Why do you support your team?

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   Thought this would be an interesting topic and I reckon I'm fairly unusual. Until 3 years ago I'd never been to a rugby game and had next to no interest in the sport. I was driving past the rugby club one day, which is an unusual route for me and saw on the billboard Stortford were playing Leeds next.
I assumed this was the equivalent of the fa cup as why would Stortford be playing a big City's team? Googled it and turned out Stortford play in the third tier! At the start of the next season I'd given up my spurs season ticket and was looking to do more things locally so gathered a few mates who like rugby and went down for a game.

The first game was Birmingham (again mad we're playing the second city's team) and Brum were something like 3-18 up only for Stortford to score 4 tries in 10 mins and win the game. It was an excellent introduction and since then I've been hooked on national 1.

I'd say I'm more a Stortford fan than rugby fan. I'll watch the six nations but have little interest in the prem or European Cup. Really I just enjoy walking down, having a couple of pints and watching a good quality game of rugby.

I wonder if rugby could do more to entice more people like me into the game. I've taken a few non rugby friends since and the feedback is generally although they don't particularly understand what's going on it's enjoyable and the physicallity very impressive. 

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Storty Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List First XV regular Joined: 28 Apr 2024 Location: Stortford Status: Offline Points: 71	Post Options Post Reply Quote Storty Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Why do you support your team? Posted: 14 hours 56 minutes ago at 08:05
	Thought this would be an interesting topic and I reckon I'm fairly unusual. Until 3 years ago I'd never been to a rugby game and had next to no interest in the sport. I was driving past the rugby club one day, which is an unusual route for me and saw on the billboard Stortford were playing Leeds next. I assumed this was the equivalent of the fa cup as why would Stortford be playing a big City's team? Googled it and turned out Stortford play in the third tier! At the start of the next season I'd given up my spurs season ticket and was looking to do more things locally so gathered a few mates who like rugby and went down for a game. The first game was Birmingham (again mad we're playing the second city's team) and Brum were something like 3-18 up only for Stortford to score 4 tries in 10 mins and win the game. It was an excellent introduction and since then I've been hooked on national 1. I'd say I'm more a Stortford fan than rugby fan. I'll watch the six nations but have little interest in the prem or European Cup. Really I just enjoy walking down, having a couple of pints and watching a good quality game of rugby. I wonder if rugby could do more to entice more people like me into the game. I've taken a few non rugby friends since and the feedback is generally although they don't particularly understand what's going on it's enjoyable and the physicallity very impressive.

semisonic Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List First XV regular Joined: 11 Dec 2017 Location: Birmingham Status: Offline Points: 131	Post Options Post Reply Quote semisonic Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 hours 3 minutes ago at 09:58
	I had a season ticket at Birmingham City but gave it up when our ownership changed and I couldn't justify paying money in to a black hole in China for the 15/16 season. A friend coaxed me down to Moseley for a pre-season game against Ebbw Vale with the promise that they were bringing a Welsh voice choir with them and tickets were £5. My first league game was away at Bedford on the Supporters' coach and I've followed since. Despite the change in ownership at Blues, my Saturdays (and very occasionally Fridays) are now spent following Moseley, where I think we're very lucky to have volunteers supporting travel to away games so I go to most of those.

kingsheathlad Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List World Cup Winner Joined: 15 Jan 2010 Location: Alcester Status: Offline Points: 3417	Post Options Post Reply Quote kingsheathlad Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 hours 6 minutes ago at 11:55
	I started supporting Moseley in 1967,when my elder brother played for the 4th team I've supported them ever since,with a few gaps when I played the game for 15 years.i didn't go to games at Birmingham University after they moved from The Reddings.we had our ups and downs,but I love the game and always will. Edited by kingsheathlad - 11 hours 5 minutes ago at 11:56
	Cauliflower ear.

Rothman2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List World Cup Winner Rotherham Joined: 20 Jan 2010 Location: Derby Status: Online Points: 12178	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rothman2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 minutes ago at 22:38
	My background is very much football related. Started watching my home town team Rotherham United in late 1965 / early 1966. First away game got me hooked. Feb 66 (8 years old) 4th round FA Cup Dad took me to Old Trafford to watch Rotherham draw 0-0. Man Utd team included Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, Nobby Stiles etc. Had no choice in my team really. Dad went to his first game in 1933 and was very much a one club man. He wasn’t interested in other sports, and I never knew anything about Rugby. Early 90’s listening to Radio Sheffield Sport I heard a little section called Ian Jowetts Rugby round up, heard names of team like Leodiensians and of course Rotherham. Every time I listened, it seemed like Rotherham were prominent and seemed to be winning every game. Who is this team? None of my family or friends were remotely interested in Rugby so I didn’t get round to going until Sept 1995, as it happened it was our first ever game in National 3. Ironically it was at home v Richmond, and I remember vividly a guy from Richmond called John Gregory, who gave a masterclass in kicking and we ended up losing 43-6. Even though we lost I was hooked and watched most home games that season but didn’t know much about the social side. That came the following season, when for the first time I took a trip on the supporters club bus to Bedford in the second division ( we had recovered from the Richmond game and ended going up again with Richmond) I met some great people on that coach who had played for the club many years previously. Everyone was friendly. Although we lost the game, it was great, capped off by a stop off at a pub on the way back & all the players came in and were fantastic. People like Guy Easterby (who went on to have a stellar career) Sam Coy & Lee Rick. This doesn’t happen in football. I was converted (can’t remember whether it was from the touch line 😂) It was Rugby all the way for me. Went to most games home & away. Great days. Beating Worcester 42-0, winning at Exeter 34-0, at Bristol 36-31, and, the pièce de résistance, winning 20-19 in Perpignan in a Saturday evening game in the European shield. Brilliant weekend. Great night with all the players. Who can forget the play off games with Bedford? High drama. Desolation and euphoria within the space of 12 months. There is nothing like Rugby, for the game, the social, meeting new friends. These officials who set minimum criteria meaning sometimes playing at football grounds, can’t have ever been to Clifton Lane. There was nothing like it. Shiver down the spines stuff. Days that will most likely not be repeated . Memories that will remain with me all my life. What a team. What a club. SENDEMOAMWINOWTROTH!! Edited by Rothman2 - 17 minutes ago at 22:44
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