The Manchester City Diaspora

[blue b4 the moon]

I had a gap of about 6 seasons due to family/financial problems. As soon s I could afford to return I was there. The thing is I was desperate to be there all the time.

I've mates who lost the will during the SP era who I very rarely see now due to changes at work, they have fallen out of love with City and no amount of sucess would bring them back. It was a very big part of thier lives but no more. I'd guess that the majority who gave up will ever return.

On the plus side I'm taking a dad and his 2 kids to the game today, one of his kids saw a bit of the Villa match on TV and got giddy. A bit of effort from me, I'll take you down etc and three new possible life long blues.

 

[Kayla-CTID]

I've been a city fan since birth, im now nearly 19! Dad and grandad are also from manchester and have been city fans since birth. I'd agree with worrying about the 'new' fans for another day, this season could be my first chance to see city actually win something. I've been through all the crap of being the only city fan in my school full of plastic rags! But i've always been there..no matter division 2 or 4th in the prem i'm ctid. Unfortunately we now live in Cornwall due to my dad being in the forces, but we get to as many games as we can, especially as my family still live in manchester. Anyway..i'm babbling my life story to you all now..to summarise, I think the life long fans need a trophey, which will also attract 'new' fans and that if you live far from Manchester you just need to make the effort as much as possible. That's all anyone can ask!

 

[Marvin]

Two points:

1) Today may see a record FA Cup attendance at the new stadium (I think that's right - not certain but I think the crowd against WHU of 39,300 with 6k away was previous best)

2) We are averaging over 46k for Premiership games

We should be proud to have crowds of this size despite no trophies in 35 years.

 

[fbloke]

Two points:

1) Today may see a record FA Cup attendance at the new stadium (I think that's right - not certain but I think the crowd against WHU of 39,300 with 6k away was previous best)

2) We are averaging over 46k for Premiership games

We should be proud to have crowds of this size despite no trophies in 35 years.

I agree with what you say, but the question I am asking is more 'how many of us are there now?'

We can blindly talk about 60k,70k or 80k stadiums but are the people there to turn up?

I am also interested in how far the patience of older fans had to be pushed before the connection with attending matches was lost as that is a good indicator of whether bridges can be rebuilt.

 

[malg]

After so many lost seasons and the eroding of the traditional mainstay of City support across the North West it is inevitable that the rump of the older fans are now spread further afield.

The work is of course being done to reconnect City with the local communities and increase the 'brand awareness' close to 'home' but it will take time before that will result in a full COMS each and every game.

In the more immediate, short term it will take something pretty special to create the desire for some to travel to COMS from afar (at fair expense it must be said).

But that's the challenge for others to sort out.

What I am wondering is how many Blues are out there ready to put there hands in their pockets?

To be honest, it's just a fucking addiction. Luckily I get to share a car with a couple of other guys, but one of them has been doing the journey from down this neck of the woods on his own for years. I'm part of the A34 supporters club, and those guys, unless they share a lift, are probably out of pocket to the tune of approx £100 a game just to be there (this does not include a ticket). It has been a long hard slog back down the road after some games this season (Everton and Fulham both leap to mind). Looking forward to today, and if we do get to Wembley it'll be a cheap day out from here!

 

[Marvin]

Two points:

1) Today may see a record FA Cup attendance at the new stadium (I think that's right - not certain but I think the crowd against WHU of 39,300 with 6k away was previous best)

2) We are averaging over 46k for Premiership games

We should be proud to have crowds of this size despite no trophies in 35 years.

I agree with what you say, but the question I am asking is more 'how many of us are there now?'

We can blindly talk about 60k,70k or 80k stadiums but are the people there to turn up?

I am also interested in how far the patience of older fans had to be pushed before the connection with attending matches was lost as that is a good indicator of whether bridges can be rebuilt.

The club has a database of members no doubt. But the guide is the match-day attendances. What's the point of fans claiming an affiliation to the club if they don't turn up. It's meaningless

If MCFC can generate crowds of 46k after 35 years without a trophy, then there is no limit on what we could get if we were successful. All pretty much pie in the sky

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

The thing is we filled the CoMS every week in 2003-2005. But loads of local fans, some who had been going every week for 40+ years, just had enough. Some hated the stadium, some felt the real City had disappeared, some hated the football, some hated the team and the manager...

What can the club do to re-attract these fans? Not just attract new fans!

My mates brother (formally from Hyde) travelled every home game from near Middlesborough and had a season ticket for a few years pre maine Road and the few years post Maine Road........ in his own words ''The Stuart Pearce Years saw him off'' and hasn't been back in 4 years!!

 

[cockneycarparkm32]

Success. Its easy (easier ) to back a winning team . a portion of our fan base at Maine rd was also made up of students who were football fans who chose to watch the Blues .I used to get a lot of tickets from Manchester Uni. A few may have stuck with the noble cause , used to chat to loads of fans from up and down the country who had City as their Manc team . The trouble is the short sighted-ness (if thats a word) of the clubs Marketting dept. They are too busy trying to be a global brand copying Utd . They are alienating locals and football fans further afield . The club should of chipped in and got the tramway intrastructure up and running to the ground . Costs are rising and the suits are running the game ,it doesnt feel like the working class game anymore. I offer free tickets to games to friends who are Blue ,they cant be bothered ,Why because there is no kudos attached I bet if we won something this season they`d all want to go. Success breeds success;contempt breeds contempt.

 

[Balti]

The club must have the records of those that have been ST holders that have stopped going. The marketing department could have an AMNESTY for lapsed Blues. Give 'em a really good deal on lower profile games where there are otherwise empty seats. Try and tempt some of them back. make a light-hearted campaign out of it maybe. Going is a habit and not going also becomes habit forming. Get them back in the stadium and maybe you reignite the interest and the passion......they bring friends and family etc etc

But there is no substitute for the likelihood of success ultimately.

 

[fbloke]

(btw - diaspora!! is that a bluemoon first ;-)

Surely you underestimate Bluemoon? ;-)