Geraint Thomas

[Claude Blue]

Back to the OP - The event was superbly attended and very well deserved too. Remember when Geraint was about 10 or 11 - 1997 ish Cardiff City were in Division three playing their football. This was the Phil Neal / Kenny Hibbitt / Russell Osman era. What sort of crowds were Cardiff pulling in then? A few thousand?? Probably, almost certainly not 10,000.

The young Geraint Thomas was getting interested in cycling at the time whilst his hometown football club had very little to offer at this time with the top goal scorer being one Andy Saville.

Is it any wonder why the young Geraint chose not to support his hometown club at that time and like many hundreds if not thousands of Cardiff / South Wales boys his age chose to follow the likes of Arsenal, Mann Utd, Liverpool etc.

Remember these were the real dark days of Cardiff City FC - third division football, finishing 21st in that division and managed by the likes of Hibbitt / Neal and Osman.

Geraint Thomas is a superb sportsman at the very highest level in world sport. He is a very proud Welshman and also probably very proud of being from Cardiff and attending Whitchurch High school alongside footballers such as Gareth Bale and Rugby players such as Sam Warburton. The fact he follows Arsenal and not Cardiff City is neither here nor there as far as I am concerned.

So a proud Welshman but not a proud Cardiffian?

Welsh sport had it's lean years whilst GT was a boy but I presume he didn't change allegiance to England or another country during that time.

[Nick]

I'm sure he's a very proud Cardiffian - It does not follow that he has to support their football team, however.

Does it also mean that his favourite singer has to be Shirley Bassey or his favourite author has to be Roald Dahl? Shouldn't he still be cycling for the Maindy flyers rather than team Sky?? Because he's a Cardiff boy??

[Bluebirdman Of Alcathays]

Back to the OP - The event was superbly attended and very well deserved too. Remember when Geraint was about 10 or 11 - 1997 ish Cardiff City were in Division three playing their football. This was the Phil Neal / Kenny Hibbitt / Russell Osman era. What sort of crowds were Cardiff pulling in then? A few thousand?? Probably, almost certainly not 10,000.

The young Geraint Thomas was getting interested in cycling at the time whilst his hometown football club had very little to offer at this time with the top goal scorer being one Andy Saville.

Is it any wonder why the young Geraint chose not to support his hometown club at that time and like many hundreds if not thousands of Cardiff / South Wales boys his age chose to follow the likes of Arsenal, Mann Utd, Liverpool etc.

Remember these were the real dark days of Cardiff City FC - third division football, finishing 21st in that division and managed by the likes of Hibbitt / Neal and Osman.

Geraint Thomas is a superb sportsman at the very highest level in world sport. He is a very proud Welshman and also probably very proud of being from Cardiff and attending Whitchurch High school alongside footballers such as Gareth Bale and Rugby players such as Sam Warburton. The fact he follows Arsenal and not Cardiff City is neither here nor there as far as I am concerned.

I'm sure a good number of us began supporting Cardiff when we were rubbish, though it's understandable if people didn't. I also understand when kids latch on the glamour clubs but to keep doing so when you're an adult seems a bit pathetic. I was a Liverpool fan as a lad but that seemed redundant when there was a club you could be part of down the road. That was the turn of the 90s, so maybe I wanted to go somewhere for some peace and quiet.

[Nick]

An adult from Cardiff supporting a football team other than Cardiff, a bit pathetic? Really?

I'd be more than happy if he was a Cardiff City fan but the fact that he is not doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Is being a fan of, say, Oasis a bit pathetic when you are from Cardiff? Shouldn't you be a fan of Shirley Bassey or Charlotte Church?

[valleys caveman]

On the flip side of this, should people from the valleys support Merthyr, Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale, or whatever their local team are?
I live 30 miles from Cardiff, but have always supported them despite Newport being a bit nearer and Swansea being a bit quicker to get to than Cardiff.
Not a loaded question, but genuinely interested in what Cardiff people think.

[Nick]

I'm the same as you - Newport County are far closer to me than Cardiff City. I suppose that makes us the same sort of glory hunters as Geraint Thomas - not supporting our nearest team but supporting the big time club.

[chris lee]

On the flip side of this, should people from the valleys support Merthyr, Pontypridd, Ebbw Vale, or whatever their local team are?
I live 30 miles from Cardiff, but have always supported them despite Newport being a bit nearer and Swansea being a bit quicker to get to than Cardiff.
Not a loaded question, but genuinely interested in what Cardiff people think.

I have always said I have more respect and would rather speak to a Welsh person who follows Swansea than a welsh person who supports a top 4 team

[Claude Blue]

I'm sure he's a very proud Cardiffian - It does not follow that he has to support their football team, however.

Does it also mean that his favourite singer has to be Shirley Bassey or his favourite author has to be Roald Dahl? Shouldn't he still be cycling for the Maindy flyers rather than team Sky?? Because he's a Cardiff boy??

Using singers or authors as an analogy is rather churlish. You don't "support" a singer or author. You may like them but will have numerous others you listen to or read.

Generally people support one football club and perhaps like, or have a soft spot, for a couple of others.

Anyway, it was more about "plastic" fans not getting the real highs with success that come with having a genuine connection with your club.

[chris lee]

Utter rubbish. He probably supported them as a child, as did you with Cardiff. I can't say that as an absolute certainty but it's a pretty good assumption to make. Very few people around Geraint's age supported Cardiff, I'm of a similar age and I was the only City fan in my year at school.

Also, Bale hasn't mentioned us either, so why should Warburton or Thomas? By the way... https://twitter.com/GeraintThomas86/...32214987739143

I said Bale has uploaded posts congratulating, Geraint and Warburton in the last few weeks.

[Nick]

Using singers or authors as an analogy is rather churlish. You don't "support" a singer or author. You may like them but will have numerous others you listen to or read.

Generally people support one football club and perhaps like, or have a soft spot, for a couple of others.

Anyway, it was more about "plastic" fans not getting the real highs with success that come with having a genuine connection with your club.

Geraint Thomas obviously does have a soft spot for Cardiff City, as has already been pointed out.

https://twitter.com/GeraintThomas86/...32214987739143

[Bluebirdman Of Alcathays]

An adult from Cardiff supporting a football team other than Cardiff, a bit pathetic? Really?

I'd be more than happy if he was a Cardiff City fan but the fact that he is not doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Is being a fan of, say, Oasis a bit pathetic when you are from Cardiff? Shouldn't you be a fan of Shirley Bassey or Charlotte Church?

Your analogy doesn't work. And yeah, a bit pathetic. There's a reason why people gravitate to the big clubs and I'd say it's generally quite basic.

[Penarth Blues]

Martin Tyler doesn't think you need to support a Prem team, but stops short of calling people Plastics if they do:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...tyler-13080060

He supports Woking it seems

[Pedro de la Rosa]

I said Bale has uploaded posts congratulating, Geraint and Warburton in the last few weeks.

Yes, and Geraint has posted posts congratulating us, Bale and Warburton; so I don't understand the point you were making.

[chris lee]

Yes, and Geraint has posted posts congratulating us, Bale and Warburton; so I don't understand the point you were making.

Oh I see, didn't realise he made a post, as I do not follow him. Fair play then he obviously does show some support for Cardiff so the OP mislead a little.

Although taking Geraint out of the picture as I obviously do not know him, I still find it hard in general to respect Welsh people, who follow a random English club just because they are successful