We are of the same mind here.
I'm not THAT in to football but I have a life-long love of Liverpool FC and the only thing that stirs my soul about the game is when I'm standing* on the Kop (other stadiums exist - I was at one last Saturday night for example) watching the team (absolutely fabulous now) play and willing them on.
The so-called 'fans' (we have two who work with us, one in Cambridge and one in Bristol) of certain teams they have no links with whatsoever but still claim to 'support'! That boils my piss that does.
* Yes, we do.
Hmmm....
Why shouldn't people support a club from afar, if they so wish? Might be their only option. I'm two miles from Fratton Park, I'm a lifelong fan, but I've been to two games, ever. Still my club, still (in the nicest possible terms) wish the lot down the road to be reduced to their correct place in the local pecking order. According to some, that isn't enough. I'm still also fond of a few other clubs in various parts of the world, because they have a decent ethos, a proper code of ethics regarding business and their communities, and (heaven forbid) try and play decent football. Wouldn't claim to be a fan of them, but I'll follow their results and be glad when they do well. And someone can have been born and live their entire lives thousands of miles away from a club and still feel a genuine passion for them.