Maybe it means too much to some people. What do they want, a medal?Spot on.Clearly the football club does not mean the same to all of us on here...
Maybe it means too much to some people. What do they want, a medal?Spot on.Clearly the football club does not mean the same to all of us on here...
Watching Sunderland is a bit like opening your Christmas presents.Spot on mate...We do have our ups as well as our downs..
No, you are NOT part of Sunderland AFC until you either acquire a place on the Board or are employed by them. Smug in Boots said something similar earlier on (one of the most inane comments I've ever read on here) - "we are the club.". I just hope you and Boots will think a bit about that. If you are the club how come Ellis Short doesn't sell you?!!!
Diddles address sums this topic up best : "He was a thinker, a dreamer, a speculative philosopher ... or ..." I admire your idealism, but your argument doesn't add up. William Wilberforce would turn in his grave. The reality is you're no more part of the club than I am a part of Take That for attending one of their concerts.

I feel sorry for you too. Enjoy your illusion, mate. Football hasn't many of those left nowadays.

You are out of tune with the emotions and commitment of football fans throughout the world never mind in this area. MrRaw and Smug are completely right and reflect the views of the vast majority of football supporters in this debate.
Supporters are the 12th man on the pitch and will create an atmosphere to encourage players to perform; I have seen it countless times when the players’ performances improve commensurate with the intensity of the crowd.
Your argument of who should instigate the atmosphere, players or crowd, is not relevant when you consider that the supporters should want a performance more than the players, so they should do everything in their power to facilitate that performance.

Hi Smug, I can give you the one and only El Hadg Diouf.Name just 1 who loves being booed by his own team's supporters and I'll believe you're not as thick as you appear![]()
My son just read your post and said,
"I'm not 100% sure what the point is but, whatever it is I'm 100% sure Relic has missed it."
Let's put it this way.
Ellis Short has decided that SAFC would better prosper in London as the 'Capital Black Cats', built a stadium and took every single employee with him, including the playing staff & manager, As you say he 'owns' the club so he could do it ....... would the supporters allow the club in Sunderland to die or would it rise again purely by the will of the supporters? As I said 'we are the club'.
Comparing over 100 years of history & tradition to a bunch of middle aged pop singers shows just how apt was the comment by my son. You don't support the team or club, you just pay for entertainment. By your logic could just as easily watch Newcastle next week in the same way you could switch from Take That to One Direction.
Short term rubbish. You're very fond of talking '100 years of history', tradition, and heritage, so ok let's do that. Your ancestors abandoned the creator of 'their' club, James Allen. Indeed, they stoned him! Your family chose to prefer the rich man's toy called Sunderland AFC whose success was bought by shipyard and mine owners. So if you insist on talking all the pomp of tradition, then everyone with a red and white scarf on (including me) is a two-faced turncoat! James Allen and 'your club' meant no more than a middle aged pop singer when your family was lured by the Abramovich of their time. The prawn sandwich brigade of the 1890s - that's your family heritage and tradition mate - so don't shout it too loudly, will you?

Its not that simple tho' is it, we are Sunderland born and bred, the owners, staff and players are for the most part not. Football is about supporting your club as it represents your region and its history, but most of all its people. I will never forget going to Roker Park and hearing the "Roker Roar" , no concert I have ever been too and I've been to one or two could ever compare.No, you are NOT part of Sunderland AFC until you either acquire a place on the Board or are employed by them. Smug in Boots said something similar earlier on (one of the most inane comments I've ever read on here) - "we are the club.". I just hope you and Boots will think a bit about that. If you are the club how come Ellis Short doesn't sell you?!!!
Diddles address sums this topic up best : "He was a thinker, a dreamer, a speculative philosopher ... or ..." I admire your idealism, but your argument doesn't add up. William Wilberforce would turn in his grave. The reality is you're no more part of the club than I am a part of Take That for attending one of their concerts.
You're become hysterical, I'm afraid ............ I'll leave things at that![]()

Its not that simple tho' is it, we are Sunderland born and bred, the owners, staff and players are for the most part not. Football is about supporting your club as it represents your region and its history, but most of all its people. I will never forget going to Roker Park and hearing the "Roker Roar" , no concert I have ever been too and I've been to one or two could ever compare.
No, it's historical, not hysterical. Enjoy Swansea mate. We don't all have to see it the same way to all want the same result.![]()
Hi Smug, I can give you the one and only El Hadg Diouf.

Its not that simple tho' is it, we are Sunderland born and bred, the owners, staff and players are for the most part not. Football is about supporting your club as it represents your region and its history, but most of all its people. I will never forget going to Roker Park and hearing the "Roker Roar" , no concert I have ever been too and I've been to one or two could ever compare.
Seems straightforward enough to me.
Why would you want Sunderland to win at Swansea if you won't be there?
Why would you want Take That to perform brilliantly at a concert you don't attend?
By your logic, there's no difference ........... after all it's not your team is it?
Its all self-validating bullshit.It doesn't have to be 'my team' and I don't have to flatter myself that 'I am the club' to like them and to care whether they win or not. I'm a fan, and that's all. I'm nothing more important than that.
Its all self-validating bullshit.

I really can't follow the reasoning behind some of the arguments on this thread.
No-one here has to support Sunderland. It's something we want to do and, whilst acknowledging that it's not always a barrel of laughs, something that gives us pleasure, on the whole. On that basis, why would we not be passionate about the club? I have a huge amount of emotional capital invested in SAFC, which has accumulated over 45 years or so. Not because I'm some sort of hero wanting a medal, but because I started when I was a kid.
If I wanted success for my team, I would have supported Liverpool. Growing up in Chester in the 70s there were millions of reds fans all over the place, but for me that wasn't the point. I come from the NE and my dad supported Sunderland. That was enough to make SAFC my team and that's the way it's bloody staying.
It doesn't have to be 'my team' and I don't have to flatter myself that 'I am the club' to like them and to care whether they win or not. I'm a fan, and that's all. I'm nothing more important than that.
