[Football] Can hard core support be measured from how many stay to watch a home drubbing?

[portlock seagull]

…West Ham, 2nd half, perhaps 10k diehards?

Reckon we’ve about 5k (given our attendances during the War Years)

Over to you, NSC…

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I imagine the ones who stay are those who have got a taxi booked for full time and cant be arsed to stand around in the cold. If i could just catch a train I know I'd be out of there...

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I think this is a fair way of looking at it.

Though I think even if we were on a hideous battering at home, more would stay than the 5k you suggest and proportionately much higher than West Ham managed.

 

[portlock seagull]

I imagine the ones who stay are those who have got a taxi booked for full time and cant be arsed to stand around in the cold. If i could just catch a train I know I'd be out of there...

Fair weather fans then? Cold shouldn’t come into it, if ever been to Oldham or Stoke A different subject altogether!

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I stayed till near the final whistle at the Everton 1-5 because I remained convinced we'd somehow claw something back. But at 0-4 or 0-5 against Arsenal I think I’d be off earlier (and yes, I do remember the Newcastle-Arsenal 4-4).

 

[portlock seagull]

I think this is a fair way of looking at it.

Though I think even if we were on a hideous battering at home, more would stay than the 5k you suggest and proportionately much higher than West Ham managed.

I remember staying at HT to watch us come back against, whoever Paul Emblem got four against on Boxing Day. Was it Colchester? Now that was a comeback of Dunkirk proportions!

 

[Scoffers]

I think in West Ham's case, it wasn't just the score line, but the turgid footy that Moyes's teams trot out week after week. You can probably bare it to a point if you get results, but imagine being 4-0 down at half time to Palace with Moyesball, you'd be severely tempted, would you not, especially as for most of us, travel back from the Amex is painful.

To answer your question though, I suppose it is an indicator of the number of die-hard fans, those that would watch their team play whatever league they were in, however crap the football was!

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Generally speaking those that leave the match early regardless of the score are free to do so, it’s none of my business and it’s a free country.

Personally, I don’t leave early as I’ve no logistical reason to.

Leaving when you’re five nil down is meat n drink to opposing fans so for that reason I’d stay till the end on principle to not give them the satisfaction.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I left at 3-0 at West Ham under Poyet in the 13th minute. People were still coming in.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

The West Ham game isn't a fair benchmark for us when you have a fair amount leaving the Amex even when we're winning. Each to their own but when significant numbers are leaving with more than 10 minutes remaining and you're 4-1 up against your arch rivals...

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I think in West Ham's case, it wasn't just the score line, but the turgid footy that Moyes's teams trot out week after week. You can probably bare it to a point if you get results, but imagine being 4-0 down at half time to Palace with Moyesball, you'd be severely tempted, would you not, especially as for most of us, travel back from the Amex is painful.

To answer your question though, I suppose it is an indicator of the number of die-hard fans, those that would watch their team play whatever league they were in, however crap the football was!

I can imagine not paying for another ticket any time soon if we were that bad (and West Ham are a bit defensive and negative, but they are far from terrible). I just don't understand leaving the game you are already at. It's just not how football works. You can't just say, "i'll watch you if you win, but won't watch you if you lose" Surely that just misunderstands the nature of football. Some you will win, some you lose.

Staying only if you think your team will win, suggests a relationship with the club that you are looking for them to do well to, in some way, validate your self esteem rather than you actually like watching football.

 

[tigertim68]

I think in West Ham's case, it wasn't just the score line, but the turgid footy that Moyes's teams trot out week after week. You can probably bare it to a point if you get results, but imagine being 4-0 down at half time to Palace with Moyesball, you'd be severely tempted, would you not, especially as for most of us, travel back from the Amex is painful.

To answer your question though, I suppose it is an indicator of the number of die-hard fans, those that would watch their team play whatever league they were in, however crap the football was!

I remember the West Ham fans leaving early , when we first played at the London Stadium, and we went 3-0 up
and they left in Huge numbers

 

[Scoffers]

I can imagine not paying for another ticket any time soon if we were that bad (and West Ham are a bit defensive and negative, but they are far from terrible). I just don't understand leaving the game you are already at. It's just not how football works. You can't just say, "i'll watch you if you win, but won't watch you if you lose" Surely that just misunderstands the nature of football. Some you will win, some you lose.

Staying only if you think your team will win, suggests a relationship with the club that you are looking for them to do well to, in some way, validate your self esteem rather than you actually like watching football.

I quite agree, I've never left early for football reasons in all my years supporting the Albion going back to the 70s, although I'll admit I have felt like doing it on the odd occasion!

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

The West Ham game isn't a fair benchmark for us when you have a fair amount leaving the Amex even when we're winning. Each to their own but when significant numbers are leaving with more than 10 minutes remaining and you're 4-1 up against your arch rivals...

This kind of premeditated leaving suggests a different problem, one of dodgy transport links and shallow bonds between club and many paying supporters.

The West Ham thing is more a mass diva type flounce

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

I quite agree, I've never left early for football reasons in all my years supporting the Albion going back to the 70s, although I'll admit I have felt like doing it on the odd occasion!

Good man.

My mum taught me many things. She taught me, you never cross a picket line and you never turn your back on your team.

Lessons that in due course, I will be passing down to my boys.

 

[BrightonCottager]

A lot of them left early when we beat them 5-0 earlier this season (we were 3-0 up at halftime). On the other hand, hardly any Forest left early when we did them by the same score. Obviously some were on official coaches, but a lot came on the trains or were London-based.

 

[papachris]

I stayed until the very end of our nil five drubbing by Bournemouth under Chris Hughton. That period after Christmas until the end of the season was just painful to be a fan. We were dreadful!
Really Grateful for what Chris did for the albion but I wasn't surprised at all when he was sacked

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

…West Ham, 2nd half, perhaps 10k diehards?

Reckon we’ve about 5k (given our attendances during the War Years)

Over to you, NSC…

Left at HT at Selhurst 5-0 match. Wasn’t alone

 

[Weststander]

You can’t ignore transport logistics. It varies a great deal between stadia

Also whether despite the one particular loss, there’s a feeling that a club’s going places. Last week Chelsea outclassed Villa from start to finish, yet the majority of home fans stayed until 80’, almost a badge of honour. In the many, many glum seasons for Villa, the place emptied as quickly as the Amex.

 

[portlock seagull]

Left at HT at Selhurst 5-0 match. Wasn’t alone

Classic ‘Read the question’ fail!