http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/02/...es_looking.html

Philly's football-philes looking for their field of dreams

Every time Tourette's-stricken US goalkeeper Tim Howard touches the ball, the fans shout "Timmeh! Timmeh!", imitating the wheelchair-bound disabled kid from South Park. Like all the best football chants, it's unnecessary, cruel and very funny. And when Tim gets tangled up with a Mexican forward and the two start slapping each other, the fans start singing: "Tim Timminy, Tim Timminy,Tim Tim Teroo / We've got Tim Howard and he says trout you!"

"Keep hold of your pint glass, they've run out!" A cheer goes up. We're in an American soccer pub watching a soccer game, which isn't that unusual. But the pub's packed with US soccer fans (hardly a limey in sight) who yell "who gives a trout?" and boo every time ESPN interrupt the soccer with updates of the latest college basketball action. Which kinda is. Unusual, that is.

The singing is loud, raucous and almost non-stop. At one point a couple of guys wearing the over-sized shirts of the Philadelphia Flyers ice hockey team walk into the bar, looking slightly bemused. All this for soccer? The best song is a version of Mah Nà Mah Nà (as popularized by The Muppets) that goes "Sons of Ben! Dee dee be de" and is accompanied by a wild-eyed two step dance.

These are the Sons of Ben. They are the hardcore supporters of Philadelphia's Major League Soccer team. Possibly their best chant is: "We've won as many cups as you, Metro, Metro. We've won as many cups as you, and we don't have a team."

Philadelphia doesn't have an MLS team yet. As the DC United fan website screaming-eagles.com puts it, the Sons of Ben have "banded together to twist the Field of Dreams mantra from 'Build it and they will come' to 'They're already here, just build it'."

But if Philly does get a franchise - and it's looking increasingly likely that it will - then it'll be down in large part to these fans who have all but willed a team into existence. In the meantime they've been practicing, in the words of the Philadelphia Inquirer, "by attending MLS games in New Jersey and Washington in order to boo those teams."

The Sons attended the 2007 MLS Cup final causing consternation and not a little anger among fans of the teams who were actually playing.

MLS fans already occupy a weird niche in the overwhelmingly docile and disconnected world of consumerist US sports fandom. Vibrant singing and chanting subcultures exist at many MLS clubs. And even - as in the case of the Portland Timbers - teams not even in the MLS. But even for these fans, the concept of a visiting crew who come to both abuse the locals and sing the merits of a team that doesn't yet exist has been something of a headtrout.

At half time during the USA/Mexico game in Philly's Dark Horse soccer pub, SOB founder member Bryan James makes a short speech: "Last year for this same game there were 15 of us huddled around one television. Now there's over 1,200 of us". A lot of the best Sons of Ben songs won't get sung tonight - mostly because the Brotherhood has grown too damn fast for everybody to learn the words.

Particularly missed is Custom Scarf Machine - a folk ditty sung to the tune of Yellow Submarine about a founder member who was told that MLS stadia all contained coin-operated custom soccer scarf machines and believed it.

Talk to the Sons - the tattooed cloth-capped punk guy from Jersey, the bespectacled woman who fell in love with the sport when Brandi Chastain ripped her top off, the former professional hockey commentator who once worked as the PR for the long-defunct Philadelphia Atoms soccer team, and the just-off-the-boat bloke from Stockport who compares the SOB to FC United of Manchester - and it's clear they're just as enthralled at being part of a unique fan phenomenon as they are with the idea of top-flight US soccer finally coming back to Philadelphia.

Which it well might. And soon. All manner of deep-pocketed and influential types are backing the idea. At the MLS draft in January, MLS commissioner Don Garber revealed that either Philadelphia or St Louis would be the 16th MLS team, and that Philadelphia are in the lead.

This prompted DC United fans present at the draft to chant: "Pick St. Louis! Pick St. Louis!" DC aren't particularly fond of the SOB. And in New York Red Bull fan chatrooms, the Sons are routinely dissed as "scum", "infected douches", "trouting retards", "Philthadelphia" and "the Daughters of Betsy".

Which presumably means that the fans without a team already have a bitter rivalry with not one but two sets of fans that do.

And that's got to be a good start.

Now you know I had to comment on this. <_<

Sons of Ben are well known in America. A supporters group that dosen't have a team is something unheard of possibly anywhere else in the world.

This just shows how popular the sport is in the USA.

Philly will probably have a team in the MLS within the next 2-3 years and will definately have some of the most hard core supporters in america.

They travelled up to the MLS final last year just to boo the teams...I thought what dedication that is.

People keep on about 'americanisation of sport' but there is a huge amount of fans who are just as against it as we are in england and most of these people have become MLS fans.

I think the link with FC United is a good one, the MLS has plenty of 'real fans' who are against the way modern sport is run.

Thankfully these fans are allowed to support their team due to lax rules (well compared to england they are lax).

Its going to be hard for the MLS to get respect around the world for a number of reasons. One being soccer has never been a major watched sport in the US and the rest of the world have a century of soccer being the top sport.

The absence of MLS teams in the champions league means that they miss out on the richest highest watched soccer tournament outside the world cup.

But that aside with more money being spent on players, custom built soccer stadiums, increased teams and the very attractive american lifestyle I'm positive the MLS will attract top stars and become one of the biggest leagues in the world along with thatb it will have some of the most dedicated fans in the world, because lets face it the USA is sports mad!

Do many MLS fans travel to watch their team away? I imagine it's very difficult given the massive distances!

Yes they do there are a couple of local derbies (well local for the us). Where 100's of away fans turn up, but every game there will be away fans but obviously not on the scale we have.

But I think fans flying 1000's of miles every other week shows how dedicated the US fans are.

You know back in the day when english stadiums were full of like minded fans whs whole lives revolved around the team?...thats the feeling I get when I go to MLS games its like stepping back in time.

There are however 'soccer mom' fans in the US who are I guess like the 'prawn sandwich' fans we have in england.

Best thing is though they have there section of the ground and us hardcore fans have ours...works great.

Brilliant news they will become MLS members in 2010. It will be great to see what 'sons of ben' will do. Supporters group already number 1,500 without a team, so now they have one they could well become one of the largest possibly in the world.

MLS goes from strength to strength.

Maybe I can suggest my work sets up offices in philly lol.

Toronto are taking over 1000 fans to columbus.

I heard reports that soccer is quickly becoming the national sport for canada.....amazing.

I'm going to the New York 'Red Bulls' (what a tenche corporate name btw :angry: ) against CC on 5th April. I think it's the 1st game of the season. £9 a ticket for lower level...is that where the 'ultras' will be if they've got any because that's where I'd want to be.

Not a bad price eh? I'm afraid new york dosent really have great support, they are looking to build there own stadium (might have begun not sure) so small attendances in massive stadium aint great, they do have some hard core fans but not on the scale as other mls teams, so I dont think it will be that good I'm afriad.

I think once NY have their own stadium it will be tonnes better.

Hope you have a good time though.

The best fans are to be found at TFC, Houston, DC, Chicago.