What's happened to Sheffield United FC?

[Tynemouth Blade]

No really, what has happened to the club we support, the club we proudly call ourselves fans of, the football club which has occasionally given us some 'ups', along with many 'downs', but usually along the line there has been something to brighten our day!

I hate the term 'sleeping giant', there's quite a few football clubs could claim that title!
We've become something of a dinosaur, although not quite yet extinct, but certainly stagnant in a pool of dross which is League 1.

I feel for the circa 18,000 people who turn up to home games and the hundreds who travel to away games to support a team that serves a quality of football which is a million mles away from what we have seen in the past; Hodgkinson,Woodward, Edwards, Currie, Deane, Agana, Brown, Jagielka, Walker...... and after yet another 'disappointing' season, we can look forward to yet another season in the lower league, with yet another manager who has his hands tied working for a board who's eye isn't on the football club!
I despair when having watched the game the other night and shaken my head at the poor quality of the football played, that some say "that's the best we've played in a while"! Really? Is that how bad it's become?
Now I've seem some shite while watching the Blades over the years, but currently I think this lot are down there with the worse I've ever seen!

The only bright light I can see is that the majority of the current playing squad have contracts which are due to expire this summer, so the rebuild can start.
But what will we see at the start of next season and will it finally be the turning point for the football club I support?
Ever the optimist, I realy do hope that things will change next season, but as always with the Blades, I'm not holding my breath and I certainly won't be getting excited about it and expecting promotion as I have for the past couple of years!

 

[Doormat]

That's what 20,000 of us think after every home game.
What the f**k has happened

 

[Baxter]

There are too many reasons to explain just exactly what's gone wrong but in a nutshell it's the constant asset stripping of players like the ones of the standard above or anyone with anyone with a reasonable level of talent that we can acquire a fee for. Throw in some average management choices and a trigger happy approach to them retaining their jobs and hey presto, you end up 13th in league 1!
We are an expectant bunch (and in our current position so we should be!) but I can't help but feel a lowering of current expectations (so long as progress is being made) might just in the only way we begin to make positive strides again. This season has been poor and Adkins hasn't done much to convince anyone but I personally will reserve judgement till next season in the hope he receives some reasonable backing and that the standard starts to improve. Should that be the case and we miss out, I'll be disappointed of course but I'll trust that in one of the following seasons we'll finally make it out of the league one doldrums.
In my lifetime of following United, the only managers to only really achieve succes were Warnock and Bassett and both were with the club for long enough to build something of their own, I hope this is the approach we now choose to take as opposed to a lucky dip on Wilder, Warnock, Cotterill etc in the hope they can somehow inspire our current bunch of misfits into anything like a promotion team. I just don't think Sheffield United work that way.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

"I feel for the 18 000". Patronising.

Club's in a hole.

Are we digging ourselves out - for me there's every indication we are...slowly. But won't know for sure till next season.

Some are *very* keen we keep digging though.

 

[Roygbiv]

Terrible mistakes from the very top mixed with a series of average to poor managers. Selling our best player every single season and not replacing them with anything like the same quality is the main reason though. We have slowly got to the point where we have next to no assests on the field. A squad where 95% wouldn't even attract a fee from other clubs.

Or, if you talk to McCabe, its just down to incredibly bad luck

 

[pommpey]

"I feel for the 18 000". Patronising.

Why?

Club's in a hole.

No shit, Sherlock

Are we digging ourselves out - for me there's every indication we are...slowly.

With the lowest finish for decades and the serial sale of key players.

Which planet are you on, Kev?

But won't know for sure till next season.

Stuck record alert.

Why won't we know until next season? Apparently, once we'd stabilised with Clough, we wouldn't know until next season. When he was sacked, we wouldn't know until next season. McCabe has spent squillions (apparently) and now we won't know until next season. According to some, we are getting rid of the luggage and it is evident McCabe and HRH aren't much arsed at sticking cash into player purchases. So where is the new mercurial talent coming from which you base your pointless optimism on, please? Oh, and 10% off ST sales.

Some are *very* keen we keep digging though.

No. Some are very realistic.

pommpey

 

[Bladesway]

Oh good, another thread about the same shit as every other thread.

We are broken, we are fucked. Season over, turn the page and start again next season. Hopefully better because the fuckheads that helped put us here will be fucked off to the Conference to spend the rest of their careers.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Oh good, another thread about the same shit as every other thread.

We are broken, we are fucked. Season over, turn the page and start again next season. Hopefully better because the fuckheads that helped put us here will be fucked off to the Conference to spend the rest of their careers.

They're heading for the Championship aren't they, unless they muck up again at Burton.

Only kidding, B'Way.

 

[Tynemouth Blade]

Oh good, another thread about the same shit as every other thread.

We are broken, we are fucked. Season over, turn the page and start again next season. Hopefully better because the fuckheads that helped put us here will be fucked off to the Conference to spend the rest of their careers.

Posting on this forum is a lot like being married.
You can express your opinion on anything you want but you will quickly be informed as to why you are wrong!

 

[Grappler]

Posting on this forum is a lot like being married.
You can express your opinion on anything you want but you will quickly be informed as to why you are wrong!

I think the main difference mate, is when you are married, you know you are wrong before you even open your mouth

 

[shorehamview]

Several seasons of watching us get dry bummed by sides that should fear coming to Bramall Lane, not sides that rub their hands with glee. That's what's happened

Sides with all the majesty and fear factor of Doncaster Paper-Girls Under 12's have beaten us easily. That's what's happened.

We've been sold a right fucking lemon by our board. A property developer with no clue about running a football club, a new shiny co-owner who seemingly has no interest whatsoever and is one of the skintest Saudi royals you could imagine, a former Turkish football hooligan who has flogged some Blades scarves in Istanbul, and a well-meaning but clueless American who is a nice bloke but totally fails to understand what passion Sheffield United fans actually have for their club.

That's what's happened.

 

[pommpey]

Several seasons of watching us get dry bummed by sides that should fear coming to Bramall Lane, not sides that rub their hands with glee. That's what's happened

Sides with all the majesty and fear factor of Doncaster Paper-Girls Under 12's have beaten us easily. That's what's happened.

We've been sold a right fucking lemon by our board. A property developer with no clue about running a football club, a new shiny co-owner who seemingly has no interest whatsoever and is one of the skintest Saudi royals you could imagine, a former Turkish football hooligan who has flogged some Blades scarves in Istanbul, and a well-meaning but clueless American who is a nice bloke but totally fails to understand what passion Sheffield United fans actually have for their club.

That's what's happened.

^This. Nothing more, nothing less. ^

The only consistency is the supporters. Poor us.

pommpey

 

[Grappler]

Several seasons of watching us get dry bummed by sides that should fear coming to Bramall Lane, not sides that rub their hands with glee. That's what's happened

Sides with all the majesty and fear factor of Doncaster Paper-Girls Under 12's have beaten us easily. That's what's happened.

We've been sold a right fucking lemon by our board. A property developer with no clue about running a football club, a new shiny co-owner who seemingly has no interest whatsoever and is one of the skintest Saudi royals you could imagine, a former Turkish football hooligan who has flogged some Blades scarves in Istanbul, and a well-meaning but clueless American who is a nice bloke but totally fails to understand what passion Sheffield United fans actually have for their club.

That's what's happened.

But apart from all that?

I honestly think that if the team just put in some effort, the crowd would get behind them and then the atmosphere and hostility would rise again. Nearly every team that visits us is used to laying in front of around 3,000 - 5,000 a week, they must be shocked when they run out onto the hallowed turf and 18,000 are there.

In Basset and Warnock times, the press often talked of "Fortress Bramall Lane" and " the cauldron-like atmosphere".

Teams and opposition fans never relished visiting (look at Roy's last "A view from" where Walsall fans are still talking about shitting their pants from a visit 30 years ago), but these days it's a lovely day out to a big city for these village idiots.

There is nothing to "boo" for any more, not that I ever did. :Let's just get behind the team and get behind our fellow supporters, let's get that "cauldron like" atmosphere back.

If not for team then at least for ourselves.

 

[shorehamview]

In Basset and Warnock times, the press often talked of "Fortress Bramall Lane" and " the cauldron-like atmosphere".

Teams and opposition fans never relished visiting (look at Roy's last "A view from" where Walsall fans are still talking about shitting their pants from a visit 30 years ago), but these days it's a lovely day out to a big city for these village idiots.

Exactly. It's not "Fortress" Bramall Lane any more. It's not a snarling bear pit, it's like sitting in a library that the odd loud bus goes past. There is no fear-factor here, at least not for the away sides. That went quite a while ago.

And there is nothing on the pitch worth getting behind most of the time. The odd goal, the odd decent save, but there isn't much spark or passion apart from Billy Sharp. If we'd not signed him imagine how turgid it would be.

 

[sheffielder]

The board need to show us they care. They're are killing us. If Jim is unwell, who is doing his job for the prince?

 

[Marcus Tullius Cicero]

For every Marks & Spencer, there are 11 Poundstretcher and 28 Poundlands.

 

[Bladesway]

The board need to show us they care. They're are killing us. If Jim is unwell, who is doing his job for the prince?

I'll start posting on twitter and looking out of my depth for a fraction of what Jim is earning.

 

[Rodley]

Oh good, another thread about the same shit as every other thread.

We are broken, we are fucked. Season over, turn the page and start again next season. Hopefully better because the fuckheads that helped put us here will be fucked off to the Conference to spend the rest of their careers.

It hasn't been mentioned for 30 seconds! Plus there wasn't Adkins latest interview to moan about so bit light on material.

 

[bladeinexile]

Exactly. It's not "Fortress" Bramall Lane any more. It's not a snarling bear pit, it's like sitting in a library that the odd loud bus goes past. There is no fear-factor here, at least not for the away sides. That went quite a while ago.

And there is nothing on the pitch worth getting behind most of the time. The odd goal, the odd decent save, but there isn't much spark or passion apart from Billy Sharp. If we'd not signed him imagine how turgid it would be.

I'm just thinking the same thought over and over (could be early onset dementia) but apart from Billy who actually has pride in the shirt ?? Not so very long ago it's true...opposition teams used to be scared of Bramall Lane....I swear there have been times when the kop has won it for the team by scaring the bejesus out of the opposition...where's all that gone.....?? Talk all you like about managers and signings until the pride and passion comes back we will be stuck in this hole

 

[JJBlade]

There's plenty of things wrong but it all stems from the board and the noises that come out of the club.
Here is a brief translation of one of those noises:

We will not bow down to agents demands.....................This roughly translates as, all agents have good players on their books who are moving upwards in the game and for which they will demand the world for, they also have players that are slow, old, injury prone and lack match time and who are on their way down the footballing pyramid. These are players that they are trying desperately to place with a club, and for who they cannot make such high demands.
We will sign these types of players and f@ck the agent over............Yeah right.

The noise coming out of the club will fool our fans into thinking we are doing a brilliant job in shunning these despicable agents.