Yeah the thing i cant get out of my head is why we talk about a loss of 6M if we go down, yet don't bring in experience in to give s the best shot to retain that 6M but selling 3-4 players to earn 6M is seen as a higher priority. Luton and Charlton, despite losing players added some experience. I get frustrated at knowing we had weaknesses and our transfer policy didn't sort it. Loanees now off the table. So the question i keep asking is what do we expect Daniel to do about it right now and I'm lost for an answer. Im only guessing that there will be some formation changes and lots of tinkering.
I'm self employed, and totted up how much money I could earn if I didn't have time off to go to midweek away games, and worked every Saturday for a full season. Savings + earnings = a lot of money! Problem is, I can't get out of the habit, but I wouldn't judge anyone for picking their games or even calling it a day. Thick and thin is ok if the thin isn't self imposed. And I'm usually a happy clapper. Ask @Jimmy viz
Yeah interesting. I travel a lot and have planned flights back especially to make sure i get to Oakwell. I did this for our upcoming Bristol City but now its changed i can safely say i won't be there. I did same for Leeds and had to rearrange some tickets to get to the Leeds game. Then i woke up this morning and thought why am i bothering. It took 2 hours to get home after Leeds game and i only live at Cudworth. Car park has got worse. These are the things I've been motivated to accept for over 40 years then one day you wake up and the 'down' side has won the battle over the 'up' side. But hey theres 2 days to go until the next game.
I've given up on the car park. Got turned away 3 times so decided to make other arrangements. I could book online, but the wait to get out is putting me off now, although I know it's the same for all. Got back from Salford quicker than Oakwell on Saturday! I know people will say, 'at least we have a car park' but sometimes street parking is better for getting away.
I suppose I've had my " break" ( not self imposed) but I'm loving having a season ticket. D S is great and we're not playing boring negative football. Woodrow s goal was brilliant yesterday. Yes its frustrating not getting the win.but theres a lot of the season still to go. Maybe well stay up, maybe we ll l go back doena but isnt that part and parcel of supporting a team? However if you don't enjoy it no sense wasting time and money, life's too short
Each to his own. Your post made me think a bit as to why I keep going and have been doing for over fifty years now. It’s a 150 mile round trip every home game, with the weather like it was yesterday ( getting rained on in the East Stand lower!) and losing 1-3 maybe I would think twice about driving down on Wednesday. However, my enthusiasm is not diminished and I’m looking forward to the match - why? I think it’s probably because I love watching live sport and especially my team. In the long run we have to take the bad with the good and we are no where near as bad as I’ve seen over the years. If I just go when we are playing well and become a fair weather fan ( OP’s words) then there wouldn’t be any point in it. I loved last season when we were not losing everat home but am enjoying our young lads trying to get to grips with the championship this season. Of course it’s tough but I think it will be entertaining cos I hope Stendel will not ditch our style of play as some are calling for. Derby County - Bring It On.
Yes its more about enjoyment around the whole game day than the fundamentals of support, money or football itself. I guess if it was all about success i wouldn't even support Barnsley. I cant help feeling we have backed ourselves into this corner.
Good post and i have some understanding of that. I drive to Manchester to pick up my son for every game. Like i said before i have made plans that orient around getting to a game regularly. Unfortunately my enthusiasm is diminishing. I feel for this team and the management. Im not knocking the board, if this is the chosen strategy then so be it. Im just not feeling it right now. Might be just a spell. I might be into it again in another few weeks ;-)
I've always got more sympathy for those having to travel distances to come watch the game only to travel that distance back even if we win/lose, always a big commitment from them and they have my respect. It's more then what simply happens on the pitch for me though, home games i get some quality time with my dad and away games are always reserved for having great away days with my mates. Just for example We're playing West Brom this month away on a tuesday night but this has enabled me to spend a night watching football and then going out round Birmingham with mates who are all brought together through the love of the game. I'm going to have these experiences whether we are in the premier league or bottom of league two so for me i'll keep attending, The club is about more than the football for all of us.
So when we were last relegated most on here said it was self inflicted (usual transfer window exodus of our best players etc...) did you become a fair weather supporter at that point too? Why is this season any different from what you've witnessed over the last 40 years?
Feeling very similar myself at the moment. Didn't go Sunday and don't feel like bothering on Wednesday. I've stopped going to away games. As good as last season was I'm starting to think what's the point if we aren't even going to try and be competitive. We have been here before and made these exact mistakes, it's very depressing to see it all happen again. Woodrow will likely be sold in January and we will head back to league one. I hope I'm just down because we have had such a shocking start to the season and the enthusiasm will return.
If we string a couple of wins together the mood will change. I think the main problem is the repetitive nature of our self inflicted downs.
Experience.... Most of these lads if not all have been playing football for the best part of 10 years through the system.. You can either play the game or you can't end of story. Don't buy into the argument that having a 30 yr old player or a couple of championship journeymen looking for another pay day in the team would change things. It's more about the time the team play as a unit rather than individuals. We didn't sell anyone with good solid championship experience so, it's just now about building on what we have with the players now on longer deals. Stay away and not help the club through gate money will only lead to one thing, that will be a less competitive team.
I don't think it's coincidence that our five best performers so far this season are the only ones with Championship experience. Collins (Burton) Mowatt (Leeds) Woodrow (Bristol City, Fulham and Burton). Cavare (Barnsley) and Pinillos (Nottingham Forest and Barnsley). They have to play if fit. They aren't playing every week.
I think people are entitled to walk away if they're not enjoying it. Fans pay a lot of money and have other responsibilities. If fans feel like they are having their pants pulled down every time they renew then people will eventually vote with their feet. I'm all for sustainability but I'm sure we are capable of doing more than we are.
So on one hand we don't have any experience, then half the side are quoted with championship experience.. Which one is it? It is quality we are lacking at the moment not experience. Failure to pass a ball 5 yards along with poor quality final balls into the box. First 20 mins yesterday it was working, then went to complete pot.
Suppose it's all semantics for the players aren't good enough. The different attributes they lack been cited as what we are lacking. Simply put, better players.
