Been thinking about writing this for a while now, the amount of football on TV has obviously created masses of followers or fans around the globe. However, while there are many who would call themselves fans or followers or supporters? What makes them a fan?

Talk to anyone, you'll get different answers, but one of the answer you are likely to get from them would be "Because they are the best.", ie they are the top of the league, hence the "Glory Hunters" was born.

Like it or not, living in Malaysia, many of us started following a team when they are on top, The Liverpool fans in the 70's and 80's, Man U in the 90's, Chelsea and Arsenal recently. Of course, not forgetting there ARE fans out there who supported a particular team because they lived in that area when they were studying in UK, or they liked a particular player, hence following that team. I've known some hardcore I mean hardcore Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa or even Southamton supporters. Respect to them, most of the time, these are the people who knows their football, love their team, look them up the net as they games are not shown regularly on TV here. AS compared to the likes of the Big 4 supporters. The thing is out of the big 4, the biggest rivalry, like back in the UK, is between Liverpool and Man U. I am not going to hide, I am a big big Liverpool supporter. But this is not about Liverpool Vs Man U, but football fans in general.

I respect fans of any club, but I despise any glory hunter. I mean, I started supporting the team after the last league championship, 17 years ago. Through the dark days of no league triumph and little cup success until the recent times when we won everything else bar the league.

What I am trying to say is that I stick by my team although it's easier to switch to a more "fashionable" team such as Man U. After all they have the "in" players such as Giggs, Beckham, Scholes, Ronaldo, Rooney, Fletcher, Brown and many more. Ok, the last 2 was made up. Instead of switching team, I look up the history of the club, what it meant to stand on the kop, what it emant to win (yet) another European Cup, what the rivalry is all about. Rather than switching team, which I know many have done, why not find out more about your own team.

I ahve also heard many said that "history is not important", bollocks! History is not about the glory days, but also the dark time when disaster struck. Man U fans, do you know what February 6, 1958 means to the club? Do you know who Sir Matt Busby is? Etc Etc... What I am trying to say is that some fans takes the time and effort to elarn about the club, the history and everything else. ASk a Liverpool fan about April 15, 1989, or prior to that May 29, 1985. If they don't feel sad about it and tell you that these are things shouldn't happen in football, then tell them to look up the net.

It's not just the dark days, learning about the club helps you why the passion is rile between supporters? Why West Ham and the bubbles? Why Everton and Liverpool have such great rivalry? Bu learning about the club, it gives a different new meaning when supporting them, knwing the history will make you appreciate the future. There's nothing worst than sitting down in a pub and trying to talk to someone in a football shirt, only them saying that "I don't know much mate, I just like them". That, for me would be a disaster.

So fellas, if you are one of those who knows nothing about your club, try to learn or at least know something about it. Afterall, football existed long, ong before 1992 when the English Premier League was formed.

I does actually make a whole lot of sense why the majority of fans in Malaysia support the top four, and you've pointed them out.

This topic was actually covered extensively in an identical thread and would basically be a repetition. Just to enlighten you, the general feel from that thread was that if you want to be a 'real fan' so to speak, you have to adopt the following characteristics:

a) You have to know your clubs history. You can't love something you know nothing about
b) You have to make an effort to watch you club play, unless you're exploring the moon or something.
c) You support your club in any which way possible, e.g. purchasing original merchandise (this I feel is a little subjective because they are sometimes really overpriced and not everyone can afford them).

Out of the three, I think point a) is the most important. So what if you were born back then? Information is readily available on the net and what you did in the past, defines you are at present.

I would like to add another point here. I think it's important to be a football fan in general. It's like when your shopping for a car and you go looking about to see which best suites you. It's not common that you buy the first thing you see. Knowing about football and other clubs also helps with your credentials as a fan. You get to have discussion with fans of other clubs and football in general. You get to talk about other less talked about players and less fancied clubs. In summary, you get to talk about football and not just Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal or Chelsea.