by Tom Spruce
What does it mean to be a “real” football fan?
Are there imaginary lines that get drawn in relation to how many matches you've been to or how long you've supported the club? Or is historical club knowledge more important to prove your commitment?
Maybe it's the shirt in your wardrobe, the scarf around your neck or the programme from that unforgettable cup final sitting safely on your shelf.
Because fandom isn't just something we feel, it's something we express. And what we choose to own can become part of that expression.
Because being a fan is often part of our identity, not simply something we enjoy. Anyone can say they support a football club. But being a fan feels more tribal, like we’re part of something bigger, a collective.
We wear the colours, sing the songs, go to matches, decorate our homes and argue about players from twenty years ago as though their careers ended yesterday.
And, of course, we collect.
Research published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience in 2024 found that different levels of fan identity are associated with differences in neural responses to team-related stimuli, including activity linked to emotion, memory and cognitive control.
In other words, the teams we identify with aren't simply abstract logos to us. They can become psychologically meaningful parts of who we are. That's a pretty good reason why owning something connected to your club can feel like more than owning an object.
Yes, in fact, physical objects are one of the simplest ways to turn an internal feeling into something other people can see.
The object becomes a signal. Not necessarily a deliberate one, you don't have to walk into a room thinking, “I'd like everyone to know I'm a massive City fan.”
But the simple nods around the space get other people thinking about how committed to the cause you are. And this is where it gets super interesting.
Research suggests that perceptions of fan authenticity are influenced by how people express their fandom. A 2023 study published in Sport Marketing Quarterly examined how highly Gen Z women sports fans rated fanware as a marker of authenticity among other women fans.
But we don’t need in-depth psychology research papers to confirm this. There are a million sub Reddits dedicated to people’s perception of what makes a “real” fan.
Interestingly, one thread aimed at Premier League fandom hypothesized that:
“If you haven’t been to a game in person and don’t own some items that show you are a fan of the team (shirts, scarves, picture frames, etc.) then you’re not a true fan.”
That doesn't mean owning more merchandise makes someone a better supporter. It certainly doesn't mean a person with the biggest collection is automatically the biggest fan.
But it does confirm that we don't just experience being a fan privately. We interpret other people's fandom, too.
Well, if you listen to the thoughts in the sub Reddits, it’s clear that collecting some items from your club can’t hurt fan status.
But football fandom isn't a competition with a league table for commitment. You don’t move up into the Champions League of fandom because you own 50 shirts rather than five - and this isn't about hoarding a load of old match programmes. But there’s a clear difference between simply liking something and becoming deeply invested in it.
As collectors, we research, remember, hunt and learn more about that particular thing we’re collecting. We notice details other people might miss and the things we acquire become physical markers of that journey.
Maybe it’s better to think about it this way, your collection is a kind of autobiography of your fandom. But why do we do all this stuff?
Because, as we all know, the real pleasure of collecting comes from the pursuit, not the possession.
Ask any collector about their favourite piece, and they may well answer you with a description of the piece directly. But you'll probably also hear the story behind it.
This is why collecting can be described as more than consumption.
A 2024 study of football fan tokens, based on ten focus groups involving 60 consumers, found that fans could use these objects as symbols of allegiance and identity. The researchers described them as “tokens of identity” and explored how collecting and consuming them could form part of a broader form of “serious leisure”.
The interesting part isn't the technology behind those tokens, it's the underlying behaviour. Fans use things to represent belonging. Which is probably why we love collecting physical elements rather than digital ones.
Yes. Because the things we collect give us something to talk about, trade and share.
Walk into a room full of collectors, and you'll quickly discover that the objects are only half the story. The other half of the conversation is more along the line of:
Suddenly, whether you’re with fans, collectors or both, an object becomes a social connector. It gives strangers common ground, creates stories and gifts us all a shared language.
Because scarcity can turn an ordinary expression of fandom into something deeply personal.
We mentioned earlier that there’s no league table for fandom, having more items in your collection doesn’t move you up in stature. Anyone can buy a current replica shirt.
But, having said that, certain pieces do hold greater weight with fans and collectors than others. It’s those old or genuinely scarce pieces that get the blood flowing. We’re talking about the programme from that first final in years, a ticket from a title-winning match or a collectable produced in a strictly limited number.
Rarity isn't necessarily what makes the object emotionally valuable. It's what the rarity represents. Having the piece generally means that you had to know about it previously, understood its importance and invested the time to look for it.
It shows dedication and a genuine love for the thing you’re collecting. So, when you eventually get your hands on it, it means more.
Because they give something intangible a physical form.
Fandom is emotional; it's all about memories, belonging, nostalgia, pride and connection. You can't put those things on a shelf. But you can do display things that represent those things.
The object becomes a bridge between the feeling and the physical world. That's part of what makes collecting so powerful. The best collectables don't simply remind us what we love. They give us something we can hold onto.
You can probably use collecting to show how important your club is to you. Which, in some ways, is an expression of the commitment needed to be seen as a “real” fan.
But there is no certificate for being a supporter and no definitive test. No collection is big enough to settle the argument. However, the things we choose to collect can tell stories about what we care about, what we remember and where we feel we belong.
Because collecting isn't just about ownership. It's about identity, community, and preserving the moments that made us fans in the first place.
Remember what we said about how owning rarer collectables from your club holds more weight than just buying a replica shirt?
Well, we’re delighted to say that ColleXable is now an official Manchester City Licensee. And if, you've read our article explaining that we put football legends on legal tender, you might be guessing as to what's coming next...
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