Present Day Football, Fans and Any Other Stuff You Hate About It!

[Gordyola]

The PA has been a problem at the stadium since it opened, some areas its too loud others it barely audible
I complained to the club about six years ago and after a lot of mothering they did take action For a number of weeks they did a survey on a match day measuring the db levels The guy doing the measuring came to me each week and the levels in our block 325 were above recommended exposure levels, his expensive device was measuring the same levels as my AppleWatch. He told me about the results he was getting at different points around the stadium and that the club were looking at making improvements. The issue in our area is similar to your's not being able to speak to the person next to me although the worse times were when they streamed from City Square. Its not as bad as it use to be but its definitely too loud, especially when the pitch side presenters seem to think they need to shout despite the microphone in their hand One more thing is he said that they were at the behest of the operators who will crank up the volume even when told not too
Hope that helps

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

I’m off to watch a local non league team this weekend.
£13 to get in, rock up before kick off, cash turnstile, beer while watching the game, no half n half scarves, 3pm Saturday afternoon, no mad traffic at the end…..

Anyone got directions to Moston?

 

[uwerosler28]

I agree but in the clubs defense the alternative for 90% of games is complete silence and rows of empty seats until 5 mins after kick off when everyone decides to come down from the bars.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

It's because you're in the cheap seats, I pay a little more and get a free set of the latest sennheiser headphones every game.

You must be in the cheap seats too I’m afraid.

I get my own butler narrating the commentary into my ear while cutting my prawn sandwiches into little triangles.

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

Tannoy Annoy

 

[Blue2112]

....but we FOCs (i'm 73) introduce our sons, daughters, grandchildren, cousins, friends etc into the City family to become lifelong 'core' fans.

Ive taken the generations of my extended family to games,tours and (occasional) hospitality. In turn we have all have bought products from the store for Xmas/birthday presents.

Once introduced, the club/fan relationship can be a virtuess circle of 'little but often' activity which is the essesence of the corner stones/foundations of most convential business's.

We understand the past but know little of the future, other than the game, life and technology is changing exponentially and not necessarily for the better.

ESL...games abroad.... in-house tv channels....unaffordable tickets.... etc etc.

Todays aligned youth could/will be tomorrows subscribers.

City would do well to ensure that they sow the seeds for future growth now, because the only thing thats constant is change !!

I have done exactly the same over the years. I think the fact we was so bad at times we grew stronger innour defence of our club. I introduced my girlfriend who had no interest in football at the time and now she's been my wife for 35 yrs and has followed city all over the country (she would happily walk away now to save money) my 2 daughters, countless nieces and nephews, brother in laws that had no interest in football until they had their own kids, friends and people I've met through work or other areas in life that are now Blues. People from South Africa, China, America and Europe I have taken to games and they have kept following City because of my introduction.

I've written for fanzines, still contribute to Bert Trautmanns Helmet online or The Helmet Rides Again as it is now known. Been to countless old players do's, worked for about 10 ex City players and one current first team player.

Like most of us on here, we are all City daft, won't wear red, we fight their cause under increasing and mounting pressure from all corners, sick of hearing we are cheats by so called professional quarters who should be impartial until a verdict. Just because we don't buy 4 full kits every season does not mean we have not paid our dues over and over again down the years. It gets tiring having to explain over and over when asked about 115, it's even exhausting trying to explain our recent run of form as it appears to have become the hottest topic in world news. Radio 5 Live with Nicki Campbell having their second one hour phone in about us yeasterday and its not even a sports programme.

I wonder if some of the fans I look around me these days will be doing the same over the next 40yrs. I'm hanging in there because my eldest daughter has recently got married and wants children and I'm desperate to take my grandchildren to see City but even if she has kids now it's going to be about 6yrs before I can take them and I really don't know if I've got the energy to wait that long.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

I said in the summer that this was likely to be my last as a season ticket holder and I've not felt any inclination to change my mind. I just find going to games a chore these days, including having to get there earlier and earlier to get a car parking spot. I do it out of a sense of duty now, having lost that feeling of anticipation and excitement in the build up to a game.

Perhaps it's me, perhaps it's the increasing corporatisation and sterility of the game, both on and off the pitch. I cried just walking into the Ataturk Stadium 18 months ago with the sheer emotion of being there and seeing City in a CL final. Perhaps that was the start of it, the sense that after years of hope and often despair, we'd got to the pinnacle.

But that experience, with the terrible logistics and the club completely failing to support us or even give lip service to supporting us, possibly left me with the feeling that I'm just a number on a spreadsheet. As a concessionary season ticket holder there's always the thought that the club doesn't value me and is seemingly more concerned about how it can 'manage me out' so it can increase the rate of return on my seat, rather than how we can be the best team in the world.

I work for a bank and we're always being told that we have to reduce our ratio of operating costs to revenue and increase our return on investment, and all that stuff. And I think that this sort of objective is now one that we have at City.

You and me.

I'm as much motivated now by meeting my brothers and mates for a drink in NQ, as i am by the game itself, and ive been going home, away and abroad since 1958.

We have experienced and enjoyed a remarkable peroid of footballing supremacy during the later period of our lives, and perhaps its the best it'll ever be.

If i passed away tomorrow i' d feel blessed to have experienced the pinnicle of the ' Best team in the land and all the world ' !!

 

[I'm not really here]

The short attention span.

Your team can win 4 titles in a row, that no other club has ever done. You can win a treble. Reach 100 points. Win the CL for the first time in the clubs history. Set record after record...

But then have a bad run of results and everyone at the club is finished, everyone needs fucking off and selling, the manager is done and found out...

Think we needed a bad run like this, seems to be doing a treat on weeding out the non hackers.

 

[Blueknows]

Diving/Feigning injury when losing possession , going down like being shot holding their face/head hoping the opposition put the ball out of play , var , drums in the crowd , away grounds pa that play music after a goal , clackers , sky/bbc obvious bias ....just a few examples of why I dont enjoy going to games like I used to.....the games going to shit

 

[mexico1970]

Think we needed a bad run like this, seems to be doing a treat on weeding out the non hackers.

Dusts off Chelsea shirt and talking in my cockernee accent.

 

[CTID1988]

I still enjoy football, but its basically just entertainment to me now like a tv show or film. I can see myself not bothering at all in the next couple of years and just following my local lower league side.
Years ago it was my life, now I can easily miss a match because I have something better to do. Modern football has made me feel like a consumer/customer rather than a fan.
Im just glad that at the tail end of my relationship with football I saw City do the impossible, can walk away happy now

 

[BlindEyeSeesAll]

I still enjoy football, but its basically just entertainment to me now like a tv show or film. I can see myself not bothering at all in the next couple of years and just following my local lower league side.
Years ago it was my life, now I can easily miss a match because I have something better to do. Modern football has made me feel like a consumer/customer rather than a fan.
Im just glad that at the tail end of my relationship with football I saw City do the impossible, can walk away happy now

That's pretty much the way I feel about it too

 

[TedofChume]

People film everything these days. Was at a gig recently and couldn’t move for cameras in the air. Will they ever watch it back? Will anyone ever watch it if they put it on line. Dunno!

When I go to see The Chameleons I film one song every year. I hold my phone low out of sight (the sound is often better). I do it because one day (soon) Mark Burgess won't be doing it anymore. I watch them occasionally and they're my memories of my favourite band.

I also film bits of City matches, the opposition fans, the light shows etc home and away and compile videos at the end of the season to remember it by.

I'm not at it all the time. Just a few moments, here and there. I guess when lots of us do that it probably looks horrendous. Again I do it discretely during the match.

My treble winning season video ended up being over 20 mins and yes I have watched it a lot.

My memories of the 80s, 90s and 00s are fading but I know when I'm too old to go anymore, I'll have these compilations to remember some of the best times of my life.

 

[eastmanc]

1. Hate the schedule.
a. Leading to injuries
b. Affecting the product for spectators and TV viewers. Best players aren't in their best moments at crucial times end of season because they're knackered or just out injured.
c. All about money. What is the point of UEFA nations league, expanded champions league, expanded club world club, etc. only money
d. Some kick off times are dumb ash. TV rights/contracts also come before common sense and player safety when scheduling/rescheduling cup ties or games due to cup ties.
2. Too expensive
3. All about pics and videos. This isn't just about football but concerts and any other live event.
4. Social media fans and fan TVs that are now so popular are cringe and unnecessary.
5. Referees and punditry is mostly bad especially in England.

There's a lot lol

So what you are saying is, you're not happy.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

The short attention span.

Your team can win 4 titles in a row, that no other club has ever done. You can win a treble. Reach 100 points. Win the CL for the first time in the clubs history. Set record after record...

But then have a bad run of results and everyone at the club is finished, everyone needs fucking off and selling, the manager is done and found out...

We've been talking about these issues for quite a while though. Probably we've been prepared to overlook or accept them because of the success.

I know that's pretty well what the club have counted on, with their belief that we'll pay more and more, and put up with more obstacles and indignities, to watch the most successful club of the last decade. But when those successes don't continue, chickens will come home to roost. It's fans like you, who'll ignore all the shit we have to put up with, who are a large part of the problem. One day it'll be you they come after, or piss off, because you don't make them enough money.

I'll probably start taking my granddaughter to the women's games this season and if she likes it, will do it regularly next season.

 

[CheshireExpat]

Going are the days when you could relate to the players, the manager or even the backroom staff to an extent. To see them as an extension of yourself, your team, your identity, etc.

Which was also why so many get in trouble when emotions run high, including myself.

When Newcastle or Forest lads are getting a bit arty bargy on the tram. I'm not going to fucking fight them over 22 millionaires, I have nothing in common with, kicking a ball about. It's embarrassing to see.

This includes the national side, which I used to be very emotional about and watch most games, I find myself caring less and less about.

 

[argyle]

We've been talking about these issues for quite a while though. Probably we've been prepared to overlook or accept them because of the success.

I know that's pretty well what the club have counted on, with their belief that we'll pay more and more, and put up with more obstacles and indignities, to watch the most successful club of the last decade. But when those successes don't continue, chickens will come home to roost. It's fans like you, who'll ignore all the shit we have to put up with, who are a large part of the problem. One day it'll be you they come after, or piss off, because you don't make them enough money.

I'll probably start taking my granddaughter to the women's games this season and if she likes it, will do it regularly next season.

I don't like the constant cost increases, the ignoring of local fans and the hassle of getting there as much as everyone else. With the new hotel and the 'entertainment' areas the club is also wanting it to be more of an American all day experience, like at NFL games.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Young football "fans" who have never set foot in a stadium and think supporting a club is done by sending around memes mocking other clubs. Also the modern day obsession with size of crowds and "quality" of support. Fucking do my head in.

If you want to talk about fans being "great" then look at a Morecombe fan who travels to Slough on a Wednesday to see them lose, not a succesful club followed by thousands of detached glory hunters.

 

[The Lightbowne Cowboy]

I hate how City still put the toilets right in the middle of the smoking shed. For a none smoker it pisses me right off!

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

I don't like the constant cost increases, the ignoring of local fans and the hassle of getting there as much as everyone else. With the new hotel and the 'entertainment' areas the club is also wanting it to be more of an American all day experience, like at NFL games.

Sorry if it looked like I was having a go. If people still get the buzz then that's fine. I tend to go straight to the stadium then straight back home again, so it's not like I have the craic of meeting up with friends in the pub.

The thing I will miss more than anything is the people around me. I've got to know them and their families over the years, seen kids grow up and even have kids of their own. I've seen old colleagues and other people I know from the outside world. And many on here of course who've become good friends.