Russell Martin gave a four-minute response to the Will Smallbone abuse earlier today: I feel really sorry for Will that it's got to that point and I don't like social media for that reason. It has become a cesspit of negativity and toxicity and a place where people feel they can say something they would never say to their face. About someone they don't know as well. Everybody is so quick to pass judgement and express an opinion. I am not on it but I have been made aware of it and some of the stuff I have seen, I just don't understand what human being says those things. It is to someone who, if you are a supporter, tries to give everything every day to your football club - a football club he loves. He has been desperate to play for this football club and he has been here since he was a kid. You then have to understand some of the things Will has been through on his journey and the pain he has been through. Whatever you think of him, he plays a lot because he is brilliant and he is a fantastic young man who is growing a lot. It has been a privilege to work with him and to understand his story and what he has been through to get to this point. Judge people as footballers but some of the stuff written has been disgusting. I'd love to sit down with that person and understand why. What is going on in their life that they feel they have to write something like that? I am really protective of my players. Will is one of the best people I have ever worked with so it makes me angry and sad that it has come to this. Will has dealt with it in a way he feels is fit and if I had my choice, none of them would be on social media - I don't see the advantage. There are a lot of, for want of a better word, idiots and unhappy people that want to project their unhappiness on other people. When I first started, it was the start of message board and online forums. The lads told me about it. The first three things I read about myself, one said I was functional but drone-like in midfield and they were probably right. I thought, 'I'm not reading that again'. Then you start questioning everything if you don't have a strong sense of self. I believe Will does have a strong sense of self with what he has been through so I don't worry about Will. I really hope that I get to celebrate on the pitch with Will having achieved something special and this means absolutely nothing. It would be a slap in the face for someone who wrote it. Of course, criticise players as footballers - but don't overstep the line. There are more important things in life, although it doesn't feel like it at times, but there really are. I love Will and we will support him however he needs but I have no worries and if he is on the pitch tomorrow, he will be great. I have also asked him to perform a different role recently and I think he has been great but that's my fault if you don't agree. Don't judge him on that if you don't think he has performed well there. But he is so tactically flexible and will continue to be. I am upset if it comes to that but I guess that is the modern day and age. I don't like my children on it and I fear for the next generation. There is no accountability at all and it makes me feel sick.
Someone wished cancer/death upon Will and someone else posted a video/photo where Will was mocked up as Adolf Hitler with the caption 'we killed the person but we didn't kill the idea'.
Twitter (yes, I know it has been renamed, but that is so silly I don’t deign to use it) gives a voice to the stupid and allows them to get validation from similarly daft people. In the past they’d be sounding off in a bar and no one would take any notice of them.
What utter, utter ****s. It’s clear to any right thinking person that Will has been played out of position. He was a big part of our brilliant run.
It's an absolute cesspit. Sadly (and bizarrely) lots of people seem to love it and can't live without it I reckon I'd quite happily have all Twitter users shot in the face tbh.
Got a spare for this today btw if anyone's interested. Can either drop off anywhere in Soton this morning or meet up there.
Agreed. Someone asked earlier “what was said” & as i had no idea, I thought “please no, don’t answer”. So sad & shocked to read such horrific abuse. Still shaking my head.
We had this earlier in the season when we had the losing run and then the loooong winning run Russ has one plan but the way it happens on the pitch is down to the players making good decisions and being courageous Players do this better when your players are better, hence we are better at it than Swansea were, but not as good as Liverpool It doesn’t mean we can’t get back to our winning run form again and as we all have said, it seems that Downes has been a key element in that success and no one else is quite at his level in that position at the moment Aribo has improved things, Charles is the hope for the future
We probably won’t beat them. But we did in the season that we also lost 9-0 to them. Anything can happen.
