Joe. Posted 29 August 2008 Posted 29 August 2008 Here It's a good read. Most of what he says is completely true and highlights many of the things some posters on here have discussed to an extent previously.
Corky Posted 29 August 2008 Posted 29 August 2008 Great article, sums up my feelings and I couldn't have written it better.
Tommeh Posted 29 August 2008 Posted 29 August 2008 Brillaint article, sums up pretty much everything which is wrong with the modern game in my opinion As good a read as it is I also found it quite saddening. Two lines which really sum it up for me are: "Those long standing supporters have now all but disappeared, replaced by families from all over, decked out in official replica sportswear and taking pictures of anything that moves" "Supporters being replaced by consumers. Participants being replaced by spectators." In some ways I'm glad we're down in the 3rd tier and the article makes me realise how fortunate I am to be a city fan, everywere I go its the same faces, I could easily walk into an away end and know people and have a bloody good laugh win, loose or draw. I know for a fact that if we were in the premier league I would have no way of affording my season ticket and wouldn't be able to make half the games away form home that I do currently. No matter what honours there are in the game nothing, absolutely nothing can replace the buzz I have right now and will have tomorrow morning at the train station as I go to watch city.
Fez of Mahrez Posted 29 August 2008 Posted 29 August 2008 Brillaint article, sums up pretty much everything which is wrong with the modern game in my opinionAs good a read as it is I also found it quite saddening. Two lines which really sum it up for me are: "Those long standing supporters have now all but disappeared, replaced by families from all over, decked out in official replica sportswear and taking pictures of anything that moves" "Supporters being replaced by consumers. Participants being replaced by spectators." In some ways I'm glad we're down in the 3rd tier and the article makes me realise how fortunate I am to be a city fan, everywere I go its the same faces, I could easily walk into an away end and know people and have a bloody good laugh win, loose or draw. I know for a fact that if we were in the premier league I would have no way of affording my deason ticket and wouldn't be able to make half the games away form home that I do currently. No matter what honours there are in the game nothing, absolutely nothing can replace the buzz I have right now and will have tomorrow morning at the train station as I go to watch city. Love that. Enjoying watching our team so much this season. Promotion isn't everything to me at the moment, I'm just enjoying every game one at a time.
Bert Posted 29 August 2008 Posted 29 August 2008 Love that. Enjoying watching our team so much this season. Promotion isn't everything to me at the moment, I'm just enjoying every game one at a time. Yep, what also makes the games, is the people I'm going with, and who i meet up with in the pub and the ground, who all feel what I feel for the club, all stand and sing their hearts out, showing the most ultimate thing in football - passion.
Flynny Posted 30 August 2008 Posted 30 August 2008 Times is the best place by far for football-related stuff. Brilliant read.
Ultra Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 On Monday night, Portsmouth's most famous fan, the bell ringer with the blue hair, or less commonly known as "John", was approached by the ground staff at Fratton Park and asked to keep the noise down FFS If people like him, who followed Pompey during their Div. 4 days, can be treated like that by his own club, there really is no hope for the rest of us.
Tilley Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 When I go to the match, I want to stand with fellow fans, my friends. I want to participate in the game, I want to support the side. I want to shout and I want to sing. I want to do the things that made me fall in love with the game and going to the match. But one by one, the authorities are trying to take all those things out of our game. To have us sat in silence, only singing when they want us to sing, and singing the songs they want us to sing. Blaring music over the PA system we are supposed to dance along to. So true.
Suffolk_fox Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 I think, looking back at the 80s and 90s we only have ourselves to blame. If I was inviting 20 000 people round to my gaff on a saturday afternoon, would I invite among them some people who have been known to get drunk and damage parts of my house, beat up other people and generally cause mayhem? Or would I invite people who bring their children and know how to behave? The majority of us are victims of a mayhem-causing minority who have only been kept out of the way by managing the binge-drinking culture we have in this country. Sadly, the sort of idiots who are likely to be kicking lumps out of some poor bastard on a Saturday night in the pursuit of drunken entertainment are attracted to going to football matches (sometimes as players - see Joey Barton). Jovial references to them do not help (I have seen some people on this board apparently expressing admiration for the Baby Squad). The sort of people who go to Rugby matches, are on the whole different from the mauling thugs we see in most town centres when the pubs and clubs empty. Yes, they drink but they tend not to get violent. So if you want to blame someone for not being able to stand, drink, swear at matches - look toward those 'legends' from the Baby Squad, the Inter City Firm and all the other tossers. Yes, the clubs and indeed the government have over reacted to make sure the bad old days don't return, but that is what they do.
Corky Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 FFS If people like him, who followed Pompey during their Div. 4 days, can be treated like that by his own club, there really is no hope for the rest of us. How long before Jobber gets his drum taken away, or is asked to tone it down? It's always the loyal, lifelong supporters that get hit, not the JCL's.
Flynny Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 How long before Jobber gets his drum taken away, or is asked to tone it down? It's always the loyal, lifelong supporters that get hit, not the JCL's. More likely to be asked to tone up, surely?
davieG Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 I think, looking back at the 80s and 90s we only have ourselves to blame.If I was inviting 20 000 people round to my gaff on a saturday afternoon, would I invite among them some people who have been known to get drunk and damage parts of my house, beat up other people and generally cause mayhem? Or would I invite people who bring their children and know how to behave? The majority of us are victims of a mayhem-causing minority who have only been kept out of the way by managing the binge-drinking culture we have in this country. Sadly, the sort of idiots who are likely to be kicking lumps out of some poor bastard on a Saturday night in the pursuit of drunken entertainment are attracted to going to football matches (sometimes as players - see Joey Barton). Jovial references to them do not help (I have seen some people on this board apparently expressing admiration for the Baby Squad). The sort of people who go to Rugby matches, are on the whole different from the mauling thugs we see in most town centres when the pubs and clubs empty. Yes, they drink but they tend not to get violent. So if you want to blame someone for not being able to stand, drink, swear at matches - look toward those 'legends' from the Baby Squad, the Inter City Firm and all the other tossers. Yes, the clubs and indeed the government have over reacted to make sure the bad old days don't return, but that is what they do. What Suffolk said and what I've been saying for a long time.
Simi Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 Anyone notice a certain Newcastle owner drinking a pint in full view of the playing area last night on MOTD?
Flynny Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 It's allowed in boxes is it not? Even at our ground.
Simi Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 It's allowed in boxes is it not? Even at our ground. Yeah, but they've paid big money to be there and are more important.
Flynny Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 Yeah, but they've paid big money to be there and are more important. Hahaha, nice. I'll always treasure the memory of the Sheffield Wednesday fans stood in the boxes behind A+B block and having the misfortune to do so on about the only game of the season where there was any sort of atmosphere there. The abuse they got was incredible, police made them go inside. Brilliant.
Phube Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 I think, looking back at the 80s and 90s we only have ourselves to blame.If I was inviting 20 000 people round to my gaff on a saturday afternoon, would I invite among them some people who have been known to get drunk and damage parts of my house, beat up other people and generally cause mayhem? Or would I invite people who bring their children and know how to behave? The majority of us are victims of a mayhem-causing minority who have only been kept out of the way by managing the binge-drinking culture we have in this country. Sadly, the sort of idiots who are likely to be kicking lumps out of some poor bastard on a Saturday night in the pursuit of drunken entertainment are attracted to going to football matches (sometimes as players - see Joey Barton). Jovial references to them do not help (I have seen some people on this board apparently expressing admiration for the Baby Squad). The sort of people who go to Rugby matches, are on the whole different from the mauling thugs we see in most town centres when the pubs and clubs empty. Yes, they drink but they tend not to get violent. So if you want to blame someone for not being able to stand, drink, swear at matches - look toward those 'legends' from the Baby Squad, the Inter City Firm and all the other tossers. Yes, the clubs and indeed the government have over reacted to make sure the bad old days don't return, but that is what they do. Too true!
Corky Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 I think, looking back at the 80s and 90s we only have ourselves to blame.If I was inviting 20 000 people round to my gaff on a saturday afternoon, would I invite among them some people who have been known to get drunk and damage parts of my house, beat up other people and generally cause mayhem? Or would I invite people who bring their children and know how to behave? The majority of us are victims of a mayhem-causing minority who have only been kept out of the way by managing the binge-drinking culture we have in this country. Sadly, the sort of idiots who are likely to be kicking lumps out of some poor bastard on a Saturday night in the pursuit of drunken entertainment are attracted to going to football matches (sometimes as players - see Joey Barton). Jovial references to them do not help (I have seen some people on this board apparently expressing admiration for the Baby Squad). The sort of people who go to Rugby matches, are on the whole different from the mauling thugs we see in most town centres when the pubs and clubs empty. Yes, they drink but they tend not to get violent. So if you want to blame someone for not being able to stand, drink, swear at matches - look toward those 'legends' from the Baby Squad, the Inter City Firm and all the other tossers. Yes, the clubs and indeed the government have over reacted to make sure the bad old days don't return, but that is what they do. Yep I would agree with that.
Thracian Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 Brillaint article, sums up pretty much everything which is wrong with the modern game in my opinionAs good a read as it is I also found it quite saddening. Two lines which really sum it up for me are: "Those long standing supporters have now all but disappeared, replaced by families from all over, decked out in official replica sportswear and taking pictures of anything that moves" "Supporters being replaced by consumers. Participants being replaced by spectators." In some ways I'm glad we're down in the 3rd tier and the article makes me realise how fortunate I am to be a city fan, everywere I go its the same faces, I could easily walk into an away end and know people and have a bloody good laugh win, loose or draw. I know for a fact that if we were in the premier league I would have no way of affording my season ticket and wouldn't be able to make half the games away form home that I do currently. No matter what honours there are in the game nothing, absolutely nothing can replace the buzz I have right now and will have tomorrow morning at the train station as I go to watch city. Aye to that.
James. Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 It's allowed in boxes is it not? Even at our ground. I was "fortunate" enough to get taken to the Emirates on a corporate thingy for that Brazil Sweden friendly they had earlier this year. When the game started we had to pull the blinds down in the box as we were drinking. If we wanted to watch the game we had to go outside minus the drink. Bizarre and f**king stupid, really. Thinking about it I don't think you can drink with a view of the pitch during actual game time but at half time and before/after it's ok. As for the article - great read, cheers Joe.
Simi Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 The guy who wrote this is from Standupsitdown. 'BHB' he's a Liverpool fan as you would have gathered.
Daggers Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 The guy who wrote this is from Standupsitdown. 'BHB' he's a Liverpool fan as you would have gathered. I'd never have guessed from the amount of whinging going on in it
Flynny Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 Now now, at least he didn't mention how they had a shot at the title this season finally.
MC Prussian Posted 31 August 2008 Posted 31 August 2008 Well, I haven never had the fortune of witnessing a game in England in the 80ies and early 90ies - before the merchandising hype took the Island by storm. Yes, the Walkers does feel "stiff" and also rigid, I can't stand sitting. I'm used to standing when I follow my two local teams over here - we're not hurting anyone, are we? Sometimes, a plastic cup is thrown at the opposition (mostly the goalkeeper), but with no bad consequences. Security does only intervene when people start smacking each other's heads. And that's hardly ever happened in the past 5 to 10 years, as far as I can tell. The knobheads that once used to terrorize the peaceful football community have either grown out of it, received a ban or been driven out of the stadiums and are now brawling in remote areas where they don't cause harm to other people. The Walkers was built as an entertainment facilty and not as a football stadium, even if there's a pitch in the middle. I agree that we don't want another Heysel or Sheffield to happen, but the turn football's taken in the past few years ain't really smashing, either. Since football's become more and more of "just another pasttime" and a reason for a "family day out" (nothing wrong with families with kids) and as long as clubs actually charge you that much per game (here in Switzerland, I can get to a game in the second-highest division starting at £5) and as long as we have to tolerate overpaid millionarios that don't give a toss about the club, the badge, the shirt or the faithful supporters that work extra hard, earn little money and then make a massive investment when they go for a ST (Early Bird excluded?), it'll only get worse. I understand that LCFC wants to head straight back to the Championship and thus needs a bit more money to cover all these exorbitant costs - hence the high ticket prices and the overpriced food . However, I'd like the club - and it could be just any other club, too - to pay a little more respect to its fans and treat us in a proper way. Not by taking out peaceful supporters like the guy at Cheltenham for doing nothing more than standing, but by simply showing that they care and that we're as much a part of the FC's well-being as investors, sponsors and the management and the players. Sadly, the whole merchandise overkill and plastic fan affair is also a result of today's consumer society, which demands safety at any price, instills fake fear. The use of reactionary measures reminds me of the even better, even older political circumstances during the Cold War. Brrr. It feels like history repeating. (Sorry for diverting from the original post in this thread. I just had to share this.) Dialogue is the best answer and I wish that after this stint in League One, the club and its fans have grown stronger together as a unity. I'm also curious to find out how the next meeting between those two sides will end - Lisa?
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