Quick question, or not

[Aeroguide]

Supporter or Fan?...Which is which and who is who?...Always wondered about this. Perhaps very controversial, or not.
What do you consider yourself to be, and why?......

[72 bus]

Fans watch football on sky down the Pub.
Supporters go and watch their local team.

[The Royal Forester]

I consider a Supporter to be one who goes to games and therefore pays money into the club, therefore "supports" the club. A fan, in my eyes is a Fanatic, who does not support the club in the way a supporter does. Sadly, these days I must class myself in the latter group, but have, in the past, been a supporter for many, many years, going to home and away games, some where there were only three or four supporters traveling to place like Workington, Scunthorpe etc. in our lower league days. I am still fanatical about all things Reading FC and most match days I will be listening to I follow.

[The Royal Forester]

Fans watch football on sky down the Pub.
Supporters go and watch their local team.

Pretty much what I think, although you do not have to go to the pub, (being a fan of Reading you wouldn't see many games). and my team RFC, is not local to me these days.

[Snowflake Royal]

Basically interchangeable.

[krapmle]

Very different meanings.

A "fan" is a more generic term and a fan is loosely connected to a club.
A supporter is closely connected to a specific club, is interested in the players, the club history etc. etc..

I am a football fan but a supporter of Reading.

Fans go home early when the club is losing, supporters stay till the end.
Fans change allegiance following relegation, supporters stay loyal.

Wherever I have been in the world, as a supporter, I was always checking up on how Reading played, win, lose, who scored.
I watch the champions league as a fan.

[elrey]

Fans watch football on sky down the Pub.
Supporters go and watch their local team.

So, I don't watch games on Sky down the pub, nor do I go watch my local team.

What am I then?

[72 bus]

Fans watch football on sky down the Pub.
Supporters go and watch their local team.

So, I don't watch games on Sky down the pub, nor do I go watch my local team.

What am I then?

billy no mates

[Pandoras Box]

Surely the only person who watches SKY is a Leeds fan as there’s never anything else on?

[elrey]

Fans watch football on sky down the Pub.
Supporters go and watch their local team.

So, I don't watch games on Sky down the pub, nor do I go watch my local team.

What am I then?

billy no mates

Well, I live in China, no sky, no local team to even support, the team got moved before I even arrived here for the first time. Though Man Citeh have apparently bought a team so far on the edge of the city that it's kind of impossible.

[Aeroguide]

So, I don't watch games on Sky down the pub, nor do I go watch my local team.

What am I then?

billy no mates

Well, I live in China, no sky, no local team to even support, the team got moved before I even arrived here for the first time. Though Man Citeh have apparently bought a team so far on the edge of the city that it's kind of impossible.

Impossible?... to be what?

[Aeroguide]

Fans watch football on sky down the Pub.
Supporters go and watch their local team.

So, I don't watch games on Sky down the pub, nor do I go watch my local team.

What am I then?

billy no mates

Excellent

[Forbury Lion]

Supporter (I got to home games, give them my support)
Fan (Less so, I wasn't a fan of the way we did things off the pitch and the way we played in the post SJM era, but I'm starting to come round)
Follower (I follow the goings on at the club)
Customer (I buy things)
Critic (I voice my opinion on here/other places)


Until I wrote that, I would have said I was a supporter and a fan, but I can see a difference. I think the attendances show the difference between loyal supporters and fans. When we play well and win you attract fans, when you play badly you're left with just supporters.

I liken the difference to 3 siblings who visit their Aunty each week for a cup of tea and a biscuit, Then the Aunty gets admitted to hospital for 6 months and during that time only 1 of them visits her regularly, The others stay away because there's nothing in it for them as it turns out they were just there for the tea and a biscuits.

[WTRoyal]

Supporter (I got to home games, give them my support)
Fan (Less so, I wasn't a fan of the way we did things off the pitch and the way we played in the post SJM era, but I'm starting to come round)
Follower (I follow the goings on at the club)
Customer (I buy things)
Critic (I voice my opinion on here/other places)


Until I wrote that, I would have said I was a supporter and a fan, but I can see a difference. I think the attendances show the difference between loyal supporters and fans. When we play well and win you attract fans, when you play badly you're left with just supporters.

I liken the difference to 3 siblings who visit their Aunty each week for a cup of tea and a biscuit, Then the Aunty gets admitted to hospital for 6 months and during that time only 1 of them visits her regularly, The others stay away because there's nothing in it for them as it turns out they were just there for the tea and a biscuits.

Whereas the hospital visitor is playing the long game and clearly has one eye on the inheritance?
( just in case)

[Forbury Lion]

Supporter (I got to home games, give them my support)
Fan (Less so, I wasn't a fan of the way we did things off the pitch and the way we played in the post SJM era, but I'm starting to come round)
Follower (I follow the goings on at the club)
Customer (I buy things)
Critic (I voice my opinion on here/other places)


Until I wrote that, I would have said I was a supporter and a fan, but I can see a difference. I think the attendances show the difference between loyal supporters and fans. When we play well and win you attract fans, when you play badly you're left with just supporters.

I liken the difference to 3 siblings who visit their Aunty each week for a cup of tea and a biscuit, Then the Aunty gets admitted to hospital for 6 months and during that time only 1 of them visits her regularly, The others stay away because there's nothing in it for them as it turns out they were just there for the tea and a biscuits.

Whereas the hospital visitor is playing the long game and clearly has one eye on the inheritance?
( just in case)

Possibly.... although I can't see that translating into football supporter terms. Maybe they just go visit because they like the banter and to yell abuse at the players/patients?

[John Smith]

One thing I know for certain is that several people on here are neither fans, nor supporters.

Tim Dellor is also not a supporter, in the immortal words of Brendan.

[Forbury Lion]

That reminds me, The Dave Kitson episode of the BBC Berks podcast is up..... He doesn't come to many games at his old clubs because he's a Spurs fan and he supports them, so that's where he goes to watch football, which as a football supporter makes sense to me, I would still support Reading even if I had a job at another club

[Mike Hunt]

I don't know what I would be classified as. I am an Australian, and the bulk of the games are on at 2 am Saturday night / Sunday morning here. Back before ifollow I would listen to Dellor and Gooding every game single game. So I would say that I put the same amount of pain and effort as a "supporter" but would probably not get the title of it.

Now with ifollow it is much better to be able to watch the team, but now I go to sleep and wake up at 2 am as I'm getting older and have a youngling lol. Being wrecked on a Sunday morning because I was up watching Reading doesn't fly anymore with the boss lady haha.

[elrey]

billy no mates

Well, I live in China, no sky, no local team to even support, the team got moved before I even arrived here for the first time. Though Man Citeh have apparently bought a team so far on the edge of the city that it's kind of impossible.

Impossible?... to be what?

I'll give you a clue, it has something to do with what's being spoken about.

[Aeroguide]

Well, I live in China, no sky, no local team to even support, the team got moved before I even arrived here for the first time. Though Man Citeh have apparently bought a team so far on the edge of the city that it's kind of impossible.

Impossible?... to be what?

I'll give you a clue, it has something to do with what's being spoken about.

Really?