 [Blog] Am I A Virtual FanWritten by themightybutch on Tuesday, 5th Oct 2010 18:56 In 1999, I had the internet installed and my life as an Ipswich Town fan changed forever. The first football match I remember was the FA Cup final of 1976 when Southampton (my local team) beat Man Utd 1-0. I was six years old and not so much interested in the football but more fascinated by the euphoria that engulfed the city. The next match I remember watching, was the cup final of 1978. I settled down with my Dad and a big bag of sweets. We sat and watched BBC1 as the teams left their hotels for the short journey to Wembley Stadium. My love affair with football begun and more importantly so did my passion for Ipswich Town. My father was an enthusiastic football fan rather than a passionate supporter. He never encouraged me to support my local team - The Saints - but was pleased that in Ipswich, I had found a team I wanted to follow. Supporting a non-local team is difficult, especially as a child when your friends have season tickets for the club they adore. The distance between Ipswich and Southampton was too far for my Dad to travel but he did take me to watch the Blues at the Dell a few times during the 80’s and we saw some fantastic games. Including one match when my hero, Terry Butcher, was sent off. In the years that followed I wore the replica kits and had the Subbuteo team. I read the Mail on Sunday match reports, watched when Town were on Match of the Day and listened to radio commentary if an Ipswich game made the national network. Fortunately, Town games frequently had a match report in the Sunday Sport, an issue raised in suspicion by more than one girlfriend. As I got older and independent I came to Portman Road a few times, mainly with mates who were Saints fans. Work and financial issues stopped me from watching Ipswich more than a couple of times a season but this is how it was and I accepted it. Then I had the internet installed. Suddenly I could access the local press. I could chat to other fans. I could read statements from the club virtually as they were released. At last, after all these years of being a bit part fan I could be at the forefront of what was happening at Portman Road or FPR as my new colleagues called it. My “football life†on the internet is probably typical of many football fans. Online, every game played can be followed in one form or another, minute by minute. Forums and news pages are a way of life. Transfer windows bring a whole new form of anxiety. Websites are refreshed every few minutes in search of the slightest speculation. It’s now family commitments that prevent me from making the 126-mile trek to FPR regularly. So am I in fact a virtual fan? Slightly less committed than a real life fan maybe but no less passionate. In fact this passion has probably increased as a result of the internet. I now have a six-year-old boy who loves football. I was going to take him to watch Town at Portsmouth recently but he was worried the noise might hurt his ears. I know he’ll be ready to watch his first Town match soon and believe me I am encouraging him all I can to follow the Blues. It will be easier for him. He’s got the “virtual fan†support and guidance in place and waiting for him. Despite the internet bringing FPR into my lounge, nothing can replicate the real thing. The distance between Southampton and Ipswich is not too far for me to travel and I can’t wait to take my boy to his first home match. Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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