Supporting a Third Division Football Team
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
<h2>We're Not Mad</h2>
<p>Honestly. But I thought I'd start with the most common question that is asked of such football, or soccer (as the Americans would have it) supporters - ironically, mainly by other folk who <i>are</i> football fans, but who follow clubs up in the higher divisions. Non-football fans don't seem to have much of a problem with us.</p>
<p>That question is, simply, "Why???". The most common answer that will be returned is that the person you just asked about this is remarkably loyal to his hometown. Or, the town that that person now spends most of their time in.</p>
<p>Some just like football, and went along to see the local team and liked it. Football on a saturday afternoon is also a good way to vent off some of the week's pressures. So off we trot down to the local ground to project the feelings towards our boss, spouse, mother-in-law or some other annoyance, instead onto the Referee, the Linesman, the opposite team, or even our own team and it's manager.</p>
<p>But then something else happens. You get hooked. This becomes a regular part of your life, and, after all, people can call us as "sad" as they wish, but we can console ourselves in the fact that we are not <b>Glory Hunters</b>, and that we are supporting our local heroes.</p>
<h3>It helps to be a Dreamer</h3>
<p>It is almost a pre-requisite of a Third Division Football Club Supporter to be something of a dreamer. After all, most of these clubs have not risen much above this level of football for many years, indeed some have never been higher. If you are</p>
<p>So we dream that, one day, just maybe we'll get to play a couple of division highers. We may one day have a magical run in one of the major knock-out competitions, and see our boys take on the kings of English football, Manchester United, at Old Trafford.</p>
<p>The more realistic of our dreams though, is that we'll be promoted to Division Two, either automatically by finishing in the top 3 positions in the division, or via the divisional play-offs.</p>
<p>The Divisional Play-Offs, if the first round is succesfully negotiated, leads to a final played at Wembley Stadium, which is a wonderful bonus. Another way of achieving a final at Wembley is to reach the final of the Auto-Windscreens Shield, a competition for the lower league teams.</p>
<p>So there's always plenty of hope each season, and this is what we thrive on.</p>
<p>If you are a football-mad youngster, or are just becoming interested in football and need a team to support, then go along and support your local team. They need you.</p>
<p>However, do not take this task lightly. If you are young, then you will bear the brunt of many a joke at your new team's expense, as most of your friends are revelling in the glory of their team winning this trophy or that title.</p>
<p>Having said that, when you are a little older, you will look back fondly on the few limited good memories of supporting your local team, and will not hesitate to go back through wind, rain and hail to hope against hope that maybe one day... (insert wish here)..</p>
<p>Honestly. But I thought I'd start with the most common question that is asked of such football, or soccer (as the Americans would have it) supporters - ironically, mainly by other folk who <i>are</i> football fans, but who follow clubs up in the higher divisions. Non-football fans don't seem to have much of a problem with us.</p>
<p>That question is, simply, "Why???". The most common answer that will be returned is that the person you just asked about this is remarkably loyal to his hometown. Or, the town that that person now spends most of their time in.</p>
<p>Some just like football, and went along to see the local team and liked it. Football on a saturday afternoon is also a good way to vent off some of the week's pressures. So off we trot down to the local ground to project the feelings towards our boss, spouse, mother-in-law or some other annoyance, instead onto the Referee, the Linesman, the opposite team, or even our own team and it's manager.</p>
<p>But then something else happens. You get hooked. This becomes a regular part of your life, and, after all, people can call us as "sad" as they wish, but we can console ourselves in the fact that we are not <b>Glory Hunters</b>, and that we are supporting our local heroes.</p>
<h3>It helps to be a Dreamer</h3>
<p>It is almost a pre-requisite of a Third Division Football Club Supporter to be something of a dreamer. After all, most of these clubs have not risen much above this level of football for many years, indeed some have never been higher. If you are</p>
<p>So we dream that, one day, just maybe we'll get to play a couple of division highers. We may one day have a magical run in one of the major knock-out competitions, and see our boys take on the kings of English football, Manchester United, at Old Trafford.</p>
<p>The more realistic of our dreams though, is that we'll be promoted to Division Two, either automatically by finishing in the top 3 positions in the division, or via the divisional play-offs.</p>
<p>The Divisional Play-Offs, if the first round is succesfully negotiated, leads to a final played at Wembley Stadium, which is a wonderful bonus. Another way of achieving a final at Wembley is to reach the final of the Auto-Windscreens Shield, a competition for the lower league teams.</p>
<p>So there's always plenty of hope each season, and this is what we thrive on.</p>
<p>If you are a football-mad youngster, or are just becoming interested in football and need a team to support, then go along and support your local team. They need you.</p>
<p>However, do not take this task lightly. If you are young, then you will bear the brunt of many a joke at your new team's expense, as most of your friends are revelling in the glory of their team winning this trophy or that title.</p>
<p>Having said that, when you are a little older, you will look back fondly on the few limited good memories of supporting your local team, and will not hesitate to go back through wind, rain and hail to hope against hope that maybe one day... (insert wish here)..</p>
