The children of Oxfordshire

[Ox4Eva]

I was back in Oxfordshire over the weekend, everywhere I have gone all the kids seemed to be wearing various plastic premiershit tops.

I spend time working in various places around the UK and see loads of kids proudly wearing their local clubs kit. Why is it so different in Oxfordshire?

 

[Blox21]

I was in a bar in Bristol in the week , where they had big screens showing the Liverpool game and the Bristol city v West Brom . No one was remotely interested in the city game with the exception of a couple rovers fans taking the P**s .

 

[Manorlounger]

I was back in Oxfordshire over the weekend, everywhere I have gone all the kids seemed to be wearing various plastic premiershit tops.

I spend time working in various places around the UK and see loads of kids proudly wearing their local clubs kit. Why is it so different in Oxfordshire?

We play in a wind swept 3 sided ground, and lose. We play in the 3rd tier. We don't get much TV coverage. We don't have any "star players". There is no kudos in wearing an OUFC shirt.

For us die hard supporters it is something that is hard to accept but, OUFC is a little club with very little success or history. I can sort of grasp what Tiger has as his vision of OUFC being part of the bigger picture of the city of Oxford but, he's got his work cut out.

 

[Paul Cannell]

Because Tiger hasn't monetised the Oxford link yet.

 

[Ox4Eva]

We play in a wind swept 3 sided ground, and lose. We play in the 3rd tier. We don't get much TV coverage. We don't have any "star players". There is no kudos in wearing an OUFC shirt.

For us die hard supporters it is something that is hard to accept but, OUFC is a little club with very little success or history. I can sort of grasp what Tiger has as his vision of OUFC being part of the bigger picture of the city of Oxford but, he's got his work cut out.

We have 125 years of history, we have had success, maybe we don't have enough passionate fans I guess..

 

[Ox4Eva]

I was in a bar in Bristol in the week , where they had big screens showing the Liverpool game and the Bristol city v West Brom . No one was remotely interested in the city game with the exception of a couple rovers fans taking the P**s .

I drink around SW London all the time and see whole families who are staunch in their support for Fulham or Chelsea but rarely see that in Oxfordshire for the U's

 

[Deleted member 222]

I drink around SW London all the time and see whole families who are staunch in their support for Fulham or Chelsea but rarely see that in Oxfordshire for the U's

I think comparing us to 2 premier league teams is a bit unrealistic.

Living in Preston I rarely saw someone with a PNE shirt on. I did see plenty of Arsenal, Man U and Liverpool shirts daily. I recently visited Blackpool and didn't see anyone in a Blackpool shirt or Fleetwood shirt but did see loads of Man U, Man City and Liverpool shirts.

Funnily enough around Chester I do see a fair few of the older generations in Chester FC jumpers or old shirts and plenty of car stickers and mini scarfs. More than you would expect from a football team in the conference north in a small city.

Oxford has never had a very big, passionate fan base. Yes the club can get big numbers to games when it matters or it is a glamour cup team but realistically we just don't have a big enough core support.

 

[Jerome'SAle]

Mate its not the 1980s anymore

 

[m]

I was back in Oxfordshire over the weekend, everywhere I have gone all the kids seemed to be wearing various plastic premiershit tops.

I spend time working in various places around the UK and see loads of kids proudly wearing their local clubs kit. Why is it so different in Oxfordshire?

I disagree. Don't think it's different for any other of the localish clubs. Didn't notice it being much different in Reading even when they were at the peak of their success.

Not to say it couldn't be much better of course!

 

[WuTang]

It's because those clubs have more songs than we do!

 

[Ox4Eva]

It's because those clubs have more songs than we do!

Yes and dress better..

 

[werthersoriginal]

You do see OUFC shirts on kids - maybe quite spread out around the county though

 

[makv]

I see plenty of kids in OUFC gear, not necessarily shirts though

 

[iambungle]

I disagree. Don't think it's different for any other of the localish clubs. Didn't notice it being much different in Reading even when they were at the peak of their success.

Not to say it couldn't be much better of course!

I work in Reading and can guarantee you that if you wander round the town centre on any week day you will see plenty of people wearing RFC merch. Hardly see anyone wearing London EPL gear. And we call them Plastics.

 

[Ox4Eva]

I work in Reading and can guarantee you that if you wander round the town centre on any week day you will see plenty of people wearing RFC merch. Hardly see anyone wearing London EPL gear. And we call them Plastics.

Yes you are right, whenever I am in Reading I see loads of people of all ages wearing their gear.

 

[ThatSlopesATwelfthMan]

My boy's 11 and wears his proudly. Especially loves his 15/16 shirt which he calls 'vintage' A few of his mates do too but only those who come to games. Far outnumbered, as you'd expect, by those in premiership or Champions League level clobber - its what they see (and enjoy) on TV and in video games. Was always that way to some extent no? Most kids when I was that age were into Forest or Liverpool. The club try their best but the stadium experience is pretty grim and soulless - still amazed my lad got into it in the first place.

 

[holdsteady]

I travel around the country for work, and I rarely if ever see anyone wearing merchandise from any club other than Man U, Liverpool, spurs Chelsea or Arsenal. I don’t think we are alone in struggling to attract fans, we compete with 6 of the richest clubs in the world.

 

[Oldham]

Yes and dress better..

Elaborate on “dress better”

 

[Ox4Eva]

Elaborate on “dress better”

I was joking matey