Plastic Fan?

[The Great Wallsendo]

Feel bound to make a response to the assertion that non season ticket holders for football clubs are “plastic” fans whose opinions about their chosen club are not valid...

I’ve always thought that plastic fans were those akin to “glory” supporters who only support a club when they are doing well…so I guess for the average Newcastle supporter to be lumped in that bracket is fairly laughable.

If a clubs fan base is decided only by the card carrying ticket holders then any large club would never be able to compete from a business sense. Clubs these days are brand names to be sold that extend beyond the city walls…people move away from areas and also move in – so if you’re not born and bred of an area, raised on the local ale and taught the terrace songs of your fathers are you less of a fan??

Personally I am a “plastic” Geordie…born in Bath (pronounced Baaarth) and moved around the world and UK until I settled in N/E at the age of 9…I wasn’t from a football oriented family and was crap at the game so spent my childhood in Cullercoats/Whitley Bay fishing in the rock pools at Crawleys and going on bike rides…but I’ve always been a fan of sport…

1992 comes along – I’m 15 years old – there’s a buzz about the Toon…somewhat of a footballing revolution occurring by all accounts, so what do you do? You want to get involved so you go to your first “in the flesh” football game. What can I say I got “into” it at the right time – it was great…the “Entertainers” were where it was at and for a while Newcastle United Football Club were riding high.

Never been able to afford a season ticket, and to be frank there are sometimes other things I prefer to spend my money and time on but since 1992 I have supported Newcastle United. I wasn’t born in the Strawberry, I don’t wash my clothes in Brown Ale and I don’t sing terrace songs in the bath but I have supported them through thick and thin (and it’s been pretty thin these last few years) I paid for Sky Sports so I could watch them as and when, I own club paraphernalia and go to a “real” match whenever I can…and do you know what? There are thousands like me who call themselves fans on that basis – like I said before Newcastle wouldn’t be much of a club if only fifty two thousand people supported it would it?

Personally feel that the relegation can only be a driving force for change at NUFC as for too long there have been elements within the club and among the fan base with their heads in the sand as to where the club was going – lots of turmoil and lots of upheaval but at the end of the day the players on the pitch didn’t cut the mustard and as such the team is where it deserves to be

Positive note is we’ll be the biggest team in the Championship now – WOO YEAH!!

The average Mackem will also know that they only escaped relagation by the fact that the teams below them were marginally sh*tter than them.

Nevertheless I wish Sunderland well for the forthcoming season and if the rumours are to be believed Steve Mclaren is in the offing to take them on to glory…

[KeithB]

Think you've answered your own question there Tony

"I’ve always thought that plastic fans were those akin to “glory” supporters who only support a club when they are doing well"

"What can I say I got “into” it at the right time – it was great…the “Entertainers” were where it was at and for a while Newcastle United Football Club were riding high"

Maybe "plastic" wasn't the right word "bandwagon" was maybe more fitting, mainly aimed the people who spout the "We're gonna do this" & "We're gonna do that" stuff even though they've never stepped foot inside Sid James.

I love a bit of banter and believe me I've had some stick over the years but coming from people who don't go to the games it just doesn't wash.

Think you're right about relegation not being the end of the world, as Shearer has stated a good clear out is required, avoiding relegation may of just papered over the cracks.

I'm not a mackem (average or otherwise) but I know Sunderland escaping the drop wasn't down to their brilliance, to be honest I fully expected the worst, a playing staff clear out is certainly required.

If history is anything to go by Newcastle will probs pass Sunderland on the way back, in the words of Mr Taylor "What goes round, comes round"

Hope you enjoy you're next match

[The Great Wallsendo]

Hope you enjoy you're next match

Is it going to be on Sky like? ...if it wasn't for the Ashes this summer I'd cancel my subscription

...going to have to listen on the radio (heaven forbid I'll pay good money )

Have heard rumours (and they are just that) that the capacity is being limited to 40k for next season

Agree I joined on the back of a bandwagon - nowt wrong with that in my book as they were good times

[KeithB]

Championship is on Sunday mornings.

Don't know why they'd limit the capacity, haven't some supporters already paid 3 years in advance?

[SIXFOOTSTEVE]

I wasn't going to get involved in this but ........ I class myself as a "follower of Newcastle United not a FANatic ,I assume that's where the word fan comes from , I used to go to watch the games regularly until in 1988 ,yes 1988 ,I got fed up with paying good money to see us winning by two goals only to lose it in the second half ....I was so fed up that I vowed never to go there again and guess what,I haven't .

I HAVE been back to St. James Park but to watch international games with the bairn ,and I have stuck (stubbornly I admit ) to what I said I was going to do ,I was still bothered when Newcastle went down because I still like to see them do well ( when did that happen ? ) .

It would be better all round if all three north east teams were still up and doing well , not that I'd go back to going to the match as I stick by my guns .

I remember a few lads from work saying they'd never go back to see Sunderland play ......however they later compared their new seats when they bought their season tickets as soon as they won promotion , I know there are fans like this everywhere but to me they ARE plastic and love the old band wagon .

Yours ,a Newcastle follower.

[tonyfromalnwick]

I used to go to watch the games regularly until in 1988 ,yes 1988 ,I got fed up with paying good money to see us winning by two goals only to lose it in the second half ....I was so fed up that I vowed never to go there again and guess what,I haven't .

Respect mate.

I have often wished I had the willpower to do the same.

[Red5]

And if it wasn't for all the 'Plastic fans' around the world a lot of teams wouldn't get the revenue from shirt sales etc.

I have supported Man Utd since I was 9 years old. Been through ups and downs....Lots of downs initially, but since Sir Alex took over obviously more ups. My first game was at Sunderland and we got beat 3 -2, the likes of Robson, Moses and McQueen were playing and I loved the atmosphere. I had been taken to see Newcastle play Portsmouth before hand and it just didn't feel the same, aimlessly following 'my local team coz my family did'.
The last time I was at Old Trafford was in the 93-94 season, as a family life and finances took precedence.

I have listened to the banter over the years, especially about 'supporting your local team' and that all Man U fans live in London.....Fair point I say, but there are probably as many 'local teams' out there that do need supporters (Blyth Spartans, Bedlington Terriers or Berwick Rangers) as well as the so called 'North East Big Three'....My local team is Longhoughton Rangers, my son plays in the Under 12's in the NABC league so I became a football coach and manage him and his mates around the North East every Sunday.....So there you go I do my bit for my 'local team'.

[Red5]

And if it wasn't for all the 'Plastic fans' around the world a lot of teams wouldn't get the revenue from shirt sales etc.

I have supported Man Utd since I was 9 years old. Been through ups and downs....Lots of downs initially, but since Sir Alex took over obviously more ups. My first game was at Sunderland and we got beat 3 -2, the likes of Robson, Moses and McQueen were playing and I loved the atmosphere. I had been taken to see Newcastle play Portsmouth before hand and it just didn't feel the same, aimlessly following 'my local team coz my family did'.
The last time I was at Old Trafford was in the 93-94 season, as a family life and finances took precedence. My middle son has been to Old Trafford twice this year.

I have listened to the banter over the years, especially about 'supporting your local team' and that all Man U fans live in London.....Fair point I say, but there are probably as many 'local teams' out there that do need supporters (Blyth Spartans, Bedlington Terriers or Berwick Rangers) as well as the so called 'North East Big Three'....My local team is Longhoughton Rangers, my son plays in the Under 12's in the NABC league so I became a football coach and manage him and his mates around the North East every Sunday.....So there you go I do my bit for my 'local team'.

Just to add to that we have only been running two seasons in the NABC, the first year we started in division 5, this year we were placed in division 3 as we were doing so well, and have just secured promotion to division 2, coming runners up to Amble, having lost one more game than them. We also beat division 1 champions, Newcastle City Juniors in a cup game a few months back. You should get out and watch football at grassroots level to see some real passion and commitment.