What has driven you pure Americans on here towards fulham

[bobbo]

I fully can see why some of you over the pond have carried your support to the US when you left these shores but for native Americans why fulham.
             
                                             xma2 to all of you

[YankeeJim]

First, I'm a football fan and the only quality football available in the US back in the 90tys was the US women's national team. I followed various Americans when they went over yonder but didn't find a team until McGod showed up here. I had been following Man Citi because of Claudio Reyna, but when he hit a run of bad form the clowns on Citi's site were unmercifully crude and boorish. When I found FFC, the whole demeanor was different. Mcbride was recognized for what he was, marginal talent but an unbelievable amount of heart. Boca got a fair amount of stick but it didn't seem personal, like the Citi fans had been. Even later when EJ hit town and failed miserably, he often was given credit for being a speedy, if headless chicken. In short, I found a group of football fans rather than some drunken louts. I'd say classy, but I don't want it to go to your heads. LOL

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[Twig]

First, I'm a football fan and the only quality football available in the US back in the 90tys was the US women's national team. I followed various Americans when they went over yonder but didn't find a team until McGod showed up here. I had been following Man Citi because of Claudio Reyna, but when he hit a run of bad form the clowns on Citi's site were unmercifully crude and boorish. When I found FFC, the whole demeanor was different. Mcbride was recognized for what he was, marginal talent but an unbelievable amount of heart. Boca got a fair amount of stick but it didn't seem personal, like the Citi fans had been. Even later when EJ hit town and failed miserably, he often was given credit for being a speedy, if headless chicken. In short, I found a group of football fans rather than some drunken louts. I'd say classy, but I don't want it to go to your heads. LOL

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Woah steady I think your comment that Brian had only marginal talent is a bit harsh!  Several other decent signings from Nth America too, a couple of personal favourites having been Clint and Paul Peschisolido.

[love4ffc]

Why Fulham you say?  The answer for that question is very simple. 

In short for me following Fulham is only natural and very logical.  It's currently the only  club in Europe, and I believe all of the world outside the States, who has given more Americans a chance to play abroad then any other club.  That not only includes first team appearances but U23, U21 and academy youth. 

Just to name a few Fulham have had or currently have;

Brian McBride
Carlos Bocanegra
Clint Dempsey
Eddie Lewis
Kasey Keller
Emerson Hyndman
Luca de la Torre
Marlon Fossey

For me that's more then enough reasons to stay loyal to Fulham  049:gif

[JOND999]

i started watching the Prem on NBC when they first came on saturday mornings about 5 years ago and I decided i wanted to pick a team to root for to enhance the experience.  i went through a very scientific process to pick a team.

i didn't want one of the power 6 teams, even though i have a friend who works at Man U.  just seemed kind of lame to parachute in to a top club for no reason.  though i do appreciate Arsenal now and their positive style of play.

i didn't want any scrub teams b/c i wanted to BE SURE my team wouldn't get relegated (hah!!) - so no Bolton, Wigan, etc.

i kind of wanted a London team so if i was in England I could maybe get to a game.  so, it came down to Fulham, Crystal Palace and (not London) Southampton (I liked Lambert/Lalana's play).

i didn't like Palace's uniforms.  Barca rip off and ugly.  QPR likewise.

I liked fulham's classic unis, their old, small, historic stadium, and the US McBride/Dempsey thing (though both were gone).  What put me over the top was i really loved the way Berbatov played.  touch of the Gods i could clearly see, and i don't even know that much about soccer.

little did i know that turnover on clubs was so high or that players were washed up in their early 30s and that Berba was, shall we say, a little needy.  and that, unless you are a top 6 team, you're going to get relegated eventually (even Newcastle)

so, now we have no Berba and no Prem but I'm still Fulham faithful.  once you pick a team that's it.  so COYW!!!!

[btings]

Poor judgement.

[CincyFulham1]

My parents moved us to London from the States and we lived in Parsons Green for 8 years.

[justinfromga]

Pure luck.  I had a FIFA videogame and always played as Fulham because the name sounded tough to me.  Hammersmith and Fulham just sounds like a hard scrabble working class neighborhood and I was attracted to that.  Woops!

A few years later we signed McBride and then the American onslaught continued.  That helped keep me around even in the rough times.  Now I'm a Fulham fan through and through.  I finally got to go to the Cottage this summer and do the tour.  Hopefully I can get over for a game sometime soon.

We have an MLS team beginning near me and while I'll keep up with the local team nothing can ever replace Fulham to me and nothing ever will

[Forever Fulham]

Lived in south Ealing in the late 70s.  Went to Tottenham games with a girlfriend.  Picked up an appreciation for the game.  Ended up back in Canada and U.S. after that and there wasn't much of the game going on there.  I love sports.  Played a lot of different sports.  Went about my life.  And then my son and daughter got involved in the game starting at 3 years of age at the local YMCA ("Mighty Mites" program). I still remember all of the kids following the ball like a scrum of bees, no one understanding the concept of positions on the pitch.  :)   He excelled after that, kept getting better and better.  She was unbelievable fast, but for here it was a social thing more than a sport, and drifted out of it.  He had the desire to get better and better, and the athleticism to make it happen.  He was captain of his state Olympic Development Program team, and later a starter on the #1 ranked U-18 USSF Academy team in the nation (national champs, and the next year, runners up).  Ended up playing Div. 1 university football with academic and athletic scholarships.  And from the time he was three until he finished his bachelor's degree at university, I was a gypsy driver or chaperone going from one practice or game field to another, all over the state, and out of state.  English, Argentinian, Brazilian, Scottish, German, Welsh and Mexican trainers and managers.  And some American former college players, too.  I don't know when I fell in love with the game along the way.  It rubs off on you.  He was so dead serious on being a professional footballer, I got pulled in, became a student of it, and that's that.  When McBride joined Fulham, I took notice.  I found myself more interested in the club, the team, than in McBride (who of course I liked; who doesn't like Brian McBride).   The years passed.  More Americans.  But that became incidental.  I was hooked on the team, the stadium, you name it.  And London...if you don't love London you're no friend of mine.  It's hard to keep up from Texas where I live now.  I think about moving on, what with work and home obligations, but I'm following my heart.   This is my team and that's that.

[HatterDon]

I haven't been pure since I was 14.

[SadOldGit]

My wife's American.  She does as she's told and supports Fulham.


(Please don't tell her I said that)