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[EnglishBrian]

Now I'm not football mad and don't watch it much on TV or anything, but I do really enjoy going to a real live match. I've moved around a lot but like to follow the local team if I can. Last place I was in the UK I used to go and see Lincoln City quite a bit.

I never went to see our local team here (Atlantas) before, but had a call from my old boss and now Honorary British Consul saying would I like to go and see Rhyl (North Wales) play Atlantas in the UEFA cup - I think he was a bit nervous about going on his own but felt it was his 'diplomatic duty'. Went along and had a really good time (after the usual Eastern European chaos of there having been no tickets actually printed for the away fans). Rhyl lost on the night but went through on aggregate.

The thing is, Atlantas played so violently and so dirty - one sending off for vicious professional foul after 10 mins, numerous others that the ref. couldn't punish 'cos then they'd be down to 7 or 8 men, and their manager ran screaming onto the pitch at full time and attacked one of the Rhyl players - that though I'd really like to go and start seeing them regularly (as a home supporter) I just can't bring myself to do it 'cos the whole team is just so horrendously violent!

Anyone experienced anything similar?

[poro]

You need to try a hockey game, Brian.

No shortage of atmosphere and violence there - and you might even get cheerleaders

[travellingscot]

I tried supporting my local team in UK, but after a few seasons got fed up with lack of enthusiasm from other fans who only went to important games-not unusual,but their excuses were so pathetic that i stayed a fan of the London club which i have now supported for 28 years through bad and now good times.
Here in Bulgaria the scene is so corrupt that nobody is surprised by results,and almost everyone has a favourite team elsewhere.The Sofia teams Levski (Blue) and cska(Red) usually dominate,but only games between them have any passion(Think Rangers and Celtic for an idea of the strength of feeling generated).I have watched a few games here in Varna involving Spartak and Cherno More(Black Sea),but even when playing the big two the standards seem more like English 3rd division.
Fans here usually follow a foreign team playing in the same colours as their Bulgarian favourites,so Levski fans follow Chelsea,Lazio etc,whilst cska fans follow Liverpool and Manure,amongst others.
It is possible to watch many top European league and cup games on television,so attendances everywhere are low,and with the entry fee being around 1 euro there is no gate money to improve things.This perhaps helps to explain the ease with which games are fixed-it is even discussed in the media but nothing looks like changing

[dmb]