Are you a "supporter?

[Newcy Wolf]

[QUOTE=albion68;38644191]

Your stalkers back al.

Looks like mine is too.

[stripes39]

I think that in general, the original post is aimed at the glory hunters who have no affiliation with City/Utd/Chelski etc but still advertise their support by wearing their top in the pub whilst watching Sky. The pubs are full of them and they all have a story about despite living in Cornwall they ended up supporting Man U etc despite never having been.

I think its difficult to categorise people as the way football has gone, there are genuine economic reasons why some people who would love to attend cannot. I think its unfair to suggest some people care less about the club if for reasons of money or work patterns they cannot get to all games. I do think that with many teams (including all of the Midlands clubs) for obvious reasons we do not attract glory hunters. Most people who follow these clubs be it to every match, occasionally or on TV imo do have a reason for their interest and are in the main local to each club. I've no time for the pub dwelling glory hunters but then again I struggle with those who go to every single match yet consider anyone else like me who probably gets to 15 matches a season and watches away matches on streams not worthy of an opinion. I guess whether you attend 2 or 22 matches a season, in the grand scheme of things its not important. I'm just glad that we don't attract the plastic opinionated Sky supporter as the big 4 do.

[sweeper5]

Although I normally agree with quite a lot of what you say, Whicka_Mon, I have to disagree here. I don't go to away matches, and select the home games which I think might just be entertaining; those I don't go to plus the away games, I watch on either TV or Stream, which may well just follow the ball but you do get the action replays that show you the build up to a score, etc.. you don't get that when in attendance. You can't get any real picture of the game if all you do is listen on the radio, as I know some on here do! There you are completely in the hands of the commentary.

But what an interesting question - fan or supporter.

To my mind, a fan ( a derivative from the word fanatic) is someone who goes to games and dependant upon the outcome will either be happy if the result is what they want - i.e a win - or have a very short temper that they unleash upon others. They may well not have a long standing relationship with the club - even having given their attentions to other clubs in the past.
However, a supporter has a lifetime association with the one club and is there whether the club is successful or not.

Now, having said that, I ask myself the question - fan or supporter?

Having first witnessed Albion as a young 9 year old in the mid 70's, up to quite recently I would say "Supporter". However, since the coming of a certain fellow mid-way through the 2014/15 season, if I'm honest with myself, I have to say that I am now a "Fan" but purely for the type of football that is offered up, not for any other reason and will remain so until a change is upon us, at which time I will consider myself back as a Supporter. Perhaps the same applies to others who post here.

Auf Wiedersehen

[holmleighchris]

Although I normally agree with quite a lot of what you say, Whicka_Mon, I have to disagree here. I don't go to away matches, and select the home games which I think might just be entertaining; those I don't go to plus the away games, I watch on either TV or Stream, which may well just follow the ball but you do get the action replays that show you the build up to a score, etc.. you don't get that when in attendance. You can't get any real picture of the game if all you do is listen on the radio, as I know some on here do! There you are completely in the hands of the commentary.

But what an interesting question - fan or supporter.

To my mind, a fan ( a derivative from the word fanatic) is someone who goes to games and dependant upon the outcome will either be happy if the result is what they want - i.e a win - or have a very short temper that they unleash upon others. They may well not have a long standing relationship with the club - even having given their attentions to other clubs in the past.
However, a supporter has a lifetime association with the one club and is there whether the club is successful or not.

Now, having said that, I ask myself the question - fan or supporter?

Having first witnessed Albion as a young 9 year old in the mid 70's, up to quite recently I would say "Supporter". However, since the coming of a certain fellow mid-way through the 2014/15 season, if I'm honest with myself, I have to say that I am now a "Fan" but purely for the type of football that is offered up, not for any other reason and will remain so until a change is upon us, at which time I will consider myself back as a Supporter. Perhaps the same applies to others who post here.

Auf Wiedersehen

It's the movement off the ball you don't get to see when watching on TV/a stream, also the atmosphere can't be captured. That said replays etc., do give you plenty that you miss if attending.
Having stopped attending, down somewhat to Pulis but also for personal reasons, I can't see me becoming a regular at games again. I've found I don't miss it as much as I imagined I would. Surprising after 60 years or so.
Here I am when I was a fanatic!

[albion68]

[QUOTE=Newcy Wolf;38644289]

Looks like mine is too.

pretentious **** rather watch emerdale.

[talkSAFT]

It's the movement off the ball you don't get to see when watching on TV/a stream, also the atmosphere can't be captured. That said replays etc., do give you plenty that you miss if attending.
Having stopped attending, down somewhat to Pulis but also for personal reasons, I can't see me becoming a regular at games again. I've found I don't miss it as much as I imagined I would. Surprising after 60 years or so.
Here I am when I was a fanatic!

You must have gone to my old school, Chris. Grove Lane?

[SwedishBaggie]

Although I normally agree with quite a lot of what you say, Whicka_Mon, I have to disagree here. I don't go to away matches, and select the home games which I think might just be entertaining; those I don't go to plus the away games, I watch on either TV or Stream, which may well just follow the ball but you do get the action replays that show you the build up to a score, etc.. you don't get that when in attendance. You can't get any real picture of the game if all you do is listen on the radio, as I know some on here do! There you are completely in the hands of the commentary.

But what an interesting question - fan or supporter.

To my mind, a fan ( a derivative from the word fanatic) is someone who goes to games and dependant upon the outcome will either be happy if the result is what they want - i.e a win - or have a very short temper that they unleash upon others. They may well not have a long standing relationship with the club - even having given their attentions to other clubs in the past.
However, a supporter has a lifetime association with the one club and is there whether the club is successful or not.

Now, having said that, I ask myself the question - fan or supporter?

Having first witnessed Albion as a young 9 year old in the mid 70's, up to quite recently I would say "Supporter". However, since the coming of a certain fellow mid-way through the 2014/15 season, if I'm honest with myself, I have to say that I am now a "Fan" but purely for the type of football that is offered up, not for any other reason and will remain so until a change is upon us, at which time I will consider myself back as a Supporter. Perhaps the same applies to others who post here.

Auf Wiedersehen

Well, a supporter can be, and quite often is probably, quite fanatic too. I'm probably, if you ask my wife anyway, a fanatic Albion supporter.

To be a supporter imo, to some extent, is to be biased, have rose tinted spectacles and to "stand up for your club". A half full glass is recommended over a half empty one too.

Therefore it makes perfect sense to me (well, then taking into account that supporting a club often defies the laws of logic ) to support Pulis, while I am previous "guilty of" complaining about the "boring football of his Stoke City" (though I was admittedly also partly impressed by them, and loved it when they drove Wenger and Arsenal insane on many occasions). To not back a member of my club, someone must have behaved really badly, eg Berahino. When Pulis leaves (and, yes, he will eventually do so) I'm not "on his side".

It is also very important to stay in the PL, and so far Pulis has guaranteed that (we can never know about the future), and we don't want to be where our neighbours are, do we... If this continues, we will be in the PL when someone else takes over, and possibly changes the style of play too.

To change from being a supporter of the Albion to become a fan (of football, presumably played by other clubs?) because of the football style, is for me, unthinkable. What comes next, start supporting another club? You stand by your club, no matter what, Albion forever for me!

Und Auf Wiedersehen, oder vielleicht lieber, ein bisschen Widerstand gegen den Pulis Negativismus!

And of course, COYB!!!

[WBA1955]

Chris, it says there you are a fan, not a supporter.
Oh,it does say you are a supporter and a fan.
So being a Supporter also makes you a fan, but being a fan doesn't neccessarily make you a supporter? Ahh, got it now.....i think.

[holmleighchris]

You must have gone to my old school, Chris. Grove Lane?

Certainly did mate. Left in the summer of 1966. We moved to Gloucester that summer so I never attended a senior school in Brum.
Used to play football for the school in the North Birmingham school league. Had to make our own way to all the matches, no school bus back then and my dad didn't drive. Walked to most of the game, then off up the Albion in the afternoon, first team or reserve matches.

[OptimisticBaggie]

I think the term fan & supporter are interchangeable and I don't think you can measure it by games attended or money put into the club.

I am at most home matches but 75% of them I am been paid to be there and provide medical cover, does the fact that the club pays me more money (indirectly) than I spend on tickets/merchandise make me less of a fan?

My own definition : -

If you would ever consider changing allegiances if your club hit on hard times then you are a follower, not a fan or supporter.

I used to go to watch Moor Green play, it was cheap to get in and within easy staggering distance of home, but I would never have called myself a Moor Green supporter as my heart as always been with Albion & I stopped going when they moved the ground down to Solihull.

How many of these "Massive Man U supporters" would still be fans if they somehow managed to get relegated?