The "Brand" is growing ;)

[MadchesterCity]

We are not Stockport County but we are Manchester City Football Club and the vast majority of our fanbase has been through the bad times which subsequently has moulded us into what we are.

I despise all these people that have no connection with our club and have just jumped on to a very large bandwagon, would these cretins be wearing the latest city shirt if we were mid table ? would they fuck, remember we have risen very fast in the last few years but we can easily return to mid table mediocrity, will these fuckers be buying shirts then ?.

Eh, we had a lot of fans before 2008 who had no connection to Manchester or to City before, but they were still fans then. There was some survey from 2002 that used to be linked on the Wikipedia page, which said that back then we had an estimated 2 million fans - only 800,000 of whom were based in the UK. I know that surveys can fudge numbers, but that's got to have come from somewhere. We still retain large followings in the Scandinavian countries because back in the 1970s, English football was the only foreign football shown there, and large groups of them attached themselves to various clubs. In 40 years, tens or perhaps hundreds of thousands stayed with this club even as we kept getting relegated and generally absolutely sucked. The funny thing is, though, before we started becoming obsessed with "acquiring too many new fans", no-one used to complain about those Scandinavians - in fact I think I recall seeing a few people here posting about how proud they'd been of our Scandinavian following. Do you want to turn those fans away because, even though they've suffered like you and I, they don't have a proper connection to Manchester?

I share your unrest with gaining legions of fans who will desert at the first sign of a struggle (although honestly, seeing the way that, for instance, the Asian Arsenal fans have reacted to their seven years without a trophy...by largely staying completely loyal...makes me think that actually we might keep a lot more than you would think even if we were to slink back in the murky depths of the relegation fights) and wish we would only acquire those fans who will stay with us forever more, but honestly if anyone gets bitten by the blue bug then I see no reason not to welcome them in. I mean, we always say here that "you don't choose City, City chooses you" - if someone else finds themselves honestly hooked by City, as many here have admitted to being (including, I might add, British non-Mancunians who became blues back in the 60s/70s and thereabouts - fans who now consider themselves part of the furniture and have been fans for longer than I've been alive) then why should we say to them "you don't choose City, City chooses you...but only if the existing fans are OK with you joining up"?

Besides, I always thought that the reason we hated the rags' fans so much was because they are all so arrogant and obnoxious - the foreign rags included. If our foreign fans can keep grounded and even learn to appreciate the self-deprecation that we still exhibit here, then our fans will still be one hundred times more acceptable than the tea-towel-wearing vermin.

I could also make the point that, without people joining on for the ride now, we will never stand a chance of making enough money to cement a position in the top echelons, too...I'm sure that won't convince you at all, but it's a very important point all the same. Everyone is crying out for stadium expansion; well that certainly won't happen without more fans.

Excellent post...

Exactly

 

[Deleted member 14625]

We are not Stockport County but we are Manchester City Football Club and the vast majority of our fanbase has been through the bad times which subsequently has moulded us into what we are.

I despise all these people that have no connection with our club and have just jumped on to a very large bandwagon, would these cretins be wearing the latest city shirt if we were mid table ? would they fuck, remember we have risen very fast in the last few years but we can easily return to mid table mediocrity, will these fuckers be buying shirts then ?.

Eh, we had a lot of fans before 2008 who had no connection to Manchester or to City before, but they were still fans then. There was some survey from 2002 that used to be linked on the Wikipedia page, which said that back then we had an estimated 2 million fans - only 800,000 of whom were based in the UK. I know that surveys can fudge numbers, but that's got to have come from somewhere. We still retain large followings in the Scandinavian countries because back in the 1970s, English football was the only foreign football shown there, and large groups of them attached themselves to various clubs. In 40 years, tens or perhaps hundreds of thousands stayed with this club even as we kept getting relegated and generally absolutely sucked. The funny thing is, though, before we started becoming obsessed with "acquiring too many new fans", no-one used to complain about those Scandinavians - in fact I think I recall seeing a few people here posting about how proud they'd been of our Scandinavian following. Do you want to turn those fans away because, even though they've suffered like you and I, they don't have a proper connection to Manchester?

I share your unrest with gaining legions of fans who will desert at the first sign of a struggle (although honestly, seeing the way that, for instance, the Asian Arsenal fans have reacted to their seven years without a trophy...by largely staying completely loyal...makes me think that actually we might keep a lot more than you would think even if we were to slink back in the murky depths of the relegation fights) and wish we would only acquire those fans who will stay with us forever more, but honestly if anyone gets bitten by the blue bug then I see no reason not to welcome them in. I mean, we always say here that "you don't choose City, City chooses you" - if someone else finds themselves honestly hooked by City, as many here have admitted to being (including, I might add, British non-Mancunians who became blues back in the 60s/70s and thereabouts - fans who now consider themselves part of the furniture and have been fans for longer than I've been alive) then why should we say to them "you don't choose City, City chooses you...but only if the existing fans are OK with you joining up"?

Besides, I always thought that the reason we hated the rags' fans so much was because they are all so arrogant and obnoxious - the foreign rags included. If our foreign fans can keep grounded and even learn to appreciate the self-deprecation that we still exhibit here, then our fans will still be one hundred times more acceptable than the tea-towel-wearing vermin.

I could also make the point that, without people joining on for the ride now, we will never stand a chance of making enough money to cement a position in the top echelons, too...I'm sure that won't convince you at all, but it's a very important point all the same. Everyone is crying out for stadium expansion; well that certainly won't happen without more fans.

A big reason is Liam and Noel. They were at their biggest when we were at our worst and throughout they spread the name of Manchester City Football Club like gospel throughout the world. I've seen clips of gigs they've done in Japan and South America and there are City shirts and MCFC banners in the crowd.

They've made more money for City through publicity of our name than all of us on here ever will through buying tickets and merchandise.

I also tend to agree in some part with the other poster about bandwagon jumpers. It's a fact that we will attract fickle fans who wouldn't look as far down as fifth in the league table and we just happen to be up at the top so they become fans of our club. They aren't proper fans, they'd support anyone else if we were still shit. But bring it on, we need the money it all beings into the club.

 

[Anonymous]

My daughter has just returned from Gran Canaria , and said both other City fans , and locals , were only too keen to talk to her and her mate about football as they walked around in their City shirts.

But around Manchester there is a huge difference ....... City fans have always been there but rarely worn club merchandise in years gone by , but then again we've rarely had much to shout about ...... you see loads of City merchandise being worn in Manchester now as you walk or drive around the city , and it's brilliant to see ....i spotted no less than FIVE City shirts in Burnage Tesco yesterday to just one rag one ... and later in Didsbury i saw four City shirts on the high street , and not a rag one in sight.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Not sure why this is a good thing, some of us have been trying to avoid turning into the rags, dippers, chelski for years but it seems this is what we now aspire to become, all very sad.

The alternative is aspiring to become the new Stockport County, there´s just two ways to go..

Well said.<br /><br />-- Sat Aug 18, 2012 11:49 am --<br /><br />

We are not Stockport County but we are Manchester City Football Club and the vast majority of our fanbase has been through the bad times which subsequently has moulded us into what we are.

I despise all these people that have no connection with our club and have just jumped on to a very large bandwagon, would these cretins be wearing the latest city shirt if we were mid table ? would they fuck, remember we have risen very fast in the last few years but we can easily return to mid table mediocrity, will these fuckers be buying shirts then ?.

The force is strong with this one.

 

[shockin-hocking]

Re: The "Brand" is growing ;)

We are not Stockport County but we are Manchester City Football Club and the vast majority of our fanbase has been through the bad times which subsequently has moulded us into what we are.

I despise all these people that have no connection with our club and have just jumped on to a very large bandwagon, would these cretins be wearing the latest city shirt if we were mid table ? would they fuck, remember we have risen very fast in the last few years but we can easily return to mid table mediocrity, will these fuckers be buying shirts then ?.

I take it you'd rather us be shit again then? Success brings more fans, which means more money, and therefore means we can keep competing at the top. I'm glad we've got more fans.

 

[shockin-hocking]

Re: The "Brand" is growing ;)

Being at Wembley seeing us lift the FA Cup and watching Vincent lift the Premier League trophy are probably two of the best moments of my life, I want to keep feeling that way. If you want to do likewise, embrace the new fans like any other!

 

[mcfcliam]

Some right clowns on here.

Someone has an opinion and you're all slithering in for a bite.

Pack of Wolves.

 

[shockin-hocking]

Re: The "Brand" is growing ;)

Some right clowns on here.

Someone has an opinion and you're all slithering in for a bite.

Pack of Wolves.

What? People are arguing on an internet forum? Who'd have thought it?

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Re: The

Some right clowns on here.

Someone has an opinion and you're all slithering in for a bite.

Pack of Wolves.

What? People are arguing on an internet forum? Who'd have thought it?

I know. What the fuck does he expect?

I suspect he only feels this way because he agrees with the poster.

 

[Anonymous]

My daughter has just returned from Gran Canaria , and said both other City fans , and locals , were only too keen to talk to her and her mate about football as they walked around in their City shirts.

But around Manchester there is a huge difference ....... City fans have always been there but rarely worn club merchandise in years gone by , but then again we've rarely had much to shout about ...... you see loads of City merchandise being worn in Manchester now as you walk or drive around the city , and it's brilliant to see ....i spotted no less than FIVE City shirts in Burnage Tesco yesterday to just one rag one ... and later in Didsbury i saw four City shirts on the high street , and not a rag one in sight.

good a lot of city fans in the manchester area just didnt want to wear the shirts. tbf burnage and didsbury are city fan hot beds

 

[kinkysleftfoot]

The "Brand" is growing ;)

We are not Stockport County but we are Manchester City Football Club and the vast majority of our fanbase has been through the bad times which subsequently has moulded us into what we are.

I despise all these people that have no connection with our club and have just jumped on to a very large bandwagon, would these cretins be wearing the latest city shirt if we were mid table ? would they fuck, remember we have risen very fast in the last few years but we can easily return to mid table mediocrity, will these fuckers be buying shirts then ?.

Think this just has to be the most moronic post I have ever seen.......

 

[mcfcliam]

So why do people take the piss out of United's plastics but revel in ours by saying some shite like 'City chooses you'?

Bollocks and very hypocritical.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

So why do people take the piss out of United's plastics but revel in ours by saying some shite like 'City chooses you'.

Bollocks.

I think that you have to accept the world as it is not how you'd want it to be.

The success we are having (which presumably you enjoy) would not exist if the club was only going to be supported by people who can talk about the bad old days like it's a badge of honour.

We have to draw new supporters in if this club is to dominate united, which is something I know you crave.

You can't have one without the other. Deal with it.

 

[mcfcliam]

So why do people take the piss out of United's plastics but revel in ours by saying some shite like 'City chooses you'.

Bollocks.

I think that you have to accept the world as it is not how you'd want it to be.

The success we are having (which presumably you enjoy) would not exist if the club was only going to be supported by people who can talk about the bad old days like it's a badge of honour.

We have to draw new supporters in if this club is to dominate united, which is something I know you crave.

You can't have one without the other. Deal with it.

I agree and I am dealing with it. I don't like it but it wouldn't stop me going.

I just find it very hypocritical that people ridicule United for attracting morons but then we attract them and it's like 'welcome to the Manchester City family' or some shite like that.

Surely you agree?

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

So why do people take the piss out of United's plastics but revel in ours by saying some shite like 'City chooses you'.

Bollocks.

I think that you have to accept the world as it is not how you'd want it to be.

The success we are having (which presumably you enjoy) would not exist if the club was only going to be supported by people who can talk about the bad old days like it's a badge of honour.

We have to draw new supporters in if this club is to dominate united, which is something I know you crave.

You can't have one without the other. Deal with it.

I agree and I am dealing with it. I don't like it but it wouldn't stop me going.

I just find it very hypocritical that people ridicule United for attracting morons but then we attract them and it's like 'welcome to the Manchester City family' or some shite like that.

Surely you agree?

I agree that any change in circumstance ensures that people's perspectives change.

Does that make us hypocrites? Possibly, but there's very few people in this world who aren't hypocritical in some way or other, life is far too complicated for that not to be the case.

And anyway, our plastics are far cooler than theirs ;-)

 

[crazyg]

Do we really want to go back to the days of:

Young lad goes into sports shop.
"Packet of condoms please."
"Sorry son, this is a sports shop, not a chemists."
Young lad says this to 2 or 3 other assistants, with same reply.

Lad's dad comes in, and assistant tells him what the lad is after.

Dad says " dont worry, he's a City fan. He's just too embarrassed to ask for the new shirt!"

Be proud of who you support, I am.

 

[The Ox]

Im one of those scandinavians. While i spent a lifetime supporting and defending the blues, i just recently found my way to this forum. Let me tell you this, supporting the most wounderful club known to man is not easy in Scandinavia. Almost everyone around here supports Arsenal, Liverpool or the club i won't mention by name. With all the money the great sheik Mansour brought to the club it's not really any easier since now you are always called a plastic fan if you support City. The most common thing you hear is something like "so before 2009 you supported Chelsea, now you support City and tomorrow you will support PSG". People over here often don't realize that City existed before shiek Mansour and had supporters before that aswell. Not that there are alot of us, Im still the only one in my hometown that i know of and yes i make my allegiance perfectly known as i parade proudly in my cityshirts.

I have no connection to Manchester or UK. I don't even remember when or why i fell inlove with Manchester City FC. A dream is to one day actually see a game at the Etihad stadium and drink beer with fellow blues. Might sound a little stupid to you guys who has season cards or the possibily to visit the stadium when you want, but over here we dream about just going to that one game. On a side note one of my shirts says Silva 21 aswell. Thats my favourite shirt, bought it shortly after the Silva transfer was announced at mcfc.co.uk :)

Anyhow greetings from Sweden. I was a blue long before Mansour and I will be a blue untill i die.... hopefully under a lovely blue moon.

Welcome Blue :)

 

[mcfcliam]

Im one of those scandinavians. While i spent a lifetime supporting and defending the blues, i just recently found my way to this forum. Let me tell you this, supporting the most wounderful club known to man is not easy in Scandinavia. Almost everyone around here supports Arsenal, Liverpool or the club i won't mention by name. With all the money the great sheik Mansour brought to the club it's not really any easier since now you are always called a plastic fan if you support City. The most common thing you hear is something like "so before 2009 you supported Chelsea, now you support City and tomorrow you will support PSG". People over here often don't realize that City existed before shiek Mansour and had supporters before that aswell. Not that there are alot of us, Im still the only one in my hometown that i know of and yes i make my allegiance perfectly known as i parade proudly in my cityshirts.

I have no connection to Manchester or UK. I don't even remember when or why i fell inlove with Manchester City FC. A dream is to one day actually see a game at the Etihad stadium and drink beer with fellow blues. Might sound a little stupid to you guys who has season cards or the possibily to visit the stadium when you want, but over here we dream about just going to that one game. On a side note one of my shirts says Silva 21 aswell. Thats my favourite shirt, bought it shortly after the Silva transfer was announced at mcfc.co.uk :)

Anyhow greetings from Sweden. I was a blue long before Mansour and I will be a blue untill i die.... hopefully under a lovely blue moon.

Welcome Blue :)

What if there was a rag with the same story?

Would you be slating him?

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Im one of those scandinavians. While i spent a lifetime supporting and defending the blues, i just recently found my way to this forum. Let me tell you this, supporting the most wounderful club known to man is not easy in Scandinavia. Almost everyone around here supports Arsenal, Liverpool or the club i won't mention by name. With all the money the great sheik Mansour brought to the club it's not really any easier since now you are always called a plastic fan if you support City. The most common thing you hear is something like "so before 2009 you supported Chelsea, now you support City and tomorrow you will support PSG". People over here often don't realize that City existed before shiek Mansour and had supporters before that aswell. Not that there are alot of us, Im still the only one in my hometown that i know of and yes i make my allegiance perfectly known as i parade proudly in my cityshirts.

I have no connection to Manchester or UK. I don't even remember when or why i fell inlove with Manchester City FC. A dream is to one day actually see a game at the Etihad stadium and drink beer with fellow blues. Might sound a little stupid to you guys who has season cards or the possibily to visit the stadium when you want, but over here we dream about just going to that one game. On a side note one of my shirts says Silva 21 aswell. Thats my favourite shirt, bought it shortly after the Silva transfer was announced at mcfc.co.uk :)

Anyhow greetings from Sweden. I was a blue long before Mansour and I will be a blue untill i die.... hopefully under a lovely blue moon.

Welcome Blue :)

What if there was a rag with the same story?

Would you be slating him?

Why are you so hostile towards non Mancunian blues?

 

[mcfcliam]

We are not Stockport County but we are Manchester City Football Club and the vast majority of our fanbase has been through the bad times which subsequently has moulded us into what we are.

I despise all these people that have no connection with our club and have just jumped on to a very large bandwagon, would these cretins be wearing the latest city shirt if we were mid table ? would they fuck, remember we have risen very fast in the last few years but we can easily return to mid table mediocrity, will these fuckers be buying shirts then ?.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Sniff, sniff. Nauseating.

He's not a rag as I know him personally very well.