A Wasp On Your Side (1 Viewer)

Hi everyone,

I am a "London" Wasps fan from High Wycombe, where the rugby team obviously used to play before relocating to Coventry. I used to go to the rugby matches every week, because it was local, high quality and great entertainment. Wasps weren't doing very well on the field, but that didn't really bother me because I was supporting the team I loved and could easily see every game. Regardless of your opinions about rugby, there was nothing wrong with that. I loved it. At the same time, I am also a season ticket holder on the terrace at Adams Park for Wycombe Wanderers, so I can appreciate both games, and see both sports for their positives and negatives. I love each sport equally.

I acutely know about all about the anger amongst Coventry City fans about the move, partly from this forum and partly from Coventry fan mates I have. I'm not going to come on here to condescendingly talk to you like children. Instead, I actually agree with all of your frustration. I would be incredibly p*ssed off if a team from another sport bought the stadium and training ground off Wycombe, and then belittled us constantly, and created a host of other issues. WWFC had lots of problems with Wasps' tenancy, and many football fans were very pleased when Wasps left. But that was nothing in comparison to what is happening to your great club.

Wasps moved for money. They sold their soul to businessmen and corporate types. It annoyed me hugely that my team had moved 90 miles away into a soulless new stadium in a city with no connection to them. Yes, we have experienced a huge upturn in form on the field and are now one of the best teams in Europe. Yes, we are now mega-rich. And yes, we have managed to attract some new fans from the Midlands. As Borat would say, it has been a "Great Success", both financially and sportingly. But to me, it hasn't.

They've alienated fans from their traditional home in the London area. I've only been to 3 matches at the Ricoh in a year and a half. And I don't enjoy our success as much as I used to, because we're just buying the best players in the world in order to dominate the game. Galacticos if you like. Wasps fans used to always complain about the bigger rugby teams spending massively on international stars. Now, we're the worst culprits. The hypocrisy is astounding. It is essentially buying success with the new money, and I don't feel comfortable or satisfied with that. At the same time, we're destroying a historic football team who had been in the city for 130 years. It doesn't sit well with me at all.

I will still support Wasps because I always have done, and I have many great friends who support Wasps. They are my team, I want them to win, and I know they aren't moving out any time soon. But they are now a distant soulless team attempting to buy victory, at the expense of another great sporting institution. And when CCFC fans complain, the superior attitude of many rugby fans is displayed, failing to understand your situation, and making the irrelevant point that football is a thug's game full of uneducated idiots. That is a part of rugby that I hate. Both sets of fans should try to understand/respect the other sport for what it is. Not dismiss it out of hand.

Personally, I disagree with many of the comments about Haskell on this forum. He is a great guy IMO, and doesn't deserve the treatment he gets. I also disagree with your general hatred of rugby as a sport too. It just seems like blind tribalism on both sides of the fence. But overall, I definitely sympathise greatly with CCFC. I wish there was an easy way to sort the mess out, beneficial to both teams. I just wanted you to realise that many of us Wasps fans can see your plight.
 

skybluejelly

Well-Known Member
The only thing I don't agree with ..is wasps being mega rich ... They were in debt when they took over and now have even more debt ..sooner or later it has to be paid back ... Just because I have a £50,000 limit on my credit card does not mean I have £50,000 wasps remind me of Leeds Utd and there champions league year
 

Liquid Gold

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the articulate reasonable post. I'm one who you could target as being particularly vitriolic and angry about wasps presence in Coventry. It's nice to hear from a Wasps fan who understands our plight. I hope you manage to find a stadium back in London some time that can help you progress (Us then owning the Ricoh would be an added bonus of course). I have no particular dislike for Wasps fans, it's just frustrating for us as CCFC fans because we have useless owners and a hostile council that seem to prefer you in the city than the football club who've been here for over a hundred years and we see no way to improve the fortunes of our club.
 

Covstu

Well-Known Member
Good OP. I have no love for Rugby as a sport but try not to direspect others who do but sadly it doesn't work both ways and you always get a minority I guess. Moving the club away is the worse thing you can do I.e. Wasps and Wimbledon and us temporarily.

The Wasps introduction has put a dislike of Rugby to a hatred which is slightly unfair to the loyal fans which have been treated unfairly but equally the disregard to our club and the local Rugby club equally.
 

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
The Wasps introduction has put a dislike of Rugby to a hatred which is slightly unfair to the loyal fans which have been treated unfairly but equally the disregard to our club and the local Rugby club equally.
I think a lot of people were put out by the way they behaved when they first got here. They made a lot of noise about having been in our position and being understanding landlord but didn't act like it.

Kicking us out of the dressing room the day after they had said at a trust meeting they knew nothing about any plans to do that, plastering the tunnel with Wasps stuff, renaming things, crest twice the size of hours.

All little things but very noticeable.
 

duffer

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone,

I am a "London" Wasps fan from High Wycombe, where the rugby team obviously used to play before relocating to Coventry. I used to go to the rugby matches every week, because it was local, high quality and great entertainment. Wasps weren't doing very well on the field, but that didn't really bother me because I was supporting the team I loved and could easily see every game. Regardless of your opinions about rugby, there was nothing wrong with that. I loved it. At the same time, I am also a season ticket holder on the terrace at Adams Park for Wycombe Wanderers, so I can appreciate both games, and see both sports for their positives and negatives. I love each sport equally.

I acutely know about all about the anger amongst Coventry City fans about the move, partly from this forum and partly from Coventry fan mates I have. I'm not going to come on here to condescendingly talk to you like children. Instead, I actually agree with all of your frustration. I would be incredibly p*ssed off if a team from another sport bought the stadium and training ground off Wycombe, and then belittled us constantly, and created a host of other issues. WWFC had lots of problems with Wasps' tenancy, and many football fans were very pleased when Wasps left. But that was nothing in comparison to what is happening to your great club.

Wasps moved for money. They sold their soul to businessmen and corporate types. It annoyed me hugely that my team had moved 90 miles away into a soulless new stadium in a city with no connection to them. Yes, we have experienced a huge upturn in form on the field and are now one of the best teams in Europe. Yes, we are now mega-rich. And yes, we have managed to attract some new fans from the Midlands. As Borat would say, it has been a "Great Success", both financially and sportingly. But to me, it hasn't.

They've alienated fans from their traditional home in the London area. I've only been to 3 matches at the Ricoh in a year and a half. And I don't enjoy our success as much as I used to, because we're just buying the best players in the world in order to dominate the game. Galacticos if you like. Wasps fans used to always complain about the bigger rugby teams spending massively on international stars. Now, we're the worst culprits. The hypocrisy is astounding. It is essentially buying success with the new money, and I don't feel comfortable or satisfied with that. At the same time, we're destroying a historic football team who had been in the city for 130 years. It doesn't sit well with me at all.

I will still support Wasps because I always have done, and I have many great friends who support Wasps. They are my team, I want them to win, and I know they aren't moving out any time soon. But they are now a distant soulless team attempting to buy victory, at the expense of another great sporting institution. And when CCFC fans complain, the superior attitude of many rugby fans is displayed, failing to understand your situation, and making the irrelevant point that football is a thug's game full of uneducated idiots. That is a part of rugby that I hate. Both sets of fans should try to understand/respect the other sport for what it is. Not dismiss it out of hand.

Personally, I disagree with many of the comments about Haskell on this forum. He is a great guy IMO, and doesn't deserve the treatment he gets. I also disagree with your general hatred of rugby as a sport too. It just seems like blind tribalism on both sides of the fence. But overall, I definitely sympathise greatly with CCFC. I wish there was an easy way to sort the mess out, beneficial to both teams. I just wanted you to realise that many of us Wasps fans can see your plight.

I can't really think of a single thing here I'd disagree with. I'm tremendously sorry for all of the loyal fans that Wasps left behind, and I'm amazed that the RFU simply waved it through. My personal opinion is that both association and union codes have governing bodies that are barely worthy of the name, and that allowing teams to 'franchise' is a very, very slippery slope.

As for the tribal hatred of rugby, I wouldn't let that worry you too much. There are plenty here who manage to like both forms of the game, and I think there are even a few odd people who like league. :) I think it's like someone's taste in music; it's basically impossible to make a rational argument that someone is 'wrong' because they like something different to you.

I can't say that I wish Wasps every success, because I don't, at least whilst they're here. But I don't hate their fans, either the ones they've left behind or the ones that come now - it's not personal. Ditto Wasps' players and coaches, it's not their fault. I have serious doubts about the veracity of the Haskell story, simply because we've been here before with some of our own players.

The only thing I don't understand in any of this why any CCFC fan would pay money to support Wasps, that does leave me confused.

Anyway, thanks for coming on board and sharing your opinion - it's certainly interesting to hear from someone on the other side of the fence as it were.
 
Last edited:

Nick

Administrator
Although I don't like the situation it is safe to say there are no hard feelings towards Wasps fans, both those who can travel and those who can't make it or don't go any more.

As Duffer has said, I can't see how people who were so anti franchising now are suddenly strongly behind Wasps. I think it is some way of showing they are against our owners.

I think with the Haskell story, yes people have said things but you will see most are asking for what actually happened to try and judge what went on. While I would love for him to be hammered in the press to make Wasps look bad, I don't think he would have walked out and started shouting at disabled people.

It is nice to have a Wasps fan come on here who isn't just trying to WUM, or give it the "I am a Coventry City Fan, you must support wasps" line.
 

skyblue1991

Well-Known Member
Fantastic post, and nice to see a Wasp fan on our side, although I am sure there are plenty.

Completely feel sorry for genuine Wasps fans in the London/High Wycombe area and something I don't like to see.

Wasps, CCC and all new 'fans' of the team can go and screw themselves.
 

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