Emirates Stadium, the home of Arsenal FC of the English Premier Leauge, opened in 2006. The 60,000-seat stadium cost TK390 million. Populous, aka HOK Sport, designed the stadium. The architecture company is the designer of choice for American sports venues like the new Yankee Stadium, the Consol Energy Center, and Gillette Stadium, just to name a few. (Wikimedia/Nazmi Amin-Tai)
As a die-hard Steelers fan, I was appalled to see this. Unless the Steelers are losing 40-0 (and, let’s be honest here, how often does that really happen?), the fans stick by the team. In the U.S., we spend more time supporting our players and cheering them on than we do booing them. This is how it should have been, especially since Fulham was in complete control for the match’s entirety. Additionally, I was startled by the lack of Fulham apparel in the stands. Have you ever been to a Syracuse basketball game where every single person in the stands isn’t wearing orange, white, or blue? Probably not. How about a Penn State white out where someone isn’t wearing white? Here, though, there were fans wearing black (one of Fulham’s colors), the majority of the fans were wearing normal street clothes. I saw very few Fulham jerseys, hats, jackets, or flags. For someone who is used to wearing my team’s colors, I was fascinated by the fact that these fans did not seem to think that that was important. The last noticeable difference was that these men take their football seriously. Despite what seemed like constant
booing, the fans really did love their team. Throughout the match, they stay relatively quiet, so as to stay focused on the game. The stands do not break out into the wave, and much to my surprise, I didn’t even here any “Ole’s.” When I leaned over to the man next to me to ask him a question, he politely answered, but did not, for one second, take his eye off the game. The Fulham fans are just as die-hard as my fellow Steelers fans, but the way they express their commitment to their team is completely different. In Pittsburgh, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a day where you don’t see at least five people wearing Steelers gear. Everywhere you walk, you’ll find men whose winter jackets have Steelers emblems, women whose nails are painted black and gold, or even a man whose mohawk has been dyed to support his side. Fulham fans do not feel the need to show off their love for their team. They think it’s okay to criticize and not always stick by their players. These fans have chosen a team to support and they know in their hearts that they will stand by the team that they’ve been supporting for years, no matter what.
Despite originally knowing nothing about Fulham prior to attending the match, I quickly caught the football bug. It’s infectious in London and even when you’re an amateur of the game, it’s hard not to want to be a fan. Football is overwhelmingly the favorite sport of England. At every pub I pass, I see a group of men happily cheering on a team of their choice. If you’re not a football fan of some sort in London, you feel alone because it seems as though everyone else has chosen their side and they’re sticking to it. It’s been extremely difficult to keep up with my favorite teams back home, but I’ve started enjoying following British football teams. When I get back to Syracuse, I’ll be able to talk about the Premier and Champions League, what Emirates Stadium is like, and most excitingly, what it’s like to go to a game in England, arguably the football capital of the world. I may have lost contact with American football, but I’ve gained a whole new perspective on football over here, and I love everything about it. Although I miss the crazy fans expressing their love for their team by shouting and wearing team colors, I appreciate that there are other ways to show support for your team. EP
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