What happened to the heart of Sheffield United?

[Grecian2000]

That's a bit unfair Ghandi.

Thatcher hated ALL football supporters and wanted us to carry ID cards to be able to follow our passtime.

Only Gazza's tears in 90 and her realisation that, actually, the country quite liked its national sport, put a stop to her nonsense.

 

[matth]

Not wanting to get into a political debate, but I'm not a proponent of Thatcherism, in much the same way that I'm sure many Labour voters don't have a hankering for the days of constant striking under Harold Wilson.

 

[ghandi]

That's a bit unfair Ghandi.

Thatcher hated ALL football supporters and wanted us to carry ID cards to be able to follow our passtime.

Only Gazza's tears in 90 and her realisation that, actually, the country quite liked its national sport, put a stop to her nonsense.

Grecian - I was referring to the Matt's observation that he believes the divides are much deeper than in earlier times I was merely juxapostioning this with the breakdown of society and deepening divides that were occuring at the same time. Hence the irony of bemoaning the current depth of schisms and voting Conservative.:loopy::loopy:

 

[Darren]

Interestingly enough, the biggest strikes in UK history have generally taken place under Tory governments - the General Strike in 1926, the 2 miners' strikes and numerous other strikes under the Heath government in 70-74 and the miners' strike of 84-85.

The famous winter of discontent of 78-79 (under Callaghan, not Wilson) is the excpetion rather than the rule, which makes sense when you think about it. In the good old days of significant union power, they were obviously much more likely to strike when a generally unsympathetic government was in power rather than a generally sympathetic one.

 

[matth]

Interesting, yes, but off topic. Let's not turn this into a political debate. I couldn't care less who any of the other forum members vote for, and wouldn't question their doing so. Kindly extend that courtesy to me.

 

[ghandi]

So why tell everyone who you vote for ...just a question

 

[JJ Sefton]

So why tell everyone who you vote for ...just a question

Because, in fairness, I brought it up in my original reply as a throwaway joke.

 

[matth]

Someone flippantly said 'You should vote Conservative'. I bit. Sorry.

 

[ghandi]

no probs......:thumbup:

 

[Darren]

Interesting, yes, but off topic. Let's not turn this into a political debate. I couldn't care less who any of the other forum members vote for, and wouldn't question their doing so. Kindly extend that courtesy to me.

But then you made a comment about mass strikes under Labour governments - you should know that people like me will bite at that

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

But then you made a comment about mass strikes under Labour governments - you should know that people like me will bite at that

I'm surprised it's taken you and Walthy this long to bring politics into a thread

Off to 'Off Topic' the pair of you :hello:

 

[Muttley]

Too much money in the game has ruined it. The bigger clubs get a bigger slice leaving the smaller/ lower league teams with no hope of bridging the gap. For me, the biggest culprit is Sky TV. Sadly it's now all about business and how much individuals can get out of it, not sport, not loyalties etc....We are the mugs who still think that there is an affinity with the players when really, by and large, all they are bothered about is bloody money. Sport and watching the Blades used to be a breakaway from the rat race, now sadly it's all gone corporate and the "sport" aspect of football is all but dead.

 

[matth]

But then you made a comment about mass strikes under Labour governments - you should know that people like me will bite at that

Not really - I think you might have an over-inflated opinion of your own fame...

I wish I'd never said anything now.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Too much money in the game has ruined it. The bigger clubs get a bigger slice leaving the smaller/ lower league teams with no hope of bridging the gap. For me, the biggest culprit is Sky TV. Sadly it's now all about business and how much individuals can get out of it, not sport, not loyalties etc....We are the mugs who still think that there is an affinity with the players when really, by and large, all they are bothered about is bloody money. Sport and watching the Blades used to be a breakaway from the rat race, now sadly it's all gone corporate and the "sport" aspect of football is all but dead.

In my opinion the groundwork to make all this possible was down to Thatcher and Conservative policy throughout the 80's!

 

[Muttley]

I was doing my best to forget her!

 

[The Fox]

Matt brings up some intresting points that perhaps most of us can see understand and appreciate .

The relationship between the club and the supporters is not something churned out on the OS, bladesworld , balance sheets , or the CRM machine sending out mailshots with the latest merchandise .

The well suited and booted marketing execs now employed by SUFC have no understanding of what it is unless it can be have PR schedule , press release and contribution to profit.

The problem is that what makes ( or made ) a blade cannot be packaged , it comes through the experiencing joy , tragedy, hope , heartache, anger and every other emotion , most importantly it has to be shared with with the players and manager.

Thats the bit that's not altogether gone but is slowly drifting away, and leaves some of a certain age mourning its passing.

The new supporters who like the packaged marketed shiney blades are more than welcome , they are from a different generation and have differant expectations . The club has to appeal to them in a differant way and for that i dont blame the corporate machine.

Although SUFC 2009 may leave some people feeling alienated , I take it as how it is or how it has to be for the time being . All things turn full circle and when Sky have flown and the Money men have dissappeared we'll still have a club and for that we should be grateful.

 

[JJ Sefton]

I'm surprised it's taken you and Walthy this long to bring politics into a thread

Off to 'Off Topic' the pair of you :hello:

Apart from a daft joke I never said a word. It werent me guv!

 

[Come from away]

Sociologist today talk about different generations (decades) of kids. The Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and what marks them is that they all have different values and expectations reflecting the times in which they grew up. Currently they are all Blades fans, so truly what works for one will not work for another.

I watched the old movie Football Frenzy last night (about the life and times of a gunners fan), he was a real nut. Loved his team, dumped on them all the time - sound familiar.

So the forum and blades fans are what they are - a real mixed bag of nuts. Enjoy.

 

[bricktop]

I think the heart of Sheffield United is still there, it is the people who support the club who are the real heartbeat of Sheffield United, without the people there would be a soulless, empty club.

The heart of football still beats on with the people who watch football, but if you takes the supporters away from football that is when the lines between sport and business becomes blurred

 

[Darren]

Apart from a daft joke I never said a word. It werent me guv!

And I only responded to his provocative comment...

Society's to blame guv...