Swindon Town Vs Southend - Official Match day Thread

[Dozno9]

Sorry Leefer there's more. This subject really winds me up.

[Kinky Tom]

these queens park rangers are showing many threats upon the newcastle utd goal sticks in this week's scheduled fixture between the two sets of players.  luckily for me i can sit and view this from the inside of my own home and the popcorn is free...

seriously though QPR are looking great going forward, SWP is electric tonight

[axs]

I see armchair fans as fans and people who go to games as supporters. They are there to support the team, can't do that from the pub.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

I actually feel sorry for the 'Sky Sports Generation'. I see them strutting round the streets of Colchester in their Chelsea shirts or walking round Exeter in their Tottenham shirt etc.

From my perspective, supporting a team is about identity. It's about where I'm from and who I am. It's a part of me. And it's about supporting the team of the place you are from. When I first started going to away games having just passed my driving test, we would set out, five of us in a battered old Capri or Cavalier or whatever, heading for Bolton, Carlisle or some other some other distant northern outpost.

We would not have admitted it at the time but it was probably the first time we'd been anywhere that was not part of a school trip or with our parents. We still talk about what went on on those trips even now - blown spark plugs, getting lost, run-ins with other fans, getting pissed and so on. Through that, you form a bond with your mates and your team which is unique and will never be broken. I go to games now (home or away, it doesn't matter) and see people who I may not have seen for 10 years but I stop and have a chat and it's like you last saw them a couple of days ago, such is that bond.

If some bloke who has never even been to Liverpool, wants to go down his local pub in Farnborough in his LFC replica shirt and sit in the corner and watch 'his team' on TV then that is of course up to him but I just think it's very sad. He, and a whole generation are missing out in a way they will never comprehend. It is so utterly soulless and they have no idea. I would never be able to explain to them what they were missing out on nor would I try.

[Muffin Man]

Absolute bollocks.

I'm sorry, most armchair fans, aren't real fans. They're fair weather, plastic, glory-hunters who have no idea what it's like to trek halfway across country, sit in the cold, drink shit coffee, eat a crap pie and then drive home for 3 hours after you've lost, feeling like shit. That's what a fan is. That's what support is.

Watching a telly does not constitute being a supporter. Some cunt who sits in an armchair, who bemoans a loss for 20 minutes to his other plastic subscribing mates, with no idea what football is really about, is not being a supporter. It's just a social tag that allows them some sort of sense of belonging. They appreciate football, they enjoy football, they might have some affinity with a club, but unless they're from the area, or have been attendees on some level on a regular basis, they're simply not real fans. They're not even fans.

When one of my Premiership supporting mates starts talking about "their" loss at the weekend, I want to punch them. They're clueless lovers of televised football, who's opinions are almost completely invalid. Television fans only regurgitate what the pundits and commentators say. They didn't see the game, they didn't see player x running off the ball all the time. Or player x working the channels to make room for someone else. They saw a 16:9 rendition of something that's only a shell of what you see in the flesh.

I agree with your sentiment Barry but thats not what I am getting at, they wont follow us because they arent interested in our team, they "follow" (changed from "support") their team because its their team.

A lot of these wont contemplate going to a game involving two teams that they have no interest in just as I wouldnt want to go to a game that I was not interested in.

This isnt about who is the best fan, who covers the most amount of miles in shit conditions to watch their team, its not about who can talk a good game or who can see where tactics are going wrong on and off the pitch.

Its about their team being their team, we cant change that, we at best may be able to get them to follow us as a second team but they will never support us before their first choice team that they chose, however long ago that team was picked out of a hat/won most games on tv/won the cup in 1988 etc etc.

They just wont support us, end of.

Calm down, I am not saying that armchair fans are right, I am saying that we cant change them and shouldnt expect to ever change them.

I hate armchair fans as much as the next "proper club" supporter.

[Dozno9]

I actually feel sorry for the 'Sky Sports Generation'. I see them strutting round the streets of Colchester in their Chelsea shirts or walking round Exeter in their Tottenham shirt etc.

From my perspective, supporting a team is about identity. It's about where I'm from and who I am. It's a part of me. And it's about supporting the team of the place you are from. When I first started going to away games having just passed my driving test, we would set out, five of us in a battered old Capri or Cavalier or whatever, heading for Bolton, Carlisle or some other some other distant northern outpost.

We would not have admitted it at the time but it was probably the first time we'd been anywhere that was not part of a school trip or with our parents. We still talk about what went on on those trips even now - blown spark plugs, getting lost, run-ins with other fans, getting pissed and so on. Through that, you form a bond with your mates and your team which is unique and will never be broken. I go to games now (home or away, it doesn't matter) and see people who I may not have seen for 10 years but I stop and have a chat and it's like you last saw them a couple of days ago, such is that bond.

If some bloke who has never even been to Liverpool, wants to go down his local pub in Farnborough in his LFC replica shirt and sit in the corner and watch 'his team' on TV then that is of course up to him but I just think it's very sad. He, and a whole generation are missing out in a way they will never comprehend. It is so utterly soulless and they have no idea. I would never be able to explain to them what they were missing out on nor would I try.

What a superb post, sums it up perfectly.

[Benzel]

I agree in principle about arm chair fans. God knows I know enough of them. One of very few Swindon and Swindon only fans at school, with your standard mix of top 6 sides.

But those friends of mine that do support your Liverpools, Man Ures, Spurs etc all make the journeys up every now and then, now that they're of an age where they can do it for themselves and also all know a fair bit about football in general.... So I'm kind of split... and to be fair to them they make the odd Town game each season... We usually fucking lose though when they do!

Just remembered an example of the arm chair fans that do annoy me though... On the way to Daggers last season, started chatting to a few West Ham/Villa fans... turns out they were all from Hereford, didn't go to Edgar Street because they are shit and asked us who other than Swindon we supported! I stopped talking to them at this point, they seem amazed that we'd follow someone like Town up and down the country. Twats.

[chalkies_shorts]

and asked us who other than Swindon we supported!

Thats the bit that does my fucking head in. Once you declare yourself a Town fan the standard response is " so who's your proper team" or "what Prem Club do you support". A proper fan wouldn't ask such a dumbass question. Like most on here I'm proud to be Town and Town only. 

[RedRag]

Hi Town Fans. 

Thought I'd support my local team a bit this year seeing as Di Canio is the manager.  Actually went Saturday but it was a bit shit, wasn't it?

Tsu-nami, Tsu-nami, Tsu-nami!  Best fans in the country.

Yeah we've just got a point to go champions league fourth.

Loyally supported them through thin and thin ever since Keggy Keggle's days.  This could be our year.  I expect most of you glory hunters support Man U or Chelsea.

Pardew's ok for a cockney.  He really knows his stuff.  Great friend of the family actually, he's just running through a few basics upstairs with my wife now.

Best nil nil I've seen on telly ever [didn't watch the Toon when they drew 0-0 at home to Swindon - pre prem etc]

So proud of my black and white shirt.  Shame about Joey's name on the back (I'm a bit of a hard man and really hate the mackems, the derby to end derbies)

Wor Jackie, eh?

[Batch]

Like most on here I'm proud to be Town and Town only. 

And as most people would agree, it doesn't really matter that we are a division 4 team. If we were as good as Barcelona winning wouldn't mean more than it does now. In fact being used to and expecting success might even lessen the novelty!

I think people who can't understand this don't really get football.

[sonicyouth]

I work in Coventry and most of my colleagues are Man U/Liverpool/Newcastle fans. Not a single Coventry fan amongst em. A couple don't support any team but watch whatever game is on TV and talk about player X doing so on and so forth, it reminds me a little of that episode of The IT Crowd. Whenever I'm asked who I support nobody has the faintest idea what division Swindon are in, nobody even knew Di Canio was in charge.

I guess some view me as a fairweather Town fan as I don't go to many games anymore but moving to the Midlands has rekindled my interest and now I'm able to afford (sort of) watching us again. I started following a top flight Norwegian team a little while back, primarily because they were my girlfriend's local team - despite her total lack of interest - and also because of their previous ties with Jan the Man. I go to games whenever I'm over and try to watch most matches online - all Tippeligaen matches are streamed online for a monthly subscription fee - but I'm not sure I'd say I support them.

Supporting a team is about sticking with a side through relegation, financial problems, near misses and players like Aaron Brown.

Doncaster away in September 2005 is what being a supporter is about.

[Notts red]

Last season I lost count with the amounts of times my wife would say as I walk through the door looking pissed off after another defeat " it's no good you will have to find another team to support " getting beat most weeks last season wasn't fun but just knowing times will be good again is plenty enough of a reason to keep me supporting the Town.

[DiV]

Doncaster away in September 2005 is what being a supporter is about.

So memorable for a number of reasons. Mainly bad!

You don't choose your football team. The same way you can't choose the colour of your eyes or the natural colour of your hair. You are born with it, if you aren't then it isn't real. End of!

[Batch]

I wasn't born with Swindon Town in the blood, I had to find it myself.

[london_red]

And as most people would agree, it doesn't really matter that we are a division 4 team. If we were as good as Barcelona winning wouldn't mean more than it does now. In fact being used to and expecting success might even lessen the novelty!

I think people who can't understand this don't really get football.

Well said. If you don't experience the lows, how can the highs (however fleeting for us in the last few years) possibly taste as sweet?