Los Angeles Galaxy Fans Q&A Number One. ERIC GOODALL

Eric Goodall, the man, the myth, the smoggy.


First up is a fellow English chap who I am full of admiration for. He is from Middlesbrough and resides in Newcastle yet is devoted to the Galaxy and flies across the pond a few times a season in order to watch the G's and hang out with the ACB. I usually make a point of tracking him down and having a chat when I know he's in town and his passion to L.A.'s footy team can not be faulted, plus he's a top geezer of the highest order and drinks like a fish.



Q1. How did you first get into the Galaxy and what was the first game you attended?
I was doing Los Angeles and Vegas for my 50th birthday with a pal and said to to him "Hey mate, Beckham has signed for the local team, do you fancy taking a look at the American soccer experience?"
We went along and met some of the friendliest party people God has put on this earth at the tailgate. We discovered that the "Americans aren't big on drinking" myth was just a myth. I kept in touch with my new mates via their messageboards and having obtained a good pre-nup, thought,
"Hell, what's stopping you flying a few times a season and meeting up with your American cousins?"
And that's how I caught the bug.


Q2. Name your favourite five Galaxy players of all time?
Well it's only my 4th season watching, so it's limited. But my five favourites so far are Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan, Omar Gonzalez, Sean Franklin and Juninho. Beckham's not in my list because I feel let down that he hasn't given the Galaxy his full focus.


Q3. What is your normal preparation/routine when attending a Galaxy game?
I fly in from Middlesbrough the night before, I usually stay at the Doubletree in Carson. One of the ACB guys usually picks me up from LAX, we get a slab of Heineken on the way to the game, meet up with the guys in LOT 13, start fuelling up about 5 hours before the game, go into the match usually half pissed and cheer the G's for the next 90 minutes.


Q4. Do you follow any other footy teams?
Followed Boro my home town team for 40 years and I've been to over 50 league grounds and 9 European venues to watch them. I've served my dues and they've now been traded for a newer and sexier version.


Q5. Name five footy teams that you hate the most?
Sunderland, Sunderland reserves, Sunderland U 18s, Sunderland youth team and San Jose Earhquakes


Q6. Describe the best Galaxy performance you attended?
We won 3-0 away at San Jose, the game was played at the Oakland A's baseball stadium due to the high demand for tickets. There was 40,000 at the game and Buddle got a hat trick. The 250+ traveling Galaxy fans in attendance were in raptures and loving it.



Q7. Describe the worst?
Spanked 4-1 at RSL this season. 2 down after 10 minutes and never has the saying "Men against boys" been more fitting.


Q8. Has the Beckham signing been better for Beckham, the Galaxy or the MLS?
The MLS


Q9. Do you follow any other sports and if so, what teams?
England when they play the Aussies at cricket, that's about it really.




Q10. Do you play footy, what position and are you any good?
I had trials for Boro as an 11 year old, my mother went out and bought me a new Leeds United kit as they were the top dogs at the time. She thought her son was going to be a professional footballer.
Ha, ha, ha, It wasn't often she was wrong.



Q11. What's with the rivalry between Galaxy supporters groups?
I don't know, it's fucking daft. It will eventually blow over when the people who like a bit of drama get bored with it.



Q12. Have you ever been involved in any aggro at the match? Galaxy or otherwise?
Not really as my survival instincts were always finely tuned. I didn't swim in shark infested waters and if I was ever caught by surprise the adrenalin kicked in and I could keep pace with Carl Lewis. I've seen all kinds of shit going off, but generally if you don't want it, you can avoid it.



Q13. How do you think the MLS compares with other leagues around the world?
It's rapidly improving, I would put it at English 1st division level in the main. Real Salt lake are lower end Championship level.



Q14. Club before country?
Always been club, you put in more blood, sweat and tears into following them.


Q15. Almost every Galaxy fan I speak to wishes that Chivas USA were gone from the HDC, where would you like to see them end up?
San Diego or Las Vegas.


Q16. Favourite away stadium? (MLS or otherwise)
Stadium of Shite and in the MLS, Red Bull Arena


Q17. Least favourite away stadium? (MLS or otherwise)
Stamford Bridge. It might be in the "posh" end of London, but they had more nutters per head in their fan base than any other club I have ever been to.


Q18. If you could change anything about the Galaxy organisation what would it/they be?
Actually I think that the Galaxy front office is slowly coming around and this confrontational stance between F.O. and fans is fading out, so things are getting better.



Q19. What changes would you make to the MLS?
Stop expansion at 20 for at least a decade, move Chivas USA, it's a failed experiment and if possible get a team in the South east which seems easier said than done.


Q20. What's the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you at the match?
I had to jump back over the turnstiles out of the ground once at at the old Ayresome Park when the stand I usually sat in had been taken over by about 10,000 Geordie nugget fans.


Q21. Funniest thing you have seen at the match?
When my mate told us in a loud voice (he had more than a few beers) while watching the game that his wife had just left him for the Boro goalkeeper. Everyone around stopped watching the match to listen to him, then he said that she hadn't left him for Steven Pears, but the goalkeeper for the Boro ladies team. Everyone just fell about laughing.



Q22. Finally, how do you see the season ending for the LA Galaxy this year?
I think we'll make the play offs as a lower seed and get nailed early doors.



Cheers Eric, good stuff.