Pretty much a random shower thought but got me thinking.
A Big 6 fan has got the success, the chances at winning trophies regularly, their team generally wins most weeks, they get to see the best of the best play for their club. Their team is recognised around the world. They get to watch European football almost every year. If you can’t attend games you can watch them on TV most weeks because they get shown more often.
On the other hand, you’ve got the ungodly amount of toxicity. Big 6 fans are absolutely rabid towards each other. Every match thread is a cesspit of anger. You’re constantly looking at the other teams at the top and hoping they lose as well. You get all the mockery when your team dares to not pick up 3 points in a match. Every refereeing/VAR decision that goes against them is met with cries of corruption, that there is a conspiracy against the club or to favour another club. Is the high of winning as much as the low of losing for them?
An other 14 fan on the other hand, success is hard to come by. Other than perhaps a run at the FA Cup or Carabao Cup, maybe an occasional Europa League appearance, you’re basically cheering for not getting relegated every season. You know that chances are you may never see your team lift a trophy in your lifetime.
On the other hand (I know I’ve repeated that phrase too much), every win perhaps feels more special. And if you do win a trophy, or that European run, or that promotion from the Championship, it’s the best thing ever. You don’t have those weeks where you’re expecting an easy 4-0 win and anything less is unacceptable, you genuinely never know what you’re going to get and every win is huge. You can generally have a nice chat about your team rather than “ugh you support ___, grr grr grr i am going to tell you why they are the evil of this world”. You’re not going to see a loss memed about by the rest of the footballing world for the entire week. You don’t have to sit through an entire week of analysing why VAR has ruined football because they hate your team specifically. (Seriously, as much as Liverpool had that dodgy Spurs game, if they’d have had the season Wolves have had so far with referees there would be outrage on another level and City would probabaly have a few additional charges.)
Being a fan is better if you support the other 14 but watching it through the media is boring and makes you give up on the game entirely
I find the media impairs my experience of football rather than enhances it. Having a team that the media doesn’t care about sounds pretty sweet.
Too many expectations and pressures for the big six. A mass hysteria of entitlement, sheer disdain towards smaller teams and woe is me attitude.
Being a fan of a small team is fascinating and fun. Always a ride, always a joy, treat everything as a happy to be here situation. Cup runs are a good opportunity for silverware but it also doesn’t matter because premier league survival/consistency is for more important.
When we were battling/succumbing to relegation, the occasional draw was a buzz. A win was like mainlining nitrous. The tolerance levels of big six fans is so high they barely get out of bed for anything less than a double. I think a lot of the toxicity in their (mainly online) fan base is down to them being primarily ‘xyz’ supporters, not actual football fans.
Always one of the other 14. For the average fan, for the normie fan, for the addicted fan, for everyone.
I think it has to be more enjoyable being a fan of a other14 club.
No fan of a big 6 club will get to see their team go from mid-table championship mediocrity to promotion, back to back 7th place finishes in the Premier League and a Europa league campaign in the space of 3 years like Wolves fans did.
Villa, Brighton and Newcastle fans are going on a similar journey now
Man utd got relegated in the 70s
Going to take a stab and say most Man Utd aren’t 70+ years old so this is an irrelevant argument
Weirdly the time early Klopp time was more enjoyable and relaxing than the successful Klopp years. Don’t get me wrong the victories where amazing and some of the best moments I’ve had celebrating with fans around town and the parades.
But it’s so god damn stressful, every draw feels like a tragedy and defeat feels like the end of the world (chasing Man City does this for you) there’s also just so many games that matter it gets mentally tiring. The end of 2021/22 season was a slog with massive games every 3 days and frankly I was happy when the season ended and didn’t really get into the start of the next season for ages.
That said I wouldn’t want to go anything else the highs of winning the champions league and European trips are some of the best memories you can have
There’s nothing enjoyable for our fans. Same can be said about Chelsea.
either bottom or top table teams are fun to watch , midtable mandems are boring
Teams 4-7 are the most fun. Are you getting CL or Europa? Are you unlucky enough to get Europa conference, so many movable parts in those few spots
Don’t take this the wrong way guys but… it feels like there’s a lot of copium from other 14s in this sub. I would never discount the joys of being a fan of other clubs. But being a Liverpool fan is quite exhilarating.
I enjoy the banter we get when we lose. And I enjoy the thrill of winning, no matter what match.
I don’t think one is better than the other. People always comparing for some reason… Being a fan of a football club is beautiful for everyone in their own, sometimes different ways.
I was at Old Trafford yesterday and did some Christmas shopping today. I’d rather do Christmas shopping every day than watch football at old Trafford every other week. Utterly soulless and full of tourists. Same for Stamford Bridge.
All that being said, as a fan the experience is better in League 1/2 than anywhere in the Prem so I’ll take the money, build a new stadium and see you all in a few years, thank you very much
The “Big 6” hasn’t been the “Big 6” in years. Nonsense tag created by SkySports. It’s used to be the “Big 4” in the early 2000’s. Pick a team you can relate to regardless of their status in the league.
Probably being a “other 14” fan and watching a lot of the big six. Best of both worlds. Get the banter of big six, and the genuine high of a middling English club success.
Was so proud of Fulham making that Europa League final fifteen years ago.
Depends on you. Are you the type of fan who likes X club and then football (usually people whose family supported one club and it goes back generations) or do you enjoy football and then support a team becuase something about them you enjoy.
I’m the latter. As a resut, I enjoy any experience. I liked following Palace back in the 2013s, I liked following Wolves when they were killing it inthe championship, Brentford’s come up, Newcastle and Rafa and Brighton as well. I liked watching Newcastle last season when they were trying to mkae CL, I really enjoyed watching Brighton too.
Heck I enjoy watching my local club in the lowest league of english football. give me enjoyable football and i’ll watch. Not sure why people are so extrmeley loyal to one club, you’re really missing out!
I love being a Liverpool fan and wouldn’t change it for anything amount of money. Been one since birth, would go to games with my dad as a kid when it was affordable, and Anfield is the most “home” feeling place in the world for me.
I remember watching through college on shitty pirated streams, mostly losing, and loving them anyway.
The more recent run of being relentless and powerful has been such a joy, but even last year, through actual misery and fear losing and drawing so many at the start, we also then would bang out a 7-0 win.
It’s not just about watching the games though; I enjoy all the media content put out by the club, and YNWA is a mentality for true fans. With the recent Diaz stuff, we all felt wounded and afraid and just wanted his dad home. When it’s the anniversary of Hillsborough, it’s a somber reminder of tragedies that happen, and that we need to love and hug our loved ones because you just never know what could happen.
When I’m sad, I rewatch Istanbul and feel a sense of power again. When I need a reminder of the power of hope, I watch CORNER TAKEN QUICKLY and I’m just in awe of the players for what they’ve accomplished.
I can’t speak to what it’s like supporting other teams, and I don’t think it’s really a big 6 versus the rest. I think it’s just whatever it means to you.