To be fair, I don't think that's a good comparison. Nor do I think the comparison of both sets of fans is fair. When we beat big teams, our fans go just as mental. Of course we don't make a big deal about beating minnows - why would we? The odd occasions that we beat the likes of Argentina, Germany etc, we're just as excited. It's all relative to expectations - Man Utd fans don't celebrate qualifying for the Champions League, but 16 of the other clubs in the Premier League outside of the top 4 would go absolutely mental if they did. I've not seen anything convincing to even half explain why he's quite so bitter about England, other than the fact he doesn't like the players or media.
You disagree, and yet your example completely mirrors the attitude and behaviour of Man Utd fans. I never used to understand why the rest of the UK countries didn't like England doing well. Since moving over here, and after a number of years seeing things at arms length, I finally get it.
Sorry, did I give you permission to speak on my behalf? Don't say "we" when you mean you. Few things p*ss me off more when others purport to speak for me.
Hey norn, you are managing to dig a right hole for yourself here. I have seen the anti English support a bit over the years and it seems to be changing considerably. Years ago, in Ireland, there was a strong support for whoever England were playing. That does not appear to be the case now and it is more indifference than anything else. From my limited knowledge, nowadays, it would seem that the Scots seem to be more vocal in their support of England's opponents, than the Irish (South and North) or Welsh. I have no desire to see England fail at the World cup, no more than any other team (apart from the French). Congrats to England on winning their group. As for Rep of Ireland, the less said the better. Woeful qualifying campaign.
Because supporting Watford is a choice, supporting England is not, being born in England makes me an England supporter, fact.
I agree with us being shyte and when we beat Russia it was a big day. Can't argue with that. But when was your last big day? If qualifying for a major tournament is the least of your expectations, then qualifying matches are hardly 'big days'. So when would you say your last 'big day' was? Nascot (dont know how to double quote here), yea, your away atmosphere is a good bit better than your home atmosphere, but still not as good as ours, nowhere near it (all we need is history now and I could pass as a Leeds fan!)
Really? So you were not born in a town with a football team, then? If you have no choice over England then why do you have a choice over your club? It's no different, especially considering most of us have at least one other nationality sprinkled into our family tree.
Oh behave! 37 to Azerbaijan? When I went to Moldova last year there were a group of lads at the airport going to Russia to see NI. They said 'a few hundred' tickets have been sold. We took 4,000 there and the atmosphere was superb, as it has been at most away games. Your home support is much better, your away support is nowhere near mate.
You should bear in mind the population of Northern Ireland less than 2 million, versus England's 55-ish. It's no surprise we take more to away games. Now this is starting to remind me of the exchange we had with Leicester fans about attendances...
That's not my point. He said their away support is 'better', it just isn't if you only take 37 away fans. The atmosphere away with England is, on the whole, very good (as long as you're not near the band).
It annoys me that at England games the atmosphere is characterised by that band, because it is not a true reflection of the atmosphere at any game in England (except for Sheffield Wednesday if I'm not mistaken, where the majority of the members of the band are from and who they support - I've definitely heard the band at Sheff Weds away in the past, back when Chopra played for us I believe).
I suppose that depends on how you define "better". Less people to create noise doesn't really equate to support being worse; the only decent way to make a comparison would be to have equal sample sizes. I think it would be fair to say that if NI took the same number of people to away games as England do, they would create a better atmosphere overall. Their home atmosphere is significantly better, despite the notably smaller crowd.
Be as immature and as obnoxious as you like nobody has given you the right to speak on their behalf. You might think your insignificant opinion holds so much import that everyone else is bound to jump on board but they aren't. Everyone is able to collate their own opinion and it is most likely better formed than anything you are capable of mustering.
The point he was making is their away support is not quite as fantastic as Nornironhorn states. Unlike Leeds and Leicester most fans are aware that England are not great unlike supporters of Leeds or so called other big clubs
What makes for fantastic away support? Numbers? Noise? Distance travelled? Money spent? Pints consumed? Firms possessed? Fights had? 100 fans screaming their lungs out are are far more dedicated than 10,000 putting in about 10% effort, even though the 10k would almost certainly be more audible. As I already mentioned, I have no doubt that if NI's population supported taking the same number of fans to away games as we do, they'd eclipse our away support entirely. I certainly don't think you can just reduce it to a mere numbers game when you're comparing countries with such stark population differences.
37 away fans is not fantastic whatever way you look at it. Fair play to those 37 though. They should have been given free tickets England have very good support but it matters not if you yell your lungs out. It doesn't make you anymore dedicated than somebody who just sits there.
Knight, the 47 fans were given free tickets I was also referring to noise level rather than numbers.. It is pretty stupid to compare numbers when we have a far smaller population? Less than 2 million and nearly half the country would rather support the Irish than us... so not a valid point. Also, we took 1200 to Luxembourg which is quite impressive, so you can't just pick one match with a poor attendance to suit yourself
Yes I can and I have. I don't know why I'm arguing about this. I actually don't care! You mention that half your population support Ireland, well to be fair half the population of England support Poland!
This has turned into a very argumentative thread. Don't worry be happy. The five local nations all had good results in their last group games. Lets congratulate our neighbours on their achievements, and hope for better days for the other four. Watford's on-going progress is what unites us
We have loads of migrants here too, wasnt even including them. And you weren't the one that mentioned it originally, my comment was aimed as Nascot, who used one away game as evidence for our apparent 'poor' away support
Yes I was born in Watford but is normal expectation to support Watford? Funnily enough there's probably more Watford born Man United supporters living here then there are Watford fans, however how many English people in England would you find that don't support England?
So you've been to NI and England away games to compare noise? If you think NI away support is better than Englands then fair enough. I can't agree and can't be arsed to argue about it. I do most England aways and know what it's like.
Do you know anything about the ticket situation with that game? Away fans were handpicked by the FA. It was a total shambles and the FA/PSNI **** it and didn't allow the usual ticket selling process we normally go through. I had enough caps for that games yet I was prevented from buying a ticket. There's constant talk of England playing in Dublin. I can't see it happening unless they do the same thing again with tickets.
