In a time where social media is a portal used by all and sundry, gone are the days of being completely immersed by a football match, replaced by people hunting an opportunity for a picture or a video to share with the world… but not everywhere.
Some clubs have a hugely fanatical following due to either history or current form, some clubs following is not so raw, with marketing and stature the reason most of their fans don the shirt, but some clubs, no matter what the circumstances, have unrivalled passion and loyalty from fans, people that live and breath their club and hold everything about it as close as possible to their hearts.
Here I take a look at the difference between two of the best supported clubs in English football, through only one photograph, from one moment, in one game and look at the total and utter opposites in terms of immersion into a game of football.
Leeds United lost out to Derby County in last seasons Championship play-offs at Elland Road, but this photo of celebrations following a Stuart Dallas goal show exactly where the supporters attentions laid… not a single phone in sight, limbs only.
When you compare this to the picture of Marcus Rashford scoring against Chelsea yesterday at Old Trafford, there is quite the change in how fans react… more cameras than eyes on the action.
Now obviously this is a totally objective and opinion based matter, with absolutely no reckoning on how much one fan cares for their club more than any other, but the contrast between the two pictures in unarguable.
I only chose these sets of fans due to the rivalry and availability of two perfectly contrasting pictures, not for one second am I claiming that one set of fans is better than other, but some fans may have been conditioned along a long and successful period.
I’ll let you make your own minds up.
