Glad to see it will get a welcome boost with the banner being passed round and Speedo chants on Saturday which I'm sure will encourage a crowd who are overwhelmingly negative to be positive and embrace the spirit of remembrance. But this game aside, I honestly think the fans are playing a part in our poor home form which we've seen recently. Yes, we've lost a few thousand from last season and there's the continuing hostility towards Bates which I fully approve of, but I really don't get the feeling that the Kop's doing enough to support the players. Of course we have the right to get on players' backs when they aren't doing well enough, but that right's clearly being abused when the players are made even less confident by it. We can intimidate away teams at Elland Road, but at the moment, we're running the risk of alienating and intiminading our own team as well. Hope the pro-Leeds, positive chants are cranked up a notch for the rest of the season, because it really can have a big effect in motivating this squad. Hence why we do so well away from home. Good support = good performances, and vice-versa. Let's not get caught up in the vicious circle that needless negativity creates.
I was thinking the same 18, i had some family and their friends over from Ireland, one being an Arsenal fan, we were at the Cardiff game and he commented that he was expecting it to be more hostile for visiting teams. that coming from an Arsenal fan an'all, the cheek of it
South stand and Kop sold out,NE corner open,looks like a warm welcome for our southern friends.No wonder most of there fans Xmas shopping sat...
Agreed, negativity breeds negativity and inhibits success! Hopefully there will be nothing but emotional, united, supportive chants on Saturday which should spur the boys onto victory and in turn spark a well needed return in home form!!! Let's break the vicious cycle!!!
Fans chant and sing for Bates to go or invest money in quality players. Players hear the chants and think the fans are not happy with the starting 11 they want to see better players gracing the Elland Road turf. Imagine the fans had not shown their disgust in Rachbuka, would Grayson have gone out and brought in a loan player, I very much doubt it.
The meaning of it is, as we all know, that we don't think there's enough strength in depth, especially at the back four. The first team is incredible, even the first back four are brilliant on their day. Training, and depth is the issue. We don't have any decent depth in many positions, including the left wing, central midfield, centre back, left back, right back. But it's understandable that the players can take it to mean they aren't good enough and we want better.
I agree, I don't blame anyone calling for Bates to go, I was chanting it myself, the downside... It is a negative chant showing we are not happy with the lack of investment because we would like to see "better" players and "better" signings, it must get through to the players. Anyway, I expect a stonking positive atomosphere tomorrow, McAllister, Batty, Strachan to lead the tribute and the Gary Speed Suite being named, let us hope the starting 11 play with the same passion as they showed midweek
Regardless of how good our team is, I'll still want the liar, crook and ****er known as Ken Bates to get out of our club, and will chant accordingly. I don't think the players are offended by it - any chant from the stands is probably a boost to them; they're hardly thinking 'the Leeds fans hate us'. If we wanted the squad out, we'd be chanting 'squad out', right? But yeah, tomorrow all that is meaningless and we will forget Bates' wrongdoings and create a proper atmosphere to remember a legend. There'll be a banner going round the ground and I imagine there'll be the the '11 from the 11th' deal happpening again, as well as plenty more tributes for our title-winning side from '92, some of whom will be laying a wreath. WHOA GARY GARY! GARY GARY GARY GARY GARY SPEED!
Sorry 18 but got to disagree on how the chants affect the players! Whether they realize that the 'Bates out' chants are not a personal tirade on them, or not! The chants still create a negative vibe round the stadium and a horrible atmosphere to perform under! Not to mention all the bad press to go with it! We used to be known as the best fans in the world, but every televised game this season so far the commentators have made reference to the discontent amongst the fans when we're struggling on the pitch! When we go one/two nil down that's when the 12th man (ie us) are supposed to step in and unite to spur the team on to fight back! Instead lately the 'bates out' chants just reverberates round the stadium, which I'm afraid in my eyes is completely counter productive to the boys!!! Ok if you've got Bates issues then feel free to voice them outside, but when the boys are on the pitch the criticizing and chastising chants shouldn't be surrounding them!!! Additionally some people don't share the same view of the Anti Bates peeps and they've paid just as much to watch the game, do they not deserve to enjoy it without being subjected to the negative tensions of others!!!
Unfortunately it's changed from the 70s/80s. PC gone mad. Terraces gone etc etc Howya ONELEEDSONEFAITH.
Alright Shako, hows it going mate, you're up late there'll be at atmosphere tomorrow/today bud, sadly for the wrong reason, but we'll give Gary a great send off and remember the good times he had at Elland Road.
Cheers bud. Great result today, first half was hard to listen to. But the 3 points were the main things to get. Great to see the hammers and saints lose. Can we do it?(promotion)....maybe Hope to get over with my family on paddys day against the hammers. (my birthday)...maybe see you then. Looking forward to the euro champs next year, pity we didn't get Engerland..ha ha
hiya mate promotion?.... they'll make us suffer, i think we'll be hovering around the playoff area, whether we can do it is a different matter, a bit of consistency.then maybe yes, but anyone can beat anyone in this league. I'll be at the hammers game mate, , the family are coming over for the Saints game, might try and get them to change it for the hammers game though, then we can have a drink together we're over there for a rovers game when the season starts. Very emotional day today, i hate blubbering in front of people, especially in front my ten year old son, but Gary would have been proud of the Leeds fans today. I'd like us to meet Engerland in the semis so we can knock them out, but unfortunately for them, they wont make it
