Now Iâm sort of hoping this thread does not turn into another repetition of the Bruce in Bruce out arguments, Iâm sure we have heard them all, but Iâm beginning to think its an age thing. Reading through some posts it seems the over 60 brigade, O6B for those who like that sort of thing, are more laid back and willing to accept it takes time, willing to accept that yes, people can and do get it wrong. Of course the young 50 year olds and under will shout rubbish, you donât know what you are talking about, look at the stats and get your head out of the sand. Now I donât know my fellow O6Bâs but Iâm willing to bet that, like me, they were angry young men in their day, many a fight for the greater good fought and lost, CND badges, we all had them. We lived through the glory days of big LM, cant bring myself to say it in full but he came from Southampton to save us. We still want more and still get excited and dissopointed in unequal measures its just having fought so many battles we realised that it makes little difference. We the mighty fans have little might and even Mr Quinn, a true gent and sincere man knows that we donât really have a voice. Up the road our friends in black and white have marched, protested and played to the television camera but still Ashley rules and if they donât like it they can stop going. Ashley knows that a few will but the majority will continue to turn up because, well its what we fans do. I know that Bruce has got a lot wrong and he has us all pulling our hair out at times. I know their are far better managers out there its just their are also far worse, we have had them. The far better ones will either not come here or will, in time, lose their messiah status and we will start shouting ?????OUT, all over again. Maybe we O6B are just tired of fighting or simply know now to pick the fights we can win. Must dash, I need the loo, again.
I am in my early 30's mate, I have been watching and playing football since I was about 2. I have seen success and failiure in lots of teams and as a player and coach. The one thing you need for success is stability, winning also becomes a habbit. Its happens when you have a settled team who are all comfortable with each other and get along. (Look at Spain and Barca). The best thing for us is to get behind the manager and team, get them winning and we will go on to be very successful. It is not surprise that last season the wheels came off after the Bent saga because it unsettled the whole team.
She may well do. I can't do what I want and listen to her FFS. It's females who do the multitasking around here.
Well said Syd. I am 65 and a half (got to remember the half bit), and have been supporting Wonderland since I was around 5 or 6, 'cos my old fella did. Went to my first match at 8 or 9 loved it, haven't a clue who we played, was overawed by the whole experience. Like you I've been through the highs and lows, mainly the latter (When Sunderland were first relegated from the top flight, it was as though someone had died in our house, everyone spoke in whispers) (and the LM days) And like you I feel I can criticsise the manager or players, but what difference will it make? None, it just lets me get something off my chest, lets a bit steam out. Don't feel I need to pick fights any more, yes, I will argue with some of my mates about the merits of the team, sometimes about the bad points of the team, but am wise enough to let the younger factions have their fights. Whoever owns the club, is chairman, manager, does matter in the overall feel of the club (my mag mates are quite jealous of our club, owner, chairman), what matters most is the club, and everone getting behind your team giving them as much support as possible. but still having the right to criticsise any of them because that's your opinion.
I'm 62 but its my birthday next month so I wont be more much longer. I want to fight but struggle standing let alone bobbing and weaving
Wudnt particularly say it was an age thing, im 26 and relatively happy with how things are going, seem to be being run in a financially responsible way, best chairman in the league, managerial stability (for the forseeable future anyway), steady progress and a far far superior class of player at our club as opposed to even 3-5 years ago. Think its more a perspective thing rather than an age issue. Even tho im a relative youngster i can still recall gems such as Gareth Hall, Brett Angell, Paul Stewart etc etc gracing our hallowed turf and I dont want to go back there. Think some people wud prefer to be relegated horribly and then promoted magnificently the following season rather then mid table premier league stability, however I am not one of these. This does not mean im happy with treading water in mid table obscurity, however lasting progress takes time, patience and belief, which im willing to give our current regime (owner/chairman/manager) as its the best combination we've had in some time.
I can vaguely recall us signing Brett Angell and him modelling our new away shirt at the time (that yellow and green monstrosity). Didnt know it was possible to cry and be sick simultaneously but apparently it is.
please log in to view this image Look at that beautiful man and tell me you wouldnt do the same........
Maybe we O6B are just tired of fighting or simply know now to pick the fights we can win. Syd, you've hit the nail on the head. It's no coincidence that hurtful experiences remain in our memories far longer than we would like and influence our subsequent decisions and thinking. That's called wisdom and it usually comes with a high price tag. No surprise then, that it's found more often in older people.
Who do you think you are kidding Mr Sydney, If you think old Sunderland's done, We are the boys that will stop your little game, We are the boys who will sacrifice our pain, So who do you think you are kidding Mr Sydney, If you think old Sunderland's done...
According to your maths, or whatever [ by the way this screen is ****IN BLUE,,,,, WHY ] Syd, looks like Im fukt, got the age, still wearing, dayglow sling back wellies, they will return, sure of it, and me flares, but sorry mate, I believe my stance on this is fairly well known, dont want to try to convince others of my beliefs, only want my freedom of speech to express them. The age thing,[ WHY IS MY ****IN SCREEN BLUE, THE AIR IS GONNA GET BLUER] dont apply to all, having said that, this is a good thought provoking thread, IE, is age a governing factor, no, youngans aint had enough dreams shattered yet, but support our team and they just might find out what heatbreak is, and it aint about not getting your end away first date. Yet the oldies in the orange wellies and flares, are thought of as past it, possibly true, for example, my eyes, with glasses asks my brain, ` why is this screen ****in blue ` and my brain cant answer, At an age of older than sixteenish, the male cant concentrate on more than two things at a time, usually money and crumpet, as an older man you think of money and crumpet, but cant quiet remember the latter, now pensions or lack of them take up more time, then we jolt back to reality, who is the manager these days, hows the team doing, memory returns,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Aw ****, still him, still the same dreams down the pan, roll on next season, roll on dementia, but the biggest question of my life may yet elude me, take it to the grave,,,,I hope not. Question,,,,, WHY IS MY ****IN SCREEN BLUE?
I am 66 next month so cannot remember my first being about 8 or 9 and having to sit on the barrier. A defeat these days does not affect the way it used to even in the derbies
Syd you and I have exchanged various 'thoughts' over the past few days and I hope it hasn’t soured the milk between us too much? The thing with insults is they are rarely called for, never satisfying and almost always regrettable. I don’t think its an age thing at all this squabbling though and I dare bet you can still be a cantankerous old sod when you want to be (I certainly hope I never lose my argumentative streak as I get older Lol) so it is more the subject matter that takes us up and down the 'radgy-o-meter'. For instance, I can get very animated when it comes to my football club; politics and family but feel totally indifferent towards many other subjects that others would get wound up about. I don’t want to go back to the McMoneybags era either, which is still a painful memory, as is the Butcher, Buxton and Sgt Wilko eras. I too have watched a host of absolute ****e in red & white shirts and it’s these painful memories that often cloud my thinking as I am just a little sick of continued failure by the club, or at least the failure to grab opportunities when they arise. We have been ‘very nearly’ men on 3 main occasions in my lifetime – Alan Durban, Denis Smith and Peter Reid. We nearly became a big player under all 3 of these managers but just failed miserably at the last hurdle through a combination of a lack of boardroom and management ambition and a total lack of money. That continued inability to make a great football club that can boast some of the most loyal passionate fans in the world, into a decent to quality one in the top flight of English football, really hurts and cuts deep with me. With no disrespect intended, I have seen the likes of Norwich, Fulham, Boro, Pompey and again Birmingham this year play in Cup Finals, appear in Europe in recent years and also win trophies and they can hardly attract the same level of support between them. We have been knocked out of the cups too easily time and time again; we don’t seem to get over the line when we are within touching distance of success and above all, we don’t seem to be able to put a TEAM together all at the same time to get there. We get a top class striker and we sell him inside 18 months and go back to square one instead of replacing him and carrying on. It’s a case of 1 step forward and 2 steps back with SAFC and after 37 years, it has made me a very grumpy middle aged twat sometimes. It’s the desire and desperation for the club I love to be better that drives my fire and my often aggressive nature. When I overstep the mark I say sorry but it isn’t going to change my views. However, the topic of Steve Bruce has dominated discussions on here for several weeks now, to a point where I think all camps are firmly entrenched and a sort of cease fire would be good. The discussion now moves to the next game or the next 16 games to be honest, as we run up to Christmas. By January 1st, the Steve Bruce debate will be finished one way or another, as the club will be doing well or not and his position will sort itself out. The players we have are the ones we will be watching for the next 4 months, so there’s no point in speculating about which payers we could/should have brought in. The managers’ position isn’t up for grabs and he will be supported - and I include myself in this - at the match, the training ground, the pub and at work. The blood letting has been done and we now need to get behind the team for the Chelsea game, which I am really looking forward to now. That said it would be a boring 4 months all back slapping and agreeing wouldn’t it? There will be disagreements and debates but I think the viciousness of the past few weeks needs to stop and let’s concentrate on the games ahead. Who knows, by Christmas Bruce may well have turned a few BOB's into BIB's? Maybe? Lol
My screen aint blue, maybe its because I dont inhail.... Same here, a deafeat is met with that shrug of the shoulders that says, Oh well, maybe next time, I miss my dad and hope my mam is OK and happy in her dementia world.
Can I ask a question of my O6B mates, a serious one. At what age did that mortality thing hit you, that oh, I wonder how long I have left. For me it was 60 for some reason, I read of this actor, that politician has died aged 67 and think, could be me in 4 years. It makes a derby defeat less important.
