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Adopted teams abroad?

Following cafctom's discussion about moving abroad with lots of Addicks in exile contributing, a question for fellow Charlton fans abroad:

Which team(s) have you adopted to fill the gap left by the fortnightly trip to The Valley?

I go to watch Atlético Madrid whenever I can. Fantastic atmosphere and great fans, and last season was unbelievable. Hoping that this year can live up to that high point but it is always a brilliant night out at the Vicente Calderón.

On the other end of the scale I picked up a season ticket (for only €30!) for a fourth division team in Madrid called Puerta Bonita. Pretty poor quality and normally only about 300 spectators, but it goes some way to replicating the match day feeling. Plus has also really helped my knowledge of Spanish swearwords!

Anyone else formed allegiances to the new place you live?
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Comments

  • Viktoria Plzen.

    Took a long time though, as I have lived here since 1993. Really couldn't get into Czech clubs as the atmosphere at most league games was (is) dead. When we were a Premier League team I met a Plzen fan through work. We talked about how Viktoria could be a feeder club for the mighty FAPL Charlton, since this was the club that had brought Nedved and Cech through its academy. Then in 2008 their combo of owner and coach started to work miracles in the league and my old buddy got me to a couple of games, and I was hooked. It's the evident pride of the whole city - an industrial town reinventing itself - and of course the presence of the brewery towering above the ground, that got me. Their European adventures have been classic David and Goliath stories, and I promise you I have never had a night in a pub like the one across the road from the stadium after they had beaten Napoli. Faltering a bit now, since the national team inevitably stole the coach, Pavel Vrba, but they are definitely my team now. Even contemplating a car sticker to complement the Charlton ones, but it might attract a keying from chavvy Sparta fans. They really can't cope with the rise of 'little' Viktorka.
  • don't live there but have formed an allegiance to Sacramento Republic who play in the league below the MLS in the US.

    went to watch them in August in a sell out crowd of 8,000. they have a flag waving, singing section who did not stop for the entire 90+ minutes. I believe they have sold out pretty much every one of their home games this season and the crowd is the same every game.

    the whole pre-match atmosphere outside the ground was great with all sorts going on including drinking beer in plastic cups.

    quality of football wasn't bad and they are managed by Robert Preki. they beat LA Galaxy II recently.

    big plans for them to get into the MLS and I shall be watching with interest.
  • Even living abroad I just have no desire to 'adopt' another football team. Charlton is it for me. So, my adopted teams are the SF Giants and the 49ers.
  • Living not far from Eindhoven, I have been going there to support PSV since the days of the van der Kerkhof brothers, Romario, van Breukelen etc. Enjoy it but not the same feeling as walking down Floyd Road on a Saturday afternoon.
    Charlton will always be my team.
  • Have always kept an eye out for celta Vigo . Mainly to my dads friend coming from Vigo. Been up and down in recent times but had a good season last year and are currently unbeaten this just like us! Very similar to charlton which is also good . They beat there big rivals deportivo 2-1 last night too!
  • No sarcasm here but do feel as though I have to keep an eye on how RD's other clubs are getting along.

    Usually when I go on Holiday though to a City (Outside Europe) I adopt that City's team (i.e. went to see Baseball a few years ago in San Fran so now follow the Giants, Sydney I follow the Football Team Sydney United and love New Zealand as a place so keep an eye on the All Blacks as impressed with their record etc..)

    Unfortunately with the latter had to be careful as saw they lost one match was a little disappointed... These days I make sure who they're playing first before being disappointed as on that occasion they'd lost to England (So my disappointed did turn to happiness yet was still rather embarrassing)
  • Newport IOW
  • I liked Roma because when i was younger i loved Francesco Totti. That kappa top i had is way too small now but it still stretches out!

    I have always liked Atletico Madrid as well because of Fifa 99 and their kit. My brother was always Barca and you could only play a season in the same league so plumped for them. Kiko and Jardin were world-beaters at my finger tips. Although now it seems like im a glory hunter (although being a Charlton fan levels this out)
  • I've become a bit of a BEC Toro Sasana fan. They have a nice little stadium right in the middle of Bangkok, beer is less than a quid a go and there is a nice atmosphere. It is about 3 quid a game for the best parts of the stadium. Quality of the Thai Premier League is improving as are facilities for fans. There is money here now, hence the likes of Jay Boothroyd, Jay Simpson and of course Robbie Fowler have ended up signing contracts in recent seasons.
  • Imortal Albufeira. They play in the Algarve league, although they did rise to the heady heights of the third tier a few years back. Ex West Brom and Southampton player Pele started there, as did Liverpool's Tiago Ilori.
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  • Feyenoord are my second team as I've always had a fascination with their supporters since the time I was in Rotterdam when they were playing the 'Klassikier' against Ajax. That is one rivalry not for the faint hearted, I tell you now.

    Watch most of their games online if I'm not at Charlton.
  • I go to a few Melbourne Victory games a season, but the format of the A League tends to create a large number of non relevance games, they have a playoff system here combining league and cup to emulate the AFL structure, I think until that gets dumped I could never have strong strong feelings for them ... Nothing compares to Charlton of course...
  • mascot88 said:

    I go to a few Melbourne Victory games a season, but the format of the A League tends to create a large number of non relevance games, they have a playoff system here combining league and cup to emulate the AFL structure, I think until that gets dumped I could never have strong strong feelings for them ... Nothing compares to Charlton of course...

    I'm sure from distant days of doing the aussie pools in the summer that there is a team called Eltham.

    I'd probably follow them if I was in the correct state.
  • cafc4life said:

    Have always kept an eye out for celta Vigo . Mainly to my dads friend coming from Vigo. Been up and down in recent times but had a good season last year and are currently unbeaten this just like us! Very similar to charlton which is also good . They beat there big rivals deportivo 2-1 last night too!

    Ha ha! That's my adopted team you just beat. When I first moved over to Spain, I used to try and see Depor at least once a season, usually in the Nou Camp or Espanyol's Sarria ground, as I live in Barcelona. But I also traveled away with them to Sevilla, Bilbao, Logroño and memorably Zaragoza with their hate-filled fans.I evem took my daughter to the last game of last season when they assured themselves of second place by losing against Girona.

  • cafc4life said:

    Very similar to charlton which is also good

    cafc4life said:

    They beat there big rivals

    So they're not similar to us at all then??
  • I am afraid no particular Team. But I go to Irish pubs in Vienna Saturday afternoon and watch the English Premier League. Any game thats on the big Screen :-)
  • edited July 2017
    Just had a year without regularly following a team live for the first time in ages after the crap team I had a season ticket for for years (fourth division) Puerta Bonita went bust the previous summer. Really missed the buzz of going to live matches last year (even when it's crap) so going to have to adopt a new team for the new season.

    Atletico Madrid move to their new stadium for the new season so will get along to there a bit but need something with a bit more suffering attached so might actually commit more to Alcorcon this year. The crowd at Rayo Vallecano are much better though, and the standard of football generally more exciting, so leaning towards them. Anyone else got an adopted team abroad and how's the last season been?
  • Alta IF - Norway
    Stokkseyri - Iceland (I play at a much better standard than the lot of them - but that's why I love them. Guys from a fishing town in rural Iceland, it's tragically mesmorising and reminds me of Charlton, so I love 'em.
  • TELTEL
    edited July 2017
    I used to watch the Central Coast Mariners over here, but try as I may I just cant get into it. Since I adopted them, they have done a Charlton and really crashed......From Champions to Chumps.....Beautiful 3 sided stadium looking out over palm trees into the bay. Great RSL across the road but......its just a really dead flat atmosphere and they all try to play tippy tappy football....boring as bat shit really. Tried Rugby and AFL and its just not for me Im afraid. To be honest I cant wait to come back home and see some games again.
  • Having lived and worked in Frankfurt and Singapore on many occasions, I follow Eintracht Frankfurt and Singapore Lions.
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  • edited July 2017
    Fremad Amager (Danish 1st division and my local team)
    Wellington Phoenix (A-League)
  • Went to FC Koln on my stag do, fell in love with the city and the club. Definitely my second team.
  • Valencia for me
  • edited July 2017
    Ross County (does Scotland count as abroad?).
  • Hadjuk Split.

    Went to former Yugoslavia in 1974 and stayed on the coast in Split. Great stadium, and they sold replica shirts back then, which I bought.

  • When I was in Ireland I became a big fan of GAA football. My team the Laune Rangers. Very enjoyable watching them, even though they were a team punching below their weight. And from that the Kerry team. One of the giants of Gaelic football.
    Still watch as much as I can in the Bull.
  • Hadjuk Split.

    Went to former Yugoslavia in 1974 and stayed on the coast in Split. Great stadium, and they sold replica shirts back then, which I bought.

    I went to watch them play when I was in Split. Their fans are absolutely mental.
  • edited July 2017
    OB Odense, which is where I was born - they're rubbish
    Wellington Phoenix (as I live in NZ) - they're rubbish
    New Zealand Warriors (rugby league) - they're rubbish
    St Kilda (AFL) as I spent 8 years in Melbourne - they used to be rubbish, but finally started to show promising signs
  • FC Una Strassen (Luxembourg) as its close to where I live.
    FC Metz (France) , as its the only Top Tier side near me, and its my colleagues team.
  • Ajax for me. A club steeped in history and one that has produced amazing players through the year. Haven't been as successful in recent years but love the football they play and the trust they have in young players, which is something you don't see anymore!
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