STEVE'S BLOG 5- The Musings Of A Grumpy Old Prop.

Reproduced with the permission of the Cornish Pirates June 6th 2009

Steve's Blog will be a feature of the new Pirates website (coming soon), but for now everyone will have chance to read & join in here

As the Cornish Pirates prepare to do battle in the newly formed Championship next season they will need the crowds to get behind them more than ever before.

By reducing the League down to twelve clubs, any easy fixtures have disappeared and every match and every point will have to be fought for tooth and nail.

Having attended every away match - bar one - last season and about half a dozen at Camborne, one thing is very noticeable. Despite much smaller numbers, the away supporters (some of whom don't even come from Cornwall) are far noisier and more prepared to get behind the players and try to lift them even when things are going badly out on the pitch.

So come on what are you all going to do about it?

It seems people follow rugby teams for different reasons and in this I have divided them into five different categories.

Don't get me wrong the Pirates need them all and everyone has other competing interests (work, family, other sports etc) and not everyone can afford to travel hundreds of miles to an away match. So into which category do think you fall at present?

The first category is the "Spectator".

Typically he or she has a solid understanding of rugby and essentially pays to be entertained and see a good game. It is a pleasant way of spending a Sunday afternoon especially if the weather is nice but the result probably doesn't matter overly much.

There is nothing wrong in that - when I go to watch the Saracens (my local team) that is precisely what I am and I am sure the Sarries are delighted to have my money several times a season. The Pirates also need such people desperately and it is incumbent on the Club to provide as good facilities as it can and to play attractive rugby if they want these peoples continued patronage.

The second category is the "Fan".

These folks are often more recent devotees and shout loudly, buy the shirts, have their say on the websites and are hugely enthusiastic - provided that the team keeps winning. When things go awry, they are often the first to become disillusioned, blame the coaches, referee, weather etc etc. They can then quickly turn into caustic critics before melting away if things continue to go against them. The England team has thousands of them!

The third category is the hardcore "Supporter".

These true rugby people are longer term followers of the game and have experienced the ups and downs of the sport many times before. They will be more able to understand the difficulties of a new or younger player, that referees get most things right and that form and fortune fluctuate.

They are often season ticket holders and will be back next week without fail even if the team was pretty awful the previous Sunday. They will shout for the Pirates - perhaps not quite as loudly as the fan - but will appreciate that sometimes the best players are actually in the opposing team.

The fourth is the "Stalwart".

These hardy souls, have followed the team through thick and thin, will turn out in all weathers and travel as much as they can afford. Furthermore they are prepared to put themselves out for the Club, will sit on committees, sell raffle tickets, attend or even organise club functions and can generally be relied upon whatever may befall.

And finally there are the "Diamonds" -

Those often unsung people who uncomplainingly do massive amounts of work behind the scenes. Every rugby club (especially at the lower ends of the scale) has always relied on these true 'saints'.

They not only serve behind the bar but will clean up afterwards, lay out pitches, make teas, address envelopes, paint dressing rooms - all just for the love of the club which forms a major part of their lives. In the case of the Pirates some of these tasks are of course done by paid staff - but these in turn by definition cost money.

With the launch of its fundraising scheme, the Club are looking for more financial input from their followers and we must all do what we feel we can.

It might however also be worth taking a moment just to think about where YOU stand in relation to the Pirates in 2009 and what more you could do to help realise its ultimate dream.