Fanzine Fanzone - Times Online - WBLG

Just why do we put ourselves through this every season?

Mark Giles, who works on the sports desk of The Times, knows just what a rollercoaster of emotions the supporters of Manchester United and Chelsea were experiencing as they watched the Champions League final unfold.

Mark has seen, it is fair to say, more lows than highs during his football-watching lifetime - he does support Oldham Athletic, after all. Here is his story:

So how was it for you, United and Chelsea fans? Excruciating for both, then simultaneously exhilarating for one set and mind-numbing for the other, like a death in the family. And that, for real supporters, is not to exaggerate.

As the emotionally drained players in the Luzhniki Stadium stepped up to take their penalties, getting on for 2 in the morning, the thought occurred: what must it be like to have no sporting allegiances whatsoever. Imagine, weekends that are not defined by your team’s result; imagine going to the supermarket without a sporting care in the world, instead of being glued to Gillette Soccer Saturday and kicking the walls, or the cat if you have one (less dangerous), when that 90th-minute winner for the other side flashes up.

For everyone who nails his or her colours to the mast, there is that Worst Moment. Mine? Easy. The 1994 FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. Oldham Athletic 1-0, totally against the odds, versus Manchester United with less than a minute of extra-time remaining.

A hopeful ball is lofted over the Oldham defence -- The Sun was later to say that it was the first time they had been turned on their heels all day -- and Mark Hughes latches on with a volley that could have gone anywhere. Instead, it reaches the only part of the net unattainable to Jon Hallworth, our goalkeeper, a bystander for much of the afternoon.

Be a part of the Fanzine Fanzone

Here's your chance to join the most informed fans in football and take centre stage in our brilliant forum.

This is where supporters from around the country give their views on the clubs close to their hearts throughout the week and go head-to-head on the big issues. It's the best partisan content on the web. TheGame's forum for real fans. Ballsy and biased.

Need more reasons to join the team?

You can:

- moan when you're losing and gloat when you're winning

- display that endearing, if somewhat naive, quality of wild, blind optimism in predicting your team will win the league

- provoke your local rivals after an unexpected victory in a heated derby

- pick on a rival club's manager for nothing more than being old

- reply to readers' comments on the bottom of your posts

And most importantly:

- win a magnum of champagne for being the Fanzine Fanzone Writer of the Month.

Have a look here to see what our Manchester City fan thought of the minute's silence held at Old Trafford last weekend, read this poignant plea to Fulham's defence to keep them up and marvel at our Derby man's silver lining on the dark cloud that has been his season so far.

This is not just a Premier League forum, though. Perhaps you're a long-suffering supporter of a League Two perennial struggler. Or you may be a grass roots Conference man. Or woman.

Think you have what it takes? Are you passionate, piqued or pitifully partisan? Then send an example to sport@timesonline.co.uk.

Teams we already have covered can be seen in the third column of this blog.

The lions need to be tamed

It should be noted before reading this piece (if indeed you choose to do so) that I am, unequivocally, an England fan. The Portsmouth side of me lives in another part (possibly Africa/Russia/France, if our players and ownership are anything to go by). The England team need a good kick up the backside, but this isn't a rant about the structure of footballing in this nation. No, I say England need to drop a few places (and by a few I mean about 30) in the FIFA rankings before they have a chance of winning something.)

The Watford Gap

The onslaught of cash being injected into the Premiership is about to change the face of relegation and promotion. Don't get me wrong, nothing would make me want to see Portsmouth go down, but there could be a substantial advantage to going down if the case of Watford is anything to go by...

Stop the ride. I want to get off

Thank God the England game is over. The last time I got excited about watching England was in the 1990 World Cup finals in Italy.

England fans may drool about Micah Richards but as far as I'm concerned he's a Manchester City player. John Terry? Chelsea through and through. Frank Lampard? How can I get worked up about a bloke who kisses the Chelsea badge when he scores? David James? Decent goalkeeper but he used to play for Liverpool. Ditto Michael Owen.

Until Steve McClaren picks an England team without any Liverpool or City players, I won't be taking more than a passing interest. David Beckham is jetlagged. Who cares? Rio has got a groin strain. So what? Peter Crouch is good enough to play for England. Are you having a laugh?

 

Time to lower the tone for the Evertonians

Just like to say that the fanzine fanzone has started off brilliantly with fine writing and fantastic opinion. Too often we get bogged down in our own club and don't hear the opinions of other supporters around the country. So it's nice to have them here.

I thought I'd drop in before I go on holiday - be back in September - to let you know I am looking in and enjoying what you've got to say.

Before I go, I'd like to make some one gratuitous sideswipe and lower the tone.

Starting next week

The most informed fans in the Premier League take centre stage in our new forum. Fanzine writers from around the country give you their views on the clubs close their hearts throughout the week. Our writers will go head-to-head on the big issues, and we will also showcase the best partisan content on the web. TheGame's forum for real fans. Ballsy and biased.