[Archived] Faithless Fans

[Roversider]

In today's Sunday Times Rod Liddle has an article titled 'The faithless fans sapping Blackpool's will to win'. He compares how a section of the fans of Blackpool and his own team, Millwall, have had an impact on the team.

He writes "These are the fans, the supposed fans, who petulantly left the ground long before Blackpool had concluded their capitulation to Wigan last weekend - leaving behind, I would guess, the real Blackpool faithful, who were there when the team was struggling down in Leagus One. Holloway made the valid point that there is a certain type of fan who appends himself to a club in the expectation of success and who is unable to countenance defeat. When defeat is certain, these fans leave, disgusted and angered." and finally "And if you are a Blackpool player, struggling like hell when you are one down to the likes of Wigan, what does it do to your confidence to hear the catcalls and see the terraces empty? Probably just enough to ensure you do not intercept that winger, to ensure you do not convert that cross."

I am sure I am not alone in seeing the comparison with our own fans. Yes, there is much to criticise about the accession of Kean, the poor PR of the Owners, the departure of John Williams and the pay-off of Sam. But, for our team, will we, the fans, make our survival more unlikely or will we stick with the team until that final second? John Pickering witnessed a commitment from the core of Rovers fans when we were relegated to the Third, but many other fans had voted with their feet and voices by then. Many not to return until Jack poured his money in.

We need everyone to be Blue and White to the heart, blind to the failings until the end of the season. Try not to be that sort of fan who finds it easier to jeer their own player than cheer them on and try to raise them after a mistake. Don't be the moron who thinks it's a good idea to abuse MGP when he is preparing to take a throw.

Will you be that fan who sticks there to the end or will you slink out before the game is over after shouting abuse at our team, OUR TEAM!

Every game matters now, unfortunately our last game is away so any demonstrations after the United game may impact on the Wolves game. So, leave any issues until the Rovers are safe, then vent your negative feelings, but only then.

[tony gale's mic]

I don't think the bulk of the anger is directed at the team.

[Torgeir]

Good stuff, Roversider!

[Mattyblue]

I will sing my heart out like I do every week, but these holier than thou postings won't stop me venting my spleen at full time if I see another desperate performance- my club has been brought to its knees in just months and I will let it be known.

[Roversider]

I will sing my heart out like I do every week, but these holier than thou postings won't stop me venting my spleen at full time if I see another desperate performance- my club has been brought to its knees in just months and I will let it be known.

Holier than thou? I think your view is wrong, I am pointing out that lots of people see the negative side to fans behaviour. Still if it makes you happy do what you want. It is an observation and a request, after the game I understand.

I don't set myself up better than anyone else, I also believe everyone on this board cares about the Rovers.

[Mattyblue]

Holier than thou was a bit much, however I stand by the fact that the anger being felt needs an outlet- there will be no-one that will be able to put a lid on it if the game goes badly.

[Mercer]

Respect is a two way thing and which ever way you look at it, the club has shown little respect for its supporters over recent times. And, by that, I include some of the players on occasions.

This softly, softly stuff doesn't work for me. For goodness sake, we are talking about exceedingly well paid individuals not school children. Where does self motivation and pride come into it? Get out of the kitchen if you can't stand the heat.

In no organisation I know would such incompetence be tolerated and there would be no let's wait until we get Christmas over or let's wait until we get through summer.

The club could be dead by the end of the season and any criticism / protest then would be absolutely purile.

Something needs to be done to sting our owners, manager, players into action if things are going wrong tomorrow. A very firm kick-up the jacksie. To sit there quietly would suggest complete indifference which unfortunately many at our club seem to be suffering from.

[Roversider]

Holier than thou was a bit much, however I stand by the fact that the anger being felt needs an outlet- there will be no-one that will be able to put a lid on it if the game goes badly.

Sadly I totally expect a section of the crowd to continue (it has been going on for a while) to abuse specific players (Andrews, MGP), the manager and groan and jeer when the pass is misplaced. That is my experience over the last forty years of watching us when we struggle. Same for all clubs. If it was after the final whistle I can understand that, but it won't happen.

It doesn't help the players. They will need to find an inner strength but it would be nice to think that we might help their confidence.

[den]

I don't see the point in posting that article TBH Roversider.

To date the rovers fans have been excellent. In fact, taking into consideration how the club has self harmed, you would be better off actually praising the fans rather than contunually berating them.

If/when they do eventually turn on Kean or Venky's, there's nothing you or I will be able to do about it. So, I'll turn the argument around, maybe you should show a little more positivity towards your fellow fans?

[Mattyblue]

I don't see the point in posting that article TBH Roversider.

To date the rovers fans have been excellent. In fact, taking into consideration how the club has self harmed, you would be better off actually praising the fans rather than contunually berating them.

If/when they do eventually turn on Kean or Venky's, there's nothing you or I will be able to do about it. So, I'll turn the argument around, maybe you should show a little more positivity towards your fellow fans?

Indeed den, the fans at a lot of other clubs would have kicked off weeks, nay months ago.

BRFC has been such a steady ship for two decades, a lot of our fans just can't get their head around just how much it has self-destructed. Just 'get behind the lads' is the default mode.

[Gav]

I don't see the point in posting that article TBH Roversider.

To date the rovers fans have been excellent. In fact, taking into consideration how the club has self harmed, you would be better off actually praising the fans rather than contunually berating them.

If/when they do eventually turn on Kean or Venky's, there's nothing you or I will be able to do about it. So, I'll turn the argument around, maybe you should show a little more positivity towards your fellow fans?

The feeling on here over the past 2-3wks probably prompted Roversider to post the article, the negativity on here has been the worse I’ve ever known it.

[tony gale's mic]

The feeling on here over the past 2-3wks probably prompted Roversider to post the article, the negativity on here has been the worse I’ve ever known it.

That's because the fortunes of the club are the worst they've ever been since this forum started.

Makes perfect sense.

[Mattyblue]

Yes, this forum has been a strained environment, Rovers fans talking in pubs, writing in to the Telegraph have been raging, HOWEVER on a matchday they have been superb- isn't that testimony to our supporters?

[John]

The feeling on here over the past 2-3wks probably prompted Roversider to post the article, the negativity on here has been the worse I’ve ever known it.

Understandable, no? We are on our worst run of results for 25 years and our owners don't seem to have a clue how to run a football club - speaking to some non Rovers fans recently, they cannot believe we have been so passive about it.

[PAFELL]

I don't think the bulk of the anger is directed at the team.

Maybe not - but it is the team that get affected by fans booing, protesting etc. Therefore to get behind the team, especially now is essential. Because that should have a positive effect and not a negative one. We are all hurting at what is happening to the club we support - that is understandable. But lets do all we can to get this team over the finish line first and foremost. I sincerely hope that Rovers can win the next two matches, putting us on 41 points - which could be enough to keep us safe. Then we may have the chance to protest. But lets see where we are after these next two home games. To get these 6 points we have to get behind the team the best we can.

[Gav]

That's because the fortunes of the club are the worst they've ever been since this forum started.

Makes perfect sense.

We've been relegated and near the foot of the championship, so don't talk rubbish man.

[tony gale's mic]

We've been relegated and near the foot of the championship, so don't talk rubbish man.

Was this forum up in 1999?

Even if it was, it wouldn't really be comparable since it'd have a fraction of the members.

Plus the negativity is surrounding the state of the team and the future of the club. Back then we still had Jack's money.

You're talking rubbish - anyone would expect the negativity of this forum to be at an all time high.

[Roversider]

I don't see the point in posting that article TBH Roversider.

To date the rovers fans have been excellent. In fact, taking into consideration how the club has self harmed, you would be better off actually praising the fans rather than contunually berating them.

If/when they do eventually turn on Kean or Venky's, there's nothing you or I will be able to do about it. So, I'll turn the argument around, maybe you should show a little more positivity towards your fellow fans?

The fans at Rovers are the same as all fans, a mixed bunch.

However where I sit in the Riverside I have heard all season abuse directed at Andrews (whether he was picked by Sam or Kean) and also at Pedersen. The latter had to put up with an idiot running up to the wall to abuse him as he set up for a throw.

There is, however, a sizeable section of the fans who are magnificent, a lot of them in the Darwen End nowadays. I don't see this as a simple, everyone is like this or everyone is like that. Some fans will always be blindly positive and some blindly negative. It is when there is a swing towards the negative when things go wrong. That happens when there is a good reason to do that and heaven knows there is plenty of reason at the moment.

If I am berating all the fans then I guess I am berating myself as well and that is definitely not the intention.

I am more than happy to be positive to the magnificent fans who support the team, watch those leaving ten minutes before the end though and I have a different opinion. I am sure that you are one of the former and not the latter and I truely don't intend that as sarcasm. We all hurt when the club is struggling on and off the pitch.

[47er]

I don't see the point in posting that article TBH Roversider.

To date the rovers fans have been excellent. In fact, taking into consideration how the club has self harmed, you would be better off actually praising the fans rather than contunually berating them.

If/when they do eventually turn on Kean or Venky's, there's nothing you or I will be able to do about it. So, I'll turn the argument around, maybe you should show a little more positivity towards your fellow fans?

Absolutely agree there Den. Fans have been distraught and expressed their feelings here and elsewhere during the week.

However come matchday and its been an entirely different story, despite the appalling sequence of results. So whatever has gone wrong or will go wrong, its not right to blame the fans.

[cn174]

Was this forum up in 1999?

Yes

It has been around since 1996.

[Mattyblue]

This is different Roverside, even if we were now sitting 8th under Sam or Sparky, there would still be numpties screaming at MGP or Andrews, or people leaving early, that's football fans for you.

What could happen tomorrow night would be on a differnt scale including fans who would NEVER usually deviate from supporting the team.

[chris]

I've never been so faithless as I am now, in 1999 Blackburn were much much too big to go down even after we went down I hardly believed it.

Now we have turned into a bit of joke and the chairman who would have avoid another rokie manager has quit.

We have manager with less experience then Kidd, Ince or Harford and on the worse run in 26 years.

I'm worried we are too much of a joke to stay up.

Maybe I just need a win, but I don't see it coming tomorrow.

[Gav]

Was this forum up in 1999?

Even if it was, it wouldn't really be comparable since it'd have a fraction of the members.

:lol:

[tony gale's mic]

:lol:

Fair question since your membership date has you starting in 2001.

[Mattyblue]

The old style message board was replaced in 2001.