I hope we never become like Manchester City

[JackSUFC]

Obviously over the last decade, Man City have won trophy after trophy, have arguably the World’s best Manager and squad of players, but are their older fans truly happy? Hear me out here.

Got off the tram at the Etihad yesterday and walked towards the away entrance but felt more like I was at a Christmas market than a football match. Tourists taking selfies, Hot Dog stands etc (Sadly I didn’t get to see the player catwalk thing). It was anything but the intimidation factor you usually feel walking through masses of home fans pre game. Inside the ground, the stadium had the atmosphere of a morgue.

They’ve sold their soul. They’ve truly become the definition of the sanitised, Premier League commercialism of today. It’s sad to see as they used to be a traditional, working class club, like us. Now they have a squad of players with no connection to Manchester, bar Phil Foden who barely plays.

Sure, it must be great to watch your team winning everything, but for me the novelty would wear off very quickly. Don’t think I’d even enjoy going to games expecting to win every week. There’s much more to football than that.

I hope we never, ever become like them. I think I’d stop going. I can’t be alone thinking that, surely?

 

[raimond]

I don't think we need to worry that we will mate

 

[JackSUFC]

I don't think we need to worry that we will mate

Ha, true, but my point still stands.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Obviously over the last decade, Man City have won trophy after trophy, have arguably the World’s best Manager and squad of players, but are their older fans truly happy? Hear me out here.

Got off the tram at the Etihad yesterday and walked towards the away entrance but felt more like I was at a Christmas market than a football match. Tourists taking selfies, Hot Dog stands etc (Sadly I didn’t get to see the player catwalk thing). It was anything but the intimidation factor you usually feel walking through masses of home fans pre game. Inside the ground, the stadium had the atmosphere of a morgue.

They’ve sold their soul. They’ve truly become the definition of the sanitised, Premier League commercialism of today. It’s sad to see as they used to be a traditional, working class club, like us. Now they have a squad of players with no connection to Manchester, bar Phil Foden who barely plays.

Sure, it must be great to watch your team winning everything, but for me the novelty would wear off very quickly. Don’t think I’d even enjoy going to games expecting to win every week. There’s much more to football than that.

I hope we never, ever become like them. I think I’d stop going. I can’t be alone thinking that, surely?

Those comments remind me of the SW fans who when it looks like they’ve blown promotion
all of a sudden don’t want to be promoted because the “real/ proper football” is in the Championship.

Go on the Norwich forum....now that it looks like they’ll be relegated more and more of their fans are saying they prefer the Championship.
They say the PL is all hype and false with no competition.....where the real game is at Championship level.

If the Saudi Royal Family announce that they will support the Prince and invest millions in Sheff Utd starting with a state of the art training ground and 42,000 expanded stadium. You can bet 99% of Blades would be really happy....some might suggest we could become like Man City and 99% will respond “bring it on”.

 

[blademark]

I respect your thoughts Jack, but it strikes me as a bit of 'loser mentality'.
The only thing you can hope for your team is to win the next match. Then the next one, and so on. If by some miracle that winning run culminated in your team becoming the best team in the world, the supporters would just have to put up with it, wouldn't they ?
Winning is the whole point of any sport (obvious I know).

 

[TomHeffernan]

I totally agree. I dream of one day winning something. Even if it’s the league cup. Should we ever win the FA Cup then I will die a very happy man. That one day in the sun, that’s all I want. That one day. It’s the struggle to get to that win.

How would I feel if we were winning things every season? Surely it doesn’t become as special.

Should my beloved Blades ever win anything. The team would be hero’s, having celebratory dinners 30 years later. Fans talking about a special team etc.

I’d prefer it like that.

Can you imagine winning trophies every year? You’d get to the point where you’d forgot one surely.

So in short. I couldn’t agree more. I prefer our match day experience coupled with the struggle of one day winning something. It’s what makes it special.

Should we even make it to the FA Cup final I recon I’d be in floods of tears at “abide with me” even before the bloody match had started.

 

[Kev Gee]

I'm sure the older fans can cheer themselves up reminiscing about the late 90s when they were scuffling about in league 1 like we did.
And then they will remember how shit it was and be glad that they have a mega corp of "City football" backing them now.

I think you would get the odd few that wish they were still at Main Rd.

But could we do a man city and have huge Saudi backing but stay at BL and keep our dentity?

 

[Blade82]

Those comments remind me of the SW fans who when it looks like they’ve blown promotion
all of a sudden don’t want to be promoted because the “real/ proper football” is in the Championship.

Go on the Norwich forum....now that it looks like they’ll be relegated more and more of their fans are saying they prefer the Championship.
They say the PL is all hype and false with no competition.....where the real game is at Championship level.

If the Saudi Royal Family announce that they will support the Prince and invest millions in Sheff Utd starting with a state of the art training ground and 42,000 expanded stadium. You can bet 99% of Blades would be really happy....some might suggest we could become like Man City and 99% will respond “bring it on”.

the key thing with this though is the ‘expanded stadium’
Clubs like City, West Ham, Arsenal have lost their home, history and true connection with the club. When the trophies dry up all you’re left with is a pop up stadium with no atmosphere.

I’d rather be in Lg2 at the Lane than an out of town soulless stadium in the premier league

 

[Sheffsteel]

To be fair to Jack it’s the same argument that can be used to so many things.

Regards modernisation there are many positives/ advantages but you also lose something.
Its like comparing modern all seater stadium where the interiors are like hotels or cinemas
compared to 80’s style classic stadiums with terracing.

In the 80’s if someone had showed them the current Spurs stadium there would have been uproar.
The fans of the 80’s would say the current Spurs stadium is a symbol for the death of football.
In fact some would have said too much seating would mean the death of football.
Most people evolve and move on.....if we suddenly started recieving massive investment and winning things...it would quickly become normal.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I'd rather use the other model of becoming like Liverpool. They aren't too shabby and Anfield is always rocking.

 

[Sheffsteel]

the key thing with this though is the ‘expanded stadium’
Clubs like City, West Ham, Arsenal have lost their home, history and true connection with the club. When the trophies dry up all you’re left with is a pop up stadium with no atmosphere.

I’d rather be in Lg2 at the Lane than an out of town soulless stadium in the premier league

Good point......and I feel the same about a move away from Bramall Lane.
However im under the impression that most stadium moves have been a success.
For example would Sunderland fans rather be at a modernised Roker Park or the stadium of light...I believe they prefer the SOL.

I think a lot depends on the actual stadium. Bramall has a city centre location, loads of pubs and amenities and never had serious parking issues like at Hillsboro.
Unlike most other stadiums Bramall Lane has too much to lose if SU ever moved....the positives of a move wouldn’t outweigh the negatives.

 

[Nonamedhorse]

Obviously over the last decade, Man City have won trophy after trophy, have arguably the World’s best Manager and squad of players, but are their older fans truly happy? Hear me out here.

Got off the tram at the Etihad yesterday and walked towards the away entrance but felt more like I was at a Christmas market than a football match. Tourists taking selfies, Hot Dog stands etc (Sadly I didn’t get to see the player catwalk thing). It was anything but the intimidation factor you usually feel walking through masses of home fans pre game. Inside the ground, the stadium had the atmosphere of a morgue.

They’ve sold their soul. They’ve truly become the definition of the sanitised, Premier League commercialism of today. It’s sad to see as they used to be a traditional, working class club, like us. Now they have a squad of players with no connection to Manchester, bar Phil Foden who barely plays.

Sure, it must be great to watch your team winning everything, but for me the novelty would wear off very quickly. Don’t think I’d even enjoy going to games expecting to win every week. There’s much more to football than that.

I hope we never, ever become like them. I think I’d stop going. I can’t be alone thinking that, surely?

Exactly my thoughts, it was like walking into Magic Kingdom at Disney World, although my daughter did enjoy her pastie & chips (proper chips)

 

[Bladesman]

Those comments remind me of the SW fans who when it looks like they’ve blown promotion
all of a sudden don’t want to be promoted because the “real/ proper football” is in the Championship.

Go on the Norwich forum....now that it looks like they’ll be relegated more and more of their fans are saying they prefer the Championship.
They say the PL is all hype and false with no competition.....where the real game is at Championship level.

If the Saudi Royal Family announce that they will support the Prince and invest millions in Sheff Utd starting with a state of the art training ground and 42,000 expanded stadium. You can bet 99% of Blades would be really happy....some might suggest we could become like Man City and 99% will respond “bring it on”.

There is a difference between naturally growing as a club and then doing what Man City have done.

The line is crossed for me when a club moves from its original stadium. Unless a clubs old ground collapsed, is too dangerous and literally couldn't be brought up to standard then I can excuse a move but other than that there is no need for a club to move.

FYI Wednesday can bring their ground up to standard but multiple owners have chosen not to despite what has happened there.

 

[Keef Chedwyn]

Whatever happens, I hope we keep the light show at night matches.

 

[DronnieBlade]

It’s a difficult one is this.

Assume this upward trajectory we are on continues.

And continues, and continues .

Would you be prepared to jump off the train, just as it’s about to arrive at trophy town ??

I think that for clubs to move forward in the modern world there is, at the very least, an element of soul selling to be done.

As long as it’s not to the devil, most of us will stay on the train and enjoy the ride / view .

UTB

 

[Varkanoid]

Phil Foden who dived like he was in a European team at one bit, hang on he was.

 

[10-0 win]

City is different from all other clubs, THEY ARE OWNED BY A STATE, the owner has WATCHED ONE GAME , they are set up with clubs all around the world and building an sports empire much in the mood of Disney. Other clubs do have a majority of owners from countries with little connection to UK regarding political systems or democracy. The enormous turnaround of the PL gives clubs almost unlimited economic strength along with investments in each club. The bottom club in PL gets more than the German Bundesligawinner in TV -revenue. This is where we are , like it or not, but surely some eyebrows must be lifted when we can compete as we do with an oldfashioned bonded team working together playing good football. Footbal is still 11 vs 11, a lot about money but still about getting a team together. Villa,West Ham,Watford etc etc have better players on paper but they're not better than us with boots on the green. Anfield next, nothing to fear, just enjoy were we are.

 

[robbiez666]

I would happily be like Leicester. You could see how much the league win meant to all those fans abd they're still competing at the top of the league.

 

[JackSUFC]

If the Saudi Royal Family announce that they will support the Prince and invest millions in Sheff Utd starting with a state of the art training ground and 42,000 expanded stadium. You can bet 99% of Blades would be really happy....some might suggest we could become like Man City and 99% will respond “bring it on”.

I respect your thoughts Jack, but it strikes me as a bit of 'loser mentality'.
The only thing you can hope for your team is to win the next match. Then the next one, and so on. If by some miracle that winning run culminated in your team becoming the best team in the world, the supporters would just have to put up with it, wouldn't they ?
Winning is the whole point of any sport (obvious I know).

If we were to achieve Man City levels of success organically, keeping the club as it is now, then it’s a totally different story. But how realistic is that?

If it happened after being taken over by multi-billionaires, with a squad of multi-millionaires I felt no connection with, moving from the Lane to a giant soulless bowl filled with iPad-wielding tourists, then that’d a be a different incarnation of Sheffield United. One that after the first couple of years/trophies, I genuinely think for me, the novelty would wear off and the trophies would become commodity items. I’d be wishing we were back at Lane amongst familiar faces.

Others will disagree and would happily sell our soul for success and that’s fine.

 

[Keef Chedwyn]

I would happily be like Leicester. You could see how much the league win meant to all those fans abd they're still competing at the top of the league.

Clappers though

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Villa,West Ham,Watford etc etc have better players on paper but they're not better than us with boots on the green.

Can you explain how Villa , west ham, watford have better players on paper?

Is it cos they cost more?

 

[PokerBlade]

It's possible that the grass is always greener. I say we win the title and the Champions League a few times and, if we don't like it, we can go back to League One and the Carabao.

 

[ATL Recs]

I'm sure the older fans can cheer themselves up reminiscing about the late 90s when they were scuffling about in league 1 like we did.
And then they will remember how shit it was and be glad that they have a mega corp of "City football" backing them now.

I think you would get the odd few that wish they were still at Main Rd.

But could we do a man city and have huge Saudi backing but stay at BL and keep our dentity?

Think youve got your decades or divisional league names mixed up

 

[alcoblade]

Obviously over the last decade, Man City have won trophy after trophy, have arguably the World’s best Manager and squad of players, but are their older fans truly happy? Hear me out here.

Got off the tram at the Etihad yesterday and walked towards the away entrance but felt more like I was at a Christmas market than a football match. Tourists taking selfies, Hot Dog stands etc (Sadly I didn’t get to see the player catwalk thing). It was anything but the intimidation factor you usually feel walking through masses of home fans pre game. Inside the ground, the stadium had the atmosphere of a morgue.

They’ve sold their soul. They’ve truly become the definition of the sanitised, Premier League commercialism of today. It’s sad to see as they used to be a traditional, working class club, like us. Now they have a squad of players with no connection to Manchester, bar Phil Foden who barely plays.

Sure, it must be great to watch your team winning everything, but for me the novelty would wear off very quickly. Don’t think I’d even enjoy going to games expecting to win every week. There’s much more to football than that.

I hope we never, ever become like them. I think I’d stop going. I can’t be alone thinking that, surely?

Yep, totally agree.

Any stadium development should be slow and careful. Rather 30,000 fans than 50,000 tourists.

Man City were one of the last clubs I’d have imagined turning so plastic.

 

[Blade56]

If we won a trophy I’m not sure which I would be happier about, us winning a trophy or the pigs having to swallow us winning a trophy.... my bad?

 

[Pedro's Winger]

Suspect Many City fans will cope with no longer being the original comedy club and now being a lot more successful than their neighbours.
A lot of jealousy flies about where City are concerned.

 

[Yewsman]

I would happily be like Leicester. You could see how much the league win meant to all those fans abd they're still competing at the top of the league.

Yes I think Leicester is not a bad model to follow. I know some Leicester supporters and the owners there are very good to the fans and have built up and kept a rapport with them - unlike Man City. In fact we can be better as Leicester no longer play at Filbert Street (which was a dump anyway). We can keep our historic ground and increase the capacity although I am not yet persuaded that we could fill a 40,000 capacity every week even if we stay in the PL. I am not that bothered about winning loads of trophies but the odd FA/League Cup Final would be good. ( I am sick of losing semi finals) and if we stay in the PL we don't need to worry about P/O Finals! It just needs our owners to keep CW/AK, foster the present great rapport with the fans and the atmosphere at the club and make sure we have enough investment in facilities and team to continue our upward trajectory.

 

[Davalon]

Theres far more chance that our top players still young enough will be picked off by other clubs and Wilder growing frustrated than us becoming like City.

Next season may be very different. It may not.

Whilst I understand the sentiment of the OP it's something I honestly dont think we need to worry.

As others say, it's just that one day in the sun I dream about. The day most other, if not all, clubs of our stature have had in living memory.

 

[Nesh Blade]

Surely part of the reason we support our local team is because we're not all in it for the glory? We'd all love to see the Blades win a few trophies, but if that was all we cared about we'd go and support someone else. Supporting the Blades is also about the underdog mentality, the feeling that at any time we might cock it up cause we usually do, and hating the playoffs. The psyche of a Blades fan is totally different to the psyche of a Liverpool or Man Utd fan who are used to European nights throughout their history

 

[mancunianblade]

It's all about the success being earned and importantly being organic.

I know many City fans over here and those mid 30s and up long for the days of Maine Road.

I go quite often to the etihad and to be honest have never really paid attention until yesterday there are so many plastic locals going (me included) you can get a ticket and the quality is world class.

Fans have gone from being surrounded by die hard fans to being surrounded by people who when it comes down to it don't actually care.. They're going to a football match not a Manchester City game.

I think even with mass investment I don't see Sheffield United going that way.. Loyalty points system stops long standing fans going so new fans have no chance