The semester is winding down fast here in London, but what would 3 months in England be without a football (yes, that’s soccer) match? Despite the five papers that I somehow have to write over the next week, a few of us ventured out into the chilly, wet night to watch Crystal Palace face Derby County.
South London Tradition
Just last week I was having Sunday lunch with some British acquaintances, when I asked them which was the biggest sport in England: Football, Rugby, or Cricket? Football was the unanimous answer.
Crystal Palace has been around for over a hundred years now, and, according to what I saw last night, still brings out young and old alike to watch a match. And that is really what made it all so much fun – community coming together to watch, wind down after the week, and cheer together for their favorite, local teams. Although I played soccer as a child, I’m certainly not a fountain of knowledge, but just being there and watching the players and fans alike – taking part in a great European tradition – was well worth the hours that I didn’t spend reading and writing for my classes.
Penalty Kick
I wish I could share some English football chants that I learned, but, to be honest, I couldn’t really make out the words. I suppose if you get 100 south Londoners cheering together in their south London accents, it can get a little hard to understand…but I did pick out “Crystal Palace!” every few words.
Should we have felt any loss of our own American football traditions, there was a small half time show that included cheerleaders, pompoms in tow, and even a real eagle (the mascot) that was sent flying across the field.
Crystal Palace was up by 1 point for most of the game, but in about the last ten minutes, Derby scored a goal. Palace couldn’t recover for a win, but the final moments were certainly exciting.
The final moments
I think what I will remember most won’t be so much the players, or the score, or the stadium, but rather all those fans. The local fans who came out to have a good time on a Friday night, all together cheering for their teem. I’ll remember the school boys screaming their heads of behind us, the older gentlemen to our right who sat, arms crossed, contemplating the game. I’ll remember all those scarves thrown up in the air, in rhythm with the joyous, singing fans. I’ll remember that it wasn’t a big game, the stadium was small compared to many others, I’m sure, but that is almost what made it so special. It was just a community coming out to play, have a good time, and watch a good football match.
Worth a Journey 
Even though I have a hard time sitting through a soccer match I feel like this would be a must have experience if you went to London and I’ve quite jealous.
That whole experience sounds so great, and I have to say that the fandom in sports is often times the best part of the sport. I love my school’s hockey team and all but the Corner Crew is just as good, with all of the original cheers and jeers the devotion that some fans have can be incredible.
Exactly! I knew, looking around me, that some of those fans have probably been coming since they were children, and now they are old men and women. And then there was the next generation of children being brought up in that pride and spirit for their home team. There is something really special about that. It makes it more than just a game or a sport, it is a togetherness, a community.