Calling all fanatics!
We are launching a new regular feature on From Boothferry To Germany called “My Football Day” in which we showcase the normal Match Day routine from fans and fanatics around the world.
One of FBTG‘s objectives is to share the ways in which support Continue reading
“Come to an event”.
To cynical and subtle Europeans, nothing is a bigger cringe than American Sports culture. Cheerleaders, half-time shows, a sponsor for absolutely everything. And rows upon rows of adults festooned with a garish and nauseating array of stars and stripes. Flags, face paint, costumes…. the whole culture is so far from European Football tradition, it is easy to convince yourselves that Americans would never be able to “do” Football fanatic properly.
But Andy Leary is prepared with apt retort. “That’s the response. Come to an event and tell me about that after”.
This is the National Team fan group you really should know about.
The American Outlaws Continue reading
You know the story. One of East Germany’s biggest “start-ups” now looks a challenger for the Bundesliga title, at time of writing. The story has drawn a different kind of foreign attention to the Bundesliga. Outsiders frequently acknowledge the excellency of the German Football experience, but now they are hearing more about the stark mainstream rejection of this story on behalf of fans. Why do Germans hate RB Leipzig so much? German society and culture play a big part. Continue reading
You take your son down the Gunners. You wrap him up in 4 layers and the same red and yellow scarf you wore as a boy to protect him from the -10 degrees. Boris at the kiosk hands over the sunflower seeds, yesterday’s newspaper to sit on and vodka to suppress the bitter cold. Teenage gopniks catch your eye opposite the underpass, grimy faces squatting by a burnt out car. They spit in your direction, your hand tightens around your son’s.
This is Arsenal, but not as you know it Continue reading
The 2016 European Cup will be remembered for 4 things; 1) Wales’ emergence as a tournament dark horse, 2) Will Grigg’s reported perpetual state of flammability 3) how boring it was and 4) the Iceland Clap. We should probably extend that to the Icelanders’ amazing support throughout, but “The Clap” was so universally popular it had bookies betting which Premier League fans would be the first to replicate it. That’s not really materialised but the Iceland Clap is now being performed by fans elsewhere (I vividly remember a video posting of a Vietnamese fangroup getting it on post victory).
But it has spread in other ways Continue reading
In this guest post, Chris Lee, founder of Football travel and culture blog Outside Write, describes how he first fell for German Football and how the Bundesliga experience has probably helped change attitudes toward Germany among English Football fans.
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It’s the evening of 13 July 2014. I am sat in a packed bar in Balham, South London, enduring yet another turgid World Cup final. I can’t remember a good one since 1986, when the opponents were (almost) the same: then it was West Germany and Argentina. Continue reading
Eastern European Football fans are very much feared in the West, something I’m certain they take great pride in. And few come scarier or harder than the Poles. We picked a game, took out some Złoty, called up fellow blogger Between Distances and hopped the border to watch Pogon Szczecin take on Ruch Chorzów to see just how scary they get.
Right now in 2016, Polish fans have an awful reputation abroad. Be it the story of player Dominik Koszowski Continue reading
SUMMARY: a Capo ensures in-game fan organisation to optimise how impressive the support sounds and looks, as all fans have clear instructions what to sing and do. But having a single person leading all chants and songs sacrifices the wit and humour often associated with terrace life, something that has characterised English Football support for generations.
From Boothferry To Germany is a blog that explores and celebrates Football culture Continue reading
From Boothferry To Germany 