Are you more apathetic?

[GFCSludge]

The old man took me to my first Gills game in March 1990 aged 7, I was instantly and irrevocably hooked. We went together until 1995 when it became me and my mates. Was a S/T holder from 1997-2000, then went to university but still attended sporadically but Gills were still my world.

I then moved to Manchester as an "adult" and went to the likes of Forest, Bury, Stockport, Rochdale, Accy, Oldham, Bradford etc away plus half a dozen home games a season. Gills were still my world.

Moved to Northamptonshire as a proper adult with responsibilities, had kids, still go to a few away games a season, but not been to a home game in two seasons. No ties back home, atmosphere is wank, no reason to go.

I'm 36, ask me who I support, my answer is Gillingham and always will be. Do I go and watch Corby with my littl'un more often than Gills these day? Yep. But does my little'un know I'm a Gills fan and Corby's captain used to be a Gills mainstay, fuck yes she does.

Priorities. I'll be at Posh and the Franchise and Cov and Walsall and maybe a few others next season (as will little'un), but life takes over, especially if you move away from your peer group/football club. Having said that...

Gillingham til I die.

 

[Big fish little fish]

I was going to say I've become more apathetic but, you know, meh...

 

[eric read]

My son and grandson moved out there earlier this year. Didn’t want to miss him growing up so here we are. Been here for a couple of months now. Still feeling a bit of a tourist tbh.

Take it you're retired then?

Interesting place, Kefalonia, and I'd imagine you've moved out at exactly the best time of year. I suspect the latter months of the year might be the acid test, as it's not far south enough to get the kind of temperatures Crete or Cyprus get in the winter, and to my knowledge has a "proper" winter. Personally, I quite like the off season in these sorts of places, but don't know if I'd want to live there during it, certainly not after the novelty of the first year wears off.

Be interested to know how it pans out for you?

 

[Indian Dan]

I retired a while ago - before I moved to Ireland. I trained greyhounds for 10 years over there and enjoyed every moment of it. I got to know our mutual friend Mr J Beachamp through greyhounds - he owned a few and it pains me to say he’s a right nice fella!

Its hotting up at the moment and, tbh, I’m not sure how it will pan out either.

 

[eric read]

Yeah, Joey's a nice lad, once you get him out of his shell. He's very shy, particularly for an ex-footballer. I was at a dinner with him a couple of months ago, and you could tell how embarrassed he was when people came up to him. A wasted talent really, as I feel he could have achieved so much more with his career.

Strangely enough we're looking at going to Kefalonia in September, be interested in any recommendations.

 

[Indian Dan]

Do you know the island at all? If you’re not a 100% beach holiday person, somewhere close to Argostoli is probably best. Lovely town with plenty of restaurants/bars.

Spartia is close and has a good beach and a couple of good tavernas and 15 minutes drive from Argostoli.

Lassi is close to Argostoli and is a bit more lively. If you’re after peace and quiet Fiskardo, up north, is lovely but a trek to Argostoli.

You could pop round and watch a Town game on iFollow!

 

[eric read]

No, never been to Kefalonia. Closest I've been is Zante/Zakynthos, where we could see Kefalonia in the near distance, and always fancied it, but never got round to it.

I retired myself last year and we're now visiting all those places we've meant to get to, but never had the time when working. The plan is to do a long haul "big" holiday each year (West Coast USA and Canada, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina etc etc) interspersed with two or three European holidays. We've done South Africa, Australia, USA and Thailand, but want to do them again, properly so to speak, and spend four to six weeks on each one.

I'm waiting for the football fixtures to come out before booking anything, but think I'll pass up on that iFollow offer thanks!!!

 

[Indian Dan]

South Africa for the cricket this winter, I think. I’d fancy that.

I take it the apathy hasn’t reached your shores yet?

 

[eric read]

Went to the Cape in January 2015 for a couple of weeks and thought it was fantastic, definitely one to go back and spend more time doing properly, and if it included the cricket so much the better.

To be fair, I think we've had our apathy, last season and particularly the one before. The club was being sold, the owner ran it down and sold off our better players before he went. Then last season the new guys discovered skeletons in every cupboard they opened! They've actually sorted a lot out and we're in a much better place now. I see similarities between how we finished last season with how we finished Appleton's first full season, which then led to promotion the following year. The transfer window will be interesting, and a good indicator of how we might perform. I love the close season, it's so easy to be optimistic!!!!

What's the mood down the A420 like?

In terms of football in general, I do feel some apathy in respect of the way the game is going. It's sanitised beyond recognition from back in the day, with very little "edge" and the football authorities don't give a shit about anybody outside the Premier League. I think the game I grew up loving is gone and sadly never to return.

 

[Indian Dan]

What's the mood down the A420 like?

Apathy, mainly. I suppose the Supporters Trust buying the CG with Power is a forward step.

The problem as I see it is there is little financial incentive for some owners to get promoted from L2 to L1. Costs/wages go up, chances are the relegated Championship teams will grab 2 of the 3 promotion spots and is playing Gillingham twice much different from playing Northampton twice.

Sure a few ‘spicy’ fixtures but it’s all a bit meh nowadays.

 

[Kim Jong Un]

Apathy, mainly. I suppose the Supporters Trust buying the CG with Power is a forward step.

The problem as I see it is there is little financial incentive for some owners to get promoted from L2 to L1. Costs/wages go up, chances are the relegated Championship teams will grab 2 of the 3 promotion spots and is playing Gillingham twice much different from playing Northampton twice.

Sure a few ‘spicy’ fixtures but it’s all a bit meh nowadays.

This is a bit of the reason why I'm apathetic. When we were in the Conference it felt like a real battle. We were a big fish and it felt like we'd been truly mugged off by Kassam and we needed to put some wrongs right. The promotion season from League 2 was special, but now we're in League one with the current climate it feels like a glass ceiling. The wages in the Championship are eye watering, how could we compete nowadays?

 

[Indian Dan]

Competing is also the problem. Clubs who go for it and fail are starting to fold.

Either accept lower league mediocrity or chance going out of business.

Hobson’s choice.

 

[codaplenty]

I've just turned 73 and know I am an old ....b

Started watching Fleetwood late 50's, got a scrap book from early 60's for one season. We played Wigan Athletic at their old Springfield Park in the 1st Qualifying round of the F A Cup and led 1-0, finished up narrowly losing 8-1

Travelled all over with team when we were in the Lancashire Combination to far flung places, Rossendale/Horwich/Netherfied/Bacup/Lancaster/Marine/Southport, really happy times though we invariably got beat

I actually think I'm getting worse in my old age, I get seriously upset if I think I am going to miss a home game, fortunately only about one a season. I sit with a group and we have been together for a good few years, some real b....moaners and whingers, f...old b....'s

Bring on the new season, cant wait

 

[Stringy]

I think I am quite apathetic because I sometimes find it quite funny if the opposition scores or we've done something terrible. I couldn't have imagined laughing at one point.

I didn't go all that much for about 6 seasons as I had other things going on. When I wasn't going to games I would always check the results, keep up to date with the news and most often read the summary of the match report.

I'm thinking football is probably not a serious hobby for me anymore as personally I don't really care what happens in the grand scheme of things. I'll always support Mansfield and want them to win though.

 

[Kim Jong Un]

Seems most of us are on here are more apathetic than we used to be, it must be a general trend because my god the atmospheres in this country have gone from terrible to downright abject in the last few seasons.

 

[ThomasFinney88]

When you support a lower league team, you go to matches in the hope rather than expectation that something memorable will transpire. In my forty years supporting Southend, I have witnessed maybe twenty truly memorable moments. When you realize that you are only going to be excited once every other year, it's no surprise that you become apathetic.

 

[Indian Dan]

You need footballing viagra

 

[Agombar stool]

Interesting thread and some really good posts.

As with the majority my apathy for my football team, and football in general has increased seemingly as each season goes by.

As with many others I used to let my football teams result dictate my mood over the weekend. If we lost, I was gutted and a Saturday was more or less ruined. Nowadays when we lose (which is fairly often!!) I'll spend about 4 or 5 minutes mulling it over and then get on with it. There are many more important things in life that football in my eyes, something I think you appreciate with age.

As for football in general. Sky and the money monsters have ruined it. About 15 years ago I would tune into whatever televised game was shown, I couldn't get enough. Now, i'll generally watch a dozen games a season maximum (probably being generous)

Don't get me wrong, there is still a wonderful pleasure going to the game, the pre-match pints, meeting up with my dad before the game etc, and you still can't beat the feeling of your team scoring a last minute winner, or a victory over your closest rivals etc but generally, yeah apathy is there in spades.

 

[getoutofit]

I've definitely lost a lot of interest in the game/business, and don't feel the same way for my team as I did. When I was younger I saw the players as heroes, now I see them as mostly wazzocks with too many tattoos and not enough personality, who spout drivel on twitter.

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

A lot of it depends how your side are doing. Whilst we were stagnating in league one for a decade, not really looking like going up or down, the club was undergoing a managed decline and naturally the atmosphere was terrible at home games. Attending became increasingly a chore, especially under the managerial genius that is Les "White Legs" Parry. Prior to last year, I hadn't seen us gain a promotion (last one 1991) and bottling important games was the de facto, so there was no point getting excited about them. However, watching Tranmere challenge for promotion for the last three seasons, plus the three trips to Wembley, has rejuvenated the fanbase. The atmosphere is much better, attendances are up and (until we return to eventual stagnation) this is the least apathetic I've ever felt as a Tranmere fan.

 

[Indian Dan]

So, in essence, we’re all a bit plastic

 

[T.A]

If we die, which is quite likely then I will find it very hard to enjoy a Saturday afternoon. Sad that after 25+years of my life doing it and it all could be gone because of greedy business men.

 

[Pugwash]

When Cods were non-league I really enjoyed it, both home and especially away. Knew or could relate to all the players and club staff it was like a big family. Now we are a slick operation, lots of ‘suits’ walking about with very important titles. Mercenaries, sorry players, who you know will be off at the drop of a cheque book. Fellow (newer) fans who at the slightest upset either demand the manager be sacked or the chairman spends lots of money.

Have absolutely no interest in the Prem, team not doing well, lets spend 200 to 500 million that will put things right. Oh and get a ‘brilliant’ manger, BUT they have to be foreign. None of whom can hold a light to the likes of Clough and Shankley who took shite teams and made them great, through their own SKILL not their cheque books.

Saddest of all, a 12 year old relative who does not think he can play well unless he has £100+ designer boots on.

For the coming season debated about getting a ST or choosing a FTSE company and supporting them, because it all comes down to greed and money.

 

[Bar Carousel]

I gave up and lost interest when we reached the premier league.

I'd spent 20 years as a kid, teenager and young adult travelling up and down the country in the hope that one day... When it arrived it sucked the life out of me. Ridiculous pricing (creating 'new fans' around me), stupid kick-off times, signing players earning more in a half a week than i earned in a year, and i doubt could even point to Portsmouth on a map, and I guess a feeling that we didn't belong there in our old ramshackle ground.

After the initial buzz of the first season, I found myself questioning 'what was the point'. In truth, I much enjoyed our relegation struggles and odd promotion push in the old second division / championship days, with players you could relate to.

I still go now occasionally, and much prefer it to the premier league days, but i've lost that magic which kept drawing me back each week, and doubt i'll ever get it back.

 

[Fedora Dale]

I work shifts, and tend to save my Saturdays off for being an also ran at decent standard quizzes. Used to watch most home games and some away with Dale, but now it's mostly Tuesday night games, and maybe the odd Bank Holiday.

Like some others on here, I actually preferred it when we were crap (which in our case was 1974 to 2006 in the fourth tier - although we got our act together enough to be mid-table-ish after automatic relegation to "the Conference" came in in 1986).

When I started going regularly in 1979, Workington and Southport had been replaced by bigger clubs, and three clubs were consistently crap, and looking like being next. One was Halifax, who admittedly went, came back and went again but the other two were Dale and Crewe, who've maintained League status throughout - whilst the likes of Luton, Orient, Bristol R and Oxford have had spells in NL, and Wrexham (who were pretty good in the late 70's) are still there.

 

[Meadow]

Our umpteen level demotion* galvanised me. I went from a three or four times a season attendee - because I couldn't afford it - to being at most home matches and the occasional away one as well. Then I became a volunteer steward and missed no more than a handful of home matches between 2008 and 2018. My decision to quit stewarding due to lack of support from hierarchy coincided with our dreadful run last season. TBH I was glad to take a break but I still attended a few matches and kept up my iFollow subscription. I now have a season ticket that I really can't afford but Wally Downes and Glyn Hodges excite me and I'm looking forward to next season.

*I view it as a demotion. I had no connection to Buckinghamshire and to me, the formation of AFC Wimbledon recreated the club we had. It's not the same club, but we are the natural heirs.

 

[Gator]

Do I go and watch Corby with my littl'un more often than Gills these day? Yep. But does my little'un know I'm a Gills fan and Corby's captain used to be a Gills mainstay, fuck yes she does.

P

Had to look this up. Glad Gary Mulligan's keeping himself busy!