What makes a Vale fan

[Fosse69]

I see no distinction between fans or supporters, because mainly they overlap. Fans are a question of degree, from the complete fanatic where Vale is everything in his/her life, to the exclusion of nearly everything, to someone who only follows the results. Same with supporters who buy lots in the shop in addition to going to all the home games , to someone who only buys a lottery ticket off an agent. No doubt there are sponsors who have no interest in the Vale, just use us for the advertising, but they are valuable supporters. The main thing is to expand the numbers spending with the club, and taking an interest in the club, the main driver being pitch performance and a positive progressive attitude about the club.

[Fosse69]

This. For 90 minutes whether you're at the match, listening on the radio, at a wedding, up a mountain, on a beach in Tenerife you think about the game and are desperate for your team to win. You don't have to be a regular to be a fan.

 

And to answer the specific question about "What makes a Vale fan?" the answer is clearly an aversion to soap............ :D

I assume the missing words are " opera football" ?

[davidatpreston]

I suppose we could argue about the difference between the meaning of words 'fan' 'follower' 'supporter' and so on, but I don't think that is what the thread is about.

It isn't a competition as to who has been to most games, spent most money, travelled furthest, missed weddings and so on - some of those things are downright silly and I have done some at some times, other times I wouldn't.

I would say the main requirement is that Port Vale are not only your favourite team, but your ONLY team. That doesn't mean that you might want, for instance, Leek Town to win if they reach the 1st rd of the FA Cup or have a soft spot for St Pauli or Celtic or someone, but you wouldn't go to any great lengths to find out the results of those teams every single game, and would be prone to forget about them from time to time.

It used to drive me to near distraction if I was on holiday abroad (haven't been out of UK for 5 years or so now) and I didn't get Vale's result pretty much within an hour of the final whistle. No problem these days, and on more recent trips one of the earliest priorities after getting to the holiday base was finding an internet café nearby and at least following the second half on it. But in the 70's and 80's it was more difficult - and I had to make arrangements to phone someone to get the result and precious details like scorers.

I think it must have been easier to feel 'part of' a club when/if most of the players were local, and didn't earn far more than those going to watch them and even if you were lucky supported the club they played for. I can't really know this, but perhaps anyone who was around when the 1954 team met those requirements can tell me whether they agree.

Finally, if you love Vale, you will love them when they lose as well as when they win, provided they have given their best. It's easy to shout from the rooftops when things are going well on he pitch, but to keep that most deceptive of feelings - hope - when they are not, is the hallmark of a true fan.

[paultvale]

I dunno quite what exactly makes a Vale fan, only that Smurf wishes he had the formula to make a few thousand more of us!

[Guppy 4 England]

I think being a vale fan involves slagging off (insert names here) every week.

 

The names could include,chairman, defence, midfield or forward.

[cheshirevaliant]

I think being a vale fan involves slagging off (insert names here) every week.

 

The names could include,chairman, defence, midfield or forward.

 

I agree G4E. How's Birchall getting on...?

[Heatwave]

Mummy and daddy Vale fan.

 

If you want further details don't PM me.

 

And I'm not drawing diagrams either.

[Fabio]

Difficult to break down this one.MY VEIW IS, for what it's worth,A FAN is someone who never spends money at the club ie doesn't attends matches or buys merchandise,A supporter is some one who helps the club buy spending money at the club ie attends matches or buys merchandise,I say this applies over a 12 month period,an example is a good friend of mine, he hasn't been Vale for 30 odd years and he says he is still a Vale fan but he doesn't support the club,that is taken from his own gob

 

vale is mediocre

[Guppy 4 England]

I agree G4E. How's Birchall getting on...?

 

As anticipated hes not good enough for this level, which was exactly what i said when we signed him and got -60 odd ratings, even a tweet off the money grabbing toad himself.

[Houston Valiant]

I have been following vale for more than 55 years and it's part of me. I have a season ticket, I travel over to the vast majority of home games, go to many away games and if I miss a match, particularly at the weekend, then I feel that I have missed out on something important in my life.

 

Like I said being a vale fan is just part of what makes me who I am.

 

That says it all really. I couldn't even begin to dream about that kind of a life following the Vale.

I've only seen Vale 5 times in my life as I don't live in England but I've followed them for 45 years, and never have I even remotely considered following anyone else.

The Vale are in my heart, and I always get excited thinking about the next game , and disappointed when it's postponed, like tonight.

It doesn't bear comparison to some of the truly great supporters on here e.g the ones who travelled to Plymouth. Finally,

and I can't say this enough, the friendliness of people in Burslem is brilliant. Good people, and as down to earth as the day is long.

[mr burslem]

That says it all really. I couldn't even begin to dream about that kind of a life following the Vale.

I've only seen Vale 5 times in my life as I don't live in England but I've followed them for 45 years, and never have I even remotely considered following anyone else.

The Vale are in my heart, and I always get excited thinking about the next game , and disappointed when it's postponed, like tonight.

It doesn't bear comparison to some of the truly great supporters on here .

 

You're wrong. It DOES bear comparison, mate. Like them, you're a Vale fan, and that's that.

Best wishes to you.

[aspins-revenge]

I'm not sure I agree with the definitions between fan and supporter that some have made on here, or that somehow those who choose to be consumers of goods (with the exception of match-day tickets) are more valid fans than fans that don't.

 

Personally, I think some of us are active fans and some are less active fans, all with an equal love for the club. Those who are less active fans might have less disposable income, family or work responsibilities, not live locally, or just have less inclination to go matches as a result of not prioritizing the Vale over other interests on a weekly basis.

 

All the latter are apparent for me, which is why I can't make any games in January and February, and why, on average, I get to about 15 games a season (combined home and away). That doesn't mean I'm less of a fan, I'm just a less active fan than some others. Listening to radio commentary and watching the BBC updates is a must for me every time I'm not at a match.

 

Also, I go and watch the odd Leicester game (local for me) and St Pauli games (not local, but more of a cultural experience) every season, as well as the odd England game. I think all supporters would benefit from attending the odd game at other clubs they don't support as it gives a clearer vision of their own club (which we can't always see because of our emotional attachment).

 

That's my tuppence worth on the matter

 

Alternatively, to be a Vale fan, is to be slightly unhinged and smell faintly of cheese and onion crisps.

[Houston Valiant]

I was born in Brownhills Road and you can see the floodlights from the room I was born in. I didn't choose Vale. Vale chose me

 

 

I like that post TLV. :)

[Hagrid]

I think being a vale fan involves slagging off (insert names here) every week.

 

The names could include,chairman, defence, midfield or forward.

 

You're a mega fan then.

 

All you do is slag off supporters.

[Tomo]

I'd say that a 'fan' of anything is just a follower, but not necessarily spending time or money on the entity in question.

 

Whereas a supporter would actually support by putting an amount of their money and/or time towards it. I consider myself a supporter of Vale, and quite a big one at that, mainly because of the amount of time/effort/money spent on the club.

 

The point being by 'supporting', you are contributing, whether it be to noise at a game, or spending on merchandise, however being a fan you are not. Only because I take the words quite literally though.