Forget the Turkey Part 2

By: Todd Bontoft
Date: 18/12/2000

Obviously, the fact that the club has taken the opportunity to maximise its revenue by appealing to loyal supporters to part with some hard-earned cash can only be welcomed. All football clubs do it these days don't they?

But one thing is for sure, none of my offspring dare think about asking their parents for a Moan Utd replica shirt but equally they know anything from the club shop will be given serious consideration! Although important, the income generated through merchandising by the vast majority of clubs is a very small slice of the Christmas pudding compared to the likes of Liverpool and Moan Utd.

There is nothing that annoys me more than walking around Grimsby, Lincoln, Hull or any other town or city only to see the sight of a fully grown male wearing the shirt not of his home town club but that of Leeds, Moan Utd, or one of the others. I know the population of Britain is much more transient than ever before but not on a scale to explain the phenomena. Perhaps a better explanation is the industrial revolution when vast swathes of the populous came from the country to the industrial towns in search of employment. There are certainly a few villages short of the odd idiot and unfortunately Grimsby has its share.

'Genuine fans' at clubs such as Grimsby Town, Stockport County, and Port Vale buy merchandise, no one else. They are fans that are likely to have a close affinity to the club, attend the games and in the final analysis will always follow their club in whatever division they find themselves.

Most of the merchandise sold by the large successful clubs is vacuumed-up by the marketing director's dream - teenagers. Ruthlessly targeted and very aware of peer pressure, they are easily swayed by media hype that bombards them with images from every conceivable angle. Try getting your teenager into a pair of perfectly good trainers without a well-known sports brand name sown into its uppers by a four-year-old in Indonesia! But they and their parents are unwittingly falling into the trap of perpetuating football's elite. They fill their stockings based upon the media hype that Arsenal is 'best' or Leeds Untidy is 'brill'. Never once pausing for a second to contemplate that Stockport could be the 'best' if local kids bought shirts and sports bags from County instead of one of those replica shirts from a sports chain-store or Mum's catalogue.

Still it's the season of goodwill, so if they want to waste their money on overpriced goods then let them. At least I know that any profit I spend in the club shop goes with my good wishes to support the club I love. That does not mean I want to be taken for a ride, but in all fairness this is not something you can accuse Grimsby Town. Quality goods at a fair price! Just in case the cynic in you is starting to smell a rotten kipper - No, I'm not on commission.

But while we are all tucking into our Christmas Pudding, spare a thought for parents up and down the land who have stretched their finances to the limit - and beyond - getting the little blighters full stockings for Christmas morn.

Whatever your faith - have a good festive season and respect others (even Moan Utd!)

Roll-on Boxing Day!

Now where was I?

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