"Long suffering fans"

[Ex Shelton Seagull]

Whilst reading a report on the worlds richest clubs in the Daily Telegraph today, I noticed that Newcastle United (11th richest club in the world with profits of 90 million quid) supporters were described as "long suffering".

'SAKE!

It's bad enough having Spurs fans described as "long suffering" because they only finish mid-table in the Premiership and reach a couple of cup finals every decade, but f***ing NEWCASTLE?

I'm sure the geordies are in absolute agony watching top-half finishes in the Premiership, 2 FA cup finals, Champions League/UEFA Cup football. It must be sheer hell having average crowds of over 50,000 every home game and watching a team of highly talented players.

The term "long suffering" should not be used when describing a Premiership teams supporters. Newcastle United make more in a month than we probably do in a year. I can only think of ONE season in their recent history when they "suffered" and that was 91/92. ONE season of shitness out of how many?

I mean we've only had our ground stolen away from us, played at Gillingham for 2 years and had to rent out a council athletics track for the past 6 seasons. Watched a team that finished 91st out of 92 for 2 years running. Only been 45 minutes from going out of the league altogether.

 

[Easy 10]

Yes but don't forget Shelton, we are talking about The Best Fans In The Country here, and they deserve success because, well, its a HOTBED of football up there, isn't it. I think its nothing short of a national tragedy that a generation of Geordies still havn't got their hands on the silverware they have such a divine right to.

My heart bleeds for those poor souls. It puts all our troubles into perspective, dontcha think.

 

[geoffreyp]

absolutley agree with you Easy and am sure that premiership supporters will very soon have a Fans Utd day at St James's

 

[CHAPPERS]

What a bunch of absolute COCK. I fuckign hate the premiership sometimes and what's worse is that a lot of the media completely dismiss all football outside of it unless a 'minnow' gets to the 5th round of the cup. I'm sure Newcastle will absolutely HATE having to travel all the way to Holland to play in the UEFA cup tonight with Kluivert in tow after having been able to hold off the advances of Osasuna in January.

Poor bastards.

 

[Albion Rob]

Yes but don't forget Shelton, we are talking about The Best Fans In The Country here, and they deserve success because, well, its a HOTBED of football up there, isn't it. I think its nothing short of a national tragedy that a generation of Geordies still havn't got their hands on the silverware they have such a divine right to.

My heart bleeds for those poor souls. It puts all our troubles into perspective, dontcha think.

It's true. the place is a HOTBED, as crowds of around 8,000 for home games in the late 90s/early 90s will testify. Sunderland were pretty much the same.

but then again, they LOVE their football up north.

 

[Easy 10]

Absolutely Rob.
Every time I see the Stadium of Light two-thirds empty, I'm reminded of just how fanatical those fans in the north-east are about their football.

We should all hold them in AWE.

 

[Ex Shelton Seagull]

Ah yes, the "hotbed of football" that is the North East of England. Where people always support their team and never, never, ever f*** off when things are going shit on the pitch. Wor Jackie, the Charltons, going from the pit to the pitch, football in alleyways with a ball made of asbestos. Enduring images aren't they?

Not like us in our "footballing backwater" where people turn up in big numbers when we're doing well and f*** off when we're shit. Totally different isn't it?

 

[wilderabeast]

spurs fans are the most fickle moaning tossers around they don't no they are born!!!!!!

 

[Dr Breakfast]

Those poor jaded souls. Imagine having an average transfer budget of just £10 MILLION each season, having to rely on Alan Shearer for goals season after season and now suffering the indignity of their paltry £90.5 MILLION revenue being made public.

It's grim up north

 

[Simster]

spurs fans are the most fickle moaning tossers around they don't no they are born!!!!!!

Although they do sell out most games, including an FA Cup round 3 match against a lower half Championship side.

Now look at the North East. Newcastle's gates were 10-12,000 only 13 years ago. Sunderland's were 8-9,000 the season they got relegated from the division we're now in (1986). Sunderland are now third and getting 25,000. Not really brilliant is it. And Darlington - smashing new stadium, cheap tickets - 3,500 turn up.

The most loyal fans in the country are the East Anglians. Fans have always turned up to Norwich & Ipswich, however they're doing. And that goes for the past 4 decades. Southampton aren't far behind in truth.

And in the last 15 years, even ######## Pal_ace have managed consistently respectable gates.

Just don't talk to me about the hotbed of football being the North East. It aint.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

How about Liverpool? They've gone something like FOURTEEN YEARS without winning the league. Can you imagine what that must feel like? I'm surprised they haven't topped themselves by now, what with only a handful of other domestic and european cups to ease the pain.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

I'd say Manchester City are, when they dropped to what is now League 1, they had record season ticket applications and filled Maine Road for every match.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

It's true. the place is a HOTBED, as crowds of around 8,000 for home games in the late 90s/early 90s will testify.

Your point is valid Rob, but you're not quite correct. I lost a tenner last weekend having bet a mate of mine that Newcastle have had crowds of under 10,000 in the last 30 years. They haven't. The lowest they had was 10,004!

 

[Easy 10]

I've always had a lot of respect for Tranmere fans. A couple of Premiership giants just through the Mersey tunnel, yet they still turn out in pretty decent numbers to watch Rovers.

And they're the friendliest bunch of supporters I've ever encountered on my travels.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

Nobody has mentioned Middlesbrough, who regularly had crowds of under 5,000 in the mid-Eighties. Their lowest was just 3,364.

In 84/85 their average attendance was just 5,135. And that's for football at the level that we are now.

As recently as 93/94 they averaged only 10,400.

 

[The Laughing Bluebird]

And they're the friendliest bunch of supporters I've ever encountered on my travels.

They were throwing bricks at us as we got off the train last time I was there!

 

[Simster]

I'd say Manchester City are, when they dropped to what is now League 1, they had record season ticket applications and filled Maine Road for every match.

Yep, I'll give you Man siteh, but not because of the example you give funnily enough. Quite often you'll find clubs maintaining their support for a season or two at the lower level. Sheff Wed have done the same now for 2 seasons. How would siteh fans have managed if they'd still been in league 1? 32k every week? Probably not.

But in fairness to them, they were getting 20,000 minimum (in either of the two divisions they occupied) throughout the '80s when crowds were gash.

 

[Simster]

Nobody has mentioned Middlesbrough, who regularly had crowds of under 5,000 in the mid-Eighties. Their lowest was just 3,364.

In 84/85 their average attendance was just 5,135. And that's for football at the level that we are now.

As recently as 93/94 they averaged only 10,400.

I thought about mentioning them, but the town of Middlesbrough is actually smaller than Brighton & Cardiff, and the dark days of the '80s nearly led to the club going to the wall - so 3,364 turning up to watch them play their home games at Hartlepool is not really that awful. In fact, I have a Boro supporting friend who was one of those 3,364!

 

[Theatre of Trees]

Nobody has mentioned Middlesbrough, who regularly had crowds of under 5,000 in the mid-Eighties. Their lowest was just 3,364.

In 84/85 their average attendance was just 5,135. And that's for football at the level that we are now.

As recently as 93/94 they averaged only 10,400.

In mitigation nearly all clubs saw their attendances decline steeply during the early 80s reaching the worst average figures around 84-85.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Gawd bless Newcastle. They got a board who call their women supporters dogs and take the piss out of their loyal support for shelling out forty quid on a replica shirt. And get caught out by the News Of The World with hookers on foreign jaunts.

Reckon we should have a bucket collection for their long-suffering fans on Saturday. I'm sure the Sunderland fans will give generously also.