Football has long been the at the centre of British society for many years now with the sport never leaving the headlines. Players and fans are at the heart of all things football and passion is driven through their blood, or is it? I sat and watched the League cup final on Sunday when Swansea hammered Bradford 5-0 which was a very impressive score when you consider that is the Welsh clubs first ever major cup final and full credit to the Swans. Bradford did well to reach the final but no one really expected them to win against Swansea, any other, I think they would have had more of a chance of success. Obviously the Swans wanted to play how they normally play, slick passing and intricate play which helped them win by a 5 goal margin but they went too far when in the 60th minute they started to pass around their defence. Maybe they wanted to keep Tremmel from getting pneumonia and got him to do a bit of passing but it really wasn't the morale performance that many fans had hoped for. I was thoroughly disappointed in Swansea because they were 4-0 up and they wanted to pass it around the back against a league 2 side. The likelihood of the Bantams coming back from 4 goals down with 30 minutes to go against a top Premier League side was slim, very slim. Swansea weren't taking any chances which ruined the spectacle for the thousands of Bradford fans which had turned up. The Bradford were terrific throughout the whole game with constant singing, cheering and flag waving even though they were being thrashed but the Swansea fans on the other hand who may I remind you once again, won 5-0, we're appalling! Let me give you a very clear example of how the noise in the Stadium panned out. De Guzman scored a penalty to make it 4-0 and the Swansea fans jumped up and celebrated for a matter of seconds and then the East stand fell silent. The great thing at this point was the Bradford fans in the West stand started waving their flags and singing again, they didn't stop till 5 minutes after the final whistle which was a very impressive site. I'm still staggered at the Swansea fans at how quiet they were in their first major final. Why be so quiet when you win your first ever major cup final, it just seems so pointless. I don't visit many away grounds but when the chance arises I try to get to the games and I watch most of the games on TV and I have noticed a very suspicious trend with the noises in the certain football stadiums. Lower League teams have such small grounds that their fans create a lot of noise so the grounds are always very loud but in the Premier League there is a massive difference in the north/south divide. Northern teams always have the loudest stadiums for some reason and does that mean there is more passion in the north than the south or is it to do with the capital. To be honest the capital has been known to be very quiet for football and even Wembley is quiet these days because fans can't afford the trip to the national stadium which is quite sad. Wembley used to have some of the loudest chants running throughout it but since the rise in rail prices and the extensive Wembley tickets the amount of fans has dropped significantly which is very sad. What is your thoughts on the passion of fans in the present
Well not sure I agree with you. While the atmosphere was probably not as passionate as in the Play Off final, I thought it was still better than most clubs would have provided. Where I was sitting, we could not really hear what their fans were singing. I was impressed that on 70 minutes they stood up all at once and sang until after the whistle has gone but this was also respecting the victims of the disaster. Nearly all Swansea fans stood and applauded this effort for a minute or so - fantastic! A colleague of mine was given corporate tickets in the Bradford end on that middle tier and he was saying that while Bradford sang, there was not much coordination and the Swansea end was noisier and together. I suspect that both fans had more "non regular" fans that would not know all the songs hence there was more of a limited range of songs/chants. When we scored the 4th goal it was no longer the edge of the seat excitement as the game was over and it went to celebration and not passion. After this penalty it was clear that the Swans were not going to go for the jugular they spent a while trying to set Nathan up but on the whole were happy to close the game down as most people would. It is rumoured that Michu has confirmed this was "respect" and they did not want to embarrass them. When I got home and watched the game again I still think we had the noisiest fans, if you watch the League Cup Show or whatever it is called you only hear our fans. I thought both sets of fans were fantastic! A day I will remember for a long time!
Disagree 100%. No one says anything about us showing them respect but them disrespecting us though. We applauded their fans and then they booed us when we were singing. I was really close to their fans and I thought the ones by us were a horrible bunch, looking for confrontation and being abusive. All they did was wave their little flags and everyone thinks they were great. Well they weren't and their singing had no co-ordination. I'm glad we stuffed them 5-0 shame it wasn't more.
I hve to disagree with this. Been to loads of nothern clubs including both Manchester clubs, Both liverpool clubs along with newcastle. There was no noise or minimal. very little singing.
I agree. Several reasons for this: (a) Thats what happens when the "Sit Down" brigade win the day, (b) The game was a mis match. The Swans were expected to win - and did. Once it was 2-0 the second half was a training session. Regarding the Bradford fans singing when they were 4-0 down, this was pre-arranged. They had planned a celebration/commemeration in the 56th minute in remembrance of the 56 Bradford fans who died in 1989. Thic co-incided with Swans getting a penalty and their goalie being sent off, roughly in the 56th minute, so they didn't actually start the singing until the 60th minute and kept it going for the rest of the game - what else do you do when you have paid good money and are 4-0 down and down to 10 men?
the atmosphere was fantastic by both sets of fans and after the second goal went in it was game over for bradford but the singing never stopped for a minute. I was disappointed with the constant passing back and fore when it was clear we had won as i would have show no mercy and banged in another 4 goals instead of showering more embarrassment on Bradford by showboating and exhibition football and not involving them into the game......but it was a hell of a game to watch even though it was one sided but thats not our fault as we can only beat whats in front of us. there is more than just the 90 minutes of football to the final. the build up to the day,the travelling and after match win or lose to enjoy. I think the atmosphere from start to finish was fantastic....
my goal was the goal of the match and im glad sir mike had the good sense to put me on. I did tell him mind that if he wanted me on then i would have to wear the captains arm band and the players has to listen to my instructions....thank god ...well not thank god but thank me that he agreed......what a goal by me eh......MOM too and i got to keep the cup and sleep with it every night......Hope they dont want it back though as there is more than a few dents in it now....
Spare a thought lads for the Dragons, what a terrible week it's been for them. The Swans, the number 1 team in Wales create history by winning the league cup by a record winning margin which is also the record for any cup final player at Wembley. Then Kim Jong announces he may change their name (I bet he will too) and then their chairman resigns. Can things get any worse this week for them? Surely Marvin Emnes won't turn them over ? No wonder they're so touchy, it's comedy gold reading their board, ostriches sticking their heads in sand spring to mind.
We won and had a good day when we got there. They just got there and lost again, we should win the FA Cup next year just to wind them up. Warmer day out anyway!
MMMMMMMMMMMMM F.A cup.....now that would look good on my dressing table next to the league cup...yes please, maybe the European cup if we have the time can join them.....right its time for my medication.......
