Great post. Wish we had a “like” feature on here. As a forty year old blue I’ve taken my fair share of shit from many rags but in my opinion the dippers are a cut above the rags. As you say it’s just my opinion, I’m not trying to be more or less a blue than anyone else. On a similar note I supported all England players in the World Cup, not just the city players, which according to some makes me less of a blue than them.Ah the obligatory "you can't have this opinion or you're a JCL/embarrassment to the club" posts are popping up.
One thing that needs to change for me is this weird idea there is or should be a hive mind and everyone should agree on certain things. It's a fantasy, no club is really like that, no fanbase has been watching the club the same amount of time either.
Also it's a childish pursuit this equally weird "I'm the biggest fan" contest some live their life by, sometimes to their own detriment "oh best not say what I really think or someone might think I'm a JCL and then I'll have to top myself". Have your own opinions and stop being so scared of change for fuck sake, it's more embarrassing how stuck in the past some are it's like they are scared to move on, scared to enjoy things and so on. Also sorry to say it but it's true there's too much bigotry among the older support. I don't think they realise they are doing it but in some cases they are literally telling people what opinions they are allowed to have(it's the very definition of the word)... what's with that shit? Pack that in!
The way I see it is nothing is ever constant especially not in football so stop pretending it is or ever was, things change that's a fact, there's people younger than me, people not following the sport or the PL as long as me and with different experiences than me. I've no right telling those who haven't got as many "kudos points" in the bank than me: who to hate, who to like or any other opinion they are supposed to form themselves to begin with if they are a true fan rather than a pretender trying to fit in(quite ironic what some look for in a "true fan"). Neither does anyone else have that right either, it doesn't really matter one bit in reality if some hate Liverpool slightly more than United at this moment in time(the United hate is going nowhere don't worry), those making a deal of that are the ones who need to "get a grip" imo.
Ah the obligatory "you can't have this opinion or you're a JCL/embarrassment to the club" posts are popping up.
One thing that needs to change for me is this weird idea there is or should be a hive mind and everyone should agree on certain things. It's a fantasy, no club is really like that, no fanbase has been watching the club the same amount of time either.
Also it's a childish pursuit this equally weird "I'm the biggest fan" contest some live their life by, sometimes to their own detriment "oh best not say what I really think or someone might think I'm a JCL and then I'll have to top myself". Have your own opinions and stop being so scared of change for fuck sake, it's more embarrassing how stuck in the past some are it's like they are scared to move on, scared to enjoy things and so on. Also sorry to say it but it's true there's too much bigotry among the older support. I don't think they realise they are doing it but in some cases they are literally telling people what opinions they are allowed to have(it's the very definition of the word)... what's with that shit? Pack that in!
The way I see it is nothing is ever constant especially not in football so stop pretending it is or ever was, things change that's a fact, there's people younger than me, people not following the sport or the PL as long as me and with different experiences than me. I've no right telling those who haven't got as many "kudos points" in the bank than me: who to hate, who to like or any other opinion they are supposed to form themselves to begin with if they are a true fan rather than a pretender trying to fit in(quite ironic what some look for in a "true fan"). Neither does anyone else have that right either, it doesn't really matter one bit in reality if some hate Liverpool slightly more than United at this moment in time, those making a deal of that are the ones who need to "get a grip" imo.
Yeah I tried to get behind the England players, was a bit hard with Rashford with all the stick Raheem was getting though.Great post. Wish we had a “like” feature on here. As a forty year old blue I’ve taken my fair share of shit from many rags but in my opinion the dippers are a cut above the rags. As you say it’s just my opinion, I’m not trying to be more or less a blue than anyone else. On a similar note I supported all England players in the World Cup, not just the city players, which according to some makes me less of a blue than them.
A whole lot of words that didn't actually counter anything I levelled at your bigotry... as for me rationalising my stance? Take a look at your own post I'm quoting here... it's the most long winded, paper thin rationalisation I've ever seen. Could have been summed up with "footballs mental and we have traditions that you have to abide by or you're a JCL and an embarrassment to the club... have the same opinion as me dammit!"Well, that sounds good and is a noble stance but I presume then that you are going to extend it to all areas of football culture.
Would you refuse to raise an eyebrow at a City fan claiming that they feel that, given their recent issues, it is only right that Arsenal get a chance to win the league this season rather than City?
Would you not find it noteworthy if a Newcastle fan claimed that he would prefer to see Sunderland win the league than City?
Football is an irrational business. You and I are grown adults and are shouting and screaming and devoting far more than is reasonable energy about eleven blokes running around kicking a pig's bladder. It makes no sense.
So, whilst your 'well, I'm a rational adult and understand that many individuals hold many opinions' works in the real world, if you genuinely lived your own words and really did judge football and football fans in the same serious way you judge important things in life, you'd have to want every football fan in the country sectioned and locked up, as they all - including you - behave in ways that would be considered mentally ill outside of football support.
Football survives on and is built on traditions, rivalries and the clubs representing more than just a franchise that moves around. Those are the things that the worldwide audience buys into and pays loads of money for. City/United, etc, is what people around the world want to see and would watch even if they were both getting relegated and hadn't won anything for 50 years (See Newcastle/Sunderland and Newcastle/West Ham matches and the amount of people interested in each). The same isn't true of City/Liverpool.
So, actually, I put it to you that, rather than being the bigger, more intellectual man, what you are actually doing in downplaying the City/United rivalry is showing an intellectual ignorance of a sport and attempting to judge it by rational standards that you don't (because you can't form that argument) apply to any other aspect of the ridiculousness of being 'passionate' about a football team.
Really, I think what your 'it's all about intellectual opinions' stance is all about is actually just defending and legitimising your own circumstances in your own mind.
That's a good point, I don't bother with twitter, instagram etc and the Liverpool fans I've worked with in the past have been decent lads that you could have proper banter with. I don't particularly like scousers as a collective for their overblown sense of entitlement but the rags have been needling me for over 50 years so it would take a lot to overtake them on my hate list.Maybe also is related to social media consumption & 24hr sports platforms?
If you don't know many Liverpool fans via work or your social circle (I don't) and if you don't bother with all the bollox on social media between fans then maybe some of the growing hostility passes you by.
I've always hated Liverpool next most after Utd from the 80's onwards but I've just never had much dealings with their fans so they don't bother me as much.
Out of interest, has it always been Liverpool for you, or is it related to the recent events
A whole lot of words that didn't actually counter anything I levelled at your bigotry... as for me rationalising my stance? Take a look at your own post I'm quoting here... it's the most long winded, paper thin rationalisation I've ever seen. Could have been summed up with "footballs mental and we have traditions that you have to abide by or you're a JCL and an embarrassment to the club... have the same opinion as me dammit!"
Also the question was not who would you rather win the title but who do you hate more, which I took as in at this present time. I reasoned that it could fluctuate between the two as it should, United are keeping shut for now Liverpool are showing us a nasty side of themselves in recent years last year especially. They are both at their worst when they are challenging, United will easily take their place as most hated in the same position. Also you talk about not rationalising and then ask people to think back and remember and contemplate, rather than sum up "a feeling"... is that not a huge contradiction on your part?
Quite a few have now said dippers are like a fanatical religious cult - like one of those that all kill each other ?The dippers, because they remind me of some religious or political cult(Church of Scientology, Khmer Rouge, etc), cannot stand them.