I feel a bit ashamed. I walked out early yesterday. I can't even remember the last time that I walked out early. I never do this. I have people around me who leave with small kids to miss the traffic. And there are those who walk out in fury when the oppo score with 5 mins to go. I ALWAYS stay - (to my detriment and fear) at some away grounds when you find yourself the only few on what was a packed QPR crowd. At half time a few players - Nelson, Adel - walked off separately and got a clap - everyone else got shouted - 'you're here for the money' There was huge dissent in the team. Cisse was not running for anything and blaming the passing quality wasn't where he wanted to ball. Boswinga should never play for us again unless he does a 'joey' after the liverpool game - he was that bad and so was the abuse at him personally where I was sitting - he must have heard it. On talk sport radio london - they focused on QPR. The presenters stoked up the calls coming in by venting all the old prejudices about Hughes. The gave West Brom as the good model to stay in the Prem. A 'project' they called it. They said look at the core of the team that you are relying it - it is the old QPR team players plus a 35 year old new zealander hero captain that has seen his best but plays with his heart. Adel was a hero yesterday. BIG RESPECT on my part. The most mature I have seen - one year ago - he would not have stayed on the pitch. If we keep him, he will be be a QPR legend with that shirt. Anyway I feel kinda 'dirty' for walking out early. This was a different reason that we lost today to all the other games I've been to - the team lost this game. They read the papers too. Would they not have fought for a leader who they wanted to follow. There were conversation yesterday at my son's football practice amongst the QPR fans - would you take 3 points and Hughes til Christmas or a loss and Harry on Monday - 100% asked for Harry. There was a banner nicely handwritten shown on match of the day about Harry. It's all nice drama. Not a sensible way to run a business. Wonder what the Mittels think about it all. Depressing. All a bit of a joke. Anyway - any of you walk out early? Do you always do it? Why?
I left with 5 to go. Very rarely do, but I'd downed tools to go to the game yesterday and went back to work until 9 thereafter. I earn my money.
Even after we scored Saints played like THEY were chasing the game and always looked likely to score. The own goal was the ultimate in sloppy lack of effort and professionalism by our lot, and I have to say, if I'd been there, I'd probably have left at that point simply because there was absolutely no fight. Don't criticize those that did yesterday, when you've paid £40 odd to be served up a gutless, spineless performance by players earning more per week than most of us earn in a couple of years you have the right to vote with your feet...
I walked with 3mins to go as my boy wanted to leave, I have never left a game early before by choice my dad used to drag me out 5 mins every time we were losing to miss traffic - worst occasion the 5-5 with Newcastle - never forgave him!!!
I walked out at half time when we were being tonked at forest a few seasons back First & last time I've done it but I reasoned I could get home before the end of the match have some supper and forget the 45 minute nightmare I'd just witnessed
You pay your money you take your choice. Personally would never leave early, a game lasts until the final whistle and something stunning may happen. If you have something genuine to do - work, perform life saving brain surgery on a child, foil a terrorist plot, attend a marriage or funeral (your own, preferably) - obviously you have to go, but 'miss the traffic' is pretty lame, I don't believe most people have lives that exciting. If my boy ever asked to leave early (no chance of this) I would definitely refuse - taking this pain is part of growing up and being British.
I very rarely do it and have never missed a goal for us, yesterday, Boro 5-1 (mate had to catch plane) and the playoff final are the only games I can recall leaving early.
I'll always remember Derby away when we drew 2-2 with two injury time goals. Some guys we'd met on the train up left early to try and catch an earlier one home. Not only did they miss the comeback but they were on the same train as us and greeted us with "How **** was that then!" They didnt even know we'd drew!
Wouldn't fault anyone for leaving early. It can hurt being subjected to a performance without any spirit. Where is the players fukking pride?
Have never left a game early and never will, regardless of how badly we're being tonked Having been attending matches for more years than I care to remember, I've seen so many late goals / unexpected drama that it never ceases to amaze me that people start leaving with 10 or more minutes to play That said everyone is entitled, having shelled out frequently obscene amounts of money, to make up their own minds For every Derby, Coventry away (old Highfield Road, 89th minute winner that sent us top of the top division), Liverpool at home, there have been games (Fulham and Chelsea last season, Leeds a few seasons back) where we are losing so heavily that we could've played the rest of Saturday and still not got anything I do, however, wish that fans would stay to support the side when we're either drawing or just a goal down, and giving it a good go (unlike yesterday)
The Saints game was the first time I've left before the whistle - ever (apart from one last year because of illness). Yesterday (especially after the third) was a case of absolute hopelessness. A complete capitulation on every front from management to fans, in a match between two basement teams where we were left in no doubt that basement means us. Our departure simply personified the facts before us. Reason our lot got up and left so readily when the third went in, wasn't just the limp wristed farce going on on the pitch - it was the complete lack of reaction from the Rs' fans around us to anything barring our goal. We were in row Z, W block (Ellerslie) with a good view of the blocks around us. Frankly we've all seen louder and more spirited funerals for reclusive and impoverished distant relatives. Understandable given our position? Tell that to the double-decker Southampton crowd to our left who've had to tolerate much the same kind of misery as we have. Continuously animated unity to a fan in a feverish sea of red. Forget our highly mobile opponents, it was those irrepressible fans that took us to the cleaners... even singing out in support of their equally condemned manager before the goals went in. What did it for me in the end was the realisation that as it stands, we're nowt short of being a leaderless rabble from top to bottom: a laughing stock as a prem 'unit'. That's a lot different to what it says on the Fernandes / Beard tin and those great expectations we all had just three months ago. We've got tickets for a bundle of other games but I can't pretend there's life in a dead journeyman boxer. I'll always support this club of ours but we do deserve a fighting force to represent our corner - even if we can only ever aspire to being also rans. We fans have a role to play in all that - and silent, passive acceptance achieves nothing other than more of the same. Ffs, come on YOU Rs... let's leave uncle Tone in no doubt it takes more than a lip service transfer policy and fat wage bill to cut our niche in the premier league. We need substance - and fast.
The fans lack of support was a clear point aimed at Hughes. LR will be rocking again when we get a new manager.
Brix Great post. Sounds emotional for you too like all around us. I have seen much less talent R's teams - screaming incompetence at times - and shouted myself hoarse as I had hope / passion / fanaticism. I agree with your point - when we fans are no longer 'fans'. Things are real bad.
Unlike Hughes, Adkins enjoyed plenty of backing from the stands, with Saints supporters repeatedly chanting their manager's name. "The fans lifted the players all the way through the game," added Adkins. "We are all supporting each other. Everyone is together at our football club." - from BBC site
Exactly, theres a few players you could say love the club, taarabt, Mackie etc who will always give 100%, the rest were playing to get him sacked with Granero surprisingly being the most obvious player clearly not even bothering. Ill forgive them this time as its to get rid of Hughes, they better give 100% in every game with the new manager.
What I can never understand is those people who habitually walk out early, regardless of the score or importance of the match. I can only really get to away games in the Northwest and Midlands these days, but in the days when I had a season-ticket my Dad and I always stayed to the (normally bitter) end. But I totally understand why fans had had enough of that performance yesterday: total garbage.
Didn't enjoy it then Brix? Just read the report in the Sunday Fail in a coffee shop, looks like it was written by BobMid. Re the fans, I sat in quite a few places last year as a member, and this is exactly why I chose to sit at the top of the Loft, MU block, close enough to Q block to get the spillover and some atmosphere for the STs. My son sings/chants the entire game and has infected quite a few more mature chaps around us. No one round me left early yesterday, many were extremely angry though nobody booed, and Nelsen got a real ovation and more chanting when he came to the Loft End at the finish. I hadn't met any of these blokes before August but its already a nice little community and the gallows humour was in full flow by the end. Suspect I just got lucky. Another advantage of this seat position is that you can't even see the upper tier of the School End and usually can't hear the opposition fans (Chelsea included). Until yesterday. The Saints boys were magnificent, a real credit to their club, put us to shame.
Have to hold up my hand and say that i left shortly after the 3rd went in.....i suppose having made an 800 mile round journey i should have stayed to the bitter end just to get my monies worth, but the whole performance was so abject that i thought i would give myself a few extra minutes to get the coach home......
So glad to know you also left early Tramore (and great meeting you in the pub before the game btw). The only thing playing on my conscience in leaving early was the thought of our Irish bro's having to go back not just empty handed, but with such a heavy heart as well. Massive respect though. You lot made our day.
