John Bartlett: 250th member of Tigers Together

John Bartlett lived all over Great Britain.

At 62, Portsmouth is where he’s settled, at least for now.

John went to Leicester University in the 80s and his father – Graham – is a Leicester and Tigers man through and through.

While at Uni John attended Tigers games but life got in the way; moved into a fair and it was not possible to reach Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

But even though he couldn’t be there on the day of the game, like his father before him, he remained a Tigers fan.

From afar, he claimed, and – suddenly – 38 years passed before John returned to Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

In 2018, John’s father Graham died.

Just a few years later, after being locked out during the pandemic, John was one of those tragic Tigers who couldn’t stay away.

After being denied a chance to be part of the matchday crowd, he realized he needed to come back more often.

He started making the journey to Leicester from Portsmouth for the occasional game.

Three hours in the car is a commitment to his team.

These days, he attends matches with his daughter Chloe and two-year-old granddaughter Willow.

Distance plays a part in not being able to commit to a season ticket, but over the summer John realized he had another way – from a distance – to show his support through Tigers membership Together.

When he signed up, unbeknownst to John, he became Tigers Together’s 250th member when he signed up for a Platinum membership.

After learning that he was the boundary man that Tigers Together was for him.

“Anything we can do as a family to help the future of our beloved Leicester Tigers as a club appeals to us,” he said.

“Platinum benefits suit us well as a remote supporter who likes a bit of hospitality when we come to games. Chloe and I especially like the idea of ​​being able to directly support both the men’s and women’s teams on the field.

“I am deeply aware of the difficult times that rugby has gone through, especially post-Covid. When I became aware of the Tigers Together scheme, I thought this was the perfect way for my family to help us do our part from afar.”

Find out more about Tigers Together – including information on which membership is best for you – via the link below.