From customers back to supporters

As much as I am ashamed to admit it, at one point, a few years ago, I was asking the question of whether or not I should renew my season ticket at Parkhead?

Am I the only person this has ever happened to or did you ever get to a point where you questioned if you wanted to keep following Celtic ?

Yes, the European nights were amazing, but it was the style of football in between that annoyed me and I know I wasn’t the only one- I do know some people who gave up their season ticket giving the style of football as the reason.Along came Dr Jo, the so called dream team of John Barnes and Kenny Dalglish. I don’t need to remind anyone how grim things became there but then Martin O’Neill came and rescued us.

Overall, the standard of football was decreasing along with the level of players we had while ticket prices were not ever going to drop.

For anyone who knows me or has read any of my previous blogs, you will know that I have been a regular at Parkhead since shortly after my fifth birthday.

At that age, you go along, see the game, enjoy being part of the day and go home again. Probably too young to follow the points total for the league or to understand exactly how much it means and how much it actually does matter. I guess then you could say that I was an apprentice or a trainee supporter.

Fast forward on a bit – well about 20 years, we’ve been through all the teams under the leadership or Macari and Brady to name a few then along comes Wim Jansen and we stop 10-in-a-row.

That was what I thought was going to be a new start for us, that was going to be the start of our very own ten in a row but, as we all know, it wasn’t.

After Martin O’Neill, things went downhill – not in terms of success on the pitch but in terms of the quality of football on offer and the quality of player at our club.

Now, I’m not using that statement to have a go at Gordon Strachan, I am eternally greatful to what the guy gave us- 3-in-a-row, some great Champions League nights etc but it was the style of football that I became disillusioned with.

After what a lot of folk have described as ´punching above our weight´ with Martin O’Neill being in charge, I guess I came to expect such things as league and cup wins in the same season, scoring a lot of goals while playing an attacking style of football as being normal.

While writing that last paragraph a thought came to mind – I am looking at the O’Neill era and thinking it was better than what it was ?

Possibly, but given that was my first real run of seeing a successful Celtic team, I can be forgiven for it.

It’s a bit unrelated to the point, but I remember when I used to sit in the South Stand, every off target shot or mis placed pass would be met with ´Jock Stein would never have let you away with that – you’d be oot the door. Disgrace,´ from an older guy who I could often hear but never, ever saw. I am sure he’s probably still there now, does anyone in the South Stand have the pleasure of this guys words of wisdom ? The reason I make that point is to illustrate that a lot of people will compare current teams to a more successful one of days gone by.

However, getting back to my dilemma, I was at a point where since O’Neill, the football and standard of player gradually got worse and season ticket prices were never going to decrease and so there was a time when I felt more like a customer than a fan.

Thankfully, there are a few things that have changed my opinion that I am indeed a fan and not a customer. I know the high up folk at the club couldn’t really care less if I do/don’t go to the games as long as someone is on the seat and has paid to get in, they will be happy enough.

It’s the connection with the tradition of the club that makes you come back again and again. It’s a connection that can’t be put into words. I’ve been lucky enough to have gone to a few games abroad that haven’t involved Celtic and hasn’t affected us and there is something missing.

Having sat in the Parc De Princes watching PSG lose against Marseille while fighting a relegation battle, the crowd were getting very animated but it didn’t make one bit of difference to me. Simply because of that unexplained connection not being there.

Also, one of my favourite Celtic songs is “over and over” with the line ´we are Celtic supporters, faithful through and through´, I thought maybe it’s about time that I practiced what I preached.

There was conversation on the radio, I can’t remember who made the point but it was on the same topic- are folk who go to the game customers or fans?

The guy on the radio show made the point that we can’t be customers. If we were there would be a choice of who else to go and watch.

Using a supermarket as a comparision, if you don’t like one, then the quite simple solution is that you go to another. That choice isn’t there with Celtic.

You are brought up a hoops fan and that’s it really, but would you have it any other way? Not a chance.

I’ve mentioned that I can’t put that ‘connection’ into words, can anyone else? Can anyone who is reading this site do that? If so, I’d love to hear it?