yankcitizen76 said:Born in Germany in 1976, (dad was fighter pilot in Bitburg) and he fell in love with the footballand played in an amateur league here in the states. He raised me to love the game and helped start a youth league so my friends and I could play. Even took me to a few Portland Timbers games when they were still in the old NASL. I played defender, keeper and midfielder even through high school.
My love for City started my last year of music school in 2005. Liked a lot of bands from there and in working in the record industry, I met a few Mancs who always asked me if I followed a team. I said that my hometown had a USFL team and they'd reply that American soccer is shit. Which is very true I was amazed at how passionate the hatred between the two team's fans was. You were either for'em or again'em as we Americans say.
The US showing in 2002 really connected me with my love for the game and gave me something in common with my father again. He was a Chelsea fan and my brother a Scum fan. But I immediately was born a City fan the moment I saw them play. It was a late season game at Eastlands and I was amazed at how the fans supported their team. It was almost like the score or their current ranking didn't matter. I immediately felt like City represented the kind of person I was.
It is very hard being a football fan in the US, much less a City fan. You are either a traitor for not liking 'real football,' or a pussy for liking a 'f@ggot sport.' But my passion is such that I tell them to eat shit or get lost. Have lost at least one friend this way.
Last year City came to my hometown, Portland, and it was one of the greatest moments of my life. Then followed them across the US for a few more matches.
Side Note:
I have met a few English ex-pats who are Xenophobic about foreigners express love for City. They feel if you can't see them in person, you can go hang. I know a lot of Americans who are sick of Europeans attitude toward what we know about soccer. And to tell you the truth, I am sick of it too. I understand Brits are see American tourists filling up the Swamp and acting like douchebags. But not all of us act this way, and MCFC is not going to win a global fan base until some homegrowns lay off and accept Yanks. It's bad enough getting crap in your own country.
DalbeyINUK said:Born and raised in America, but moved to Manchester with my wife(who is from Manchester) several years ago. We've since moved back to Oregon but my crazy obsession has followed me over.
yankcitizen76 said:Side Note:
I have met a few English ex-pats who are Xenophobic about foreigners express love for City. They feel if you can't see them in person, you can go hang. I know a lot of Americans who are sick of Europeans attitude toward what we know about soccer. And to tell you the truth, I am sick of it too. I understand Brits are see American tourists filling up the Swamp and acting like douchebags. But not all of us act this way, and MCFC is not going to win a global fan base until some homegrowns lay off and accept Yanks. It's bad enough getting crap in your own country.
yankcitizen76 said:DalbeyINUK said:Born and raised in America, but moved to Manchester with my wife(who is from Manchester) several years ago. We've since moved back to Oregon but my crazy obsession has followed me over.
That makes two fans in Oregon. Amazing!!
TFC said:yankcitizen76 said:Side Note:
I have met a few English ex-pats who are Xenophobic about foreigners express love for City. They feel if you can't see them in person, you can go hang. I know a lot of Americans who are sick of Europeans attitude toward what we know about soccer. And to tell you the truth, I am sick of it too. I understand Brits are see American tourists filling up the Swamp and acting like douchebags. But not all of us act this way, and MCFC is not going to win a global fan base until some homegrowns lay off and accept Yanks. It's bad enough getting crap in your own country.
I would love to meet some Americans who love footy as much as I do. Unfortunately being in the deep South its NASCAR and college football that gets most of the attention :D
TFC said:yankcitizen76 said:Side Note:
I have met a few English ex-pats who are Xenophobic about foreigners express love for City. They feel if you can't see them in person, you can go hang. I know a lot of Americans who are sick of Europeans attitude toward what we know about soccer. And to tell you the truth, I am sick of it too. I understand Brits are see American tourists filling up the Swamp and acting like douchebags. But not all of us act this way, and MCFC is not going to win a global fan base until some homegrowns lay off and accept Yanks. It's bad enough getting crap in your own country.
I would love to meet some Americans who love footy as much as I do. Unfortunately being in the deep South its NASCAR and college football that gets most of the attention :D
Sigh said:TFC said:I would love to meet some Americans who love footy as much as I do. Unfortunately being in the deep South its NASCAR and college football that gets most of the attention :D
You still in SC, TFC?
teddykgb said:City fan here, no ties to England or Manchester.
Came to love the club through, of all people, Christiano Ronaldo. I'm Portuguese by descent and Ronaldo was at Old Trafford, so when I really caught the bug with soccer I followed him in in england, but it wasn't as easy to really watch the EPL here back then, saw (and loved) Tevez and caught City a few times. Could never really get any feeling for United even with our beloved portuguese metrosexual on the squad, but absolutely adored how completely off your rocker all the City fans are/were.... just more my style, the way the chants were so self deprecating and funny. So yeah, a real late comer to the cause, it feels somewhat dirty to have not really survived the down times, but you take the time to read up on the history and move forward, with this squad's history there will surely be some down times for me to experience in the future.
As far as TV, it's come a long way as Fox Soccer has propagated in the US. ESPN has taken up the EPL a bit, so I'd say that maybe half or so City games are televised here, the other half I end up streaming thanks to the excellent thread in the match forum. The coverage is pretty one sided against City, but that doesn't seem unique to our soil. Went to the games in NYC this summer and had a blast, it was fun to see you lunatics up close and personal.
edit: I live in Massachusetts, and I was in a supermarket one day wearing my Adam Johnson 11 home shirt and got stopped by a kid to ask me what I thought was going to happen to Bellamy....it was very surreal, don't often get stopped when wearing my city attire (which I wear far too often) but it's a sign of the increased penetration
South Carolina? I'm in Raleigh, NC.TFC said:Sigh said:You still in SC, TFC?
I most certainly am (cant get away from the fooking place ;)
taconinja said:South Carolina? I'm in Raleigh, NC.TFC said:I most certainly am (cant get away from the fooking place ;)