The fan's fault.

[Grizzly blade]

Silent majority drowned out by the vocal few?

Problem solution....make the silent majority louder. Hence maybe the club can think of some way to do this.

 

[Blade56]

Cup runs.....?
As for the players, they can look at us and think...nah....fans on yer backs, pressure to win every game...I'm off to Scunny or Posh where you get paid the same and will enjoy it. They don't give a toss about us or anyone else. It's a job, a well paid one but still a job.
They can earn it at any other club on our level, and in some cases above.

Fans should be saying...ok, might not be top quality but you know what? They are OUR players, and to me they are the best in the land. Support them through thick and thin..,.,but instead we have a rank and file assessment of each player and in many cases decide they are complete shite before they have even kicked a ball.
Internet....death of football supporters.

Cup run. We won nowt but lined McCabes coffers.
And the fans should be saying what? It's that attitude that's made us a losing club happy to survive in L3

 

[grafikhaus]

Some people have blamed the board but to be fair they've appointed top rated mingers and players with records of succes at their previous clubs.

Fixed it for ya!

 

[Pollingtonblade]

I agree with people defending the crowd this season.
We were poor against Rochdale and the only booing was at the end of the match.
We are embarrassingly diabolical against Southend and I would have expected more in game booing.

Although I still think the OP has a point.
Some people have blamed the board but to be fair they've appointed top rated mangers and players with records of succes at their previous clubs. If they've performed at previous clubs then why can't they do it here?

However there is another theory, it's not the board or the fans.

The reason for our failures and bad luck is THE CURSE.
Ever since we got rid of the cricket we've generally struggled.

I remember a few years ago someone on Bladesmad was asking for £10 donations and offered to contact SUFC and pay for a priest to exorcise Bramall Lane of any unwanted spirits.

So how did the curse work out between 88-93?

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Interesting points.

Here's my take on it...

The fans bear no responsibility for their actions.

Think that's sorted.

Fixed this one too.

 

[Blade56]

...negative atmosphere caused by some fans

The performance of the players cause the negative atmosphere. I can sympathise they are not good enough to be winners at this level and that's McCabes fault buying cheap to reduce his outlay but expecting PL and Europe in 5 years. Do you honestly believe we are in a position to achieve those targets? Yes or no will do!

 

[Blade56]

Hence maybe the club can think of some way to do this.

Invest and win games maybe?

Or do we try cheap average players made into Messi's and Rooney's by over enthusiastic fans prepared to put up with scraps?

Am I the only one who wants to see a team to rival what I watched as a lad?
Is everyone happy with Barnsley, Rotherham, Bournemouth, Brentford, Burton, et al being bigger better clubs than us?

Un feckin believable, it's the fans fault my arse

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Invest and win games maybe?

Or do we try cheap average players made into Messi's and Rooney's by over enthusiastic fans prepared to put up with scraps?

Am I the only one who wants to see a team to rival what I watch as a lad?
Is everyone happy with Barnsley, Rotherham, Bournemouth, Brentford, Burton, et al being bigger better clubs than us?

Invest? How much would be acceptable? If the £6 Million per year black hole isn't enough, how much would be?

 

[Blade56]

Invest? How much would be acceptable? If the £6 Million per year black hole isn't enough, how much would be?

In today's game that's peanuts, if he can't hack it sell it

 

[Harry's Game]

Fixed this one too.

Means nothing that in relation to any points being made . Well done.

 

[pommpey]

What a load of shite.

There are two sets of fans these days.

Those who question everything about the running of the club, because 17000 fans on a Tuesday night warrants it

Those who blindly accept we are shit and will find every excuse to deflect the blame from the real cause

It's all very well and good trying to highlight people vocalising their displeasure at a team clearly way below the required standard for this level of football. But we are not Burton Albion (who pull in a third of our gate receipts yet still get promoted and beat the pigs) Nor are we Hartlepool United. We have a large, city-centre stadium in one of the biggest conurbations in the country, and usually it is between a half and two thirds full for league games. That is raw energy of supportership. If you think every one of those fans should meekly clap encouragement when the bottom club walk the ball through our backline and past a goalkeeper clearly playing above his capability then you're on drugs. Our descent is not satisfactory and shouldn't be celebrated or encouraged. People on here have quoted games where Bramall Lane has been literally on fire with supporter enthusiasm and celebration. It is a wonderful place when that happens and that energy flows down from the terraces onto the pitch. If some expect that same flow looking at the goals conceded in 15 minutes on Saturday then I am afraid it is wishful thinking.

All of those players have a massive job to do in the next home game. It isn't up to the fans to play for them. It is up to the players to play for the fans - that's what they pay for, and no blame whatsoever can be leveled at them.

pommpey

 

[JohnDenver]

There are two sets of fans these days.

Those who question everything about the running of the club, because 17000 fans on a Tuesday night warrants it

Those who blindly accept we are shit and will find every excuse to deflect the blame from the real cause

Untrue, simplistic and divisive. But other than that, well done.

 

[Grizzly blade]

Hang on....it's not £6m over one season is it?

He's made the fuck ups, he's paying for them. Not us...him.

He is losing £6m a year and giving the managers a big enough budget to succeed. Fans might chuck £500 a year at the club, and feel it's right to slag every move he makes and the club makes....players, fellow fans...,

The OP was about the atmosphere in the lane. You clearly think it's solely down to the players and owner to rectify, but many think it's responsibility for more than that.
It's a status quo....Wilder needed a win off the bat and a good one. He got beat unluckily. After Crewe, the atmosphere was nervous at best.
Bad results and bang...,we have fans talking of sacking him, blaming KM for stealing money from the club....place is mental.

Best fans in the land?...my Arse.
Loyal, Angry, Consistent.

 

[Fraggle Blade]

There's always been some real bellends who just go to games to get on at players and hurl abuse in every direction.
They just stand out more now with the general apathy from the majority of the crowd.
Poor atmosphere in the ground will affect some players, but its up to them to play well enough for it not to be an issue.
What I don't like is the guys who hurl abuse at players regardless of how they are playing, just because of their pre-determined view on them.

 

[Chali 2na]

The performance of the players cause the negative atmosphere. I can sympathise they are not good enough to be winners at this level and that's McCabes fault buying cheap to reduce his outlay but expecting PL and Europe in 5 years. Do you honestly believe we are in a position to achieve those targets? Yes or no will do!

The fans are directly responsible for the atmosphere, the noise is coming from there mouths after all. The players should be exciting the fans enough to generate such an atmosphere. It's a vicous circle.

And no, we're not in a position to get I Europe in 5 years, but forgive me, I don't see the relevance? I've already acknowledged that I think the players, managers and board bare a great responsibility for our "predicament".

 

[Blade56]

He's made the fuck ups, he's paying for them. Not us...him.

That's such an important point. McCabe has made one big mistake after another getting us to where we are today.

Unfortunately, he thinks the money he's had to shell out as a result of paying for those mistakes is INVESTMENT. It's not it's the cost of failure.

 

[INTAKE BLADE]

Fans are used to the shit displays, so they go to the lane with the mind set that we are not going to put on a good display, apathy at its best.
I love my club and nothing will change that, but we aint fools either.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Grizzly blade makes a very, very pertinent point.

When we signed Colin Morris, I along with many other Blades knew very little, if anything about him. Discussion, might have consisted of a few in a pub wondering if he could supply Edwards. Little in opinion on him as a player until he was seen playing. Pretty much the same for anyone we signed. Now a player can be pulled to pieces, faults highlighted, decisions made they are not good enough before they're even confirmed as a signing.

You can say the same about games, results, performances. Have a moan after the game, ring Bob Jackson for a grumble and agree or disagree with Tony Pritchett in the Green 'Un. That was it until the next one, save seeing someone in the week 'did you see that Satdi?' Now it's picked to pieces for days, with multiple platforms for venting, arguing, stoking the fury which is carried into the next game.

Internet has really racked up the pressure and intensity and had a significant impact on the changed atmosphere at lots of grounds, including BDTBL.

 

[Dellas Cowboys]

You're in for it here, the precious little butter cups on this forum don't like it when you insinuate they may not be perfect.

found myself booing once end of last season but it felt wrong like booing your kids in a school egg and spoon race

 

[Grizzly blade]

That's such an important point. McCabe has made one big mistake after another getting us to where we are today.

Unfortunately, he thinks the money he's had to shell out as a result of paying for those mistakes is INVESTMENT. It's not it's the cost of failure.

The cost of his failure for sure. But let's be right here, we are deemed failure being in L1, and rightly so.
But he lost a hell of a lot more when we were in the league above trying to get back in the premier league! Was that investment? Or more cost of failure?
Are his losses due to failure caused by failing to put money in? Because it seems to contradict itself if it is!

When does it become investment then....only when we succeed?
If he stopped completely putting in money, where would we be? Who else is queuing up to lose that amount of money?
He hasn't got a personal fortune of billions he can just afford to lose. He's reached his limit.

 

[GrayBlade]

I suppose the Newcastle fans are being told the same?

Whilst I agree that a negative atmosphere where some fans always expect the worst can make it harder to turn things around, I've been at the Lane and other games where we've done everything in our power to lift the team and they've still not come up with the goods. For instance how much more could we have done in the POF against Wolves but they still didn't turn up?

We've become a club that's the champion of the underdog. We're great when the pressure is off for instance in the cups, but can't handle the favourites tag. That's nothing to do with the fans, it's about the way the club us run top down from owners, to board, to managers, to players. That's the real problem at SUFC.

Some would have us believe that abject failure year after year is all down to bad luck, when in fact it's down to bad planning, poor direction, bad management and substandard players who although they might have the right skill-set have a weak mindset.

Just give us little genuine hope for the future and we're the loudest most loyal and passionate fans in England, and we don't need prearranged synchronised bobbing on TV to prove it! It's up to the club to provide that hope and break the annual cycle of anticipation, let down and despair. We the fans are not to Blame.

 

[Blade56]

The cost of his failure for sure. But let's be right here, we are deemed failure being in L1, and rightly so.
But he lost a hell of a lot more when we were in the league above trying to get back in the premier league! Was that investment? Or more cost of failure?
Are his losses due to failure caused by failing to put money in? Because it seems to contradict itself if it is!

When does it become investment then....only when we succeed?
If he stopped completely putting in money, where would we be? Who else is queuing up to lose that amount of money?
He hasn't got a personal fortune of billions he can just afford to lose. He's reached his limit.

If you buy a house and can no longer afford the payments you have to sell up and downsize or go bankrupt and be evicted.

It would appear he's decided downsizing the club is his preferred option.

 

[Grizzly blade]

Gray blade- agree with some of that.

We are best as underdogs though because we have always lacked the quality of our opponents and our players have then had to raise their game accordingly.
POF- we were favourites because we had a good season, had some semi's and were third. But fact is, our quality players were fewer than Wolves, and one wasn't even picked (Windass). Warnock had a team playing above itself who ultimately ran out of steam.
The fans too in Cardiff.....we were much quieter than Wolves. They were loud and active....it was nervous and quiet near me.

 

[Slim Man]

These are the same fans that have ploughed 300 quid at the VERY least season after season, some into the thousands to watch disappointment.

20,000 have turned up for 6 years in this turgid league to be let down every time. A bit of frustration is the least they can expect. 95% of league clubs would have held protests and demonstrations aplenty by this point.

The fans are not to blame.

 

[Chali 2na]

These are the same fans that have ploughed 300 quid at the VERY least season after season, some into the thousands to watch disappointment.

20,000 have turned up for 6 years in this turgid league to be let down every time. A bit of frustration is the least they can expect. 95% of league clubs would have held protests and demonstrations aplenty by this point.

The fans are not to blame.

The fact we pay £X is irrelevant: all football fans pay to watch their team. We're not special in that regard.

As for the attendance, as admirable as it is, it has no bearing on the argument. I agree that frustration is to be expected, and people can express their opinion by booing and jeering: I'm merely saying I don't think it helps anything.

 

[BushBlade]

The fact we pay £X is irrelevant: all football fans pay to watch their team. We're not special in that regard.

As for the attendance, as admirable as it is, it has no bearing on the argument. I agree that frustration is to be expected, and people can express their opinion by booing and jeering: I'm merely saying I don't think it helps anything.

The problem is, there's no way to prove it definitively. So it will always be a matter of opinion. There are plenty of supporters of all clubs who are happy to believe their support helps to drive their team on but very few fans who want to contemplate that their negative actions may, at times, have a negative effect.

And really, there's not much can be done about it.

 

[Revolution]

The fact we pay £X is irrelevant: all football fans pay to watch their team. We're not special in that regard.

As for the attendance, as admirable as it is, it has no bearing on the argument. I agree that frustration is to be expected, and people can express their opinion by booing and jeering: I'm merely saying I don't think it helps anything.

We are through the looking glass now. For season after season, we have been let down and punched below our weight.

The players need to provide the spark at this point. People have had enough.

And when I hear about the fans making a difference, I think about the support I've given them at playoff finals, or at Chelsea in 1994, or that they got against Wigan in 2007. Most of all, I think about the great support we gave against Spurs, and Louis Reed's miss with the scores level.

They owe us. Players and board.

Nobody should be surprised about the atmosphere at the Lane at the moment.

 

[PeteBlade]

There's a large amount of naviety in the OP in assuming that Sheffield United fans are different to any other fans in the country.

Go to any ground and you'll hear ironic cheers for players, the likes of Giggs and De Gea had it at Man United, half the Chelsea team at some point, and pretty much every single club in the country.

What I do know, is that if United get on the front foot, string some passes together, have the odd SHOT ON PISSING TARGET, then they'll get a better backing than any other club in this league.

Show me the fans of any club that let in 3 goals at home to Southend and let's see how positive they are.

Us being the common denominator since we've been shit doesn't stack up either. Much like there's been passengers on pretty much every plane crash in history, but I'm pretty sure it's not their fault that planes keep crashing.

 

[Stretch]

As uncomfortable as it may be to swallow the OP has many things bang on. I agree that the board are without doubt primarily to blame for this seemingly terminal malaise that we now find ourselves in due to a combination of asset stripping and poor managerial appointments or the timing of management sackings. Unfortunately the players, like us are at the sharp end on match day where any discontent becomes aired out in public for all to see and hear.

Football has always been, and probably always will be a chance or the average lad or lass to let of steam every Saturday/Tuesday, after a few pints and an hour or 2 setting the world to rights with their mates. It's inevitable that when this is followed up by poor displays, that people are going to get annoyed, but whilst the majority keep it under wraps a VERY vocal minority let rip, and here is the problem...

To paraphrase the famous old saying, bad things happen when good people do nothing. Perhaps if the 90 odd% of us who don't shout and ball at players would actually sing or cheer for the team a bit more then we wouldn't be in this state. How often have you sat there quietly cursing the obnoxious bellend 2 rows away from you who just will not shut up digging at the players or screaming at the manager for refusing to make those game changing substitutions that they would undoubtedly make in their position? It is very tempting to ask people to shut up but these days especially you are likely to receive counter offers to have your face re-arranged. If only there was an easy way to drown all that out?

Singing sections might be an answer, but I detest any kind of staged support. The pigs have tried getting round this for years with that godawful band, that most of their own supporters can't stand, but it does drown out some of the moans and groan. Should we have something similar? In our situation it might be something that needs serious consideration short term because clearly the atmosphere IS affecting our players confidence. We seem to import players who have performed elsewhere and turn then into jibbering clueless wrecks within a few home games.

All that aside we are still without doubt the most loyal and patient supporters I can think off. Almost 10 years of constant kicks to the groin and we keep coming back. The problem is that that even loyalty cannot hide frustration after a while.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Means nothing that in relation to any points being made . Well done.

Fans create the atmosphere in the ground, they are solely responsible for that. Picking scapegoats, getting on players backs, sarcastic clapping, sighing when young players make mistakes that's all the fans and they would do that regardless of what the board did. Always have.
The board have their own responsibilities that they fail to meet but the fans seem to think paying means anything is fair game and they have no responsibility for their actions.
The fans turn up in large numbers and are a credit to the club in that regard, however more people groaning doesn't create a good environment for players to perform.