KEITH T. DENNETT | REAL LIFE | CONTACT
As the English Premier League kicks off its new season, thousands of Australians are once again setting their alarms for ungodly hours to support football clubs in English towns and suburbs they’ve never visited and probably couldn’t locate on a map.
“I have absolutely no idea where Arsenal is but they’re my team and I’ll always stand by them” said Peter Collins (29), who proudly annihilates his sleeping rhythm to root for his North London club.
Despite only just finding out that ‘Arsenal’ is not a place, Peter says his allegiance to the club is just as legitimate as a North London local who’s great great great grandfather worked in the munitions factory where the club was founded.
“I didn’t choose Arsenal…Arsenal chose me…..The mighty Arsenal is beating in my heart” Peter declared.
Peter, who actually decided to go for Arsenal solely because he liked using Thierry Henry in Fifa 05 on the PS2, says he does admit he’s worried about all the band wagoning Man City fans that seem to be growing in number in recent years.
“These Man City fans really have zero connection to the club, it’s like they just decided to start supporting them because they’re young and don’t have a team so they just choose the team that happens to do well in the years of their childhood.” Peter, a guy that was 10 years old during Arsenal’s invincible season, lamented.
As the new EPL season unfolds, Australians continue to embrace their passion for far off distant football clubs – While simultaneously ignoring and mocking the A-league or the historic NPL leagues.
