The opposition's 12th man

[DiggerBlade]

Heard a comment yesterday on Football Heaven regarding Bury Manager Flitcroft telling his players that the Blades fans will be on the players backs after 20 minutes or so if there's a stalemate in scores. Thinking about it and it does sound about right.

It makes you wonder if we the fans are doing our club a big disservice by the negative moanIng & groaning towards the players at home matches when things aren't going our way.

Are we the only club in the country that make it hard for ourselves?

 

[Blade56]

What do you suggest, applauding misplaced passes?

For whatever reason the last 2.5 games we've not gone out on the front foot.

It's the old "blame the fans thread" we get every time things aren't going to plan. ITS NOT THE FEKIN FANS FAULT

 

[Caseh]

What do you suggest, applauding misplaced passes?

Just not being a bunch of whiny, miserable arseholes would be a start.

 

[Bladesman]

I am of the belief the players need to give the fans something to shout about. There are reasons why our fans get on the players backs after 20 minutes and that is usually down to how slowly we start matches.

 

[PeteBlade]

Brilliant. I knew sooner or later it would be the fan's fault.

 

[UnitedBlade]

We need to sign some new supporters.

 

[Tyler Durden]

For the third time in 5 years last Tuesday I witnessed "fans" booing a player ON to the pitch. That's just one example of the sheer cuntitude which defines a section of our support.

 

[Barney]

Not at any point should any blame whatsoever lay anywhere near the door of the fans.

Our eternal fucking phenomenal support is about the only thing left to be proud of as a blade.

 

[metalblade]

Heard a comment yesterday on Football Heaven regarding Bury Manager Flitcroft telling his players that the Blades fans will be on the players backs after 20 minutes or so if there's a stalemate in scores. Thinking about it and it does sound about right.

It makes you wonder if we the fans are doing our club a big disservice by the negative moanIng & groaning towards the players at home matches when things aren't going our way.

Are we the only club in the country that make it hard for ourselves?

You might not know this but this has been done before on this forum times many and the conclusion is usually that the one thing that no one can blame for the clubs malaise is the fans. END OF THREAD.

 

[Caseh]

For the third time in 5 years last Tuesday I witnessed "fans" booing a player ON to the pitch. That's just one example of the sheer cuntitude which defines a section of our support.

I heard this as well There were a couple of boos before the game when McEveley was announced as well. It's embarrassing.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Heard a comment yesterday on Football Heaven regarding Bury Manager Flitcroft telling his players that the Blades fans will be on the players backs after 20 minutes or so if there's a stalemate in scores. Thinking about it and it does sound about right.

It makes you wonder if we the fans are doing our club a big disservice by the negative moanIng & groaning towards the players at home matches when things aren't going our way.

Are we the only club in the country that make it hard for ourselves?

All i can say , its a good job we dont play in the Italian league . If we got in for free then it would be a differant story , but we have to pay , so are allowed our say , by whatever way , we decide , individually.

Players have to earn repect from fans IMO. You cannot win every match , but you can give 100% , fight for the cause , and look like you are proud to wear the shirt.

UTB

 

[Top Cat]

Brilliant. I knew sooner or later it would be the fan's fault.

Was that from a Blades fan? Or an opposition manager? You don't think that there maybe a tiny grain of wisdom in what he said?

 

[BushBlade]

Heard a comment yesterday on Football Heaven regarding Bury Manager Flitcroft telling his players that the Blades fans will be on the players backs after 20 minutes or so if there's a stalemate in scores. Thinking about it and it does sound about right.

It makes you wonder if we the fans are doing our club a big disservice by the negative moanIng & groaning towards the players at home matches when things aren't going our way.

Are we the only club in the country that make it hard for ourselves?

Don't all away team managers say the same about all home teams. 'You quieten the crowd in the first twenty minutes'?

Apart from at the Sty or The Emirates because they don't make any noise to start with.

 

[DiggerBlade]

Just checked my OP and can't seem to see any comment about me blaming our fans anywhere.

I did notice though that I mentioned the fact that I heard Flitcroft inform his players that the fans would turn on their own team after 20 mins.

Oh, and being a newbie on here I'd just like to apologise for not knowing it had been a thread previously.

Brilliant. I knew sooner or later it would be the fan's fault.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Tbf I think on the whole the fans have reacted well against Colchester and at Bradford when we've been 2-0 down. In both cases rather then the resigned and negative booing there was some support, and at Bradford it was pretty strong. This wouldn't have happened under Cloughie I reckon. It's almost as if there's an air of positivity about the place.

Lets' see if the same happens when we go two down on Satdi.

Also sometimes it is the fans fault. All of them? No. Some of them? Yes. This is blindingly obvious.

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

Won't that be the plan for most away teams against us, pretty simple idea for away teams to get the home fans frustrated.
So don't try and make Flitcroft come across as some sort of footballing genius, and also its not the fans fault, we expect our team to be able to rise above such challenges, but time and time again they do fail us.

 

[RealMcCoy]

It should never be about "fault" or "blame". There should never be any booing of the team or individual players or the manager at any fixture. Home or away, regardless of how you think a player is or is not "deserving" of the shirt.
It's like family. You wouldn't boo your brother/sister/son/daughter....no matter how much they might have lost their way.
Shame on you negative f**ckers who take it out on our players!

 

[DiggerBlade]

I think in general terms I'm saying it just doesn't help individual players when they can hear collective groans or even booing some other team member.

If someone can prove that booing improves a players ability and confidence then count me in.

 

[Punk Blade]

I don't think the fans get on the players' backs if it isn't going our way. While there is 100% effort on the pitch there is 100% effort in the stands. Misplaced passes, wasted attacking situations and conceding soft goals will always be met with groans, it's just a reflex and I have no problem with that.

The fans get at the players when they aren't trying, which is unfortunately a big problem at the moment. The first half against Colchester is about as bad as I've seen us play. As half time approached I commented that there'd be plenty getting ready to boo them off and while I wouldn't join in I couldn't really blame them. Then a chorus of 'we love United' went up. While we we awful. In the first half. That's hardly the fans turning on the players when it isn't going our way after 20 minutes.

The lack of effort is the problem, and it all starts with the players. If we could take Billy's passion and work rate and distribute it evenly throughout the squad it'd be 4-0 every week.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Against Bury, Reed was substituted after 60 minutes when the crowd had started to get at the team and him in particular after he started to make errors. Whether it was the atmosphere which unsettled Reed who knows but he did have a very assured and quality first half. Within a minute we were 1-0 down.

Reed was rested for the home game against Colchester and returned to play the full Bradford game away.

That is how a manager protects and develops young players and yes he seems to be aware of the S2 home crowd already. Our committed, fantastic support can be a big asset and a big threat. Are all home crowds as critical when losing? I suppose it's all about expectations and our fans have big expectations. Before that home game he pleaded for patience from the crowd.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

Just not being a bunch of whiny, miserable arseholes would be a start.

Are we talking about the fans or the players here ?

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Just not being a bunch of whiny, miserable arseholes would be a start.

Always had this element. Used to stand on the Kop and as the players ran out, bloke behind me always shouted "bloody rubbish United". Some people like to moan, some people have set themselves up as the arbiter of the club (which means challenge everything) and some people are just miserable bastards who moan at everything.

 

[PeteBlade]

Was that from a Blades fan? Or an opposition manager? You don't think that there maybe a tiny grain of wisdom in what he said?

It's a huge cliche, used by the vast majority of managers at some point at away games when they are asked to talk about the game.

And it's been turned into asking whether we, as fans, are doing the club a 'disservice' by not being ecstatic, happy and positive a 5th season in league one that started as they all have, with us being favourites to win the league, selling our best player and not replacing him, and losing football games.

 

[PeteBlade]

Against Bury, Reed was substituted after 60 minutes when the crowd had started to get at the team and him in particular after he started to make errors. Whether it was the atmosphere which unsettled Reed who knows but he did have a very assured and quality first half. Within a minute we were 1-0 down.

Reed was rested for the home game against Colchester and returned to play the full Bradford game away.

That is how a manager protects and develops young players and yes he seems to be aware of the S2 home crowd already. Our committed, fantastic support can be a big asset and a big threat. Are all home crowds as critical when losing? I suppose it's all about expectations and our fans have big expectations. Before that home game he pleaded for patience from the crowd.

So just to be clear, you've completely guessed at why Reed was substituted on 60 minutes, nothing to do with him fading or tiring, but guessed that it's because 'the fans were getting on his back' and also hinted that that's why he started to play worse second half.

You've guessed at why he wasn't started for the next game (nothing to do with his form) and you've then guessed that this is because 'the manager is aware of the S2 crowd already'.

Is that how 'facts' are born on here? Complete and utter guesswork?

Otherwise known as nonsense.

 

[Woodwardfan]

So just to be clear, you've completely guessed at why Reed was substituted on 60 minutes, nothing to do with him fading or tiring, but guessed that it's because 'the fans were getting on his back' and also hinted that that's why he started to play worse second half.

You've guessed at why he wasn't started for the next game (nothing to do with his form) and you've then guessed that this is because 'the manager is aware of the S2 crowd already'.

Is that how 'facts' are born on here? Complete and utter guesswork?

Otherwise known as nonsense.

Most of the things posted on the forum are conjecture, that's the nature of all the contributions, i.e. opinion. It all finds it's level through the combined contributions of all posters.

Maybe everyone should issue a supporting statement to every post to the effect that we all are expressing opinions and basically guessing, otherwise we'd be ITK and not having half as much fun!!

 

[coaxingstar71]

I'll say the same as I did in a thread after Colchester...
I can't fathom how anybody would think that booing individual players is going to help at all. I could understand the booing of the team at half time in the Colchester game, although I'd never join in, but I think singling out players is unacceptable no matter how bad they are perceived to be playing for the reason that it's hardly going to encourage them to do better or help the team get what we all want - a win.

I don't know if this is the same as other clubs, but it appears we have a better type of support at away games than home games, which you could argue (though not saying is fact), could be a reason why, overall, we've had better away performances than home. I'd go as far to say that this was the case last season as well.

It would be better if we could make Bramall Lane a place that intimidates the opposition, rather than our own team.

 

[Revolution]

I don't know if this is the same as other clubs, but it appears we have a better type of support at away games than home games, which you could argue (though not saying is fact), could be a reason why, overall, we've had better away performances than home. I'd go as far to say that this was the case last season as well.

This myth was promulgated on here last season too, but thankfully stopped after the Gillingham game in January when the away crowd let the team know how bad their display was.

And anyone who thinks our away crowd is "better" obviously wasn't at the Gillingham game this season.

All crowds boo poor performances and lack of effort. If the players don't like it, play better.

 

[Blade56]

.........promulgated ........

You don't get words like that on Bladesmad

 

[LoughboroBlade]

All crowds boo poor performances and lack of effort. If the players don't like it, play better.

I do take some slight issue with that – not all poor performances are simply down to a lack of effort. This league is littered with players that try hard but don't always succeed – it's a reason why they aren't playing at a higher level.

 

[Grecian2000]

Not bad, a full 8 games in before the first OFAC thread of the season.

All newcomers should have a trawl through last seasons threads. Here's a quick synopsis.

1. Our Fans Are Cunts.
2. Perhaps our home fans are cunts but the away fans are ace
3. Actually our away fans are cunts as well
4. ALL our fans are cunts except those who support the team exactly like "me".

Apparently, despite evidence across the country and, indeed, worldwide, we are the only fans who ever show displeasure at our own players and every opposing manager only has to point this out to their players and we are royally fucked. It's amazing we manage to pick up any points in a season and it's only down to the magnificent efforts of our brave boys in the face of the, almost, pathological hatred they face for 90 minutes every game and everyone on here who spend every game surrounded by the thickest people known to man.

Now, when's Brownie signing, does anyone remember Billy smacking Vinnie, what's the new kit going to look like and where the fuck can I download the GCB song as my ringtone?