As a long time Bury Supporter who travels 141 miles each way to get to a home game (and I get to quite a few), I'm always upset by the "Supporters" who leave early.
Is it because:
They want to miss the rush at the car park?
- They're bored or fed up?
- They've seen enough football for one day?
- They've eaten too many pies? We were 82 out of 90 in the Food Review weren't we?
I just cannot believe it. During the 2-2 draw with Huddersfield, when we were pushing for a winner, there were still people leaving at 80 minutes. One bloke who seemed to be a fanatic for most of the game, jumping out of his seat when we missed a chance, singing and chanting, suddenly realised he had to be elsewhere and left with 5 minutes to go!
I'm proud to say I've never left early - ever. If you support the team, you have to support them properly. Do you think they don't notice you all leaving while they're slogging it out on the pitch? People are quick enough to criticise players if they aren't putting 100% effort on the pitch - leaving early isn't giving them 100% support, is it.
10 Reasons not to leave early
1. We might score the winning goal in the last minute.
2. You might miss the goal of the season
3. If your ticket cost you 12 quid and you leave ten minutes to go, you've wasted about £1.30. I sold two spare tickets to an old dear and her daughter for half price v West Brom and they still left early - "Let's try to get that early bus, mum".
4. Your bloody car will be blocked in anyway.
5. We've conceded quite a lot of goals in the last 15 minutes, so the team really needs your support during that period.
6. We've only scored about 6 goals after 75 minutes so any noise we can make could help (info from last season's Huddersfield Programme)
7. I don't let my pupils leave early from lessons at my school - so why should you get away with it? Let's have a bell that rings on 90 minutes and you get a bloody good shouting at if you try packing up or leaving your seat early without collecting your homework.
8. Ever been making a speech and seen people walk out halfway through? Does it put you off? Unkind or what? Imagine being a player and seeing about 1000 of you're part-time supporters wandering off.
9. Away supporters love it!!! Do you think they aren't watching with glee? They don't leave, do they.
10. Your car really is still blocked in - hopefully by me, who ain't bloody leaving until the lads have left the pitch.
Jon Smallwood
