Alan Smith: How the player-fan relationship has changed from the 80's

[davieG]

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/11980338/alan-smith-how-the-player-fan-relationship-has-changed

 

Alan Smith: How the player-fan relationship has changed
"It's easy to forget how it used to be. Yet the connection, I think, between player and supporter was a lot stronger."
Last Updated: 29/04/20 11:41am

 

 
Alan Smith with Leicester team-mates, including Gary Lineker, in the 1980s
Alan Smith with Leicester team-mates, including Gary Lineker, in the 1980s
Former Arsenal and Leicester striker Alan Smith reminisces about how players' relationship with fans differed during his playing days, and how the connection was far stronger.

After watching that Sky Sports advert this week heralding the start of the Premier League, when 'Alive and Kicking' became the soundtrack to an exciting beginning, my mind wandered back to those trailblazing days and then even further, back to the times when football was a much different entity to the glitz and glamour of today's crazy carousel.

I'm talking here about the 1980s when an 18-year-old Brummie climbed on to the professional ladder with Leicester City. Back then, BBC Radio Leicester would often broadcast on a Saturday from Welford Road, the home of Leicester Tigers, and only cross to Filbert Street, the Foxes' old ground, when something happened. The Tigers, you see, were regarded as the bigger pull in this rugby-mad town.

 

"Walking out to the car park afterwards, you'd see the same faces waiting for autographs"

That was reflected in attendances. I mean, for the club's return to the top flight in August 1983, a big game for everyone involved, only 15,000 turned up to watch a Notts County side featuring Martin O'Neill thrash us 4-0.

Imagine that now. You struggle to get a ticket at the King Power Stadium now, no matter the opposition.

Mind you, the scourge of hooliganism clearly didn't help. Unlike now, it wasn't a family game then. To be fair, why would you bring your kids along to occasions regularly marred by fights outside the ground and in?

My wife will never forget the time she came to see a match against Chelsea with her brother. Just as they were getting out of the car, an angry mob of away fans stampeded past, some pouring with blood as beer bottles flew through the air.

 

"Unlike now, it wasn't a family game then" - football was marred by hooliganism during the 1980s

A few years later at Arsenal, she saw a bloke hurled through a pub window onto the street. Amazingly, the victim was still planted on a chair when he crash-landed. That kind of stuff had almost become part of everyday life. As players, we accepted it with a resigned shrug.

The dressing room, however, was a great place to be, a more raucous arena than those of today where various nationalities and languages inevitably make the atmosphere more sedate. Of course, we were all desperate to do well, it was our living after all, but because scrutiny and criticism from the outside weren't so intense, a bit more relaxed humour tended to seep in.

Our goalkeeper, Mark Wallington, was certainly a character, never one for taking life too seriously. One favourite joke with the crowd came when taking a goal kick. Wally would step back into his goal for a long run-up and reach back to feel the net. Then he'd pretend to get caught up when trying to step forward, stumbling back with a huge grin.

 

Smith on Mark Wallington: "At half-time he'd head straight for the toilet in the corner of the dressing room and sit there having a smoke with the door open."

At half-time he'd head straight for the toilet in the corner of the dressing room and sit there having a smoke with the door open as our manager, Gordon Milne, delivered his team talk. Nobody batted an eyelid. It all seemed so natural, as did the miniatures of whisky and brandy stored in the skip. The kitman would offer a swig if you looked nervous beforehand.

Walking out to the car park afterwards, you'd see the same faces waiting for autographs, people who would also be there at various functions. A big one was the Player of the Year do at the Coalville branch of the official supporters' club, a homely affair held in a social club of what was back then a busy mining town.

Some of us would also attend the annual Miss Coalville competition, which involved a string of girls parading up and down in front of a judging panel made up of players. As you can imagine, the single lads were always keen to volunteer for that one.

For both events, a long trestle table would be laden with sandwiches as we stood around chatting to fans, never really thinking this was a bind. It was just what you did, a part of the job.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying today's players don't mix with their public at all, but it's definitely in a more controlled fashion. It's harder to get within touching distance, such are the tight security measures in place. Blacked out car windows, the ban on autograph hunters outside gated training grounds - grabbing a minute with your hero has never been so difficult.

Back in the 80s that wasn't so much the case. Without doubt, plenty needed fixing and thankfully it was. But certain aspects do deserve a nostalgic sigh.

[49er]

The reason why Tigers games were broadcast in Radio Leicester had nothing whatsoever to do with their greater pull. Quite simply, the only live football commentary was the second half of a chosen game on BBC Radio 2

[Stadt]

if he likes the tigers so much why doesn’t he marry them 

[smudger63]

Complete bollocks!  Tigers have never been a bigger pull than the city, even back in the 80s when our attendances were poor, the Tigers were only getting four or five thousand on a good day.

As time went on, and they started to play in a proper league their crowds did go up, but still not above the Citys crowd numbers, and that was even when they were the most successfull rugby club in the country.

We have never been a rugby mad city either, City had thousands more fans turn out in 1980 for our civic reception to celebrate us winning division 2, than the Tigers got when they won their league and europeon cup.

David Pleat was the first one who went on about how Leicester was a rugby mad city, and it is such a load of tosh.

As for the Tigers games being on Radio Leicester, while there were only reports on the City games, that was all about BBC Radio Leicester not having the rights to have commentary on the City games, and nothing to do with people in the city weanting to listen to the rugby instead of the City games.

I suppose it just shows how little interest Alan Smith actually took in the City of Leicester, while he was here.

 

 

 

 

[Corky]

Smith was clearly a very good player and successful with us but nothing he says seems to have any real affection towards the club. I may be wrong but listen to the likes of Elliott, Taggart, Cottee and others in the media and they seem far more positive and warm about the place.

[foxile5]

The reason that there's a disconnect between the fans is obvious isn't it. Huge wealth and a culture whereby have been elevated above mere mortals. They've begun to believe their own hype. 

[Lionator]

1 hour ago, Corky said:

Smith was clearly a very good player and successful with us but nothing he says seems to have any real affection towards the club. I may be wrong but listen to the likes of Elliott, Taggart, Cottee and others in the media and they seem far more positive and warm about the place.

A bit harsh on Smith, the era doesn’t help. The early 80’s Leicester were a bit of a yo yo club. One FA cup semi final but nothing to really shout home about. The lot from the late 90’s are arguably our second greatest side in history in terms of silverware. The 80’s was a struggle for English football too, look on Wikipedia at our attendances both home and away in the 83-84 season. Rarely over 20,000 in the top league. We talk about eras now but there was a massive gulf even between the 80’s and 90’s when the money and fans started pouring in. 
 

 

[shailen]

To me he's jumped on the Leicester bandwagon a little bit when we became relevant in our title winning season. Even when Martin Tyler asks him in fifa about his former club Leicester City, I'm not sure that was even mentioned previouskt. Before that he would only really talk about Arsenal and I would never known about his Leicester connection as a neutral. 

[fox_up_north]

Never been to Welford Road in my life. Rugby mad city? Load of rubbish. Growing up I don't remember any kid talking about Tigers. I still couldn't tell you anything about them. 

[boots60]

Alan Smith was a great player for Leicester City. We gave him a career in football after signing him from Alvechurch & his partnership with Lineker & Lynex was superb.

Unfortunately, he couldn't wait to get out when Arsenal came calling & his comments over the years (excepting the last few weeks of the 2016-16 season) show his loyalties lie predominately with Arsenal.

Had the misfortune of meeting him in Madrid 1997 where he was on newspaper reporting duties & he came across as aloof, arrogant & dull.

[sacreblueits442]

17 hours ago, smudger63 said:

Complete bollocks!  Tigers have never been a bigger pull than the city, even back in the 80s when our attendances were poor, the Tigers were only getting four or five thousand on a good day.

As time went on, and they started to play in a proper league their crowds did go up, but still not above the Citys crowd numbers, and that was even when they were the most successfull rugby club in the country.

We have never been a rugby mad city either, City had thousands more fans turn out in 1980 for our civic reception to celebrate us winning division 2, than the Tigers got when they won their league and europeon cup.

David Pleat was the first one who went on about how Leicester was a rugby mad city, and it is such a load of tosh.

As for the Tigers games being on Radio Leicester, while there were only reports on the City games, that was all about BBC Radio Leicester not having the rights to have commentary on the City games, and nothing to do with people in the city weanting to listen to the rugby instead of the City games.

I suppose it just shows how little interest Alan Smith actually took in the City of Leicester, while he was here.

 

 

 

 

...ironic post.....coming from your name!!!!!

[Super_horns]

17 hours ago, Corky said:

Smith was clearly a very good player and successful with us but nothing he says seems to have any real affection towards the club. I may be wrong but listen to the likes of Elliott, Taggart, Cottee and others in the media and they seem far more positive and warm about the place.

Bit like John Barns with us.

 

Remembered more because he played for a massive club with were very successful so is asked about them more naturally.

[smudger63]

3 hours ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...ironic post.....coming from your name!!!!!

I`m not really sure what you mean by ironic post, coming from your name.

Anyway, i certainly haven`t called myself smudger due to any hero worship of Alan Smith, although he was a good player for us while he was here, just a shame he is actually clueless about the City of Leicester.

I am a Smith though, with family that played for the City a very long time before the days of Alan Smith.  

[purpleronnie]

12 minutes ago, smudger63 said:

I`m not really sure what you mean by ironic post, coming from your name.

Anyway, i certainly haven`t called myself smudger due to any hero worship of Alan Smith, although he was a good player for us while he was here, just a shame he is actually clueless about the City of Leicester.

I am a Smith though, with family that played for the City a very long time before the days of Alan Smith.  

Alan smith was nicknamed Smudge.

[Tielemans63]

"The Tigers, you see, were regarded as the bigger pull in this rugby-mad town."

 

It's a ****ing city mate. 13th biggest in the UK. There's a clue in the name 'Leicester City football club'.

[49er]

Does it really matter what ex-players say? I like to remember them for what they did for us. We got full value from Alan Smith- £12k from Alvechurch and formed a great partnership with Lineker and Lynex- our most exiting and potent strike force until messrs Mahrez and Vardy.

 

When players retire, for PR and career progression reasons they have a selective recollection of what they did in the past. Who can blame them? Let’s be honest in a few years time Drinky will be talking about how much he loved playing for us, with no mention of his days at Chelsea. Albrighton will tell us that he is Leicester through and through with no connection to Villa. Wes Morgan will insist that despite spending yonks at the City Ground he really does hate Forest.

[Izzy]

21 hours ago, Corky said:

Smith was clearly a very good player and successful with us but nothing he says seems to have any real affection towards the club. I may be wrong but listen to the likes of Elliott, Taggart, Cottee and others in the media and they seem far more positive and warm about the place.

I think it’s also partly an age thing.

Smith was only young when he played for us and still a bit wet behind the ears.
Cottee, Elliott, Taggart etc were in their 30’s here and probably more grateful to be playing top flight football at that stage of thier careers.

[49er]

4 minutes ago, Izzy said:

I think it’s also partly an age thing.

Smith was only young when he played for us and still a bit wet behind the ears.
Cottee, Elliott, Taggart etc were in their 30’s here and probably more grateful to be playing top flight football at that stage of thier careers.

Elliott’s ‘stock’ rises if he emphasizes his connection with us rather than going on about the times he had at Scunthorpe and Oxford

[Izzy]

29 minutes ago, 49er said:

Elliott’s ‘stock’ rises if he emphasizes his connection with us rather than going on about the times he had at Scunthorpe and Oxford

No different to Smith empasizing his connection with Arsenal rather than going on about his time here I guess. Arsenal were a much bigger and more successful club than us back then whether we like it or not. 

[davieG]

24 minutes ago, Izzy said:

No different to Smith empasizing his connection with Arsenal rather than going on about his time here I guess. Arsenal were a much bigger and more successful club than us back then whether we like it or not. 

But now arsenal are in a slump it’s now all about Leicester City FC

[Izzy]

9 minutes ago, davieG said:

But now arsenal are in a slump it’s now all about Leicester City FC

Fickle, like many fans 

[Paninistickers]

Smith was a wonderful player for City and frankly, at that time, it was a depressing club. Anyone with half a chance would leave for a big club

 

This Rugby thing is such a load of old tosh. Pleat started it. A sly spiteful snidey dig from a Nottingham 'cu next Tuesday' who was trying to deflect blame away from his awful spell with us. As Pleat worked in the media at a time when Smith formed his journalist career (Smith trained as a journalist. He's no a pundit) the rugby town bollox mustve stuck.

[Guest worth_the_wait]

In fairness to Gary Lineker, he doesn't just go on about the so-called big clubs he played for.

 

He's quite happy to be primarily associated with us, his first club ... even though he spent some time at Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham.

[Anglodanglo]

On 29/04/2020 at 12:22, davieG said:

 

 

Why are they throwing Steve Bruce out?

[49er]

41 minutes ago, worth_the_wait said:

In fairness to Gary Lineker, he doesn't just go on about the so-called big clubs he played for.

 

He's quite happy to be primarily associated with us, his first club ... even though he spent some time at Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham.

Would he be going about us if we hadn’t won the league and were playing in League two?