Deep in the heart of Texas, as the song goes, lies the cultural and political oasis that is Austin. Known as a hotbed of live music, art, and film, Austin also boasts a fervent group of Arsenal supporters, and at their core is Derron Podd.
Originally from Connecticut, Derron came to Austin in 2004, to attend the University of Texas. The Austin Branch Manager honors were bestowed upon him, during a visit to Chelsea Piers in New York City for Arsenal America’s Dennis Bergkamp testimonial match.
He credits his brother Sean, and his friend Sebastian, .“..for nurturing my dedication/obsession/love for all things Arsenal, while still in its infancy, but says, as a person both blessed and cursed with an astounding standard for aesthetics, there was no choice other than the Arsenal.”
Derron numbers amongst his favorite Arsenal memories, “stepping onto the Highbury pitch with my fellow Arsenal Americans just weeks before the demolition began, as well as, having a pint and a laugh with famed Gooner Johnny Rotten”, during his visit to Austin.
In one of those moments that speaks of an Arsenal supporter’s heart, Derron recounts traveling to Paris for the 2006 Champions League Final, “After multiple failed attempts to enter the Stade de France less than legally, I was able to negotiate in broken French to buy an unused ticket at half for 100 Euros (10x less than what the TWO scalpers outside that stadium were demanding before the match). Seeing my beloved Arsenal on the pitch for the first time as I ran to my seat was one of the greatest experiences anyone could ask for. Strangely, I don’t have the foggiest what happened after the 76th minute. Weird.”
When asked about Gooners in the Austin area, he proclaims, “The Austin Gooners are a proud family and want all to know. We now best the local Chelsea, United, and Liverpool fans in number, voice, and heart. Despite our large fan-base, we have not been maligned with the “casual fan syndrome” that seems to affect our esteemed rivals. We are there for every match - FSC or Setanta, Premiership, Champions League or Carling Cup.”
For anyone wondering where “there” might be, Derron says, “After the formation of an exploratory committee charged with reporting back on the potential benefits of a location switch, Austin Gooners have decided to stay put at the current home of football in Austin, Fadó Irish Pub. This potential relocation will be revisited sometime in the future.”
Fadó Irish Pub Austin
214 W 4th Street
Austin, Texas
512-457-0172
Gooners in and around Austin are encourage to contact Derron about match meet-ups. Of the local supporters, Derron is effusive in his praise, saying, “I’d really like to applaud all the Austin Gooners for their dedication. Check out our ramblings at www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/austingooners.”
In a city known for its appreciation of culture, individuality, and artistic expression, it is fitting that there is such a committed group of people that appreciate the beauty of the Gunners. As Derron puts it, “football is sport, Arsenal is Art.”
Derron Podd
Austin Branch Manager
austin@arsenalamerica.com
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
