Changing Allegiances

As a kid in the 80s, I supported Liverpool - the best team in Europe at that time, and with so many good players (my favorite was Jan Molby, the Midfield maestro whose fitness level was dubious at best but whose ability to pass and spread the ball around was unsurpassed).  Then, wanting to break the shame of being a glory fan, I decided to switch my support to Oldham Athletic in the 90s.  I loved the way they played the game in the early 90s with their plastic pitch - lots of goals conceded but even more goals scored.  These were the good times - playing in the top division, making the FA Cup Final semis twice (I still remember the devastating Mark Hughes equalizer for Man Utd right at the end of extra time).  Then came relegation and 20 years of mediocrity.  As my passion for Oldham has waned over the years, now it is time to switch my allegiances once again (I have no scruples about displaying no loyalty!).  So, now my support is officially to Crystal Palace.  It really should have been from the start - this is the team most of my family has supported for a long time.  Ironically, one of the reasons I supported Oldham was because they won a load of games at the end of the season in the inaugural year of the Premier League to relegate Palace on goal difference.  Regardless, Palace is my team now, and I will support them from now on (at least until they get relegated!).  I believe they have some American investors now, so I hope that means that they will get even more coverage out here (they have already been featured in a pretty good behind the scenes doc called Behind the Badge).  As I write this, the FA Cup final has just finished (my goodness, what a shambolic opening ceremony - this ain’t no Superbowl, and I also wouldn’t sing our crappy national anthem) and once again Man Utd have ruined the FA Cup dreams of my team in heartbreaking fashion.  I hate Man Utd.