What does it mean to be a supporter?

As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
robbo10
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by robbo10 »

augie wrote:
StuartL wrote:
dano wrote:in older days, to support the team meant backing them through thick and thin. all we asked for, in return for our emotional energy and financial outlay, was the team, from the owner down to the staff, all gave 100% effort to pay us back.

now, the owner only cares about the profit, and finishing in the CL.
the players don't seem to expend their energy and spend time walking through the match
the manager, well, we've all said what needs to be said, cares about his salary and Stan more than the supporters
the new fans at the stadium, a nice day out so they can tell their co-workers on Monday they took in a game.

question, if the owner, manager and players don't seem to give a damn about even trying for winning the top slot, is the old-fashioned notion of supporting the team out dated?
It is outdated in today's technological world.

It used to be that actually going to the games, urging your team on in the face of adversity was the meaning of being a fan, now our global fan base means you can follow us from ompa-loompa land if you choose to. ( not aimed at anyone in particular ) and that's fine, we were happy with the coaches from Scandinavia turning up in the 80's when we were shite.

Nowadays, the club have actively targeted the more affluent, who sit in silence, who spend money on stupidly priced drinks and snacks and will purchase 3 New kits a season.

For some it's now become some kind of bragging on social media about going to the match, rather than a sense of belonging, togetherness, Gooners one and all that I can recall in my day of being an Arsenal addict, Home ,Away and Europe.

Don't think those days will ever return.



Personally I find that comment very disrespectful - gene wilder aint dead that long, and here you go making derogatory remarks about his staff who are still mourning his death :oops: :wink: :lol: :lol:
Dont worry about his staff,Wenger needs a 2 foot 3 inch tall midfielder for next seasons title push.

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OneBardGooner
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by OneBardGooner »

robbo10 wrote:
augie wrote:
StuartL wrote:
dano wrote:in older days, to support the team meant backing them through thick and thin. all we asked for, in return for our emotional energy and financial outlay, was the team, from the owner down to the staff, all gave 100% effort to pay us back.

now, the owner only cares about the profit, and finishing in the CL.
the players don't seem to expend their energy and spend time walking through the match
the manager, well, we've all said what needs to be said, cares about his salary and Stan more than the supporters
the new fans at the stadium, a nice day out so they can tell their co-workers on Monday they took in a game.

question, if the owner, manager and players don't seem to give a damn about even trying for winning the top slot, is the old-fashioned notion of supporting the team out dated?
It is outdated in today's technological world.

It used to be that actually going to the games, urging your team on in the face of adversity was the meaning of being a fan, now our global fan base means you can follow us from ompa-loompa land if you choose to. ( not aimed at anyone in particular ) and that's fine, we were happy with the coaches from Scandinavia turning up in the 80's when we were shite.

Nowadays, the club have actively targeted the more affluent, who sit in silence, who spend money on stupidly priced drinks and snacks and will purchase 3 New kits a season.

For some it's now become some kind of bragging on social media about going to the match, rather than a sense of belonging, togetherness, Gooners one and all that I can recall in my day of being an Arsenal addict, Home ,Away and Europe.

Don't think those days will ever return.



Personally I find that comment very disrespectful - gene wilder aint dead that long, and here you go making derogatory remarks about his staff who are still mourning his death :oops: :wink: :lol: :lol:
Dont worry about his staff,Wenger needs a 2 foot 3 inch tall midfielder for next seasons title push.
There's No Waaay DB10 would ever play for wenger! :D :wink:

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augie
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by augie »

No because he would spend most of the time injured, and the rest of the time drunk :roll: :oops: :wink: :lol: :lol:

falkirk goon
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by falkirk goon »

In answer to the thread title..Wanting le ringpiece gone and that is all thesedays.

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VoiceOfReason
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by VoiceOfReason »

I remember the good old days when I watched us and actually wanted us to win. Can barely remember what that feels like.

As for the PL bubble bursting, it's not going to happen. There's a billion viewers of the product around the world, they're not simply going to disappear overnight. Arsenal have proven at the new stadium that the core fanbase is dispensible and that a revolving door of tourists can keep the profits flooding in, and the same is true for the PL in general. The quality of players in the division and overal standard of football is way down on what it was a decade ago, yet it has more viewers and money than ever before.

brucers
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by brucers »

As someone said we don't support a football team anymore, we follow a successful business. Whilst it may not happen I would love the prem and all it stands for to collapse. What epitomises' how it is most to me is our cartoon logo badge as compared to our old heraldic crest .

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Brightonnxtround
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by Brightonnxtround »

I fell in love with Arsenal when I was nine ( 1969 ) and mybe when I look back it was because of tv exposure, watching Arsenal on some glamorous distant shore , this was before package holidays playing Ajax did it for me , and yes I was being a glory hunter in every sense of the word . And some on here hate me because of that , and want me to fuck of .
But surely I've done my time . It also proves what a huge club Arsenal are they affected me all the way out in distant Peterborough. I would carry the cannon to school everyday and take all the jibes and the more shit I got for supporting a north London club the more I fell in love . Most people in my class were either Leeds or Liverpool in those days
And has the years have gone buy that love has never waived, so where we going to draw the line here
Holloway
Crouch end
East Finchley
Barnet
Potters bar
Hatfield
Welwlyn
Letchworth
Biggleswade
Huntingdon
Peterborough
And that's 84 miles ...some people have only ever seen The Arsenal on TV and I say to those people go
To the thousands that travel on trains and in cars and those that walk
Don't we all love the same thing Arsenal football club I'm known as cockney Dave in Peterborough even though bows
91 miles from were I was born and I certainly can't here the bells
But I'm so fucking proud I'm Arsenal , Peterborough Gunner :barscarf:

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Allgunsblazin
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by Allgunsblazin »

DB10GOONER wrote:If this turns into a Wenger bashing thread it's gonna get merged.










We have no problem if you want to turn it into a Rodders bashing thread though... :lol: :wink:
Luv the banter bhoys.... :barscarf: :lol:

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olgitgooner
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by olgitgooner »

Fifty years I've been supporting the Arsenal. It's been a roller coaster. With many great memories. Some of those memories rank alongside losing my virginity and seeing my children born.
My love of our club was really that important to me.
These days my attitude is a bit different. My football religion is not the most important thing in the world. I'm still passionate to a degree. I still get excited. I don't need Viagra. But it will never again be the same as shagging a teenage girlfriend.

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Herd
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by Herd »

It means little to me now , but I have to say that the club never did give a shit about supporters in all my time supporting them.
It was always their Club and we were always the window lickers looking in on them , a bit like the children in the orphanage in Oliver as they watch the board of governors devour their feast .
They got better in the 80's but that came through the Manager George Graham and the Players themselves .
It's little known but under Graham 2 players where regularly dispatched to the supporters club after home games to mingle with the fans.
Players attended fan club does too and then there where dinners where fans and players mixed freely .
It got to the stage where Tony Adams, Merson and many others came to the "Herd Pub " The Favourite" several times a season ,they also hung out in Arsenal friendly clubs like the Notorious Ra,Ra's and the equally famous Dover Street wine Bar !
After we won the league in 1991 a few of us jibbed the immediate after party in the clock end and no one cared we were there !
This of course changed and now the players have little in common with us or give a shit about us !
I remember going to Paddy Gallaghers funeral which was in 2006 . Paddy was the groundsman at Highbury but was let go when we moved by the heartless Ken Friar . Adams Dixon Keown Bould ,Wright came plus a few more old school including Chris Whyte and Cambell but the ONLY one of the modern Arsenal who showed was little Matty Flamini . The Wake after was in the ground , Friar who was hated by the family made a speech then fucked off. 1 drink was served before it became a pay bar ,and not a cheap one either ,disgusted the players had a whip round and the drinks flowed on their account .

Today's Arsenal is a sporting franchise that makes money ,we are nothing to the club but paying punters !

It will never change back !

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flash gunner
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by flash gunner »

Herd wrote:It means little to me now , but I have to say that the club never did give a shit about supporters in all my time supporting them.
It was always their Club and we were always the window lickers looking in on them , a bit like the children in the orphanage in Oliver as they watch the board of governors devour their feast .
They got better in the 80's but that came through the Manager George Graham and the Players themselves .
It's little known but under Graham 2 players where regularly dispatched to the supporters club after home games to mingle with the fans.
Players attended fan club does too and then there where dinners where fans and players mixed freely .
It got to the stage where Tony Adams, Merson and many others came to the "Herd Pub " The Favourite" several times a season ,they also hung out in Arsenal friendly clubs like the Notorious Ra,Ra's and the equally famous Dover Street wine Bar !
After we won the league in 1991 a few of us jibbed the immediate after party in the clock end and no one cared we were there !
This of course changed and now the players have little in common with us or give a shit about us !
I remember going to Paddy Gallaghers funeral which was in 2006 . Paddy was the groundsman at Highbury but was let go when we moved by the heartless Ken Friar . Adams Dixon Keown Bould ,Wright came plus a few more old school including Chris Whyte and Cambell but the ONLY one of the modern Arsenal who showed was little Matty Flamini . The Wake after was in the ground , Friar who was hated by the family made a speech then fucked off. 1 drink was served before it became a pay bar ,and not a cheap one either ,disgusted the players had a whip round and the drinks flowed on their account .

Today's Arsenal is a sporting franchise that makes money ,we are nothing to the club but paying punters !

It will never change back !
Good post Herd. I think moving to the Grove was the final nail that made us customers, dont think we fought hard enough against it in hindsight

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Herd
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by Herd »

We were successful,we were still going to be local and some thought it was the way forward.
I was never convinced and felt that the cost of a new stadium for an extra 22 k fans wasn't worth it but really I wanted to stay at the
Old Place which I viewed as my home.
I was living in Aubert Park when the move happened but for a few months they didn't do anything to Highbury and me being me found any excuse to walk down Avenell road .
We were playing Chelsea away one Sunday and as I walked down the Hill I noticed with Horror the clock end had been demolished. . . . .Il never forget the feeling of anguish as I looked on ,I almost collapsed ,I know I started crying and it felt like a member of the family had been shot in front
of me .
I know now that nothing at Arsenal will affect me in this way ever again !

Almunia is a clown
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by Almunia is a clown »

Herds post on Highbury reminded me of the time I went up to Highbury with a few mates before the start of the season, the new North Bank all seater stand was almost finished & the old Clock End terrace which was the last standing section whilst the NB was rebuilt was lying in small piles of rubble with the executive boxes & roof towering over on stilts above. Waiting to be converted to an all seater section. :banghead:

Personally I thought Highbury never recovered from the end of the terrace era. :cry:

Maybe if the plans were approved to construct a 60K all seater stadium by turing the pitch on the side, extending the North Bank sideways with a new massive Clock End stand on the opposite side, the East Stand now behind the goal & a new stand behind the other goal it would have still been modern but with a legacy still intact by keeping the East Stand & Marble Halls.

There was talk of compulsory purchase of 30 houses on Highbury Hill so the local numpties / nimby's & council went crazy. :cussing:

Also rumours around that a Kings Cross stadium would have not started construction until 2007-8, that was supposed to be 80K, it would have been much better than the souless bowl nowadays. :mrgreen:

Who the fuck designed the new ground, they should be executed! :box:
Last edited by Almunia is a clown on Mon Apr 03, 2017 3:08 am, edited 1 time in total.

Almunia is a clown
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by Almunia is a clown »

:barscarf:
Last edited by Almunia is a clown on Mon Apr 03, 2017 3:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

Almunia is a clown
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Re: What does it mean to be a supporter?

Post by Almunia is a clown »

:barscarf: :cussing:

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