"Loyalty:

What is it about the New Zealand sporting public and North Harbour fans in particular?

I know of a number of "die-hard" North Harbour fans that will turn up to a solitary game at Albany Stadium (if they turn up at all), and only then if the opposition is some star studded outfit full of current All Blacks or the game is during the finals of the NPC.

Quite frankly I'd rather these so-called fans didn't put in an appearance at all. Either support your team all day, every day or not at all.

Sure they may feel great telling all and sundry about their loyalty to the "wacky haircuts and miracle balls" that is North Harbour rugby, but at the end of the day the fans that are present through thick and thin are well aware of who turns up each week and who does not. It's all well and good to impress the little ladies at work with your talk of the big games and how much you "love" the team, but can you not feel the mocking glances that are cast your way whenever you declare this "undying allegiance"?

These same "die hard" fans own the jersey (usually bought in an end of season sale just after the new strip has been released so as to spend as little money as possible) and wear it proudly as they cheer for Jonah Lomu as he scores a try for Wellington against Harbour. After all it's all about the "spectacle" isn't it?

Bullshit!

This "spectacle of the game" crap that gets bandied around week after week is all well and good for those fans and commentators that view the game as some sort of entertainment option (alongside going to the movies or a cosy dinner for two at Valentines), but for the fans who truly love their team it is the result that counts. Who cares what the game looks like as long as Harbour score more points than the opposition.

One of the best games I've seen was when North Harbour held out a dozen Taranaki five metre scrums in the last 15 minutes to record a precious victory and remain in the First Division. I'll admit it wasn't pretty, but so what! We won, we stayed in the First Division, and if you are a rugby fan as opposed to an entertainment fan, the game was enthralling.

Another thing I can not understand as hard as I try about these "die hard" fans is that they openly admit to betting against their own team, whether it be at the TAB or in a virtual rugby competition on the net. There are a number of reasons given to justify these decisions, such as it's purely a financial decision or "at least if we lose we can have a drink to celebrate afterwards". Please don't waste my time with this crap! If you want to call yourself a fan support your team 100% or not at all. If you really think buying yourself a drink with money won at North Harbour's expense justifies your decision, you need to take a long hard look at yourself. There are enough other things in this world to bet on that you should either back North Harbour or forget about betting on the game at all.

Similarly if you are that desperate for a lousy 8 air-points why don't you go and buy yourself a can of coke at a Shell service station and use your Fly-Buys card rather than backing North Harbours' opponent in some Virtual NPC competition. All this shows is that your support can be bought for little more than 2 pints of lager and a packet of crisps.

Imagine walking into the Millwall FC supporters club after the game and proclaiming to one and all "don't worry about the loss lads I made a cool tenner on the result by backing the opposition". The odds of you leaving the premises by any means other than by stretcher are rather long, and so they bloody well should be!

One last thing before I get too worked up over this issue is a comment for the fans who come to the game and sit in stony silence and frown disapprovingly at anyone who dears shout a little encouragement to their team (or directs a little piece of harmless banter towards the opposition). If you are going to make the effort and turn up, at least let your team know that you are there to support them and not just to watch the opposition All Blacks on show.

Enough of the silent majority! Sport is supposed to be played and watched with passion and emotion. It's about letting the heart rule the head, not the other way around. Be proud to be a fan whether you win, draw or lose. Believe me you will savour a victory all the more if you have supported your team through the losses and tough times, than if you are just a band-wagon hopping, "johney-come-lately".

We've got one more chance to get it right this season, at home against Southland on October 5th. So let's all get along and chant in a united voice, and for once let the boys in the cardinal, black and white know that they are in fact playing at home, with their loyal fans supporting them all the way to the final whistle"