Plastic fans are ruining the game.

Discussion in 'England Rivalries' started by TheOrator, Aug 28, 2006.

  1. OKTerrific

    OKTerrific Member

    Sep 10, 2005
    The River End
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There were seats, but no one was seated.
     
  2. OKTerrific

    OKTerrific Member

    Sep 10, 2005
    The River End
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Please tell me what these "plastic" reasons are. I would love to know, since you know so much about me.

    God, why do you insist on feeling so threatened.
     
  3. leg_breaker

    leg_breaker Member

    Dec 23, 2005
    Many people in England are decended from Anglo-Saxons, it doesn't mean they're going to start supporting FC Copenhagen. If your family are from Belfast then why don't you support a team like Linfield or Glentoran?

    Then you're an official plastic paddy. Congratulations, open yourself a tin of green beer, put on your 'kiss me I'm Irish' t-shirt and start collecting money for the IRA.
     
  4. OKTerrific

    OKTerrific Member

    Sep 10, 2005
    The River End
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Some idiot brought up something from another thread that had absolutely nothing to do with this conversation. The fact that my family is from Belfast has nothing to do with who I support, football wise.
     
  5. leg_breaker

    leg_breaker Member

    Dec 23, 2005
    RichardL?
     
  6. Gearbox

    Gearbox Blue Is The Colour.

    FC Cincinnati
    United States
    Jul 9, 2006
    Cincinnati
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Enjoy the game for what ever reasons you do. Support whatever club you do for whatever reasons you want. I'm too damn old to care and have too little time to waste wondering about others' reasons for doing so. My 2 cents as usual. ;)

    Oh yeah some where in this thread someone wondered how some stayed informed. For me I have directv so I get Fox Soccer and Setanta and I read FourFourTwo. Ive got a subscription to Champions Magazine coming but have read that yet. Looking forward to it though. Oh, and oh course the internet!!
     
  7. leg_breaker

    leg_breaker Member

    Dec 23, 2005
    The BBC and ITV just didn't take football seriously enough, Sky saw its potential and they didn't, and the rest is history. I don't think that football is a product of Sky. If you go to the game you don't exactly notice the cameras there, it's just another match.

    If you're watching at home, then Sky's coverage is infinitely better than the shit they served up before. I can't even watch BBC football matches anymore, compared to Sky their production values are like that of a school nativity. Wobbly cameras, stupid camera changes, completely inappropriate closeups, irritating commentators that are too loud (Sky's commentators are much more subdued in comparison), in fact I saw an American women's college game on youtube which was easier to watch...
     
  8. Colin Bell the King

    Colin Bell the King New Member

    Sep 7, 2004
    Wythenshawe
    Its not really inverse snobbery mate, its me trying to express the reasoning behind how and why I continue to go week in week out, spending all my money on City and beer. Match going fans understand completely the point I am trying to make, and if we're being honest here as this is an American based forum where the lads and lasses dont get to go all the time, so I can see where I might come off as snobbish, when I really dont mean to be.

    It just winds me up when Reds who probably dont attend the majority of games think that they can brag and boast about how many league titles they have and what they have won compared to us and try to ram it down our throats, expecting to win the argument that certain people seem to think... 'What have you won compared to us, so therefore we are the better club etc so shut up, you dont know what you're talking about' (the reason I made my original post was due to that Red who jumped all down my throat for suggesting that for Mancunian based Reds the Blues are more of a rival and someone to hate than Liverpool. We know that the United Liverpool rivalry is mainly trophy based as both teams have been hugely successful, but the Blue Red rivalry is more of a social rivalry, as I have to live with the red bastards 365 days of the year, and they do with us) , when for alot of people, going to the match is about the social aspect.

    I'm being honest here, my first match, I spent more time in awe of the crowd (we're talking late 80's so it was more of a heightened experience back then) and how the crowd dynamics were completely new and amazing to a little 5/6 year old kid. This experience was even more heightened at away games, and from the age of 10/11 I have rarely missed a home match, and started going away all the time from the age of 13/14. (I'm 23 now) The home games are shit these days, and I have missed a few due to relocating to Hull for University, but even now I still rarely miss an away, due to the camaderie that is had. If that goes I will probably pack going to football in because although football is great to watch I hardly ever watch it when its on TV due to the fact that I find it a bit boring. So in my case, and for probably pretty much anyone who attended thier first game - I'm sure you can all remember it, didnt you spend more time in awe of the crowd, and how passionate they all seemed, and didnt you, one day, want to be part of that.

    Call me sad, but the best buzz I get out of going to football, isnt winning, its getting the songs going. Im lucky to travel with a group of lads who are loud, and so if one of us starts a song, the rest will join in and that spreads to pretty much the whole support. Singing in unision is something everyone from all over the world loves to do. Its a part of pretty much every culture, from the singsongs of Motown classics down the local, to the mums and dads and the kids joining in with pantomime singalongs. Even when we lost 4-2 to Blackburn about 30 of us spent the whole 40 minute train journey from Darwen to Manchester Victoria station singing songs new and old.

    I'm rambling now, so I'll leave it at that :)
     
  9. RichardL

    RichardL BigSoccer Supporter

    May 2, 2001
    Berkshire
    Club:
    Reading FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    a Belfast catholic supporting Linfield?
     
  10. RichardL

    RichardL BigSoccer Supporter

    May 2, 2001
    Berkshire
    Club:
    Reading FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    in general there's something of a grievance from fans who have clocked up the games watching their club regularly towards those going along for a day out, or those only going because the team is doing well. It's felt that these fans are pushing genuine fans out as games get more and more expensive to go to. While that sentiment is probably overdone - high prices and large gaps in lower division stadiums show it's not just a case of clubs milking the supply and demand situation offered by constantly full stadiums - traditionally those who go home and away week in week out tend to be mid 20s or younger, and are far less likely to be able to afford higher ticket prices.

    Although probably exaggerated, the sort of fan more readily able to pay today's prices is seen as the sort of person who'd treat a match as a "consumer experience", akin to going to the pictures or a west end play, and will sit back and wait to be entertained.


    There is also, it has to be said, a degree of cynicism towards those who declare undying support for a team who play thousands of miles from where they live. Having a favourite team is understandable, but taking it further than that just seems surprising here. There's enough cynicism towards those who live outside a club's natural catchment area as there is, as they are typically viewed as gloryhunter armchair fans who'd support a new team if their heroes hit hard times. Again, the tendency for gloryhunter type fans (those above school age anyway) to change teams is probably largely exaggerated, but the fact that nearly all of them support a big club, and nearly all of them claim a tenuous "true" reason for that support, doesn't held their case for credibility.
     
  11. Catfish

    Catfish Member

    Oct 1, 2002
    Chicago
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Oh my word, is that the 7th Sign?
    LOL.
     
  12. Miles Brasher

    Miles Brasher Member

    Sep 6, 2004
    Coventry,England
    Calling it tragic is a leeetle extreme. The quantities of people still experiencing the wonders of match day live, (getting drunk on the train, the nervous anticipation as you walk to the ground, and never knowing whether your bladder will hold out till half time!) is the same as it was before. It would be be better if the experience that the extra fans had was more 'real' but how do you make that happen ?

    From what you read on the Arsenal pages, a trip to Highbury, and Highbury II has been an experience to savour and remember, and that's only come about because of the global media 'intrusion'.
    Yes, there are many plastic fans on here and worldwide, but as soon as the club experiences a dip in form they'll soon bugger off, and to honest not many clubs don't experience a similar dip in attendances at the ground once their results drop for a season or 2. I was impressed with ManCitys fans when they got relegated twice, the board certainly didn't deserve them after their incompetence, and it's good to see, but thats not the norm...
     
  13. leg_breaker

    leg_breaker Member

    Dec 23, 2005
    I'm not aware of the sectarian affiliations of Belfast football teams, it was just a suggestion.
     
  14. YankBastard

    YankBastard Na Na Na Na NANANANAAA!

    Jun 18, 2005
    Estados Unidos
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Very good points.
     
  15. in da soup

    in da soup New Member

    Nov 17, 2005
    england
    yeah right :cool:
     
  16. OKTerrific

    OKTerrific Member

    Sep 10, 2005
    The River End
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linfield#Sectarianism

     
  17. GringoTex

    GringoTex Member

    Aug 22, 2001
    1301 miles de Texas
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    Fullham forever!
     
  18. Miles Brasher

    Miles Brasher Member

    Sep 6, 2004
    Coventry,England
    That's one 'ell of a team to support ;)
     
  19. luciusmagister

    luciusmagister New Member

    Feb 23, 2004
    7th Heaven
    Not a very good one. Linfield is like a U.V.F. all-star team.
     
  20. Catfish

    Catfish Member

    Oct 1, 2002
    Chicago
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    By the way, not trying to be jerk, but you might want to learn how to spell the club you support.....FULHAM with 1 letter l.
    http://www.fulhamfc.com/Splash/splash.aspx
     
  21. OKTerrific

    OKTerrific Member

    Sep 10, 2005
    The River End
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    And it starts. People saying they're Fulham fans just because they signed Dempsey. This oughta be fun.
     
  22. Catfish

    Catfish Member

    Oct 1, 2002
    Chicago
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Hey, why not? The more the merrier? Just see if they stick with the FFC after the Americans are gone. At least you can make some money of them selling gear....
     
  23. Miles Brasher

    Miles Brasher Member

    Sep 6, 2004
    Coventry,England
    That's what I was trying to say. One 'ell, geddit geddit ?

    Well, that's English humour for u
     
  24. OKTerrific

    OKTerrific Member

    Sep 10, 2005
    The River End
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I enjoyed it.
     
  25. Catfish

    Catfish Member

    Oct 1, 2002
    Chicago
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Know what I mean?

    SAY NO MORE!

    I remember seeing that skit with my Dad at 2AM on TV when I was 5 yrs old.

    good times.
     

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