Match Day Thread Cardiff City v Wigan Athletic

Agreed, but it can get a bit tribal for some.

Nothing wrong with forum chat and digs, but often the obvious animosity felt by some tends to instill a sort of warm glow over here when things go tits up for them......

 

The "animosity" cuts both ways, and figures large throughout all the Leagues. In other countries as well, Barca and Real Madrid, being just one example.

I think it has got worse down the years.
I remember the days pre segregation, when supporters stood cheek by jowl with the opposition,and there was rarely any trouble.

Admittedly that was a long time ago, before you were born, probably.

 

Vetch - don't you believe it.....

I can remember going regularly to Vale Park when I was up at Stafford CAT doing my student apprenticeship. A lot of the lads I got friendly with hated the bigger local club Stoke City (I bet you do after last night ) and were fervent Port Vale fans. As an impressionable 17 year old in the early 70's, I went along with them to their ground for my football fix.

It seems impossible now, but both home and away fans trooped into the Hamil Road End together up onto the vast open terrace there at the time - roofs were a luxury item back then - we all stood alongside one another watching the games.

During that time I had the good fortune of being sent to SW3 for nearly 2 years as part of "doing my time" and got caught up in the Chelsea phenomena. Just caught the back end of Osgood's time there and I can tell you the atmosphere at SB was very different to Vale Park. The Shed was a heaving mass of animosity/hatred toward the opposition and its' fans - I'd never seen anything like it then and maybe not since.

Times change but not always for the better. Let's hope the game carries on with quality support for a fans chosen team without the mindless stuff that so often accompanied it.

 

Its not just a game its a way of life, but at the moment life is **** for both of us.But when the fat lady sings as Masky knows things will be sweet again,and we can all start singing again.

 

Thing is we need Swansea to survive in the top division and for us to join them. After watching us take on Wigan, we are a million miles away from that!

 

Why? The Jacks have done ever so well this past 6 years but their time may be over, particularly with the new regime taking over.

As much as we joked about him over here, the astute generalship of Jenkins has given way to the brash American approach and big ideas - that could cost them dearly.

Any club's players and performances are relative to the division they play in. The Swans have a far better side than we have but are struggling in the Premier environment whilst ours have struggled to cope with teams a division below them.

There is a huge gulf in standards required week in week out between the two divisions and the Swans are suffering far more than us because of it - we've been suffering because of poor leadership off the pitch.

If they do come down they will have a lot of work to do off the field before they think about bouncing back - they are no Newcastle Utd.

As for us, the next time we meet them I doubt it'll be in the Premier League - far more likely is the resumption of the local derbies in the Championship.

 

Fair comment Sparks. It just shows how circumstances and decisions taken over a period can conspire to change something so positive to a potentially negative outcome.

You would have thought the money from the sales of Bony, Joe Allen (albeit 4 years ago), Ashley Williams and others plus the tv money would have given them the financial clout to get in good replacements. However, actually paying big money for players, especially foreigners can really bite you on the bum if your scouting and reporting system doesn't get it right. They built their promoted team from within and with great low cost buys but as soon as they entered the big bucks club it all started to go wrong.

In reality the last one of any quality at the time for low money was Michu. After a terrific season he suffered injuries and drifted away - I don't think they got any money for him and might even have paid up his contract - and it started to go downhill from there.

 

You're right BfB! The Swans need to sell some high every year and buy again cheap to balance the books. I am pretty sure hat HJ did not do that for the early years... it was astute management. Since he has taken over that role (apparently) there has been no such moves and I reckon the money from Bony, Williams and others has shored up the losses and not been profitable enough overall to fund new players. The Americans bought a pig in a poke to my mind and the fans have been sold on some sort of 'investment'. I don't see that coming. It will need earned profits to get any significant investment coz there are no assets to borrow against. That means higher ticket prices and lots of income generation from commercial activity.... i.e. selling to fans!!!

 

I think the change of manager shows they're going to mess about with the club. The american has only been given the job because of his nationality.

He already looks out of his depth, doesn't seem to fit with the philosophy (that has served them so well) and has a pretty basic squad by PL standards.

The PL is a brutal unforgiving league. Every year the bar is raised, if you stand still you're in trouble. If you go backwards you're in big ****ing trouble. Losing Williams was a huge step backwards. Not replacing him and improving the squad significantly elsewhere could easily cost them dear come May.