"Supporter" players

[Robbo27_22]

It's a subject I've always found fascinating.

 

For me, a supporter is someone who spends time and money to follow a team.

 

By default, a professional player - especially someone of SPL standard - cant really fill this role. Their time would be used up playing most of the time when a team would be fulfilling their fixture list.

 

I know guys can do all this stuff for a while but from memory, juvenile stuff switches to a Saturday from U13's.

 

My opinion is that players have a passing interest in a team - with some obvious distinctions. In most cases, I would think that most players develop a soft spot for the team where the majority of their career was spent.

 

Ironically, I think Hearts seem to have a more profound effect of those type than most other clubs - our foreign legion especially.

 

That's how I see it anyway.

[Debut 4]

mmm, look at Gary MacKay. The guy was obviously Hearts mad growing up and i`m sure he attended many games as a youngster while also following his dream which came true.

 

If he`d ended up playing for another club it would be quite possible he`d develop a fondness for that club but still maintain his love for Hearts.

 

John Greig is an example. He`s never hid his love for Hearts but he quite rightly has a huge place in his heart for Rangers because of what he done with them and how long he was there.

[Sherlock]

It's a subject I've always found fascinating.

 

For me, a supporter is someone who spends time and money to follow a team.

 

By default, a professional player - especially someone of SPL standard - cant really fill this role. Their time would be used up playing most of the time when a team would be fulfilling their fixture list.

 

I know guys can do all this stuff for a while but from memory, juvenile stuff switches to a Saturday from U13's.

 

My opinion is that players have a passing interest in a team - with some obvious distinctions. In most cases, I would think that most players develop a soft spot for the team where the majority of their career was spent.

 

Ironically, I think Hearts seem to have a more profound effect of those type than most other clubs - our foreign legion especially.

 

That's how I see it anyway.

 

I know an ex-player who had a ST for Tynie for many years despite only ever getting to use it himself for the occasional midweek game. He watched Hearts every opportunity he could, which wasn't many but still paid for his seat.

 

He gave up his ST last season though. It must mean he is a glory-hunting, johnny-cum-lately.

[jbee647]

mmm, look at Gary MacKay. The guy was obviously Hearts mad growing up and i`m sure he attended many games as a youngster while also following his dream which came true.

 

If he`d ended up playing for another club it would be quite possible he`d develop a fondness for that club but still maintain his love for Hearts.

 

John Greig is an example. He`s never hid his love for Hearts but he quite rightly has a huge place in his heart for Rangers because of what he done with them and how long he was there.

 

Gary Mackay was a very successful schoolboy player with Salvesen who were the top Juvenile side in Scotland during the late 70s and yes there is no doubt hes a Hearts fan but im sure at that time due to his footballing commitments it would be unlikely if he actually went to Tynecastle to watch the Hearts at all, in fact i knew a guy who signed a proffessional contract and had never ever been to a live proffessional game in his life, he had only ever played the game or watched it on TV, so i kind of agree, players are nothing like the fans, they may have a favourite team but they will never have the fanaticism of your normal supporter who goes to watch the club every week.

[Debut 4]

Gary Mackay was a very successful schoolboy player with Salvesen who were the top Juvenile side in Scotland during the late 70s and yes there is no doubt hes a Hearts fan but im sure at that time due to his footballing commitments it would be unlikely if he actually went to Tynecastle to watch the Hearts at all, in fact i knew a guy who signed a proffessional contract and had never ever been to a live proffessional game in his life, he had only ever played the game or watched it on TV, so i kind of agree, players are nothing like the fans, they may have a favourite team but they will never have the fanaticism of your normal supporter who goes to watch the club every week.

Totally disagree. You are brought up with it. It`s in your blood so to speak. Like many others on here i played youth football. I had a spell at under 12`s but didn`t play again until under18`s and went on to play 5 seasons in all including 4 seasons at under 21`s. Had a spell playing seniors and them amateurs. I`m Hearts daft mate, it never left me and playing those years unable to attend Tynie didn`t dilute my feelings for Hearts.

 

Of course i never made it pro but it`s in the same theory as you point out about MacKays early years.

[jbee647]

Totally disagree. You are brought up with it. It`s in your blood so to speak. Like many others on here i played youth football. I had a spell at under 12`s but didn`t play again until under18`s and went on to play 5 seasons in all including 4 seasons at under 21`s. Had a spell playing seniors and them amateurs. I`m Hearts daft mate, it never left me and playing those years unable to attend Tynie didn`t dilute my feelings for Hearts.

 

Of course i never made it pro but it`s in the same theory as you point out about MacKays early years.

 

if you loved Hearts that much why were you not at Tynecastle every week watching the club rather than running about the Gyle or the Jack Kane centre, its exactly the same argument...

[portobellojambo1]

if you loved Hearts that much why were you not at Tynecastle every week watching the club rather than running about the Gyle or the Jack Kane centre, its exactly the same argument...

 

I would imagine that any football fan, irrespective of what team they support, is a fan of the sport because they love it.

 

And every fan who loves football would also probably love the chance to have done it professionally.

 

So I don't find it strange that many choose to turn out and play the game they love rather than sitting watching it, and if that means grafting away on a cold Saturday/Sunday morning/afternoon on a s h i t t y pitch hoping you might get spotted I see no problem with that.

 

Without the players there are no teams, without the teams there is no football for the fans to watch. Each has their place.

[Debut 4]

if you loved Hearts that much why were you not at Tynecastle every week watching the club rather than running about the Gyle or the Jack Kane centre, its exactly the same argument...

If you read my post clearly you`ll see i played under 12`s but never played again until under 18`s. In between that i was home and away with Hearts from the late 80`s to early 90`s.

 

I kept getting pestered to play football as a few friends thought i should try my luck at chasing the dream like any other youngster does at some point. So i started playing.

 

I love playing football and watching Hearts and everyone dreams of playing for the club they support. Ok, you could be good and not necessarily be picked up by the team you love but there`s also the side of possibly being paid for playing a game and making a living out of it.

 

It didn`t work out for me and now i`ve been back supporting Hearts for over 10 years constantly now after giving up playing.

[jbee647]

I would imagine that any football fan, irrespective of what team they support, is a fan of the sport because they love it.

 

And every fan who loves football would also probably love the chance to have done it professionally.

 

So I don't find it strange that many choose to turn out and play the game they love rather than sitting watching it, and if that means grafting away on a cold Saturday/Sunday morning/afternoon on a s h i t t y pitch hoping you might get spotted I see no problem with that.

 

Without the players there are no teams, without the teams there is no football for the fans to watch. Each has their place.

 

i do see your point but the point im making is , if as Debut4 says its in the blood, , then he would have gone to Tynecastle, i have similar experience to him, in 1977 my boys club Sunday morning football became Saturday afternoon football, well one night in August 1977, walking past the Last Furlong pub (Westfield Road, Gorgie) my mate and i noticed they were running a bus to Dumbarton on the Saturday for the first game of the season in our first season in the first division, well we went along with a few other mates (aged 12 and 13, changed days) and the rest they say is history, i played Saturday mornings for the school and played Sunday amatuer from 19 to my mid 30s, but Hearts always came first when it came to a saturday afternoon, its all about choices and all im saying is players probably dont have the same feeling for a club growing up as the fan who has gone week in week out, but having said that , a player can develop love for a club over a period of time , ie Mackay, Pressley and Levein

[TNCASTLE]

i do see your point but the point im making is , if as Debut4 says its in the blood, , then he would have gone to Tynecastle, i have similar experience to him, in 1977 my boys club Sunday morning football became Saturday afternoon football, well one night in August 1977, walking past the Last Furlong pub (Westfield Road, Gorgie) my mate and i noticed they were running a bus to Dumbarton on the Saturday for the first game of the season in our first season in the first division, well we went along with a few other mates (aged 12 and 13, changed days) and the rest they say is history, i played Saturday mornings for the school and played Sunday amatuer from 19 to my mid 30s, but Hearts always came first when it came to a saturday afternoon, its all about choices and all im saying is players probably dont have the same feeling for a club growing up as the fan who has gone week in week out, but having said that , a player can develop love for a club over a period of time , ie Mackay, Pressley and Levein

 

One think I found strange was Roy Keane, he would be seen often at Celtic Park as a fan whilst playing for Man U. I took a Client to Porto v Celtic in Seville and there he was as a supporter. I suspect he willbe at our match today.

[loveofthegame]

Don't agree. I considered myself a diehard Jambo from a very early age. I was a season ticket holder from 5 and Hearts/playing football where all i cared about growing up. Professionals will have been largely no different to me in this regard (With the added element of more talent obv...) Even when my football changed to a Sat i kept my season ticket- youth games are cancelled so regularly plus so many games aren't Sat 3pm anymore then you add in time out injured and all this meant i still attended regularly.

So i see no reason why pro's can't be very big supporters of certain football clubs.

 

There are obviously exceptions but i reckon most pro's have a club they grew up to love and never lose that allegiance regardless of where they end up.

[John S]

I know one of our U/19s, who has been with the Youth Academy for around 5 years, had a Season Ticket for Hearts right up till he went to U/19 level. He also travelled to Feyenord to support the Hearts.

 

Even when he was entirled to free tickets, he kept his ST.

 

Players most certainly can be, and are fans.