Why do we support walsall fc

That’s poetry not a post.

Grandad is a lifelong fan and I was told the other day by my parents that when I was 7, I asked if I could go to the football with him.

Season ticket holder for the last 13 years, I go to pretty much every away match and after 20 years this March, I’m still loving it like I always have done.

This

“What is a club in any case? Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes. It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.” - Bobby Robson

For us, it is Walsall.

For me, my Grandad and dad were Saddlers. I’ve posted on here before, my dad took me to my first games - Bury (3-0) then Newcastle (I’m sure Bobby Robson would see the irony!) at home in the FA cup. I was hooked.

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Went to my first game in 97 with a mate, when it was £2 to get in for kids, and realised that I could have a day out at the football for £10 (inc train fare, programme, and maccies). All of which was without having to ask a parent for a lift etc. We then went into Div 1 and it cost £80 for an ST, and there was a tremendous sense of community and atmosphere at games that I’d never experienced before.

I soon became hooked, hooked on the day out, hooked on the closeness I felt with the club and the team (there was, and still is, an accessibility there that you just cannot get with a “big” club, if you get me, despite the disconnect with the ownership), and hooked on the growing pride I felt when explaining who I supported, knowing that I had that relationship with a club that United/Liverpool etc fans would never know. This has only grown as I’ve moved away from the area.

It’s now an indelible part of me, no matter how bad we are, as much pain as that might cause me, and I would never give up sitting in a freezing cold Brunton Park, after a 3 hour drive, to see us lose 1-0 for watching Liverpool win 4-0 on Sky Sports.

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I go because I am a social animal and the various communities I belong too are important to me. Walsall FC is ,I suppose, in my blood.My grandad and father supported Walsall but because my dad was ill for a good number of years I didn’t go with him. The first matches I attended were with school friends from Joseph Leckie school. I was 12 and I became a regular attender abut 2 years later when the 4th Division was formed and Bill Moore created that wonderful team with Richards (still the best header of a ball I have seen) and Taylor (the bloke with the hardest shot I have seen) and many other characters. I haven’t missed many home matches since. The game has changed, the people I mix with have changed, the stadium has changed but I still look forward to K.O. especially on Saturdays. Yes its in my blood that why after 63 years I still go even through times which are not good. Being the optimist I am I think things can only get better.

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Simple,

Fellows Park.

My old man took me when I was really young and I stupidly handed my soul over to the club.

A true football fan cannot retrieve his soul from the club if his/her choice. If they do and flit between clubs based on success then they are not true football fans.

That’s the law.

Now, of course, I have lived outside Walsall for almost four decades, via Liverpool initially and now Manchester, both centres of supposed footballing excellence and full of glory hunters who seem to think that the success of their clubs are a triumph for them personally.

I have had to endure this for years yet I still support my home town team, through thick and thin, through failure and despair.

I am laughed at, mocked mercilessly and ridiculed.

But Walsall has my soul and will do until I shuffle off this mortal coil.

And I will defend my team against these so- called giants.

And I regard myself as a bigger and better fan than all of those glory hunters combined.

Up the Saddlers - forever!!

:grinning:

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I think I was about 12 and starting to get into football and bugging my Dad to go to games. Got taken to Villa once and Stoke a couple of times at their old ground, possibly Stafford Ranger too.
Then this couple, who were friends of my parents, took over the catering in the restaurant at the Bescot. Got to sit inside until kick-off, then made our way round to the family stand.
I think it was the following season the my Dad, my little brother and I got season tickets.

Probably like a few on here. I joined the Junior Saddlers in 1997, training on Saturday morning at Joseph Leckie, then paying an extra couple of quid to get into the match. 2-2 Draw with Shrewsbury where we were 2 up at half time, seems to have been a running theme from then on. At half time I took part in the American style shootout where ‘Sumo’ made his fame. I even managed to score. From then on I was hooked. There were Christmas parties organised and various events to meet the players, opportunities to be a ball boy/girl and it really felt like a community and there was enough of a draw to keep youngsters at the club and away from the likes of Wolves, West Brom, Villa and Man United

Not sure if something similar is available to the youngsters today but if not, it’s a massive missed opportunity. The club doesn’t do enough to promote what’s on offer for kids today. Mick Kearns had a big role to play in it all along with all of his other roles at the club, maybe a figure like him is missed

Born in Walsall to a saddlers supporting family and have great memories.

As a teenager I used to get free tickets as my sister was working for Choice personnel, If we got the train from Wyrley and could avoid the ticket guy it was a good free day out (minus the beer money)

Long moved out of the area but still go when I can because I want to create memories with my lad as my dad did with me.

Proud to support the underdogs and nothing will ever change that .

If Walsall fc disappeared then I wouldn’t bother with football.

Because I was born there.

I actually only lived in Walsall for a year before my parents moved back up to the Lakes so don’t remember anything from it. Got into football about 7 or 8 years old and I think I must have noticed that Walsall had a team when reading the results in Match Magazine, and asked to go and see them some time. My dad grew up supporting Liverpool and went to watch Villa when they lived in the midlands, though had played football with a few people who supported the Saddlers.

First match was at a 0-0 at home versus Man City just after Colin Lee took over, then Bradford at home the last game of that season. I remember Steve Corica scoring two, then going into the players bar with my dad and a few of his old mates after the game and meeting all the players, and I’ve been hooked since then!

As others have said, I’m glad I asked to go to that Walsall match when I was younger. Much better experience than growing up an armchair supporter

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My dad is a Woves fan, my mom an Albion fan, but on a good day I could hear the crowd from Fellows park from my back garden in Wednesbury. It sounded so amazing, ghostly voices on the breeze. Then some famous FA Cup games on the TV, particularly vs Watford. I found myself standing on the bridge during the last replay and I’m sure saw Dornan’s own goal from the roadside. Hooked. Within a few months was in the ground with my mates and never looked back. It’s never for the glory is it? It’s for that hope, that one moment when (on rare occasions) we beat the odds. Graydon’s first season epitomised this spirit. I don’t get the hatred of other teams (and managers) I just go to cheer my team on and when we all sing together, on a good day, I can still feel that spirit I heard on the breeze all those years ago.

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I wasn’t a local (although I am a Black Country lad) and there was no familial influence, but I’ve always been keen on underdogs and I chose to support Walsall because of that. I was interested in what the local papers were writing about Walsall being forced to sell players and having no money and small crowds. I was attracted by that, and my Dad bowed to pressure and three months later took me to FP, and it was love at first sight, in a way it hadn’t been on visits to Molineux or The Hawthorns.
I was ten years old, so little did I know what I was letting myself in for.

I’ve never regretted it, although at times the underdog status has lost some of its attraction :roll_eyes:

I think it gives a sense of belonging, I’ve made friends, but I can also talk to someone I’ve never met before, and (depending on his/her age) we can rattle away about the games against Newcastle or ManUre, about some of Buckleys goals, that night at Anfield, Ray Graydon, as well as all of those miserable defeats at Wrexham and Wigan and insert name of lower league team of your choice here.

I think I’ve definitely got more out of following Walsall than those of my schoolfriends who latched on to whichever glamorous big-spenders were doing well at the time and “supported” them by watching MOTD and reading about their heroes in Shoot. They can sit in their armchair and watch ManUre or Liverpool or Chelsea win trophy after trophy, but they will never, never, never feel what I did that night at Bury, or a few years later when we beat Oldham. UTS.

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For me I was born in Walsall moved to telford at about 6 got into the premier league as it’s what was on.
Came back to visit family shortly before moving back to Walsall 2 years later so went to a walsall game with my dad and never looked back, loved it my local team and a chance to spend time with him.

My dads moved abroad now so it’s never quite been the same experience, but it becomes a habit you can’t kick and now my fiance has become a season ticket holder and convinced my step daughter to come twice so far ( a lot harder when it’s not nearly as exciting as the late 90’s spell I was lucky to be born into)

We may not be as glamorous as some of the so called big clubs but I would take a cold inevitable 1-0 loss and being there for my local team then being a armchair sky sports watcher any day.

Started going 1995/16 season I think with workmates of my Step mum. I enjoyed the first view games and in a sense I suppose I was always intrigued by Walsall FC as when I was very young in the 80’s when I used to stay with my gran on some weekends, she lived in Hilary street and I remember sitting in the front window of the house watching crowds going to the game. Maybe in a sense I thought it was a connection to that side of my family as well.

Soon after going, my father also got back into football and so he sorted me out a season ticket for Walsall and he started going back to watch the baggies. the rest is history now.

Seen some amazing games watching Walsall since then, but last few years not so much. it is what it is. I have no desire to watch another club apart from occasional matches at Belper or Matlock town, although that’s more of an excuse nowadays for a piss up.

Born in Walsall, grew up in Walsall and the town will always be an important and proud part of who I am.

My Dad took me to Fellows Park when I was 7 and the rest is history. He died when I was in my teens and supporting the club is bound up with those memories.

It’s all about family, personal and social identity and a sense of place.

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It’s because I couldn’t resist the lure of the trophies, European nights and all that reflected glory…

Grew up in Bloxwich but haven’t lived there since 1987 and since my last parent died in 2010 I have no reason to visit Walsall, apart from the football. As others have said it’s all tied in with identity, belonging and connection to your lifestory.

There have been some fantastic times over the years and I would love to say they will come again, but given the direction football is heading, and with us struggling even to stand still, it really does seem unlikely.

It goes against my football principles to say we need an injection of funds to move forward, but I can’t see much progress without money coming in from somewhere.

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Good question! Cuz I’m daft!

I don’t mind people having mild affections for other clubs, there’s Premier League teams and European teams I quite like if they’re playing, but they’d never be the club I claimed to support. The concept of someone loving a team that isn’t local to them is completely alien to me. Maybe fair enough when you’re a child but surely you grow out of it?

If you’re born in Walsall and support say Man Utd or Chelsea it’s because you’re a glory hunter of no substance who convinces themselves they are a proper fan and that they gain some shallow gratification from it. You can’t understand or be a part of that that club or the people/community who really support it.

It’s always funny when I’ve called these people glory hunters in the past that they all have their own reasons why they’re different to other glory hunters though. “No, no…. my great great grandmothers dog was born near Old Trafford” or “I started supporting Liverpool when they were shit (whenever that was)”.

I was born within a mile of fellows park but as a kid my old man followed wolves, odd occasion (usually Boxing Day) we’d go to Walsall if wolves were away, I just loved the red shirts and floodlights if I’m honest but it also coincided with the 84 cup run, always went with my old mans best friend then I used to call uncle Pete, I was smitten seeing so many goals scored when Buckley was manager and it stuck ever since.
I’ve hated the last 5 seasons if I’m honest but when Saturday arrives I’m happy as always, in the railway for 12 to sink a few beers and meet friends, off to the game with missus 2 kids and 3 nephews then back home for a takeaway and a read of the internet looking at both home and away fan views, it’s all I know it’s all I’ve known and probably all I’ll ever know.