Match-going fans - deserving of blame?

Bit of a can of worms, but lately the forum has had an increasing faction who blame (in part, at least) match-going fans for their implied or explicit support for Mike Ashley's regime at the club. Quick straw poll to see where everyone sits.

Mike Ashley is to blame and that's it.

No blmae can be pointed at the fans whatsoever.

 

The fans customers have absolutly zero say in anything.

We only have one way of fighting this and it just seems people are doing the opposite despite being treat with constant contempt.

 

There's just no significant opposition to the utter shit we're being put through and that needs to change.

Winter is coming.

The fans customers have absolutly zero say in anything.

 

Thats the whole point, man.

I don't think the fans support Ashley at all. But they do sympathise with Pardew and that creates the confusion and divide which Ashley can exploit.

I think the divisions within our fanbase are one of the things holding the club back.

 

A consensus on how bad the things are appear to be some way off though.

 

The media doesn't help as I'm yet to see anyone within the media really be critical of Ashley et al.

No blmae can be pointed at the fans whatsoever.

 

The fans customers have absolutly zero say in anything.

 

I agree totally fans not to blame at all but if there is going to be change unless some rich arab comes floating by (unlikely) then the fans do need to make their own choice as to if they can play a part in forcing is hand. Some will but many won't so we are stuck with the fat cunt.

I think the divisions within our fanbase are one of the things holding the club back.

 

A consensus on how bad the things are appear to be some way off though.

 

The media doesn't help as I'm yet to see anyone within the media really be critical of Ashley et al.

 

Agree

Until the fans pull together as one, then there's no way of forcing him out. It's been tried, and failed, a number of times now.

 

Basically until we're all outside of SJP every game with pitchforks then he's staying.

No blmae can be pointed at the fans whatsoever.

 

The fans customers have absolutly zero say in anything.

 

I agree totally fans not to blame at all but if there is going to be change unless some rich arab comes floating by (unlikely) then the fans do need to make their own choice as to if they can play a part in forcing is hand. Some will but many won't so we are stuck with the fat cunt.

e's a stubborn twat though; 50 butts in seats or 50,000 it won't matter - belts would just get tightened further; he won't change his ways.

 

edit: this isn't to say "oh well nothing can be done about it" - if someone wants to not go as a form of protest that's fine. if someone wants to go that's fine too. I get both points. I just think Ashley isn't likely to change regardless of what's done.

I think the divisions within our fanbase are one of the things holding the club back.

 

A consensus on how bad the things are appear to be some way off though.

 

The media doesn't help as I'm yet to see anyone within the media really be critical of Ashley et al.

media on a national level don't care, sure the reporters who work for the nationals probably care but the guys deciding whats headline news in London don't. Why care about us when there's a title race between two oil funded super teams to get excited over? Or Man Utd only being above average this season how can the fans cope with the horrors of being 7th?! Or the race for the 4th place trophy? All we're worthy of is an occasional tut tut in MA's direction and not any kind of investigative forensic analysis of what Ashley is doing at the club.

We only have one way of fighting this and it just seems people are doing the opposite despite being treat with constant contempt.

 

There's just no significant opposition to the utter s*** we're being put through and that needs to change.

 

Spot on.

 

We will of course though see in this thread the vacuous argument that being a supporter means going to matches regardless of any circumstance and that it is even somehow admirable to actively enable those who take the p*ss out of you. Which is akin to some sort of retarded old military romanticism like charging at machine guns.

No blame but I cant understand why any fan who takes more than a passsing interest cant join the dots in seeing where their support really goes.

No blmae can be pointed at the fans whatsoever.

 

The fans customers have absolutly zero say in anything.

 

I agree totally fans not to blame at all but if there is going to be change unless some rich arab comes floating by (unlikely) then the fans do need to make their own choice as to if they can play a part in forcing is hand. Some will but many won't so we are stuck with the fat c***.

e's a stubborn t*** though; 50 butts in seats or 50,000 it won't matter - belts would just get tightened further; he won't change his ways.

 

If you get 50 butts in a seat and lose a massive amount of seats due to boycott it will take note as the adverse publicity will take an effect as he becomes more and more under pressure and starts to lose money. Not a couple of thousand though it would have to be a mass amount - not going to happen so nothing will change and in my opinion with being a season ticket holder for 40 years, if your not prepared to do something about it then you can't really keep shouting from the rooftops about what is happening.

I think the divisions within our fanbase are one of the things holding the club back.

 

A consensus on how bad the things are appear to be some way off though.

 

The media doesn't help as I'm yet to see anyone within the media really be critical of Ashley et al.

media on a national level don't care, sure the reporters who work for the nationals probably care but the guys deciding whats headline news in London don't. Why care about us when there's a title race between two oil funded super teams to get excited over? Or Man Utd only being above average this season how can the fans cope with the horrors of being 7th?! Or the race for the 4th place trophy? All we're worthy of is an occasional tut tut in MA's direction and not any kind of investigative forensic analysis of what Ashley is doing at the club.

 

I'm not sure I agree with this to be honest.

 

In the past we've been massive news in the national media.

 

The lack of dissent from the fans means the media look at us as if everything is OK.

The idiots who sing for Shola and sing for Pardew are partially to blame, singing for those two takes the pressure off the club to do anything about them.  We don't need to replace either because the fans love them.

No blmae can be pointed at the fans whatsoever.

 

The fans customers have absolutly zero say in anything.

 

I agree totally fans not to blame at all but if there is going to be change unless some rich arab comes floating by (unlikely) then the fans do need to make their own choice as to if they can play a part in forcing is hand. Some will but many won't so we are stuck with the fat c***.

e's a stubborn t*** though; 50 butts in seats or 50,000 it won't matter - belts would just get tightened further; he won't change his ways.

 

If you get 50 butts in a seat and lose a massive amount of seats due to boycott it will take note as the adverse publicity will take an effect as he becomes more and more under pressure and starts to lose money. Not a couple of thousand though it would have to be a mass amount - not going to happen so nothing will change and in my opinion with being a season ticket holder for 40 years, if your not prepared to do something about it then you can't really keep shouting from the rooftops about what is happening.

with the size of the tv deal its almost absorble if he just cuts spending enough (since its not actually increased in the slightest) which he has proven he's more than willing to do.

The fans customers have absolutly zero say in anything.

 

Thats the whole point, man.

I know man, just saying man!  :lol:

For me, the real tragedy of yesterday was that our fanbase will just take it. That first half was probably the worst performance I've ever seen from any team at any level, but we'll just take it - as always.

 

The players went straight down the tunnel because they dont care about us, but we'll just take it.

 

Even if the "Pardew, give us a wave" crew finally disappears, there was barely any vocal discontent. And even if there's a mass walkout from season ticket holders with dignity, there'll always be replacements. Attendances wont suffer, nothing will change.

 

So thats the real tragedy - we get served that shite and yet nothing will change until the fatman goes.

No blmae can be pointed at the fans whatsoever.

 

The fans customers have absolutly zero say in anything.

 

I agree totally fans not to blame at all but if there is going to be change unless some rich arab comes floating by (unlikely) then the fans do need to make their own choice as to if they can play a part in forcing is hand. Some will but many won't so we are stuck with the fat c***.

e's a stubborn t*** though; 50 butts in seats or 50,000 it won't matter - belts would just get tightened further; he won't change his ways.

 

If you get 50 butts in a seat and lose a massive amount of seats due to boycott it will take note as the adverse publicity will take an effect as he becomes more and more under pressure and starts to lose money. Not a couple of thousand though it would have to be a mass amount - not going to happen so nothing will change and in my opinion with being a season ticket holder for 40 years, if your not prepared to do something about it then you can't really keep shouting from the rooftops about what is happening.

with the size of the tv deal its almost absorble if he just cuts spending enough (since its not actually increased in the slightest) which he has proven he's more than willing to do.

Which scares the shit out of me. I imagine the next bumper TV deal will further marginalize ST/Matchday revenue.

 

Wish they had something in the contract that tied it to matchday attendance to give fans some power back.

I think the divisions within our fanbase are one of the things holding the club back.

 

A consensus on how bad the things are appear to be some way off though.

 

The media doesn't help as I'm yet to see anyone within the media really be critical of Ashley et al.

media on a national level don't care, sure the reporters who work for the nationals probably care but the guys deciding whats headline news in London don't. Why care about us when there's a title race between two oil funded super teams to get excited over? Or Man Utd only being above average this season how can the fans cope with the horrors of being 7th?! Or the race for the 4th place trophy? All we're worthy of is an occasional tut tut in MA's direction and not any kind of investigative forensic analysis of what Ashley is doing at the club.

 

I'm not sure I agree with this to be honest.

 

In the past we've been massive news in the national media.

 

The lack of dissent from the fans means the media look at us as if everything is OK.

 

I remember when Keegan walked the other year it was the top story on the Five Live news all day.

Pardew giz a wave.

For me, the real tragedy of yesterday was that our fanbase will just take it. That first half was probably the worst performance I've ever seen from any team at any level, but we'll just take it - as always.

 

The players went straight down the tunnel because they dont care about us, but we'll just take it.

 

Even if the "Pardew, give us a wave" crew finally disappears, there was barely any vocal discontent. And even if there's a mass walkout from season ticket holders with dignity, there'll always be replacements. Attendances wont suffer, nothing will change.

 

So thats the real tragedy - we get served that s**** and yet nothing will change until the fatman goes.

 

Attendances will suffer though, I know our average attendance this season is 50k but I do believe this would drop if people made a concerted effort to stop investing in this regime.