Auckland City FC - Thanks a Trillion

Perhaps if we sent a car and driver to pick you up and drop you home, got you a free ticket, plus steak sandwich and glass of wine and a nice Croatian girl held your hand you might put aside two hours of your incredibly valuable time and turn up? It works for Bob Pearce.

This is a working father of young kids (as well as being a member of a touring band) who lives in Pukekohe and spends two nights and a day a week doing volunteer football stuff but he's apathetic because he waon't take 6 hours out of his weekends to schlepp to watch City?

That right there is all that is wrong with the Knitting Circle mindset.

And one of the reason why I ride them because most of the supporters have a completely shit attitude that reeks of being holier than thou.

I keep saying, if they stop trying to be someone, then people might actually gravitate to them. People like winners but dislike smug winners..

And even worse are losers that act like smug winners. They haven't even won the comp in the last 3 years remember. 

In fact waitakere have won as many championships, and have been runners up 3 times to aucklands 1. 

HN:Got a link to an article on the Eden Park thing wayward?

 I suspect you've found these by now.  

Jeremy Wells on Eden Park Expulsions 

Fans Put Off By Security 

Both NZ Herald

So now we're down to three heavy duty games to the Cup and then into the 'hair drier down your throat' weather of the Pacific. That's another nine games potentially.  Twelve extra games all up.  Almost the same as the ASBP regular season. 

Fine - I'm also a working father of 3 kids and know the value of time but to say you'd probably shut the curtains if they played in your back yard is going to a particular effort to avoid watching them and not just being busy... That's what in getting at. If you're a fan of football you wouldn't go to such lengths to avoid it.

All good - do you go to the Waitakere games? If not which asbp team do you get along to support? 

Team Wellington. When I have the day off work. It's a lot harder to justify time off to work to go watch football at a park, than it is to get them to give me the day off to watch the nix at the stadium, sadly. But I go along every chance I get and usually tweet updates. 

Good on you - there should be a bunch of us coming down next season for the ACFC v tw game so should be a good craic.

[quote=Jeff Vader I'll pipe up as well. Both Auckland teams. While the atmosphere is probably a bit more 'football' at Kiwitea, I would hardly call it welcoming to all.[/quote]

Good to hear.  I know you might feel awkward for 90 minutes but pop up to the clubrooms afterwards, introduce yourself, I'll buy you a beer and then we can disagree on everything, which is like half the footy discussions that I already have.

Gee if we're winners then we're smug. If we turn up and sing for our team we're annoying. What you're saying is if ACFC's supporters didn't enjoy themselves and wallowed in moaning indifference, then we'd be liked better. We don't reek of being holier than thou, just enjoy not being miserable indifferent sods. There's quite a difference JV.

I've been to most ASBP grounds around the country and Kiwitea Street is one of the few where the fans display a real passion for the game. Isn't that what it's all about? It certainly is in other parts of the world and not frowned on. All the Croatian and European influence at Kiwitea Street really give it an atmosphere you don't get at more passionless "Kiwi" grounds and that's why I love going there.

I'd like to suggest it's not the generally friendly ACFC supporters who have an attitude issue. 

Cheers News.

At least two nights in midweek and all day Saturday. I'm also a referee and a referee assessor, which takes up my Sundays. So I feel I'm doing more than my fair share to support NZ football. I don't want to watch ACFC, so I'm apathetc? Don't make me laugh.

Ah, but does JV want us to recognise him?

I suspect JV likes to be able to moan about ACFC in anonymity as apparently he's often in the clubhouse.

I guess my beef is there's so much indifference in NZ football circles, even the Nix are suffering from it now - but you seem to more than do your fair share for the local game JAG so credit where credit is due. I just wish all the clubs in the ABSP had the level of passionate fans that ACFC enjoys. Why knock it, why not aspire to emulate?

Auckland City Yoof v Waitakery Yoof Fred Taylor 11 a.m. Sunday. The Riverhead Pub afterwards.

Jesus, what baloney!

It's a well crafted gift JV has. Maybe Kiwitea Street isn't the most welcoming place if you're grizzling and moaning all the time. All those enthusiastic fans must be galling to say the least.

Let me recap:

1: You guys can support your team how you like. If you want to chant and whoop it up, go for it. It makes no difference to me.

2: In my observation, I don't find Kiwitea street very welcoming. In terms of football atmosphere, you probably would not find a better day in domestic NZ football. You will also generally find the best game in NZ domestic football as well. I do not doubt that it is related, but is that for everyone. Before someone puts words in my mouth about the atmosphere at Waitakere, I'm not making a comparison. I'm making an observation at what I observe at your club.

3: What I find difficult is the crap that came out for a long time and looks like has started again. Without rehashing, it just basically makes you guys (and I am generalising so I know its not everyone) look like smug cocks. Kinda like Dennis Connor acted many years ago at Chris Dickson. As I said, people will gravitate to winners, they move away from winners that come across as smug and smarmy. This place is classic because in comparison to the Phoenix, you guys are absolute head and shoulders winners, daylight second but no one really likes your team because of how you carry on (grass roots coalf... yada yada yada). Your forum is an injoke circle jerk for Christs sake. If you kinda took the different stance of not being so anti, you might find the majority of the people here would jump on board with you. I think they are now referring to it as the Streisand Effect? If I look at the crack taken at Jag, that kinda sums it up. Some of you act like complete cocks. It would appear football is important to him, but then does it have to be ALL football? You guys get your knickers in a twist about him watching the Phoenix but not ACFC so you create this thing against your club. Had you taken a different approach of inviting him down, maybe (and I say maybe) shout him a beer and be inviting, he may come back more often, but you rag on his ass. For that kind of stuff, yes I will accept the challenge of throwing it back even if I am wrong and get drowned out. Head against brick wall stuff but if no one tells you that you are acting like a pack of cocks, you'll just all sit in your circle and tell each other you are awesome and the best team in the country (whats the domestic record again? Again this does not apply to everyone)

4: Edward I have been up there and said hello to Rich. Hard to have a conversation with a man that considers his footballing opinion 'oracle like'. Not faulting his passion, just the way he comes across because everyone is instantly wrong if its not his opinion... Jesus I would have more chance of having an intelligent back and forth with Sam Wilkinson and Sam would probably surprise me with having at least 2 valid points.

5: Not craving anonymity. 61 year old has been, I'm not here to relive my youth...

Fair enough.  Shall leave you in peace.  Still, anyone who supports footie in this rugby mad country deserves a beer.  So the offer is always open.

jeebers jeff, you don't seem 61

Its compulsory to grow old. Its not compulsory to grow up.

Woosh! I can see how some people might not like us but I can assure you we're a friendly lot generally and have welcomed many new fans to Kiwitea Street. As for Rich - even I can't get a reasonable word out of him so please don't base ACFC's supporters on one individual, although I acknowledge he's always been a great supporter of local football he just has his own peculiar passion for the game. Next time JV have a chat to Ali or Ed or Steve or any of the other great supporters who couldn't be friendlier or more welcoming. I'm only sorry I'm in California at the moment for work reasons or I'd happily have a drink with you in the clubhouse after the next home game.

I admit I did rag JAG a bit - more to get at the general air of indifference we all battle to get people to watch NZ football - and I accept he does more than his fair share for the local game. I thought the crack about pulling the curtain if ACFC was playing deserved a reply.

I think you need to drop the "pack of cocks" "holier than thou" slugs at City's great fans and just enjoy the atmosphere at the best little football ground in the country. Like I've said, I don't think the attitude problem lies with the City fans.

Ok. I can accept your point of view there. 

I want to introduce you to two people and I ask you to judge for yourself whom you would rather associate with.

Person 1: Hi, I'm an ACFC supporter. Have you heard of our club? We're a little team in NZ that punch above our weight and have quite a record of success in the competitions we compete it. We are focused on winning and playing good football. We welcome all to the club and hope you have a great day. We extend our regards to the Phoenix kinfolk in their competition. Admittedly we wish it was us but these things happen. Hopefully they can open up some great pathways for domestic footballers to excel at to the next level. Good luck and let's have a game sometime soon yeah?

Person 2: Hi I'm an ACFC supporter. Our club is the best club in the world. We do more for NZ football than anyone else including keeping the local game alive as were it not for us, it would be flat broke. The Phoenix? Those no good mofos? They're not a kiwi team, they just get journeyman off cuts from Australia and overseas, take NZF handouts and shut out Kiwis. They kill the local game and take all the TV coverage. Us? We are the best team in the world (champions of Africa, OFC and 5th best team in the world) and are massive proponents of good honest coalface grassroots footballers and do more for NZ football than anyone else. Support the Phoenix? You have to be joking. Why would we support them when they steal from us. Hell we would kill them in a game but they are too scared. Aren't they just a team in Australia? What do they do for NZ football? How many kiwis start in their side? Have you seen out starting unit with our kiwis and the pathways we provide? Pay players? You have to be joking... We do it all on the smell of an oily rag.

You kinda get the point but then you I ask you, who do you want to associate with? (hint: person 2 is how most of your supporters come across in this forum from day 1. The history is all there)

This was the point I made about winners and how people gravitate to and from them.

Ill be honest. When I was up in Auckland I was thinking about heading to kiwitea street before the Phoenix. But didnt because: 

a) I was really hungover and had just played a game of football. 

b) I would be wearing nix gear, and couldn't be bothered with all the crap I figured I'd get for turning up in it, my tolerance level was probably quite low because of reason(a) 

So no, you are not welcoming. 

Once again, what a load of baloney! And fast becoming an urban myth.

As an add on to this, Waitakere are equally as successful domestically. They don't get ragged on because they are not in here talking smack. While the atmosphere is not as 'football' as Kiwitea, I feel a lot more comfortable there. There is probably a valid lesson in there about how you conduct yourself.

You guys are welcome to take the first step in making the change and you might find that people will reciprocate (again its not all fans)

As Trueblue tried to put across - you're talking about the actions of ONE INDIVIDUAL!!!!

 Is it a minority of ACFC fans who don't like the Phoenix?

I haven't been out to Kiwitea for quite a while so have no personal experience.

It's not a load of baloney. It's how I felt on the day. You may well have welcomed me with open arms, but the way you guys carry on, my perception was that I'd be better off going back to the city rather than bothering going to kiwitea. 

As Trueblue tried to point out, it's a minority OF ONE!!!!