I first started ‘following’ oh, over 50 years ago I guess and I’ve been a fan ever since that first time. My father did it and I guess I just naturally drifted into it. It’s what every kid did round where I grew up – we had never even heard of the word customer!
I even started following away which was a bit more hard core and I remember going to Brighton in 1962 – it was all so exciting then – I never knew about the dangers – I was really only a kid. Then I followed down to Portsmouth and then Millwall – wow what an education that was but I never gave it up.
I followed for years; there was never any problem. Then, well, it was in the mid-1980s and I think it was the first time I heard about it and, ok, I didn’t really understand but someone said I wasn’t really a fan I was a customer. They said hard decisions had to be made and if I wanted to continue following I could but I would have to do it somewhere else. I did of course and found myself at some weird God-forsaken place near a big radio mast and after a few years there I pitched up on the other side of the River! Despite all that I couldn’t give up. I admit it, I was hooked.
I’ll never forget though when we came home, me and all those other Addicks back together like one big gloriously happy family. Then there was 1998 and we all got together again at Wembley - one of the greatest moments of being a fan, a supporter.
Sure, there’s been ups and downs since but I’ve never ever thought about giving up – well not until this year anyway and not seriously.
I did think about reverse Customer Awareness Training and how it might help me to adjust, you know – maybe see if I could be what other people wanted - but it’s not for me.
So, there you are, yes I’m a long-term fan, I'll never be a customer……at least I know I’m not alone.
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