Fans turning to lower league football

Summer, try to catch football where I can but rather watch competitive than friendly. The extra-preliminary rounds of the FA cup are still progressing. Went to Trafford FC last week. Loads of city supporting kids in their blue shirts there. Was able to take the push bike in. Good quality and it's nice to hear studs on pitch and the ball. Always a blue but happy to pick a team in any match.
Actually enjoyed the Trafford match so much I wanted to go to the Didsbury Winsford replay on Wednesday. Got there and I was the only one there - match was transferred to Irlam. Only 15 mins away so not such a big waste of time.
 
MarcIsTired1986 said:
Its been my Username everywhere since I had kids - it wasn't created with you in mind, pal.

Its not defeatist at all. Im actually extremely optimistic for the season ahead. It was created on the back of a conversation with my Dad yesterday who was only interested in talking to me about County.

But, thanks for your input.
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City and Stockport. Yawn.
 
I went and watched Trafford FC a couple of times last season. I can walk from my house, costs about a tenner on the gate. My son can kick a ball around. Really good beer (in view of the pitch). Few pints in the Bird afterwards with some friends.

Mainly, you’re not treated like a scumbag from the minute you arrive. It’s quite refreshing.

I’m not emotionally involved whatsoever, but it’s a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
 
Not turned my back on City but I usually only go to lower league games myself nowadays because of the cost - as in, 1. it's too expensive and 2. I don't agree with the prices compared to when I used to go to almost every game
 
Jwoody19 said:
I’m also from Stockport but refuse to follow County as I know too many reds who support/follow them.
But I do understand the sentiment as City (and the premier league on the whole) have priced a lot of working class blues out - me included.
I just couldn’t support another team, I’d feel like an imposter. I’ve only ever loved City and that’s how it’ll
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Jwoody19 said:
I’m also from Stockport but refuse to follow County as I know too many reds who support/follow them.
But I do understand the sentiment as City (and the premier league on the whole) have priced a lot of working class blues out - me included.
I just couldn’t support another team, I’d feel like an imposter. I’ve only ever loved City and that’s how it’ll stay.
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Hate those feckers with a passion . Never forgot what a bunch of cunts their fans were when we played them back in the 90`s . Also for attacking city fans in a stockport pub back then . Think it was the Hope Inn on Wellington Rd ? I`m also sure they were told to sling their hook after requesting to do a match day collection back then
 
Blue Boy 63 said:
Hate those feckers with a passion . Never forgot what a bunch of cunts their fans were when we played them back in the 90`s . Also for attacking city fans in a stockport pub back then . Think it was the Hope Inn on Wellington Rd ? I`m also sure they were told to sling their hook after requesting to do a match day collection back then
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The City/County duoists are weird as fuck or have very short memories. I was laughing my cock off when they nearly went out of business.
 
dinosaurbloo said:
Summer, try to catch football where I can but rather watch competitive than friendly. The extra-preliminary rounds of the FA cup are still progressing. Went to Trafford FC last week. Loads of city supporting kids in their blue shirts there. Was able to take the push bike in. Good quality and it's nice to hear studs on pitch and the ball. Always a blue but happy to pick a team in any match.
Actually enjoyed the Trafford match so much I wanted to go to the Didsbury Winsford replay on Wednesday. Got there and I was the only one there - match was transferred to Irlam. Only 15 mins away so not such a big waste of time.
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Bumped into a couple of lads at Wembley last year who go to every round of cup and follow the winning team to the next round. They were following Palace last year but us the year before.
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
Bumped into a couple of lads at Wembley last year who go to every round of cup and follow the winning team to the next round. They were following Palace last year but us the year before.
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Sounds like the most extreme version of glory hunting, making sure your "team" gets to the final every year.
 
Watched Altrincham a few times over the years. They've been my second team since the mid 80s. If I stopped watching City though I'd probably stop watching football altogether.
 
dinosaurbloo said:
Summer, try to catch football where I can but rather watch competitive than friendly. The extra-preliminary rounds of the FA cup are still progressing. Went to Trafford FC last week. Loads of city supporting kids in their blue shirts there. Was able to take the push bike in. Good quality and it's nice to hear studs on pitch and the ball. Always a blue but happy to pick a team in any match.
Actually enjoyed the Trafford match so much I wanted to go to the Didsbury Winsford replay on Wednesday. Got there and I was the only one there - match was transferred to Irlam. Only 15 mins away so not such a big waste of time.
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I’m more and more just watching City play not interested in watching any one else unless I have the chance of seeing one of the 3 Red twats lose. Ergo, why I’m watching the community shield.
 
I do get why folk would do this but I never could, as I wouldn’t have enough interest in the outcome. Saying that I’ve done it with City so who knows what might happen in the future…
 
Talking to a neighbour yesterday, who’s a life long Bolton fan, he has for many years, bought a Man City match day membership and, goes to Chsmpions League games, other cup games and, occasionally Premiership games, if he can get tickets for him and his son.
He also continues to go and watch Bolton regularly.
In the last couple of season he said tickets were getting harder to purchase though.
I sit in block 220, now 120‍♂️ which is predominantly season ticket holders, but not exclusively.
There’s a couple of seats on our row where different City fans sit each home game, but at least 5 or 6 times now, fans of other teams, who want to watch City have sat in those, and other seats nearby.
Fans of West Ham, Bury, Bayern Munich, Barca, a Mexican team and never when they’re playing us.
Now I get fans from some other clubs might try and get tickets in this way when their team play us, but these guys just came to watch City, like my neighbour.
So, I guess many aren’t turning their backs.
After 52 years a season ticket holder I’ve considered sacking it, but have always bowed to ridicule from my match day going mates, do I renew.
That’s simply because I’m fed up of VAR, crazy rule changes, injury feigning players, daft KO times etc.
It’s not about cost for me thankfully, I could do many more away games, but don’t, that’s a work life balance thing.
Not sure I’d ever not go to City and I’m 65 in a couple of years, do it gets cheaper again.
Because of our recent success, I can die a happy man.
Turn my back on that, not just yet.
 
Norman kneejerk said:
Agree definitely quite a lot of reds lying low there.
I was a County sympathiser in my youth but these days not so much
Haven't they effectively bought (with top wages compared to rivals) their way back up the leagues under the guise of being this wholesome football model.
Happy to be corrected if I missed something
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I think they had new owners that cleared the debt and sorted the clubs future out. They’ve spent a bit but they’re no Wrexham, and they’ve done well to get back up to league one.
 
Long story but my Uncle who got me into football supported United and so does my brother. I support City but my Uncle was the first person to take me to City, United and Oldham. As Oldham was our family 'neutral' club, I've always had a soft spot for the Biffos. Sadly he's got dementia now but absolutely adored football.

So, Oldham are a team I have as my 2nd/3rd team really and I've been recently with our son and it's been great going through a turnstyle, going into a food/drink shop that's not trying to financially nail you. The football is miles away from the PL and absolutely the opposite of City but in some ways, I get why people go and watch it. Kids get to meet the players, they get on the pitch and Frank Rothwell is a local guy who's got the town and clubs interest at heart. The games are also a bit more 'interesting' in that you have no idea which team will win as they are a lot closer in skill than say City v Ipswich etc.

My mate is a Biffo but lives down south now so he can only watch them when they play down there. For his birthday, we clubbed together and got something like £200 to spend at the club shop and honestly, the stuff was top quality, looked really good and was also cheap compared to City.

I can understand why people who don't want to apply for City membership, pay £100 or whatever for tickets for City v Busparkers FC on a cold Wednesday night, have zero chance of ever meeting a player and have to pay top whack for a shirt when they can get the kids 'closer to their heroes' at smaller clubs. We go to basketball as our son plays basketball and again you get to meet the players etc at a fraction of the cost of watching City. I've spoke to a load of pensioners who go to Droylsden FC and it's pennies to get in and they make a full day of it - beers before, go to the game, food and a few pints after for what I'd pay to watch a City v Busparkers game!

All that said, I know people who've met Ederson and KdB at local 'Soccer 6' events as their kids were playing there and were more than happy to have pics taken, so it can happen. I don't know a single red who's met anyone other than Scholes on the local kids football circuit.

When you go to City games, it's noticeable how old/white/bald the crowd is I think compared to lower league clubs/sports. The skill of the average player in the PL is incredible but I do think we've lost something as the money has taken over.
 
I go to Newport county games, mainly when city are playing at 12 30 so we can watch them in the pub, its cheap, 15mins on the bus and theres a feeling of belonging you dont get at big clubs, the football is usually crap and theres no real emotion for me but its a nice afternoon out with good mates. Tickets for city are hard to come by and still expensive, we wanted to go to the spurs game but couldnt get tickets, managed to get some for bournemouth and west ham, my son is moving to manchester for uni in sept so trying to work games around seeing him for the weekend but the cost and availability is a ball ache
 
Millwallawayveteran1988 said:
If I ever stop going, I would jack it in completely. I find lower league football dull.

I can see why people do it though.
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I've seen City in semi finals and finals at Wembley.

Went to watch Oldham with my pals a couple of months back in their final.
It was was absolutely not dull.

The atmosphere for a non league game was crazy.

A proper grass roots day out.
 
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