How disconnected have you been/are you.

[Houston_Blade]

I gave my ST to a mate for yesterday and Spurs game.
I'm free, I'm just not going

He won’t be your mate for long if you keep palming Blades tickets off on him!

 

[TJ blade]

I actually think Wilders got a bigger rebuild job than he had in League 1.

After Adkins left we were still quite an optimistic bunch, fan base had dwindled somewhat but we still had expectation of promotion every year.

Now I think most fans have no expectation other than hoping we don’t get battered week in week out. We’ve let in 100 goals & half the squad are out of contract, I actually don’t think I’ve ever felt this embarrassed or disconnected to a team wearing our colours.

I still have marginal hope that Wilder will turn it around. If we had a better owner I’d say get rid and start again though.

Yesterday was the straw that broke the camels back for me. Another ground hog day performance from the manager, coaching staff and team. Start well then completely fade. Tactically inept when we concede lets think about a change for 20 minutes before they go 1-3 up. Lets not use our full complement of subs again yet complain after the match the players haven't got any energy left in the last 15 minutes whilst 3 unused subs are getting splinters in their arses.

Its may be not the managers players but his game management is a serious cause of concern for me irrespective of who he brings in during the summer.

The Board have seemingly given up and gone back to 2019 handing the job of Chef, cook and chief bottle washer all to one man. It failed last time with him close to a nervous break down and the early signs are history will repeat itself. My early enthusiasm that CW would turn it around has evaporated as performances have fallen off a cliff edge with little sign of what he is trying to implement on the pitch. We seem to have regressed back into the middle of the park going nowhere possession game that allows the opposition to sit back and wait for us to lose the ball that was our downfall in 2020. Yesterdays third goal was an example of this.

I don't buy into the view that its all the players fault and getting rid of the majority of them will solve all our problems. Teams need to be led off the pitch just as much as on it. The players look crestfallen even those that will remain next season and it will take considerable psychological effort to get them motivated for the next campaign. Being ridiculed throughout the summer that they were part of the second worst team in EPL history will not help. Tub thumping, pashun and kissing the shirt just isn't going to cut it in the modern game.

We will face height, physique, strength and work rate in the championship with a few smatterings of industrial hoof. Fortunately pace will be at a premium but set pieces will be crucial. The majority of those skills we don't currently possess.

Finally to our absent Board. No indication of what the plan is. No communication acknowledging they have made a complete mess of the season and nothing on the horizon regarding a sale. If anyone is disconnected they are and they should front up and show their faces. They won't preferring to hide behind a plate spinning CEO and a football team manager distracted from coaching the team as he sits in as HOR.

I've got next years season ticket. I'll be there but I'm not looking forward to it unless there is considerable change. A bad start caused by a combination of poor buys, delayed sales and still awaiting our targets until August 31st and it will turn toxic quickly.

Bang on mate. I've been going since the 60s and like a lot of fans seen the good, the bad, and then this fucking lot the ugly, this season not missed a match home & away seen some right shit! And I'm at Everton next week for the simple reason it's a day out in Liverpool, fuck the spurs match I've had enough of this shit being served up! Yes I've renewed for next season, don't know why! Because I think with this rubbish in charge its going to get even worse. Sorry but I'm fucking disgusted with the lot of them including Wilder!!

 

[derbysufc]

It ain't wilder .
It's clueless decisions made from above and how the hell are this club in massive debt .
We've had 2 premier seasons, f.a cup semis , we've sold player after player .
4 blades in recent times all sold represented England, walker, maguire, jagielka , ramsdale
We have history of selling , the day we sold deane and fjortoft was discusting
We have 30k home support for a club 100 years no major trophy ,
I'm 56 went 32 years never missing a home game and done all grounds except forest Green and Sutton.
Seen the blades allover Europe.
I reached the point I now follow my local club where I was born handsworth f c and I travel from Derby allover .
Non- league - scunthorpe had 8k v Boston
Bury had 4k
People are sick of the cost of football- var
The top 6
Football at grassroots is much better .
I was at gateshead a few weeks ago around 800 there.
Had a cracking day , they played aldershot a ground I've seen the blades at.
Half the gateshead support are pissed off Newcastle fans who can no longer afford football in the premiership
To me greed by players, agents has ruined football. Same the matchday experience. Fans want beer a laugh , pie and peas at decent cost. We work all week to not want tk waste our money on shit rip off drink / food
In getmany they look after the fans

 

[Caveblade]

Been to may be 8 games this season because of work travel, not even seen us draw and like others rarely last to the end of the game.

We have an owner who doesn't care, how can we have multiple seasons in the Prem, spend fuck all and be absolutely skint to the point of a points deduction.

Modern football is shit unless you want to bandwagon and become a City or Arsenal fan. The powers that be are not interested in a competitive pyramid.

Swapped my season into my Nephew's name. I will probably get a membership and pick and choose games. I have been going since the mid 70's and have never been so out of love with the game or the club.

 

[CrookesBlade]

It always makes me laugh when people talk about “connection” to the club as it’s usually in direct correlation to results. Win = connected.

However nobody at the club seems to give a fuck so its getting harder and harder to see what the point is, save for getting out the house for a few hours every other weekend.

Just in a holding pattern while the owner waits for somebody to take the club off his hands.

The atmosphere next season will be awful. There will be no desire for promotion amongst the fans (not that it is likely) and we’ll be watching a team of journey men drafted in to make up the numbers while any decent young prospects will be flogged to keep the wolf from the door.

Generally I’ve completely fucked football off this season and have no enthusiasm for the upcoming euros.

Talking in the pub last night and many said the same thing - wish the top clubs would have fucked off and joined the European super league last year and give us proper fans our game back.

 

[Davalon]

They want a season ticket next year, remains to be seen if any will be available for members though.

Be amazed if there aren't.

Some who said they weren't renewing have, but I know a few who deffo aren't.

Crowds will probably hold up OK unless we're disappointing but I'd be really surprised if we sell out of season tickets this time.

 

[TJ blade]

Bang on mate. I've been going since the 60s and like a lot of fans seen the good, the bad, and then this fucking lot the ugly, this season not missed a match home & away seen some right shit! And I'm at Everton next week for the simple reason it's a day out in Liverpool, fuck the spurs match I've had enough of this shit being served up! Yes I've renewed for next season, don't know why! Because I think with this rubbish in charge its going to get even worse. Sorry but I'm fucking disgusted with the lot of them including Wilder!!

Would just like to add, I also go to the games with my wife & son, who have been going since he was 5 years old( he's now 32) he's now so dissalutioned he only wants to go to away games because its a day out and this season walked out half time in some of the games due to the performances. Me to.. starting to don't give a fuck anymore sadly.

 

[Paul1963]

It always makes me laugh when people talk about “connection” to the club as it’s usually in direct correlation to results. Win = connected.

However nobody at the club seems to give a fuck so its getting harder and harder to see what the point is, save for getting out the house for a few hours every other weekend.

Just in a holding pattern while the owner waits for somebody to take the club off his hands.

The atmosphere next season will be awful. There will be no desire for promotion amongst the fans (not that it is likely) and we’ll be watching a team of journey men drafted in to make up the numbers while any decent young prospects will be flogged to keep the wolf from the door.

Generally I’ve completely fucked football off this season and have no enthusiasm for the upcoming euros.

Talking in the pub last night and many said the same thing - wish the top clubs would have fucked off and joined the European super league last year and give us proper fans our game back.

Maybe the next time the premier league fans protest about the super league all the fans from the rest of us should have a counter protests and sing “ fuck off to the super league!”

 

[ISZA ⚔️]

It’s abysmal.

I’ve dedicated a huge part of my life to United. Seasons like this are painful but I think it’ll probably help me prioritise other stuff in life.

I think Covid changed a lot for me. Wasn’t the same coming back. Didn’t really enjoy last season and that is weird given we won promotion to the PL. Remember holding on away at Blackpool 2-1, final stages and just thinking “wouldn’t really care if they equalised here”.

I’ve gone home and away for 25 years, religiously. Book holidays around them, stuff like that.

Yesterday I chose to stay at home and watch snooker.

 

[TJ blade]

It’s abysmal.

I’ve dedicated a huge part of my life to United. Seasons like this are painful but I think it’ll probably help me prioritise other stuff in life.

I think Covid changed a lot for me. Wasn’t the same coming back. Didn’t really enjoy last season and that is weird given we won promotion to the PL. Remember holding on away at Blackpool 2-1, final stages and just thinking “wouldn’t really care if they equalised here”.

I’ve gone home and away for 25 years, religiously. Book holidays around them, stuff like that.

Yesterday I chose to stay at home and watch snooker.

Same here regarding holidays. Never again they can fuck off! On a sadder note many years ago we shifted our wedding date to accomadate a match, just shows how fckg thick I am ..

 

[Davalon]

The potentially concerning hangover from this season for me is too much apathy.

Even if we look competitive, how many fans will be bang up for promotion. Last season's promotion didn't feel like the one before, and understandably so to a degree.

But without new ownership, how many fans will be desperate to see us promoted again despite the obvious need financially.

Apathy isn't going to help the atmosphere or the players.

Hope I'm wrong but I fear next season will see some losing interest and more Blade on Blade arguments about Wilder at games.

 

[metalblade]

Same here regarding holidays. Never again they can fuck off! On a sadder note many years ago we shifted our wedding date to accomadate a match, just shows how fckg thick I am ..

Been there and done all of that................... no more.

 

[The Steel Roses]

Not gonna lie the atmosphere has been great wouldn’t say it’s been flat at all. Man United away a week ago was one of the best away atmospheres i’ve seen. Fans have been good all season

No at home it’s the worst I’ve ever seen

 

[The Steel Roses]

The potentially concerning hangover from this season for me is too much apathy.

Even if we look competitive, how many fans will be bang up for promotion. Last season's promotion didn't feel like the one before, and understandably so to a degree.

But without new ownership, how many fans will be desperate to see us promoted again despite the obvious need financially.

Apathy isn't going to help the atmosphere or the players.

Hope I'm wrong but I fear next season will see some losing interest and more Blade on Blade arguments about Wilder at games.

I’d be happy with 7th, don’t want us to go up as this year we’ve now become the worst top flight club in history, who wants a repeat of that?
7th, competitive and a double over those filthy f@%*s in S6

 

[Stretch]

I stopped caring this season when I walked out of the Bournemouth debacle. I haven't been to a game since and even for the games I have watched on the box I have barely taken more than a passing interest.

Worst of all I have stopped caring when we concede, which always used to drive me up the wall. It seems inevitable in every game so what is the point in getting annoyed?

 

[71Blade]

I actually think Wilders got a bigger rebuild job than he had in League 1.

After Adkins left we were still quite an optimistic bunch, fan base had dwindled somewhat but we still had expectation of promotion every year.

Now I think most fans have no expectation other than hoping we don’t get battered week in week out. We’ve let in 100 goals & half the squad are out of contract, I actually don’t think I’ve ever felt this embarrassed or disconnected to a team wearing our colours.

I still have marginal hope that Wilder will turn it around. If we had a better owner I’d say get rid and start again though.

I agree regards the rebuild the only difference hasn't looked our sounded toxic unlike that L1 season under Adkins. In amazed maybe there is a realisation and acceptance that we are simply not good enough. The fans from what I've seen on TV have been bloody brilliant Manure away they sounded superb. This rebuild is massive but as previously stated i can see panic when targets don't materialise and re signing of some of the dross from this season. I'd like a complete fresh start get rid of the bladey blade and start again. I'd accept mid table for a couple of seasons yes i want us to win but im also realistic. Young hungry want to be here players few free experienced pros and the kids if teams like QPR etc can stay in this league why can't we?

 

[71Blade]

Not just United for me, but football in general. I've barely been to a Blades game this season and don't really watch any football at all anymore. The money, VAR, ridiculous added time, crazy ticket prices. I just don't care anymore. It's all gone to shit. I'll probably go to a few more games next season but I've pretty much completely fallen out of love with football - when I do attend games I find myself bored to tears and usually leaving early. I felt nothing when we got promoted and feel nothing now we're relegated - i've felt nothing after every battering this season too.

When you get older you realise how insignificant and meaningless football is - much more important things in life you should be spending your time and energy on. As a grown adult I just can't get emotional over out the result of a football game anymore. It just seems a bit immature and childish to me.

Im Reminded how immature and childish i am every weekend by the Mrs it's a bit embarrassing really. I think I've been decent this season under the circumstances although lost it a tad yesterday re the conceded goals and keystone cops moment leading to one of the goals. It's a habit rather than enjoyment.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Same here regarding holidays. Never again they can fuck off! On a sadder note many years ago we shifted our wedding date to accomadate a match, just shows how fckg thick I am ..

Even worse, we had to shift our wedding date around pig fixtures so the in-laws could attend. I deliberately chose a date that I knew would be in the middle of the season to be awkward but the Mrs caved in and we moved it.

Their attitude to football is that everything else comes second, absolutely everything. It’s made me realise how sad they are and that there are many more important things in life than football.

I pity those who have nothing else and then have to tell everyone how big a fan of whatever team they support they are. It’s really sad.

There was probably a time in my mid 20’s where it was dead important to me because I couldn’t play anymore due to injury and my social circle was around the Blades matches.

I think if I stopped using this forum then I’d probably hardly consider matches apart from when they’re on and just forget about them straight after. Might make me a shit Blade but I’m fine with that.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

Even worse, we had to shift our wedding date around pig fixtures so the in-laws could attend. I deliberately chose a date that I knew would be in the middle of the season to be awkward but the Mrs caved in and we moved it.

Their attitude to football is that everything else comes second, absolutely everything. It’s made me realise how sad they are and that there are many more important things in life than football.

I pity those who have nothing else and then have to tell everyone how big a fan of whatever team they support they are. It’s really sad.

There was probably a time in my mid 20’s where it was dead important to me because I couldn’t play anymore due to injury and my social circle was around the Blades matches.

I think if I stopped using this forum then I’d probably hardly consider matches apart from when they’re on and just forget about them straight after. Might make me a shit Blade but I’m fine with that.

Houston_Blade
You've already declared me as having lost an argument earlier today.
How about the courtesy of a rematch?

I know many Blades who are conventionally successful in life (careers, families, happiness) AND organise their lives around Sheffield United games. Some of them have made sacrifices and compromises in terms of location and employment in order to be able to attend games.

I'm arguing that the suggestion that people can either have important things in life OR organise around the Club they support is wrong. It is perfectly feasible to do both.

I've got a feeling you're not calling those people sad. But you are calling those you perceive as boasters sad. Fair enough. I don't quite see it like that of course. While I don't think the simple word SAD perfectly captures someone in my position. I understand the dynamics behind why people use that word.

People I know are knowingly sad, self aware sad in that context. But maybe you don't think that is a real distinction.

I'd be interested in your thoughts and reactions.

 

[The Hobott]

I gave my ST to a mate for yesterday and Spurs game.
I'm free, I'm just not going

Me too. I'm looking forward to next season though.

Connection to the club is a cultural thing. The team being shit doesn't really matter. I'm not a massive fan of the owner but fear the next owner more. Wilder? Who knows - Glttl

 

[Houston_Blade]

I'm arguing that the suggestion that people can either have important things in life OR organise around the Club they support is wrong. It is perfectly feasible to do both.

It depends on how extreme people are in my opinion. My in-laws life is dictated by football fixtures, their kids are now grown up of course so it’s their choice, but it’s always been that way.

Family holidays were wherever preseason tours were, kids hobbies couldn’t clash with fixtures etc.

I can’t get my head around that at all. Whether it’s us, pigs or Bognor Regis FC, I just can’t comprehend that level of selfishness.

I've got a feeling you're not calling those people sad. But you are calling those you perceive as boasters sad. Fair enough. I don't quite see it like that of course. While I don't think the simple word SAD perfectly captures someone in my position. I understand the dynamics behind why people use that word.

Social media boasting is another point entirely, but what I describe as ‘sad’ is the abandonment of other things in life for the cause of a football team.

I have mates who think it’s really clever to take very small kids to matches, I just find it a bit tragic.

You can support a team without going to these extremes in my opinion. You don’t have to attend every game in order to have a valid opinion and those going to all matches don’t have a ‘better’ opinion on football than those who choose not to.

Football can now be consumed in many ways, being a ‘die-hard’ and driving 300 miles to watch a midweek game is an ego thing rather than a necessity. I’ve tried to explain to my in-laws that the world won’t end if they miss a game. You can’t educate pork unfortunately.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

It depends on how extreme people are in my opinion. My in-laws life is dictated by football fixtures, their kids are now grown up of course so it’s their choice, but it’s always been that way.

Family holidays were wherever preseason tours were, kids hobbies couldn’t clash with fixtures etc.

I can’t get my head around that at all. Whether it’s us, pigs or Bognor Regis FC, I just can’t comprehend that level of selfishness.

Social media boasting is another point entirely, but what I describe as ‘sad’ is the abandonment of other things in life for the cause of a football team.

I have mates who think it’s really clever to take very small kids to matches, I just find it a bit tragic.

You can support a team without going to these extremes in my opinion. You don’t have to attend every game in order to have a valid opinion and those going to all matches don’t have a ‘better’ opinion on football than those who choose not to.

Football can now be consumed in many ways, being a ‘die-hard’ and driving 300 miles to watch a midweek game is an ego thing rather than a necessity. I’ve tried to explain to my in-laws that the world won’t end if they miss a game. You can’t educate pork unfortunately.

I'd argue the football/life balance has a different tipping point for different people. I might have my head in the sand. But "abandonment" seems strong. But, I take your point that some people are at an extreme end of the balance.

I view (some/most) of the people I caricature as the Carrier Bag Firm as completists. "They have to have them all."

I believe there are those sort of obsessives in many walks of life. Record collectors for example.

I understand that some people find "football obsessives" weird/sad/etc. Teasing out the nonsense of the obsessions fascinates me. It's the human condition. I'm heart on sleeve. I find some of those who devote their life to an obsession (in this case football) to be some of the most resourceful and adaptable people I've ever met.

(Trying to be relevant to thread). I think disconnect is impossible for those people. Although it is a sliding scale.

"Slightly more disconnected than this time last year"

And as for your point about "valid opinions". Absolutely. I struggle with opinions about on field matters at the best of times anyway. I have no ability to retain information about players and transfer targets.

And I salute those who do.

 

[Houston_Blade]

(Trying to be relevant to thread). I think disconnect is impossible for those people. Although it is a sliding scale.

"Slightly more disconnected than this time last year"

They might say they’re disconnected but guess where they’ll be next time there’s a fixture for their team?!

I believe there are those sort of obsessives in many walks of life. Record collectors for example.

Definitely, again my view is that it’s fine unless it’s causing others around you to miss out.

If you have enough time and resources (normally money) to do everything then that’s fair enough. If you’re feeding your obsession to the detriment of someone else’s enjoyment of something else then it becomes dangerous and unhealthy. More of an ‘addiction’.

There’s a reason I stopped spending 15 hours a week at the golf course when I started having kids for example, this doesn’t deter others though.

I'd argue the football/life balance has a different tipping point for different people. I might have my head in the sand. But "abandonment" seems strong. But, I take your point that some people are at an extreme end of the balance.

I don’t think abandonment is too strong, I know people who choose football over their kids welfare, over work etc. each to their own and all that but it doesn’t mean I agree with it.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

They might say they’re disconnected but guess where they’ll be next time there’s a fixture for their team?!

Definitely, again my view is that it’s fine unless it’s causing others around you to miss out.

If you have enough time and resources (normally money) to do everything then that’s fair enough. If you’re feeding your obsession to the detriment of someone else’s enjoyment of something else then it becomes dangerous and unhealthy. More of an ‘addiction’.

There’s a reason I stopped spending 15 hours a week at the golf course when I started having kids for example, this doesn’t deter others though.


I don’t think abandonment is too strong, I know people who choose football over their kids welfare, over work etc. each to their own and all that but it doesn’t mean I agree with it.

There is some difficult territory though. I can't/won't/don't want to be disconnected from my team. The connection centres me. The connection gives me structure. I'm better with it than without it.

I'll emphasise it's not particularly happening on this thread - but if you say things like that, it doesn't usually take too long for people to pull out the - ooohhh Bigger Blade - accusation. There is some difficult territory.

 

[Houston_Blade]

There is some difficult territory though. I can't/won't/don't want to be disconnected from my team. The connection centres me. The connection gives me structure. I'm better with it than without it.

I'll emphasise it's not particularly happening on this thread - but if you say things like that, it doesn't usually take too long for people to pull out the - ooohhh Bigger Blade - accusation. There is some difficult territory.

Then it’s some kind of dependence on football like other people have other dependencies. That’s not a case of ‘bigger Blade’ it’s probably some kind of addictive personality trait.

What irks me and others is when like in the other thread you suggest people shouldn’t be watching football and that they can’t possibly understand it if they don’t share your obsession with it.

 

[Ball_Sup (Phil)]

Then it’s some kind of dependence on football like other people have other dependencies. That’s not a case of ‘bigger Blade’ it’s probably some kind of addictive personality trait.

What irks me and others is when like in the other thread you suggest people shouldn’t be watching football and that they can’t possibly understand it if they don’t share your obsession with it.

I'll take that. And respect your view. It was a joke though. And a sort of anti obsession joke. I was making the point that football fan behaviour is not logical. But once I've descended to explaining the joke, then clearly it's not been interpreted as a joke.

 

[Lower Drop Blade]

Dislike the owner
Dislike his lip spickles like that daft twat in Spain
Dislike the manager
Dislike a lot of the players
So yeah pretty disconnected

 

[Houston_Blade]

I'll take that. And respect your view. It was a joke though. And a sort of anti obsession joke. I was making the point that football fan behaviour is not logical. But once I've descended to explaining the joke, then clearly it's not been interpreted as a joke.

Yeah, that’s what emojis were invented for! Jokes don’t often come across in written form.

 

[Maurice Maurice]

I live in the States, have done for 13 years now and agree that this season has been beyond shite. Since I moved here, despite the time difference and a few 4:00am starts I reckon I've 'missed' 2 or 3 games in total. Whenever I get home I get to see us in the flesh as often as I can, and I still fucking love it. My first game was 0 - 0 vs Leicester in 1967/8 and I used to be home and away regular when I was there. Had some great times, and some horrendous ones (including THAT Port Vale game) but it doesn't matter, I'm a Blade and that's just me. I get some throwing the toys out of the cot and I kind of get feeling disconnected but that's not for me.

When I die, I'll go with once a Blade, always a Blade and all that. Back to this season and despite the absolute fucking shit show, my gripe's with the game, not my club. It's left us behind, not just us but 90% of clubs. It's all about money, super leagues within leagues, VAR, blatant cheating, you name it and it happens every game. Even if we'd made a fist of this season it'd be a fucking farce. You can't tackle in the Prem, every time a goals scored they look for reasons to disallow it. How can that be good for the game?

I have no qualms with the Prince, he simply doesn't have the funds, and he's way better than McCabe. I do blame the players for rolling over, we know you lack the skills but you should never stop fighting like we have many times this season.

So no, I still love my club, but football? I fucking hate most of it, nowt more than pantomime.

UTBFTP

 

[Zipwire]

This is a very interesting question and one worthy of putting a bit of thought in to.

I'm going to start by throwing all my Bladey Bladey points down on the table (all 63,750 of them), not because I want to show off and brag about how big a blade I am to try and prove my cock is bigger than yours, but more to give you a flavour of where I'm coming from with all of this, and to try and understand and explain how much disconnect I feel with the Blades at the minute.

I went to my first game with my Grandfather in 1982, and was hooked for life. As a small kid one of my earliest memories was being inconsolable, and in floods of tears when the score flashed up on the vidiprinter on Grandstand that United had lost somewhere or other. I grew up in the biggest Wednesday stronghold in the city, and most of my friends and the kids I went to school with all supported Sheffield Wednesday, and all those years ago they was in their heyday but I had the resolve and fortitude to stick to my guns and follow the Blades. Started going away as a teenager, had a season ticket for the last 25 years, and passed on the family traditon/curse *delete as applicable to my own son who is just as hopelessly devoted to the Blades that I was. As life has changed, watching Sheffield United every saturday has been my own constant, like a reference point to get back to whenever I've been in life. I'm 46 years old now, at the mid point in life. I'm the bloke who reminisces about the olden days of Deane and Agana, and regales people with tales of away trips in faraway place and in even more faraway times. Just as those before me reminisce about Currie and Woodward and like my own Grandfather used to tell me about Jimmy Hagan. Nowadays I sit in my seat in the South Stand and wonder if I'll be the sprightly 80 year old who is still going and what might look like.

I've had occasional times where I've felt disconnect from the club but they have never been too far away from me, and never not been a part of identity. The time that I felt the most disconnect was during the pandemic, where my enforce absence from attending matches lead to feeling disconnected from it all. The biggest reason for that was that I was unable to partake in my usual ritual of going to the match, and as time wore on I found that I was missing the social aspect more than I was missing the football itself.

Last season was the promotion I enjoyed the least. Pragmatism told me that even if we went up, we would be unable to bring in the faceless, unrelatable galaticos who would supplement the squad of honest triers who got us up, in to an outfit who would get us to 17th in the Premier League. A warm day at Wembley watching Manchester City barely getting out of first gear to dispatch us 3-0 told me that, it was almost like it was a glimpse in to what was come. As it happened the faceless, unrelatable galaticos who did come in (with a couple excepted) were each to a man, mercenaries, only in it for the betterment of their bank balances and couldn't give less of a fuck about giving back what they should in return.

This season ultimately has panned out even worse that I possibly envision the season before. I knew within 45 minutes of our season kicking off we would be horrendously uncompetitive, and this season would be a long, slow march in to a relegation that would be sealed a long time before the last game. I just didn't comprehend how bad it would be. This season mentally I checked out a long time ago. I felt infuriated by the two late goals at Tottenham as we was good enough to be leading in the 5th minute of injury time in a game that I thought would have gone a long way towards giving us a punchers chance of redemption, i shell shocked by the 8-0 hammering by Newcastle, and had to stand there and watch thumping after thumping and take it on the chin, dust myself down and go again the week after. I felt bringing back Wilder was similar to a gambling addict throwing the last £20 of his wage packet on a 20/1 outsider in one last desperate attempt to recoup his loses. I feel cognitive dissonance from what is happening on the pitch, I'm there, I'm seeing it happen in front of my eyes and living through it, but it barely registers any more. I don't know if it is because all the hidings have left me feeling punch drunk, or mentally I've decided that it can't hurt me any more, but the one thing this season won't do is to lead me to become disconnected with the one thing I've always done.

Although this season mentally I checked out a long time ago. Although I've not stopped going, I've missed one home game and done most of the always as I usually do. I've not been going to watch the football but it's because I'm continuing to do what I've always done. See the same friends pre-match and post-match. Exchange nods, winks and handshakes with the same people I've seen around the place for years and years. Enjoy spending the time with my son. A while ago I actually came to the realisation that my attendance at Sheffield United matches came in two different guises. One was that when things are going well, I go as i genuinely enjoy watching the football, but when things are going well, it is secondary to me spending the time with my family and friends who have become like a big extended family over the years.

Ultimately I'll never feel completely disconnected from the Blades, I've got too much invested in to be able to walk away, but my disconnection is more with the game of football. I'm now what is loosely termed as a legacy supporter involved in a multi-billion entertainment corporation that over the years has drifted away from the working man. A world where the consumer, and what the consumer wants is far more important than what the match going fan would like to see, all funded by arab petrodollars and the investments of American billionaire.