This 'plastic fan' thing......

[Muzzy]

I am a 'JCL' apparantly due to only posting every now and then and only finding this site recently. does that make me less of a fan? I still have my Nicky Rust albion shirt that he gave me after the 3-3 draw away at Birmingham in 1995. I was 10 years old that day and thought it was one of the best moments of my life. The shirt drowned me but seeing one of our hero's from on the pitch in real life was a dream come true.
JCL or non JCL, Albion is in my blood, its where I was born so I can be called what you want....I am Albion.

Nice post mate but don't feel the need to justify yourself on here... I've been a JCL since about 76... That's not long enough for some people, oh well never mind eh?

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Do we have to have this exact thread once a month? Maybe we do.

QED : The JCLs won't have seen threads passim

 

[Simster]

I was born in Horsham, does that mean that I should support Crawley now?

When you started supporting Albion, they were your local league team. Just because Crawley are now as "good" as Portsmouth, doesn't mean you should switch allegiance. You have to invoke the [MENTION=11956]bushy[/MENTION] rule in situations like these. i.e. Anyone who switches their allegiance is a bit of a twat.

 

[Stat Brother]

I use it, and I feel I'm to blame for this months offering, as quite a light hearted generic phrase, without any offensive undertone.
What with it not having roots in weight, age, race, sex etc.

But some of the reactions it gets from people, you'd have thought they were just called a 'fat old black poof'

If you find 'JCL plastic' offensive to you.
Why do you then feel the need to justify your loyalty to club (and country)?
Why can't you assume the comment wasn't originally aimed at you, and move on?

 

[Stat Brother]

PS Alternatively own the phrase.
It only exists because the pain and suffering from 15 long years, but over the last 2 WE are:-

Playing just about our best ever football
With our best ever SQUAD of players
With one of our best ever managers
In the best stadium
With a proper chairman
In the greatest county in the country.

WHY THE FOOK WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO BE A JCL?

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

tis the fault of the internet,' in the good old days' some of us would travel up to Middlesboro, Walsall, Blackpool, whatever, midweek, some would travel to shit away matches in the Simod cup, but on the Saturday in the North Stand those who did make the trip might discuss the match with their mates but it was never rubbed in anyone's face. When we queued for big match tickets I.e the overnighter for the Cup Final Replay or even the Doncaster (97) match we we're all equal and in it together and when there was a London away match (Palace esp) It was more the merrier, no one had to justify what they were doing there despite not being at Carlisle on the previous Tuesday

 

[marshy68]

My GF had never been to a footy match until last season. Now she has got a season ticket - she happily had JCL printed on the back of her shirt - I just said it was a new strike partner for CMS.... lovely.

 

[piersa]

My GF had never been to a footy match until last season. Now she has got a season ticket - she happily had JCL printed on the back of her shirt - I just said it was a new strike partner for CMS.... lovely.

yep, that'll be my old one. Thought you wanted CMS back in league one?

 

[JCL666]

Who cares?

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

By being critical of 'JCLs' a person can boost their own self esteem as it gives them a feeling of superiority, as in their own mind, a ST at Gillingham/Steve Penney autograph/ Ticket stub from an away match at Halifax on a Tuesday night from 1998 etc is an achievement that should be acknowledged/appreciated by others.

Very crafty, Mr President, but not quite crafty enough. Albion did not play an away match against Halifax in 1998 - only a plastic JCL would fall for that old trick.

 

[Sam-]

I guess I'm a plastic fan in most peoples opinions.

Only supported seagulls for couple years.
Supported the old wimbledon from the age of 5 as a ST holder with my dad. They got relegated stuck with them, financial problems stuck with them. Moved to MK and turned into one of the travesties of modern football.

Around this time I moved from Surrey to Hove so naturally the Seagulls were the team I followed.
Does that make me a 'plastic'?

 

[Blackcap]

So basically anybody who never knew the Goldstone can't call another fan a JCL? It's hardly our fault we were born this side of the 1990s.

I personally hate the phrase or any other kind of elitist bickering when it's among BHA fans. Aim it at fans of other clubs. This applies whether it's uttered by a 10 yr old or a 90 yr old.

 

[Dr. Notthenineo'clocknews]

I guess I'm a plastic fan in most peoples opinions.

Only supported seagulls for couple years.
Supported the old wimbledon from the age of 5 as a ST holder with my dad. They got relegated stuck with them, financial problems stuck with them. Moved to MK and turned into one of the travesties of modern football.

Around this time I moved from Surrey to Hove so naturally the Seagulls were the team I followed.
Does that make me a 'plastic'?

normally I'd question your morals i.e "what's wrong with AFCW?" but as you've defected to The Albion i'd say "welcome aboard" shake your hand and we'll never mention Wimbledon again!

 

[marshy68]

yep, that'll be my old one. Thought you wanted CMS back in league one?

ha ha - you will be missed matey - but keeping the seat warm - are you in ESU next year now?

 

[piersa]

ha ha - you will be missed matey - but keeping the seat warm - are you in ESU next year now?

I am, ESU, wanted a ticket for the liitle fella and sadly wasn't one available in WSU. All I want is Vicente and a striker.

 

[marshy68]

I am, ESU, wanted a ticket for the liitle fella and sadly wasn't one available in WSU. All I want is Vicente and a striker.

Seems like vicente is imminent.....

 

[El Presidente]

Very crafty, Mr President, but not quite crafty enough. Albion did not play an away match against Halifax in 1998 - only a plastic JCL would fall for that old trick.

True, but we did play away to them in the 1998/99 season though.........this could turn into WAR OF THE PEDANTS.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

True, but we did play away to them in the 1998/99 season though.........this could turn into WAR OF THE PEDANTS.

Was that the one that got postponed just before kick-off because of the egg-chasers?


Edit: can't have been as I remember Zamora waving from the team bus as they went back to Brighton.

 

[Sam-]

normally I'd question your morals i.e "what's wrong with AFCW?" but as you've defected to The Albion i'd say "welcome aboard" shake your hand and we'll never mention Wimbledon again!

Have an affection for AFCW always got an eye on them and hope they do well but not for me.
Much prefer albions style of play to wimbledon.
Wasn't much of a defection, I like to see it as I was a free agent having left Wimbledon and a passionate palace hating team always felt like the right option.

 

[Plastic-Fantastic]

I dont get why some people are determined to disparage fellow fans by referring to them as 'plastic', JCLs etc. Surely anyone who forks out for a season ticket or even a single match ticket and then supports the team is simply a 'fan'? Of course some are more vociferous, dedicated, obsessed than others but by being there they are, by definition supporting, their club.

Some people have either limited knowledge of the past or selective memory. I recall going to a Div 1 league game (Wimbledon I think) at the Goldstone when the crowd was only slightly over 7000. Does this mean that we only had 7000 true fans and all the other 23000 that crammed in for that first game against Arsenal were all 'plastics'?. Of course not!

Thankfully football has moved on in many ways since the '70s and '80s when loyalty was judged (by some) by the size of your firm or who 'ran' first. I prefer flags and music to seeing familes with small children being terrified and never returning.

One down side of the game now is that it is alot more expensive than it used to be. Anyone who spends say £25+ to go and watch their team is making a commitment and in my book is welcome regardless of whether it is their first ever football game or whether they were previously a season ticket holder at Chelsea.

I smile every time I see someone in an Albion shirt, see a seagulls car sticker or hear how many season tickets we have sold. I dont think about whether anyone is as 'good' a fan as I am.

But then why would you?

I can see both sides of this 'JCL' issue.

I am a new-ish fan (first game in 2008 and never had a ST before 2011 -2012 season) and I appreciate that the club would literally not exist if it were not for the passions of the core 4000 or so loyal fans that put up with watching dodgy football in the pissing rain for 20 years, and can therefore understand why some might think it's a bit cheeky when people suddenly come out the woodwork when things start looking up.

On the other hand, I bet lots of this 'core' support started supporting the club when things were going well in the 1970s and 1980s, so I agree with the post above that we are all JCL at one time or another.

Plastic or not, The Amex would be pretty s*** with only 7000 people in it and the money that JCL like myself bring in is crucial. The real test is whether the like of me and my mates stay supporters or bugger off when League 1 beckon!!!