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

[Mo Gosfield]

I don't define ' hard core ' support by seeing every game to the final whistle and beyond. That is down to individual attitude. Certain fans will always say that they have never left early and never would. That is their choice. Is it a choice based on getting full value for their money irrespective of what is happening on the pitch? Is it based on supreme optimism that miracles can happen? Is it a fear of actually missing something? Is it a need to feel that their team needs some support at the end of the game, irrespective of performance and therefore applause is beneficial? Is it any manner of other things? It certainly doesn't provide a definition of hard core.
Hard core is turning up to every game, home and away, whatever level and whatever competition your team is playing in. If any of those particular fans leave on 90 mins every game, then, to me, it doesn't diminish their hard core status. That is their individual choice.
So many factors determine fans decisions to leave. At West Ham, you are a long way from transport and 60,000 fans all funnelling in a similar direction toward Stratford is a logistical nightmare. The stewards there employ a stacking system, only allowing certain numbers through at a time, to ease congestion at the railway. It still takes a long time to leave that area. Some longer distance fans have other transport links to make. They don't all come from that immediate area of London. It is time pressured. A number of the fans who saw it through to the end v Arsenal may well be those who live fairly locally and decide to avoid the first 45-60 mins of madness after the final whistle, see the game right through and enjoy some post match refreshment, before leaving when the crowds have died down.
Those considerations equally apply at the Amex.

 

[Commander]

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

That was my son's first ever game! So glad he experienced that now though, it at least adds some context to seeing us batter some of the best teams in the world in the last couple of seasons.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

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

The only pain I experienced when celebrating Knockaert’s winner at Selhurst in 2019 was battered shins and a couple of elbows to the rib cage from being in the middle of the melee.

 

[Commander]

Is it a choice based on getting full value for their money irrespective of what is happening on the pitch?

I would suggest this definitely ISN'T a question that 'hard core support' ask themselves!

 

[papachris]

The only pain I experienced when celebrating Knockaert’s winner at Selhurst in 2019 was battered shins and a couple of elbows to the rib cage from being in the middle of the melee.

Yes, fair enough. That was a great goal!

 

[papachris]

That was my son's first ever game! So glad he experienced that now though, it at least adds some context to seeing us batter some of the best teams in the world in the last couple of seasons.

Yes, totally agree

 

[English Football Books]

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!

When our fourth went in I leapt into the air - forgetting I was wearing a sling due to a broken collarbone from falling off a moving lorry while drunk - and fell to the concrete of the Rainham End.

A concerned fan came over. My mate explained and the poor chap thought I'd broken it celebrating the goal.

 

[Anger]

It’s not a good measure.

You’re either hard core or you didn’t attend games at Priestfield. So we had about 3-4k hard core and less today.

Not having been born before 1999 is not an excuse for not being hard core.

 

[Talby]

It’s not a good measure.

You’re either hard core or you didn’t attend games at Priestfield. So we had about 3-4k hard core and less today.

Not having been born before 1999 is not an excuse for not being hard core.

Speaking to someone today about Gillingham. You did it, then did it again & again just to see if it got better. What a s***hole.

Loyalty is a tricky one. I’m loyal to the team, not so much the Club anymore.

 

[Talby]

It’s not a good measure.

You’re either hard core or you didn’t attend games at Priestfield. So we had about 3-4k hard core and less today.

Not having been born before 1999 is not an excuse for not being hard core.