Football Supporters



Solidarity in Manchester

They are one of, if not the major stakeholder in professional football and are regularly described as the 'lifeblood' of the game. They pack stadiums and generate exciting and sometimes hostile atmospheres that create the incredible experience that is live football; whether in the ground or on television. However, and this is not just for the sake of controversy, they represent and contribute to 99% of what is wrong with the game of football. This might sound like sacrilege to some, for fans can do no wrong in the eyes of many, but remove yourself from the footballing world and it becomes clear that supporters have played as big a part as any other group in creating the money-driven, commercial-centric environment that the game currently exists in. They may provide a wonderful atmosphere in which top-level football is played, but by looking at some of the issues that plague world football, it becomes painfully evident that they play their part in facilitating some of the worst problems we see.

It should be noted at this time that there are a wide variety of different 'types' of football fans. Defining what exactly a fan is has been regularly debated and discussed within footballing academia and it is almost impossible to create a single definition that encapsulates all of those that take an interest in the game. It is important to include this disclaimer at the beginning of a fan-focused article as some of the issues that are going to be discussed such as ticket prices and racism involve those individuals for whom many would not describe as real football fans. In the interest of balance, this will be referred back to throughout so as not to create the suggestion that supporters are being unfairly profiled. For the sake of this discussion however, let us assume that a football supporter is an individual that has a vested interest in one team and although he may have varying levels of affection for other clubs, is a definitive fan of just one. He attends matches throughout the season, though does not need to follow his club home and away; anything from a couple a season upwards will suffice. He has developed a broad knowledge of the club's history and traditions and is well-informed regarding the current squad and it's various strengths and weaknesses. As has been noted, it is almost impossible to create a complete definition of a football supporter, as individual supporters can have such extreme varying degrees of commitment and knowledge, but the above at least gives us a platform on which to develop a discussion.

So what exactly are soccer fans doing wrong? As has been mentioned previously, they contribute fantastic atmospheres, pay - in some cases - extortionate ticket prices and shell out even more money for television subscriptions to watch matches from around the world. For the most part what they actually do is fantastic and makes football what it is today, both for the right and wrong reasons. But the potential for fan influence is even greater. Spend just a few minutes discussing the issues that face professional football with any supporter and it doesn't take long to notice that many could be addressed by the fans themselves; only a lack of will power stands in the way. Let's start by looking at ticket prices. An article by the excellent David Conn in the Guardian last month showed the huge increases in ticket prices that supporters have had to contend with since the inception of the Premier League in England. The cheapest current season ticket available to watch Liverpool at Anfield is £725, inflation of a staggering 1,108% since the 1989/90 season. Inflation in ticket prices since that then has run into the 100's of per cent not just in Merseyside but right across the English top flight.

Considering this, over the past few seasons there have been visible signs of supporter dissent towards escalating ticket prices, usually in the form of banners, protest marches and chants on matchdays. However, taking into account the huge amount of fans who attend matches up and down the country week-in, week-out, they are nowhere near to fully utilising their potential influence. As an example, look at the rather pathetic 'Green & Gold' protest by Manchester United fans that hit its zenith during the 2009/2010 season. We'll not address the incredible irony in choosing the colours of Newton Heath as a form of protest, United's previous moniker who found themselves in need of a financial bail-out in the early 1900's due to irresponsible spending. In particular during the Champions League Last 16 2nd leg at home to AC Milan. In the stadium, it seemed that there was almost more green and gold than there was red, white and black. Huge anti-Glazer banners were unfurled, making quite a eye-catching statement. Granted, ticket-prices was just one factor contributing to some fans displeasure at the ownership of the club by the American family, but it has often been cited as one of the major concerns since their takeover in 2005. Old Trafford holds over 70,000 and one has to think that if all those who wore green and gold to the Milan match decided not to turn up, it would have made a much greater impact on club officials than the colour of clothing they chose to don. Some might argue that others would buy up the tickets forfeited, but surely protestors could have bought their tickets and then chose not to turn up at the ground. United recently broke the £100m barrier for revenue on matchdays and a half-empty ground during an important Champions League tie would have been an incredibly strong sign of dissent. Those angry at the Glazers surely would have been willing to forgo one match in order to potentially strike a significant blow against their perceived antagonists? What makes the spectacle even more embarrassing is the amount of those donning green and gold scarves over their replica shirts - a sense of hypocrisy conspicuous in its absence.

Should have stayed at home

Some of the games uglier issues, such as racism and homophobia are almost exclusively due to 'fans', who find it morally acceptable to boo or insult a player based on his ethnicity or alleged sexual preference - something that is routinely passed off as 'banter' in post-match pub discussion or to anyone that has the temerity to question such an individual. Yes, there are examples of those within the higher echelons of clubs engaging in similar despicable behaviour; Croatian FA president Vlatko Markovic has publicly aired his disparaging views on homosexuality on several occasions. However, some of the abuse aimed at players, managers and referees from the stands often pushes the very boundaries of what is socially acceptable in such a context. What is perhaps most disappointing is that it is often played off at 'atmosphere', as if the vitriol spewed forth onto the pitch is necessary in order to create an occasion befitting of the teams/players involved.

Compounding all of this is the harsh reality that the vast majority of football supporters, whether they attend matches or not, actually know very little about many aspects of the game that they claim to love. To illustrate this point, I'll use a personal match-day example that I had the misfortune of experiencing. I was at Old Trafford on Wednesday 20th October 2010 for United's Champions League clash with Bursaspor. Granted, there may have been a certain degree of frustration and anger due to the previous day's news regarding Wayne Rooney later retracted request to leave the club, but it doesn't explain the atmosphere that enveloped the ground with around 10-15 mins remaining. Leading 1-0 due to a wonderful long-range effort from Portugese winger Nani in the 7th minute, United were largely unthreatened by their Turkish opponents and saw out a comfortable, yet unspectacular victory to go top of their Champions League group. With less than a quarter of the game remaining, United were evidently content with seeing out the win and considering they faced a trip to Stoke City four days later, a quiet end to the evening would have been welcome. However, as United's back four of Nemanja Vidic, Chris Smalling, Rafael da Silva and Patrice Evra rolled the ball about, howls of discontent and disapproval rung around the stadium. Some fans may wish to be entertained to the very last minute - if they stay that long - but the lack of perception of the bigger picture bordered on the embarrassing. So much is at stake for all football clubs in the modern game, from the pressure to win trophies to the threat of going out of business, that an expectation to entertain no matter what is incredibly naive and in fact a little insulting.

For players and managers, football is first and foremost a job. A job in which success is demanded and craved, especially due to it's short-term nature. The contradictory nature of football fans - demanding entertainment one minute, lambasting their team when it costs them points the next - is a frustrating reality of professional football. Yes packed stadiums provide a wonderful backdrop to matches, especially in the Champions League and in title-deciding league encounters, but that is all they are, backdrops. Football Associations appear content to let slide the huge amounts of abuse that gets dished out by members of the public, even if it constitutes racism or homophobia. If those with the necessary power were committed to addressing these issues, they could. Evidence of racist chanting at matches? Make teams play in an empty stadium for a couple of weeks, or ban away support for directing abuse at opposing players/managers/referees. Until a stronger stance is taken, these problems will continue. It is the unspoken truth that football fans are given an easy ride, too often let off the hook for the more serious aforementioned offences, but also for their evident unrealistic expectations, misunderstanding of the game itself or (most commonly) a significant lack of knowledge of all aspects of football. 

Look at them - with their racism and lack of knowledge