A question of support has others baffled

Read Martin’s column every week in the Western Morning News

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An England football fan gets an early seat

(Mike Egerton)

WHICH football team do you support? If you go abroad, you can be asked that question a lot, especially in South East Asia where a great many people are obsessed by English soccer. They always seem so disappointed when I say I do not support any team apart from the England national side.

Obviously, that brought joy to me and millions of others this week after the team secured their place at the 2026 World Cup. But what's confusing to anyone who bothers to listen to old Hesp and his thoughts on football is that I love the game. “But how can you love football and not support a team?” comes the instant reply.

Well, for a start, I’m a Westcountryman and in his region we are not rich in top teams. I can imagine if you were born and bred somewhere like Burnley, it would be easy to have your life coloured by love for your hometown’s giant-beating side. But growing up in West Somerset didn’t give me that strong and obvious link to any team.

As a boy, I loved to go and see Minehead play with my grandad - and indeed can recall some exciting moments when the team managed to beat Yeovil on its famous sloping pitch. I even recall them suffering a narrow defeat to mighty Wimbledon in a cup match. But, let’s be honest, Minehead Football Club does not really fill a growing boy’s heart with passion in the way a Manchester United or a Liverpool would.