Are You A Real Fan?

Got This from BBC 606

Posted by sammyj2kwf

If you are going to comment, at least read the post through to the end. Yes, even the last paragraph where it says this article shouldn't be taken too seriously. It's just a bit of fun hoping to ignite some healthy debate amongst footy fans.

Anyways,

Any football fan worth their salt should have a read of this article as I'd love to hear what you think about this little quandary.

A topic born from a conversation a few of us had around the water cooler (literally) earlier this morning, whereby two colleagues claimed to be fans of a football team. The first said she was a United fan, the other supported Aldershot.

The 'United fan' was first pressed on her alleigence - she didn't know how they got on but after prompting knew they played Bolton. All her family were United mad apparently and therefore she says she is too.

Then the Aldershot fan (at first glance, kudos was given for such an obscure team) was quizzed. He knew even less about their (unfortunate) loss at home to Bury this weekend. He claimed his grandad and dad were fans and he went to a few gams as a kid.

As a Villa season ticket holder, was it then snobby of me to think I'm more of a fan than them? After all what constitutes 'Fan-ness'?

In the end I decided it wasn't snobby of me - and I am more of a fan.

These are the 9 rules to I came up with to decide if you are a true fan.

1) Needed to go to 2/3 games a season OR (if abroad) a seasons worth of home games (19-23) in your lifetime.
Mainly because some true fans of a team find themselves living or working abroad for a long periods and it would be too discrimatory to say they must go to 'X' amount of games per season.

2) Must have been to at least 1 away game in their life.
So much more effort involved in going to an away games, but a true fan should be able to find the time and money at least once.

3) Must own at least one shirt of your beloved club - any season will do.

4) You check at least once a day, the papers or internet, for stories about your club.

5) If, for what ever reason, you are missing your team play, for the 90 minutes they're playing, you are constantly wondering what the score is.

6) Having a really selfish anecdote where you put your team first over something equally important (i.e left a wedding early to watch a game on tv, cancel holiday as your team were playing an important game, etc)

7)Have found someone in your life who shares your passion for the club as much as you.
A true fan surely can't contain all their pleasure and frustrations on their own. They need a reliable sounding board to tell them hat they think is right.

8) Must be delighted each time they win, gutted and sulky when they lose and furious whenever some bloody referee screws things up in the other team's favour.

9) Finally, you have either a PROXIMITY reason or FAMILY reason to support the club. Other reasons may be considered by the committee.
Some 'wacky' excuses I've heard fans come up with range from 'I like the name' to 'They won the league least year'.