Who Are We All.....

[Tom Hosie]

This is perhaps an odd thing to say but I don’t see Firhill (or any other ground) while I’m at a game.

 

It’s kind of tunnel vision. All I’m focused on is what is happening on the pitch and what is going on in the periphery doesn’t register.

 

That probably doesn’t come across terribly well but I know what I mean.

[Woodstock Jag]

This is perhaps an odd thing to say but I don’t see Firhill (or any other ground) while I’m at a game.

 

It’s kind of tunnel vision. All I’m focused on is what is happening on the pitch and what is going on in the periphery doesn’t register.

 

That probably doesn’t come across terribly well but I know what I mean.

 

It depends how interesting the game is. Normally I'd agree but the past few months your attention can't help but wander...

[erzamacaroonbars]

If you can sit and watch the Jags and appreciate the efforts, while all those around you are losing their heads, then you'll be a man my son (or else you're not really paying attention).

[nylo]

I enjoy going to the away games as there is usually a better atmosphere created from our fans.I also like getting to see other parts of the country, getting a good drink on the train and generally making a day of it. I couldn't care less if the grounds I visit are shitholes. They belong to other clubs, so it doesn't depress me if they are falling to pieces. I just can't stand seeing Firhill, our once proud stadium in the state that it is currently in.

 

Do you understand?

Spot on mate.

[jimthejagsfan]

I would like to go to every game but can't afford to and my mrs works sat, and i look after the three kids i would bring them with me but 1 of them is a bit young and has a habit of wandering away so would prob lose him lol. so have to listen to the nomad show on the comp.

[O.T.I.G.ANDYBOY JNR]

Season ticket holder

[1971]

But he didn't say he was never going back to Firhill, he said that due to the terrible decisions that have been made around the club in the last 4 years, that he can't bring himself to go to firhill and see a place that he once loved for its atmosphere and enviroment, woth it's heart ripped out. Just now, but he hasn't said he will never go again.

I am of a very similar opinion, and I do very much pick and choose my firhill games, while trying to get to many away games that I can afford. And when i do drag myself along the road to Firhill I'm mainly there to see my mates and get a pint. The place is absolutely dead, in comparrison to how I remember it and it just makes my stomach churn to see the stadium of dreams more like the stadium of distant memories.

And i think you'll find many fans have the same view, there has been alot of shit to push people away in the last 5 years, and its going to take something big to get the lost fans back.

 

I'd say about 100% of this post is nonsense. You might remember Firhill being some amazing stadium of dreams, but I'm afraid that is rose-tinted sentimentalizing. The atmosphere at games is entirely dependent on results. In years gone-by if we were on a losing streak the atmosphere would be just as crap as it has been at times this season. The idea that it used to be some cauldron of noise is just absolute rubbish.

How exactly has it "had its heart ripped out"? By having an unused terracing demolished? Really?

The reason our crowds are getting lower is because of the quality of football on display, as well as other social and economic factors. All these things affect EVERY club at our level. I simply refuse to believe that people don't go to games because of the stadium. Sounds like a massive excuse to me. I think most people go to games depending upon how the team is doing, not how the stadium looks. I couldn't give a rat's ass what Firhill looks like, as long as we have a decent side on the park.

[Trigger's Bucky Bottle]

Spot on mate.

Reading from the same book as myself.....Totally empathise with Tom Stronach here....

No point in going into detail about. There used to be afair squad of us from EK who went home and away, now we rarely go and prefer a wee away day rather than the flat atmosphere at Firhill..

[Jaggernaut]

Reading from the same book as myself.....Totally empathise with Tom Stronach here....

No point in going into detail about. There used to be afair squad of us from EK who went home and away, now we rarely go and prefer a wee away day rather than the flat atmosphere at Firhill..

I can also think of at least 12 of us who used to go to matches a long time ago, with me being the only one who still does. More recently, several of my nephews, younger cousins and their pals used to go home and away; now NONE of them ever turns up.

 

On thing is certain, if everybody who was a Thistle fan tried to turn up at Firhill, there's no way on earth that they would all get into what's left of the stadium.

 

But if even a few more of them would start to go back regularly, the club would be in much better shape.

[northernsoul]

I'd say about 100% of this post is nonsense. You might remember Firhill being some amazing stadium of dreams, but I'm afraid that is rose-tinted sentimentalizing. The atmosphere at games is entirely dependent on results. In years gone-by if we were on a losing streak the atmosphere would be just as crap as it has been at times this season. The idea that it used to be some cauldron of noise is just absolute rubbish.

How exactly has it "had its heart ripped out"? By having an unused terracing demolished? Really?

The reason our crowds are getting lower is because of the quality of football on display, as well as other social and economic factors. All these things affect EVERY club at our level. I simply refuse to believe that people don't go to games because of the stadium. Sounds like a massive excuse to me. I think most people go to games depending upon how the team is doing, not how the stadium looks. I couldn't give a rat's ass what Firhill looks like, as long as we have a decent side on the park.

 

Based on what exactly? your own opinion and assumptions? You'd be surprised, believe me.

 

That is true. They are not the only reasons though and I can assure you of that. Some of the BoD's inability to run a football club at least on a competent level and keep a good relationship with the fans has drove a chunk of our hardcore support away.

Whether you want to believe that or not is up to you, but I have talked to and heard of folk, through other fans I know who base that as their main reason for not turning up anymore.

 

It's certainly another factor on top of a variety of **** ups and ignorance shown to the supporters by the BoD.

[Mediocre Pundit]

I only ever go to home games and, no matter what it looks like, I love Firhill.

 

We need to find a way to attract back lapsed fans though. They don't owe us their allegiance - we need to find out why they would come to games and give them what they want.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

We need to find a way to attract back lapsed fans though. They don't owe us their allegiance - we need to find out why they would come to games and give them what they want.

So true but as long as I've viewed various Jags websites we've raised this topic every season.

Imo we've perked up our ideas a lot in recent seasons. Jim Alexander's initiatives, some excellent publicity from pink strips to Kieron's work with the community, and of course kids for free, which must in turn enable more parents to afford to attend.

Each season some folk will suggest reason for non attendance is it ain't value for money. Fair enough but that's never qualified so it's basically a meaningless throw away line that tells us nothing.

Others will say they'd rather spend their cash in the pub watching Sky Sports but that's not the case in general. Pubs are if anything in a worse state than football, closures all over the place and many pulling the plug on Sky etc as they don't attract the custom to justify subscription.

Personally, although I'll acknowledge many fans have left Firhill due to lack of atmosphere, state of the place (including maybe even the pitch), attitude of the Board etc, I feel far more are just bored with football on a whole. As long as we continue to play each other at least 4 times a season and so few different teams visit Firhill the tedium will continue. This season gone we only played against eleven different teams in nine monthsat Firhill. In normal sized leagues we'd have played against eleven different sides by mid October!

[Blackpool Jags]

So true but as long as I've viewed various Jags websites we've raised this topic every season.

Imo we've perked up our ideas a lot in recent seasons. Jim Alexander's initiatives, some excellent publicity from pink strips to Kieron's work with the community, and of course kids for free, which must in turn enable more parents to afford to attend.

Each season some folk will suggest reason for non attendance is it ain't value for money. Fair enough but that's never qualified so it's basically a meaningless throw away line that tells us nothing.

Others will say they'd rather spend their cash in the pub watching Sky Sports but that's not the case in general. Pubs are if anything in a worse state than football, closures all over the place and many pulling the plug on Sky etc as they don't attract the custom to justify subscription.

Personally, although I'll acknowledge many fans have left Firhill due to lack of atmosphere, state of the place (including maybe even the pitch), attitude of the Board etc, I feel far more are just bored with football on a whole. As long as we continue to play each other at least 4 times a season and so few different teams visit Firhill the tedium will continue. This season gone we only played against eleven different teams in nine monthsat Firhill. In normal sized leagues we'd have played against eleven different sides by mid October!

 

A first-rate analysis of the situation, in my opinion.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

A first-rate analysis of the situation, in my opinion.

Thanks, Dad.

[KiwiJag]

At least you can all actually attend games, whether you like the venue or not...

[McKennan]

I'm not sure that's a big plus these days.

[KiwiJag]

I'm not sure that's a big plus these days.

 

Ha apparently not!

[Guest Argus]

I do find it a bit strange that people blame the Board for not going.

 

I don't like this Board and don't think they are up to the task but name any Board of Directors in the last 30 years who have actually done much for the club?

 

Quite simply I think life has moved on and where people had little alternatives to football, they went out of sheer habit. Now there are many alternatives and the hard core of supporters dwindles every season.

[Jaggernaut]

I do find it a bit strange that people blame the Board for not going.

 

I don't like this Board and don't think they are up to the task but name any Board of Directors in the last 30 years who have actually done much for the club?

 

Quite simply I think life has moved on and where people had little alternatives to football, they went out of sheer habit. Now there are many alternatives and the hard core of supporters dwindles every season.

But they feel ashamed (though they won't admit it), so they look for an easy target, which is.................

 

 

 

 

the Board.

[The Earl of Hathaway]

But they feel ashamed (though they won't admit it), so they look for an easy target, which is.................

 

 

 

 

the Board.

 

I hope you're not suggesting that these (and by that I mean us) 'hardcore' fans feel ashamed of being Jags fans?

[Jaggernaut]

I hope you're not suggesting that these (and by that I mean us) 'hardcore' fans feel ashamed of being Jags fans?

Not suggesting that. I'm suggesting that they're ashamed of squandering their money on a variety of dubious causes while Thistle need as much as they can possibly get. Thistle struggle, they need more support, the stay-aways aren't giving the support but deep down they feel they should, so they look for an excuse which is.......

 

the Board.

[northernsoul]

Not suggesting that. I'm suggesting that they're ashamed of squandering their money on a variety of dubious causes while Thistle need as much as they can possibly get. Thistle struggle, they need more support, the stay-aways aren't giving the support but deep down they feel they should, so they look for an excuse which is.......

 

the Board.

 

Not the folk I have met and have spoken to.

[Chicofan]

i am a wizard

[Steven H]

Based on what exactly? your own opinion and assumptions? You'd be surprised, believe me.

 

That is true. They are not the only reasons though and I can assure you of that. Some of the BoD's inability to run a football club at least on a competent level and keep a good relationship with the fans has drove a chunk of our hardcore support away.

Whether you want to believe that or not is up to you, but I have talked to and heard of folk, through other fans I know who base that as their main reason for not turning up anymore.

 

It's certainly another factor on top of a variety of **** ups and ignorance shown to the supporters by the BoD.

 

So how does staying away help the situation? The atmosphere at Firhill is created by those of us who go there, if its shite then surely its because we make it shite, and folk who stay away for this reason would be better off turning up and helping to generate an enjoyable atmosphere. Those who blame the Board for them not going are cutting off their noses to spite their faces, I understand folk don't trust them with their money but no matter what people think of our Board I doubt there agenda is to take this Club to oblivion, but how does staying away help? Do people really stay away for these reasons? If they do then, for me, the logic behind it is 'unable to compute'.

 

I agree with Jaggernaut regarding using excuses not to attend but, given what you said above, the quote below is confusing. Are you saying people arent using the Board and Firhill as excuses or that the Board and Firhill are valid reasons not to attend?

 

Not the folk I have met and have spoken to.

 

 

I only ever go to home games and, no matter what it looks like, I love Firhill.

 

We need to find a way to attract back lapsed fans though. They don't owe us their allegiance - we need to find out why they would come to games and give them what they want.

 

If the say they are Partick Thistle supporters then yes they do! The minimum requirement of ANYONE who claims to support a specific club is to turn up as often as possible to support that Club, not make excuses to stay away!

[AlwaysOutnumbered...]

Not suggesting that. I'm suggesting that they're ashamed of squandering their money on a variety of dubious causes while Thistle need as much as they can possibly get. Thistle struggle, they need more support, the stay-aways aren't giving the support but deep down they feel they should, so they look for an excuse which is.......

 

the Board.

 

 

Don't blame the board. Don't like them, think they are doing a rotten job but that's not the reason why I no longer attend.

 

Just can't be bothered going any more. Love Thistle, just don't enjoy matchdays anymore, and surely their has to be some element of enjoyment! Sad thing to say but I'd rather spend my money in the pub watching Soccer Saturday than attend Firhill these days, never ever thought I would say that but there you go.