We Are City
Ahead of tomorrow’s Championship playoff final I've been thinking about Cardiff City and what it means to be a fan. Partly because since last week’s ridiculously thrilling semi-final second leg I haven't been able to think of much else. During my ruminations I found this video by Jonathan Owen that was broadcast on ITV ahead of the FA Cup Final of 2008. I highly recommend you watch it.
I remembered it a while back but hadn’t found it until now. For me it sums up a lot of what it means to be a City fan and it highlights how identity is formed by opposition as much as support. Being a City fan (I'd argue being a fan of most football clubs, but I think especially for City) is as much defined by who you aren't as who you are. And what he says about being a City fan and being different, being outside the norm, is true.
Growing up I had to put up with constant mocking because I supported City. All the kids in school were Liverpool or Manchester United fans. Essentially they were glory-hunters. Trying to explain that I went down and watched my team at least once a month live, in front of me, carried little weight when they retorted yeah, but we can watch our teams on TV. But in the end it made my support even greater, it made me determined that being City was going to be a key part of who I am and a way of saying that I’m not like everyone else. I may have missed the 80s phenomenon of casuals and mod styles, but football was still going to about difference and defiance.
Some of those who took the piss will be supporting City this weekend, either at the final or on TV. To them I say nice one, took you a while but glad you’re on board.
All the above is an example of how the oppositional element of football support and specifically City support can manifest itself. Simply put, We are City. We are not one of the ‘Big 4’.
We are City. We are not rugby. It's hard to explain this to non-Welsh people, but rugby exerts a stifling grip on the sporting psyche of Wales. Like many good Welshmen I do like rugby but my relationship with that sport has always been a bit fractured, due to my insistence that football, and welsh football at that, is my primary sport. As Owen points out, rugby comes from the establishment, from the stereotype that permeates Welsh identity of the honest rugby supporter grumbling a bit and drinking a pint of Brains but always supporting the boyos. It’s something that the WRU exploits to pretty much it’s limit. But South Wales is full of people who love football, but don't like rugby and a lot of them are City fans. We regularly cock a snook at the fortunes of the Welsh rugby team, while still flying Welsh flags with pride at the stadium and at away matches, as well as often forming the hardcore support for the Welsh football team. Because we're still Welsh. It's just we'd rather wear a Bluebird than three feathers. Which leads me to…
We are City. We are not English. Being one of only two Welsh clubs in the English Football League means we constantly identify as Welsh not English. This despite the fact that the majority of the first XI is generally English (currently it's Scottish, but no matter). It adds an edge to things, as Jonathan Owen points out in the video. Be under no illusions, despite many City fans not caring about whether Wales do well in the rugby, or even in the football, we are Welsh and we are fiercely, proudly Welsh.
We are City. We are not Bristol. Despite sharing the suffix, we are the true City. Local rivalries play a huge role in football, and we’re no different in our hate-hate relationship with our neighbours from across the Severn. And as for them lot down the road…
We are City. We are not the jacks. I don't think this last one needs much explaining.
This identification as City above all else, above Wales, is surprising to some people that I know. But the fact is I'd happily take a decade of stiflingly bad Welsh rugby that is an insult to JPR, Barry John and the Pontypool front row if it meant we won on Saturday and got a tilt at the Prem for just one season.
Because we are City.
C’mon City!
I remembered it a while back but hadn’t found it until now. For me it sums up a lot of what it means to be a City fan and it highlights how identity is formed by opposition as much as support. Being a City fan (I'd argue being a fan of most football clubs, but I think especially for City) is as much defined by who you aren't as who you are. And what he says about being a City fan and being different, being outside the norm, is true.
Growing up I had to put up with constant mocking because I supported City. All the kids in school were Liverpool or Manchester United fans. Essentially they were glory-hunters. Trying to explain that I went down and watched my team at least once a month live, in front of me, carried little weight when they retorted yeah, but we can watch our teams on TV. But in the end it made my support even greater, it made me determined that being City was going to be a key part of who I am and a way of saying that I’m not like everyone else. I may have missed the 80s phenomenon of casuals and mod styles, but football was still going to about difference and defiance.
Some of those who took the piss will be supporting City this weekend, either at the final or on TV. To them I say nice one, took you a while but glad you’re on board.
All the above is an example of how the oppositional element of football support and specifically City support can manifest itself. Simply put, We are City. We are not one of the ‘Big 4’.
We are City. We are not rugby. It's hard to explain this to non-Welsh people, but rugby exerts a stifling grip on the sporting psyche of Wales. Like many good Welshmen I do like rugby but my relationship with that sport has always been a bit fractured, due to my insistence that football, and welsh football at that, is my primary sport. As Owen points out, rugby comes from the establishment, from the stereotype that permeates Welsh identity of the honest rugby supporter grumbling a bit and drinking a pint of Brains but always supporting the boyos. It’s something that the WRU exploits to pretty much it’s limit. But South Wales is full of people who love football, but don't like rugby and a lot of them are City fans. We regularly cock a snook at the fortunes of the Welsh rugby team, while still flying Welsh flags with pride at the stadium and at away matches, as well as often forming the hardcore support for the Welsh football team. Because we're still Welsh. It's just we'd rather wear a Bluebird than three feathers. Which leads me to…
We are City. We are not English. Being one of only two Welsh clubs in the English Football League means we constantly identify as Welsh not English. This despite the fact that the majority of the first XI is generally English (currently it's Scottish, but no matter). It adds an edge to things, as Jonathan Owen points out in the video. Be under no illusions, despite many City fans not caring about whether Wales do well in the rugby, or even in the football, we are Welsh and we are fiercely, proudly Welsh.
We are City. We are not Bristol. Despite sharing the suffix, we are the true City. Local rivalries play a huge role in football, and we’re no different in our hate-hate relationship with our neighbours from across the Severn. And as for them lot down the road…
We are City. We are not the jacks. I don't think this last one needs much explaining.
This identification as City above all else, above Wales, is surprising to some people that I know. But the fact is I'd happily take a decade of stiflingly bad Welsh rugby that is an insult to JPR, Barry John and the Pontypool front row if it meant we won on Saturday and got a tilt at the Prem for just one season.
Because we are City.
C’mon City!
Labels: City
posted by Hagg at 12:55 pm
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