What determines who you support in Manchester? Is it a geographical thing?

[Magicpole]

I think historically, most 2 team cities have 2 teams based on religion. That would be 100+ years ago so doubt it would explain team choices now

I thought it was just us that had that. At least you have buried it.

 

[Saddleworth2]

I fell in love with City after the West Brom charity shield game. For me the rags were never a choice as most of the lads in my class supported them and I have always been a contrary bastard.

 

[philiph20]

There was a bit of that decades ago, my old man (in fact all the family except my cousin and I are rags) used to tell me how a train carriage full of Catholic priests and their hangers on would disembark the train at the swamp. Dont think religion is a deciding factor these days but it certainly was an issue moons ago

Didn't they have the 'priest's gate' at Old Trafford as well. I know they used to have catholic priests scouting for them in numbers back in the day so this might have been them on the train.

We are a broad church and always have been but I get the impression that they have in the past targeted certain sections of society in an effort to 'recruit' them.

 

[1961_vintage]

Religion was certainly a factor back in the day. If you were catholic you were expected to be a rag. My folks had the parish priest round to perform an exorcism when I gave them the news that as a free-thinking individual who didn't feel the need to go with the herd mentality or have the need to bolster my own existence through association with a supposedly "glorious" football club, City were the team for me. Made for some interesting family gatherings as the sole Blue amongst a whole load of mouthy rags - but as I was the only one who could actually read I was at least able to argue the toss from a position of being informed!

 

[urban genie]

I never knew religious bullshit happened anywhere else on the mainland apart from here, re football.

Football wise there isn't we have always had a mix of all religions at our ground, I'm catholic as is both sides of my family who are all blues going back to Hyde rd days.
Plenty, in fact most at my Schools in Gorton were blues and catholic, as Gorton as most of east manchester and tameside is traditionally more city.

Interestingly though schools were more sectarian in the past in some areas with a catholic school not far from a prod one and regular fights between each other went on, but that was in the 80's and I think it's gone now.

Back on topic though I would say geography and family ties is the main factor that decides your allegence. Also rags are a bog eyed fuck ugly wierd lot of bastards.

 

[chaddblue]

If you grew up in the years between about 1983 and 2010, if you were weak, easily led and your mates were the school nerds, you became a red

If you were a lad, had a mind of your own, and your mates were the cool kids at school, you became a blue

 

[PW]

I was arguing with a Sky92'er at work the other day about supporting your local team. I pointed out that I was born in St Mary's Hospital, my Dad being from Mosside and my Mum from Harpurhey, with City being my nearest club. My Dad, like his Dad was a blue and I didn't make the choice of who I supported, like others have said you're born blue. The same applies with my kids they support City because I do and they want to follow tradition. I also factored in that blues who relocate to other parts of the country or the world will have kids who will follow the family tradition hence us having fans who don't come from Manchester. My late brother emigrated twenty five years ago and all four of his son's who live in Australia are massive blues.

He responded by saying that where you were born doesn't matter and you can support who you want to. It transpired that he herald from Rochdale and supported the scum because his Dad did. Oh was he Manc I asked, no he was from Scotland. Typical, I pointed out that the majority of rags fans have zero affiliation with the club, but adopted the fan status to jump on the Sky era bandwagon, which gave them a sense of entitlement and a right to mouth off. I also told him that a majority of their fans are clueless as they only gleaned interest from 92 onwards. An example of this was once having to suffer a Derby at the swamp in the away end, when the southern accented rag cretin sat next to me asked if Phelan, as in Terry was the one who used to play for us in Mike. Need I say more.

Then you look at celebrity comparisons and the pattern is somewhat similar.

John Stapleton > Eammon Holmes
Ian Curtis > Olly Murs
LS Lowry > Drake
John Henshaw > Steve McFadden
Andy Farrell > Usain Bolt
Johnny Marr > Justin Timberlake.

 

[m7mcfc]

Salford is surely Rag central?

And basically, if you are from outside Manxhester, you're probably a rag

You would be surprised at the amount of blues in Salford.
M7 Salford here in blue surrounded by red in a MEN survey. Here's a link.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...l-news/manchester-derby-map-men-survey-687267

 

[Magicpole]

I was arguing with a Sky92'er at work the other day about supporting your local team. I pointed out that I was born in St Mary's Hospital, my Dad being from Mosside and my Mum from Harpurhey, with City being my nearest club. My Dad, like his Dad was a blue and I didn't make the choice of who I supported, like others have said you're born blue. The same applies with my kids they support City because I do and they want to follow tradition. I also factored in that blues who relocate to other parts of the country or the world will have kids who will follow the family tradition hence us having fans who don't come from Manchester. My late brother emigrated twenty five years ago and all four of his son's who live in Australia are massive blues.

He responded by saying that where you were born doesn't matter and you can support who you want to. It transpired that he herald from Rochdale and supported the scum because his Dad did. Oh was he Manc I asked, no he was from Scotland. Typical, I pointed out that the majority of rags fans have zero affiliation with the club, but adopted the fan status to jump on the Sky era bandwagon, which gave them a sense of entitlement and a right to mouth off. I also told him that a majority of their fans are clueless as they only gleaned interest from 92 onwards. An example of this was once having to suffer a Derby at the swamp in the away end, when the southern accented rag cretin sat next to me asked if Phelan, as in Terry was the one who used to play for us in Mike. Need I say more.

Then you look at celebrity comparisons and the pattern is somewhat similar.

John Stapleton > Eammon Holmes
Ian Curtis > Olly Murs
LS Lowry > Drake
John Henshaw > Steve McFadden
Andy Farrell > Usain Bolt
Johnny Marr > Justin Timberlake.

Can't argue with those celebrity indicators. That's science.

 

[vonkeynotvenky]

If you're a c**t you support the rags if you are the salt of the earth you support City, those are the facts as is.