bh
1st team Player
Come on you Us
Posts: 1,578
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Post by bh on Oct 6, 2007 8:01:53 GMT
I'm sorry to say, yes I know they've been awful this season, but I have heard certain hard core members of our supporters loudly criticizing the team and even some individual players. This is really the first time I can ever remember them doing so, so loudly. I have always had Chocolate and Amber colour spectacles, (They are heavily disguised, so you Can't tell ) Try to see the best in all our players, and even when they are rubbish think they will improve. Perhaps I'm a blind optimist, if we loose it's very seldom our fault, mostly it's the ref, poor s-d who gets the blame, or the oppositions over aggressive players, and just very, very occasionally the other team are better than us. Maybe I'm just Sutton daft (like all of us) and will support the lads through thick and thin, shouting encouragement to them, deriding the ref (Yes, Mark I know I'm wrong a lot of the time before you say anything) I know in my heart we are the best! (Told you I was daft) and will give my all to support the team!!
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Post by ewellchris on Oct 6, 2007 9:10:06 GMT
the gate will be interesting today - clashing with the rugby etc
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bh
1st team Player
Come on you Us
Posts: 1,578
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Post by bh on Oct 6, 2007 9:12:11 GMT
200 - 300 if it's a nice day.
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markf
Top Performer
Posts: 3,294
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Post by markf on Oct 6, 2007 9:13:34 GMT
I have read this thread & TBH, am not sure what all the fuss is about. IH has only made a statement that JR also made in the past about, what i suppose can be described as, the fickle fans at SUFC.
It's nothing new, there have always been those who are far more willing to berate than encourage. It goes back to the 1950's and beyond.
When stewarding at GGL, I have often observed the pattern of verbal support and it's normally when the team earn a set piece or have a close shy at goal or even score. When we concede out comes the less than favourable comments towards the team and worse, individuals.
I can remember one player making his debut this season, getting slated early into the second half. I'd rather pass judgement a little later than 50 mins at the club, but maybe that's just me. I also am highly unlikely to yell it across an almost silent ground too.
Even the blue blazers have been guilty of this this season, comparing the ref's poor performance with our defending in a similar light, while the skipper is receiving treatment 15 yards away & able to hear everything - very diplomatic!
My point is that IH has just raised an issue that has been raised time and time again by U's managers, even Barrie Williams had cause to comment at the hounding of players, in particular, Matt Hanlan.
I certainly have not agreed with IH over a number of his decisions on the playing front this season, but I'm not going to get the hump over his comments in a newspaer article - I'd prioritise that side of my character for his decisions as a football manager & I will not be publicising my views from sixty yards away - I'll save that for the ref when I feel he/she deserves it.
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Post by sallycat on Oct 6, 2007 9:47:27 GMT
The difference for me, Mark, is that John Rains used to praise us and thank us for our support as well as encourage us to be more positive in our support. With him, I always felt that my/our hard work was being noticed and recognised. I know Ian has a point, and I've been saying some of the same stuff myself. Some of us ARE getting so frustrated that we've been lashing out verbally at the players, and that always upsets me. It also frustrates me, because anyone in that sort of mood isn't going to listen to reasoning about how although they're only venting their frustration, it could be damaging to the team. So the reason why I felt that perhaps there was something missing from the article was because being a Sutton fan is bloody hard work, if you'll pardon my French. I know several people here who I'd give a gold star for being damn good supporters. Only this morning when I went to check my post, my neighbour approached me with some concern telling me I was shouting in my sleep last night and asking if I was OK. Somewhat sheepishly, I had to explain that I dreamed that I was at our FA Cup game at Lewes and in my dream I was shouting "COME ON SUTTON...COME ON SUTTON...YOU CAN WIN THIS IF YOU FIGHT FOR IT!" EVERY SINGLE DAY for at least the last week, I have dreamed about that damned team. Why? Because I've been putting in so much mental effort to try and think of ways that we, as supporters, can help improve the team's confidence. I'm between jobs at the moment, and every day without exception for the last fortnight I have done something for my club, whether shouting myself hoarse during our game at Cambridge without stopping for a minute (and positive stuff only I might add, and I couldn't speak clearly for 2 days afterwards), putting up new ceiling tiles in the Times Square lounge, doing Supporters' Trust admin, working behind the bar, standing on the other side of the bar putting money into the club, travelling 100+ miles on a Monday night to see what was quite frankly the most boring game ever, or simply sitting down for an hour trying to work out how I can approach the board with my ideas. I have not missed a first team Sutton game (home or away, league cup or friendly) since the 2003-04 season. This includes having to watch a "behind closed doors" pre-season friendly through a gap in the frigging fence. I travelled to Bristol to see our youth team play Bristol City in the FA Youth Cup. I give up as much of my time as I can possibly afford for SUST, and was a board member until work and study commitments made me realise that John James could do a better job than me. I've given up two afternoons in the last fortnight to help put up those ceiling tiles, get covered in glass fibre insulation that goes down the back of my top and makes me itch until I have two showers to get rid of it. This, obviously, was for free as is everything else except working behind the bar, which pays a lot less than I spend on following Sutton home and away. And my point is this: I am not the only one. I do not think I am the best supporter Sutton has. Other people do more for this club than I doBut all we get in return is "you have to get behind your team more." You are right, Mark, and so is Ian, but all I'm saying is that recognition for what we DO do might encourage us to get more behind the team. Maybe it just hit a nerve in my case because I ensure that I never shout any abuse or criticism at the players on the pitch. If I have to vent my frustrations I do but quietly so they can't hear it! And then I try to shout something encouraging. This doesn't mean I'm better than anyone else. I recognise that some people find it harder than others to keep their emotions low-key. Maybe I'm lucky to be able to keep it quiet, or maybe it's a girl thing
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DaveF
1st team Player
Posts: 1,726
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Post by DaveF on Oct 6, 2007 9:49:16 GMT
Every newspaper interview has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Having spoken to Bruce, the way his quotes in this week's paper have come out does not reflect what he believes he said. I do quite a lot of magazine interviews at work and even when I have the right to edit their first draft, the final published article often gets facts wrong or gets given a different slant to make it look as though I said the opposite to what I really meant. Look back through last season's programmes to see how often Ian praised the support of the fans. I have no objection to any fair criticism, but don't react to journalists - there isn't one of them that you'd go out of your way to pull out of the sea into a lifeboat !
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Post by sallycat on Oct 6, 2007 10:07:14 GMT
I beg to differ ;D There happens to be a certain journalist whom I love very much!
The thing is, we supporters need encouragement in order to do a good job just as much as the players do, and I'm not feeling that at the moment, at this time when we need it most. It's a two way thing.
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Post by suttonview on Oct 6, 2007 10:10:10 GMT
I would assume that the comments attributed to Ian are accurate, as they are in quotation marks. If not, he will have every right to demand a retraction.
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Post by The Editor on Oct 6, 2007 10:31:26 GMT
This week the local press haven't done themselves any favours - first printing an article claiming it was by our press sec - it wasn't. Then judging by honsec's comments, they possibly paraphrased Bruce or used his words in a way that gives a different message. Ian has praised fans - no one reads the programme Dave - and this paper article is probably changing his view of "be patient, I know it's hard, but we will come good, stick with us" into a "you're all a bunch of moaners". As Mark says, judge Ian on the performances, not on what is said he said in the press. The programme is actually a better place to see his actual comments (though this week it's Stuart Massey).
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Post by sallycat on Oct 6, 2007 10:40:39 GMT
Yes, he has praised fans in the past, but yes I do read the programme and he hasn't done so recently, in these times when everyone needs as much encouragement as possible. In the Woodford programme, he said we ought to get behind the team, but there wasn't praise despite our brilliant support at Cambridge Before that, I don't remember him mentioning the fans. Fair enough- it's not his job and I understand he's under a hell of a lot of pressure so I'm not having a go at Ian, but I just think that it would be nice to balance "please get behind the team and don't get on players' backs" with "but thank you to those fans who are giving positive and enthusiastic support." That's all.
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Gareth
1st team Player
Goon
Posts: 1,646
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Post by Gareth on Oct 6, 2007 10:59:15 GMT
judge Ian on the performances, not on what is said he said in the press That's not looking too promising either at the moment, is it?!!
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Post by The Editor on Oct 6, 2007 11:05:14 GMT
And have you noticed... It's the 'hardcore' who are on the forum disappointed about not being thanked for support. Again, I feel that any "get behind the team messages" are aimed at most other supporters. Don't take it personally Sal. Like everyone else I'm not jumping for joy with the results. I've also spent fifteen years coaching and using encouragement rather than criticism to improve performance.
Overall, this is a storm in the proverbial.
Supporters should keep supporting - praised or not. Players should play to their best - cheered on or not. Why should a newspaper article make any difference?
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Post by os on Oct 6, 2007 11:08:00 GMT
I always get behind the team even in the worst circumstances, I shout when no one else does and get them funny looks like I am on some sort of day release. I never shout anything but incouragement to our players like I will again today and like BH I wear amber/choc tints so always think we are just about to turn the corner.
My honest belief is that unless we start to get results very soon we will be looking relegation straight in the face and that responsibilty will lay firmly at the feet of the management not the supporters.
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Post by The Editor on Oct 6, 2007 11:12:44 GMT
Of course the responsibility is with management and players rather than supporters... I don't think that fans are being blamed for the poor start, we're being asked to help. The "twelfth man, man short" comment are probably out of context and as we've discussed possibly inaccurate.
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bh
1st team Player
Come on you Us
Posts: 1,578
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Post by bh on Oct 6, 2007 11:36:06 GMT
When the players wave and clap at the end of the game to the supporters is what I take as thanks for our support!
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