Life Long Fans

[rbirkett]

Hello all,

As part of a University of Brighton assignment, I am looking into the rise in popularity of Conference football over the last 20 years. I was wondering if some of you could answer a few questions:

 

1. In your time as a fan, how have the fans changed? (eg. ethnic origin, age, wealth etc.)

 

2. How has the continuous success of the club effected the fanbase? Has it brought about an improvement in facilities?

 

3. Where do you see the club and it's supporters in ten years time?

 

Thanks a million,

 

[MrMushroom]

If you look at the club website you will see the results of a survey on the length of time fans have supported the club. That should give you a useful input on the rise in popularity.

 

http://www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/

 

As for your specific questions:

 

1) Can't say I've noticed a change in the ethnic origin of the fans, although the ethnic origin of the local population has changed a lot. There are a lot more people in the bar for a longer time, which suggests that disposable income is higher. I can't say I've noticed a change in the age range over the past 40 nears, but others who can get there more regularly may think differently.

 

2) You're on a touchy point here. There have been improvements to the ground, but generally they are in response to league requirements or Health & Safety. Some facilities are as bad as they were when I first went, e.g. the toilets. There are plans for a new stadium, though, which would be a big improvement.

 

3) The club is in a big state of flux at the moment, having just been taken over by Myfootballclub.com. They have very ambitious plans for the club which not all the longer-serving fans agree with. I guess most of us would like to achieve League status, but not at the expense of losing the character of the club. There is a feeling that the Premiership (and Championship) are just all about money and the football suffers as a result. In the Conference there is much more of a club atmosphere.

 

[rbirkett]

thanks a lot, these are the opinions i need.

[Riverview Supporter]

1) No

 

2)No

 

3)If MYFC a succes who knows. Likely that will be the same as now 1200 attendance in League 2 conf or conf south

 

 

[Slartibartfast]

I am afraid the answers you ae after are dependant on where you stand in the ground rbirkett.

 

For those who stand in front of the teahut nothing has changed.

Everything used to be awful, everything still is awful and everything will always be awful.

 

For those of us directly opposite on the sunny side of the street known as MyFc corner however things are looking much rosier, there has been a definite upturn this season and I am cautiously optomistic that cheering the boys on amongst more and more fellow fans will go from strength to strength next season.

[BustaGut]

The ethic thing I find interesting, I believe Gravesham contains a ethic origin percentage of between 6>8 % maybe even more,whatever the percentage amount is. I would suggest that the percentage thing does not follow to supporting the Fleet. If you look around the ground, there are very few from other ethinc groups. Some clever person will say that if there Polish etc you cannot tell by looking at them, I would disagree with that. I would say in most cases you can tell.

I would also suggest that a lot of ethics,are now are born here, so are local, before someone says they are not locals.

[MrMushroom]

Originally Posted By: BustaGut

I believe Gravesham contains a ethic origin percentage of between 6>8 % maybe even more

Rbirkett, Gravesham Borough Council may be able to give you the exact percentage.

[MrMushroom]

Originally Posted By: Riverview Supporter

Likely that will be the same as now 1200 attendance in League 2 conf or conf south

35 years ago in the Southern League we were getting attendances of 800 - 1000, so not much has changed. The percentage increase in attendance is probably around the same as the percentage increase in population in the area.