If you were a businessman, what would you call a consumer who remains loyal for life, buys exorbitant amounts of your product and services, and hardly ever complains no matter how you treat him?

In the business world, that consumer would be a dream come true. But we know him better as a typical football fan.

When football fans sing “City ’til I die” in Premier League grounds each weekend, there must be some football chairman who rub their hands together with glee and inwardly think of its club supporters as suckers. Week in, week out — no matter how poor the team’s results — football fans splash large amounts of cash, pay in advance each summer to buy season tickets, pay to be on waiting lists and queue up for the club’s new football shirts.

And how, for the most part, these fans are mistreated and unappreciated.