David James: Terrace comments do affect players

[El Presidente]

Last weekend against Crawley Town there was a bloke in the crowd who definitely did not like me. I could hear him because with an attendance of just under 4,000, isolated voices tend to stand out. After 20-odd years in the game you'd think I would be used to it by now but it still catches me out every so often. Off he went, blaming me for England's World Cup defeat in South Africa: I was just waiting for the PlayStation comments to start up.

Yesterday at Brighton one of the fans kept giving me grief over an incident I had many years ago with Robbie Williams. Anyone can make a mistake and end up giving someone a nosh at an awards ceremony, but from the way the fan was going on it occurred yesterday.

People may be surprised to hear just how much comments from the crowd affect players. From the reprehensible, such as the alleged racist abuse Tom Adeyemi suffered during the recent FA Cup tie at Anfield, to the bog standard, "you're rubbish", it has been a topic of conversation among players at every club I have played for.

Goalkeepers, defenders and wingers definitely have it the worst simply by virtue of their position on the pitch. Most can tell you which clubs they hate playing against because of the abuse, right down to individual stands and specific areas in the crowd. They will say: "I hate playing at so and so ground…" or "I hate playing in front of that stand, the fans slaughter you." Sometimes they are referring to their own fans. I remember at Liverpool, some feared Anfield's Centenary Stand – there was a group of supporters there who made the players very nervous. It could just be one or two voices close enough to the action to make themselves heard but they would be there every week, shouting abuse. Most of the time you can block it out but it takes only a bad night's sleep, a poor run of form or a bit of an injury niggle and suddenly you feel vulnerable.

Right at the beginning of my career I learned the hard way why you should never listen to the fans. I was at Watford and there was speculation that I might be moving to Liverpool the day we played Southend. At Roots Hall the stands are right up against the pitch and I could hear the fans giving me grief about the rumours. The ball went out for a corner and I turned to them, pointing to one of the fingers on my glove that had my name on it. I felt better for a split second, then we conceded the goal and lost 1-0.

Over the years I have had all sorts shouted at me. From "Liverpool reject" to "England's No5" – which I am taking as a positive because it means I am still in with a chance. (It is when they say "England's No8" that I will really be worried.)

Racist slurs aside, the worst abuse I have experienced was playing against West Ham United when I was with Aston Villa. Around that time I had been in a car accident where the other driver had died. The West Ham fans called me a "murderer". It was the most sickening thing to listen to. Standing in goal that day I literally felt physically disgusted. To make banter out of such a thing was deeply inappropriate for everyone involved, not least the family of the deceased. Ordinarily I would ignore any kind of taunts but in that instance I had to let my disapproval be known.

Nowadays more would be made of such a thing – media reports, perhaps action from the club itself – but back then it was still seen as an inevitable part of the game.

It takes a Herculean effort to ignore a stand full of fans shouting abuse, no matter how experienced you are. I have been caught out before, days where you go out to do your warm-up and somebody says something and it gets you. That is why I decided to train myself to deal with the abuse.

Around the time I moved to Portsmouth I expanded the visualisation technique I was using before games. You may have seen me, standing in goal before the start of a match, rehearsing my catches and positioning. In my head I added a soundtrack, a background wall of noise and insults, to prepare me for anything I might hear during the match. I would anticipate going to certain grounds and imagine a chorus of "you're rubbish" or "England's No5". It helps.

Even the most confident players can be affected by screaming fans. When Paul Ince was photographed in a Manchester United shirt before leaving West Ham, the supporters never forgave him for it. I remember playing at Upton Park with Liverpool and Ince was noticeably reluctant to move out of the centre circle. It was like playing with a completely different person the way he reacted to their taunts.

If players cannot handle abuse then how bad must it be for referees who are modestly paid and certainly don't have any fans?

When I was at Portsmouth I remember speaking to a referee in the tunnel at half-time. He had just given a penalty and was genuinely distressed that he might have made the wrong decision. He came running off the pitch, anxious to catch the replay on the TV to check his decision. Commentators talk about referees being under pressure to "even things up" and in this case I could easily have seen how this referee might have felt obliged to do something of that nature.

To be clear, to abuse players using racist or homophobic language is not acceptable in any way, shape or form. But as footballers we have to be prepared to withstand the other stuff. I was never advised, warned or educated about how to do that. Perhaps, should I become a manager, that is something I could help my players to deal with.

Given the above, why do we still give our own players grief during the game, which goes beyond the usual 'f***ing 'ell Kerry/Ash/Harley etc' that is just mere frustration.

 

[Doc Lynam]

When our players cross that line you have to be completely behind them 100%, if you have issues just air them to your mates or in another form like NSC. Slating a player on the field is counter productive.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Expect a few heartless farts to mouth off over how they pay their money and can say what they want.

Maybe in some capacity we have to learn to accept these thick-headed bludgeoners just as the players need to. I know when i hear an over-critical clown launch a verbal assault on a player at any time then i feel completely ashamed that i am a part of that crowd. I doubt we could manacle these people and talk out the stupidity in their heads so that they were nicer people, unfortunately, so maybe it's best to quieten the judge in our heads too, somehow. Or always have an enraged, full-stomached parrot one one's shoulder trained perfectly to fly above the offender to repeat their idiocy again and again whilst emptying their guts as they do.

 

[aolstudios]

When our players cross that line you have to be completely behind them 100%, if you have issues just air them to your mates or in another form like NSC. Slating a player on the field is counter productive.

 

[bhawoddy]

Expect a few heartless farts to mouth off over how they pay their money and can say what they want.

Maybe in some capacity we have to learn to accept these thick-headed bludgeoners just as the players need to. I know when i hear an over-critical clown launch a verbal assault on a player at any time then i feel completely ashamed that i am a part of that crowd. I doubt we could manacle these people and talk out the stupidity in their heads so that they were nicer people, unfortunately, so maybe it's best to quieten the judge in our heads too, somehow. Or always have an enraged, full-stomached parrot one one's shoulder trained perfectly to fly above the offender to repeat their idiocy again and again whilst emptying their guts as they do.

Player acceptance of fans criticism comes as standard. If I earnt what they do you could call me whatever you like. water off a ducks back springs to mind! Get over it and watch your bank balance grow by 5k,10k, 50k or even 150k a WEEK!!.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

James is an intelligent bloke, he clearly thinks a lot about the game. It will be interesting to see how he does as a manager one day.

 

[Johnny Crumplin Football]

Didn't take long did it

 

[Seagull Steve]

Yesterday at Brighton one of the fans kept giving me grief over an incident I had many years ago with Robbie Williams. Anyone can make a mistake and end up giving someone a nosh at an awards ceremony, but from the way the fan was going on it occurred yesterday.

Anyone care to enlighten me?

 

[severnside gull]

well written article.



of course these days players don't have to venture onto the pitch to experience the venom of the so-called "supporters" - they just need to go on their own club's internet fans' forum!

 

[Richy_Seagull]

Because a lot of football fans are thick morons who know nothing about the game and genuinely think they can do a better job than the manager. Point in case the bloke in North stand who constantly berates Gus's tactics, formations, player choice, the fact we only pass backwards and sideways and how he is bored with our style, so repeatedly says 'brilliant' sarcastically.

 

[aolstudios]

Player acceptance of fans criticism comes as standard. If I earnt what they do you could call me whatever you like. water off a ducks back springs to mind! Get over it and watch your bank balance grow by 5k,10k, 50k or even 150k a WEEK!!.

Did you read doc's comment? or james' article? It affects players, so you're not supporting your team if you're constantly on your own players' backs during a game. Until the final whistle blows, we're behind our team or we're not supporters

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Because a lot of football fans are thick morons who know nothing about the game and genuinely think they can do a better job than the manager. Point in case the bloke in North stand who constantly berates Gus's tactics, formations, player choice, the fact we only pass backwards and sideways and how he is bored with our style, so repeatedly says 'brilliant' sarcastically.

It's a shame that somebody doesn't take it upon them self to tell him to "Shut it" then (& that goes for other folk who have the misfortune of being in close proximity to gobshites). It only continues because people allow it to.

ps Excellent article by DJ btw.

 

[trueblue]

Because a lot of football fans are thick morons who know nothing about the game and genuinely think they can do a better job than the manager. Point in case the bloke in North stand who constantly berates Gus's tactics, formations, player choice, the fact we only pass backwards and sideways and how he is bored with our style, so repeatedly says 'brilliant' sarcastically.

This, sadly, seems to be the truth. I've watched football all my life and think I can spot a good player from a bad one a lot of the time as well as the weaknesses in a team broadly speaking. But beyond that - not much of a clue. How anyone can feel they know so much more about the game than a former top flight and international player who was coached by some of the best for year after year is beyond me. Presumably because they played a bit of Sunday League they're much better qualified.

Of course, we can all criticise to an extent in the same way that you don't have to be an art critic to know the difference between a Van Gogh and a Rolf Harris.. but it's the 'analysis' voiced constantly by some of these fans that does my head in. Or 'utter balls' as it might be better described.

 

[aolstudios]

It's a shame that somebody doesn't take it upon them self to tell him to "Shut it" then (& that goes for other folk who have the misfortune of being in close proximity to gobshites). It only continues because people allow it to.

some of us do

 

[nomoremithras4me]

I must admit to being a 'heartless fart'. I gave James a bit of stick yesterday in the North, as did just about everyone else. Nothing malicious, just trying to upset his concentration. I'm in the 'pay me £10000 a week and call me what you want' camp, people get more abuse on here than he got yesterday.

 

[Bob!]

Anyone care to enlighten me?

That *may* have been added to the article by the OP

 

[Twinkle Toes]

some of us do

Good for you.

 

[Ernest]

Peter Shilton at the Dell

 

[c0lz]

But if it is a player of the opposite team then a good thing surely? like Dan Harding abuse at the Amex,I agree always get behind our own team.

 

[Richy_Seagull]

It's a shame that somebody doesn't take it upon them self to tell him to "Shut it" then (& that goes for other folk who have the misfortune of being in close proximity to gobshites). It only continues because people allow it to.

ps Excellent article by DJ btw.

I have tried on a few occasions, but there is a part of me, unfortunately, that recognises that he has paid for his season ticket and is entitled to his (absolutely f***ing ridiculous) views. Was amusing yesterday when he was bang in the middle of one of his 'backwards' 'sideways' rants just as Calde fired in though .