Club versus Country? A study into football fan loyalty

[fanloyaltystudy]

Hi everyone,

Apologies for clogging up the board, but I am hoping you can help.

I am conducting an academic study into football fan loyalty, in particular looking at loyalties towards both club and national football teams. I am also investigating the role of national identity in this process and have developed a survey (see the below link) to address these issues.

In order to gain a representative sample, four teams have been randomly selected from each of the major four divisions, and Torquay came out of the hat! I would therefore be hugely grateful if you could donate no more than 10 minutes of your time to completing the survey: it is simple to complete via drop down menus and tick boxes. In order to be eligible to take part you must:

• Be of English origin;
• Be at least 18 years of age.

No contact details will be collected and the survey is fully anonymous.

Many thanks for your time and I promise not to start any other threads to clog up your message board. The survey can be accessed at:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/fanloyaltysurvey

Cheers,

David
(a Darlo fan who has never quite forgiven the Gulls for turning us over in the 1995/96 season at our place)

[Richinns]

Loved the question about 'would you stop supporting your club if they were no longer successful'!!!

[Mav]

Loved the question about 'would you stop supporting your club if they were no longer successful'!!!

If the answer to that question was yes, then we wouldn't be here reading the question!!!!!!

[RussianGull]

done.

[chippygull]

Interesting. I would rather watch TUFC train in the rain on a windswept field in Newton Abbott than watch England from a luxury box at Wembley.

[Richinns]

I remember when I was a kid - an England game really used to be something to get excited about. Now I really dont give two sh1ts about them. Bunch of overpaid primadonnas wasting everyones time by pretending they care. They now even get paid for playing International football!

These players now see International football as a distraction from their clubs and their lack of passion is reflected by the publics ever reducing interest towards them representing us.

Id rather use players from the bottom two leagues for the English set-up, at least it would mean something to them.

[YellowM25]

I found myself accidentally rooting for france at times as they were playing nicer more fluent football. That would never happen to me at a Torquay game.

[loyalgull]

How people can even begin to consider whether England means more to them than TUFC is beyond me. Like you Richinns, I used to look forward to England games, and now, like you YellowM25, I actually want England to fail. I genuinely detest the footballers who wear the national shirt. It's an absolute shambles. No passion, no commitment...nothing.

100% club over country for me, and always will be. I honestly feel with the passion and commitment, along with moments of real quality we showed at Oxford away for example, TUFC are better, as a team, than England.

[happytorq]

"the fact that England is the number one country in Europe makes me feel.."

Not sure I follow you, old boy..

[Plymouth Gull]

Out of interest, why'd you need to be over 18?

[Awayday]

I don't detest the England squad, I will watch them on telly, but I see them as a medioca premiership team who no one hates or loves, but has a big neutral following. Don't care too much if they win or lose, won't go out my way to watch them, but if it suits then always switch over to see how they are doing.

[westbaygull]

I really want England to do well, but am increasingly needy of a them having good run, like the Euro '96 era when everyone was buzzing about the national team and would love to see a few 'personalities' back in the team. Feel quite detached when watching Rooney, Ferdinand, Terry etc give interviews.

[SuperNickyWroe]

will never feel the same for england like i do for Torquay United FC.

[eastyorksgull]

TORQUAY UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB ; with all my heart ;

[Dutchgull]

Torquay first Holland second !! England................if ever we can get a team with technical ability and pride well I may change my opinion I think I could be waiting a long time .....................!!!!