Nice day for a sulk.......

[invisibleman18]

Another top piece of writing from you Alonso. Always a pleasure to read.

 

[taylor314gh]

agreed, though i dont have as many memories as you, (im 24) the reasons i first started following the gunners about 5 years ago are all in your post. Hope to read more in the future.

 

[GoonerGurjit]

Stunning post, Alonso. Just stunning.

 

[nidza7]

thanks Alonso,

as gooners we`re proud to have you around

 

[alonso14]

thanks for your comments guys

its appreciated

 

[Go0oner]

Top top post Alonso!

 

[banduan]

It's good to see that there are at least people out there who appreciate a team that tries to play fair, tries to avoid gamesmanship.

It's great to see this coming from a rival supporter. It riles me to hear a Gooner ask our players to hack others down, or congratulate players for their moments of uncontrolled temper.

Blatant idealism is simply one of the most attractive, endearing sides to the Arsenal.

Way to go Alonso!

PS: I'd like to return the favor by saying I've never felt antagonised by 'Pool as a team, and their fanbase. Especially their fanbase.

Rafa 'the Gafa' Benitez could use a better calculator though!

 

[Big_Cake]

I had no idea you were so old Alonso14!!
But nice article though

 

[alonso14]

I had no idea you were so old Alonso14!!
But nice article though

38 getting old and grey

 

[Big_Cake]

I had no idea you were so old Alonso14!!
But nice article though

38 getting old and grey

lol, yeh soz I didn't mean it to be offensive, I should have phrased it a little differently I think. I just didn't picture you to be that.....er.....experienced in life and football matters?

 

[alonso14]

I had no idea you were so old Alonso14!!
But nice article though

38 getting old and grey

lol, yeh soz I didn't mean it to be offensive, I should have phrased it a little differently I think. I just didn't picture you to be that.....er.....experienced in life and football matters?

no offence taken mate

 

[Pepe LeFrits]

I've never checked this part of the forum before – seems I’ve been missing out! That was a great read sir.

The Liverpool – Arsenal rivalry is a strange one. It’s obviously had its tetchy moments down through the years but it’s generally always remained a sporting one while other rivalries have descended into animosity. Is it down to geographical distance? Having common enemies? Is it because the two clubs generally, haven’t competed together at the very top at the same time very often? I dunno.

Personally, I think if random chance hadn’t brought me to Arsenal I probably would have ended up being a Liverpool fan. Coming from a non-football following family, when I try to recall my memories of professional football as a kid, I draw blanks pretty much right up until the first time I saw The Merse playing for Arsenal in the early nineties, which is when I became a fan. The eighties are a complete blank. Up until I discovered Arsenal, I recall only knowing the names of 3 English clubs: Liverpool, Everton (these two make sense, considering their domination of English football back then) and Man City (this one I don’t understand, I suspect it may have been down to Subbuteo). I actually had a Liverpool jersey (with the Candy logo, as I recall) passed down to me from my brother, who decided that football wasn’t for him. That was it. I played football all day long every day during the summer, and all evening after school, but when it came to watching it… even Ireland at WC90 barely registers.

I remember in school, every f**ker and his dog supported Man United. I hated them. They all used to sing “Glory, Glory Man United” all the time and used to laud their success over the rest of us. There was 1 other Arsenal fan in my class, a few suffering Liverpool fans and a few Villa fans whom the United fans left alone because of Paul McGrath. I suppose it was because of my familiarity with Liverpool when I didn’t know anything about English football, and the common enemy of Man United, but I felt an affinity with the Liverpool fans. It was like we had informal alliance in the class-room. We both supported teams with a glamorous past but that were struggling a bit, we both supported teams with a history of some great Irish players, and we both f**king hated Man United!

Since then whenever I’ve seen Liverpool enjoying success, whether it be at the expense of Arsenal, like that horrible FA cup final, or just success on its own, like the CL three seasons ago, my jealousy/disappointment/bitterness/whatever has been tempered. I get all the negative feelings from Arsenal’s loss, but then knowing that it’s Liverpool who are on the other side softens the blow somehow. About a year or two ago I saw a brief recap of Liverpool’s CL win on TV, dramatic music blaring, and it actually gave me goosebumps. I like to think that, even as a partisan football supporter, I can appreciate great romantic stories in football, like that CL final, when they do occur, but had that been Man United or Sp**s there’s no way I would have been able to.

I should note however, that I was pleased when Milan beat Liverpool last season. I was a big Milan fan when I was kid watching Football Italia on C4 with my Inter-supporting best mate, so Milan getting to win this time seemed only fair. Between Liverpool and Milan, you’ve got the two other ‘big’ teams in European football that I have time for. Both have great history, fans and a lot of class in the way they go about things and how they handle themselves, and warrant a lot of respect... even if the ‘Pool don’t play the most attractive football at the moment! (but hey, nobody is perfect, and Arsenal fans shouldn’t really be ones to talk about attractive football, unless they have really short memories…)

Cheers alonso

 

[alonso14]

I've never checked this part of the forum before – seems I’ve been missing out! That was a great read sir.

The Liverpool – Arsenal rivalry is a strange one. It’s obviously had its tetchy moments down through the years but it’s generally always remained a sporting one while other rivalries have descended into animosity. Is it down to geographical distance? Having common enemies? Is it because the two clubs generally, haven’t competed together at the very top at the same time very often? I dunno.

Personally, I think if random chance hadn’t brought me to Arsenal I probably would have ended up being a Liverpool fan. Coming from a non-football following family, when I try to recall my memories of professional football as a kid, I draw blanks pretty much right up until the first time I saw The Merse playing for Arsenal in the early nineties, which is when I became a fan. The eighties are a complete blank. Up until I discovered Arsenal, I recall only knowing the names of 3 English clubs: Liverpool, Everton (these two make sense, considering their domination of English football back then) and Man City (this one I don’t understand, I suspect it may have been down to Subbuteo). I actually had a Liverpool jersey (with the Candy logo, as I recall) passed down to me from my brother, who decided that football wasn’t for him. That was it. I played football all day long every day during the summer, and all evening after school, but when it came to watching it… even Ireland at WC90 barely registers.

I remember in school, every f**ker and his dog supported Man United. I hated them. They all used to sing “Glory, Glory Man United” all the time and used to laud their success over the rest of us. There was 1 other Arsenal fan in my class, a few suffering Liverpool fans and a few Villa fans whom the United fans left alone because of Paul McGrath. I suppose it was because of my familiarity with Liverpool when I didn’t know anything about English football, and the common enemy of Man United, but I felt an affinity with the Liverpool fans. It was like we had informal alliance in the class-room. We both supported teams with a glamorous past but that were struggling a bit, we both supported teams with a history of some great Irish players, and we both f**king hated Man United!

Since then whenever I’ve seen Liverpool enjoying success, whether it be at the expense of Arsenal, like that horrible FA cup final, or just success on its own, like the CL three seasons ago, my jealousy/disappointment/bitterness/whatever has been tempered. I get all the negative feelings from Arsenal’s loss, but then knowing that it’s Liverpool who are on the other side softens the blow somehow. About a year or two ago I saw a brief recap of Liverpool’s CL win on TV, dramatic music blaring, and it actually gave me goosebumps. I like to think that, even as a partisan football supporter, I can appreciate great romantic stories in football, like that CL final, when they do occur, but had that been Man United or Sp**s there’s no way I would have been able to.

I should note however, that I was pleased when Milan beat Liverpool last season. I was a big Milan fan when I was kid watching Football Italia on C4 with my Inter-supporting best mate, so Milan getting to win this time seemed only fair. Between Liverpool and Milan, you’ve got the two other ‘big’ teams in European football that I have time for. Both have great history, fans and a lot of class in the way they go about things and how they handle themselves, and warrant a lot of respect... even if the ‘Pool don’t play the most attractive football at the moment! (but hey, nobody is perfect, and Arsenal fans shouldn’t really be ones to talk about attractive football, unless they have really short memories…)

Cheers alonso

great reposte!

I dont know of a Liverpool fan who doesnt respect Arsenal....

I enjoy watching them and I enjoy going to the games between the two clubs

Thanks for the comments

 

[Asterix]

I've just noticed this now - lovely article Alonso - confirms my respect for Pool fans.

In response to kaids, I'd like to think there's a mutual appreciation between the two clubs because we're generally considered to be intelligent fans and mindful of history, tradition and skill.

The Kop is known all over the world for applauding visiting keepers, applauding excellent performances from opposing teams and sticking behind their own club no matter what - witness the singing of YNWA even when Pool were down 6-3 in the League Cup (and I didn't just throw that reference in there to gloat :wink: )

Now if only we had as many trophies as our northern friends!

 

[mgrealsmooth]

For me my respect for everything Liverpool comes down to the sincerity and near-generosity from their fans towards their own team. I have never witnessed a Liverpool fan suggesting their manager or players are seriously incompitent. This always lead to me thinking of them as the most loyal fans in the world, who else would have been cheering their team on at 3-0 down in the final?

Admittedly, getting to the final itself was worthy of those cheers, but if Chelski or Manure were in that same situation, I don't think the fans would have been half as loud. That loyalty for me also tends to come with honesty about other clubs. I have two or three close friends supporting Liverpool, and I have never thought of any of their footballing views as fickle.

Great read btw, and this is probably a much longer post than I was expecting to make for my debut.

 

[>YounGunner<]

Top post. Well said.

 

[alonso14]

For me my respect for everything Liverpool comes down to the sincerity and near-generosity from their fans towards their own team. I have never witnessed a Liverpool fan suggesting their manager or players are seriously incompitent. This always lead to me thinking of them as the most loyal fans in the world, who else would have been cheering their team on at 3-0 down in the final?

Admittedly, getting to the final itself was worthy of those cheers, but if Chelski or Manure were in that same situation, I don't think the fans would have been half as loud. That loyalty for me also tends to come with honesty about other clubs. I have two or three close friends supporting Liverpool, and I have never thought of any of their footballing views as fickle.

Great read btw, and this is probably a much longer post than I was expecting to make for my debut.

we have our idiots too.....like the bloke next to meon Saturday that was slagging off the team in the warm up!!

Thanks for your comments though...

I was proud of our reaction at HT in Istanbul.....

 

[Tony Montana]

Why was the guy slagging off the team in the warm up? A bit weird when the game hasn't even started.

 

[alonso14]

Why was the guy slagging off the team in the warm up? A bit weird when the game hasn't even started.

i pointed that out to him

 

[Natnat]

Enjoyed reading this thread