Our growing international fanbase

[Rammyblues]

PS any non Mancunian City fan reading this forum, I apologise on behalf of the many Blues who love the fact that you follow our team regardless of where you are from :)

That makes me feel better :-)

 

[Bilboblue]

Don't assume that all "asian" or "Chinese" looking people are from overseas.

My family have been in the UK since 1948 - I was 2 years old then. We have lived in the UK ever since, are all British citizens, and speak English as our first language. Yet if I ever came to the Etihad, I've no doubt that some of those on this forum would be annoyed because, unless I have drastic facial surgery, I will continue to look Chinese, and hence be castigated as a "tourist" - although I suspect that my knowledge of this country, its history and its culture, and even of Man.City's history, might actually be better than that of many of those I would upset by my polluting presence in the stadium.

Incidentally I don't claim to be a City "fan", only a sympathiser, who supported you against richer clubs when you were underdogs, but am now interested and excited by the prospect of an EPL club being potentially able to challenge the likes of Barcelona and Real in both skilfulness of football and results.

Come to a game then Frank, I'll buy ya a beer at City Square, and look at it from the inside rather than the outside.

I guarantee you will come back again fella!

 

[S04]

In the block behind 210 at Satudays match there was about 10 lads over from UAE in the box. All with there I LOVE UAE scarves.

I could see them from 212, they were really into it singing all the songs and doing the poznan. Lokked like they were having a great time.

And at Al-Bateen palace Sheikh Mansour saw his nephew on the telly and realised why his V.I.P Card he left on his desk was missing.. ; )

 

[JoeMercer'sWay]

i do enjoy it when the Anderlecht Vinnie fan club come over with their purple scarves and banners etc.

as long as they aren't overly defensive about it a la some of the Bosnians on here over Dzeko then it's all part of the fun.

 

[oakiecokie]

I defy anyone on this forum to think that we were never going to get additional supporters coming from wherever, to watch the Blues,once the success turned into reality.
It happens everywhere,and as much as I`ve taken the piss out of my Rag mates over the years,its now our turn.
And you know what,I couldn`t give a flying fuck where these new fans come from as that helps increase revenue from both ticket sales and merchandise and will no doubt piss Platini off even more !
60,000 SOLD OUT signs in the next few years ??

 

[kennycar]

The blokes over to see Silva play sound more like tourists than City fans to me.

And remind me how people suddenly buying City shirts and telling everyone how they are massive City fans are any different than the legions of sad fucks from down south, Ireland, Malaysia, etc, who profess to be huge United fans purely because they like the idea of others seeing them as associated with a successful team.

Oh yeah, it's because they are now wearing City tops and are "part of a brilliant, growing international fanbase".

And you can save the 'outdated attitude', 'we need the money', 'who are you trying to tell what to do' replies.

I am neither trying to tell anyone what they can or can't do or interested in trying to do so. I will however, still hold the same personal opinion on the childishness of the motives of people attaching themselves to a successful football club that has absolutely nothing to do with them, regardless of what shirt they are wearing. (And I don't include tourists in that as any genuine football fan would want to go and see all the top class football available to them when visiting somewhere else, that's a totally different matter)

I'd quite like to go to the Nou Camp one day to watch Barca and see the spectacle, is that childish?

 

[Georgian Maestro]

The blokes over to see Silva play sound more like tourists than City fans to me.

And remind me how people suddenly buying City shirts and telling everyone how they are massive City fans are any different than the legions of sad fucks from down south, Ireland, Malaysia, etc, who profess to be huge United fans purely because they like the idea of others seeing them as associated with a successful team.

Oh yeah, it's because they are now wearing City tops and are "part of a brilliant, growing international fanbase".

And you can save the 'outdated attitude', 'we need the money', 'who are you trying to tell what to do' replies.

I am neither trying to tell anyone what they can or can't do or interested in trying to do so. I will however, still hold the same personal opinion on the childishness of the motives of people attaching themselves to a successful football club that has absolutely nothing to do with them, regardless of what shirt they are wearing. (And I don't include tourists in that as any genuine football fan would want to go and see all the top class football available to them when visiting somewhere else, that's a totally different matter)

I'd quite like to go to the Nou Camp one day to watch Barca and see the spectacle, is that childish?

As long as you don't go around calling yourself a Barca fan and talk about your people's stuggles against the Franco dictatorship you'll be fine

 

[nomorethaksintimes]

The blokes over to see Silva play sound more like tourists than City fans to me.

And remind me how people suddenly buying City shirts and telling everyone how they are massive City fans are any different than the legions of sad fucks from down south, Ireland, Malaysia, etc, who profess to be huge United fans purely because they like the idea of others seeing them as associated with a successful team.

Oh yeah, it's because they are now wearing City tops and are "part of a brilliant, growing international fanbase".

And you can save the 'outdated attitude', 'we need the money', 'who are you trying to tell what to do' replies.

I am neither trying to tell anyone what they can or can't do or interested in trying to do so. I will however, still hold the same personal opinion on the childishness of the motives of people attaching themselves to a successful football club that has absolutely nothing to do with them, regardless of what shirt they are wearing. (And I don't include tourists in that as any genuine football fan would want to go and see all the top class football available to them when visiting somewhere else, that's a totally different matter)

I'd quite like to go to the Nou Camp one day to watch Barca and see the spectacle, is that childish?

Sigh....Read it again.

 

[citiblue375]

Seriously who gives a fuck where people come from. I for one embrace the fact that liddle Citeh are attracting fans from around the world - in fact, I fucking love it !! I can't wait to be on holiday next year and some foreigner instigate a conversation of how brilliant City are rather than say "Manchester ahhh Manchester United"
If these guys spread the word and buy kits etc and wind the Rags up along the way then I am all for it. The top and bottom of it is that these are "Fans" where aslong as I am at the Etihad every other week then I am a "Supporter" and feel no threat from these guys.
PS any non Mancunian City fan reading this forum, I apologise on behalf of the many Blues who love the fact that you follow our team regardless of where you are from :)

Good post and on behalf of the many Blues who love the club despite carrying the 'handicap (!!)' of having not been born in Manchester, thank you for it.

I first starting to follow City back in 1973 (so we can't even put it down to Glory Hunt Phase 1) as a naive nine year old from the wilds of the west of Ireland. I had no association with Manchester so it can only be put down to a stubborn reaction to the accepted norm. where I lived, that you could only possibly support United or Celtic or both.

I had my first trip to Maine Road in the 1984/5 season when Jim Melrose scored what is still one of the greatest City goals I have ever seen versus Notts County. I became Travel Secretary of the Dublin Supporter Club and travelled across from there regularly for a few years before moving to the UK. Even then, I couldn't even make the move an easy one, ending up in the south coast and consigning myself to 450 mile round trips for a pre match pint in the Osborne.

My last 25 years of 'glory hunting' has given me the pleasure of visiting those footballing cauldrons of Roots Hall, Gigg Lane, Layer Road and Vale Park - rather than the Nou Camp, the Bernabeu or the San Siro.............and do you know what - I would do it all over again for the great people and friends I've met in those trips and for that feeling I was finally able to experience at Wembley last May. Over the years these marvellous fans have come from Düsseldorf as well as Denton, from Oslo as well as Oldham and from Penzance as well as from Piccadilly and Prestwich. If we are now building a team (and a profile) that gives a kid in Singapore or Mumbai the same buzz I have felt from the association with this club that I made nearly 40 years ago.....and still feel just as strongly today.... then good for them ........and welcome along.

I'm sorry if my non Mancunian roots still makes me 'plastic' to a small minority of the locals but to those of you that feel that way, I'm sorry - but you're stuck with me competing for your tickets for another while yet (I promise not to steal the gravy from your chips though).

 

[PistonBlue]

In the block behind 210 at Satudays match there was about 10 lads over from UAE in the box. All with there I LOVE UAE scarves.

Lol, I got one of those scarves! The lads were throwing them down after final whistle, seemed really nice guys