Playing for the crowd.

[gavtheblade]

Seeing that we are taking nearly 4000 supporters to Bolton on Saturday it got me thinking.
It's become a big thing in light of recent times that we,as supporters get off on the fact that we often 'out do' fellow clubs on the road and indeed at home when it comes to attendance.
But as results have panned out in the past few seasons,even though the attendance numbers never fail to amaze me,that we never play any better in front of 20'000 than we do in front of 6000.
Is the twelfth man thing something that just doesn't work with the blades??I think the players feel more under pressure it seems.
Let's hope that this season the lads actually Enjoy the feeling of the tremendous support this club has,and embrace the feeling of 'want of success'
As the new season rises upon us,I get the feeling that the feel good factor isn't too far away.
Sing your hearts out for the lads.utb.

 

[Russ]

Make Some Noise!

Oops I sound like Gary Sinclair!!!

 

[Tyler Durden]

The '12th man' served us brilliantly between 2002/2007 when we had players with an affinity for the club, players who put their arses on the line for the cause.The Lane was an electrifying place to be back then, an atmosphere second to nowhere anywhere in the country. That's when everyone was in it together.

It became at best subdued and at worst angry and poisonous after subsequent years of decline, brought on by the club seemingly making every bad decision it was possible to make.
A loud and supportive crowd wouldn't have made much difference with last years arseholes in the squad, the noise would probably have hurt their precious little ears.

I dearly hope Wilder can take us to that magical time again and make the last few years become just a weird, bad memory.

 

[SwitchBLADE Smiles]

I firmly believe in 'the 12th man' being a thing. I also believe the 12th man works both ways.

When that 12th man tends to moan & boo at every misplaced pass in a game of football it can be quite counter productive and have a negative impact on the mentality therefore the overall performance of the players. Doesn't matter if there are 20 people or 20,000, if the atmosphere isn't there, then the 12th man might as well not be either.

All IMO of course.

 

[Rupicola]

12 angry men is good

 

[spongebobblade]

Quite simple really.
Like Wilder says, us working class people like to see some passion and effort from the players. In return we will give the players our all regardless of the result. We saw this occasionally when we went on a mini run towards the back end of last season.
Problem is when it works the other way our fans are no mugs. We can spot a lazy cunt a mile off, let's be honest we've seen enough off them. We don't suffer fools gladly and after 6 shithouse seasons at this level it's not surprising we are quick to let them know.
To me it's nowt to do with attendances but do the players want it as badly as we do?
Time will tell but if they don't then trust Wilder to be on there case quicker than we will be this time around.

 

[Ricky]

If the crowd are united, have some belief in what we're trying to do and can identify with a squad of non wankers who play for the shirt and have the balls to handle playing for a big club then it can be a big advantage for us, home and away. This season should be the best chance we've had for a long time to get back to that.

 

[Iceybabey]

Gillinghan at home last season(I think). The crowd got behind the team for a spell in the game and Gillingham dropped their bollox. Kept giving us the ball back. Lucky for them we only passed side ways and didn't offer much threat. If the players play how CW wants them to then this will encourage us fans and I don't care what anyone says us fans are key to promotion. The recent cup runs under Clough are a clear example- player effort plus the crowd. Remember McNulty forcing the Southampton centre half to just punt the ball out for a throw in and the crowd cheered it like a goal! That kind of attitude from EVERYONE will equal success.

 

[Revolution]

It doesn't apply every year, but United usually win in front of their smallest home crowd of the season, and usually don't win in front of their biggest crowd of the season.

Our record in front of 50,000+ crowds is pretty pathetic, particularly post war.

 

[Jehovah]

It must do something. Why else would people look more favourably at home fixtures? Players get wound up. I remember Lee Hughes looking me in the eye and telling me to "fuck off", Marlon King in his Watford days giving a group of blades the rods. Footballers aren't generally courageous heroes with Hyde's of rhinos. As we all know too well there are a lot of spineless pansies who crumble under pressure.

 

[LenTednTony]

If the team play the Wilder Way, the fans will be behind them and the lane becomes a fortress once again!
Come On You Red And White Wilders Wizards!!