Unofficial Halesowen Town FC Forum

A friend of mine is studying at Staffordshire Uni and is doing a project on Non League football supporters, focusing on us lot, below is a questionaire he has prepared, please put answers in this thread if you care to join in.

Below are questions related to my Staffordshire University research project. My project is focused on non - league football supporters and why they consume their football team.
If you could answer the questions below that would be very helpful to support my project.The reason behind this project is to emphasize on the 'authentic' fans of today, who get little credit they deserve from the mass media.

Thanks
Jack Pottinger.

1/ You have got the Baggies,and Villa just a few miles away and both are PL, Wolves just up the M5 and even Birmingham not so far away in the Championship, I don't want to push it but clubs like Walsall or even Kidderminster are playing at a decent level so why do you want to support Halesowen Town?

2/ Are there any issues with the current modern game which puts you off attending games in the Premiership or Football League?

If you are interested in my project, please leave an E-Mail address and I will E-Mail further questions.

ALL INFORMATION GIVEN WILL BE KEPT IN CONFIDENTIALITY, ADHERING TO STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY'S RESEARCH POLICY

I've already filled it in, he sent me a private message through Twitter. Interesting project by the look of it

This seems a jolly fine thing to be doing at University - just wish I could have done it instead of poxy Building and Surveying!

If our studious friend would care to PM me with his questions I will endeavour to reply.

Writing long hand these days is a bit of a bother - typing one fingered being much quicker and you will have a greater chance of reading it

Anyway, I do wish him all the best.

Westyeltz wrote:This seems a jolly fine thing to be doing at University - just wish I could have done it instead of poxy Building and Surveying!

If our studious friend would care to PM me with his questions I will endeavour to reply.

Writing long hand these days is a bit of a bother - typing one fingered being much quicker and you will have a greater chance of reading it

Anyway, I do wish him all the best.

If you PM your answers, I will pass them on to Jack.

Good choice of University, I did my degree there

Here goes...

1/ You have got the Baggies,and Villa just a few miles away and both are PL, Wolves just up the M5 and even Birmingham not so far away in the Championship, I don't want to push it but clubs like Walsall or even Kidderminster are playing at a decent level so why do you want to support Halesowen Town?

The club play in the town I live in so are therefore my local team. I enjoy the banter at our level and the fact that I am watching players who care about the club they play for (Paul Evans working on the pitch last Summer comes to mind).

Watching Halesowen regularly over the last 5 years, regardless of the goings on has restored my enjoyment of the game after a period of staying away from football and I feel that I am directly contributing to the club and the community by having a season ticket.

It may sound daft but on a Saturday when we're at home, I have the enthusiasm I had for the game 20 years ago when I was still at school. Football wise, I don't think I'd have that anywhere else in this country.

2/ Are there any issues with the current modern game which puts you off attending games in the Premiership or Football League?

Bear in mind I watched the Baggies regularly for the best part of 15 years before coming down to the Grove more regularly. The things that made me stop going to the Hawthorns remain the same and they've lost me now as a paying punter.

Players who have no identification to the fans who watch them, money in the game, cost of attending, media saturation, its not a game its a product (do me a favour!).

The biggest annoyance for me is that the way Sky act, its as if football was invented in 1992. By going to watch games in the Premiership/Football league, I am giving them acceptance that the above things are ok.

I'd sooner watch the Bundesliga and will be this coming weekend when I go to see Mainz play Leverkusen, 16 euros to stand on a massive kop that will be packed to the rafters by fans who have direct involvement in their club, its like football used to be here at that level.

Thanks CRH.

Can anyone who had hard copies either get them back to me on Saturday or mail them to me at garyhtsatravel@yahoo.co.uk. Your help is much appreciated.

CRH Yeltz wrote:Good choice of University, I did my degree there

I'd sooner watch the Bundesliga and will be this coming weekend when I go to see Mainz play Leverkusen, 16 euros to stand on a massive kop that will be packed to the rafters by fans who have direct involvement in their club, its like football used to be here at that level.

I believe the Budesliga is an outstanding model for how the game should be managed. I would be more than happy to give Mainz 16 Euros, rather than Jim Rushe or his ilk a penny, to watch a game.