Fan Culture / Featured / Local / Photo essays

We applaud you, the fans

It has been an incredible year of soccer in Philadelphia. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a look back over 2010, the year soccer came home to Philly, as seen through the lenses of the PSP photographers—Daniel Gajdamowicz, Paul Rudderow and Nicolae Stoian. You can view the collection of photo essays here. As we at the PSP mark our first anniversary, we continue with a look at the people who have made the return of soccer in Philadelphia—and the PSP—possible: you, the fans.

There are all kinds of fans

Some stand out.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Some are standing.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Some do it their own way.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Some do it together.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Some fans are young.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Some fans are young and adorable.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Some fans are very young and adorable.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
And some fans are young and not so young anymore.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Some fans wear masks.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Some wear kerchiefs.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Some fans wear face paint.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Some fans sort of do.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Some fans wear…whatever that is.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Some fans let ’em have it.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Some fans simply have it.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Not all fans are there for the Union…

The friendly against Celtic saw young Celtic supporters…
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
…”festive” Celtic supporters…
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
…and a couple of “drunken idiots.”
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
But mostly it was awesome.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
And then there was the Manchester United friendly.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
More than 44,000 were on hand…
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
…including that wacky Arsenal guy…
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
…to see and be seen.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
And while things may have been a bit chippy on the pitch, at least one fan was having a good time at the Chivas friendly.
Photo: Paul Rudderow

Still, the Union are the fans, and the fans are the Union.

From the Linc…
Photo: Paul Rudderow
…to the River End
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
From the capos…
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
…to the kids.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
In the halftime concession crush…
Photo: Paul Rudderow
…or that last beer in the parking lot.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
In wonder…
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
…and in praise.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
You are the Union…
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Jungite aut perite.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian

Cover photo: Nicolae Stoian

6 Comments

  1. Is it March yet?

  2. Great pics! I freaking love this team and cant wait for next season!! Not sure what I’ll do between now and then!

    C’mon the U

  3. it was a great year for soccer in Philadelphia ,just like we all want it !i am sure next year is going to be even better , get ready !
    Cheers!

  4. this is awesome…. i can’t wait for a ppl playoff game next year. it’s going to be unreal.

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