Leave it Leavers: A Rant about City Fans who Leave Early
27 Sep
On the 13th May 2012, Manchester City scored two very late goals to secure their first league title since 1968. But not everybody who took their seat inside the Etihad just over ninety minutes before bore witness to this now iconic five minutes of football. Because, stupidly, they had left the stadium.
These were probably the same fans who sat glum-faced on the Tube back in ’99, cursing Carl Asaba as Paul Dickov stabbed one past his best man and sent one half of Wembley into raptures. Or the ones who ducked out of White Hart Lane at half time in ’04, only to miss one of Jesus’s most recent miracles, the power of the Lord channelled into the forehead of Jon Macken.
In short, good stuff happens at the end of football matches. Moments that decide outcomes of whole seasons often come right at the end of games, and yet there are hordes of fans who insist on leaving games early. When Laurent Koscielny crashed home Arsenal’s equaliser on Sunday afternoon, the reaction from the City fans was, as to be expected, a little muted. But there was no follow up roar of encouragement, nobody bothering to point out that in a game full of chances, there were still eight minutes (plus stoppages) to create and convert one more.
As home supporters and Champions of England(™), this is unacceptable. Yes, Arsenal’s celebrations were a little excessive. Indeed, the carnival they enjoyed at the full time whistle was not too dissimilar to the Madness at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea won the league last December.* But the very nature of the home/away divide demands a response from whichever side is on the ropes. Yesterday, that was City. But the response didn’t come. Not even an overhead kick from a man with a giant forehead could prevent the traffic beaters, quick pinters and don’t-like-the-rainers from making an early dash for home.
Now this may not prove too popular an opinion, but such an exodus would not be seen at Trafford Park. The stadium was swiftly vacated during a derby match (apparently) last season, but that was an extreme example of abject public humiliation, a humiliation that would test the resolve of even the hardiest of City ultras. Put them in our shoes, however, with the score at 1-1 with eight minutes remaining, every one of those BEL19VE t-shirt wearing morons inside that ground would have stayed and willed their side on. Over there, they expect to score again. And because they expect it, they do it.
City were below par on Sunday, and were perhaps fortunate to escape with a point. But no football fan cares about how ‘deserved’ a win is. They just want to see one. The players may not have been at their best, but deserved much more backing from a home crowd they’ve shielded from defeat since December 2010. It’s no good wearing a #TOGETHER wristband if you’re halfway down Grey Mare Lane when the fourth official lights his board up.
So next time you feel the twitch when the clock ticks to eighty, think about Paul, Jon, Edin and Sergio. Not quite the Fab Four, but proof enough that you might see something special if you stay to the whistle.
*won a home match against Manchester City.
This is a guest post by Casey O’Brien, in his own words an “over-ambitious student with delusions of literary talent. Cried at Wembley in ’99 because my dad did; repeated 12 years later. No face tattoos or dogs named after ex players, but fiercely loyal to MCFC.”
Erm, no. United fans regularly go into fire drill mode even when they’re winning. It’s a constant source of complaint on their message boards (along with their atmosphere). We’re no better or worse than most clubs for early leavers. But I agree, I absolutely hate it and the other night was telling people after 90 minutes “It’s extra time, no a replay!” and some said “I know” as they continued to leave. Was getting late in fairness and some had kids.
they (often drivers who want to avoid queues) leave early at OT. they leave early at every ground. very frustrating i know, but it’s not just a city thing
Agree 100%.
I sit on the end of an Aisle and it feels like they all push past me!!
You are a supporter Its YOUR job to support your team.
I stayed on Tuesday night till the end and applauded MY team off, they had been poor in my opinion but you still have to show your appreciation for teams effort.
The clue is the name SUPPORTER be one.
Well I wouldn’t have applauded them off that’s for sure, I was pretty dismayed by the lacklustre performance.
It doesn’t do to judge people too swiftly when you don’t know the circumstances. We sit in the family stand and it’s a late night for kids. Many left early for that reason and after all, they pays for the ticket and it’s their call!
I left at half time of extra time when their 4th went in. The last time I left early was probably 47 years ago when I was 16!
You see, I live in the West Highlands of Scotland and usually work during the week in Mid Wales, so I only come to a mid week game when I’m in Mid Wales and then I have a 5 hour round trip. Extra time may suit some but not me and when we play like we did against Villa it’s about as welcome as a fart in a diving suit. I don’t get to bed until well after midnight when it’s a 90 min game and as I get up at 6 am for work I could see no point in extending my suffering for another 15 minutes, instead I avoided the traffic, it was much better use of my time!
We do not lack commitment, we often travel 6 hours from the West Highlands to use our season tickets for PL games and when we can’t we give them to friends or family to ensure the seats are never empty.
It drives me insane, there’s a family who sit in front of us and they leave 4mins early almost every match (I think the ‘early leavers’ on may 13th are media bullshit, no-one near us left that day). When we asked the afore mentioned early darters they said that the extra 4 mins saves them nearly an hour getting home. I often wonder what the players think when up to half the seats are empty as they troop off…… I stay till the end (last people on our row ontuesday) every game, just wish more would do the same……..
As the home game against Trafford borough last season finished, no-one left early and the communal sing-song for the locked inntrafford massive was one of my highlights of the season.
I agree but sometimes you have to leave early. I was travelling back to the Falklands and had to hand a hired car in to a depot in London. Final game of the season against Middlesbrough. Did not see Fowler miss a penalty that would have taken us into Europe. I knew I would have to leave early but I had to go to see City.
That is the most valid excuse for leaving a football match early I have ever seen. I apologise on behalf of all Blues who may have tutted at you as you walked out.
I also realise that response reads quite sarcastically, but it really isn’t intended to!
It really annoys me the amount of fans that pay good money to watch a match then, on 82 mins, they “have to go.”
I went v Villa and stayed to the end. Bee at work all day, left at 4, took me 3 hous 10 mins to get to the Etihad. I live in mid Wales and got home at 1am.
What ever is happening on and off the pitch, I will never leave early.
I’ve only ever left early once that I can recall, against Tottenham, I missed Terry Phelan’s wonder goal and a big boot off, the final whistle ended up getting blown about an hour after I’d left, never left early since.