Dad was a trawlerman, so he was mostly away for the season, and he went when he was home, mid nineties he was home more, yeah times at FC was hard, but the club had f*ck all then, so you understood the position of the team (or the 3000 of us that went did), Lloyd era, same again, but the club is now in the best shape its ever been in, but yet on the pitch the rugby is painful at times to watch, dour, boring rugby, he blames the coach, as he said, the coach picks the team, does the gameplan etc etc, so hes made his choice, and a man in his 70's, has that right without being called "pathetic" wouldnt you agree?

Sounds sensible your Dad

Unlike muggins here who agrees with what he is saying but still renewed.

Personally i fought hard with the decision and if money had been the slightest factor I would not have renewed. The wife told me to get one because I am grumpy as hell when we lose and when we play badly so at least when i have a pass I am out of her hair for a few hours at least.

Aye, because you need a season ticket to use this forum.

You follow your team. If you drop out just because you don't agree with the coach then, yes, I think it's pathetic. You don't have to agree with me. I don't see what age has to do with it.

Presumably the posters who have spat their dummies out and are staying away will not go to Wembley should by some chance we make the Cup final next year?

Exactly, well said.

It's not just the coach he does not agree with though, it is the whole playing side of it and he blames the coach for that. Current recruitment along with the outgoing players also does not bode well for the coming season either.
Even though i have renewed i can understand fully why other people have not renewed. I personally have started feeling that going to watch our team is more like a chore than the joy it used to be. At least when the club were struggling financially you felt you were contributing to the club when you turned up, nowadays you get the feeling the club care more about profit margins then they do the average supporter.

If you don't like it, don't go! But then don't come on here and complain about it!

On a lighter note, another first time pass holder in the ticket office today when my parents were renewing! Should be a big day of sales with it been the last of the reduced prices.

I know it's a forum, but if you aren't bothering to go why come on here and complain about it!

If you don't want to go, then that's fine and it's your own business with your own reasons, but why complain about something you don't even attend? I don't complain about Hull City, Hull Stingrays or any other Hull based team, because I'm not a fan!

You're either a fan, or you aren't IMHO!

I think your missing the point re debate, we have pro the clubs current position and against but both sides are fans of the Hull FC.

I dont agree with your rationale and you probably dont agree with mine, but I dont question your support. Holding a pass dosnt make me a bigger fan than the guy who stays away at 70 yr old (how much cash has he pumped into the club over the years) I respect his opinion.

Respecting other peoples point of view when you hold different views is what makes a forum workable. Any way Happy New Year to you and yours and lets hope that the club exceeds all our expectations.

I've always held the view that you can be a fan without being a supporter. A fan can follow the club, take an interest in what goes on wheras a supporter literally "supports" the club through paying to attend and buying merchandise etc.

Not disputing your definition but I'd add that "fan" is short for "fanatic". I'm a fan of FC and, because of that, I couldn't stop myself following the team if I tried. I can't explain it but I know that many others share my pain.

See i'd class myself as a lifelong fan of FC. I'd also say i follow my team but it will be without attending many games in 2011. Everyone who hasn't bought a pass for 2011 will have their own reasons for not doing so. It's slightly out of order for some on here to label that pathetic imo.

To be honest, I'd never really thought of fan as being short for fanatic. Funny what you miss isn't it.

fully agree with your sentiment

I no longer attend away games and took a lot of persuading to buy my pass this season. There was a period of about 5 years when I stopped going altogether but I still bled black & white when cut.

A fan is a fan imo whether they attend or not (although that might just suit my case

)

I am both a fan and supporter of Hull FC.

But as a supporter what do we actually want from the club ?

For me, these are some of the reasons - these are in order of importance:

1. To be entertained
2. To watch us be successful
3. To feel part of a community
4. To beat our rivals
5. To sign/develop players who can make the above happen
6. To be financially sound / not go bust

However, for the people who run our club, the order is probably:

1. To be financially sound / not go bust
Joint 2nd - Everthing else

A sporting club is effectively a business - they need a healthy balance sheet above all else.

However where a club differs from a business is when it comes to customers.

A business will lose customers if
- the product is poor
- the product doesn't offer value for money
- there are better alternatives

A club will lose a FEW customers (supporters) for the same reasons BUT
the majority will support them blindly, through thick and thin, in ANY KIND OF WEATHER.

And that is where the club have us by the balls.

So what if we offer a poor, dull, boring style of rugby - our customers will stand by us.
So what if only make one play off game in 3 years - our customers will stand by us.
So what if we never see our rising stars reach their potential - our customers will stand by us.

We are the OLD FAITHFUL and they know that.

In their eyes, as long as the turnstiles are ticking and the replica gear is selling, we are a successful club.

I think it is wrong to label some people who make a stand with their feet, a lower class of supporter.

They still care about the club - they've just had enough of what the club defines as acceptable product.

And with this mindset the club spent £150k for Westerman because???

Because how many people would have renewed their season passes if the only new signing we had was a winger from Harlequins ?

Yes, Westerman has cost us £150k, but at £200 a pass, that's only 750 passes.

Hey Big Dave, with this rationale the Dobbins will have MILLIONS of fans and supporters out there

Good post, well summed up and one I agree with 100%

well summed up that to be honest !! what always rips me off is those who DONT go who spout as if they are experts though!!, they always know the finances , contracts and details of the club but never attend (or rarely) they in my opinion are not fans but simply online anarchists

Or bitter twisted ex players who wont show their real name cos its not held very highly in the deep rich history of this amazing club

People support the club through choice. They are not 'grasped by the balls' whilst doing so.

Basically this has turned in to a super dooper uber fan debate,

who has the biggest dad?

I never had a choice