Plastics, JCLs, Tourists, Day Trippers

These are some the disparaging labels given by some on this board to describe new or "occasional" fans visiting the Amex to watch football.

Personally I find these descriptions discourteous to someone who rocks up at our lovely stadium and pays OUR club to watch OUR team play. Why on earth would you insult them for doing that? There are some many advantageous reasons for encouraging them :

1. The financial benefit to the club by way of revenue for ticket, merchandise and catering sales.

2. These visitors could, in the future, be the lifeblood of the club. I mean didn't we, at some point, take the plunge and watch our first Albion game and be hooked for all time. So why can't they?

3. By coming to watch Brighton and Hove Albion means that they are not watching another club and therefore not being influenced by them.

4. The family connection - I've taken my grandson to seven Albion games over the last year. He lives in Croydon (!!) so coming to every match is not possible. Does that make him a plastic, a JCL, or whatever? No. He loves coming to watch his team, wearing the shirt, doing his version of scarf twirling, and long may it continue.

My final point, my view of a "plastic fan" is the person who NEVER goes to a game, NEVER contributes but thinks they know everything about the game and the team they allegedly support. Now they are worthy of scorn.

I'm not sure you can have plastic fans at a second division football club. It's not like they're there for any glory is it!

North Stand Nutter said:

I'm not sure you can have plastic fans at a second division football club. It's not like they're there for any glory is it!

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Maybe next year!

Agree with most of that, but not the final paragraph. The people you are talking about, why are they worthy of scorn? We choose to spend time and money following the Albion, they don't. We are neither better nor worse than they are.

There are too many 'rules' about how to be a 'proper' football fan. They're all bollocks. Live and let live.

I'll bite. Because they don't 'get it' and until they do they are ripe for mocking, Which helps us feel better when we've lost 5-nil to some northern milltown 'powerhouse'

Work colleague is a Sussex born and bred Arsenal fan who gets offered FREE tickets to watch them at The Emirates and turns them down in favour of watching them on TV rather than in the flesh. You do the 'math'!