  Revised Latin today, for my GCSE on Tuesday. Involved reading Pliny. His view of the chariot racing is interesting: 'So I wonder all the more that so many thousands of grown men so childishly desire repeatedly to see horses running and men standing in chariots.
And yet if the were attracted either by the speed of the horses of the skill of hte men, there would be some logic in it; in fact they support a piece of cloth, they adore a piece of cloth, and if in the race itself... this colour were to be transferred to that horse and vice versa, their enthusiasm and favour will transfer as well' This piece has always struck me as very relevant to football (or soccer to you Americans) in modern England. I have sat through too many physics lessons where the conversation soon turns to football, and then swiftly to argument. An Arsenal supporter calls another guy an idiot for supporting Chelsea, on account of their being 'crap', and the Chelsea supporter swiftly ripostes by calling the other a retard. These are supposed to be 16-year olds. It has always struck me as unnecessary. Now I am not averse to watching a good game, in any sport.
However, these people are having fierce arguments in support of clubs to which they have seemingly no relevant connection. Normally they are not the 'local' club, rather the most local club that is near the top of the Premier League - Chelsea or Arsenal. The other side of the argument is, of course, that a club is made by its supporters, and it couldn't get anywhere without them.
This I appreciate, but I do not agree that this is the case with glory supporters such as those of Chelsea and Arsenal. Football seems to have ceased to be 'the beautiful game', and has become a sort of one-up-man-ship. 
