I saw a post on Twitter last night which said "I'd rather change my wife than change my club". Really you would rather change the person you have decided to spend rest of your life with over a football club? Yes 1/3 of marriages end up in divorce, but how many people change their support of clubs.
To answer this we have to think about the type of fans that support a club, which there are many categorises, I will try and detail a few of them;
Die Hards
These are the fans who put their club before anything! The ones who will miss their children's weddings to go see their team away. The ones who crowd on to coaches whilst trying to hide their tinnies under their coats. Will often have a couple tattoos of their club motto, crest etc. Know all the chants and will not accept that their team are shit unless they say so. Also think that all referees hate their team. They may not know much about the match they just watched because they are so wasted but will happily die for the club.
Passionate
Often these are the people who know everything about the club, will have a season ticket, go to a few away games, happily spend a large chunk of their life following the club. But know that their is a life outside of football that is largely more important, so will miss a few games to weddings, holidays etc. I would consider myself to be in this bracket. Also can acknowledge that their team has flaws.
Enthusiastic
I would say this category is one that most people fit into. They are what makes up a large amount of a fan base. They maybe be season ticket holders they may not, but still try and get to 5+ games a season. But also they may support a team from a far, not meaning they born and brought up in Plymouth but support Liverpool, but moved away from their original stomping grounds. But still keep a keen eye on their beloved club. Will often wear and new club shirt at a 5-a-side tournament.
Fan by association
These are often just fans of football in general and have loose allegiances to a team, they may support a team through location or the fact that their parents do, most Man U fans will claim to be this. If its a Premier League team they follow will watch them on TV but be reluctant to spunk money on a ticket. If its lower league team, they will go to the odd big game now and then but don't want the commitment of a season ticket. Will probably have a scarf they got when going to a game couple years ago, which is faded and has Bovril stains on it. Their knowledge of the starting eleven is reasonable.
Glory Hunters
These are the category no one wants to be associated with, but many people are in it, only applies to fan of big clubs. Started supporting a club because they were doing well, my generation it is Man U and Arsenal. Like the Die Hard fans you cant reason with them on problems in their team, but this is due to the fact they have only seen the good highlights of "their" team. They are the ones who have bright boots and wear an England jersey with Rooney or their name on the back. They think a player is good due to their Fifa rating. When and if they go to a game (which will be a league cup game), they will take a stop off at the club store making sure they have everything they can afford, take hundred of photos with a selfie stick post them on Facebook. Saying Man U are the best because they beat Carlisle Utd 3-1.
This is only a small selection of the type of fans I see, you may feel you float around different types or create a type all to your self. But what happened if you changed team ? Being raised just outside of Stoke, logically I supported them, my dad at the time didn't really have any prier allgencies due to fact he moved around the country for work so never really settled. He did in the past have a soft spot for Newcastle utd and Hereford Utd. Due to the proximity of where he lived at those times. But when he settled in Staffordshire his desire to watch live football took us to Stoke city, my first game I was 6 and it was against Man city(when they were shit), we both got relegated that day to what is now league 1. We still went to the odd game, then when I got older and Dad was more enthusiastic about the club we became season ticket holders, granted league 1 club season tickets are cheaper are more readably available.
But none the less 14 years later we are both still season ticket holders and very passionate fans, I was even a mascot once! But what if I move? My only association to Stoke is the football club, its a shit hole of a place, I would never willingly go there unless it is to watch Stoke. My Parents moved to Nantwich so when visiting them I don't have to go there. Being a student money is tight so travelling from Buckingham to Stoke every other weekend is costly its either £40 on the train or £50 in petrol. But if its just me I will happily pay that.
But what about when I'm older, I love watching live football and like my dad did for me, I want to do for my kids, I want them to love watching football too. But say I live in Middlesbrough (god forbid), and I want my kids to enjoy watching football do I subject them to a 5 hour car journey to watch a team they only know about because of me? or do I take them to see Middlesbrough and over time we become attached to them do I give up on a team which to this day I have glorified, or do I subject my family to costly journeys and time away from other activites. I have no idea where I will end up, if I leave the UK, supporting Stoke is easier because you can watch all the games on telly, like my brother in the US does.
I want to support stoke all my life but I feel as life develops we all go through the stages of being a fan, apart from Glory Hunters they dont have souls.
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