Or as they are better known - Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal (North London), West Ham and Leyton Orient (East London), Millwall, Charlton and Crystal Palace (South East), Chelsea, Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and Brentford (West London) and the newest London team to join the football league, and South West London's sole representative, AFC Wimbledon.
Each one of these teams has it's own army of die hard supporters, much the same as any team up and down the country. But for me, what makes London football special is the intense rivalry that exists between these fans.
As a Londoner I would love to be able to say I like to see all the London clubs do well. But that would be a lie. I would love nothing better than to see West Ham open their 2012/13 season in their new 60,000 capacity stadium verses Bristol Rovers, in old Division 3.
I am a Tottenham supporter. Our biggest rivals are Arsenal, a team which a cousin who I consider close supports. Should Spurs lose to Arsenal, which unfortunately for me has happened more often than not over the last twenty years, I have an irrational urge to hunt him down and horse whip him.
This sort of rivalry goes on between all teams; West Ham hate Spurs, as do Chelsea, Q.P.R don't like Fulham, Fulham hate Chelsea. Millwall hate everyone and no one likes them, but as their fans will be quick to point out, they don't care. For me there is an unwritten rule that you can have a second team in London, as long as the don't play in the same league as the team you support.
The support for these clubs originally came from the local areas. But as London grew over the last fifty years and the traditional industries of the docks, print, automotive and manufacturing died out, and with mass immigration to inner London from former colonial countries, many Londoners moved out to the suburbs. I would say the Majority of Spurs and West Ham's support now comes from the suburbs and beyond. Harringay and Newham, the boroughs that are home to these two clubs have suffered most from the decline of industry and mass immigration. For some reason the Asian community have never taken to following football en mass.
Football in London is more than just a game, it's big business. I would estimate there are more than half a million people in and around London that spend money following their favorite team. I know as a cab driver how much busier London is when a team is involved in the champions league. Of course, the money men haven't failed to notice this. Five London clubs now have foreign owners. The biggest problem facing football fans in general is the rising cost of attending a match. Q.P.R have put their prices up by 40% after being promoted to the premier league, although I haven't heard that West Hame have reduced theirs by the same amount after being relegated!
I would love to see more London clubs in the Premier League as there's no better atmosphere than a London Derby. Although Arsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger, has always said it's a big disadvantage for clubs in London to challenge for the title because of the cup-tie atmosphere a derby creates. But what would he know? He's French! It's a shame there's not enough space in the football calendar for a London Cup.
With the 2011/12 season fast approaching, it looks like it could be the best yet. So I would like to see all the London clubs who play in the Premier League do well (with the exception of Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham & Q.P.R).....which only leaves the mighty Tottenham Hotspur, who will hopefully be crowned champions, come what May.
COME ON YOU SPURS
