Just to interject, but, what difference does it make how long he's "been a fan" for? Would it somehow invalidate the sentiment? What he's said is exactly right. They wanted to leave, just the same as the other so-called mercenaries/traitors, and yet some let them off the hook, so to speak. Hypocritical, at best.
Oh, and I've "been a fan" since I was five (way back in 1987), in case you'd like to pose the same query to me.