Open arms for new fans !

[dobobobo]

I welcome proper city fans, who support us when were bad, good, average....
I dont like the thought that some rich bandwagon jumper can just come along and possibly take the place of a life long city fan who may be cant afford to go, and then dissapear if times get bad.

Yep.

It was slightly less than the usual amount this season, but I could not believe the amount of fans going down the steps early to beat the half time rush. One of our biggest games ever and they desire a flat lager and a shit burger. Because they went down early they of course missed seeing the goal live. There are countless fans who would of given their right arm (figure of speech before anyone decides to get picky) to see that moment live inside the ground.

I could go on about how the seat next to me has been empty all season. But seeing as the fan missed this game of all games, I'm now beginning to think he/she is dead.

 

[c-t-i-d-87]

Anyone who claims to support a team abroad who they have no connection with, have no connection with the place the team is set up to represent and do so knowing that if that team were in the third division they would not do so is - in football supporting terms (not in real life, obviously) - sad as fuck imo.

Does anyone on here admire the footballing style of Barcelona and the way they play loads more than I do? I doubt it. Does that qualify me as a Barca fan then? Does it fuck! I have nothing to do with them. They have nothing to do with me. I have no connection with the city, other than visiting it and me professing to be a fan of their's just because I watch a lot of them on TV and really admire them would be borderline mental illness.

Whatever happened to being able to like/admire/enjoy something without trying to latch on to some sort of sadcase reflective success and claim that you are 'part of' a team across the other side of the world? In fact, let me revise that, 'part of' a successful team across the the other side of the world. After all, whoever heard of The Hong Kong Rochdale AFC Fan Club?

Whether it is claiming to be a massive fan of City/United/Chelsea/Barca/Dallas Cowboys/Mars FC and deluding yourself that it really matters to you, doing so with no actual connection shows some sort of personality deficiency in my view.

I know people think that is a load of bollocks. After all, to insult the 'passion' of a football fan and to suggest that it is all bollocks has to be reacted to with anger and ire, it's the law. But that is only because to do otherwise would show the lie to the nonsense that is "loving" a sports club that has feck all to do with you.

I'd extend it to the likes of sad case Cockney Reds too. After all, what's the difference between them and their Malaysian counterparts. Most of them, just like the huge United fans in Sydney, have nothing to do with United or Trafford and will never see the team play, other than on TV. And if they happen to have the cash to fund the odd trip to Old Trafford, does their financial comfort make them any less sad?

If it were in any other field of life other than football/sport support, 99% of people would question the sanity of such people and call them shallow and sad. Because it is football people will excuse a lot of sad behaviour.

As for how it affects City, the more of these clowns start buying City tops the better. But don't expect me to suddenly offer them loads of respect or to see them as anything other than sad cases who can't enjoy football without pretending that they are part of it and boasting to others that they and 'their' team are the best.

+1

For anyone who may be wondering, that post is a fair reflection of the regular match-going (pre takeover) blues opinion on this topic - like it or not.

 

[unlikelyfan19]

Anyone who claims to support a team abroad who they have no connection with, have no connection with the place the team is set up to represent and do so knowing that if that team were in the third division they would not do so is - in football supporting terms (not in real life, obviously) - sad as fuck imo.

Does anyone on here admire the footballing style of Barcelona and the way they play loads more than I do? I doubt it. Does that qualify me as a Barca fan then? Does it fuck! I have nothing to do with them. They have nothing to do with me. I have no connection with the city, other than visiting it and me professing to be a fan of their's just because I watch a lot of them on TV and really admire them would be borderline mental illness.

Whatever happened to being able to like/admire/enjoy something without trying to latch on to some sort of sadcase reflective success and claim that you are 'part of' a team across the other side of the world? In fact, let me revise that, 'part of' a successful team across the the other side of the world. After all, whoever heard of The Hong Kong Rochdale AFC Fan Club?

Whether it is claiming to be a massive fan of City/United/Chelsea/Barca/Dallas Cowboys/Mars FC and deluding yourself that it really matters to you, doing so with no actual connection shows some sort of personality deficiency in my view.

I know people think that is a load of bollocks. After all, to insult the 'passion' of a football fan and to suggest that it is all bollocks has to be reacted to with anger and ire, it's the law. But that is only because to do otherwise would show the lie to the nonsense that is "loving" a sports club that has feck all to do with you.

I'd extend it to the likes of sad case Cockney Reds too. After all, what's the difference between them and their Malaysian counterparts. Most of them, just like the huge United fans in Sydney, have nothing to do with United or Trafford and will never see the team play, other than on TV. And if they happen to have the cash to fund the odd trip to Old Trafford, does their financial comfort make them any less sad?

If it were in any other field of life other than football/sport support, 99% of people would question the sanity of such people and call them shallow and sad. Because it is football people will excuse a lot of sad behaviour.

As for how it affects City, the more of these clowns start buying City tops the better. But don't expect me to suddenly offer them loads of respect or to see them as anything other than sad cases who can't enjoy football without pretending that they are part of it and boasting to others that they and 'their' team are the best.

Fair enough, I really don't care if you think I have a personality deficiency or whatever. But lets think about this. I live in Arkansas. If I wanted to support a MLS team, the closest one would be probably Kansas City which is about an 8 hour drive. I have as much in common with Kansas City as I do with Manchester. Our reality over here is different. We don't have small communities packed next to one another. I grew up in a state not a country, a state, that you could drive 14 hours across and never leave the state. We are used to supporting teams that have zero locational relevance. When I was young, I HAD NO FOOTBALL to watch other than your league. Then the MLS came around and it was never on tv, the only way you could watch it for a few years was to drive there. Well, that isn't going to happen as a pre-teen. It is still easier to get access to premiere league matches than it is to watch MLS games. Is this making sense now? I "latch" on because it's fun. Which is the point in sports. Entertainment. It is no different that going to the movies, or going to the pub. It's an opportunity to go out and do something to take our mind off the struggles of day to day life. To have a good time, meet others, enjoy camaraderie. You know what else makes it fun? Having a horse in the race. I am ok with you having your view, but with the way this club is headed you are going to make things hard on yourself it sounds like.

 

[northstander]

look its simple anyone who comes along and claims to be a loyal blue can take a simple test:

DRINK 8 PINTS OF JOEY HOLTS BITTER BEFORE THE GAME AND KEEP IT IN !

 

[WhitbyBlue]

I welcome proper city fans, who support us when were bad, good, average....
I dont like the thought that some rich bandwagon jumper can just come along and possibly take the place of a life long city fan who may be cant afford to go, and then dissapear if times get bad.

Yep.

It was slightly less than the usual amount this season, but I could not believe the amount of fans going down the steps early to beat the half time rush. One of our biggest games ever and they desire a flat lager and a shit burger. Because they went down early they of course missed seeing the goal live. There are countless fans who would of given their right arm (figure of speech before anyone decides to get picky) to see that moment live inside the ground.

I could go on about how the seat next to me has been empty all season. But seeing as the fan missed this game of all games, I'm now beginning to think he/she is dead.

Bit harsh that lad, the burgers arn't that shit.

 

[bobmcfc]

i dont care where your from, if you have city blue running through your veins then its good enough for me

 

[Ezra]

Unlikelyfan19. Listen mate, If you are lucky enough to make it over and make it to see 'GodsChosenCity', I for one would gladly welcome you with open arms and share a pint or two. We both seem mature enough to accept that others will have differing opinions. But don't let it get to you.

 

[carlos tevez is a blue]

Talking of new fan's...

How many seats could we sell for a league game?

Considering EVERY game has been sold out, I think we could get 60,000 easy.

 

[unlikelyfan19]

Unlikelyfan19. Listen mate, If you are lucky enough to make it over and make it to see 'GodsChosenCity', I for one would gladly welcome you with open arms and share a pint or two. We both seem mature enough to accept that others will have differing opinions. But don't let it get to you.

Fair play. Cheers.

 

[JohnMaddocksAxe]

Fair enough, I really don't care if you think I have a personality deficiency or whatever. But lets think about this. I live in Arkansas. If I wanted to support a MLS team, the closest one would be probably Kansas City which is about an 8 hour drive. I have as much in common with Kansas City as I do with Manchester. Our reality over here is different. We don't have small communities packed next to one another. I grew up in a state not a country, a state, that you could drive 14 hours across and never leave the state. We are used to supporting teams that have zero locational relevance. When I was young, I HAD NO FOOTBALL to watch other than your league. Then the MLS came around and it was never on tv, the only way you could watch it for a few years was to drive there. Well, that isn't going to happen as a pre-teen. It is still easier to get access to premiere league matches than it is to watch MLS games. Is this making sense now? I "latch" on because it's fun. Which is the point in sports. Entertainment. It is no different that going to the movies, or going to the pub. It's an opportunity to go out and do something to take our mind off the struggles of day to day life. To have a good time, meet others, enjoy camaraderie. You know what else makes it fun? Having a horse in the race. I am ok with you having your view, but with the way this club is headed you are going to make things hard on yourself it sounds like.

I won't make it hard on myself. I'm not sad enough to let it bother me particularly. In terms of what is important in my life this issue doesn't rank anywhere. But I can still hold a view on it and that is why I think I view it as slightly detached (and often hypocritical) from the usual 'a blue is a blue' nonsense.

1. Sport is not that important in the scheme of things. When push comes to shove, no matter how much money I've spent on this club and how many years and hours I've spent
going to watch them and no matter how much results hurt, it isn't a matter of life or death. It isn't something that will determine the fate of my family. So why would I want to manufacture something surrounding it and couch it in faux emotional language about 'passion' and 'love' if I was talking about something that I really, if I was honest, knew I had no real connection with. It's not an important enough issue in life to delude myself over.

2. Sport may be all about entertainment. That is exactly how I view american football. I am entertained by it. By the game. By the spectacle. I'll watch matches and sometimes want a certain team to win. But that is something totally different to claiming to 'support' those teams. And the key difference here is that if you are from/connected to Manchester and especially if your family has a history of supporting City, it isn't just entertainment. You know this team has been set up and been here for over a century in order to represent you and the people of Manchester (and surrounding areas). Like it or not, that is the function of the club - the 'global brand' stuff is just a by product of media exposure. It remains Manchester City, representing Manchester. That isn't emotive nonsense. It is just fact. So it isn't just as simple as 'entertainment' unless you are detached from it. Last night wasn't 'entertainment' it was a partial fulfilment of the dreams of two or three generations of Mancunians who have had nothing but despair from 'their' team. Whilst their neighbours rubbed their faces in it. It was justification for it. It was a monumental event in the sporting and social landscape of the city that we live/have lived in/ are connected to. It is central to people's lives and relationships with their families and friends. It is a partial culmination a story and justification for decades of struggles and the social conditioning that everyone has known to shape rivalry and sport in Manchester. The gradual change in City's fortunes will affect more relationships and conversations in Manchester than probably any other events to happen here over the next 20 years. It is fundamental to Manchester life and the way people interact. And that is why it is not just 'entertainment' (even if I know it isn't REALLy important) and is something completely different to just wanting to be able to say 'GO BLUES'.