On the eve of this great day for FFC, I hope you'll allow me to tell a story that may hopefully bring even a little more joy to your evening/tomorrow.
I was born in Washington, DC and spent most of my life here. Like practically every American youth I played soccer (sorry, that's the terms were using in this story!) from when I was 5 thru 14 or so. We didn't have our own league yet, but we had the World Cup when I was 14 and I was blown away not only be the horrific US kit that year but the passion and the quality of the sport on display. When MLS got going I was sold and began following DC United, and they were a great team who were very successful in the first decade plus of the league. Latin American stars like Raul Diaz Arce, Jaime Moreno and Christian Gomez provided an attractive style with flair and ingenuity that could get anyone to fall in love with the professional game in the States.
In the process, I became more of a US national team supporter, especially after the trip to the quarterfinals in 2002 when we gave the Germans a great fight, and likely would have advanced without Torsten Frings' arm and Oliver Kahn standing on his head. Around this time I started to notice a few of the US players who played club football on a team called Fulham. I knew it was a London club but not much else, and there was no way to watch the Premier League back then anyway so I paid little attention. But soon came Fox Soccer Channel, and we could get a match or two every weekend, and even though it was almost exclusively ManU, Liverpool and Arsenal, every once in a while one of their opponents would be Fulham. The first time I saw the Cottage, along with a great supporter's section and Brian McBride's big ass head flying around the penalty box I thought this would be a fun club to follow.
See, I don't have a story about when I was growing up and my dad took me to the Cottage for the first time. I wasn't born into it.
Because all of us who really enjoyed the English game had to choose a club. And most people in my age group probably had a similar experience, except they chose a bigger club. And there were great reasons to do so. All the bigger clubs have bars in every American city. They'll open early so you can see their game, and had the satellite packages to get all the games. It likely won't surprise you to learn there are not many Fulham bars in American cities. But that was OK for me, because I didn't need a bar. I had an upgraded cable TV package and a newborn son, so I was awake at 6am every day and started watching Prem football from then until 2pm every weekend. The TV providers got smart on Fulham, especially after signing Dempsey and seeing him succeed, and they could be found nearly every week live on TV. And I was there, whatever time of the morning, doing my part. And I suspect I was not alone.
What was a curiosity became true love. How could you not love Fulham after watching the Great Escape? Woy's total football system, watching Danny Murphy direct traffic, Brede Hangeland own the box and Clint Dempsey, as Bruce Arena famously said, "try sh%t." My office had Direct TV, which for some fortunate reason had an exclusive contract with the Europa League to show every single game for free. So on those Thursday and Thursday nights for you, I sat in my office at the end of my work day going nuts over how at every level our guys just kept fighting on and winning. When Clint did that thing against Juventus, I yelled so loud someone from upstairs came down to make sure I was OK. I could still do a one man recitation of Ray Hudson describing the goal as if he was staring at one of Michaelangelo's great works.
The disaster of going down wasn't lost on me either. It meant no more Fulham on TV, and back to the tried and true scouring of the Internet for illegal streams. Lost one laptop to a virus, but that didn't stop me. And it continued all the way though last Friday, sitting on my computer desperately waiting for that final whistle to blow. Finally it did, and here we are on the brink of Wembley and promotion. Not only to the Prem, but back onto my tele!
I don't post a whole lot here. It's hard to follow the ins and outs when even if you watch a game it's hard to tell which player is which, let alone smartly discuss the tactical approach or what not. But this place has been a great refuge for us across the pond. I got a lot of great advice for my first visit to the Cottage, and hopefully everyone enjoyed the story of it. And the recaps of the legendary HatterDon and pointed analysis from so many others has been great for us who can't see too much of the games for ourselves.
And the point of this story is very simple...I'm one guy, but representative of so many over here. Yanks who fell in love with Fulham for whatever reason...whether it was because of playing Americans or punching above their weight or whatever. You guys never cared. Or pretended that you were too good for us. Or that we weren't "real" supporters because we chose Fulham and weren't born into it. You welcomed me as one of your own and for every one of me there are 100 or 1000 who don't go to message boards or get to make that pilgrimage to the Cottage for a match.
But we're here, we're watching and we'll all be with you at Wembley tomorrow. We are going up. Let's go.
Quote from: PaulUMD on May 25, 2018, 09:54:23 PM
On the eve of this great day for FFC, I hope you'll allow me to tell a story that may hopefully bring even a little more joy to your evening/tomorrow.
I was born in Washington, DC and spent most of my life here. Like practically every American youth I played soccer (sorry, that's the terms were using in this story!) from when I was 5 thru 14 or so. We didn't have our own league yet, but we had the World Cup when I was 14 and I was blown away not only be the horrific US kit that year but the passion and the quality of the sport on display. When MLS got going I was sold and began following DC United, and they were a great team who were very successful in the first decade plus of the league. Latin American stars like Raul Diaz Arce, Jaime Moreno and Christian Gomez provided an attractive style with flair and ingenuity that could get anyone to fall in love with the professional game in the States.
In the process, I became more of a US national team supporter, especially after the trip to the quarterfinals in 2002 when we gave the Germans a great fight, and likely would have advanced without Torsten Frings' arm and Oliver Kahn standing on his head. Around this time I started to notice a few of the US players who played club football on a team called Fulham. I knew it was a London club but not much else, and there was no way to watch the Premier League back then anyway so I paid little attention. But soon came Fox Soccer Channel, and we could get a match or two every weekend, and even though it was almost exclusively ManU, Liverpool and Arsenal, every once in a while one of their opponents would be Fulham. The first time I saw the Cottage, along with a great supporter's section and Brian McBride's big ass head flying around the penalty box I thought this would be a fun club to follow.
See, I don't have a story about when I was growing up and my dad took me to the Cottage for the first time. I wasn't born into it.
Because all of us who really enjoyed the English game had to choose a club. And most people in my age group probably had a similar experience, except they chose a bigger club. And there were great reasons to do so. All the bigger clubs have bars in every American city. They'll open early so you can see their game, and had the satellite packages to get all the games. It likely won't surprise you to learn there are not many Fulham bars in American cities. But that was OK for me, because I didn't need a bar. I had an upgraded cable TV package and a newborn son, so I was awake at 6am every day and started watching Prem football from then until 2pm every weekend. The TV providers got smart on Fulham, especially after signing Dempsey and seeing him succeed, and they could be found nearly every week live on TV. And I was there, whatever time of the morning, doing my part. And I suspect I was not alone.
What was a curiosity became true love. How could you not love Fulham after watching the Great Escape? Woy's total football system, watching Danny Murphy direct traffic, Brede Hangeland own the box and Clint Dempsey, as Bruce Arena famously said, "try sh%t." My office had Direct TV, which for some fortunate reason had an exclusive contract with the Europa League to show every single game for free. So on those Thursday and Thursday nights for you, I sat in my office at the end of my work day going nuts over how at every level our guys just kept fighting on and winning. When Clint did that thing against Juventus, I yelled so loud someone from upstairs came down to make sure I was OK. I could still do a one man recitation of Ray Hudson describing the goal as if he was staring at one of Michaelangelo's great works.
The disaster of going down wasn't lost on me either. It meant no more Fulham on TV, and back to the tried and true scouring of the Internet for illegal streams. Lost one laptop to a virus, but that didn't stop me. And it continued all the way though last Friday, sitting on my computer desperately waiting for that final whistle to blow. Finally it did, and here we are on the brink of Wembley and promotion. Not only to the Prem, but back onto my tele!
I don't post a whole lot here. It's hard to follow the ins and outs when even if you watch a game it's hard to tell which player is which, let alone smartly discuss the tactical approach or what not. But this place has been a great refuge for us across the pond. I got a lot of great advice for my first visit to the Cottage, and hopefully everyone enjoyed the story of it. And the recaps of the legendary HatterDon and pointed analysis from so many others has been great for us who can't see too much of the games for ourselves.
And the point of this story is very simple...I'm one guy, but representative of so many over here. Yanks who fell in love with Fulham for whatever reason...whether it was because of playing Americans or punching above their weight or whatever. You guys never cared. Or pretended that you were too good for us. Or that we weren't "real" supporters because we chose Fulham and weren't born into it. You welcomed me as one of your own and for every one of me there are 100 or 1000 who don't go to message boards or get to make that pilgrimage to the Cottage for a match.
But we're here, we're watching and we'll all be with you at Wembley tomorrow. We are going up. Let's go.
Great post
Quote from: PaulUMD on May 25, 2018, 09:54:23 PM
But we're here, we're watching and we'll all be with you at Wembley tomorrow. We are going up. Let's go.
So you have a stream for the match then? Good-o :54:
Thanks for taking the time to post this Paul. I hope the lads give you another reason to scare the cr4p out of whoever's in earshot :003:
Don't be surprised if, at some point, your piece is moved to the introduction 'sticky' at the top of the topic menu.
Lovely post. Thanks for the good wishes. I am of a generation that is still amazed when someone outside the South East of England supports our lovely team.
I went to The Cottage today and the place is buzzing at the moment. The shop was very busy and there were people from USA, Scandinavia, Australia etc all getting their photos done and it made me realise that we now have such an extensive Fulham family. Believe me, it means a lot and when you consider the days of 4k on the empty terraces of the old Craven Cottage, EVERY SINGLE one of you is welcome.
At some point tomorrow, as I look at nearly 40k Fulham fans, I'll try to remember another few (hundred?) thousand at bars, cafes and living rooms throughout the world who are also willing us on. 049:gif
Quote from: Scrumpy on May 25, 2018, 10:13:05 PM
At some point tomorrow, as I look at nearly 40k Fulham fans, I'll try to remember another few (hundred?) thousand at bars, cafes and living rooms throughout the world who are also willing us on.
Well said that man ! And special thoughts go to those who can't attend through illness.
Btw Scrumpy, if you wear a carnation to identify yourself (or look like a Wurzel), i'll come and say hello at the Folly. 049:gif
Great post Paul. I think all of us yanks have a similar story. Tomorrow will be another great chapter.
COYW