How to turn plastic fans into proper fans?

[Leggett]

This "plastic fan" bollocks really pisses me off. I go,to a few games a season, but live a long way away and have a family. It's just not that easy to get to games. If that makes me less of a fan than a20 something swindonian who,goes to every home game because he's got,fuck all else going on in his life then I must be some lesser fan than them. What a load of old bollocks.

Bang on.

[dave_bambers_right_sock]

I'd totally get a nice wee stfc saltire going but if this place is anything to go by I'd get moaned at and called a junkie cunt.

corrected for you

[Greenman2013]

This "plastic fan" bollocks really pisses me off. I go,to a few games a season, but live a long way away and have a family. It's just not that easy to get to games. If that makes me less of a fan than a20 something swindonian who,goes to every home game because he's got,fuck all else going on in his life then I must be some lesser fan than them. What a load of old bollocks.

I think you have somewhat missed the point - I did not say about people who have personal stuff on/live a distance away who can't get to games  - I am referring to people who say they are 'Man Utd' fans, get all the kits and all that cool stuff to then switch when a team like Swindon are doing well, jump on the Wembley band wagon untill they start to flutter again.

[Levi lapper]

I think you have somewhat missed the point - I did not say about people who have personal stuff on/live a distance away who can't get to games  - I am referring to people who say they are 'Man Utd' fans, get all the kits and all that cool stuff to then switch when a team like Swindon are doing well, jump on the Wembley band wagon untill they start to flutter again.

Fair enough, I was referring to the term generally rather than your specific use of it. And it was after 1am on a Friday night when I posted 

[Greenman2013]

Fair enough, I was referring to the term generally rather than your specific use of it. And it was after 1am on a Friday night when I posted 

Haha, no worries, I understand

Cheaper prices in better facilities will attract people for certain as will Championship football. I honestly think the next few weeks are huge for the club. If we go up we have a much better case for redeveloping the CG and for the fan base to increase ever so slightly with the higher quality of football on offer. It's a springboard to moving into the right direction.

On the flip side I worry that failure to go up would see us stuck in a viscous circle of a L1/L2 yoyo club with a dated ground and a fan base of no more than 9,000 tops.

That I think has to be the worry but I think that is going to be the worry with all South West teams - It does amaze me though with how the South West can't seem to get a decent competing team in the Prem/Top end Championship but seem to just sit around the Low end Championship/L1 - I personally can't see this changing just yet as everything needs a upgrade to just start competing with the infrastructure of other small City's/Towns - Hopefully of course one day that would change but as others have said, it will take time I guess.

[Langers]

On a complete side note, do you fancy your chances of an instant return to the championship? I assume you will need to make a lot of changes over the summer and I would have thought that a lot of your team will be leaving.

The only positive of us not going up would be that at least we would have a decent derby to look forward to.

[Greenman2013]

On a complete side note, do you fancy your chances of an instant return to the championship? I assume you will need to make a lot of changes over the summer and I would have thought that a lot of your team will be leaving.

The only positive of us not going up would be that at least we would have a decent derby to look forward to.

Yeah, I am somewhat optimistic to be fair but it really depends on who leaves though rather then who we keep - I think we have like 12 players out of contract so it will be a huge change next year.

Positive of course is that we do have a decent manager in Sean O'Driscoll who I believe can push us back up. I do have a fear though that if we don't go right back up, we could be bumming around in L1 for like 8 years or something mad like that - Something I don't think the club can afford to do in all honesty.  

[Langers]

I really rate O'Driscoll as a manager, I thought he was unlucky to get the boot from Forest.

[Greenman2013]

Totally agree - I think the whole set up at Forest was odd though with how they ended up getting Alex McLeish after SOD - I guess there loss is City's gain though.

Outta interest, how do you rate your chances for today? I am actually looking forward to it to be honest, should be a good game!

[Langers]

There is quite a bit of pessimism around, we have lost twice to them this season and on paper they should be good enough over two legs. I just think we are a bit too shaky at the back, as shown at Scunthorpe last week where we conceded 3 goals in the last 10 minutes.

But it is the playoffs, and anything can happen. It's the hope that gets you. 

[Joycie]

corrected for you

 

[Bukkake Regiment]

Ticket prices, a person with no real allegiance to the club isn't going to pay £25 a ticket unless they're really into it. When I walk back to the train station loads of locals are always asking me about the game.

[carbonwhite]

Ticket prices, a person with no real allegiance to the club isn't going to pay £25 a ticket unless they're really into it. When I walk back to the train station loads of locals are always asking me about the game.

This is the main reason for me missing half the home games this season, simply can't afford it.

[Sippo]

I'm a plastic fan and from Swindon. I support the team but can't afford to go every week. I mainly enjoy away games. For me there's two reasons I don't go as much. 1. Cost. It is a lot of money and sometimes cannot justify spending £30+ going to football. Ticket and parking. 2. I play football on Sundays so if I went to football as well I would hardly see the little one.

I used to go week in week out, had a season ticket, but since the little one came along two years ago my priorities have changed for now. Obviously when she grows up she can come along as well, but that will be a few years off yet. For me it's family over football.

[Freddies Ferret]

Having kids ruined my football viewing