Forum Topic

What is Ealing's Local Football Team?

Along with my husband we are considering how we should guide our young son over what football team he should support. We don't have any particular allegiances ourselves although do go and watch games occasionally. The decision will be his and it seems almost inevitable he will end up supporting Chelsea or Arsenal like his peers. However, while there is still a chance we would like to steer him to supporting a team where we might actually be able to afford tickets for him. Brentford is the closest to where we live but I notice a lot more QPR shirts in the centre of Ealing. Personally I prefer Fulham which seems to have the friendliest atmosphere and we can incorporate a nice day out by the river while watching a game but that probably can't be counted as local.Officially what team should you support in Ealing to be able to claim you support your local team?

Tricia Arbuthnot ● 3116d11 Comments

That was in 1882 Keith, been at Loftus Road for 100 years apart from a few years at the old White City, so think they qualify as a local team,

Declan Devine ● 3104d

Strictly speaking QPR are not local.They originated in Queen's Park, funnily enough, and that's in Brent.

Keith Iddon ● 3105d

65 bus to Richmond & Kingston stops at Kew Bridge Station - 5 minute walk to the new ground.

Philip Coe ● 3105d

Bear in mind though the club is due to move in a couple of seasons and while it will still be geographically close to Ealing I don't think there will be a bus that takes you direct. Loftus Road might be a bit further away but could then be easier to get to by public transport.

Andy Jones ● 3105d

My recommendation is Brentford - it is close by, and a large number of fans have been supporting the team for many years.

Tony Smith ● 3105d

As a business strategy this makes perfect sense but there is a cost to having a player recruitment policy that means you aren't necessarily going to bring in players who have grown up in the area. Even in this age of talent being brought in from all over the really successful teams have had a number of players who have been associated with the club man and boy. These players are normally the fans favourites and I think it is particularly important for clubs outside the top divisions to retain as many links with the local area.

Andy Jones ● 3113d

A good article from earlier this year on why Brentford chose to close their youth academy.https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/05/brentford-ditched-their-academy-premier-league-outcasts

Paul Stobswell ● 3115d

There is an argument that Spurs could qualify as a local team with them playing a season at Wembley and tickets do seem to be available very cheaply. This could be a poison chalice though because if your son ends up supporting them he will be condemned to a life time of disappointment and you will have to schlep over to North London from next season.From my own experience Brentford seem to be the more community aware of the two most local clubs and my kids benefitted from activities arranged by them. However, they seem to have failed to build on these foundations. They have abandoned youth recruitment and now bring in players on a moneyball type system which seems to work well but removes the club further from its local roots the family of players are unlikely to be in the crowd.My impression may be wrong but QPR seems always to have been more effective in developing players from the local area. Peter Crouch and Raheem Sterling spring to mind but there are other examples. Brentford's system makes it unlikely that you would ever get a player like Kevin Gallen spending most of his life at the club.I used to go to Loftus Road when I had a free Saturday many years ago but the tickets seemed to be a bit pricey for someone who wasn't a committed fan. Brentford is probably a bit cheaper as they don't usually fill the ground and they certainly used to do good deals for juniors. Fulham fairly regularly have very good offers for family tickets which sometimes used to be advertised in the Gazette if you can find a copy.

Andy Jones ● 3115d

Hoops should only be worn by rugby teams.Proper football teams play in stripes.

Paul Stobswell ● 3116d

The answer is obvious........ Hanwell Town FC!!!I'm QPR.Always will be - it's never boring that I can guarantee!The closest geographically to me is Bentford but they have a TW postcode so dont count as London. Both Foolham and Chelscum are South West London so there's only one option really (apart from Hanwell Town).And Hoops look great up close or from a distance ;-)

Colin Goodman ● 3116d

When i came to London Ealing/Acton i started going to QPR (after my 4 years in Middlesbrough where QPR were the best visting team) and 39 years later am a season ticket holder. But i would say that Brentford are closer and within my Church in Ealing are more widely supported. Probably as well with ticket pricing it might be a more affordable option. I occasionally go to Brentford with friends and always find it friendly.

Peter Chadburn ● 3116d