Despite England's Aggressive Cricket's Downfall, the Barmy Army's Band of Ashes Veterans Is Unmoved.

Take heart, fan. England's team may be heading into the next Ashes Test now 2-0 down, however not all in English cricket is deterred. There is one group ideally equipped for these circumstances, a dedicated unit who can lay claim to be the ultimate masters of adversity. Have your dreams been shattered? Are you crushed beneath the pressure of crushing defeat? Then it's time, enlist with the Barmy Army.

Pioneers Move In on an Historic Location

As we speak, their early arrivals are descending upon Adelaide, the city where they first came together 30 years ago. England's most famous – and for their size most vocal – travelling fans will be dreaming of an celebratory against-all-odds victory, like the one they saw on that historic tour. Furthermore no matter the outcome on the pitch, away from the field the parties will be protracted and hearty.

"The cricket's been incredibly disappointing," a veteran states, "yet we're the lucky ones, because we're on holiday. It's perhaps harder for the people at home."

Despite a dramatic batting collapse can't shake this group of seasoned campaigners. They've been watching England's top-order failures since earlier than a new generation started playing. They've seen more fielding errors than key pacemen have international dismissals. Their touring history as an Ashes supporters' club reads: played 37, lost 27, won 6. Those who knows how to weather a whitewash, they are the founding members.

A Ubiquitous Force In Coverage

Indeed, for viewers at home, the Barmy Army do seem to be ubiquitous in this contest. Australian cameras at the grounds sometimes appear keener to feature the Barmies than on their own fans. Sports networks frequently use them as banter-primed lead-in to a day's play. Remarkably the athletes on the field acknowledge them, as a supporter portraying a royal figure leading a rendition of a patriotic song.

From Fans to Establishment

It's possible that the Barmy Army's mix of history and ubiquity has now masked quite how extraordinary their takeover of away support has been. Thirty years in the past a small group backpackers were drawn together in good-natured humour about failure at England's poor away record. Today their reputation is so synonymous with the England cricket that their vibrant, "unconventional" crowd is all but part of the furniture. They've certainly come a far since the initial chants.

One founding member can picture the buoyant hope of the series start of that formative tour. After the hosts making a strong start, he started a modest conga in the stands, provoking the Australian supporters with a tune about the past. "Local crowds jeered at us, then threw rubbish – the kind of thing that we occasionally encounter today," he recalls. "But when we got back our little group of England followers had all participated."

Earning Respect From Players

Following a loss, England's tour continued to struggle. Any supporter backing the team around the country was considered truly dedicated. As the tour reached the bigger venues their crowd had increased substantially. Those on the field, however, genuinely enjoyed their support at the grounds. When England pulled off a notable triumph, a team captain invited a supporter up to the team balcony to lead the revelry. That bond persists.

An Evolving Operation

Additionally, the significant volume the Barmy Army can attract are as valuable to the sport as they are to international stadiums. For this series alone, their organised trips will accommodate thousands of supporters. A variety of activities are organised for the significant birthday.

This is, after all, an organisation born of cricketing passion and business acumen. The explanation they trace their origin to a particular match is because that was when they started producing merchandise. The limited early stock was so immediately successful – and lucrative – that it began a lasting enterprise. From that point, the driving forces have helped turn a pub-based supporters into an major travel company.

Modern Considerations

That creates its own challenges, notably at a time when sport is looking to shed some of its boisterous image. The Barmy Army's leadership are keen to point out that a significant portion of their supporters on tour are now female. As times have changed, the chants have had to get less offensive, too. "Comments that were acceptable 30 years ago you cannot utter today, and that's as it should be," says a director. "We can't tell someone how to behave individually, but we won't support songs that are derogatory."

{A Quieter Future?

Will the Barmy Army mellow naturally? The average supporter age is now nearing the late 40s – mirroring the pioneers, who have been pleased to step away from the daily operation. One founder is enjoying this tour purely as a fan – leaving a fresh team to manage the Barmy Army's digital presence. "It's easy to overlook how hard it used to be to communicate with each other," he laughs. "Our method was all by word of mouth – 'everyone's going to the pub!'"

Regarding the current contest, the impossible dream of a historic comeback still lingers, which is very mid-90s indeed. Should England do lose in Adelaide … well, the next tour is always an option.