We continue our series of in-depth explorations of the personal journeys taken by WEF’s leading contributors – this week host Steve Crooks speaks one-to-one with Brandon Chemers to learn more about a story leading from Chicago to Beijing, via Shanghai – just how close did Brandon come to taking up the Shenhua religion?
We chat about the great Beijing-Shanghai rivalry and how it manifests in football, and some stories from away trips over the years – including a recap of a harrowing away debut in Henan.
A wide-ranging conversation also covers the club-country conundrum, process from football tourism through to getting behind a club and becoming part of a fan group – and then transitioning from solo match going to getting a young family into the game and a top parenting tip on ‘stadium language’.
Along with some top anecdotes and matchgoing memories, Brandon shares some recommendations to encourage newer fans to get into the game in China and embrace their local club – and hints at a couple more stories which may come out in future interviews.
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Steve hosts the Chinese Football Podcast, having joined the WEF team as correspondent for Shanghai Shenhua, the side he has followed since moving to Shanghai in 2010. Exiled from the Victorian town-centre idyll of Feethams along with his childhood football team, Steve spent many an (un)happy year on Hongkou's North Terrace along with the Shenhua Element Crew and Blue Devils before relocating to Sydney from where he continues to follow the Chinese game from afar.
Join in the discussion on #chinafootypod
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