Is it Sheffield United or just football in general?

[Patrick Suffaux]

Feeling totally uninspired by the whole thing at the moment. Listening in and browsing the forum purely out of fading loyalty to my boyhood team, the team that made me cry as a boy and lose sleep worrying about it.....

Truth is I've boycotted the lane recently. Bearing in mind I live over two and a half hours away I still used to go to most home games and some away but haven't been since the Bury game at home. I've lost the motivation, just doesn't feel worth it. I'm sick of seeing the club being run through the same cycle year after year and waiting for its luck to change as if by magic.

Football in general sickens me and this whole cost of football survey or whatever it is has really brought it to a head for me. The whole thing is littered with greed and poor governance and I'm ashamed of it.

My advice to anyone that feels the same....start watching other sports. I've really enjoyed rugby union and nfl lately. It won't replace the Blades but it doesn't need to, just a nice alternative distraction from misery.

 

[Fazak]

I have felt pretty much the same for a long time but have kept going out of a desire to keep a family tradition going and some misplaced loyalty to a club that sees its fan base purely and simply as a source of income. In October 2014 I wrote the following: -

"When United were relegated from the Championship, a work colleague of mine who was a season ticket holder of many years standing, decided that he was no longer prepared to continue spending a significant amount of his income on what he described as one of the longest running con tricks in football. Consequently he has never renewed his season ticket but still goes occasionally.

At the time I thought he was going over the top but I now realise that I am reluctantly but slowly coming round to thinking that he may not have been far off the mark. On an individual basis such acts are empty gestures but collectively it could be the best means of exercising any influence that the fans have.

There is a long way to go this season and it is important to keep a sense of proportion and get behind the players and management and take a longer term view. A couple of wins in our next two matches and everything in the garden will be rosy again until the next defeat. The club also has to be run on a sound financial footing, whether some people like it or not. However, if as more people seem to be suspecting the utterances that came out of the Boardroom at the time of the game changing investment prove, by the second half of the season, to be nothing more than hot air then I think United's supporters will be entitled to conclude that their suspicions are well founded. Spin can only get you so far."

A year on and we are more or less in exactly the same position as when that was posted and when my ex colleague stopped buying a season ticket.. However, I carry on going to the Lane for the reasons given above even though I know I, along with the rest of United's loyal fan base, are almost certainly being taken for a ride by the club I have supported for over 60 years.

The onus is now on the club to prove to me that I am wrong but I am not holding my breath, I doubt that it gives one jot what I or any other supporter thinks.

 

[Sirius]

Feeling totally uninspired by the whole thing at the moment. Listening in and browsing the forum purely out of fading loyalty to my boyhood team, the team that made me cry as a boy and lose sleep worrying about it.....

Truth is I've boycotted the lane recently. Bearing in mind I live over two and a half hours away I still used to go to most home games and some away but haven't been since the Bury game at home. I've lost the motivation, just doesn't feel worth it. I'm sick of seeing the club being run through the same cycle year after year and waiting for its luck to change as if by magic.

Football in general sickens me and this whole cost of football survey or whatever it is has really brought it to a head for me. The whole thing is littered with greed and poor governance and I'm ashamed of it.

My advice to anyone that feels the same....start watching other sports. I've really enjoyed rugby union and nfl lately. It won't replace the Blades but it doesn't need to, just a nice alternative distraction from misery.

Feeling totally uninspired by the whole thing at the moment. Listening in and browsing the forum purely out of fading loyalty to my boyhood team, the team that made me cry as a boy and lose sleep worrying about it.....

Truth is I've boycotted the lane recently. Bearing in mind I live over two and a half hours away I still used to go to most home games and some away but haven't been since the Bury game at home. I've lost the motivation, just doesn't feel worth it. I'm sick of seeing the club being run through the same cycle year after year and waiting for its luck to change as if by magic.

Football in general sickens me and this whole cost of football survey or whatever it is has really brought it to a head for me. The whole thing is littered with greed and poor governance and I'm ashamed of it.

My advice to anyone that feels the same....start watching other sports. I've really enjoyed rugby union and nfl lately. It won't replace the Blades but it doesn't need to, just a nice alternative distraction from misery.

I came to New Zealand 18 years ago. Never , have I turned my back on my beloved Blades. Egg chasing this morning, N.Z , versus Frogs was a spectacle where players gave their all Come on United 70 years a supporter, for fucks sake do something before I kick the bucket.. I await inhope , No other support , code or team will do it me so get yer fingers out SHARPISH

 

[grafikhaus]

I came to New Zealand 18 years ago. Never , have I turned my back on my beloved Blades. Egg chasing this morning, N.Z , versus Frogs was a spectacle where players gave their all Come on United 70 years a supporter, for fucks sake do something before I kick the bucket.. I await inhope , No other support , code or team will do it me so get yer fingers out SHARPISH

...and that's the big danger for the future of football. As you get older, you begin to reassess your priorities. Now that the tossers that are wearing the England rugby shirts are out and the proper teams - Australia, NZ, SA - are still left in (exactly like the football WC) it begins to get interesting. Let these cunts like Robshaw marry their 'soprano singing' tarts and spend the rest of their (brief) lives on Twitter and the pages of Hello. As for our bunch of cunts, if they can't motivate themselves for an afternoon in Oldham, the rest of their lives will be very difficult.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

The only way them clowns who run our club will do anything will be when the numbers stop turning up. Now it's been admitted there is no money for signings we can stop the GCI charade that people have blindly held onto, its staggering we still get 20000 through the gate.

 

[blade67]

My take on this is a little different.

My interest in the blades hasn't diminished but other football leaves me cold these days. My knowledge of the premier league is virtually zero and whenever players are mentioned as targets I'll need to google them. Said a couple of time to friends that I#m not really a football fan any more just a blades supporter, cue sarcastic comments about the two things being unrelated.

Blades are merely testing my patience at the moment

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

The only way them clowns who run our club will do anything will be when the numbers stop turning up. Now it's been admitted there is no money for signings we can stop the GCI charade that people have blindly held onto, its staggering we still get 20000 through the gate.

Where was this LS26BLADE

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Where was this LS26BLADE

Revolution posted something

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Revolution posted something

OK ta

 

[HillmortonBlade]

My take on this is a little different.

My interest in the blades hasn't diminished but other football leaves me cold these days. My knowledge of the premier league is virtually zero and whenever players are mentioned as targets I'll need to google them. Said a couple of time to friends that I#m not really a football fan any more just a blades supporter, cue sarcastic comments about the two things being unrelated.

Blades are merely testing my patience at the moment

Could not have less interest in the Premiership (and of course, I hope that changes in the next couple of seasons) I view it with the mild indifference I apply to the Italian and Spanish football, good background noise. In the same bracket as NFL and egg chasing.

But I still love football. I have a great interest, as a consequence of HB Jnr's exploits, in the local junior football scene Really appreciate going to non-league grounds, enjoy going as a neutral to other league clubs. When we travel, Family HB will always try to watch a match at local team. The only impact the "cost of football" survey has had on me is that I intend to go watch Kidderminster Harriers and try one of their £5 pies. Maybe I am daft old git, but I have documented elsewhere how much I enjoyed watching the Bundesliga, I could write something similar about my experiences at the Turnbull Ground or Windsor Park or the Steel Park Stadium.

Centre to all of this are Sheffield United, my "proper team". That's who I support, can't do anything about that. And they are a bit crap at the moment. Haven't always been for the quarter of century I have followed them, doubt they will be for the next quarter of a season. That's not to say I accept mediocrity, I am as frustrated as any one on this forum (well, with the odd exception) with the seeming lack of development. "Testing my patience" indeed. First time in years I have not been working shifts and I am really enjoying having my season ticket (nurse! nurse!). Looks like I might be changing job again in the next 6/12 months and that might prevent another next season, so I'll continue to enjoy going to the matches and try not to let the football ruin my afternoon.

 

[South London Blade]

My take on this is a little different.

My interest in the blades hasn't diminished but other football leaves me cold these days. My knowledge of the premier league is virtually zero and whenever players are mentioned as targets I'll need to google them. Said a couple of time to friends that I#m not really a football fan any more just a blades supporter, cue sarcastic comments about the two things being unrelated.

Blades are merely testing my patience at the moment

I'm pretty much the same

 

[HighfieldBlade]

I know it's a cliché but being a Blade is in my blood. I can't help it. Supporting through thick and thin, from the abyss of Division 4 to the apogee of the Premier League, and now wallowing in mediocrity. These days I drive in from Leicester or Rugby to get to games. When we lose it's always a shit drive home, but I keep coming back for more!

 

[HillmortonBlade]

I know it's a cliché but being a Blade is in my blood. I can't help it. Supporting through thick and thin, from the abyss of Division 4 to the apogee of the Premier League, and now wallowing in mediocrity. These days I drive in from Leicester or Rugby to get to games. When we lose it's always a shit drive home, but I keep coming back for more!

We must pass each other, oblivious...

 

[breeny]

Said it before. For us, it boils down to expectations. We're 'promotion favourites' all the time both from the club and media.

The juxtaposition of this is that our recruited strategy has been poorly thought out and leaves us with a huge wage bill and a number of poor or injury prone players.

Saying all this, when our 3 first choice defenders are back we may look stronger.

 

[Esablade]

I'm a fan of football generally and can stop and enjoy a parks game or watch some obscure European/South American on the box...despite supporting Sheffield United all these years...

 

[HighfieldBlade]

I came to New Zealand 18 years ago. Never , have I turned my back on my beloved Blades. Egg chasing this morning, N.Z , versus Frogs was a spectacle where players gave their all

Watched the egg-chasing last weekend. Argentina v Namibia. Good day out, near full-house and cracking atmosphere.

 

[metalblade]

There is a growing band of supporters joining the camp where apathy has set in, I'm not sure yet whether it is SUFC or football in general. I don't subscribe to Sky or BT so I can't remember the last time I watched a Champions league game, the only thing I know about the Premiership is from watching in the pub before a Blades game. All I know about the England team is that we are crap. Oh and Jags and Kyle Walker ex blades sometimes get a game for the national side. The Championship nah know very little about it other than three teams in Yorkshire that I dislike intensely are currently in it and miles ahead of the Blades as clubs.
League one ................ a bit like a big fish in a small goldfish bowls sums up Sheffield United, nothing much happening, nothing much to look at inside, nothing to do but swim around getting nowhere and if you do look out through the glass the world is magnified and looks a scary place. Nothing is going to change while McCabe and his cronies are in charge, the club is slowly dying. The team we put out gets worse every year because every year we sell our best players and either don't replace them at all or we bring in some crap journeyman for a last big payday. Five seasons in this shit league and we still get 20,000 for home games which I find staggering, how many though are season ticket holders who just keep on buying to keep the seat they have had for years or buy in the hope that one season things will change. Is it a bit like the guy who has the same lottery numbers each week until one day he realises he is scared not to have a go as those numbers will surely come out if he don't buy his ticket. Lets be honest the entertainment value over the last four years cup runs apart has been very poor fare and I'm sure that it is not just me that can't get excited at the prospect of a very poor united team taking on Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night even though I have a season ticket, I suspect most who do attend will be season ticket holders. The great crowds we enjoy can't last much longer unless we see that the board move Heaven and Earth to give Adkins the tools to do the job he is capable of doing, I don't think I can justify spending good money on a season ticket for another League one season there are other things I can do with my Saturdays even if it is just sitting on the caravan veranda watching the wind turbines just off Ingoldmells beach, probably be more exciting than watching United pass the ball across the back four before lumping it to the opposition.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

We must pass each other, oblivious...

I'm sure we do. Sometimes I drive up the night before to visit my mother who lives round the corner from Bramall Lane.

 

[YES Blade]

To me the money in the game has killed a lot of my enthusiasm for United.

When I was a kid there was always that (unrealistic) dream that we could become an established premiership club that could challenge for the FA Cup and League Cup with the odd season in Europe. The only hope of that happening now is if we get bought by a Chelsea or Man City style owner, so it's not really going to happen, the dream is dead.

Football wise I enjoy watching England and international football in general. I know a lot can't stand it, but to me it's the only pure form of the game left. I don't care how rich your country is, there is no way you can buy instant success. Look at the likes of Iceland, Northern Ireland and Wales qualifying for the Euros, that is what football should be about, having a dream no matter how unrealistic, it can be achieved.

 

[metalblade]

To me the money in the game has killed a lot of my enthusiasm for United.

When I was a kid there was always that (unrealistic) dream that we could become an established premiership club that could challenge for the FA Cup and League Cup with the odd season in Europe. The only hope of that happening now is if we get bought by a Chelsea or Man City style owner, so it's not really going to happen, the dream is dead.

Football wise I enjoy watching England and international football in general. I know a lot can't stand it, but to me it's the only pure form of the game left. I don't care how rich your country is, there is no way you can buy instant success. Look at the likes of Iceland, Northern Ireland and Wales qualifying for the Euros, that is what football should be about, having a dream no matter how unrealistic, it can be achieved.

The only problem with that is England are crap, home grown talent don't get a look in at premiership level their only game time is in the b teams or under 21's the talent is just not there for the England managers.

 

[YES Blade]

The only problem with that is England are crap, home grown talent don't get a look in at premiership level their only game time is in the b teams or under 21's the talent is just not there for the England managers.

Won 10 out of 10 in qualifying, only the 6th time it's been done in European qualification history. We ain't the cream of world football but to called us crap is complete bollocks.

Of course there are problems with the bringing through of young English players, but I'd like to think that is improving with EPPP etc., but suppose we'll only know find out over the next 3 or 4 tournaments.

 

[Blade56]

Think the crash in gate numbers would have happened this season had it not been for the sacking of Clough and the appointment of Adkins (timings aside) but next season will be different. There are only so many rabbits you can pull out of the hat, the only acceptable lure next season will be promotion from this piss poor league

 

[metalblade]

Won 10 out of 10 in qualifying, only the 6th time it's been done in European qualification history. We ain't the cream of world football but to called us crap is complete bollocks.

Of course there are problems with the bringing through of young English players, but I'd like to think that is improving with EPPP etc., but suppose we'll only know find out over the next 3 or 4 tournaments.

Estonia. Lithuania, San Marino, Slovinia and Switzerland, we should bloody well expect to win all ten games Jesus wept, I also expect us to be on the plane home after the group stages or at least after the quarter finals.

 

[Tyler Durden]

My general interest in football has whittled down to almost nothing. I stopped caring about international football years ago and I don't give a toss about the Premiership anymore. I'll watch the Bundesliga highlights every now and then and I'm going to Dortmund in the new year but that's it really.
With United it's a bit different for me, it's more about the weekend ritual and being with your mates in the pub before and after and the stories that unfold on various away trips. It's also about being part of a community of sorts, a pretty unique one at that. We're a devout bunch and it runs deep, which is why we're so bloody volatile when it comes to the club and its fortunes (or lack of). It's hard to define, all I know is that "being a Blade" is about more than watching a bunch of no-hopers try to get out of a shit division.

One distraction for me is to watch non-league football and Sheffield has two iconic and historic amateur clubs which we are very privilaged to call ours. I go along to watch Sheffield FC or Hallam when the fixture list allows it. It's football in its purest form with all the bullshit and politics removed. I would encourage anyone who lives in the city to lend their support, or indeed wherever you live, go and watch your local non-league side. You'll be happy if they win and it won't destroy your weekend if they lose.

 

[Silent Blade]

In March 1978 my dad and I were saying we were missing watching Tony Currie and first division football so we decided to watch L**ds v Wolves and Leicester on Easter Monday and Tuesday respectively. TC played well in both games as L**ds won 2-1 and 5-1 (Eddie Gray was brilliant too). When we returned to the car after the Leicester game my dad and I agreed that it was good football but we didnt feel the same enthusiasm as watching the Blades so it is always the Blades first for us. When we got relegated in 1979 my dad said he couldnt see himself watching the Blades in the 3rd division but I bought myself a season ticket (I left school in June) but the lure of playing football on Saturdays was a bigger pull for me, my dad then used my season ticket for the home games I couldnt go to (I watched about half of the home games). After playing football I always tried as quickly as possible to find out how the Blades got on that day (Concord Park was quite easy to find out because there was usually someone listening to the tranny radio). I carried on playing football until the mid 1980s and still always tried to find out how the Blades got on. I returned to be a Lane regular again when Bassett took over as our manager. I still cannot see myself leaving the Blades

 

[COME BACK CHED]

In sports following terms nothing beats being a Blade , just enjoy or despair it on that Roller coaster , you can get off it when you die

 

[grafikhaus]

Said it before. For us, it boils down to expectations. We're 'promotion favourites' all the time both from the club and media.

And that's why you'll never see a poor bookie. Look, when these so-called 'experts' made United - and the England rugby team - favourites, it wasn't because of some all-pervading knowledge of the game. It was because enough suckers, in a show of blind loyalty, wasted their money on their chosen team. Sheffield United, largest fan base in the Third Division ergo 'favourites' to go up. Anybody who has watched a number of United games this season knows - in a piss poor division - this is wishful thinking.

 

[Kenilworth]

Feeling totally uninspired by the whole thing at the moment. Listening in and browsing the forum purely out of fading loyalty to my boyhood team, the team that made me cry as a boy and lose sleep worrying about it.....

Truth is I've boycotted the lane recently. Bearing in mind I live over two and a half hours away I still used to go to most home games and some away but haven't been since the Bury game at home. I've lost the motivation, just doesn't feel worth it. I'm sick of seeing the club being run through the same cycle year after year and waiting for its luck to change as if by magic.

Football in general sickens me and this whole cost of football survey or whatever it is has really brought it to a head for me. The whole thing is littered with greed and poor governance and I'm ashamed of it.

My advice to anyone that feels the same....start watching other sports. I've really enjoyed rugby union and nfl lately. It won't replace the Blades but it doesn't need to, just a nice alternative distraction from misery.

Feel the same PS and have done for a couple of years. 2 hours away for me but similar. You'd have got a like but you put in that bollocks about egg chasing and, wait for it, NFL????? WTF? NFL - a game where a player can go through a whole season and never, ever touch the ball!

I've been doing jobs on the house and in the garden, instead. Not even bothering to get comms on Blades Player until half time approaches. Not even taking the piss on the Shout Box anymore (WhiteHawk is sure to be relieved at that, for one - I'll bet he's missed my puns and alterations more than most )

It gets to summat when jobs are more compelling than listening to the Blades.

I'd often keep up with Ken Jnr on txt during a game but this one had only one entry at full time, "meh"
His sole response, "Standard. Not good enough"

 

[Surrey Blade]

Some interesting posts that strike a chord in me. I too have become disenchanted with the culture of modern football - players paid obscene amounts of money and a so called top manager like Mourinho behaving like an arrogant lout because he knows that there is no down side for him as he will be handsomely compensated should Chelsea decide to dispense with his services. I have just cancelled Sky Sports, but will continue to support the Blades and no doubt renew my season ticket next year. At the moment, like all fans of our great club, I am exasperated by our inconsistency and our inability to win matches there for the taking - as was yesterday's fixture at Oldham yesterday.

 

[YES Blade]

Estonia. Lithuania, San Marino, Slovinia and Switzerland, we should bloody well expect to win all ten games Jesus wept, I also expect us to be on the plane home after the group stages or at least after the quarter finals.

Qualifications a piece of piss ain't it! Just ask the Dutch!

Of course we should be able to win 10 out of 10 but doing it is a different matter. You called us crap which we clearly aren't.

I agree, we are more than likely going to be out at quarters or sooner. Like I said, we ain't the cream of Europe, but on our day we can give the best a game. Problem is we don't do it often enough on the big stage. But we could make the semis if we hit form and have a bit of luck along the way.