Did we lose many fans after 2012?

[Reformation Bear 6,453]

They'd gotten pretty used to seeing a successful side that's for sure, having seen enough seasons in their lifetime of near empty Ibrox so the thought of returning to those days was there too.  The latter part of the Murray era then the dumping down to Div 3 was hard for them to take, plus losing out on shares they held and on the debenture investment.   At ages when the dark days looked like taking a very long time to recover from - that's still the case - they just stopped going and the first thing they did was stop buying STs.  

I visit some from time to time.  They still have their proud pictures framed on the wall - photos of themselves with Souness and others, proud memories of great days.   But the damage back then in their minds was done, made more acute by being dumped down to Div 3 - something none of them agreed with.   Bear in mind also the whole story of what happened from a Rangers point of view has never really come out.  All the facts are known by Rangers, all the notes of meetings and so on but never a full Rangers account of what happened.   

It'd be easy enough to criticise them, or to somehow paint them as being lesser Bears these days because they gave up their STs and only go to occasional games.    They way I look at it nowadays is its great the Club has been able to attract the volume of ST holders it does even without winning any major trophy since 2010/11 so those who gave up their STs and who gave up following home (and in some cases away) every week make their choice, which is fair enough in the circumstances as they saw it and still see it.  

[tannerall 25,935]

6 hours ago, heathen fish boy said:

3. The smelly bastards never take it off to wash it 

Exactly, down here in the south of England I play 5 a sides and over 55s football, there's usually a few fellow Scots, and there's always one cunt in a stained green n white hoops top , with the crap grey trackie bottoms and mockit white trainers. The bastards seem to wear them from cradle to grave. 

Basically just  a big sign of insecurity, inferiority and wanting to be loved by everyone in my opinion. 

 

Edit:

Mockit, what a great word I ain't used in years, sums them up perfectly the mockit tim bastards. 

 

[Dave Hedgehog 10,673]

6 hours ago, King Jela said:

Specifically the younger generation? Not heard of many myself but has 4 years in the lower leagues and sitting through the pedophiles winning a treble treble (fuck me man) turned a lot of our younger fanbase off supporting us? 

I don’t think we did. My son adores the club more than ever. How on earth could anyone walk away from supporting the best club in the world? Baffles me to even think someone could. 

[Bigdave30 8,701]

Anybody who doesn’t support us or encourage their kids to follow on because we have had a spell on our arse were never worth letting through the turnstiles in the first place.

[Siam69 26,876]

I think at the time it very much galvanised the support, we were breaking records for our crowds in the lower leagues.

Sadly that 'togetherness' didn't last long, with the different factions during all the board room 'wars', though thankfully most just support the team and can't be bothered with inhouse pish.

[HuistraHairDo 12,490]

I took my boys to their first game in the 3rd div and they still loved it,  I don’t have a season ticket but we only missed one home game that season.

they both live in England and both have an English team  Man U /Man City 🤮 Which is more concerning for me.

[philiprfc 1,799]

Bigger concern is losing younger generations to the English teams, probably a good third of boys my age when I  was at school (10 years ago) supported an English team only, or say a Barca/Real. Can only imagine that's gotten worse.

[King Jela 20,361]

15 minutes ago, philiprfc said:

Bigger concern is losing younger generations to the English teams, probably a good third of boys my age when I  was at school (10 years ago) supported an English team only, or say a Barca/Real. Can only imagine that's gotten worse.

I can live with that tbh and it’s probably the same for them as well. Work with a wee guy the now who’s Arsenal daft like his pal and both they’re dad’s are papes. They won’t be too keen us because of that, you’d imagine, but at least they’ll not be funding the tims or sporting the hooped rags. 

[bluenoz 30,835]

There will soon be a generation creeping in that have never seen us win anything and take it as the normal and seem to lose the history of our great club. That's what i feel in a few post I read from time to time.

[Creampuff 22,628]

Just caseyjones.

[ForeverAndEver 71,481]

People that choose English teams/foreign teams are worse than tarriers, weirdos.

 

[j1mgg 3,766]

Well, we didn't have a waiting list in 2013

[Smile 26,604]

18 minutes ago, Creampuff said:

Just caseyjones.

You must have a good memory he's been gone a while. Probably still here under a different name right enough.

[RFC55 108,889]

8 minutes ago, Smile said:

You must have a good memory he's been gone a while. Probably still here under a different name right enough.

Na he's never come.back mate. Now lives in America 

[KirkBroadband 203]

I don't think so. If you were brought up right it dosn't matter. I remember the early 80's and it only made it better when success came along. Imagine how young Bears are gonna feel now after all this shite when we get back where we belong?

[Spliffy 643]

Any we did lose weren't worth keeping.
 

I believe the young team now will be the foundation for a new era of hardcore fans. There may be less due to the EPL influence or our lack of success, but they've been with us through these years of horror and when we do get back on top, they will never take success for granted. They've seen the hatred for us and the corruption in all the infested organisations. They then won't allow their young ones to idly support some other team from England or worse, the tarriers just cos their wee pal does or whatever reason. I hope and pray the divisions in our support leaves with the older generation, because the young team are galvanised.

Nobody likes them, they don't care.

[Terry Hurlock Loyal 12,133]

I think that playing the clubs like Peterhead, Brechin and Elgin was a great opportunity for local young bears fans to see the club in theor own community around Scotland. It was a wierd time, but when I went to these grounds the locals in the ground and the pubs/restaurants were great with us. 

[jamess 3,422]

1 hour ago, ForeverAndEver said:

People that choose English teams/foreign teams are worse than tarriers, weirdos.

 

Nah.  When you get to the lowest of the low...…...you have reached the bottom.

[Chryston bear 26]

53 minutes ago, KirkBroadband said:

I don't think so. If you were brought up right it dosn't matter. I remember the early 80's and it only made it better when success came along. Imagine how young Bears are gonna feel now after all this shite when we get back where we belong?

This all day long,started going to ibrox 83/84,we were pretty crap,apart from the odd cup,but I loved the whole experience,souness changed everything,I/we were on cloud 9,I only hope 55 feels like that for the younger bears!!!

[TMB 14,167]

I’m old enough to remember us winning the 9.  At that time it seemed like everyone was a Rangers fan.  When celtic won the league that lot came crawling out the woodwork again.

I think many fans only follow the team when it’s winning.  That’s not exclusive to just our team but most.  We lost fans when we dropped down the league but we’ve got about 10k on the waiting list now.  Considering we haven’t won anything in a few years I think we’re doing fine.

[harlands plater 16,975]

I’d say any Bears I know are still Bears, and that’s been a lot over the years. Can’t say I know any that just appeared during the glory years, or any that have given up during the bad times. Born a Bear, die a Bear, and nothing changes in between.

[Sparkle 53,576]

Not young ones, but the row in front of me in CF3 about 4 or 5 men who had been there for 10+ years disappeared.  

[tannerall 25,935]

Don't think we've lost too many fans over the years, only ones I can think of are Rod Stewart, Terry Butcher and Ally McCoist.

 

 

[KeyserSoze 14,532]

No not one

 

 

 

[In walter we trust 228]

Tbh actually a few guys at my work started going to the games , all about loyalty and the need to secure our future.