Over the years, we've constantly had to put up with jibes from our neighbours about their bigger support. This never particularly bothered me, for whilst their support may have been bigger, ours was better. How was it better? It was better, because, in adversity, we all pulled together. Even in our 15 point season, our brilliant support never wavered...giving 100% backing to both players and manager. When Mick McCarthy delivered the worst top flight points total in history what did we do?...we supported him...we are Sunderland! Contrast this to the mags, who constantly berated Big Sam until they forced him out the door. Oh how we laughed at them!!....forcing out a manager who, whilst not serving up the best football in the world, at least had them playing PL football, as opposed to the the "fans favourites" who followed him into the SDA hotseat...culminating in their relegation to the fizzy pop league!!!...."Serves you right", we said..."It's your own fault for forcing out Big Sam!", we gloated. It saddens me now that, a lot of good, honest, SAFC fans are taking the "mag route," when it comes to backing the club. Are we still better fans than them?
Good point well made mate!! Lets get behind the team and the Manager and see where it takes us. I like lots of others i suspect have stopped coming on here because of the constant negativity from the "BOB". FTM!
I'm pleased to say that its in my nature to go against the tide, no problem whatsoever with fans wanting Bruce out, however, when you have heard the same thing for the 100th time all it does for me is back him even more. Come on Brucie.
Excellent post, especially the bit about getting behind the manager. I know we are all frustrated at the results and failures, particularly these past three years but constant chipping away at the manager will get to the players and probably have an adverse effect on their play. Until the Fulham game I was against calling for Bruce to be sacked but his obvious failure to attack Fulham has caused me to think that he should go. However, this will not change my attitude to him and the team this afternoon or at any other game. I will continue to support him as long as he is manager for all the booing, and calling for him to be sacked will have absolutely no effect on the owner. Ellis Short is a successful businessman and will act when he sees fit to do so and not because a few thousand fans want him too. Let us all go to SOL this afternoon and make more encouraging noise than we've made all season, that for me is supporting SAFC.
Think the vast majority, inc Cest, would love SB to succeed cos it would mean SAFC doing well. and that's all any of us want. Unfortunately the Bobs do produce stats which cannot be denied which show SB's win ratio to be poor. I will still be there but my faith in SB is waning.
The thing is, there's a difference in wanting a manager to succeed, and supporting him.....a thing which has been the trademark of SAFC fans over the years, as opposed to them up the road, who were always on their managers back after a couple of dodgy results. This is what gave Sunderland supporters their "class". As for stats, they can be twisted to suit any argument....SAFC and Man City, the ONLY PL teams yet to be beat by more then a single goal this season...unbeaten at home in last four games....etc and for what it's worth, my own faith in the manager is also on the decline.....but he'll still be getting my full support as long as he's the boss of my club.
Even I admit as a BIB that the stats are diabolical, but there is a bigger picture than what the stats suggest, Bent Leaving, Injuries at the start of this year killed us really, back end of last year we were flying apart from the 5-1, this year we have Bramble being a **** nut, Gyan going, whickam getting injured, yes i know its could all be excuses, but Bruce hasnt had the best of times of it, is some of it Bruces fault, of course it is, but not all of it. I want us to get back to the back end of last year, where we were flying, and I believe Bruce can do it, but even i am edging towards on the fence, I think Brown was a fantastic buy even though at the time, nearly everyone else on here was WHY!!, i thought O`Shea was a jack of all trades and master of none, everyone on here was hes great what a signing, but on other side I thought Ba was pants and never wanted him, but he is proving me wrong for the toon, so you win some, you loose some as they say. Do i think Bruce can turn it around, YES If he doesnt he will get sacked anyway Life is too short to be angry at something you cant do sod all about But the BIBs have every right to air their grievences on here if they so choose, I have no qualms with that at all, it does get a bit boring, but if you dont like it, dont read it, they have every right to say what they say, if its what they believe in. Even if we were 10 points ahead in the league or doing a Newcastle (btw i think how well they re doing is magnifying the BOB, which i can understand, but i dont really give a crap how they are doing) there would still be discontent about something or other from some fans, you just cant please everyone all the time, its impossible.
Our friends up the road didn't just do that to Big Sam...a section of their fans roundly booed Sir Bobby as well.....they are pure class aren't they
Some very good points made in this thread. However, most people can learn from past mistakes. Bruce it seems , can't. I do like him as a person, I just wish he'd show some ****ing ambition with team selections, tactics & substitutions. I've said this before, football is the simplest game in the world with only ONE objective. Score more goals than the other side.
