From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsupportersup‧port‧er /səˈpɔːtə $ -ɔːrtər/ ●●● S3 W2 noun [countable] 1 SUPPORT A PERSON, GROUP, OR PLANsomeone who supports a particular person, group, or plan → fanstrong/firm/staunch supporter one of Bush’s staunchest supporterssupporter of supporters of animal rights legislation2 British EnglishSUPPORT A TEAM OR PLAYER someone who likes a particular sports team, and often goes to watch them play SYN fan Manchester United supportersCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + supporter a strong supporterHe was a strong supporter of co-education.a loyal supporterThe party still has many loyal supporters.a staunch supporter (=a strong and loyal supporter)Even his staunchest supporters acknowledge that he is unlikely to win.an enthusiastic/keen supporterEisenhower had been an enthusiastic supporter of the regime.an ardent/fervent supporter (=very enthusiastic)She is an ardent supporter of the government's proposed tax reforms.an active supporterHe remained an active supporter of Greenpeace.a leading supporterMany of his leading supporters had by now either escaped abroad or been captured.a political supporterHe is one of the governor's key political supporters.Obama/Labour etc supportersMost of the newspaper's readers were Labour supporters.
Examples from the Corpus
supporter• Supporters of women's rights are protesting against the court's decision.• The town was full of football supporters, waiting for the big day.• The strongest opposition is likely to come from supporters of nuclear power, which was cut sharply in the Clinton budget.• Nevertheless, Kasparov is coming under increasing criticism from his supporters for his stubborn adherence to the Grunfeld Defence.• How does he sound populist without offending his supporters in the corporate boardroom?• Its supporters in the streets may melt away at the first sign of trouble.• Milan supporters cheered as they scored their first goal in two games.• a Labour Party supporter• Rangers' supporters replied in kind, and so the blood feud went on and on - and continues to this day.• Several supporters were arrested outside the stadium.• Mill was a strong supporter of political reform.• She had always been one of the prime minister's strongest supporters.• It was the revolutionaries who were the villains, the Royals and their supporters the good and kind and handsome heroes.• Hormel is a long-time supporter of the Democratic Party and there were no suggestions of wrongdoing on his part.strong/firm/staunch supporter• As a former schoolmaster, he has always been outspoken on education issues and a firm supporter of traditional learning methods.• The occasion will, I hear, attract Mrs T's staunchest supporters.• Even its long-standing strong supporters are cautious in their appraisals today.• Both were strong supporters of municipal enterprise.• All five of the daughters of James Newbigin were strong supporters of the feminist cause. 