Feeling supporters have to their footy team

[smilingcrow]

Does anyone have a word that describes the feeling a football fan has towards their team. In other words that takes into account their shared sense of victory and feeling of belonging to the team etc. Personally I cant imagine why anyone would want to watch millionaires kick a football around a pitch but I am including this in my short story.
Thanks

[HowardKennitby]

tribalism

[smilingcrow]

YEs that word will do but are there any more indeed? Thanks.

[DTCwordfan]

devotion
allegiance
zealous
adulation
veneration

[smilingcrow]

thanks dt still dont get the tea bag joke though

[mightyWBA]

Camaraderie
These days it's rarely the players we care about it's because they're playing for our club.
Many years ago there was a connection because many players were local or played for numerous seasons,nowadays they come and go like buses.
My passion is for my club,I've been watching them for many years and hopefully will have quite a few left to carry on doing so.

It's hard to explain to somebody who doesn't care but I've bumped into quite a few of my fellow supporters many miles away from home wearing something that identifies them as a Baggies fan.
There's an immediate connection even if you've never met before.
The team represents it's supporters so it's only natural if they win something the joy is shared.

[rowanwitch]

Union.....
communion the sharing of a common set of rituals in the case of fans...attire food chants... bit like a religion after all

[factor-fiction]

Also:
Shared experience
Affiliation

[smilingcrow]

affiliation! Thats the word! thank you. The other words people came up with were great and what I was asking but affiliation is the one for me to put in the story. Thank you for your help everyone

[DaisyNonna]

Despair in my case!

[craft1948]

Never mind Daisy.............it's tennis for the next 2 weeks on ITV :-)

[DaisyNonna]

Anything but snooker or bowls would be wecome.