Fan, just what is one

[CusworthRovers]

In a nutshell and by definition:

Fan..........an enthusiast
Fanatic......an enthusiast beyond normal limits
Fanny........Muff


Every thread seems to be dragged towards this subject and peoples interpretation of what one is and what many aren't. It's very ambiguous and very much open to whatever people think it is, especially when related to football. Not to single you out Norfolk mi old fruit-bat, but I would be especially keen to hear your interpretation as you are the No1 fan.

Not a slanging match boys and girls, but a civilised chat about what we think we are or should be.

Edit, can we describe how you feel yourself in suggesting, are you a fan or not. As an example, my dad used to go back in the day. He's not been for years and only when I take him. I would suggest a handful in the last 10yrs. However, it's the first result he looks for, it's the first thing he'll ask me whenever we chat ie about the team and the club. He basically contributes piss all to the coffers. Is he fan?

[ditch_drfc]

I've noticed since I joined this forum that people tend to have a very strong opinion on what a fan should be.

For me a fan/supporter is someone that follows the team, goes to games where they are able to, if not at the game, listens in or tries to get updates on the game. Someone who isn't ashamed to say what team they support. A fan to me is someone who has a love for the team. Someone that gets memories of a certain game and it sends shivers down their spine and makes their hairs stand on end.

That is my definition of a fan/supporter.

Edit; I'd say your dad is a fan. If it's the first result he looks for, fair enough. I'm sure he's got his reasons as to why he doesn't go.

[CusworthRovers]

For me a fan/supporter is someone that follows the team, goes to games where they are able to, if not at the game, listens in or tries to get updates on the game. Someone who isn't ashamed to say what team they support. A fan to me is someone who has a love for the team. Someone that gets memories of a certain game and it sends shivers down their spine and makes their hairs stand on end.

That's a good summary mate. Do they have to attend a certain amount of games, or even infact go to no games, as you can tick most of those boxes without going to a game. Open question really and playing devils advocate, as I actually think that's a cracking summary on how you interpret the term 'fan'

[Colin C No.3]

I've noticed since I joined this forum that people tend to have a very strong opinion on what a fan should be.

For me a fan/supporter is someone that follows the team, goes to games where they are able to, if not at the game, listens in or tries to get updates on the game. Someone who isn't ashamed to say what team they support. A fan to me is someone who has a love for the team. Someone that gets memories of a certain game and it sends shivers down their spine and makes their hairs stand on end.

That is my definition of a fan/supporter.

Edit; I'd say your dad is a fan. If it's the first result he looks for, fair enough. I'm sure he's got his reasons as to why he doesn't go.

Nicely & succinctly put ditch. I'd only change \"Someone who has a love for the team\" for \"Someone who has a love for the club\".

[Keith Myath]

I beg to differ and split it into 3 camps. I define a \"football Fan\", as someone who casually shows interest in a club without actively attending. A \"football supporter\" is either a season ticket holder, regular match goer or ex pat who regularly visits forums such as these. A \"t**t\" is someone who believes that he is better than other becuasue in there mind the way they choose to support there club is the right and only way.

Sadly we have a fair few on here that fall in the latter category, and even more sadly for JR having most of Doncaster born/based football followers falling in the first category, sadly though they are fans of Manchester United, Liverpool, Leeds etc and not there hometown team.

[KnottingleyRover]

To me a fan is someone who when ever possable attends matches(finances,work commitments aside) & show their support by either singing,clapping or just the fact they have made the effort to be there,& also if you can not make it to a game make every effort to keep upto date with the team selection,score,post match performance & doing everything you can to encourage others to follow/support your team.

But the most important thing to me to remember is managers,players,chairman,directors,chief exec`s come & go but when your a fan of a team your a fan for life,you can`t jump ship,you can`t change your team,there like your children,they somtimes do things you don`t like or agree with & sometimes really piss you off & make you upset,but you will always love them & never turn your back on them.

RTID

[ditch_drfc]

Cheers Colin and Cusworth. Yeah Colin, club is better than team, i meant club, but wrote team haha.

To be fair Cusworth in my personal opinion you don't have to attend matches to be classed as a fan. You might love a team as much as the next man, but not actually enjoy the match day experience. Sometimes going to a game isn't all it's cracked up to be for some people. When I was younger and my parents were paying for it, I was a season ticket holder for 3 years. I don't attend every match anymore, simply because I can't afford to, so I usually have to pick and choose what matches to go to. I'm going this Friday though.

To some people, I wouldn't be a fan because I don't attend every match. I think some people forget that bills have to come first.

I think most importantly you have to have a certain passion to be a fan. Like knottingley says, you can't turn your back on the club, you'll always love them, and sometimes hate them in a way. I'll always love Rovers, whatever the weather!

[Superspy]

In general conversation I tend to think a fan is any sort of enthusiast, whether they attend every match, a handful of matches, or no matches at all but show a casual interest or want a team to do well. In terms of purity, for example when people start arguing over who is a \"better\" or \"bigger\" fan, I prefer to think of a fan as somebody who shows an interest, and a supporter as somebody who financially supports the club.

Also agree that a \"t**t\" is somebody who thinks arguing about it is the way forward, or that they are better than somebody else because they spend more money.

[Mr1Croft]

The loose definition of a Football fan or supporter is someone who generally gets screwed over by the Board of Directors who look out for investors interests before the supporters. Although this isn't the exact case for DRFC, it isn't far off.

This extract sums it up nicely:

Unlike other spheres of business, football is peculiarly vulnerable to exploitation of its customer base because of the loyalty and commitment of its supporters. When the services that a club provides to its customers (supporters) are sub-standard, most supporters feel they have no choice but to carry on supporting their club. In almost all other spheres of business, sub-standard products would make customers shop elsewhere. It is ironic, but nonetheless true, that the lifeblood of clubs - the supporters - are often treated so badly because they show such loyalty. (The Changing Face of the football business, Supporters Direct)

Generally speaking if you have two types of shareholders in a club; A invested shareholder and a supporter shareholder both will have conflicting views. Take our case, would you class John Ryan as an investor or a supporter? You could class him as either but in the last couple of seasons we have seen tickets as high as £27, that is john Ryan the invested shareholder looking out for his own (and other shareholders) financial benefit, but then when you take into account all the offers, the chairman choice and so on that is John Ryan attempting to look out for the well-being of a fan.

Here is another extract about what football fans are to the clubs:

Football Supporters hold the key to football's future. They are the game's greatest asset, the people who pay the ticket prices, TV subscriptions and buy the merchandise. They keep the game in business. Where clubs have been in crisis, they have more often than not been saved by their supporters - and emerged all the stronger for it. The more enlightened clubs know it is in their commercial interest to value their supporters and involve them in the affairs of the club - not see them as 'turnstile fodder' who can be expected to turn up week after week regardless of the quality of the product. (Chris Smith (Minister for Sport 2000)

I think going back to the crisis point, there is a discussion to be had, why is it clubs go through owner after owner, trying all sorts of things to keep the club competitive but when, and only when it is on the brink of extinction they finally look to the people who have always been there offering to help; the fans. Why do fans keep their arm extended for decades and have to watch the club suffer before their offers of help are finally accepted? why do fans not wash their hands and say \"I told you so?\"

It is that feeling of desire to help, that feeling of commitment and loyalty and that feeling of always preparing to be there through the dark times no matter how painful it is, is what truly makes a football spectator; a fan.

[VivaRovers]

This is a subject I approached in Issue 55 of the fanzine Cussy with this article, which you might find interesting.

[NorthNorfolkRover]

Anyone prepared  to hand over enough money to get hammered in the pub just to watch  their team

[RobTheRover]

What about the people who pay Rupert Murdoch £60+ a month so they can watch Chelsea play in Portugal?

See, I'm a fan of football, not just the Rovers.  I could watch Rotherham v Scunny and still enjoy it, so I dont think its solely the emotional ties to a club which make you a fan.