Arsenal Debate: Which other Premier League teams do you dislike the most?

Which other clubs do Gooners, either quite like, are ambivalent to or deeply DISLIKE, and WHY? by Jon Fox

My dear fellow football and AFC addicts, I have an awful confession to make. SHOCK, HORROR! I quite like a number of other clubs of all levels, and one or two not even from Britain where I live and was brought up.

I really wish to know; am I weird then? (Yes of course I am, as it cannot be entirely normal to spend a long life worrying and fretting endlessly about the success of people who don’t even know I exist. Can it!!).

I actually have a varying degree of affection towards such disparate clubs as Hartlepool, Fulham, Forest, Chesterfield, Brighton, Wolves, Palace, Torquay, Plymouth, Darlington, Kidderminster Harriers, Stourbridge Town, Ipswich, Leyton Orient, QPR, Portsmouth, Celtic, Bournemouth, Sunderland, Sutton, Bromley, Charlton, AFC Wimbledon, Ajax and AC Milan.

There are a few others too, but you get the drift, I hope.

My various reasons for degrees of affection are based on such nonsensical reasons as some wear red and white, some I have lived nearby, during my career, at least for a short while or sometimes longer.

Others are for reasons of friends or family connections as supporters, or my simply feeling sorry for them, esp Hartlepool, who for countless years, decades ago, used to come rock bottom of the old fourth division but before relegation was automatic.

I have long held a real soft spot for Fulham, for historical connections with Arsenal (reason is Sir Henry Norris, was tempted to merge his two clubs, us and Fulham. I was also a huge fan of Johnny Haynes, their captain and best ever player, when I was still a young child.

Likewise, I like Nottingham Forest for historical connections with our club when we were still known as Dial Square.

I live near Palace and many of my friends have season tickets. I went to Palace when we beat them one nil, at start of this season.

I hold neither like nor dislike for a host of other clubs, a majority in Premier League and EFL.

But I guess the most interesting part of this rather pointless piece – written only because I clearly have too much time on my hands, between going food shopping with my Sue (what joy! NOT) or walking dogs; now that IS a joy! – is listing those clubs I dislike intensely, what some will call “hate”.

Though that is not a word I wish to use for mere football matters. I reserve that word for such as Trump, Putin, racism, bigotry, Neanderthal ignorance, wars, humankinds vicious cruelty and so on.

So here is my list: Chelsea, Man Utd, Man City, Spurs, Stoke, Leeds, Birmingham, Bolton, Blackburn, Sheffield United, Oxford, MK Dons, Salford City (I reckon you will all guess WHY), Glasgow Rangers, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Argentina (National side), Inter Milan, Feyenoord, all Turkish top clubs, most Greek ones too.

Oh, and a local Sunday league side who I won’t name who are the nastiest, mouthiest most unpleasant characters I have seen in local park football ever.

I should also make clear that for most of the above named it is the clubs and not the present players or managers, mostly, which I much dislike.

It’s their owners, esp in modern times. Older fans will easily understand WHY I can’t abide such as Leeds, Birmingham, Stoke, Bolton, Blackburn.

I have loathed Chelsea far more than I ever have disliked Spurs, who are simply local rivals but not truly bad guys overall.

When Spurs won their one and only Double in that “dinosaur era” I used to watch them one week, Arsenal the next, both clubs for two shillings, and wear my red and while knitted bobble hat and scarf (thanks Granny!), use my red and white painted rattle and stand with my other pre-teen friends, who were mostly Spuds, while openly cheering on their opponents!

BTW, I’d love to read YOUR lists and why!

YES, even Man United back in those dinosaur times. Pre hooligan days back than of course. Sigh!

Well, that afternoon shopping trip awaits, and I have, (on pain of “death,” or no dinner, which is far worse), to drive Sue to Tesco’s.

Did I also mention I much dislike Tesco’s!! One nil to the SAINSBURYS!!

BTW, I apologise in advance for writing this tosh!

COYG!

Jon Fox

Do you want to read our whole collection of history articles? Check out our Just Arsenal History section