Oh, they'll most certainly be digging. This is a journo/press heaven to have a situation like this. The prospect of many, many stories being created from the situation will no doubt have some journo's eyes widened. I think the reporters who care about the Club and City (i.e. Buckingham, those on the BBC Radio Humberside, even Peter Levy when he interviewed him not that long ago) will certainly attempt to test his resolve. I, personally, would like to listen to Burnsy give Allam one of his notorious interviews, similar to the WYP situation, and really get Allam sweating. Burnsy likes to speak on behalf of the fans.
I think the support is split into 4 groups The anti name change group who protest. The anti name change group who out of respect won't protest. The people who ambivalent. The people who are pro-name change. I suspect the last group is by far the smallest. I also suspect when the flag scuffle was going on, the first and second groups combined to chant "City Til I Die".
I don't even think the fourth group exists. I think anyone who claims to be Pro "Hull Tigers" is just seeing it as an opportunity to wind a lot of people up. And, I think the first 3 groups combined during the tug of war in all honesty! I think the actions of the stewards made some fans rather angry, no matter how far they wanted to distance themselves from the ongoing saga.
Well I, without thinking, stood up and started chanting in support of the fans, but it was in support of their right to protest and it was in anger with the stewards rather than any thought of the owner.
So... do the players see it that way then? How many have voiced their opinion on the name change for you to come to that conclusion? They obviously know what's going on between the fans and the club and realise that a city chant alongside flags and banners is a protest chant. It might be simultaneously supporting the team but if the players think it's a protest chant then quite frankly it's a distraction to them. Let's be honest as well... it's not supporting the team is it... the primary purpose for the chant is to push the anti name change agenda. I'm not pro or anti name change as I'm watching this whole situation with intrigue but as history has taught us, teams start playing dog **** when protests happen at matches. Only the Glazer protests stand out as an exception to the rule. Continuing down this road will only end in tears.
Liverpool protest in 2010 Liverpool 2009/10 season finished 7th and 10/11 finished 6th with 58 pts Newcastle protest against Ashley in 2008 Newcastle 2008/09 relegated.
I am not for the name change but I think the protests should be calmed down after yesterday. I don't want my team to have to go back to the bad times or antagonise the present owner to the point he won't buy new players etc. Why did it go so quiet after the banner incident? Did most people think it had gone too far this time? Even when the Steve Bruce chant started up after this it quickly died a dearth. All I wanted to say at the beginning was "be careful what you do and how it's pushed or we won't have a team to support". I have never posted before and probably never will again - I always just used to enjoy reading all your comments etc. I didn't reply earlier because I was actually asleep!!!
Were is Ehab in all this? As far as I'm aware he has made no comment or given any interviews on the debate. I suspect he is sat at home, with his head in his hands, wondering what the **** the old man is going to come out with next.
A view from the TV screen - as you know I watch the Foxtel (Sky) telecast. The singing of "City "til I die" was never louder, more obvious or more impressive! It would be interesting to know from anyone who was at the game whether there was any participation in the West stand. The impression I got was that the protest might be starting to bite - at least in the sense of wider publicity. The commentators questioned why owners want to interfere with such things and said Allam should leave it alone. Also, the cameras zoomed in on him when the banner was going around and the stewards tried to interfere. He appeared - at least to me - worried and embarrassed.
There was certainly more participation from the West Stand than any time previous but it was from scattered individuals.
Or maybe it would have just been plain stupidity to ignore the biggest thing that's happened to the City for decades. Remember previous half times have celebrated such significant events as a near x-factor selection from boot camp.
Assem Allam has put in millions to various local causes and sees himself as a benefactor of the city. Perhaps it was in this context that he 'allowed' this video and presentation. Committing HCFC to paying 17k p.a. wouldn't break the bank and would get us in the main players of the City of Culture effort. Otherwise the Council will happily see us written out of this massive positive story.
I was in the west stand and some of us stood to support the chant and were soon told by the stewards to sit down. I guess because we're close to the Allams they needed to be seen to be doing their job.
