| Supporters vs Fans 23:49 - Dec 8 with 2706 views | hatch |
This isn’t a thread aimed at last night specifically but I often debate the use of these words in my head. This may be an unpopular opinion but are all fans supporters?
I’ve just seen another photo of our away crowd last night with comments like ‘unbelievable support on a Tuesday night’ etc. But the cynic in me says that the majority of the crowd were there because they wanted to have a good evening out and watch the team they’re a fan of.
Fans don’t always ‘support’ the team. I don’t think I go to watch Ipswich away to support the players and help them win, I go because I enjoy the experience (generally), I like travelling across the UK, I like watching my team play football (generally) and feeling part of something.
Maybe I’m splitting hairs but I just don’t know how much we should be praised for a bunch of fans going on one of their shortest away trips because London away games are easy (and many like the pubs). I know people have spent hard earned cash etc but they’re mostly doing that because they want the experience - it’s not because they want to offer an extra body in the crowd or voice in the chants? (That’s just an added bonus)
Packed out away end at Barrow - now that is support. Not Charlton away.
*ducks for cover* |  | | |  |
| Supporters vs Fans on 23:54 - Dec 8 with 2160 views | Churchman |
I’ve never known the difference tbh. I rarely use the term fans because I don’t like it. |  | | |
| Supporters vs Fans on 00:07 - Dec 9 with 2135 views | wkj |
We're all here for a reason, and that reason has no word to define it.
I was there when Reuser bust the net, and I was there when we left the promised land - no word is going to ever change my connection with this club. |  |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 00:10 - Dec 9 with 2127 views | Garv |
I expect this won't get the credit it deserves, but you're spot on.
You make a choice to go. Just because you do it doesn't give you the right to expect or demand you get what you want, or abuse the players you've gone to watch. You're not doing a personal favour to those players. If you're genuinely supportive whilst in the stands and not just pissing and moaning when things aren't going well, then maybe call yourself a supporter. |  |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 02:22 - Dec 9 with 2050 views | Illinoisblue |
We all love Ipswich Town Football Club even though they don’t love us back. I do agree some of the fawning “unreal support” tweets the club puts out about our away following grate a bit. Good numbers, yes, considering how sheeite we are, but let’s not get all tinpot about it. |  |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 02:33 - Dec 9 with 2042 views | The_Romford_Blue |
| Supporters vs Fans on 02:22 - Dec 9 by Illinoisblue |
We all love Ipswich Town Football Club even though they don’t love us back. I do agree some of the fawning “unreal support” tweets the club puts out about our away following grate a bit. Good numbers, yes, considering how sheeite we are, but let’s not get all tinpot about it. |
Hmm I disagree on the last but tbh.
We’ve had 20 years of sh*te. A whole generation haven’t seen us win anything or even be promoted in that time, myself included. We’re currently sat 11th in the third tier and Ipswich is a bit of a bastard to get to and from - particularly midweek. And yet we’ve now sold out for something like the 8th away game already this season, and yet another 3,000 sold for a midweek game.
In the same league yesterday, of the 10 matches played, 5 home ends had less fans than we took away.
There’s a lot wrong with the club but our support, for away numbers in particular, is something to be proud of. And it’s one of the very few things we’ve got in our favour.
Edit - We’re actually taking more in League 1 this season than the Scum are taking in the Premier League. It’s ridiculous really. [Post edited 9 Dec 2021 2:34]
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| Supporters vs Fans on 02:58 - Dec 9 with 2010 views | Illinoisblue |
| Supporters vs Fans on 02:33 - Dec 9 by The_Romford_Blue |
Hmm I disagree on the last but tbh.
We’ve had 20 years of sh*te. A whole generation haven’t seen us win anything or even be promoted in that time, myself included. We’re currently sat 11th in the third tier and Ipswich is a bit of a bastard to get to and from - particularly midweek. And yet we’ve now sold out for something like the 8th away game already this season, and yet another 3,000 sold for a midweek game.
In the same league yesterday, of the 10 matches played, 5 home ends had less fans than we took away.
There’s a lot wrong with the club but our support, for away numbers in particular, is something to be proud of. And it’s one of the very few things we’ve got in our favour.
Edit - We’re actually taking more in League 1 this season than the Scum are taking in the Premier League. It’s ridiculous really. [Post edited 9 Dec 2021 2:34]
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It’s undoubtedly good support but if we want to believe we’re the (relatively) big club we think we are we should act like that level of support is normal. No need for a circle jerk about it. | |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 03:08 - Dec 9 with 1999 views | Kropotkin123 |
Is it possible for a fan to become a supporter over time? And if so, would they be called a supporter or an extractor fan? |  |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 03:20 - Dec 9 with 1986 views | The_Romford_Blue |
| Supporters vs Fans on 02:58 - Dec 9 by Illinoisblue |
It’s undoubtedly good support but if we want to believe we’re the (relatively) big club we think we are we should act like that level of support is normal. No need for a circle jerk about it. |
Ahh I see what you mean now. Very fair point. | |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 07:09 - Dec 9 with 1851 views | Blue_Order |
Fans
Support
Active Support |  | | |
| Supporters vs Fans on 07:29 - Dec 9 with 1806 views | Pippin1970 |
Ipswich supporters are all over the country . The ones in Suffolk or catchment area can go to home games. Northern fans like myself go to Northern games. Work, lifestyles make impact where you can go too. Some can't afford to go too. We all fans end of day, we all not going to agree on everything but love the club. Even it you supported them 1 Week or 50 plus years. |  | | |
| Supporters vs Fans on 07:40 - Dec 9 with 1784 views | Pinewoodblue |
| Supporters vs Fans on 07:09 - Dec 9 by Blue_Order |
Fans
Support
Active Support |
You missed out the strangest group of all “followers “ claim to follow a team but never been to a game. Some even follow more than one team. |  |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 07:44 - Dec 9 with 1772 views | Blue_Order |
| Supporters vs Fans on 07:40 - Dec 9 by Pinewoodblue |
You missed out the strangest group of all “followers “ claim to follow a team but never been to a game. Some even follow more than one team. |
I don’t acknowledge those types. | | | |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:02 - Dec 9 with 1728 views | MattinLondon |
Very interesting post. Once upon a time I used to go to all of the home matches as well as the vast majority of away ones. Then, I made the decision not to go anywhere near as frequently- the reason being become a parent. I didn’t think it was fair leaving two small boys with my partner for long periods on a Saturday.
I still get upset when we lose or concede and, when we win I still get extremely happy - my emotional investment in the club is still what it was six, eight, ten years ago, I’m just not in the stands anywhere near as much. I feel just as much as a fan or supporter now as what I did then.
I know that as a result of my decision not to go as much means that I don’t deserve to get tickets when they are limited in number. I fully understand that some people go to every single match regardless of their personal circumstances. I don’t think that this makes them anymore of a fan or supporter but more deserving of obtaining tickets on a priority basis.
Anyway, I didn’t really answer anything in your OP except in a very roundabout way. |  | | |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:14 - Dec 9 with 1690 views | thebooks |
The “they’ve paid good money to watch this team” is just another weird vestige of the patronising idea that it’s a 1930s “working class” game. It makes you think we all work in the John Player factory then at the end of the week spend our wages on beer and football (part of that may well apply to some of you, of course).
It’s like quoting player salaries as a weekly wage, as if they get it in an envelope at the end of a week.
You don’t get it in other team sports like cricket and rugby. |  | | |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:18 - Dec 9 with 1683 views | PioneerBlue |
In the end it probably doesnt matter because all views opinions pounds count but I think about this too.
I read, hear all the persistent moaning and demands that are fired towards owners, managers, players season after season. It switches me off the modern game.
I see:
- Supporters (and membership fees) in the truest sense per definition
- Media and analysts (paid for their work)
- Customers (pay for a product)
- Fans
ITFC have to listen to a wide range of stakeholder views, it doesnt mean they will satisfy or delight all the time (or any of the time). Fine line because stakeholder groups provide a source of or link to income in different ways.
Social Media has blurred lines for all groups, also fact that Supporters pay blurs lines between Supporter and Customer.
Discuss! | |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 08:19 - Dec 9 with 1679 views | LRB84UK |
I literally had this conversation with a friend yesterday. I've had a season ticket for 30 odd years now, since I was 5. I go to football with my mum, mum's a legend. She has done over 1000 games in a row without missing a single game home or away. She's seen some massive highs and some pretty big lows.
We are supporters.
If 1 player is having a bad run do we boo them? Do we hurtle abuse? Do we victimise them? Simple answer is no.
We were at Charlton on Tuesday, we stayed till the final whistle and left, we did not join in or condone anything that happened. The players know they are struggling, they know they didn't play well enough, but after the end of the game why should they? If your customers at work hurtle abuse at you are you going to want to help them?
My son has just started coming to the football with me, we sit with mum at Portman Road. I'm trying to get him to enjoy it, to learn the songs and have a good afternoon. We have a group of 3 or 4 men that sit with us. Every other word is a swear word and the C word is a particular favourite. They moan about every player, every bad thing they pick up on. They shout and swear, he doesn't want to go anymore because of these men. I know they pay their money but they CHOOSE to go. I choose to go to spend time with my mum and support my team. These men are not supporters, I wouldn't even call them fans.
I know we can't win every game but Tuesday was 2 days after the sacking of a manager, there have been a number of players and cook who have recently lost their fathers, that is a huge thing in anyone's life.
I want my ipswich back as much as anyone else, I want to be flying high and have a promotion party. But I will not sulk and boo if we don't win a game. I will look for the positives and support my team | | | |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:20 - Dec 9 with 1677 views | Herbivore |
I've got to be honest, I've never really understood the supposed distinction between fans and supporters. |  |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 08:24 - Dec 9 with 1654 views | unbelievablue |
If it had been a poor atmosphere I'd take the point, but it was excellent to begin with. Contrast that with some of the atmospheres at other away games (like some FA Cup ties, for example), and it's clear that the crowd on Tuesday night was packed with 'supporters'. |  |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 08:28 - Dec 9 with 1642 views | bluefunk |
| Supporters vs Fans on 00:10 - Dec 9 by Garv |
I expect this won't get the credit it deserves, but you're spot on.
You make a choice to go. Just because you do it doesn't give you the right to expect or demand you get what you want, or abuse the players you've gone to watch. You're not doing a personal favour to those players. If you're genuinely supportive whilst in the stands and not just pissing and moaning when things aren't going well, then maybe call yourself a supporter. |
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, supporting is about what you do while you’re watching. On Tuesday, we had far too many who were abusing the players at the first opportunity. That’s not support.
I read the comments from Barrows manager after Saturdays game - about half his comments were about getting the crowd to turn. That was his strategy, frustrate and get the crowd to turn and yet fans still refuse to believe that it’s ok to boo and scream abuse. The same applies to the comments on here and social media in general - it all contributes to an atmosphere of negativity
And to be clear I’m not blaming the fans for anything, merely pointing out that if you really want Town to succeed, make a positive contribution rather than falling back on your “right” to protest |  | | |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:30 - Dec 9 with 1635 views | TractorWood |
I don't know if there is a difference. Look hard at something long enough and you'll find whatever you want.
My only view is that the older generation tend to use 'supporters' and younger use 'support' ie 'that's unreal support'. |  |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 08:30 - Dec 9 with 1633 views | unbelievablue |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:19 - Dec 9 by LRB84UK |
I literally had this conversation with a friend yesterday. I've had a season ticket for 30 odd years now, since I was 5. I go to football with my mum, mum's a legend. She has done over 1000 games in a row without missing a single game home or away. She's seen some massive highs and some pretty big lows.
We are supporters.
If 1 player is having a bad run do we boo them? Do we hurtle abuse? Do we victimise them? Simple answer is no.
We were at Charlton on Tuesday, we stayed till the final whistle and left, we did not join in or condone anything that happened. The players know they are struggling, they know they didn't play well enough, but after the end of the game why should they? If your customers at work hurtle abuse at you are you going to want to help them?
My son has just started coming to the football with me, we sit with mum at Portman Road. I'm trying to get him to enjoy it, to learn the songs and have a good afternoon. We have a group of 3 or 4 men that sit with us. Every other word is a swear word and the C word is a particular favourite. They moan about every player, every bad thing they pick up on. They shout and swear, he doesn't want to go anymore because of these men. I know they pay their money but they CHOOSE to go. I choose to go to spend time with my mum and support my team. These men are not supporters, I wouldn't even call them fans.
I know we can't win every game but Tuesday was 2 days after the sacking of a manager, there have been a number of players and cook who have recently lost their fathers, that is a huge thing in anyone's life.
I want my ipswich back as much as anyone else, I want to be flying high and have a promotion party. But I will not sulk and boo if we don't win a game. I will look for the positives and support my team |
I don't think any analogies to 'customers' and other types of businesses are particularly useful. Football is unique. Fans, like you, devote huge parts of their life to supporting a team, usually through thick and thin - the loyalty is more analogous to friends or family, though that isn't particularly useful either.
Every right to boo in my opinion, especially when it's clear that there is a lack of effort on show, and I think it's sanctimonious to suggest that you're not a real supporter if you exercise that right. Obviously anything beyond that, or bordering on abuse, is ridiculous. | |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 08:31 - Dec 9 with 1624 views | The_Flashing_Smile |
I don't think "support" necessarily means cheering from the stands. If you put money into the club in any way, then you're supporting them financially.
So to me a fan is someone who likes something - I'm a fan of walks in the park - whereas a supporter contributes to the thing they like. |  |
| Trust the process. Trust Phil. |
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| Supporters vs Fans on 08:33 - Dec 9 with 1618 views | hatch |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:19 - Dec 9 by LRB84UK |
I literally had this conversation with a friend yesterday. I've had a season ticket for 30 odd years now, since I was 5. I go to football with my mum, mum's a legend. She has done over 1000 games in a row without missing a single game home or away. She's seen some massive highs and some pretty big lows.
We are supporters.
If 1 player is having a bad run do we boo them? Do we hurtle abuse? Do we victimise them? Simple answer is no.
We were at Charlton on Tuesday, we stayed till the final whistle and left, we did not join in or condone anything that happened. The players know they are struggling, they know they didn't play well enough, but after the end of the game why should they? If your customers at work hurtle abuse at you are you going to want to help them?
My son has just started coming to the football with me, we sit with mum at Portman Road. I'm trying to get him to enjoy it, to learn the songs and have a good afternoon. We have a group of 3 or 4 men that sit with us. Every other word is a swear word and the C word is a particular favourite. They moan about every player, every bad thing they pick up on. They shout and swear, he doesn't want to go anymore because of these men. I know they pay their money but they CHOOSE to go. I choose to go to spend time with my mum and support my team. These men are not supporters, I wouldn't even call them fans.
I know we can't win every game but Tuesday was 2 days after the sacking of a manager, there have been a number of players and cook who have recently lost their fathers, that is a huge thing in anyone's life.
I want my ipswich back as much as anyone else, I want to be flying high and have a promotion party. But I will not sulk and boo if we don't win a game. I will look for the positives and support my team |
Thanks for this, that’s genuine support there. Having said that, your mum’s reasons for going would be interesting to hear - I wonder if she feels like she’s an extra voice or extra man in the crowd that may help motivate a victory or whether she goes mainly through enjoyment. Very impressive either way.
As for the blokes around you - completely get that. Yesterday there was a bloke that was shouting a sentence ending in the c word every 3 minutes. Definition of meathead. I took my Dad for the first time in 5 years to an away game, we used to go across the country all the time growing up. He took a half day off, got to London early and waited around for me and then ended up leaving at half time (still didn’t get home to Suffolk until 11pm).
His reasons? Numerous, but mainly because he felt out of touch and uncomfortable with the ‘youthful’ and ‘moronic’ crowd around him. | | | |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:46 - Dec 9 with 1587 views | Churchman |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:02 - Dec 9 by MattinLondon |
Very interesting post. Once upon a time I used to go to all of the home matches as well as the vast majority of away ones. Then, I made the decision not to go anywhere near as frequently- the reason being become a parent. I didn’t think it was fair leaving two small boys with my partner for long periods on a Saturday.
I still get upset when we lose or concede and, when we win I still get extremely happy - my emotional investment in the club is still what it was six, eight, ten years ago, I’m just not in the stands anywhere near as much. I feel just as much as a fan or supporter now as what I did then.
I know that as a result of my decision not to go as much means that I don’t deserve to get tickets when they are limited in number. I fully understand that some people go to every single match regardless of their personal circumstances. I don’t think that this makes them anymore of a fan or supporter but more deserving of obtaining tickets on a priority basis.
Anyway, I didn’t really answer anything in your OP except in a very roundabout way. |
This post sums up where I am, I suppose. My attendance has varied a lot over the years and due to circumstances can’t go at the moment, I don’t feel any less passionate about it. Matt’s point about priority for tickets to season ticket holders / regular away attenders etc is spot on.
There was an interesting question the other week about how many games people had attended. I didn’t differentiate in my own head between those (I salute) who’d attended 1000 plus and those who’d been to a few. Each and every one is a supporter because this is their club.
In conclusion I still can’t differentiate between a fan and a supporter. | | | |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:50 - Dec 9 with 1560 views | hatch |
| Supporters vs Fans on 08:46 - Dec 9 by Churchman |
This post sums up where I am, I suppose. My attendance has varied a lot over the years and due to circumstances can’t go at the moment, I don’t feel any less passionate about it. Matt’s point about priority for tickets to season ticket holders / regular away attenders etc is spot on.
There was an interesting question the other week about how many games people had attended. I didn’t differentiate in my own head between those (I salute) who’d attended 1000 plus and those who’d been to a few. Each and every one is a supporter because this is their club.
In conclusion I still can’t differentiate between a fan and a supporter. |
Is someone that will only go to Charlton away this season with their mates on the train from
Ipswich, get on the beers, chant through the streets and on the train, chant for the first 20 minutes then shout abuse for the rest of the game and boo the players a supporter or just a fan of a boozed up trip with the boys where they can release some testosterone? | | | |
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