NFFC Fans Survey

Back in January we drew your attention to an evening we held at the Cross Keys pub in Nottingham. The intention primarily was an introduction to the prospect of safe standing in English football and the possibility of it being installed at NFFC. Another strand of this night was to hear what a collection of fans in attendance felt could help improve things in the stands; notably atmosphere but also just generally.

We all invest so much of ourselves into following Forest that quite possibly sometimes we don’t do enough to try and enjoy it. Some of the games towards the end of this season are notable examples of us doing just that. Up at Boro and at home to Ipswich in particular. The fans kept up the support and had a good laugh in the process. This isn’t to say every game we should all be turning a blind eye to failings on the pitch but I’d imagine the majority of those at the Riverside came away feeling a little better than if we’d stood in silence for ninety minutes. For the Ipswich game maybe it did have a say in us winning that game. Admittedly what we see on the pitch is pivotal but it isn’t necessarily the only factor.

At around the same time as the night at the Cross Keys we asked subscribers to our newsletter to complete a mini-survey focussed on the importance they place on atmosphere and their ideas on this subject. We did give a little bit of feedback to the responses but felt that it was better served as a pre-cursor to a larger questionnaire that incorporated a more substantial proportion of the fanbase. Using the results from the initial set of questions we have now put this in place and would really appreciate your time to complete it. The questions will ask for your views on a number of areas relating to atmosphere at NFFC and also enquire as to what you would like to see from FG specifically. Our role isn’t to represent the fanbase but it is to try and serve it wherever we can so please have your say (nicely, if you don’t mind!). For those who returned answers previously you may find yourself repeating yourself a couple of times but please stick with it.

Over the summer we’d like to gauge some thoughts and also publish a couple of opinion pieces – what you are reading now is very much Part 1 of a few pieces that we’ll tie together. It will hopefully make for some interesting reading for those of you interested in our campaign and the atmosphere at Forest. We would also very much like for some of these ideas and suggestions to become part of what we try and do. We are of course conscious that no matter how many complete the survey it will only represent a small slice of the entire NFFC fanbase and nor is it likely to bring about dramatic changes. But, nevertheless, the intentions of this are wholly positive and we really want to hear your thoughts to try and make some small difference.

While individual responses will be kept private the overall end results will be transparent and available to see somewhere down the line in a concluding piece to this small series. We all have different opinions but it was interesting to see how much common ground and shared ideas there was previously.

Why are we doing this?

We fully understand that a lot of people want to turn up at a game and not be bothered with any of this fuss. They can sit / stand and sing as and when they like. We certainly aren’t suggesting otherwise. Yet there is clearly an interest, a passion of sorts for this subject. This isn’t about becoming some organised and uniform army but it is about injecting about an ounce of forward thinking.

The terraces are not what they were. Football has become more and more gentrified and the loss of standing; the rise of ticket prices and numerous other factors have eradicated a large part of the passion. There is also some level of hypocrisy from a proportion of English football fans. We marvel at the culture and the noise fans overseas create but mock attempts to recreate it at home. I don’t think a direct replica of fans on the continent is necessarily the right way but we need to realise that fans abroad have taken charge of what happens in the stands while the noise and the spirit of English football disappears down the toilet. A proper English atmosphere can be amongst the greatest in the world but it’s been sapped out of most grounds. And we need to avoid standing around longing for a return to how it was.

At Forest specifically there is another reason a group like has us has emerged. It is, I think, because we have rediscovered the strength of being a community club. The more we see ourselves as one fanbase rather than individual supporters the better. You don’t need to get involved with FG, you don’t need to sign up to the Trust or read Bandy & Shinty but these initiatives offer ways of becoming a collective, allowing fellow fans to find common ground with each other. With time and a bit of success on the field I am excited about where this club and its fans could be in a few years’ time.

The survey is below. There are a number of multiple choice questions alongside some which require a written response. We would appreciate you taking a few moments to complete it. If you’d like to add any further comments then please write to us at [email protected]. At the conclusion of the survey you will be asked to enter your name and e-mail address which we would encourage you to submit but this is entirely optional and you are free to remain anonymous if you so wish.

The closing date for returns is Friday 15th June 2018.