Real Fans

[maddog]

The fact that anyone cares enough for their team that they are willing to trade opinions on forums makes them real fans.

The fact that they question the outcome of the board's decisions makes them real fans.

The fact that they crave success makes them real fans.

We are all real fans.

 

And yet,

 

Almost 40 years of watching Latics,

Six years without missing a game at home, away, and in friendlies,

Overnight stays on Tuesday nights in places like Exeter and Southampton using up my holiday entitlement,

Over 20 years of Season Tickets,

Countless Home and Away shirts (No, I don't mean shirts advertising crummy Australian Soaps!),

and Several match sponsorships,

Don't make me any more of a real fan than say, 0000, who has only been once this season, or Tangerine Dreams, who has supported the team for just 12 months.

 

No, we are all 'Real' fans that follow the club in our own way, and with different passion.

All my waned and previous passion for Latics does, is make me sad and angry that the club has fallen to this level, and some puppet has the affront to suggest that I'm not a real fan because I'm worried about the current state of the club.

 

I'm concerned, and want what's best for the club Mr Owen. That makes me a real fan.

[Legoboy]

Barry may put a lot of work in but he’s out of touch and doesn’t know much about PR (though as an ex copper I wouldn’t expect him to). Instead of putting the fans point of view across trying to work with the club to improve the match day experience he comes out with such rants. Well there aren’t enough “real” fans to pay the way and so Barry should be looking at how to get those additional “non-real” fans in to balance the book. Guess what, the stick approach doesn’t work and furthermore it smacks of desperation.

 

Great post and my thoughts exactly. Guilt tripping people into doubting whether they are real fans or not is markting suicide.

[Sinstadt]

I'm finding it difficult to understand this customer perspective. Surely a customer is someone who purchases the product or service? otherwise they are former or potential customers. But if they don't purchase things from the club whether it's a ticket or a shirt or whatever, they can't be classed as a current customer. Let alone a supporter - or am I completely up the wrong tree?

I think you've probably talked abiout this before I joined . If you have is there somebody who can succintly explain?

[tangerinedreams]

I'm finding it difficult to understand this customer perspective. Surely a customer is someone who purchases the product or service? otherwise they are former or potential customers. But if they don't purchase things from the club whether it's a ticket or a shirt or whatever, they can't be classed as a current customer. Let alone a supporter - or am I completely up the wrong tree?

I think you've probably talked abiout this before I joined . If you have is there somebody who can succintly explain?

 

 

 

A customer (Noun)

 

1 A person who buys goods or services from a shop or business. 2 a person or thing of a specified kind that one has to deal with: he’s a tough customer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sinstadt]

A customer (Noun)

 

1 A person who buys goods or services from a shop or business. 2 a person or thing of a specified kind that one has to deal with: he’s a tough customer.

 

 

Thanks. that's what I thought.

[Legoboy]

Thanks. that's what I thought.

 

You don't become a former customer as soon as the transaction has taken place. You are not a former customer of Tesco when you step out of the store. Until Oldham Athletic is no longer in your thoughts when making a purchasing decision, i.e. a football shirt, you are still a customer. If this club dosent mobilise its customers into purchasing its products soon it is finished no matter how many "real fans" there are.

 

Current options in progress or being discussed on this message board to influence product sales are:

Move the location of a product to Failsworth

Increase the quality of the product by changing the manager os the players

Reduce the prices of the products

[IsleOfWightBlue]

Its a 530 mile round trip for me to go to BP and a cost of around £100 for fuel and ferry... Add on food, gate money, programme and the trip to the club shop and I dont get way with less than £160. So no I cant afford to get to every home game - I have done just two this season plus a couple of away games. Does four games make me a supporter? Prob not in some peoples eyes. But then I have been following latics man and boy and when I didnt work in Sales and had every weekend off I went to far more games.

 

In the season we reached the league cup final and the FA Cup Semi Final it cost me a fortune ...I did every round in both cups except three games ( Leeds 2nd leg of the Littlewoods Cup, Everton FA Cup Replay and Man Un ited FA Cup Semi Final replay). Plus of course many many league matches.

 

Even put the house on the IOW on the market with a view to moving to Saddleworth/Uppermill area so we could not only cash in on the house price North/South difference but watch latics week in week out. It didnt sell but over the years both my daughters have been mascot for latics. Pride of place is a photo of my daughter Simone in her red Bovis kit in the centre circle with Nick Henry and Ray Wilkins at QPR where we won 3-1.

 

Now my grandson is preparing for his first game on 27th March at St Marys stadium Southampton. One day god willing he will run out with latics wearing his mums Bovis kit. To be honest I am realistic enough to know that those heady days of top flight football are long gone but, it dont matter if we are a championship side, a div one, div two or god forbid a Conference side, this family will ALWAYS be latics fans, supporters, customers or whatever you want to call us exiles.

 

I have been to Workington and watched latics, I have been to Wembley and watched latics and which ever direction we go my loyalty while tested will always be there. Oldham are part of my life and woven into my family

Edited January 27, 2010 by IsleOfWightBlue

[Blue_Pizza]

So who do you support if you went to Millwall in December 2008?

 

Was it as long ago as December 2007?

 

Personally I prefered Millwall away FEB 09!!!

 

They were both cracking, the year before edges it though just for the atmosphere, hughesys hat-trick, the lateish winner, and just everything.

[Legoboy]

Its a 530 mile round trip for me to go to BP and a cost of around £100 for fuel and ferry... Add on food, gate money, programme and the trip to the club shop and I dont get way with less than £160. So no I cant afford to get to every home game - I have done just two this season plus a couple of away games. Does four games make me a supporter? Prob not in some peoples eyes. But then I have been following latics man and boy and when I didnt work in Sales and had every weekend off I went to far more games.

 

In the season we reached the league cup final and the FA Cup Semi Final it cost me a fortune ...I did every round in both cups except three games ( Leeds 2nd leg of the Littlewoods Cup, Everton FA Cup Replay and Man Un ited FA Cup Semi Final replay). Plus of course many many league matches.

 

Even put the house on the IOW on the market with a view to moving to Saddleworth/Uppermill area so we could not only cash in on the house price North/South difference but watch latics week in week out. It didnt sell but over the years both my daughters have been mascot for latics. Pride of place is a photo of my daughter Simone in her red Bovis kit in the centre circle with Nick Henry and Ray Wilkins at QPR where we won 3-1.

 

Now my grandson is preparing for his first game on 27th March at St Marys stadium Southampton. One day god willing he will run out with latics wearing his mums Bovis kit. To be honest I am realistic enough to know that those heady days of top flight football are long gone but, it dont matter if we are a championship side, a div one, div two or god forbid a Conference side, this family will ALWAYS be latics fans, supporters, customers or whatever you want to call us exiles.

 

I have been to Workington and watched latics, I have been to Wembley and watched latics and which ever direction we go my loyalty while tested will always be there. Oldham are part of my life and woven into my family

 

Hi IsleOfWightBlue,

 

Thanks for your post.

 

Do you think the proposed move will affect your enthusiasm to take the trip up to watch a game if the team no longer played at Boundary Park?

[Stevie_J]

Hi IsleOfWightBlue,

 

Thanks for your post.

 

Do you think the proposed move will affect your enthusiasm to take the trip up to watch a game if the team no longer played at Boundary Park?

And, in the four games you've made this season, have you seen Latics score/pick up a point/win?

[dfOAFC]

I don't think real fans talk like they're a contest on The Apprentice.

 

 

all that was missing was that horrible phrase "product on the pitch"

[Diego_Sideburns]

... I am realistic enough to know that those heady days of top flight football are long gone but, it dont matter if we are a championship side, a div one, div two or god forbid a Conference side, this family will ALWAYS be latics fans, supporters, customers or whatever you want to call us exiles.

 

... Oldham are part of my life and woven into my family

 

[Witty]

MILLWALL AWAY DECEMBER 2008

 

THATS WHY WE BL00DY DO IT

 

Brentford home January 2010.....hopefully.

[Legoboy]

 

all that was missing was that horrible phrase "product on the pitch"

 

[steveoafc]

I supported the club until they started playing crap this season so I stopped going.

 

Then City bought a load of good players and started playing good entertaining football and look like they could win stuff this season and they're not too far away either, they're in a cup semi final against Man Utd tomorrow and they're 2-1 from the first leg. I think I'll enjoy being a City fan.

 

Woo, go Tevez!

Now this would never be an option for me, no way could i switch clubs. I'm not happy being a latics fan at present but i go in the hope that sometime soon things will get better and it will all seem worthwhile and enjoyable again.

MY COLOURS ARE NAILED TO THE MAST

[IsleOfWightBlue]

Hi IsleOfWightBlue,

 

Thanks for your post.

 

Do you think the proposed move will affect your enthusiasm to take the trip up to watch a game if the team no longer played at Boundary Park?

 

 

Not at all - I think a new stadium is a must. If it follows the plans submitted I think it will be a very attractive stadium. Naturally I will make a point of travelling up the night before to watch the last home game at BP and no doubt at the end of the match I will be as emotional as everyone else who has been brought up watching football at every level played there.

 

I was told by my father that he had me on his shoulders when Oldham beat Southport 11-0 but I was an egg then so i dont recall it. I think I became a diehard when we beat Huddersfield 6-0 at BP many many years but before that I endured a 1-1 draw against Scarboro when they were a Northern Premier League side. We lost 1-2 in the replay.

 

We will all have our stories and fave games and be able to recount annecdotes from days gone by - During those heady days when we were on the rise I can well remember Joe and the players in the pub at the top of Sheepfoot Lane happilly sharing a pint with fans after the game. I recall Andy barlow making the mistake of going into the Clayton Arms after we won the Div 2 Title -- His feet never touched the ground as he was hoisted up and passed over everones heads like a human mexican wave.

 

Buggar I will be reaching for the Kleenex next .

 

Boundary Park has been our spiritual home but just like the old car that we drove for years and kept having to spend money on it to keep it going we need to move on, Embrace the new stadium and hope that with it comes a new begining and that those that pack the ground - As I am sure they will for the first game - come more often.

Edited February 13, 2010 by IsleOfWightBlue

[Barryowen]

 

From you user name I presume you are from the Island. Visit twice a years for last 20 years. Will be down in June staying at Freshwater. Which part of the island do you live if you don't mind me asking.

 

Regards

 

 

Barry

 

 

Not at all - I think a new stadium is a must. If it follows the plans submitted I think it will be a very attractive stadium. Naturally I will make a point of travelling up the night before to watch the last home game at BP and no doubt at the end of the match I will be as emotional as everyone else who has been brought up watching football at every level played there.

 

I was told by my father that he had me on his shoulders when Oldham beat Southport 11-0 but I was an egg then so i dont recall it. I think I became a diehard when we beat Huddersfield 6-0 at BP many many years but before that I endured a 1-1 draw against Scarboro when they were a Northern Premier League side. We lost 1-2 in the replay.

 

We will all have our stories and fave games and be able to recount annecdotes from days gone by - During those heady days when we were on the rise I can well remember Joe and the players in the pub at the top of Sheepfoot Lane happilly sharing a pint with fans after the game. I recall Andy barlow making the mistake of going into the Clayton Arms after we won the Div 2 Title -- His feet never touched the ground as he was hoisted up and passed over everones heads like a human mexican wave.

 

Buggar I will be reaching for the Kleenex next .

 

Boundary Park has been our spiritual home but just like the old car that we drove for years and kept having to spend money on it to keep it going we need to move on, Embrace the new stadium and hope that with it comes a new begining and that those that pack the ground - As I am sure they will for the first game - come more often.

 

[Hometownclub]

From you user name I presume you are from the Island. Visit twice a years for last 20 years. Will be down in June staying at Freshwater. Which part of the island do you live if you don't mind me asking.

 

Regards

 

 

Barry

Barry

 

Under his username it says he is from Ryde, Isle of Wight.