Football "banter" with plastic Prem fans

[sydney]

Quite.
Already had a Man Utd supporting contact, who I know has never ever been remotely near Old Trafford, telling me that he expects me to provide him with two seats at the Amex, next season.
Its only just started folks. Brace yourselves. They will all be coming out of the woodwork, declaring their allegiances and desperate for tickets. Its how plastic fans operate. They are only interested when it suits them, when they suddenly find their nearest local team in the big time. It happened at Reading. As soon as locals knew they were certain to be going up, they all snapped up ST's like crazy. As soon as Reading got relegated, they all melted away again.
Fortunately, there is little chance of these types, snapping up tkts at the Amex.

only fans to actually text congrats to me.....lester , everton , villa , forrest , cardiff and chelsea just to spoil it...i ****in hate man u fans ....bellends...!

 

[Guinness Boy]

So, it begins...

At a social event last night and a fella I know relatively well (but not exactly best mates) sidles over with a smug grin and says "two easy wins for us next season then eh?"

He has never spoken about football to me before, and I eventually figure out that he is a Man United fan (of course he is, the thick sussex accent gives it away).

It further transpires that he has never seen United play live, nor knew where they were in the table, yet was "well up for popping along when United play at the Amex, to watch us thrash your lot".

Have you experienced this sort of prickery yet? You probably will.

This sort of bell cheesery is, indeed, only going to get worse. Luckily I work in an office where no one seems to be that interested in football, and since it's in North West London it's 100% safe to say no one gives a toss about Brighton. On the other hand I've witnessed an amazing Road to Damascus moment from a local living Liverpool fan who's suddenly remembered there's a professional football club on his doorstep

 

[Alba Badger]

I'm lucky, work from home, offices I visit are all in Hemel, Farnborough or Glasgow. Had a few, "you must be happy about it" but generally left alone. Promised a customer that is a Saints fan we can do a trip to the 1901 if fixtures work out ok, it's a hard life! I have a few other customers that mentioned hospitality and If I can take any I will. More money for the club! My ST seat will not be empty.

 

[Hillian1]

Posted this a few years back when we drew Liverpool in the Cup, an actual conversation with our receptionist.

Her: could you get my son a ticket.
Me: No, afraid not
Her: Why not
Me: Because I can only get one and I’m going.
Her: Well that’s not fair:
Me: Why
Her: You go all the time
Me: Yes, that’s because I’m a season ticket holder
Her: Well they should share them out so everyone gets to go
Me: But I get first dibbs because I go all the time
Her: Well he should be allowed to go, he’s supported Liverpool all his life and has never seen them play.


I fully expect more of the same next season.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Can you have "banter" with armchair fans? Can't be arsed to even talk football once it becomes clear they only watch football on the box.

What about Jeff Stelling?

 

[Icy Gull]

What about Jeff Stelling?

I'd definitely make an exception for him. Good point though, I wonder when he last got to watch Stockport lose

 

[pearl]

Posted this a few years back when we drew Liverpool in the Cup, an actual conversation with our receptionist.

Her: could you get my son a ticket.
Me: No, afraid not
Her: Why not
Me: Because I can only get one and I’m going.
Her: Well that’s not fair:
Me: Why
Her: You go all the time
Me: Yes, that’s because I’m a season ticket holder
Her: Well they should share them out so everyone gets to go
Me: But I get first dibbs because I go all the time
Her: Well he should be allowed to go, he’s supported Liverpool all his life and has never seen them play.


I fully expect more of the same next season.

Sorry, but that made me laugh .... unbelievable!

 

[BN9 BHA]

Posted this a few years back when we drew Liverpool in the Cup, an actual conversation with our receptionist.

Her: could you get my son a ticket.
Me: No, afraid not
Her: Why not
Me: Because I can only get one and I’m going.
Her: Well that’s not fair:
Me: Why
Her: You go all the time
Me: Yes, that’s because I’m a season ticket holder
Her: Well they should share them out so everyone gets to go
Me: But I get first dibbs because I go all the time
Her: Well he should be allowed to go, he’s supported Liverpool all his life and has never seen them play.


I fully expect more of the same next season.

I am laughing out very loud after reading that.

 

[Nixonator]

I am laughing out very loud after reading that.

I'm not, I kinda want to know who she is so I can strangle her.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

Have already had 3 people ask me to get them tickets for next season, have told all of them to do one.

 

[BN9 BHA]

I'm not, I kinda want to know who she is so I can strangle her.

Fair point she does need someone to strangle her.

 

[Triggaaar]

Have already had 3 people ask me to get them tickets for next season, have told all of them to do one.

I'm a little disappointed no one has been daft enough to ask me, as I want to put them in their place

 

[Sussex Nomad]

Most of my mates are Brighton supporters, job done really.

 

[dangull]

Some people being a bit precious here. Throughout the last 20 years of under achievement, how many of us had a 2nd favourite premier league club to 'support'

I know I did.

 

[Triggaaar]

Working in London, I'm surrounded by Arsenal/Spurs\Chelsea and the odd Man U of course. They've all, seeing me disappear for games midweek, and hearing me talk about the club, been aware of what's been going on and are happy for me. I was even given a bottle of bubbly on the Tuesday after the Wigan game!

For my part, I don't mind the newbies or returners who buy season tickets. Their money is as good as anybody else's to the club. But there's one thing that they, and all the plastics, will never know. They'll never know what it means to have been there for the whole thing. What felt like an inexorable decline from about 1991, the mess of the 90s generally, seeing us lose the Goldstone and the club's soul, half time on the terrace at Hereford, putting up with Gillingham, fighting for the club's very existence. Then Withdean, then this. Everybody who was there for all of that had a feeling last Monday that the JCLs simply can't appreciate. I'm not saying we're better fans or anything, but part of me feels that those supporters have in all seriousness missed out on something that binds just a few thousand people in a feeling that can't be bought, can't be polished or sold by Sky, can't really adequately be explained. (I can't, anyway.) I almost feel a bit sorry for them, missing out on what that felt like.

I'm sure most of them won't give a damn, and will have enjoyed promotion hugely. Fair play - who wouldn't? But for a few thousand, it was just a bit more special than they'll ever realise, I think.

Great post. Other fans are all welcome, they don't need to have been through the pain that we've been through, but then promotion won't mean as much to them. It's all good, to each their own.

 

[Easy 10]

Some people being a bit precious here. Throughout the last 20 years of under achievement, how many of us had a 2nd favourite premier league club to 'support'

I know I did.

Nope. Never even occurred to me.

Why would it ?

 

[spence]

Some people being a bit precious here. Throughout the last 20 years of under achievement, how many of us had a 2nd favourite premier league club to 'support'

I know I did.

Here's a JCL

 

[Herne Hill Seagull]

Nor me, dangull. The Premier League has felt like another country for years, so it's been difficult to even engage with it, still less 'support' one of the teams in it.

 

[Driver8]

Some people being a bit precious here. Throughout the last 20 years of under achievement, how many of us had a 2nd favourite premier league club to 'support'

I know I did.

Not me.

 

[dangull]

Here's a JCL

Not true. Its possible to have a favourite club, and a 2nd team to follow.