Man Ure & Chelski probably have more 'new fans' than any other clubs. The two most successful teams of the last decade have seen their 'support' swell massively as the floaters latch on to a winning team. Many of these supporters would struggle to name a player from their teams back in the 90s and only see success as the yardstick of their support. Yesterday was a day when real supporters, who have been through hell, relegations and worse had their payback. You couldn't replicate the feelings we are going through at the moment, because of all we've been through the win was all the more enjoyable and a timely reminder that no matter how many millions you spend on a team the underdog can always have their day. We will have defeats and some will be big ones, but I would rather be true to my team through thick and regular thin because the days like yesterday are the days when real supporters show the 'plastics' just what passion they are really missing.
I see your point and agree with the Man U part but it would be myopic to assume Chelsea fans haven't experienced lows. I for one was pleased to see City win though, victory for football.
I know many Chelsea fans who supported the club through the dark days in the late 70s and the 80s who have been priced out of seeing their club, replaced by the 'new wave' of glory-hunters. Loyalty counts for little these days, and the Goons had the same in store for us R's fans once we were promoted. That is the unsavoury price of success, so I hope Fernandes does take a more realistic approach to ticket prices in future.
I agree some are but not everyone is a gloryhunter, some are just fickle. Will go when things are going well but not when the chips are down. I think it is a phase all clubs are going to go through in the near future which is sad. I'm just here to stick up for those of us that stuck by the club through thick and thin.
You're an endangered species DL and it's the one price of success that worries me about our club as well.
Sadly it's the way football is going. Success brings about a spoilt type of fan. Take Arsenal for example. look how many empty seats there have been in recent games. There is no patience in football or society in general, everyone wants instant gratification. This is why although I may hate them, I have a begrudging respect for West Ham fans as a lot of them are like Chelsea supporters. I've said all along that there is a difference between fans and supporters, I think you are eluding to the fans which is fair enough.
I have to agree with DL on this one. With the top clubs i always feel for the trruw supporter who gets branded. I think only a true football fan can appreciate what we went through yesterday. That was our cup final , our premier league and our champions league all in one. The majority of the plastic fans will never understand what yesterday meant to me, i think the likes of DL get it though!
Also agree with DL & RangerW9. Reading a few of the chelski posts, it came across just how like SPOILT BRATS the chelsea fans are. They have all they could want, and when things don't go the way they want they blame everyone and everything else. My own bias apart, I thought the ref got most things right (accept maybe not booking David Luiz again!!). We still had to fight for the win. The quality and depth of the opposition, plus our own nerves/excitement, still shows the gulf for some teams like us (just looking the chelsea bench would make any supporter drool). What was great to see was the fight and grit of the Rrrrrs team (I thought Ferdinand had a terrific game). The fans were great and really made Loftus Road what everyone has been saying - a tight and raucous atmosphere. We kept on top of the chelsea players and really were the 12th man (not the ref, as chelsea 'fans' would have it). Well done to the Rrrs. All the team, management and fans can keep smiling all week/season now!
You turn your back for 15 years and one of the loudest and most belligerent groups of supporters in the country turn into pussycats. Well done Roman, you have achieved the calming effect that 1000's of police and stewards never could! Shhhhh, this is a library you know...
Funny i was thinking the same.....Were the Chels fans really quiet or did it just seem like that from where i was sitting in the Paddock ?? Villa fans seemed a lot louder with half the fans there.
Oh, and check out the Daily Mail report. The pictures are really good but more relevant to this thread is the dozens of forum comments at the bottom seriously suggesting the game was rigged and gambling syndicates were involved! These are from so called 'fans' in places as remote as China, Australia, South America and Leeds (the last being the most exotic and unlikely of all of course). This is what the game has become for our 'Big 4'. They just can't understand that football is not just shares in a business to be bought and sold. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2052426/QPR-1-Chelsea-0-Nine-man-Blues-undone-Helguson-penalty-fiery-derby-clash.html
