Morning from a sunny Essex!

There is a lot of talk about how “few” people were at Manchester City’s parade. This has raised the question as to why so many fans care.

We see similar comments made about sides attendances, or if they struggle to sell out Wembley. The “banter” usually comes from the same sources – “troll” and “funny” Twitter accounts and opposing fans. I do not see the fascination with this sort of stuff.

To start with, why does it matter? I do not care how many other Arsenal are in Wembley, or at at a parade, or anything really. As long as I am there, with my mates that I go home and away with. Nothing else matters.

The comments thrown at clubs are always from fans of opposing teams. And very often from fans who themselves do not go to watch their own side in the ground and would have to get a flight to go to a victory parade

The current era, driving by social media, has led fans to spend more energy “bantering” and “mocking” opponents rather than supporting your own team and celebrating your own achievements.

Take Monday when Manchester City had their parade. Anyone that posted pictures of the event had loads of replies from Manchester United fans taking the piss. This was two days after Man U won’t the FA Cup.

Instead of being out with their mates celebrating a cup win over a bank holiday weekend, Man U fans were online trying to score points over Man City about something that does not matter.

From Premier League to non-League, there are hundreds of clubs in this country all different sizes. How many others support your club is not important. You supporting your club is what is important.

Football is an escape for many of us from a hard working week. It is a chance to turn the brain off over a weekend. Pickle it with alcohol. Meet friends and unwind. I can only conclude that if you spend copious amounts on social media mocking a rival, than you don’t really have mates to celebrate the good times with.

And I not talking about those of us that do the occasional piss taking. We all do it. I am talking about those who spend more time talking about a rival in comparison to backing their own team

As for the above mentioned troll and banter accounts, I always find them cringey, just like I do TalkSport and PaddyPower.

They have created this new breed of fan that are driven by hits, likes and impressions. Taking the piss out of Manchester City or Arsenal gets more attention than posting something supportive.

I hate when someone posts something from one of those sources in our WhatasApp group. It is usually combined with 😂😂😂.

Their content is not funny, and you know in 24 hours these accounts will be posting similar stuff disparaging the club you support. Why support an account that will happily also mock your team for money?

For Manchester City specifically, I always laugh at the irony.

On one hand you see a fan saying “where were you when you were shit” then on the other the same fans are mocking them for empty seats, or millions not being at a parade.

Do you think anyone who was going to Maine Road in the 3rd tier of English football really cares that they don’t have a huge fanbase whilst they celebrate 4 league titles in a row?

They will know Manchester City have never been a huge team. That they are Manchester’s 2nd team. Just like Everton in Liverpool. Celtic in Glasgow. And United in Sheffield.

Domestic fan bases do not really grow dramatically, even with success. Yes, you end up with a few more hangers on and two club merchants, but most English fans support the club of their father and that does not change.

City will have the same core group of families that were there in the 3rd tier as they do now. Just like we would have the same core group of fans if we got relegated.

The majority of clubs “growth” when successful is from abroad. And it is these fans that often jump on the banter bandwagon.

The proof of all of this is Chelsea. Despite all their success you still feel Stamford Bridge is the right size to accommodate their English based fans

At our last parade, me and my mates were accused of being Spurs fans.

None of us were in colours, and we were all fairly quiet. This is because we were hungover having been to the game a day before, got no sleep, drank straight through and only been home for a change of underwear. Those making the accusation looked like they had only just gone to the club shop.

I ended up missing the bus going past as I was grabbing a round of beers. I did not care. As what mattered is I was with my mates, who I was with the day before, enjoying the sunshine.

I would rather be surrounded by 40,000 lads and lasses who will stick with us through thick and thin rather than 40,000 of fans like me, and then 20,000 hangers on.

Yes, I get that this could read like “old man shouts at clouds”, but I really don’t care. All I care about is going to games with my mates. Having a beer with my mates. I will still be there if we get relegated to the conference and are playing in front of 1500 people. Those that love the banter content will probably find another team to support.

Keenos