Kian Gadsby
It was almost 1am when I was startled by a sharp knock. “Kian, are you awake?” came faintly through the cracks of the door. I was expecting it, but as I had already fallen asleep and had been woken up by the sound, I begrudgingly welcomed my friends into the room and opened my laptop.
This was Sunday, June 1st, 2025. It was a special day, as that evening Vancouver Whitecaps, who I have been an avid supporter of for almost a decade, were taking on Cruz Azul in the biggest game in their history; the Concacaf Champions Cup final.
The stakes could not be higher. Victory would not only see Vancouver cement themselves into legend by becoming the first Canadian side to lift the trophy, but it would also secure them a place at the 2029 Club World Cup.
In a league like the MLS where roster regulations see teams regularly broken up, sides can rapidly fade from contention. The financial and prestigious gains from the opportunity would enable them to continuously attract the best talent, meaning this match could mark the start of a golden age in Whitecaps history.
Having woken up at 5am the previous day and not returned until midnight due to a journalism assignment, I was exhausted and barely able to focus on the action. Unfortunately, I didn’t need to, as Vancouver produced a dismal display and shipped four unanswered goals in the first half.
My laptop went off at the half-time whistle. I couldn’t take anymore, and frankly, I assumed I was hallucinating from my tiredness. I was not, and I awoke the following morning to a final scoreline which read: Cruz Azul 5-0 Vancouver Whitecaps.
Although it transpired that the entire Whitecaps squad had been suffering from a sickness bug that had run through the camp in their visit to Mexico City, that information was far from sufficient to quell the frustration and disappointment from that defeat.
The experience was a chastening one, and it made me question why I supported and cared so much about this team.
Now, you may read this and simply brand me as a football maniac. I don’t blame you, and you’re probably correct. After all, how many British people actively support an MLS side?
However, many fans in the UK would do the same for their own, admittedly more local teams.
There are thousands who travel miles around the country and even around the continent to follow their side home and away. These trips involve midweek treks to the middle of nowhere and sometimes missing multiple days of work or school just to watch 22 men kick a ball around for just over an hour and a half.
Such passionate support and dedication receives considerable praise from all corners of the sporting world. However, when broken down into its simplest form and phrased like this, it sounds rather silly.
In this article, I offer my explanation for why I, and many others, care so passionately about football and support the beautiful game with such dedication.
Football Creates a Community
Football clubs creating a sense of community is a famous old cliché, as the same thing is said about every club at every level. However, there is truth behind the phrase, as the beautiful game has the power to transcend barriers and bring people together.
While in North America visiting Vancouver, I ended up joining the Whitecaps fans on their short trip across the border to Seattle to take on the Sounders in a critical MLS clash.
Despite knowing almost nobody on the supporters bus, I found that my love for the club was enough to ensure people started talking to me, meaning I quickly made friends and found myself as part of the Vancouver Albion supporters’ group.
Upon my return, although the post-match celebrations had seen me lose my voice, I had acquired multiple scarves and contact details. I have remained in close contact with them ever since, and after just one match of football together, those guys have become my friends.
This effect is not just limited to Canada. When wearing a football shirt in England, I am regularly stopped by strangers shouting ‘Up the City’ or ‘Come on County’ in support of whichever team’s kit I happen to be wearing.
On many occasions, this has led to an extended conversation which typically diverges from the sport and into other aspects about their lives. Over the course of my life, I have forged many firm friendships which have sparked from simple conversations about football, meaning that the sport has played a crucial part in my life.
Football truly does have the power to connect people, and that sense of belonging and inclusivity is part of what captivates many all over the world.
Lows Make Highs Even Sweeter
Defeats hurt. The frustration or pent-up anger induced by an embarrassing performance or result is an emotion that every sports fan can resonate with.
However, I believe that the highs of supporting a football club far outweigh the lows, and that the process of going through a negative time and coming out of it and enjoying success again is what makes supporting a team worthwhile.
For those of you concerned that I am just an MLS fanatic who doesn’t know what relegation or ‘true football suffering’ feels like, don’t worry, as I get more than my fair share of pain from my English side, Stoke City.
Once a staple of the Premier League, the Potters have been on a dismal run in recent years. They dropped out of the top flight in 2018, and since relegation, City haven’t finished in the top half of the Championship; an embarrassing fall from grace for a side who were once revered around the world.
With the team losing a lot, Stoke’s results, especially in the middle of winless ruts, grew more and more frustrating. Whenever they lost, my Dad would turn to me and say, “They don’t deserve your support son,” as a way of telling me that it wasn’t worth getting upset about, and that I should just move on with my life and support them when they are good.
He’s not completely wrong. If those on the pitch or with any tangible association to the club are not going to put in the effort required to get results, then why should I put effort in as a supporter?
However, I disagree with that sentiment, as to me suffering the lows means the highs are more enjoyable. There have been plenty of times when I have celebrated that team after they have done something good, and are they only worthy of my support then?
The best example of a fanbase seeing heartbreak turn to jubilation, and making the glory even sweeter, in recent seasons is Newcastle United.
When the Magpies lifted the EFL Cup after defeating Liverpool 2-1 to secure their first major trophy in 70 years, the stands of Wembley were filled with supporters celebrating, bouncing around the stands and holding family members in tight embraces through floods of tears. The victory parade saw the streets of Newcastle lined with supporters, each desperate to remember as much as they could about a day that they would remember for the rest of their lives.
Although they have enjoyed success and even Champions League football in recent years, and have become a recognisable name in the Premier League, Newcastle have not always been a staple of the top flight. Such celebrations meant so much more to those who had followed the team from the era when they were languishing at the bottom half of the Premier League, even suffering relegation down to the Championship for a season before starting their ascent.
Ask any Newcastle supporter from that day at Wembley if the 2015/16 Premier League season, where they were relegated, was worth watching, and I can guarantee you that they would turn around and say ‘Yes, absolutely it was worth it!’
If you look at an attendance chart from any club comparing the support from a season when the team were playing well against a year when the team were not, you will inevitably notice that more people will watch a winning team.
Ultimately, to the general population, the sentiment that teams are only worth supporting when they are successful prevails.
However, this is not the case for the dedicated few who follow their team around the country. They know that their side will endure bad defeats and suffer poor seasons, and they will have many afternoons questioning the point, but they understand that it is that suffering that makes the eventual successes even sweeter.
Kian Gadsby
Featured image courtesy of Kian Gadsby. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of Kian Gadsby. No changes were made to this image.
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