"The Life of a Plastic Football Fan" - Article

http://ninianblog.com/2012/03/06/the-li ... stic-footb all-fan/

Hope you enjoy! Any comments appreciated

Sorry to bump it, but there is a fella on the brighton forum that I posted on that called my article moronic, and that I probably only wrote it because we lost to liverpool.

P.S he's a Man United fan from brighton!!

http://www.northstandchat.com/showthrea ... otball-fan

Just reading your article now.

Really good article.

I think the term plastic is generally perceived to be derogatory, so the article is going to have one conclusion I guess, even though you balance it by being very honest about yourself.

I love watching Manchester United play, and have loved watching the style of football they have largely played for decades - attacking. I like watching Spurs doing the same - even Fulham managed it this weekend. Some clubs have a particular feel to them - I was brought up to hate just one club, and that was Arsenal. The reason why Dad hated Arsenal was they were the first team to drop a man from central midfield into central defence in the early 1930s, thus making their formation 3-2-5 rather than 2-3 5! He reckoned that was really negative

I was brought up to love the City and support them. I feel blessed that my personal circumstances have changed so drastically in the last few years that I can now be a season ticket holder and go to some away games. I agree it is a bit sad to support a club you never go to see, and I agree emotionally with alot of what you say in your article.

I would say, though, that in today's world, where so many people live in their own bubble or the bubble of their own house, the telly and the internet have increased the physical number of people interested in football - its just that alot of them, as you say, are steered towards the big clubs as a result.

By the same token, we have in the last 10 years gained more supporters who are kids and women, and blokes too as a result -the club are in the entertainment business, and the wider the audience becomes the more diluted the intensity of the fan base can sometimes appear especially sitting down, until such time as the interest and passion grips them.

Sorry realise I've gone right off the subject now - at my age its easy to tell myself that typing this means I'm actually talking to someone who is listening

Reminded me so much of my plastic years...
I used to be a 'big' Man Utd fan I would have posters, decorations, 3 jerseys for that season, you name it.
I managed to get to Old Trafford 3 times in my 6 years 'supporting' them. 2 Champions League games and a game against Bolton. Stood in the Stretford end that game, about half way up where the atmosphere is supposed to be 'electric' ... But there was a chant to go with the tannoy system and a few 'glory glory Man Utd' chants throughout the game. With the odd 'United, United, United'

Then there was a massive contrast in august 2006, when we played Brum for the first time in years in front of a packed out Ninian Park. My first City game and it changed my views on football completely. The passion showed by the fans was totally different to that in the Stretford End. And when Ledley put the first into the net I can remember the whole Bob Bank going absolutely bonkers, I felt myseflf going with it when the emotions took over.
From that day forth my 'love' of the Mancs died down a little bit more every week, whereas my love for City grew tremendously at the same time. And i'm happy to call myself a Bluebird, regardless of how we finished that season, or how 'shit' our ground was.

2 clips from the Chapions League matches I went to (Old Trafford was like a morgue). Bearing in mind I still followed them but City were my first team at this time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGGE8QGX ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiPV9K3RVng

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEjCJ6P0dQk

Just reading your article now.

Cheers Annis, let me know what you think

I went to a pre-season match between Man United and Juventus about 6 years ago with my father in Old Trafford.

We felt like one of many, that we were so out of touch with the actual game that we couldn't understand how we once followed this pile of commercialised dirt. They're so out of touch with their fans. Couldn't imagine following a football club, or should I say business, like that.

Great article! Nicely summed up.

I was the same. Liverpool 'supporter' Since I don't live in or around Cardiff, Swansea or even Wrexham (I was born in Carmarthen but I've always lived in Cwmann in Carmarthenshire; a small village next to the historic University town of Lampeter in South West Wales), I was brought up in an area where football is popular (although rugby is big around there parts, as you could well imagine ) but as I've said, no Cardiff or Swansea etc. therefore all my friends were either Man United or Liverpool (one or two Arsenal) and I followed the norm, though I didn't get into football until I was around six, despite the fact I was always kicking a ball around the place (and always a round one ). My mum and her brother were born in Carmarthen and have been all over the place (Carmarthen first, then Burry Port and Cardiff before going off to work and to college etc. leaving my grandparents to move back to Carmarthen) but my Dad's side have always lived in Cwmann, so I'm a fluent Welsh speaker and so is everyone else in the area and the surrounding areas. So you'd think that rugby is big, and it is, but football is big as well

I went to my first City game when I was 11 (Burnley home in January 2006; 3-0 win) and sat in the Canton stand but this was a rare occasion. Saw Burnley again in 2009 (Easter Monday) and it fantastic. Been going ever since (not every game but most of the time) since I was about 14 at the time of that 3-1 win against Burnley, so to be fair the ditching of the 'plastic' image occurred when it should as said in the article; as a teenager. Carrying on longer into your twenties is a bit sad though, I agree.

Interesting mate. I think I was about 9 when I fell in love with Cardiff, but weirdly, due to the fact everyone supported the big teams I carried on following Man Utd, as if it was a weird thing to follow a small club.

Just reading your article now.

Cheers Annis, let me know what you think

decent read Ga

Good read.
My journey with CCFC , began in the early 70's with loads of teenagers coming down from the Rhondda, on the football specials. But gradually less and less of us. No more football special trains.Then the City were not pushing for promotion from the 2nd division anymore, instead falling down the leagues to the 4th division.
All this coincided with me getting married , having children and less money, the same story as many, then as now.So I became a plastic fan , but of Cardiff City FC
I always looked for the City result first. went as often as I could , which to be honest was not often at all .
Then my kids grew up as well as my disposable income .Then I could see my team more often, which coincided with the City climbing the divisions, again pushing for promotion from the Championship (old 2nd division). So my Journey as gone full circle, 40 years later, I'm still hoping for promotion.
So even though I have supported the City for over 40 years, I must confess 25 years was as a Plastic fan.
I have been to Cardiff games in The Welsh Cup , The FA cup, League cup and Europe also 4th, 3rd ans 2nd divisions. I've followed and supported City through all the ups and many downs,the team 20 miles from my house.My local team.