Our Chosen Football Teams......

[Sam]

I do care how England get on in the UEFA cup, but I won't be heartbroken or in despair if they lose.

England as a whole do not play in the UEFA cup... in fact, the UEFA cup doesn't exist anymore!

[snudge27]

I didn't realise I'd not replied to this one. So here you go:

Having been born there and living there for quite some time, my main team (so to speak) is the mighty Ipswich Town, formerly one of the greatest teams in Europe back in the day! (Sorry jbom, it had to be said!). Granted, Ipswich have been poor this year (despite some cracking results such as beating a full-strength Arsenal side 1-0 back in January) but I'm looking forward to the summer and next season with Paul Jewell at the helm.

Coincidentally enough my second team is Hertha Berlin who, since perkyperky's post have unsurprisingly been relegated from the 1. Bundesliga and were yesterday crowned champions of the 2. Bundesliga. They're expecting a bumper crowd of 78,000 for their final game of the season on Sunday, having averaged the best part of 50,000 for the rest of the season; not bad for a second division team! As for the why, I picked up a Hertha shirt a few years back for just going to the gym in and have since lived in Berlin and supported them as my local team and went to a few matches.

As far as other teams are concerned, I like to keep an eye out for how Arsenal do as I have a lot of respect for the ethos of the club and the style of football they play. Lower down the leagues I like to see Brighton & Hove Albion do well as they are coached by former Ipswich legend Mauricio Taricco, and I also look for the results of AFC Wimbledon just because I love the idea behind the club and would love to see them usurp Franchise FC in the coming years.

Following on from scrxisi's update, here's a quick update on my two chosen teams a year after my original post...

Ipswich Town are pretty much still the same; former best-team-in-Europe (and provider of most of the footballing cast in Escape to Victory), turned perennial-mid-table-Championship-team. Following Coventry City's relegation to League One, we are now the longest-serving team in the Championship... not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. At least we're consistent! Hopefully Paul Jewell has now realised the error in relying on 'experienced old boys' and looks to be focussing more on talented youth. Fingers crossed for the season!

Hertha Berlin are also back where they were at the time of my previous post. Having had a mixed season in the Bundesliga, culminating in a two-game relegation play-off against Fortuna Duesseldorf (which I could write an entire new topic about!), Hertha will begin the 2012/13 season back in the 2. Bundesliga, hoping to repeat their success of 2010/11.

[tubeguru]

My team since about an hour ago, thanks to a random number generator, are the er, mighty Plymouth Argyle.

Plymouth are shit, as can be seen by their recent league finishing positions. Hopefully "we'll" go down this season and end this ridiculous farce so I can choose someone better next year.

Does that sound convincing enough?

[jamesthegill]

My main team's Gillingham, down in the doldrums of league one, because they're my local team and I've been going on and off for the last 15 years. I used to support Arsenal when growing up because at primary school they were the arbitrary team I picked - in the FA cup 3rd round in December 1999 I actually got to see an Arsenal game, decided I had much more fun at Priestfield and switched my allegiances. I still keep a look out for their scores and they're usually my chosen team on Fifa 10. I also keep an eye out for Ross County in the Scottish division 1 - chosen because they're the furthest team away from me without leaving this landmass - and Olympic Marseilles, because one of Gillingham's three famous ex-players (Tony Cascarino - the other two being Steve Bruce, and Marlon King who isn't famous for footballing reasons) used to play for them.

Since posting this, I've acquired my own Bundesliga team, Borussia Dortmund. I started following them last summer, as Dortmund is the closest top flight (German top flight at least) team to where my girlfriend is from. I had a stadium tour in my Gills shirt around the enormous Westfalenstadion and since then, they've lead the league pretty much all season. Sadly we've sold our creative midfielder to Real Madrid for €8m so that's next season over with.

Just over a year ago, time for an update:
Gillingham have dropped a division since the original post and now reside in League Two. For the last two seasons we've attempted to reach the promotion places and failed - this resulted in the parting of ways with our manager in May. He's since returned as the Director of Football, and we're yet to replace him. Seven weeks on.
Borussia Dortmund surpassed my expectations last season by not only retaining the title but adding the DfB Pokal to the trophy cabinet (the German equivalent of the FA cup). They didn't fare as well in the Champions League, being drawn in a loyalty-testing group with Marseille and Arsenal, and finishing stone bottom of the group.
Marseille fared better, being Inter in the second round before succumbing to eventual finalists Bayern in the quarters. Unfortunately they ended up mid-table in the league though, despite the wonderfully vibrant third kit.
Ross County did well, reaching the SPL and possibly playing above Rangers this season too.

[tractakid]

I do care how England get on in the UEFA cup, but I won't be heartbroken or in despair if they lose.

England as a whole do not play in the UEFA cup... in fact, the UEFA cup doesn't exist anymore!

I blame James!

[MylesHSG]

Wolves: Relegated. Made Blackburn look like Man City all year and thats saying something. Now in npower championship.

Huddersfield: Promoted. Probably didn't deserve to be promoted and after missing first 3 penalties in the Play-Off Final I was sure we'd loose, but Sheffield United had other plans!

[Rhys1995]

Think I might join the frenzy:

Arsenal (Top of the PL! One day....)
Reading (Premier League new boys!)
Bishop's Stortford FC (Blue Square North, WHY?! We're NOT a Northern side! Grr.)

Alright, so really my main team is Arsenal, always supported them, and let's hope one day we see Man City do a Leeds United.

I keep an eye on Reading seeing as they came very close to getting promoted in 2011 and then lost to Swansea in the play-offs (Damn!) I then found out their manager was ex Arsenal and thus I've been keeping an eye on them for a season; it's great to see them back in the PL

And Bishop's Stortford, my local side that was moved from the BSB South to BSB North last seasn, I'm still annoyed seeing as we're on the commuter belt to London!

[tubeguru]

Alright, so really my main team is Arsenal, always supported them, and let's hope one day we see Man City do a Leeds United.

You don't remember the 1995/96 and 1997/98 Manchester City seasons then?

[MylesHSG]

Exactly, Man City have been down in the then League 2 in recent history.

[Sam]

I am surprised none of the Gillingham fans have brought up this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/356672.stm

They normally do

[jamesthegill]

I am surprised none of the Gillingham fans have brought up this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/356672.stm

They normally do

Five minutes out of nowhere bloody Mark Halsey grrrrr

[dudey]

I am surprised none of the Gillingham fans have brought up this http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/356672.stm

They normally do

Five minutes out of nowhere bloody Mark Halsey grrrrr

^

[andytube]

PORTSMOUTH

[The Raven]

PORTSMOUTH

Yay! Another one!

[Going Underground]

Pompey catching The Gills up now