how much do we wind other fans up?

When Chelsea got lucky, I was genuinely pleased for them, not least because a good mate is a lifelong fan, and in parallels to us then, had suffered in the shadows of near neighbours, had relegations etc.

Plus it meant there was someone to challenge the rags supremacy of the time. I do recall thinking, 'I wish we could get so lucky', in an envious way, but certainly not overly jealous, and definitely not hatefully like some do us.

Yeah, I remember when Arsenal got a load of dosh for the naming rights of their stadium and I just thought 'Great, they will be able to compete with United's spending'. Strange that when we got ours for the Etihad years later Wenger and the Tarquins whinged about it......
 
Having lived in the North East for more than 20 years, I've seen a change in the views of the local Geordies (and Mackems, to some extent).

WHen I arrived here, it was easy to chat for hours on the shared pain of a big club being completely shite, and most normal fans were truly respectful of our loyalty down into the 3rd Division (despite their WWYWYWS chants now). Even though Newcastle were at a peak (of sorts) when I moved here, very few fans were arrogant or expected much, they just loved seeing a brilliant football team with Ginola, Beardsley and Shearer.

Now that City has been the benefactor of the Sheikh's millions, the view is slightly different. There's a much more disparaging tone when people learn I'm a City fan (the usual glory hunter stuff, even though it's clear when I talk, I'm a Manc!) but at worst it's ambivalence, and mostly I still feel there's a connection. They hate Sunderland (so I keep quiet that I have a soft spot for Reid & Quinn) and the rags (which is a great leveller), but the most common feedback I get about City is how lukcy we are to watch the team. There's the odd jibe about the Emptihad, but it's often more about envy (how can we not sell out when we've got such amazing players).

When it came to the debate about player-of-the-season, most Geordies I know put Sterling (or even 2 or 3 City players) above van Dyke, so I think they also see through the media bias and media narrative.
 
My son is an EFC fan and was more desperate about the title coming to Beswick than I think I was. My Swindon Town mate is very pro-City, and that's about as far as it goes. The milkman is a Rag and behaves accordingly. The local pools man is a Dale Fan and a Rag but he seems not to exude normal Rag behaviours, mainly, I think 'cos he's a Dale fan first. Next door is a Rag but generally quiet for obvious reasons. Next door 't other way - one female City fan from a Rag household, married to a Palace fan who seems to realise what we all realise - Rags, Dippers and Arses are breeds apart from sensible footy fans.
 
My feelings have changed slightly since last weekend when every Liverpool and Tottenham fan I encountered in Madrid spoke positively about City, whereas one Everton fan came out with all the "killing football.." remarks.

It's a huge generalisation, but I think the genuine match day goers of most clubs are pleased for the hardcore City element who stuck by the club in the dark days of the mid 90s and beyond.

In contrast, the anonymous social media clickbait tossers (and we're not immune) play to different rules.

There are always idiots in every fanbase, who just regurgitate the shit they read. Generally, I think most fans
appreciate the football we play and would love the same thing to happen to their club. The exceptions to this,
being the rags an dippers who are just so miserable that they aren't mopping up the trophies anymore.
 
Yeah, I remember when Arsenal got a load of dosh for the naming rights of their stadium and I just thought 'Great, they will be able to compete with United's spending'. Strange that when we got ours for the Etihad years later Wenger and the Tarquins whinged about it......


Fuck arsenal , they were next to fucking shite from the 60s till geoerge graham appeared.

And why did he appear and they suddenly started spending? Because they were propped up by funds that most certainly were linked to the blood diamond trade.

Something they conveniently forget after the prem money flooded in, without dodgy money in tge late 80s the ****s wouldn't have been in a position to reap the rewards of the change in 92
 

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