Can a football fan explain something for me?

I assume you're talking about Gareth Barry? When I heard that on the radio earlier on I just thought - oooh his wife will have better shopping in Manchester! ?

Yes it's sparked by him but I have always wondered. I suppose as I'm seeing all the scathing facebook updates it's closer to home.

Oh yes, there will be fabulous shopping!!

With particular reference to Barry (and as a Man U fan, I can only laugh at him opting for the city's second team ?) I think it's because he had a big big transfer battle last season regarding a move to Liverpool and wanted to leave but a move couldn't be agreed and he always stated that he wanted to move for Champions League experience I can only imagine that the Villa fans will feel a little put out that he has actually moved to a team that finished lower in the table than they did and struggled to finish in the top half of the table. Fans become quite possessive of their best players and Barry is obviously one of Villa's best and there is sometimes a sense of "ownership" when it comes down to it. I suspect they feel this way because Barry has moved simply for money and the fact that he is almost certainly guaranteed a game every week (hence enhancing his England prospects) in the hope that they "may" attract more star players and therefore gain a place in next season's Champions League. Like I said, as a Man U fan, this is a source of much amusement to me as if City qualify for the Champions League next season I'll eat my (proverbial) hat ?

With regard to other teams/players, its almost a no-no to transfer between certain clubs. In Man U fans, there have been significantly few transfers between us and City and us and Liverpool as even the players themselves would admit it would be seen as an act of almost complete betrayal. Same goes for transfers between Arsenal and Tottenham (another no-no). The case of Sol Campbell being the most recent one - he was greeted with such venom when he moved from Tottenham to Arsenal that I believe he had some personal threats and may have had to employ extra protection. Football players on the whole are fickle creatures and generally follow the money and the glory (if they're good enough) and will move to enhance their international careers or where the big bucks are. Also, a lot of them are influenced by girlfriends/wives who when faced with a choice of the shopping in, say, Wolverhampton or Manchester would obviously prefer the latter. No disrespect to Wolverhampton but you get my drift.

With fans I think its a tribal thing and anyone who doesn't want to play for you anymore and makes those feelings known, should expect a rough ride from the fans - its all part of the game.

I think some fans (myself included) struggle when they realise that a player they have supported and have watched celebrate goals/kiss his badge etc doesn't love the club as much as they do. It's like a mini bereavment at times ?

Some players do it with 'dignity' and you can still have a soft spot for them and some promise you the earth one second then feck off at the slightest whiff of a pay rise. It's like your husband leaving you for a younger woman after you've invested time in you relationship. It's wrong God damn it. I'm still mad at David Seaman (Judas) and I bet not many people can even remember his career pre Arsenal. That's how long I've been hanging on to that grudge.

Riled now. ?

It's the circumstances though, not the leaving. Back in the day when I was a rabid football fan (Leicester City) I was extremely upset about Brian little's departure to Villa as he basically stuffed the club over. It wasn't nice. When Martin O'Neill left most reasonable people could understand it, had been expecting it, and it was all very amicable. It still amazes me that I used to cry about football, but I idid. I was that passionate about it. Nowadays I barely know what is going on.

I still love Martin O'Neill (in a non biblical fashion). I never forget when he was a pundit for The 98 World Cup and Robbie Williams guested on the program. O'Neill started giving Robbie the benefit of his advice about his career following the departure from Take That. What a ledge.

I think then that what I am lacking in my thought process is the passion. In my mind I just see it as a job, like someone that works for Tesco, going to work for Sainsburys (just on a much bigger salary).

I do think in the case of Gareth though, he's given 12 years and it's time for a change. I can see why anyone would want to move after that long. I can also see the attraction of going to a club that hopes to raise it's game with the injection of money. Again, though I see this in the business sense. Kind of like Theo Phapitis when he buys companies going down the pan and re-builds the brand.

I really, really, hand my heart don't believe it's all about money, when you get to that level of income there's only so much money you can spend/have, surely? When you love a job, which i assume you'd have to in order to play a good game, it must go beyond the £'s?

Chook, I had DS on a flight a couple weeks back..shall I give him a kick on your behalf next time I see him? ?

See I can never understand the whole traitor to your club thing. I've always been of the mindset that if they're not bothered about playing for us then we're better off without them <shrug>

But then I don't "hate" the teams I'm supposed to and quite like to see local teams winning if not playing my team. ?

I think , as someone else said, with most clubs/fans it's the manner of leaving and the player's behaviour generally that decides whether the fans "hate" him after he has left. For example I support Fulham and we had Edwin Van der Saar as our goalie for two or three years, he was a brilliant player, worked hard for the club, everyone loved him and when he left he went to Man U - who could blame him for taking up that offer? He has been their first choice goalie ever since, still always has good things to say about his time at Fulham and whenever we play Man U he is always cheered by the Fulham fans when he comes onto the pitch. By contrast there are other players, no names here as I don't like to specify when I am saying something nasty, who have sworn allegiance to the club, said how fantastic it is to work there, that they have no intention of leaving and then, when offered a hefty sum of money, left without a backward glance, maybe even gone to a lesser club so can't actually say it's to further their career, just for the cash. At the moment the player I am thinking of is injured but when he comes to Fulham again then he will probably get booed, understandably.

I agree with Chicken 100% I hold grudges like this. Nicky Wroe and Neal Bishop are the 2 that I will hold til the day I die. Neal Bishop cost us promotion in 2006, played like a tw@t knowing that he had a nice league club in Barnet and Nicky Wroe let us pay for his new knee op and then p!ssed off to Torquay. York have no cash and this riled me ?

Anyway football makes you do and say funny things.

Having been a season ticket holder for 14 years i can honestly say supporters attitudes to players are not always rational - you can have a player that scores plenty of goals a season but still get loads of grief from supporters and another that doesn't quite fulfil his potetnial but fans love him - same applies to players leaving clubs - some are practically sent on their way with a leaving card and best wishes while others suddenly become a figure of hate for the rest of their careers.the players attitude also has alot to do with how fans feel.

football is not logical but thats part of the fun!

Its not that I don't understand because I do (onto season 25 of season ticket holding for Leeds Rhinos and been going to football with my Dad since I was 4 and then H )

But I just don't get the urge to hate players! Doesn't matter what they do/don't do!

Maybe I am too rational! It really bugs me whan fans play the hole "the ref did us out of it" card

there are some shocking refs in the lower leagues - no orient supporter will forget the ref that was so far behind the play that he didn't see the ball go over the goal line when we were away at Leeds last season (well season before last now i suppose) and therefore didn't give the goal, it was quite unbelievable!!

Though they do say the good and bad decisions even thenselves out over the course of the season but it doesn't feel like that sometimes!

I think that the thing that would annoy most AV fans would be the fact that he's given up European football next season which would be better for his career for more money. Especially when last season when there was all the talk about him going to liverpool and wanting Champions league football and they couldn't agree on a move and then this season they end up selling him to Manchester City a team that finished below AV in the league.

As a football fan i'd be a bit betrayed by a player that does this if it was in my team when he says he wants to better himself in terms of what type of football he'll be playing only to turn around and end up just going where they'll pay him the most money.

In terms of other careers, would you take a job that could potentially ruin your career if it meant you had more money for a couple of years but then no career at the end of it.