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why is our away support so good?
- Thread starter Bezza
- Start date
As I've stated on a separate thread. Northern exiles like myself boost numbers at away grounds it is true. However, I still have to travel the same distance to get to Morecambe, Rochdale or Burton as a Rotherham/Donny/ Chesterfield/ Barnsley fan has to, yet they rarely match our numbers even if the journey is much easier & cheaper for them as a significant number of the GA at these places has had to travel 3 or 4 times the distance/time to get there.
Our away support is excellent, top-notch & brilliant when compared to other clubs' whose fans can often set off for an away match after Football Focus has finished.
Our away support is excellent, top-notch & brilliant when compared to other clubs' whose fans can often set off for an away match after Football Focus has finished.
I agree with other posters on the thread ref - moving away for jobs and opportunities etc. However my additional theory is that Argyle as such a remote club holds a certain mystique that other clubs cant compete with
I moved from Devon when I was 8 years old ( 31 years ago) when my dad left the Navy , I had been to two 0-0 draws and was hooked. I have lived in London most of that time and now Australia. In fact the Devon accent has been replaced with some cockney aussie twang, that people are always amazed I say Im from Devon!
Anyway I was hooked as a fan and still have that anticipation on saturdays for the game (and in Australia waking up Sunday morning to read the Pasoti brief synopsis thread) . There was a certain novelty value and quirkiness to being an Argyle fan growing up in South London surrounded by Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Palace fans etc. I got looks of bewilderment and admiration whenever I wore my Argyle shirt playing football. That feeling of being different plus finding it incredibly hard to get details on Argyle in the media (this was pre internet) made being an exiled fan even more unique and a labour of love. In fact I subscribed to the Sunday Independent and used to wait in anticipation for the Monday delivery and the match report!
So when a London game or anywhere within 100 miles, it was extra special to go see Argyle play. I would drag mates, girlfriends, relatives along to hope I could convert them and let them get the Argyle bug. In fact I have never enjoyed Home park half as much as watching a game away , the fans are buzzing away, there is that sense that all of you have made a big effort to get there, or as in my case a big effort to be an exiled fan. I also love the home fans reaction who are always generally impressed by the big turnouts and noisy away following of the Green Army.
What still amazes me is how many exiled and "secret" Argyle fans there are out there. I even remember a ZDS game vs West Ham (5-2 I think aet with Turner getting a brace) pulled in a fair number for cold wet mid week game. The travelling Green Army truly is awesome!
I moved from Devon when I was 8 years old ( 31 years ago) when my dad left the Navy , I had been to two 0-0 draws and was hooked. I have lived in London most of that time and now Australia. In fact the Devon accent has been replaced with some cockney aussie twang, that people are always amazed I say Im from Devon!
Anyway I was hooked as a fan and still have that anticipation on saturdays for the game (and in Australia waking up Sunday morning to read the Pasoti brief synopsis thread) . There was a certain novelty value and quirkiness to being an Argyle fan growing up in South London surrounded by Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Palace fans etc. I got looks of bewilderment and admiration whenever I wore my Argyle shirt playing football. That feeling of being different plus finding it incredibly hard to get details on Argyle in the media (this was pre internet) made being an exiled fan even more unique and a labour of love. In fact I subscribed to the Sunday Independent and used to wait in anticipation for the Monday delivery and the match report!
So when a London game or anywhere within 100 miles, it was extra special to go see Argyle play. I would drag mates, girlfriends, relatives along to hope I could convert them and let them get the Argyle bug. In fact I have never enjoyed Home park half as much as watching a game away , the fans are buzzing away, there is that sense that all of you have made a big effort to get there, or as in my case a big effort to be an exiled fan. I also love the home fans reaction who are always generally impressed by the big turnouts and noisy away following of the Green Army.
What still amazes me is how many exiled and "secret" Argyle fans there are out there. I even remember a ZDS game vs West Ham (5-2 I think aet with Turner getting a brace) pulled in a fair number for cold wet mid week game. The travelling Green Army truly is awesome!
Steve_Barrie":dnkvkx6z said:
This is it. You only have to look on pasoti to see that many Argyle fans are located all over the country. I know, for instance, that there are many Argyle supporters living in the London area, we always have a higher turnout for the London games.
I suspect our exiles get to more away games than exiled fans of most other clubs might because we are exiled by a greater distance than they are - it's just to far for us to get back for a home game whereas they can get back for a home game just as easily as they can get to many away grounds.
I very rarely make it to home games anymore because it costs me £80 return on the train, whereas I can get to most away games for £20-25. (Plus of course there is the fact that away games are a million times better than home games anyway.)
I very rarely make it to home games anymore because it costs me £80 return on the train, whereas I can get to most away games for £20-25. (Plus of course there is the fact that away games are a million times better than home games anyway.)
Here is another exile who attends far more away games per season than home.
Steve Barrie mentioned the reason earlier: Plymouth and Cornwall is a large catchment area with very little progressive career prospects (compared to Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, London, Nottingham, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester etc.). People from Plymouth often study in other cities and stay there.. Others move up and out for work, and stay there. Once you're out and set up, there's little reason to go back. But the bond with Argyle never ever leaves you.
So when Saturday comes, Argyle are in town and it's only 100 miles away, you're there.
This said, there still are the fans who make epic pilgrimages south to north for the away fixtures, and hats off to those supporters. They are the really diehard dedicated fans we should be proud of. But I would guess less than half of an away crowd north of Bristol will be genuine based janners - the rest are exiles making a far shorter journey.
Steve Barrie mentioned the reason earlier: Plymouth and Cornwall is a large catchment area with very little progressive career prospects (compared to Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, London, Nottingham, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester etc.). People from Plymouth often study in other cities and stay there.. Others move up and out for work, and stay there. Once you're out and set up, there's little reason to go back. But the bond with Argyle never ever leaves you.
So when Saturday comes, Argyle are in town and it's only 100 miles away, you're there.
This said, there still are the fans who make epic pilgrimages south to north for the away fixtures, and hats off to those supporters. They are the really diehard dedicated fans we should be proud of. But I would guess less than half of an away crowd north of Bristol will be genuine based janners - the rest are exiles making a far shorter journey.
