Glory Supporters

[DVP 3]

Interesting topic of debate for me, I've seen a lot of this on facebook. "Where were you when we were ***" type of stuff. A bloke I was sat in front of at the match commented "Glory supporters, I've been coming here for 20 years" when the pitch invasion happened. 

 

Is it really that big a deal? 

 

Following on slightly from some of the Brighton threads/North Stand Chat drama - "My club is better than your club" or "I'm a better supporter than you" does it really matter? 

 

I mentioned in another post, I've always followed boro, but not religiously. Since Southgate ruined the team, I lost interest. Not that I went to many anyway, but I stopped going to matches, I stopped watching on TV and I lost interest in football altogether. 

 

Since Karanka has been in charge, he's made the team interesting again by building on what almost captured me back with Tony Mowbray. 

 

Now forgive me if this is a naive viewpoint to have in the world of football support, but the £30 I'd have spent on going to a match to watch us lose, I'd have rather paid off a bill that week or bought the kids some new toys. 

 

From the attitudes I've seen from quite a few people, that's the wrong viewpoint to take. No, I shouldn't have bought that My Little Pony, I should have gone to the Bolton match to see us get battered 4-1, or Chelsea 5-0? Reading 5-2? 

 

So yes, I've been to some of the matches in the last 2 seasons for the first time in over 10 years, does this make me a glory supporter, or does it simply mean I'm more willing to invest in something that is once again capturing my attention? 

 

Would be interesting to see some viewpoints on "Glory Supporters"

[wilsoncgp 9,283]

I started supporting after the Cup win in 2004. Though I actually had zero interest in football before then. But I guess you could call me a glory supporter. ;)

 

I think it's natural that our stadium doesn't get filled when we're struggling. The town itself isn't rich by any means. I know plenty of people myself who literally can't afford to purchase season tickets or many individual tickets throughout a season. I'm one of them, the real world unfortunately requires me to be based in London and being unemployed right now.

 

As we know from this forum alone and the existence of Middlesbrough Supporters South, there are very significant numbers of Boro fans who just don't live close by and getting there and back, paying £100+ for train journeys, accommodation if needs be added to the ticket itself is just not feasible.

 

I'd love to go to the Riverside every other week, through thick and thin, because I love watching football and especially love watching the Boro. I just can't afford to.

 

Those who do manage to get to every game, good on you. But I would say to this guy to get off his high horse if you're going to start criticising large groups of people just because they're not there every week. He clearly has little to no idea why that's the case and has zero respect for that.

[DVP 3]

I know I'm looking at it from my side of the fence, I couldn't afford it etc, but even if I'd supported boro since the 70's, been to every match home and away, I'd still be chuffed to bits that we could draw in the highest attendence in England even though we're "Just a small town in Europe"

 

To me, it literally is just a bad case of high horse

[TheTeessideOne 4]

Doesn't really bother me at the matches as it makes for a better atmosphere. Have a few mates who were half ***d around 2010-2013 and started talking more about Man United and the like rather than Boro. Now they're all over us like a rash, typical.

 

Also was a bit annoyed after the game on Saturday when there were hundreds of drunks who clearly weren't ***d about the Boro and just turned up to drink in the streets. Ruined it for most of us.

[Red Rocket 244]

I'm not sure anyone who supports Boro can be accused of being a Glory supporter haha.

 

As a ST holder, all I can say is the more the merrier. Sat was special.

[Dynamo Kev 1,558]

looking at the vids of the match against brighton. there was a high amount of young lads. all the glory supporters were probably young lads who might not bother normally. i think the next generation of fans has just been hooked in. They were top fans to helping to create a special atmosphere. well done all round, i think we can expect a packed stadium for a few years now.

[DVP 3]

Doesn't really bother me at the matches as it makes for a better atmosphere. Have a few mates who were half ***d around 2010-2013 and started talking more about Man United and the like rather than Boro. Now they're all over us like a rash, typical.

 

Also was a bit annoyed after the game on Saturday when there were hundreds of drunks who clearly weren't ***d about the Boro and just turned up to drink in the streets. Ruined it for most of us.

 

This ***ed me off, apparently the police arrested 15-16 year olds, just kids who can't hold a pint ruining it for everyone else

[DVP 3]

Interestingly, after going back to the original facebook comment that spurred me to write this thread, there's a LOT of support for people who can't afford it/can't get time off work/etc

 

Whereas I thought it was a widespread thing, especially after the playoff fiasco last year, it looks like it is just the minority of people who hold this viewpoint, I can ignore minorities, that's good!

[Humpty 3,261]

From the attitudes I've seen from quite a few people, that's the wrong viewpoint to take. No, I shouldn't have bought that My Little Pony, I should have gone to the Bolton match to see us get battered 4-1, or Chelsea 5-0? Reading 5-2? 

 

So yes, I've been to some of the matches in the last 2 seasons for the first time in over 10 years, does this make me a glory supporter, or does it simply mean I'm more willing to invest in something that is once again capturing my attention? 

 

Would be interesting to see some viewpoints on "Glory Supporters"

 

The way you described your connection i think is the archetypal description of a glory supporter. Nothing wrong with that though and i don't think anyone ever seriously gets slated when they have to prioritise 'living' so to speak.

 

I always said experiencing the lows makes the highs feel even better.

[Betamaxman 14]

I'm not sure anyone who supports Boro can be accused of being a Glory supporter haha.

 

As a ST holder, all I can say is the more the merrier. Sat was special.

 

LOL - I think RR has a good point here. Isn't "The Glory Hunting Boro Fan" an oxymoron?

 

I'm with you that over the years I've had some seasons where I've lost a bit of interest, but I guess it depends what else is going on in your life. I never stopped following results, and would usually still get to the odd game, but the excitement has really returned, but isn't that the same with so many things in life: Relationships, work, hobbies, training - things aren't always rosy and sometimes you can be more interested than others.

 

A few years ago I was joking with another mate who has also followed the Boro since the 1970's that maybe we SHOULD become glory supporters, and start following Barcelona!! We were also joking about how lucky the kids in Barcelona are, to be born in a town with pretty much the best (quite often) club side in the world.

 

Trouble is, you can't can you..... for whatever reason, once you're hooked, you're hooked. It's Boro whether it's the Premier League or the 3rd tier [having not been in the 4th tier at the time of writing].

 

Exciting that it's the Premier League next season !!

 

COME ON BORO !!!

[boksicdink 1,942]

Following on from what WilsonCGP said, I live in London too and although I go to as many games as I can in London and surrounding areas, I don't have a season ticket and Saturday was my first home game of the season, mainly because we were away on Boxing Day! I paid £100 in train tickets alone just to be there. People cannot justify that sort of expenditure (well me anyway) on a bi-monthly basis. So obviously you going to save yourself for the bigger matches. This works on the same level for people in the area where money is tight.

 

If it's a choice between watching Boro or making rent, surely life has to come first! I think people that moan about fans not being there when we were **** is misguided.

[DVP 3]

Exactly, I couldn't justify spending money to go watch a mediocre match. Whereas now I'm excited to be going to games again

[Guest Changing Times]

I mentioned in another post, I've always followed boro, but not religiously. Since Southgate ruined the team, I lost interest. Not that I went to many anyway, but I stopped going to matches, I stopped watching on TV and I lost interest in football altogether. 

 

So yes, I've been to some of the matches in the last 2 seasons for the first time in over 10 years, does this make me a glory supporter, or does it simply mean I'm more willing to invest in something that is once again capturing my attention? 

 

No, it makes you a glory supporter and a part timer and that's actually worse!  :)

[DVP 3]

I might as well go the full hog, move to Lancashire and wear burgundy then :(

[dunnerzzz 17]

If it gets us filling our stadium week in, week out bring them all on. Who cares? They aren't supporting the opposite team and they are more likely to sing the songs, feel the passion and live the Boro.