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Author Topic: Out of Towners  (Read 9268 times)
Richie Wellen-Dowd

« on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 09:43:56 »

I'm in Witney today, and it got me thinking about how many Town fans might be here. I'm always interested in the geographical spread of out fan base, which while it isn't unique is probably more out of town than most.

I was brought up in North-West Wiltshire, somewhere that was predominantly STFC(with a smattering of City and Rovers). I always found it strange that people from Wiltshire would support the Bristol clubs, but in the words of Sam Morshead, I would, wouldn't I. Now I live in a part of South Glos that is Rovers country, if anything, although I have seen one Swindon shirt out and about.

What is the split like where you grew up/live, and how has that changed over time?
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Bob's Orange
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« Reply #1 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 09:51:07 »

Fairly easy one this, although I guess not quite what you were looking for.

Cirencester - Can't remember
Stonehouse - Can't remember
Stroud - Can't remember
East Lothian - 0 (But some of my old school friends now look out for Swindon results)
Edinburgh - 0 (But some of my friends now look out for Swindon results)
Luxembourg 0 (But some of my friends now look out for Swindon results)
London - Probably about 20/30 people I know.
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« Reply #2 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 10:00:28 »

North West Hampshire, there’s a few I’ve come across over the years but most locals support Saints or just glory hunt a big team from childhood
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« Reply #3 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 10:04:03 »

I'm in Witney today, and it got me thinking about how many Town fans might be here. I'm always interested in the geographical spread of out fan base, which while it isn't unique is probably more out of town than most.

I was brought up in North-West Wiltshire, somewhere that was predominantly STFC(with a smattering of City and Rovers). I always found it strange that people from Wiltshire would support the Bristol clubs, but in the words of Sam Morshead, I would, wouldn't I. Now I live in a part of South Glos that is Rovers country, if anything, although I have seen one Swindon shirt out and about.

What is the split like where you grew up/live, and how has that changed over time?

I was bought up just outside Witney and knew no Town fans growing up.

As I have traipsed round the country I remember there being 1 other STFC fan at Newcastle Uni when I was there and that's about it.
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« Reply #4 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 10:08:18 »

Chipping Norton.

Few of us about
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Peter Venkman
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« Reply #5 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 10:13:15 »

Born in Swindon just over 50 years ago, went to school at Gorse Hill Infants, Juniors, Drove Secondary and Hreod Burna.

At school there was about 50% either had Swindon as a 1st team or 2nd team after Liverpool who were winning everything at the time in the late 70s, as the kids got older the amount of Town fans got more, but that could well be on the back of the League Cup run in 1980.

Worked mostly in Swindon but with short periods in London and Cirencester until 2001 where I met a good spread of fans and most in and around Swindon either went to games or again had Swindon as a team they all followed the results of and came out for big cup games etc.

In 2001 I move to Yeovil for 3 years where 75% of fans followed Yeovil who were on the up from non league at that time, the other 25% were split 60/40 in favour of Bristol City over Rovers. Shitty have a large following of fans in and around Yeovil as well as the usual glory hunters of the Premier teams.

In 2004 I moved further West to Chard, sitting almost half way between Yeovil and Exeter I find the split of fans here about 60% Yeovil and 40% Exeter, with the Yeovil fans being the much more gobby ones in that.

Interestingly there are at least 10 other Swindon fans here, several of which I know, one of whom is fellow TEFer Adje brother. 3 others went to Hreod at the same time as me, which considering the population of Chard is only about 10k and being about 100 mile drive is quite a decent ratio. I often see Swindon stikcers in cars when I drive to Taunton for shopping and met a fellow Town fan in Carpet Right who gave me a 10% discount as he was the manager, just because I was wearing a Swindon Town tee shirt at the time.
« Last Edit: Friday, October 11, 2019, 10:16:15 by Peter Venkman » Logged

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« Reply #6 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 10:17:48 »

 Going back to my formative years and the world is a very different place.... no Headington, no Numb, no FGR and no plastic Prem.

 There are still vestiges of tradition.

 Back then the Glos tradition of Stroud/Stonehouse was strong, football specials would stop off and pick up when going north or midlands... there are still a few, some would even come from Numb.  Going west, Devizes/Chippenham/Calne/Melksham were hotbeds and tbf still are decent. Trowbidge sketchy at best. Football specials would pickup in Chippenham going down to Bristol or the South West.

 Going east out into Berkshire, was very fertile ground, with the strange and seemingly still extant links to the racing communities of places like Lambourn.  We still seem to get a few from as far east as Newbury, but Reading's relative success will have drained from that.

 Going south beyond Marlborough  is pretty empty country and down towards Sarum it's Soton terrain, and has always been that way.

Mike Channon nearly signed for us, but his Wilts hidey hole of Orcheston had easier access to the south coast
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« Reply #7 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 10:33:22 »

Grew up in Melksham and started regularly going to matches around 1967. Back then Melksham was pretty evenly split between Swindon and Bristol City, and Brownings ran coaches to both, with shopping dropoffs for the mums. It's only because my mother preferred shopping in Swindon rather than Bristol that I didn't become a Slave Trader... I still shudder at the thought!
I was in and around Ealing from 1972 to 2001, still went pretty regularly, then moved to Winnersh and I've been a season ticket holder since 1992.
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« Reply #8 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 10:34:09 »

I'm in Witney today, and it got me thinking about how many Town fans might be here. I'm always interested in the geographical spread of out fan base, which while it isn't unique is probably more out of town than most.

I was brought up in North-West Wiltshire, somewhere that was predominantly STFC(with a smattering of City and Rovers). I always found it strange that people from Wiltshire would support the Bristol clubs, but in the words of Sam Morshead, I would, wouldn't I. Now I live in a part of South Glos that is Rovers country, if anything, although I have seen one Swindon shirt out and about.

What is the split like where you grew up/live, and how has that changed over time?

Born and raised in Swindon, went to school in Purton and sixth form in Cirencester. Quite a lot of Swindon fans in Ciren.

Moved out to Reading about 5 years ago and have been here & Wokingham ever since. I know there's a few Town fans out this way (I've seen a guy walking around Tilehurst with an STFC shirt a few times - and saw a guy in last seasons away shirt in Earley a few weeks ago). There was a Swindon fan who lived a few streets down from me in Wokingham weirdly, who has heavily involved in the club for a number of years.

A lot of Reading shirts about though, obviously. I think there's a few Town fans round Thatcham / Newbury but think most of the non-glory hunters there are Reading as well.
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« Reply #9 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 10:36:32 »

I would say a lot of oxfordshire towns, with swindon postcodes, support Oxford. Not sure why.

Oxford have a lot of influence on local schools, ie. Shrivenham, where they run football after school incentives. With Swindon a lot closer, you have to ask yourself why. Do the club do enough out of town?
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« Reply #10 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 11:31:42 »

Grew up near Devizes, taking the (generally pretty full) Bodman’s coach up to games. Spent three years in Manchester where I was always the only Townie on the Friday night DMUs across the Pennines. Never been aware of another Town fan in Paris, but it’s not like there have been many games on the big screen to bring us together at le Frog & Rosbif.
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« Reply #11 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 11:45:41 »

Born/lived Corsham, school Chippenham, left home at 17. At the time there were a few Brizzle fans in Corsham although mainly STFC. Chippenham was almost entirely STFC - used to be loads on the train on matchdays.

Returned to live in Salisbury for a while at 25, then to Freshbrook, back to Chippenham, Westlea, Highworth, Blunsdon, Ireland, Rodbourne, Wroughton and now Greece. Always attended games when I could, now an iFollow season ticket holder!

Probably pop back for the end of season promotion celebrations!
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Panda Paws

« Reply #12 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 11:47:39 »

East London and the London/Essex border is full of West Ham and Tottenham fans. Few Arsenal. Very rarely come across a FL fan.

Most of the West Ham fans are absolute prats.
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« Reply #13 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 11:52:33 »

East London and the London/Essex border is full of West Ham and Tottenham fans. Few Arsenal. Very rarely come across a FL fan.

Most of the West Ham fans are absolute prats.

I work in CW and a lot of the people live in Essex. Most of them appear to be Spurs or West Ham fans. I never talk to them about football as I have little interest in the Premier league.

I have a couple of folk I am friendly with who follow Fulham and Brentford who I would rather chat football with.
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« Reply #14 on: Friday, October 11, 2019, 11:57:46 »

Born in Maidenhead. Live in Maidenhead. Started following Town however in my early teens after my Dad moved to old town.

Only ever seen a couple of Town fans this way. For the most part it's Spurs or QPR. Splattering of Reading/Oxford (Mallet)
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