I'm gonna be in that number (maybe): For one Saints fan, loyalty has its limits

[Window Cleaner]

Nice one Cliff

[Weston Saint]

Well, folks, that's the way I feel about it. It's not a suggestion that you ought to feel the same, but for Crab Lungs it resonated.

 

Archie Bland's article was in the same vein. It wasn't a journalistic investigation, but what he feels as a Saints fan. He's got a right to his feelings, and I suppose I've got a right to mine.

 

I will not comment, at least not at present, on any of the ill perceived comments, but having endured the Branfoot years I think I got a right not to be accused of being a fair weather supporter. I've grown to understand football to be entertainment, not something to be endured.

Could not agree more. May be time our little group went out for another drink and chat! Will send an email shortly to all.

[Saint Fan CaM]

After all the misery of the Lowe years, I came back on board in L1. It's been great. No infernal flirtations with relegation, no selling of our best players, no fire sales, no "early bird" season ticket sales to get money in. Liebherr and Cortese banished the small town attitude in the club and amongst many of the supporters. There was a plan. Saints was going places. There was no turning back.

 

I have bought my season ticket, but I am not sure that I am prepared to bite my fingernails on the last day of the season once more the year after. I have tasted what it is to be in a club which is challenging for the big time, and I don't want to go back.

 

The current regime makes me despondent. Back is the Polyanna positive thinking of Adkins, now encapsulated by Kruger, but no clarity of purpose. I can see a number of mistakes being made: Appointing the finance guy to CEO and leaving the club with one single person with a background in football: Les Reed, who's charisma bypass and lack of sense of authority hasn't satisfied anybody. From what felt like a powerhouse I am now looking at an empty shell of a football club, full of accountants, solicitors, positive thinkers, but not one who could perceivably analyse the football here last year, nor what the shortcomings are. If McLaren and Bruce were on the shortlist it only confirms my deepest fears, before long we'll be back to 4-4-2. This club doesn't know what it's doing. The only thing I'm really holding on to is the fact that we are not going bust, as was regularly threatened in the past.

 

It is no secret that Katarina doesn't know or understand football, but neither does anybody else, save Reed, and I'm not sure how much he understands. Neither is there anybody with any knowledge about running a football club in the Premier League, which is not comparable to running ordinary businesses. So where is a plan going to come from?

 

Our structure before the ousting of Cortese was right: Somebody to drive the club forward and somebody else to drive the football team. Now we haven't got either and there is a dithering about whether we ought to sell our best players or not. You tell me where you will find another Lallana for £20M?! What did Arsenal pay for Ozil? Appointing a new manager is only one thing which needs to be sorted out, but it is not an answer to the changes needed to sort the club out. This is a ship with no rudder, no captain, no helmsman, no engine, no destination and no purpose. The ship's owner is rich, but is suffering from a small town mentality.

 

I am not part of the wrist slitters union, but somewhat of a miracle is needed for us not struggling with relegation the coming season. However, I like to look after myself, and don't intend to spend more years depressed about all the stuff which was wrong in the past. If it is coming back again I want to be counted out. I am not prepared to let the club take me for granted expecting me to cough up regardless of the football I'm watching or the future of the club.

 

There are hordes of journalists and football folk who has always looked down on us, and they carried on doing it regardless of the "project". Our best players were only here to be harvested by "big" clubs. We ought to tug the forelock and be grateful. You know what? I have discovered that that is not me at all, and maybe in part I am grateful for Cortese for that.

 

I will never support another club, but I deserve better. Luckily football is not my only interest in life.

 

Great post - better said than the OP article IMO and largely reflects how I feel - at the moment. Of course, the club have an opportunity to delight us now and show us exactly what course is to be plotted from this point forward. Fail and I dare say they'll become perfectly aware very quickly of how their 'customer base' feels.

[doddisalegend]

After all the misery of the Lowe years, I came back on board in L1. It's been great. No infernal flirtations with relegation, no selling of our best players, no fire sales, no "early bird" season ticket sales to get money in. Liebherr and Cortese banished the small town attitude in the club and amongst many of the supporters. There was a plan. Saints was going places. There was no turning back.

 

I have bought my season ticket, but I am not sure that I am prepared to bite my fingernails on the last day of the season once more the year after. I have tasted what it is to be in a club which is challenging for the big time, and I don't want to go back.

 

The current regime makes me despondent. Back is the Polyanna positive thinking of Adkins, now encapsulated by Kruger, but no clarity of purpose. I can see a number of mistakes being made: Appointing the finance guy to CEO and leaving the club with one single person with a background in football: Les Reed, who's charisma bypass and lack of sense of authority hasn't satisfied anybody. From what felt like a powerhouse I am now looking at an empty shell of a football club, full of accountants, solicitors, positive thinkers, but not one who could perceivably analyse the football here last year, nor what the shortcomings are. If McLaren and Bruce were on the shortlist it only confirms my deepest fears, before long we'll be back to 4-4-2. This club doesn't know what it's doing. The only thing I'm really holding on to is the fact that we are not going bust, as was regularly threatened in the past.

 

It is no secret that Katarina doesn't know or understand football, but neither does anybody else, save Reed, and I'm not sure how much he understands. Neither is there anybody with any knowledge about running a football club in the Premier League, which is not comparable to running ordinary businesses. So where is a plan going to come from?

 

Our structure before the ousting of Cortese was right: Somebody to drive the club forward and somebody else to drive the football team. Now we haven't got either and there is a dithering about whether we ought to sell our best players or not. You tell me where you will find another Lallana for £20M?! What did Arsenal pay for Ozil? Appointing a new manager is only one thing which needs to be sorted out, but it is not an answer to the changes needed to sort the club out. This is a ship with no rudder, no captain, no helmsman, no engine, no destination and no purpose. The ship's owner is rich, but is suffering from a small town mentality.

 

I am not part of the wrist slitters union, but somewhat of a miracle is needed for us not struggling with relegation the coming season. However, I like to look after myself, and don't intend to spend more years depressed about all the stuff which was wrong in the past. If it is coming back again I want to be counted out. I am not prepared to let the club take me for granted expecting me to cough up regardless of the football I'm watching or the future of the club.

 

There are hordes of journalists and football folk who has always looked down on us, and they carried on doing it regardless of the "project". Our best players were only here to be harvested by "big" clubs. We ought to tug the forelock and be grateful. You know what? I have discovered that that is not me at all, and maybe in part I am grateful for Cortese for that.

 

I will never support another club, but I deserve better. Luckily football is not my only interest in life.

 

Doesn't resonate with me at all.........

[Frank's cousin]

Trouble is, we are told/ conditioned that to be a true fan, you MUST accept everything, no matter what SHIETE the 'board' throw at you... Because the club will always be there and other such cliched Bol lox... And that is what it's is... Despite what various über fans will suggest. We do NOT have to accept it. We chose to because we are told it's the right thing to do.

 

Well what is wrong with saying enough is enough? What is wrong with saying you are sick and tired of your clay being a 'victim of its own level of success'? And seeing your best players leave on mass because 'that is what football is about'? Why is it about that? Why can't we demand change, which will only come about when fans on mass turn off Sky?

 

The marriage analogy is a good one.. Because when we start out we want it it be a relationship that lasts forever and is wonderful. But whereas the uberfans are like your grandparents generation, refusing to lose face and stay in an 'unhappy marriage' - why should we not accept that the previously unthinkable - 'I've had enough' - is the only way we could force change?

 

Whilst fans of all clubs outside the top 4 continue to accept whatever is thrown at them, that they have no chance of ever going beyond their 'level' - nothing will change and the TV. Companies will be happy. .... Too many are too frightened of openly admitting they have had enough of what the SKY money and prem has done to football, even if they agree in private, resigned to the fact the can't change it... Is it not time that 'real' fans say enough is enough and make their collective feeling known?

[holepuncture]

http://www.safc.com/news/team-news/2014/june/colback-statement

 

Club comment on Colback departure.

 

After the announcement that Jack Colback has signed for Newcastle United, SAFC has issued the following statement:

 

“Jack is a player we have nurtured and developed through our academy system since he was eight years old. We gave him the opportunity to become a professional footballer and are therefore extremely disappointed in the events that have led to his departure from the club.

“This wasn’t about money - the club agreed to all of the terms demanded of us during discussions and we were always led to believe that Jack wanted to stay with us. At his and his representatives’ request, final talks were put on hold until the club secured its top flight status. To our dismay however, we were subsequently never given the chance to negotiate with him to stay.

“For him to then leave the club that has supported him throughout his formative years in such a manner, with no chance for Sunderland to recover any of the significant investment that it has made in him as a player, has left a bitter taste."

[doddisalegend]

Trouble is' date=' we are told/ conditioned that to be a true fan, you MUST accept everything, no matter what SHIETE the 'board' throw at you... Because the club will always be there and other such cliched Bol lox... And that is what it's is... Despite what various über fans will suggest. We do NOT have to accept it. We chose to because we are told it's the right thing to do.

 

Well what is wrong with saying enough is enough? What is wrong with saying you are sick and tired of your clay being a 'victim of its own level of success'? And seeing your best players leave on mass because 'that is what football is about'? Why is it about that? Why can't we demand change, which will only come about when fans on mass turn off Sky?

 

The marriage analogy is a good one.. Because when we start out we want it it be a relationship that lasts forever and is wonderful. But whereas the uberfans are like your grandparents generation, refusing to lose face and stay in an 'unhappy marriage' - why should we not accept that the previously unthinkable - 'I've had enough' - is the only way we could force change?

 

Whilst fans of all clubs outside the top 4 continue to accept whatever is thrown at them, that they have no chance of ever going beyond their 'level' - nothing will change and the TV. Companies will be happy. .... Too many are too frightened of openly admitting they have had enough of what the SKY money and prem has done to football, even if they agree in private, resigned to the fact the can't change it... Is it not time that 'real' fans say enough is enough and make their collective feeling known?

 

Well you kind of do because you actually have no say in how the club is run basically you have a choice accept what happens or walk away. As yet it has never got bad enough to make me walk away.....

 

The chances off some sort of mass sky/PL boycott is about the same as all the countries smokers giving up fags it isn't going to happen. Even if English fans did get together to fight the evils of Sky/PL the brand has gone so global they could probably carry on showing the English PL around the world even without English fans being involved with little harm to their brand.

[doddisalegend]

http://www.safc.com/news/team-news/2014/june/colback-statement

 

That's like Adam leaving us for Pompey............