How Does The Fan Base Grow Then?

[Port Said Red]

I can understand people being upset that other people got tickets when they didn't, I would probably have been upset myself but creating a "them and us" type mentality will hardly encourage more to come on a regular basis.

Some seem to be like a regular in a quiet pub that changes to a Management that redecorates and serves good food and suddenly becomes popular, I wonder whether if part of the problem is that people have had it too easy to get into games in the last few years and resent the idea that others are invading their private little club.

There have been average of around 16000 of us at the gate this season so the real fans would have struggled to sell out the 36000 on our own.

I can only imagine the posts about "apathetic Bristolians" if we hadn't sold out.

Not all of them are just after a day out, and even if they are, then they are prepared to pay £50+ per head to come in this current economic climate then that suggests the money would be there for a longer term support in the right circumstances.

They are a mixture of many types of people anyway, like my brother who has been a City supporters since the early 50's but now lives in Plymouth, or my brother in law who spends his Saturdays and week nights ferrying his kids to participate various events and sports.

We need the fan base to grow and renew itself, these new supporters have got to come from somewhere and they have got to start somewhere. Those of you who like to play the sport of oneupmanship will always be able to talk about being 1 in a 167 at Forest in the LDV on wet Tuesday night or whatever. But in time the new guys will have their own tall tales to tell.