so much a point as to why you should go for Everton, but Fulham's billionaire owner did install a grotesque statue outside their ground.

Spoiler

 

[¡Roján!]

Norwich fit the bill perfectly. They play awesome football, homegrown talent and are just fun to watch. They also pull off quite a few upsets against the bigger team so you'll be able to gloat if you win, and claim you're a smaller team with no money when they don't. Perfect. If not them, then Newcastle or Swansea.

 

[Loveless]

If you like working class teams the modern Premier League may not be your thing. Almost every team is owned by multimillionaires / billionaires and the stadium atmosphere became horrible in recent years by getting out working class people with high ticket prices and banning terraces among other things.

Nonsense.
It's the supporters that make the club, not the owners.
The supporters haven't gone anywhere
The atmosphere is fine
The terraces disappeared nearly 20 years ago because of safety concerns

 

[DirtyJosé]

Everton don't have fans, Liverpool just have bitter detractors.

I remember now. This was a deciding factor in my choice.

 

[Alastor]

BlackBurn Rovers, only club ever to won the league in its latest format not named Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea. From wikipedia, The club's Latin motto is "Arte et labore", the club's translation of which is "By Skill & Hard Work".

Punch above their weight for a majority of the last 2 decades. Firstly due to heavy investment (or financial doping) by lifelong supporter Jack Walker in the 1990s, and in the last decade surviving by kicking opponents off the pitch in addition to actually playing young players because we have no money who then get poached away if they are any good.

Right now the fans are in open revolt against current ownership for lack of investments, broken promises, and freefalling from a safe mid-table side to relegation folder. You don't get any more working class than uniting to hate the ownership that actually hurt the club. *cough*man u*cough*newcastle*cough*

Oh and an American goal keeper Brad Friedel made his name here and is fondly remembered by the fans even when he plays for other teams now.

 

[Ming]

Based on recent seasons. I imagine Wigan would be the most excitable lower Premier League team to support. They play pretty good football and get the occasional upset. Their manager is likable too.

 

[future admin]

Based on recent seasons. I imagine Wigan would be the most excitable lower Premier League team to support. They play pretty good football and get the occasional upset. Their manager is likable too.

Occasionally being their last match upsetting none other than Manchester United.

 

[Vega]

What a great match tonight.

However you choose, I wouldn't base my choice on temporary factors like players or managers. The thing which sets a club apart is its fanbase and culture, so I'd say that's about the only relevant factor.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

* Dark room, a king-size bed fills it up and we see flowing grey hair matted on the pillow *

Mancini (mumbling in sleep): Mmmm, must raid Dortmund. Mmmm...Gotze, Hummels, Subotic.
Ahhh...get their before Mourinho.​

 

[JGlass]

And JGlass, this isn't so much a point as to why you should go for Everton, but Fulham's billionaire owner did install a grotesque statue outside their ground.

Spoiler

You definitely just tipped the scale towards Everton, which I called Everett earlier for some reason. I had a teacher in high school named Everett. She taught geometry. Nice lady, pretty good teacher.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Spread her out over the table, yes?

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Stoke don't want your support and you don't want to support them. You can cross them off the list.

 

[Shadowmancer]

I should support a EPL team, but I can't summon the effort. I should probably support Fulham since that is apparently where my family was just over 100 years ago

 

[Lee]

BlackBurn Rovers, only club ever to won the league in its latest format not named Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea. From wikipedia, The club's Latin motto is "Arte et labore", the club's translation of which is "By Skill & Hard Work".

Punch above their weight for a majority of the last 2 decades. Firstly due to heavy investment (or financial doping) by lifelong supporter Jack Walker in the 1990s, and in the last decade surviving by kicking opponents off the pitch in addition to actually playing young players because we have no money who then get poached away if they are any good.

Right now the fans are in open revolt against current ownership for lack of investments, broken promises, and freefalling from a safe mid-table side to relegation folder. You don't get any more working class than uniting to hate the ownership that actually hurt the club. *cough*man u*cough*newcastle*cough*

Oh and an American goal keeper Brad Friedel made his name here and is fondly remembered by the fans even when he plays for other teams now.

Again he wants a team that will be in the premier league.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Venky's Chicken says Cluck!

 

[Alastor]

Egg faced. :/

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

I only want Blackburn to stay up so Steve Kean can say, "Get it rrrrright up ye!" to the fans and then leave. The way they acted for the first half of the season was pretty dam disgraceful.

Wigan do get quite exciting to watch in the last 10 games of the season.

 

[JGlass]

My charming Irish roommate talked me into becoming an Everton fan. I am now a supporter of The People's Club!

Now I just need to learn how to be an Everton fan...

Thanks for your help everyone, can't wait to wake up at 8 AM simply to watch a football game!

 

[Lee]

My charming Irish roommate talked me into becoming an Everton fan. I am now a supporter of The People's Club!

Now I just need to learn how to be an Everton fan...

Thanks for your help everyone, can't wait to wake up at 8 AM simply to watch a football game!

Steal stuff.