Do you care about the success of the national team?

[Ticker45]

 When people ask me who I support it is Swindon and England only - Swindon a majority of the time, especially when England are only playing "friendlies", then England in competitive matches.

Went to the "old" Wembley quite a few times to support England but have not considered going in recent times as it is a pain to get to and from, and watching on television is a damn sight easier.

Really want us to do well in Brazil but realistically getting out of the group stage is even going to test us.

[Bob's Orange]

Think DMR has it spot on.

I remember 1990 (just) and was glued to Euro 96 and WC98. Recently the magic of International football and tournaments has faded somewhat.

[iffy]

England are the Everton of international football.

Not in the top four and never going to be, but better than most of the rest.

We will nearly always qualify, always get out of our group, but never have that final bit of quality to get beyond a semi-final. The only England games where there's any real uncertainty are the quarter finals (which sometimes we win) and semi finals (which we almost always lose) of major tournaments.

I can't get that excited about two games every four years.

[Batch]

I remember being gutted when  England went out to Argentina. Then euphoric when Beckham scored the penalty against them in the next world cup.

Maybe it's age, but I gently missed a few world cup qualifiers this time round because I forgot England were playing.

I'll still love the world cup, watch us play, etc. But expectation is so low that England will not be able to spoil the tournament this time!

[DMR]

But expectation is so low that England will not be able to spoil the tournament this time!

I keep telling myself this. It will still be fucking brutal when we get knocked out.

[Flashheart]

I keep telling myself this. It will still be fucking brutal when we get knocked out.

I tell myself this every tournament and even manage to convince myself most of the time. Right up until a week or so before it all kicks off.

[Ginginho]

[leftside]

Owen's worldie against the Argies in 98...Greatest footballing moment ever.

For me it doesn't get anywhere near Flint's goal at Brentford. In fact, I'd rather witness any STFC goal than an England goal.

[Sippo]

1990 for me is where it's at.

[Abrahammer]

No England song has since has touched that.

I presume there will be a new car crash of a song out soon by someone like One Direction.

[DMR]

For me it doesn't get anywhere near Flint's goal at Brentford. In fact, I'd rather witness any STFC goal than an England goal.

Loved that, but think I went slightly more ballistic at Brighton when Fallon's went in. I seem to remember it nicked off the keeper and popped up in the air a bit, and nobody was quite sure if it was dropping wide or dropping in, so when it lollipopped in to the net everyone went proper mental.

[Ells]

I actually want both Swindon and England to do well - I don't see why supporting your national team always has to turn into a club v country debate. One probably edges it for me but it seems irrelevant to the initial question.

There's plenty of bullshit and twattery associated with both international and domestic football, but at least the Andorra national team aren't going to get taken over by a Qatari oil billionaire and stuff teams like England out of sight without much merit. I think there's something to be said for that in comparison to league football.

[Pax Romana]

When I was younger I cared a lot, I followed the national side home and away from my first England game in 78 until my last in 96.

Now the attitude of the players in the main and their own "couldn't really care less attitude" makes me care less and less but yes I do still care just not to the extent that I used to.

Practically identical to me in era and attitude (I finished in 1990 except for Euros here).  Going to a world cup final was a fantastic experience but somewhere in the 2000's I stopped believing in England.  Now I'd like them to do well but I no longer invest any emotional capital in them.  When England go out it won't bother me unduly, particularly if the cricket is going well.  Whereas I still find watching Swindon nearly as gut-wrenching as I did in my youth.

[Summerof69]

I presume there will be a new car crash of a song out soon by someone like One Direction.

Apparently it's a rehash of Take That's 'Greatest Day'.

[chalkies_shorts]

I use to go up to Wembey regularly in the 80s to watch England. I stopped when the kids were born etc as I didn't have the money. Now I've got the money again I can't be arsed.
I still watch the games on telly and hope we win but its fucking difficult to support a team that has had such a bunch of cunts playing for it. Rooney makes my fucking skin crawl and his outburst in South Africa was a fucking disgrace and he should have had his bollocks chopped off for it. I know people who gave up their jobs and spent over £12k going to that World Cup to be told by Shrek that they were a fucking disgrace.
Then you have Terry, Cole Lampard etc.
Then the golden boy Gerrard who when the going gets tough, fucks off nowhere to be seen to then have a stormer against Andorra and everyone is knocking one out over him again.
The golden generation were nothing than a pile of fucking hateful spiteful gobshites.
England pale into insignificance when compared to the Town. A Town win over the Scum is better than any England win. In fact a Town win over anyone is better than an England win.