frustrating support

[Titanic]

...It's a wonder the players run out at all, let alone play well..

Oh, the poor little darlings - how terrible it must be for them

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Oh, the poor little darlings - how terrible it must be for them

Knew you'd pick up on that

Seriously, though, the Withdean whingers do the club no favours whatsoever. More hindrance than help, sadly.

.

 

[Man of Harveys]

When we play crap, the crowd is quiet. It's the same everywhere, it was the same at the Goldstone, and frankly, in the grand context of how I reckon other supporters would have greeted a car crash of a performance like that, the players were lucky not to be threatened with a LYNCHING from the people that pay them. We're not cheerleaders.

 

[Billy the Fish]

When we play crap, the crowd is quiet. It's the same everywhere, it was the same at the Goldstone, and frankly, in the grand context of how I reckon other supporters would have greeted a car crash of a performance like that, the players were lucky not to be threatened with a LYNCHING from the people that pay them. We're not cheerleaders.

I don't remember the Gillingham crowd ever getting on the players backs and that was when we were ten times shitter than we are now.

 

[Titanic]

I don't remember the Gillingham crowd ever getting on the players backs and that was when we were ten times shitter than we are now.

I think expectations were pretty low then. Hard to be disappointed or frustrated when our plight was so obvious. Just being there at all was seen as a minor miracle.

 

[Jamon Jamon]

There were so many part-timers SO intent on not singing that apart from the usual few people in the H block singing, it was just me and Djmiles at the back trying to get some sort of singing going on (which didn't happen because most people would either laugh or give you funny looks).

the simple reason atmosphere is better at aways is because more fans are pissed so therefore they tend to sing more and/or anyone starting (or continually starting) a song(s) couldn't give a shit about any funny looks they get (not that they get any because most are pissed) see diagram below

++++++ = (&)


.

 

[Man of Harveys]

I think expectations were pretty low then. Hard to be disappointed or frustrated when our plight was so obvious. Just being there at all was seen as a minor miracle.

That's it. Just as now, I reckon we still - absolutely rightly - make some allowance for all off the pitch factors which most other clubs simply haven't been through. But, given the success we've also enjoyed had at Withdean in the Dick Knight era, crap is crap is crap. And Saturday was crap. To expect people to carry on cheering as that slapstick comedy went from bad to worse is quite beyond me. It's totally unrealistic.

 

[Bakesy]

That is exactly why AWAY games are better, yes there usually under 700 of us, but we all get behind the team, sing our hearts out and support them with every song being sung

And then abuse fellow fans on the train home..........

 

[Kukev31]

If that is the sole reason you got to football you are going to be sorely disappointed most weeks. That attitude makes you a spectator, a consumer of the football product, not a supporter. I can remember when going to the game meant a good laugh with your mates and CREATING an atmosphere supporting your team or even just providing some gallows humour to get you through another dire afternoon.

Now CG, I am not suggesting that you specifically are not a supporter, but was merely having a go at the current culture of expectation that pervades most of football these days. The support at Leeds was phenomenal and it was a strictly old school atmosphere of backing the team and belittling the opposition, and whilst we played well it wasn't really the most entertaining of games.

I think most people are overreacting to an exceptionally bad performance, we have proved on numerous occasions this seasons that we are better than that, and that promise for the future is what we should be concentrating on. And FFS the season hasn't actually ended yet, an unlikely win tomorrow and we can limp on for another week with hope in our hearts.

100% agree.

Everyone would have a lot better time and the team would perform better if more people realised this!

 

[Guy Fawkes]

That's it. Just as now, I reckon we still - absolutely rightly - make some allowance for all off the pitch factors which most other clubs simply haven't been through. But, given the success we've also enjoyed had at Withdean in the Dick Knight era, crap is crap is crap. And Saturday was crap. To expect people to carry on cheering as that slapstick comedy went from bad to worse is quite beyond me. It's totally unrealistic.

So should the fans at home games refuse to make any noise until they see how we are playing?, and if it isn't considered to be good enough in the first couple of minutes play the fans should abuse the players instead of trying to raise their game by encouraging them?

Would the two away draws at Leeds and Forrest been wins if the fans abused the Albion players instead of cheering them on?

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

That is exactly why AWAY games are better, yes there usually under 700 of us, but we all get behind the team, sing our hearts out and support them with every song being sung

Used to love it when our away support was big, well, bigger. Fans from everywhere credited us for our numbers and atmosphere.

 

[Caveman]

I frequently have two guys turning around and argue decisions with me.
The referee has given a poor decision I have stood up and two old fookers in front of me always jump to the defence of the ref or linesman, pretty much ever week, even though others agree?

Now, this really bugs me as I like to get on the back of the officals and opposing players as it often creates a bit more of a buzz. But I guess when you are forced to sit with people who don't share your passion you're going to get this.

I sang and shouted myself horse at Leeds and will do so at Luton, to me thats what football is all about. But if I did this at home people would look at me as if I was some kind of mentalist.

Roll on Falmer and the North Stand.

 

[Man of Harveys]

So should the fans at home games refuse to make any noise until they see how we are playing?, and if it isn't considered to be good enough in the first couple of minutes play the fans should abuse the players instead of trying to raise their game by encouraging them?

Would the two away draws at Leeds and Forrest been wins if the fans abused the Albion players instead of cheering them on?

Hey, if people want to act like happy cheerleaders on Prozac for 90 minutes despite an awful shambles like that, I'd actually quite like to witness that, because it sounds frankly a scene so surreal, it could only be very entertaining.

..."C'MON EVERYONE, LET'S GET BEHIND THE BOYS...OH NO MURRAY COULDN'T BE ARSED TO JUMP IN THE AIR AGAIN...OH WELL, COME ON EVERYONE...OH NO PORT VALE HAVE SCORED NOW WOOHOO C'MON EVERYONE" etc etc

 

[eastlondonseagull]

I sang and shouted myself hoarse at Leeds and will do so at Luton, to me thats what football is all about. But if I did this at home people would look at me as if I was some kind of mentalist.

Absolutely. Will do the hoarse thing tonight at Southend, too. The team needs us, but we cannot be relied upon at home games.

.

 

[Gully]

Used to love it when our away support was big, well, bigger. Fans from everywhere credited us for our numbers and atmosphere.

Our away following hasn't always been that great, when I first started watching Albion away games it was pretty poor...my first away game was Charlton on New Years' Day 85...don't think there can have been more than a couple of hundred there...Sunderland away in 86, I counted the away fans...43 (I was with a Sunderland fan in the main stand and saw a couple of other Albion near me, presumably doing the same thing)...Man City a few years later...again just a couple of hundred.

This of course contrasts with followings of 6k plus to places like Peterborough and Man Utd in the cup, but Albion fans are fickle creatures at the best of times, we only really get behind the team when it is doing outstandingly well or in times of extreme adversity.

 

[Mendoza]

And then abuse fellow fans on the train home..........

when have you SEEN or HEARD me do that??

 

[Uncle Buck]

when have you SEEN or HEARD me do that??

I thought you did all your abusing at Cheltenham.

 

[Mendoza]

I thought you did all your abusing at Cheltenham.

I was being racist towards a steward not a fan or any fans!!

 

[Uncle Buck]

I was being racist towards a steward not a fan or any fans!!

Oh yeah.

How strange.

 

[pornomagboy]

when have you SEEN or HEARD me do that??

so you wasnt slagging of my mother then was you?

and we have it all recorded on a mobile phone and it shows you starting the stuff off.

and then you send a friend down to talk to me to see what is going on?

we have about 6 witnesses who saw YOU do it