I wonder if the people who think it doesn’t matter where you are from dislike any of United’s local rivals?
The "most important" fans of the club
- Thread starter RedBanker
- Start date
I’ve followed an NFL team for about 15 years because my dad supported them. Far more casually at the beginning and the last 5 years or so, watching more and more games. Now I stay up late most weeks watching games. I went to a game in London to watch them, bought some merch.
I wouldn’t dream of calling myself as ‘important’ as a fan in America that goes to games. I can’t even understand how someone would think like that.
I wouldn’t dream of calling myself as ‘important’ as a fan in America that goes to games. I can’t even understand how someone would think like that.
Because they use the facilities at least once a fortnight and spend a huge amount of time and money doing so? You don’t think fans should be consulted on match day experience? There’s loads that has happened in the last two years that has improved this, due to discussions between fan groups and the Glazers.
I forgot to answer this. Football is a professional sport, players and staff members require wages which are mainly financed through commercial deals and TV rights.
The size of the fanbase is the main difference between the revenues generated by clubs with roughly similar attendances. The difference in revenue and spending generally mirrors the level of teams.
Can’t disagree with that. Those in and around the city going regularly to games would give more to the club than ones like me, and are close to the club’s culture / history. It doesn’t mean that only they matter but that they are closer to our roots and probably should weigh more as a whole.
Correct, as it stands you're not as important, because you are currently contributing less.
Say Person A is able to attend every single home game because he's local and it's convenient. Meanwhile Person B attends 10% of games, travelling an ungodly distance and sacrificing a huge amount of time and money to do so.
You could absolutely argue that Person B is the more committed and "better" fan. He might also know more about the club and football generally. But from the club's POV he's still less important than the guy who is there week in week out. It's a reflection of circumstance as much as anything else, but it doesn't change their relative value to the club.
I am sure they are implementing your detailed reply as we speak.
Can I interest you in some shares in London Bridge?
Im not saying we are unimportant. I'm arguing against the idea of ranking importance among fans.
Yeah I'm ok with that as long as it doesn't open up any top red nonsense debates
That kind of thinking will never get you to tier 1.
i'll take a wild guess people on the otherside of the world spending $50 dollars for every premier league game didnt get oneI am sure they are implementing your detailed reply as we speak.
Can I interest you in some shares in London Bridge?
It’s not all to do with money, I don’t like this argument at all. People closer to Manchester are connected more with the history and understanding of the club.
My mate’s dad has been going home and away for years. He missed Barce away in 08 because he was so steaming , he woke up, thought it was a day later than it actually was and ended up watching the game at an airport. He has been attacked by police. He has fallen asleep at a Wolves away game and had someone shave his head. He has gone to about fifty countries supporting the reds. He jibbed his way into a final a few years ago and almost got arrested as a result.
He used to get tickets from Fergie’s receptionist. He’s been drinking with numerous United legends. He is intrinsically part of the club, never mind the money he puts in.
He is Man United. He is a local lad who has supported his team across the globe. That’s what a United fan is.
My mate’s dad has been going home and away for years. He missed Barce away in 08 because he was so steaming , he woke up, thought it was a day later than it actually was and ended up watching the game at an airport. He has been attacked by police. He has fallen asleep at a Wolves away game and had someone shave his head. He has gone to about fifty countries supporting the reds. He jibbed his way into a final a few years ago and almost got arrested as a result.
He used to get tickets from Fergie’s receptionist. He’s been drinking with numerous United legends. He is intrinsically part of the club, never mind the money he puts in.
He is Man United. He is a local lad who has supported his team across the globe. That’s what a United fan is.
Maybe, just maybe…that’s why it seems match going fans have more interest in the new owners than just who is richest. At some point you might start connecting the dots. As I said previously, loads of improvements have been made recently due to the effort of fan groups. Have you noticed an improved atmosphere at old Trafford in the last few years?I am sure they are implementing your detailed reply as we speak.
Can I interest you in some shares in London Bridge?
People are just describing reality - they’re not implementing a ranking regime.
I think that’s just normal though isn’t it in every walk of life? Again, it depends how you define importance and how deep you want to go.
This stemmed from the bidding from the club and I pointed out that surely the impact of who takes over will be felt very differently by each category of fan and therefore there’s definitely an order of importance to be had in that sense.
For example a bid that regenerates the area and improves the local community and city will be positively felt by those that live nearest. The same for investment in the stadium and infrastructure in terms of match going fans.
There are levels in everything, just dont be a dickhead about it. If you live in England and are able to attend matches, good for you and thanks for your efforts. But if you are from England and all you do is asking for rivers every match day and never spending a penny towards the club then from club's perspective you are not more important than, lets say some kid abroad who pays for MUTV subscription monthly.
So its less about where you live and more about what you contribute towards the club in a concrete way. The locals have easier access to the club that they can attend matches easily but that doesnt mean the non matchgoing fans are not important either. The problem comes when people start bragging about it and turn it into a dick measuring contest.
So its less about where you live and more about what you contribute towards the club in a concrete way. The locals have easier access to the club that they can attend matches easily but that doesnt mean the non matchgoing fans are not important either. The problem comes when people start bragging about it and turn it into a dick measuring contest.
So people who DO live next door, or within a mile, SHOULD have more of a say? And if that’s the case, shouldn’t it also apply on a cascading basis?
You’re right fans won’t get a say, I just find it really odd that we’re now arguing from a left wing perspective that a local community and its cultural heritage shouldn’t be given consideration against the forces of Market Capitalism, because that’d be exclusionary. People are genuinely very close to arguing that it doesn’t matter at all where the club is.
Well, I’d argue that if the regeneration happens like City, it’ll be the locals who deal with the consequences and will be more screwed by Qatari ownership than most.
I’d say match going fans easily and season ticket holders or regulars at that., be a bit shit if the people who watched on tv constantly watched an empty stadium with no atmosphere. Even if we were winning everything that would be a bit sad to watch.
From the club POV, it's a bit more complicated than that. The club doesn't consider individual fans because it makes no sense from his POV outside of some shareholders and some hospitality suites fans. The average matchgoing fans will be replaced by an other local very quickly.
The club will only really consider fans as groups and their importance for the club vary, some are important for atmosphere and others are important for money. And that is true even when you focus on match going people, the fans that spend less but are loud and create a nice atmosphere are as important as the fans that purchase far more expensive tickets and don't create any atmosphere. They simply serve a different purpose for the club.
Well that’s a different debate but the point is the views of those it directly impacts, for the better or worse, are more important than those that won’t notice either way.
I am not from England, but it seems obvious that the club’s soul are the fans from the city, the ones that can sing every week in the stands.
I will make the tickets more affordable to let this people go atto the games more often.
I will make the tickets more affordable to let this people go atto the games more often.
Cheers mate.
Like what? Genuinely interested.
The players regularly say that the fans in the stadium are the most important… are they being unfairly elitist?
This is what the top of tier 1 looks like. It's absolutely nothing to aspire to be by the way so don't be insulted at not being there.
Things that make me the top United fan
I live at Old Trafford, I usually sleep in the toilet or under the seats, just as long as security doesn't catch me
I have a full body suit of tattoos that are only related to United with Fergie on my left tit and Matt Busby on the right tit
My children before the ex took them away were called Denis, Denisa, George, Georgina, Bobby and Roberta.
I never wear anything blue and I was given a restraining order for sending death threats to the band Blue
I refuse to use the word city and only say large settlement
I won't play pool or get in a swimming pool and I refuse to eat liver
I've been to every United game including pre-season friendlies in Oceania and even behind closed doors friendlies until security kicked me out
I live at Old Trafford, I usually sleep in the toilet or under the seats, just as long as security doesn't catch me
I have a full body suit of tattoos that are only related to United with Fergie on my left tit and Matt Busby on the right tit
My children before the ex took them away were called Denis, Denisa, George, Georgina, Bobby and Roberta.
I never wear anything blue and I was given a restraining order for sending death threats to the band Blue
I refuse to use the word city and only say large settlement
I won't play pool or get in a swimming pool and I refuse to eat liver
I've been to every United game including pre-season friendlies in Oceania and even behind closed doors friendlies until security kicked me out
No, they are saying what sounds good and players don't hold any sort of truth. It doesn't mean that it's the correct answer from the club POV because the club revenue and the players wages mainly comes from Broadcasting and commercial revenues.
This is what the top of tier 1 looks like. It's absolutely nothing to aspire to be by the way so don't be insulted at not being there.
Thanks for your advice.
Ive just cancelled the appointment I made to get Casemiro's face tattooed on my Bellend
you are determining what players say and if they lie?
People will argue over owt these days. Some real fragility in this thread.
Of course match going fans, who bother to fork out money, travel and make the effort to be the 12th man during matches are the most important.
Locality will also feel more important … to those in the locality. Beyond that all fans are the same.
Surely it’s only about YOU feel about the club? Who cares about hierarchies among fans really? People getting insecure over their perceived levels of fandom
Of course match going fans, who bother to fork out money, travel and make the effort to be the 12th man during matches are the most important.
Locality will also feel more important … to those in the locality. Beyond that all fans are the same.
Surely it’s only about YOU feel about the club? Who cares about hierarchies among fans really? People getting insecure over their perceived levels of fandom
Your posts seem to focus on money a lot more than atmosphere
I think that’s because people see importance differently perhaps?
Why it’s such a minefield
Ok I think Ive got it now.
1. Move to Manchester
2. Get a season ticket
3. Increase my alcohol intake dramatically and try and get arrested every so often.
Thanks for the advice
From the brand point of view you mean.
All of that is important for the brand and money. The club (not the owners but the idea) is more about the stadium, history, city, people.
You can still fall asleep at a game and end up with your head shaved to make it to the platinum tier. There's still hope!
Thanks for your advice.
Ive just cancelled the appointment I made to get Casemiro's face tattooed on my Bellend
I mean literally brilliant life advice there.Ok I think Ive got it now.
1. Move to Manchester
2. Get a season ticket
3. Increase my alcohol intake dramatically and try and get arrested every so often.
Thanks for the advice
I mentioned the atmosphere several times and we are all in agreement on that point. Now some seem to not consider the other side of the equation which is that Football clubs have bills to pay and that the ability to pay them places clubs in different categories within the Football world.
I could understand your point if I didn't mention both but I did.
Also, if we’re throwing a pity party, I could easily argue that British fans that aren’t from Manchester get waaay more shit about it than foreign ones do - who would likely only interact with that attitude online… as opposed to in virtually every single interaction they had with another club’s supporters.
I wonder whether that contributes to the strength of reaction? Whether certain international fans - particularly those in places without a strong homegrown football culture - simply aren’t as aware of the cultural significance of it? Though that could also easily be quite a patronising assumption.
Again, no one is saying they aren’t important, or can’t be amazing dedicated fans, but it just feels so bizarre to try and deny that football of all things places a significant importance on match going.
I wonder whether that contributes to the strength of reaction? Whether certain international fans - particularly those in places without a strong homegrown football culture - simply aren’t as aware of the cultural significance of it? Though that could also easily be quite a patronising assumption.
Again, no one is saying they aren’t important, or can’t be amazing dedicated fans, but it just feels so bizarre to try and deny that football of all things places a significant importance on match going.
Some things maybe are indeed true.
But most things needs not to be said. It's hurtfull
We are manchester UNITED
We wouldnt be where we are without either fans. So instead of emphasizing on the who's got the biggest dick we should focus on we're all UNITED.
And if JR felt so strong about United.. put his money where his mouth is
But most things needs not to be said. It's hurtfull
We are manchester UNITED
We wouldnt be where we are without either fans. So instead of emphasizing on the who's got the biggest dick we should focus on we're all UNITED.
And if JR felt so strong about United.. put his money where his mouth is