Culture
What is the Community Shield Game?
The FA Community Shield is the traditional opening game of the English football season. But what is it, exactly? Who plays in it? And when and where does it happen? Let's break it down. First, the FA is the Football Association, the governing body of English football. They run the FA Cup and lots of…
13 Ways That Watching Football in England and Europe are Different
What are some of the differences between watching soccer, or football, in England vs watching it in Europe? Here’s an attempted answer from an American who’s been to nearly 200 games between the two. First, let’s acknowledge that “Europe” is an awfully broad term. A game of Fußball in Deutschland is quite different from una…
Ways that Brits Say “That Game Sucked”
Here are a ton of ways that British announcers will say a football game was terrible. Let’s face it: not every game is a thriller. In fact, some of them are really no fun at all. At a game like that, other than the supporters having a go at one another, the only fun thing…
Groundhopper Guides’ “Rules” for Attending Soccer Games in England
Heading to a football (soccer) game in England? Want to make sure you don't commit any faux-pas, social or otherwise? Well, we have been to more than 100 games around the UK, so read on to see our advice for attending a game without annoying your neighbors or getting in trouble. Get there well before…
Match of the Day: A History and Appreciation
Match of the Day is as much a part of English football culture as Monday Night Football is to that in the United States -- in some ways, even more so, as it largely stands alone in its field, and it even draws us back into the past. Its music is recognizable to probably everyone…
From Our English Soccer Guidebook: The Standard Northern English Town Story
Paul describes his experience and knowledge of the typical northern English town. As I have travelled around, going to games and exploring random corners of England, I have seen this in every northern town I’ve visited, and you will as well, so we might as well get it out of the way. There was a…
Watching Soccer: England vs Spain
I have seen more than 150 soccer games in the UK, so I think I know my way around those leagues and clubs pretty well. As I now expand my groundhopping into Spain, I am already seeing some differences. This is not a "which league is better" post, though. It's about how going to a…
Exploring the World of #groundhopping
In 2011, when an Arsenal supporter friend invited me to a game at The Emirates, it was very much as if I had stuck my head through a portal and peered into another world -- a world, I would soon learn, called groundhopping. I was aware of English football, of course, and like many Americans…
Why I Prefer Watching The Championship over the Premier League
Most Americans, when they think of English soccer, naturally think of the Premier League. It’s rather hard to miss in the culture, and it is a tremendous league filled with world-class players on every club. The atmosphere is great, the stadiums not that big, and the TV coverage ubiquitous. But there are several reasons why…
Soccer Culture: The US vs England
I have been fortunate enough to have two fantastic experiences in my soccer life: One is going to more than 100 football games in England, and the other is seeing my beloved Portland Timbers play in two MLS Cups (and win one of them) in person. The playoff runs were magical and gave me some experience…