Football - Enough to make a grown man cry!

As many fans fear their wonderful game is being taken over
by the pursuit of wealth in the elite teams, especially here
in Europe, we still feel the deepest of passions for the
sport we love. The ecstacy of victory and the despair of a
defeat - relegation is just too much to stand. But why are
these feelings so strong?

Football can often become an all consuming passion which
can occupy our minds for most of the waking day, not to
mention the nightly dreams of trophy success. It becomes the
thing above all else which we crave, not just the winning
but the sport itself.

We want to talk about football, watch it on the TV, go to
the ground at the weekend. We want to discuss it, read about
it, hear about it. We want the shirts, the poster, the mug.
Football becomes a way of life that, in many of the towns
and cities, defines a whole region. Liverpool, Manchester,
Rome and Milan - These are red and blue cities, divided (or
united) by the support of one team over the other local
rival. Real Madrid and Barcelona are enough to divide every
non-Spaniard over the question of 'the best team in Spain'.

Some divisions are more deep rooted than just picking the
side you like the best. In Glasgow, Scotland the choice of
Celtic or Rangers is not a footballing one to make, here
you choose your religion first - the football team comes as
standard. Other great teams have been created to rival each
other on the basis of class or belief, the former clubs of
eastern europe are full of ex-army teams.

The fact is we choose our team, for what ever reason, and we
stick with them through thick and thin. Football becomes a
part of your life, a member of your family and you love it.
It makes you glad and it makes you sad and you still want
more of it.