Is it Sheffield United or just football in general?

[blade too long]

Football in general has become predictable and boring.
Teams with billionaires win everything , and the greedy bastards keep all the tv money for themselves
The worst aspect is the clubs just for example Chelsea , buy all players in then they have 30 players out on loan
What chance do clubs like us have of improving when prem clubs are now all basically 2 clubs in one , a first eleven and a back up of 15 to 20 players better than anything available in the lower reaches of the championship.
The games all about subs now the top clubs can change games , man city recently brought on 95 million pounds worth of substitutes
Wheres the level playing field in that
Its like going to wresting and watching hulk hogan take on a midget
The cost of it is horrific now , entertainment thats thin on the ground has become the new royal ballet cost wise
people used to wince at paying 80 quid to go to ballet bit its far cheaper than a ticket at the Emirates now

We must surely realise over a season of 46 games if you see 10 that have you up on your feet your lucky
its been like that for years
even the prem
spurs v liverpool yesterday was an endurance test
west brom v sunderland was like watching a baloon deflate
league one offers us players ,light years off these prem players that arent that good to watch
so why should we expect entertainment
the only good thing is we are playing our peers so its even some tmes, and as such ok
I watched Currie put several thousand on a gate , but theres very few that can do that
sanchez agueuro maybe corzola
but the package isnt what it was

 

[judge]

I think it mostly comes down to footballers being wankers doesnt it
Whenever i watch a game not involving the blades i quickly come to that conclusion
When it does involve the blades i.usually come to the same conclusion a bit more angrily and especially when we dont win

I do watch games but like the arsenal game last night tend to find myself getting wound up with the fact the referees seem to be the main denomination in the outcome of the game

 

[Grey 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.

Pretty much my sentiments except that I never had Sky Sports so I can't cancel. Remember as a teenager being very excited at being able to see Glasgow Celtic and Man U winning the European Cup in 67 and 68, but didn't foresee the day that I wouldn't bother watching a "British team" in the Champions League. Likewise I didn't miss an FA Cup final for 40+ years but since TV dictated kick off time I often find myself doing something else.
Still get a sense of anticipation and excitement before seeing United play but sadly at the final whistle, as yesterday, frequently leave the game feeling very underwhelmed.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Pretty much my sentiments except that I never had Sky Sports so I can't cancel. Remember as a teenager being very excited at being able to see Glasgow Celtic and Man U winning the European Cup in 67 and 68, but didn't foresee the day that I wouldn't bother watching a "British team" in the Champions League. Likewise I didn't miss an FA Cup final for 40+ years but since TV dictated kick off time I often find myself doing something else.
Still get a sense of anticipation and excitement before seeing United play but sadly at the final whistle, as yesterday, frequently leave the game feeling very underwhelmed.

Football is becoming secondary to a day or night out . Going to the matches is the common denominator to meet your mates , who otherwise you would not see . On par with Coles Corner.

UTB

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

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"

The trick with appreciating other sports is not to compare them to football I find. Just a thought but I realise some sports are not for everyone.

 

[BushBlade]

I think there are problems throughout football in this country; the pricing is high, players earn too much - most people don't resent the very best getting a lot of money but there are championship players who are multi-millionaires, the majority of PL clubs have no ambition other than to stay in the PL, half the clubs in the championship are owned by rich nutcases and the national team is uninspiring.

It's not just us.

 

[HillmortonBlade]

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.

Agree 100%, it's pure football and you can have a pint as you watch. It always brings the game back to earth.

 

[Northyorksblade]

My other half is convinced that once/if we get promoted we will be on a level playing field and not the 'big' team to beat and as a consequence will do better. I'm not convinced.

 

[JohnDenver]

Football is very messed-up and United are crap. But we still get 20,000 rolling up.

Must have something about it.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

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.

Can't afford a season ticket, have had one on many occasions but can't at the moment.

Mate of mine has cashed in his half of his pension fund and paid off his mortgage, felt a bit jealous but when he announced he was having a season ticket again I felt far more jealously.

Turns out I might have had the best deal so far.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

My other half is convinced that once/if we get promoted we will be on a level playing field and not the 'big' team to beat and as a consequence will do better. I'm not convinced.

Tend to agree but then again I thought the higher we got under Clough the better he would do.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

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.

I think we've improved as a national team as all the Billy Big Bollocks have stopped playing.

Only Rooney to dump now.

Getting good players like Bartley not becoming Billy Big Bollocks is the key to a successful future.

 

[Darren]

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.

To be fair those countries only qualified because the finals were extended so that now almost half of the countries in Europe now qualify. When you take out places like Andorra, Liecthenstein, Gibraltar, the Faroe Islands and San Marino. Any European country which has a population over 100,000 now has a 50-50 chance of qualifying.

 

[JJ Sefton]

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.

Same for me. When I was a kid and couldn't get up to see United I'd go and watch Enfield instead (I saw Paul Furlong play for them). These days I go to watch Enfield Town when I can, mostly on Tuesday nights. They're an interesting club, background, origins and all that.

 

[coaxingstar71]

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.

England just need some better quality centre halves and a commanding midfielder..... that sounds familiar?

 

[Tyler Durden]

Same for me. When I was a kid and couldn't get up to see United I'd go and watch Enfield instead (I saw Paul Furlong play for them). These days I go to watch Enfield Town when I can, mostly on Tuesday nights. They're an interesting club, background, origins and all that.

If I remember rightly, they've had a couple of decent FA Cup runs over the years. I remember seeing them on telly once and they had a fairly sizeable home crowd out.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

England just need some better quality centre halves and a commanding midfielder..... that sounds familiar?

Jags and Cahill need replacing?

 

[super_pig]

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.

no you aren't it's the state of the game.. on saturday afternoon after listening to the game on bladesplayer and in the shoutbox i was in a foul mood as i walked down the road to see Sturm Graz vs Altach.. the differences are there to see. loads (7000) people having a beer, a fag stand up have a great time and watch a goodish game (Sturm won 3-1) .. straight in the club bar until 11. felt much better.. it's much less commercial and dare i say it 'middle class'. My brother in law has been a ST holder at Man City for all the years i've known him. he says the craic at City is shit now and him and his mates often go and see Stockport County instead

 

[JJ Sefton]

If I remember rightly, they've had a couple of decent FA Cup runs over the years. I remember seeing them on telly once and they had a fairly sizeable home crowd out.

I remember them beating Leyton Orient in the Third Round of the Cup when I was a kid and that was on Match of the Day. They played at Southbury Road (now a UCI), then at Brisbane Road, then a second replay again at Brisbane Road as there was a big crowd. If memory serves, they got thrashed by Cardiff 4-0 in the next round.

At one time they were one of the top non-league sides in the country and were in the verge of Conference football but the old election system kept them out. I think they got relegated the first season of automatic promotion after finishing top the previous year, the last of election. It was mostly downhill after that. Some cunt bought the club, flogged the ground, and moved them round grounds all over the place. Enfield Town were a breakaway supporters club. The old club limped on until a couple of years ago. It went bust and was reformed as Enfield 1893, playing somewhere in Hartfordshire, groundsharing with Ware I think. Sad.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Great OP and some very deep and interesting views.
I have to admit that over the years I've only been a fair weather supporter - well, started watching when we had the worst team ever around 1980/81 and got my first season ticket for 84/85. Had to work weekends from 87/88 so only got to a handful of games a season when I could get time off. Went to quite a few games around 95-97 including quite a few away including Wolves, Grimsby and Southend. Totally lost interest from around 1999-2003 and Warnock rekindled my interest a bit.
To be honest, I've only had a season ticket again for past 2 seasons cos I can get a student one (£185 to sit in South Stand = bargain!). I don't think I'd have one otherwise.
Like others, totally lost interest in the Prem apart from checking my Fantasy Team and whereas the FA Cup Final used to be a family event - I now forget it's even on due to the messing about with it (5pm kick off - bah!).
I've thought a few times about supporting Sheffield Club instead, it's quite handy and would be a lot cheaper than the weekly frustration at Bramall Lane. I don't know if I can do it though, for all the lows we get, perhaps it makes those highs all the more exillerating (sic)? I don't know if you can replace the excitement I felt when Adams put us 2-1 v Spurs last season and I think it's that feeling that compels us to carry on, the feeling that the next game could provide that feeling again. So, I'm looking forward to Fleetwood on Tuesday, got it planned, finish work late, straight to Sheaf Island for a few beers and snap then to the match. I did the same a few weeks ago when we played Colchester and joked the next day that I'd had a great evening until it got spoiled by going to the game! I've learned that's what being a United fan is all about.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Jags and Cahill need replacing?

I think the last WC proved that didn't it? I like Jags but even Woy has started using Smalling instead to partner Cahill. I think Cahill is over-rated and has been shown up this season now that Terry is getting older at Chelsea.

Smalling has improved immensely so he may become one answer. Perhaps Stones too but needs more time to develop.