Are fans from outside of Bolton any less of a Wanderers fan?

americantrotter · Post by **americantrotter** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 3:27 pm

This has come up before, and with an anonymous poll i'd be interested to see the results.

Poll answers based on varying distances fromthe Reebok. (Should have made Horwich the epicenter.

)

superjohnmcginlay · Post by **superjohnmcginlay** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 3:30 pm

Hang on a sec is it Bolton or England?

If its outside Bolton then no cos I am the bestest fan EVARR! FACT!

americantrotter · Post by **americantrotter** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 3:38 pm

I decided to make it tiered. Because it's amazing how people's views change based on location.

Bruno · Post by **Bruno** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 3:57 pm

There's a consideration too between those that go each and every week and those that just watch/listen online or on telly - are they proper fans? Can they have a fully informed opinion?

InsaneApache · Post by **InsaneApache** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:19 pm

Bruno wrote:There's a consideration too between those that go each and every week and those that just watch/listen online or on telly - are they proper fans? Can they have a fully informed opinion?

I used to go every week back in the 70s. Havn't been to a home match in 8 years. Am I a real fan? Well I'm pleased when we win and upset when we lose. Does that make me a 'proper' fan?

I used to get riled about all the armchair fans staying at home when we used to get 6-7,000 for a Burnden game. Does that make me a 'proper' fan?

I think of myself as being a Wanderers fan, as I cannot conceive of supporting anyone else and despite being a Mancunian I couldn't possibly support the Manchester teams. Does that make me a 'proper' fan?

I'll let you make your own minds up about that one.

Bruno · Post by **Bruno** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:22 pm

I'm just putting the question out there, as far as I am concerned anyone who supports Bolton is a proper fan

Montreal Wanderer · Post by **Montreal Wanderer** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:26 pm

Bruno wrote:There's a consideration too between those that go each and every week and those that just watch/listen online or on telly - are they proper fans? Can they have a fully informed opinion?

I am sure they have opinions though perhaps not as educated as some. This would be true of those who go to every game as well - some opinions are more educated than others. Still they are all fans...

Worthy4England · Post by **Worthy4England** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:27 pm

In the pure terms of being a fan. I don't think it makes any difference. Of course, if you're sat abroad then your chances of seeing games at the Bok is fairly limited, but I wouldn't hold that against you.

To me, I find it more bizzarre when people are commenting on specifics of a game when they've only listened on the radio. Let's be honest, you're only getting the viewpoint of the commentator - that view point could either be accurate or complete bollocks, yet we get debates from some, like they've been sat on the centre circle all match and seen every kick, tackle and off the ball run that's taken place.

I think some of our abroad watchers, when games were being screened live, probably got a better view than the "internet-stream-jerk-o-vision" crew. Not many streams I've watched over the years have been free of lag, missed bits, downtime, stream-dropped etc. and I tend to try and grab most away games on stream - just in case anyone thinks I'm having a go at them - I'm sometimes in the same "crew"

I also think, as was evidenced from people who didn't go to the Stoke match, that atmosphere doesn't translate well. There is, of course, if you have decent pictures or a TV live broadcast a good chance, that you'll see things that people in the ground don't given the 85 different replays and angles. But to me that whole debate around "he was a freaking mile offside" in the pub afterwards was part of the enjoyment that is now missing.

I would still personally, rather listen to an account of the game from someone who was actually at it, generally - assuming I have some notion of where they're coming from (i.e. generally positive, generally negative), rather than someone who wasn't.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:33 pm

Those of us that have travelled down to Devon with our arses pressed against the oily floor of of a hired Transit vans are the lifeblood of Bolton Wanderers. Thanks. The rest of you can feck off.

InsaneApache · Post by **InsaneApache** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:45 pm

Bruce Rioja wrote:Those of us that have travelled down to Devon with our arses pressed against the oily floor of of a hired Transit vans are the lifeblood of Bolton Wanderers. Thanks. The rest of you can feck off.

Or hitch hiking to Fulham in 1975 only to find the game called off because of snow. I wondered what all that white stuff was.

CAPSLOCK · Post by **CAPSLOCK** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:55 pm

I've little doubt I'll be in a minority, but to me, you have to have proper links to the town of the team you support

You can't just choose somebody (unless of course you then properly live that life of the football fan....the shitty away days, giving up all sorts to follow your team etc etc - as Bruce says somewhat tongue in cheek, I'll always doubt somebody until they prove theyre in it for the long haul)

Generally, the team chooses you, by way of birth, family, whatever

And no, you don't have to go to games....but if you've got the cash and the time, you should

Otherwise, you aint a fan

IMO

CAPSLOCK · Post by **CAPSLOCK** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:56 pm

InsaneApache wrote:
Bruno wrote:There's a consideration too between those that go each and every week and those that just watch/listen online or on telly - are they proper fans? Can they have a fully informed opinion?
I used to go every week back in the 70s. Havn't been to a home match in 8 years. Am I a real fan? Well I'm pleased when we win and upset when we lose. Does that make me a 'proper' fan?

I used to get riled about all the armchair fans staying at home when we used to get 6-7,000 for a Burnden game. Does that make me a 'proper' fan?

I think of myself as being a Wanderers fan, as I cannot conceive of supporting anyone else and despite being a Mancunian I couldn't possibly support the Manchester teams. Does that make me a 'proper' fan?

I'll let you make your own minds up about that one.

Aren't you Radcliffe?

We were all Bolton overspill!

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:59 pm

InsaneApache wrote:
Bruce Rioja wrote:Those of us that have travelled down to Devon with our arses pressed against the oily floor of of a hired Transit vans are the lifeblood of Bolton Wanderers. Thanks. The rest of you can feck off.
Or hitch hiking to Fulham in 1975 only to find the game called off because of snow. I wondered what all that white stuff was.

Absolutely brilliant. Darlington at The Feethams - First round of the League Cup. I don't know why I was there - I just felt the need after losing to Watford at Wembley!

Bruno · Post by **Bruno** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:59 pm

The less said about Radcliffe the better

americantrotter · Post by **americantrotter** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:06 pm

Well I qualify by birth, but that doesn't always matter. I know some would be generally happy in the lower divisions with just the hardcore, but many lament the lack of fans. I guess they really mean the lack of "local" interest in the Wanderers.

As I've said before I feel no less a fan because I support my club from afar. Especially when I support the least fashionable team in a country that doesn't pay attention to the League in the 1st place.

Athers · Post by **Athers** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:16 pm

I don't usually start this argument with people who say they support Wanderers, obviously it's great to wind up pretend Mancs about it - but if they have to travel 100s of miles every other week for a home game and do so, they have my full respect.

I go to a reasonable amount of games and will probably manage around 30 this season but usually the 'I go to more games than you so I'm right' is near bottom of the list when discussing something.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:21 pm

americantrotter wrote:Well I qualify by birth, but that doesn't always matter. I know some would be generally happy in the lower divisions with just the hardcore, but many lament the lack of fans. I guess they really mean the lack of "local" interest in the Wanderers.

As I've said before I feel no less a fan because I support my club from afar. Especially when I support the least fashionable team in a country that doesn't pay attention to the League in the 1st place.

Superb point. See - what pissed me off no end, and always will do, is how we managed to fill the place against Liverpool in the 3rd round yet no-one could be arsed two weeks later when we played Plymouth. How only 17,000 or so turned up in the semi against Villa yet those that couldn't be arsed bleated like scalded bitches just as soon as they couldn't get tickets for the final.

Great question, AT. I really look forward to reading one or two of the very predictable answers!

Worthy4England · Post by **Worthy4England** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:23 pm

Athers wrote:I don't usually start this argument with people who say they support Wanderers, obviously it's great to wind up pretend Mancs about it - but if they have to travel 100s of miles every other week for a home game and do so, they have my full respect.

I go to a reasonable amount of games and will probably manage around 30 this season but usually the 'I go to more games than you so I'm right' is near bottom of the list when discussing something.

They're usually the ones that get there every week for United mate, travelling 100's of mile from London. It's all the fecking shysters that live in Manchester and Salford who protest that they can never get a ticket that wind me up - half of 'em don't even fecking try. We had two ticket available for free for United's Stoke away match (including rail tickets) and couldn't find a one of the gobby bastards to take them. Not the first time this has happened.

Athers · Post by **Athers** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:30 pm

It's funny - 10 years ago it was difficult but still possible - you had to be a member and enter a raffle or some such for match tickets - now they have season & match tickets on general sale.

Mind you the way United rape their season ticket holders (auto-cup scheme) it's no surprise people have stopped renewing.

bobo the clown · Post by **bobo the clown** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:04 pm

There aren't enough options.

In many ways you need a real connection with the club & town & culture for it to be in your blood. If that's your route, though, you haven't actually chosen the club, largely it chose you.

If you select a club, then you had a choice ... and, from all the options, you chose THIS one. So, in some ways, you're more of a fan as you actively selected that team.

But I do disparrage fans of Stretford & Scousepool who come from all over the place. You won't appreciate it if you're a remote fan, but every time there's a news report from Satan's Nest in Stretford the TV interview fans they are ALWAYS from the South or Ireland or similar. If you wander past the car-park on a match day against these guys coach, after coach, after coach is frfom Plymouth, Hereford, Ipswich, Weybridge. I'm sorry to say this adds to my antagonism of the clubs & their fans.

Now, little ol' Bolton have few of these, & they're welcome, but are the two types the same ... no. They aren't.