To go back to yesterday's conversation about clubs as I missed it and am a bit younger than most on here - in school in the 00s and 2010s there were plenty of fans what was then the 'big four' (Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool) plus Wolves, West Brom, Villa, Birmingham. There was even a couple City fans but my brothers who are younger saw more of them.
Generally I found that the gloryhunters were either people whose parents didn't like football so they chose someone who was good, or they were the kids who hated losing/couldn't take banter so chose who was good rather than who was local. Both types never went to games, often they were the same person. Sometimes they might make up a fictional relative from the place to add legitimacy. Others kids took the piss out of them for it, I still find the idea of choosing Man U or Liverpool when you're from the West Midlands a very odd thing - but then those people's relationship with their club is primarily if not wholly through a TV. They're the ones missing out.