Wheelsy
Well-Known Member
Tin hat firmly on, and Word document opened for a JMA-style opus.
I reckon I’m probably one of the more qualified to talk on this subject as I am a tourist — only I was a few years ahead of the times.
I have engaged in touristy behaviour (photo outside the stadium and during a game, ridiculous props — but thankfully yet to been seen with a half and half scarf or an iPad).
I have shown cringeworthy ‘celebrity City fan’ traits and media and club attention that suggests that because I jet in from far away I am a bigger fan than someone who battles for 40 hours a week to put food on the table and then find a spare 50 quid to go to the footy on the weekend. I most certainly am not.
I have picked and chosen which games I’ve gone to. And they’ve included some big games too — Schalke away, FA Cup final, final game of last season. And I’ve used contacts to purchase tickets that I am not entitled to under the loyalty point system and I have denied a local blue from that seat on each occasion.
And whilst my family history is Mancunian I was born and raised in Australia by parents who were born in Australia, so it’s a pretty tenuous link to make. I would like to think however that I have proven over the years that I am a true supporter of the club and not some blow in who only like the Man Citizen because of they have my favourite player Kun Aguero and the Bosnian Diamond etc.
But even as an admitted tourist, I have to hold reservations about the future direction of the match going support. I don’t want to play the “where were you when we were shit?” card, but there must have been a dozen UAE City fans on my flight out of Manchester after the QPR game, all dressed head-to-toe in freshly purchased Champions gear. How did they get tickets to one of the biggest games of our life-time?
The amount of half-scarf donning, overseas flag waving, long-lens snapping iPad-tapping wankers populating the stadium now is shocking. But it’s the future.
Which is better for the club? Old mate Danneh from Gorton who has a season ticket in 116 but gets lathered every game, persistently stands, says naughty words to opposition players and makes life tough for the stewards; or one of our middle-eastern friends who buys a ticket on viagogo for a free halal pie, sits quietly and takes photos of his big day watching City and spends £xxx in the superstore afterwards? Rewarding the loyal fans is not in the best interests of the club.
You can’t expect the club to outlay six-figure wages each week and not expect some hikes, but the way that City have become very money hungry all of a sudden is quite sad.
As a co-founder of a supporters’ club, I received an email today that City are looking to bring the Premier League trophy out to Australia shortly. Fantastic, except for this small matter:
“We therefore need to raise funds in order to cover the costs of 4 flights (for myself, 2 security guards and the trophy) back to England.
The challenge is to speak to some local businesses (if possible) to see if they can donate funds to help secure this visit as I would imagine flight costs might be too steep for your branches...”
The club that pays wasters like Nasri £100k+ a week to stink up the pitch every week is asking its fans to go cap-in-hand to people so to pay for airfares! Someone nurse the fucking trophy on your lap, there’s a grand saved right there!
An absolute piss-take if ever I’ve seen one.
So many people fought to retain the soul of the club after the takeover, but the war is over, and we’ve all lost.
Go you Man Citizens!
I reckon I’m probably one of the more qualified to talk on this subject as I am a tourist — only I was a few years ahead of the times.
I have engaged in touristy behaviour (photo outside the stadium and during a game, ridiculous props — but thankfully yet to been seen with a half and half scarf or an iPad).
I have shown cringeworthy ‘celebrity City fan’ traits and media and club attention that suggests that because I jet in from far away I am a bigger fan than someone who battles for 40 hours a week to put food on the table and then find a spare 50 quid to go to the footy on the weekend. I most certainly am not.
I have picked and chosen which games I’ve gone to. And they’ve included some big games too — Schalke away, FA Cup final, final game of last season. And I’ve used contacts to purchase tickets that I am not entitled to under the loyalty point system and I have denied a local blue from that seat on each occasion.
And whilst my family history is Mancunian I was born and raised in Australia by parents who were born in Australia, so it’s a pretty tenuous link to make. I would like to think however that I have proven over the years that I am a true supporter of the club and not some blow in who only like the Man Citizen because of they have my favourite player Kun Aguero and the Bosnian Diamond etc.
But even as an admitted tourist, I have to hold reservations about the future direction of the match going support. I don’t want to play the “where were you when we were shit?” card, but there must have been a dozen UAE City fans on my flight out of Manchester after the QPR game, all dressed head-to-toe in freshly purchased Champions gear. How did they get tickets to one of the biggest games of our life-time?
The amount of half-scarf donning, overseas flag waving, long-lens snapping iPad-tapping wankers populating the stadium now is shocking. But it’s the future.
Which is better for the club? Old mate Danneh from Gorton who has a season ticket in 116 but gets lathered every game, persistently stands, says naughty words to opposition players and makes life tough for the stewards; or one of our middle-eastern friends who buys a ticket on viagogo for a free halal pie, sits quietly and takes photos of his big day watching City and spends £xxx in the superstore afterwards? Rewarding the loyal fans is not in the best interests of the club.
You can’t expect the club to outlay six-figure wages each week and not expect some hikes, but the way that City have become very money hungry all of a sudden is quite sad.
As a co-founder of a supporters’ club, I received an email today that City are looking to bring the Premier League trophy out to Australia shortly. Fantastic, except for this small matter:
“We therefore need to raise funds in order to cover the costs of 4 flights (for myself, 2 security guards and the trophy) back to England.
The challenge is to speak to some local businesses (if possible) to see if they can donate funds to help secure this visit as I would imagine flight costs might be too steep for your branches...”
The club that pays wasters like Nasri £100k+ a week to stink up the pitch every week is asking its fans to go cap-in-hand to people so to pay for airfares! Someone nurse the fucking trophy on your lap, there’s a grand saved right there!
An absolute piss-take if ever I’ve seen one.
So many people fought to retain the soul of the club after the takeover, but the war is over, and we’ve all lost.
Go you Man Citizens!