Most fans of just about any code have traded insults, jibes and barbed comments.
Football fans across the world are renowned for witticisms, clever songs, chants, banners, memes and any other method they can garnish to put the opposition off their game and it applies to players and supporters alike.
Most of us can cope with, “You only sing when you’re winning” or, “Where were you when you were shite?” but I have never met anyone who would accept being called a ‘plastic fan’.
But what exactly are we referring to when we use this term? Are we speaking the same language, or is it just a throwaway line used because we know it is a certainty in the points scoring stakes and that it will upset the intended victim?
Plastic fans go with plastic stadiums, plastic competitions and a plastic atmosphere. In the world I grew up in, this described anyone that just latched on to the ‘latest and greatest’ and claimed to be a supporter at least for as long as the side was doing well.
I’ve met people who have claimed to have supported at least three or four clubs during the time I have known them and each change was accompanied by a fairly significant trophy acquisition by the team they were expressing their love for.
Plastic stadiums and plastic atmospheres have always been easy to identify for my contemporaries. Most new stadiums that have little history and are designed with the corporate dollar in mind rather than a typical football fan are often deemed as plastic.
Anywhere where the singing and chanting is not organic and the ground announcer has to repeat player names out loud and repeat the scoreline to the crowd is considered to be very plastic to the nailed-on fan.
Even the use of loud hailers and capos is frowned upon by some fans who believe that the whole atmosphere and enjoyment of the event should come from the heart and soul of the fans attending.
These days, the ground announcers appear to believe they can whip up the crowd by repeating the goalscorer’s name four or five times, meanwhile there are sections of the crowd just willing the PA system to break down and for the natural sound to take over.
In the A-League and on the pages of The Roar, accusations of being ‘plastic’ are often thrown at fans who don’t attend every game or just turn up for a derby game.
I prefer to think of this group as simply being ‘fair-weather supporters’, and Sydney is full of them.
Again, there is another category of plastic fans – the ‘event goers’. Once again, Sydney scores heavily in this area, and the derby between Sydney FC and the Wanderers a few seasons back was a fantastic representation of that group, when 55,000 turned up at ANZ Stadium.
(AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Many just came along to savour the atmosphere they had heard or been told about and it was very much a Sydney event to say you had been to. Once over, they drifted away and the next few games were returned to the hardcore supporters.
The next group you come across who are accused of being plastic are ‘the bandwagoners’ – a more complex group to properly define. The complexity lies in the varieties that get caught up in this description.
There are those that start to show an interest or go along when the team is playing well and has a genuine chance at lifting silverware. Equally important are fans that support a new franchise or club when the previous season they were supporting another in the same city.
Another group labelled as plastic are those that don’t join in the singing and chanting, who prefer to watch the game without distraction. They are sometimes berated by active supporters who believe everyone should be like them.
Growing up in the UK, there was a widely held belief among hardcore fans that you were plastic unless you went to away games as well as home fixtures. That definition would be hard to apply here in the A-League.
COVID-19 aside, travelling to away games, particularly interstate and overseas is not a cheap day out – in fact, it is a large investment, both in terms of time and money and can well be classified as near impossible for many fans.
McDonald Jones Stadium (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
Amongst the old-school away supporters groups that I grew up with, you were likely to be considered to be ‘plastic’ if you didn’t fight in the name of your club – by that, I mean with fists, boots and sometimes far worse, risking both serious injury and arrest if the police intervened.
Even then, there was a hierarchy within the group and you had to know exactly who you could rely on if certain situations arose.
Times have changed, though, and most of us do not have to worry about general levels of safety and well-being when attending games.
Fortunately, there is no rule book as such about becoming a fan and it is pretty much a ‘free-for-all’. Whilst clubs and stadiums have codes of conduct, as do governing bodies, fan groups are fairly loose and supporters are always able to come and go as they please.
Ultimately, that means there is room for part-time supporters, for those who have ‘jumped ship’, for those who come along to see a star player, the ‘event goer’, the fans who come along during good times, those who turn up only in fair weather, and even those who come along hail, rain or shine.
Yes – there is room for everybody.
Does it annoy us? Most certainly.
Is there a private hierarchy or league table of fans – real or imagined? – sure, there is.
Will we continue to throw the accusation at anyone who doesn’t fit in with our own definition of what makes a true fan?
Without doubt!
I’ve probably missed some categories of plastic – over to you then, Roarers.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
Good to hear from you Jb and a cracking story to boot. Johnny Haynes, one of a handful of Fulham legends. I came on football scene mid 60’s, earliest memory was Everton v Sheffield Wednesday 65 cup final. I did go and see Fulham in the 70’s when George Best played alongside Rodney Marsh -what a pair!
jbinnie
Guest
Buddy - I am one of the fortunate fans to have seen the great Edwards play,an experience not easily forgotten. The match was an under 23 international between Scotland and England and was held in Shawfield Stadium ,Glasgow in 1955 on a cold winter night. The press had kicked up a row pre-march by getting the England centre-forward Ayre of Charlton,a lad born in the border town of Berwick to say he had no desire whatever to ever play with Scotland. The Scotland centre-half that night was a young giant called Doug Baillie and they got him to comment how he would 'take care" of Ayre. Early in the game Baillie hit Ayre and lifted him off the ground ,the resultant fall dislocating a shoulder. No substitutes in those days so Ayre was out of the game. Enter Edwards, picked to play at left-half on the night, moving to centre forward where he subsequently out-muscled Baillie and at the same time scored a hat-trick of goals in a 6-o win for the England team. Another scorer for England on the night was the great Johnny Haynes , the first 100 pound player in England. Edwards was head and shoulders above ever other player on the field. Cheers jb.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
And don’t forget Brian Kidd, Nobby Stiles, Pat Crerand and John Aston - all,good players in their day. Man Utd had Johnny Giles at the club some years before and let him go......that had to be an error of judgement surely?
Buddy
Roar Rookie
They did it in subbuteo so why not the real thing?
jbinnie
Guest
RBB - Here is one suggestion, not earth shattering, not expensive but easily tried. Extend the line from the present 18metre front line out to both sidelines. This would create an extended "middle third" An attacking player cannot be given offside when remaining in the now extended "middle third". In doing so the "middle third" is greatly extended thus freeing up space in where most of the action is taking place. Other benefits are that the linesman would only have to police the front thirds at each end thus removing the almost impossible task (for them) of keeping pace with players who normally are much quicker than they are. It would also kill off the aims of the "defensive minded coaches" who could not push the backline forward in attempts to "play the offside trap". Think about it and your comments please. Cheers jb
jbinnie
Guest
AA -Sorry, I thought (assumed) you were talking about Man Utd ,the club, and not Man, Utd post 1980. You would get quite an argument from anyone old enough to remember Best, Charlton ,Law, in their heyday, not to mention anyone who would argue the best player ever, was Duncan Edwards, all played pre SAF. Cheers jb.
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
my post is based on the fact that buddy mentioned immigrating in the 80s and his brother is a utd supporter. (Thats why i mentioned 80s utd lol.) Whats that saying about people that assume? :silly:
jbinnie
Guest
RBB -"Gettig rid of offside or other such nonsense" A bland statement which opens a different debate forum immediately. Since the rules were set way back in the early 1900's very little ,if anything, has been done to "move with the times", yet there is not a pundit who would deny the game itself has changed,and continues to change almost every 5 years or so, players are fitter,faster, bigger, and probably better educated than their foregfathers. Lets look at the normal football field today,at season's start a bowling green surface,and yet by seasons end there are 3 distinct areas of "wear and tear",, each goalmouth and mainly the midfield, where most of the action takes place. Don't you think the rules could be looked at with the idea of making the game more "open" and therefore entertaining Cheers jb
jbinnie
Guest
AA - What planet have you been on. When Matt Busby took over Man. Utd in 1945 he was given a stadium that had been flattened at one end by bombs, and a team many of whom were returning from European battlefields, not cup-ties, but the real McCoy. In his 24 year spell he not only built one world class team (the babes) but had, after the Munich crash, to re-build a complete team that went on to win the European Cup in 1968. This was 18 years before SAF arrived at Old Trafford taking over a newly built and expanded stadium and ,most importantly ,operating under the influence of his mentor, Busby, who had taken a position on the board. When Busby finally retired due to ill health Fergie also enjoyed having the influence of another "Busbyite", R. Charlton, who had taken up a position on the board. My friend, football history did start a long time before 1986.when Fergie joined the club . OK? jb.
RbbAnonymous
Roar Rookie
At this point in time we need every football fan we can get. Having said that my one biggest gripe is how desperate the FFA were in chasing non-football fans to get to A-league games. Then on top of that some of the suggestions which made no sense to me, the usual nonsense like, lets not have offside or do we need a BBL style competition. The best way to attract fans is to make the football as good as you can make it, to run the competition with integrity, to provide what I would call an "authentic football" experience, to not treat your fans with utter contempt, to be fair with your pricing policies, to allow access to players through the media and the fans. Everybody knows my stance on football in this country. It has to be an open tiered competition with pro/rel at the centre of this discussion. This is the only way you capture the football pyramid and the whole football public. That idea that one day your little club no matter how obscure and difficult can one day make it to the top flight. You might think this is fanciful but this idea happens the world over. It takes a lot of money and a lot of know how, but it can be done with any club. With every club in the discussion this becomes a powerful force and you are all under one football unbrella. If you are plastic now, then you are all effing plastic.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
You’ve lost me on this one. Does this approach give you a claim to be a genuine fan or just a plastic? Over the years, I have learnt that it serves no purpose to be a “hater” even when you are dealing with your biggest rivals! You can still enjoy watching them lose but don’t waste energy on hating - just love the game!
Tigertown
Guest
Generally, we’ve all got our favourite A-League club. Like, Macarthur for example. Then we have a second club - probably the one your sibling goes for, so you feel compelled to support it. Say, Perth Glory. Lastly, there’s the team you despise, who frankly, you follow a lot, praying that each & every game the Wanderers will fail. You know, just an example. That WSW will be investigated over possible salary cap breaches. Purely a hypothetical. That the money-hungry, attention-seeking Ziggy Gordon will acknowledge that being a traitor is unforgivable. Again, just chewing the fat.
MarkfromCroydon
Roar Pro
I'd love to go to a Velez Sarsfield match. That's the team I follow in Argentina. There are few livestreams nowadays, so it is hard to watch full matches. Back in the 1990's, I knew a kid who used to get videotapes sent out from Uruguay and ironically, it was almost easier to watch Argentinian and Uruguayan league matches back then. Now you can get highlights on the web, but livestreams are difficult. The golden time was about 6-7 years ago when the Argentine Government owned the t.v rights and used to stream all Primera division matches worldwide on youtube for free on the futbol para todos (Football for all) channel.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
You probably get accused if you pass comment or judgement on the A league and you don't attend games? I don't know....personally I find room for anyone who wants to talk football at any level rather than other sports! I don't see enough South American football. Would love to get to a River Plate vs Boca Juniors game though. Apparently 70% of Argentinians support just the two clubs - that is staggering!
Buddy
Roar Rookie
stadium/ground announcers should be in a sound proof box and they can entertain themselves. Mind you, personally I can't stand club mascots that wander around waving to everyone and having their photo taken. I know it is meant for children etc but I'm the one that laughs when a little kid kicks and punches the mascot or pulls the tail - its far more entertaining.
MarkfromCroydon
Roar Pro
I have never been to South America, but I want to. I'm actually planning to live there for a while when I am able to. I was introduced to football through television, specifically Les Murray and The World Game. For about 30 years now, I religiously watch matches of some South American teams that I liked the names/colours/cities they come from. I don't think I'm plastic.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
SFC is the most plastic club going around, followed by Adelaide.
AndyAdelaide
Roar Rookie
sounds like you might've been part of The Inter City Firm haha
Warren Muller
Guest
Good points about "fair weather" fans. For this blame the marketing folks who will pander towards those fans who only attend irregularly. Regular fans are taken for granted and their wishes are not considered as they will come "hail or sunshine". Personally, I have taken to watching on tv where the horrendous stadium noise (stupid announcements ie "make some noise / blaring music etc" detracts from the whole purpose of attending a live match. Being South African I could handle the infamous vuvuzela (at least it is rhythmical music brought along by the fans - cowbells, cymbals, drums et al brought by fans is great) but (stadium announcers I am talking to you) do not try and add to the atmosphere by wanting to be the star attraction. The job of the announcer is to say who scored the goal / try and let the game be the attraction.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
AA - My family is a mixture of West Ham and Chelsea fans. I come from the East End and was taken to Upton Park as a 5-6 year old by a few much older relatives. I have an older sister who dated a Chelsea fanatic and he took me there when I was 9 and it was like being in a different world...I'm talking about late 60's to early 70's long before anyone had heard about Russian Oligarchs and riches in oil. I have always been torn between the two teams but one thing we all share is a strong dislike for a part of North London. I can't begin to tell you how strong that runs in the blood and believe me, I have spilt a fair bit during much darker times!