Yes, it's that question again ...

[safcfansofaraway]

Not really. Season tickets all my adult life, all through league one etc.

I think the majority of safc fans are not happy with current form and the performances mean people walked away yday.

If we were playing well, maybe the club would get more appreciation?

Btw I am not knocking a single person who stayed, unlike others who are knocking people who didn't. Have a think on that one...

I’m not questioning your long term support. But it’s obvious that if things aren’t going well people show their disapproval by booing, as at half time, and leaving early. It’s not unreasonable to expect that such negativity will inevitably have some effect on the squad, whether they are professional players or not.
Maybe you have a think on that?

 

[Prehab26]

I’m not questioning your long term support. But it’s obvious that if things aren’t going well people show their disapproval by booing, as at half time, and leaving early. It’s not unreasonable to expect that such negativity will inevitably have some effect on the squad, whether they are professional players or not.
Maybe you have a think on that?

Attending matches is a choice and a paid chocie. Football is business. If it's not going well, business is poor and is the feedback.

Hence yday.

 

[safcfansofaraway]

Attending matches is a choice and a paid chocie. Football is business. If it's not going well, business is poor and is the feedback.

Hence yday.

Football is a game, supporting a football club is not business, it’s a part of life.

 

[Prehab26]

Football is a game, supporting a football club is not business, it’s a part of life.

But it's a business. Money changes hands. Balance sheets, if it's not ran properly it closes. If people ain't happy they don't let money chance hands or leave to spend time elsewhere. Like 30,000 yday.

 

[alan reed]

There has become division on this board over the last 6 months or so. In my opinion. And it is turning into a lack of respect between posters. The early leaver conversation is a prime example of it for me.

Yesterday, the final day of the regular season, and we had two threads on the subject on the first page. Recently a lad joined to ask us to complete a research survey for his studies and the thread was closed by mods because it was hijacked by the early leaver debate. It was suggested people like me, who at times choose to leave early, werent real supporters because of it.

Lets be honest, it is a crap conversation. One that will always cause divide and cast some as good guys and some as bad guys. I dont believe for one minute staying to the end makes you a better supporter. It would be like me arguing I travel 5 hours for a game so I am better than anyone living in Sunderland. It would be nonsense. People need to remember sometimes factors you dont know drive decisions. In a really simplistic world every one would be in the ground 45 minutes before to cheer them on for the warm up, cheer them on to the pitch, roar like mad at the first whistle and not leave their seat until every last player has disappeared down the tunnel. The world isnt like that and to create a sense of good fans bad fans is poor for me.

It isnt the only divisive debate we have. But lets think on it for a bit. The board is going downhill fast imo. It isnt because of different opinions. That is healthy. But it is because they become arguments that lead into oneupmanship. I support my team as strongly as anyone I believe. I believe everyone else does the same too. Not everyone, does, or can, do it in the same way. Some are unable to attend games but they are as good a fan as anyone who goes to all. If we cant all be on the same page now then we dont deserve promotion to be honest. Fans need to be in unison and behind one common cause. You can only have that if respect exists. We had that years ago, I wonder if we will ever get it back?

Well said. Myself my eldest and my father were all season tickets holders since the SOL opened, and before. We stopped going after they told my father he had to leave the stadium as where he was sat in his folding wheelchair was causing an obstruction. He was sat with his back to the wall watching the early kick off on the concourse tv. Got nowhere with the club over this so they lost three season tickets although we still support the team. Dad is approaching 100 this summer and saw his first game in 1936

 

[safcfansofaraway]

But it's a business. Money changes hands. Balance sheets, if it's not ran properly it closes. If people ain't happy they don't let money chance hands or leave to spend time elsewhere. Like 30,000 yday.

I think you are mixing business owners with football fans, in my opinion, most of those 30,000 gave no thought to the balance sheet of the club.
We pay to go to watch the game, leaving had nothing to do with finances, probably more to do with a sense of entitlement not realised.
But this is getting silly now so I’ll bow out of this conversation.

 

[King Kareoke]

I think it's not always performance that matters

It is probably the fact humans become habitual and therefore follow their habit of leaving whereas others who don't leave follow their habit of staying

We are not the only club with this issue.

However there will be an element of disappointment and frustration there is no doubt.

Yet should it happen and let's hope it does there will be an almighty clamour for Wembley tickets

 

[Prehab26]

I think you are mixing business owners with football fans, in my opinion, most of those 30,000 gave no thought to the balance sheet of the club.
We pay to go to watch the game, leaving had nothing to do with finances, probably more to do with a sense of entitlement not realised.
But this is getting silly now so I’ll bow out of this conversation.

That's exactly what I am saying. The 30k voted with their feet yday.

 

[Blond Bombshell]

... will people leave before the end, on Saturday, considering it will finish before it would normally start?

Is it fair, once a season, to expect people to stay and show their appreciation to a very young squad of players?

Would a full house, and rousing reception, give them a boost before the playoffs?

Has 'beating the traffic' become ingrained in people's minds and more important than their team?

What do people do, with their time, when they've beaten the traffic and arrived home thirty minutes earlier?

Do they feel superior to those who saw the entire game and will arrive home after them?

Will people leave Wembley early if we win and are promoted?

And yes, I know there's more than one question!

Will they leave early in the play-offs?

 

[Smug in Boots]

Will they leave early in the play-offs?

Not if they saw the line up and didn't fancy walking to the ground.

 

[Prehab26]

Not if they saw the line up and didn't fancy walking to the ground.

 

[Essayyeffcee]

Sorry but I just cannot think of Sunderland as a business - it's a team I support, I've never thought of it as money changing hands like going to watch a film or a concert.

I've always thought supporting your club as a part of you not as a business transaction. I can never understand why you would rather be playing with your phone rather than watching the game in front if you but I since my first game was 1981 and I've gone through different emotions supporting the lads, I must be seriously out of touch

 

[Smug in Boots]

Sorry but I just cannot think of Sunderland as a business - it's a team I support, I've never thought of it as money changing hands like going to watch a film or a concert.

I've always thought supporting your club as a part of you not as a business transaction. I can never understand why you would rather be playing with your phone rather than watching the game in front if you but I since my first game was 1981 and I've gone through different emotions supporting the lads, I must be seriously out of touch

People moan about the atmosphere then sit watching their phones, I've seen them.

They should block the internet and phone signal during play in my opinion ...

... if you can't manage 45mins without one just don't bother coming.

People say it's the position of the away fans that kills the atmosphere.

At Roker Park they shoved them anywhere they felt like, even under the scoreboard if there was only a busload ...

... there was always a decent atmosphere even without away fans but, then again, no one had phones to fiddle about with.

If a child said he was bored, by half time, and wanted to go the answer would be 'Shut up unless you don't want to come again'. I can't imagine any man walking out of Roker Park because their kid had a twisty face ...

... then again, we only had snowflakes coming down in the winter.

 

[Essayyeffcee]

People moan about the atmosphere then sit watching their phones.

They should block the internet and phone signal during play.

People say it's the position of the away fans that kills the atmosphere.

At Roker Park they shoved them anywhere they felt like, even under the scoreboard if there was only a busload ...

... there was always a decent atmosphere even without away fans but, then again, no one had phones to fiddle about with.

Sorry if I'm being thick but I just can't understand people playing with mobile phones when you're watching a football match in a ground. I can't even understand those who film a free kick, penalty or part of the match.

For me, you go to a game to support your team, cheer them on, shout at the ref, whatever, but mainly to watch the action that's taking place in front of you. Why would you go into a chat forum to comment on a game you're actually at? I comment on the match thread, when we play away or when I'm at work watching. Other than that, I'm never on it and comment afterwards.

As I said previously, I must be a seriously old fart not to embrace this new way of doing things rather than engaging the moment

 

[Smug in Boots]

Sorry if I'm being thick but I just can't understand people playing with mobile phones when you're watching a football match in a ground. I can't even understand those who film a free kick, penalty or part of the match.

For me, you go to a game to support your team, cheer them on, shout at the ref, whatever, but mainly to watch the action that's taking place in front of you. Why would you go into a chat forum to comment on a game you're actually at? I comment on the match thread, even we play away or when I'm at work watching. Other than that, I'm never on it and comment afterwards.

As I said previously, I must be a seriously old fart not to embrace this new way of doing things rather than engaging the moment

It always reminds me of people coming off cruise ships in the south of France.

We'd sit all day in the fabulous harbour in St Tropez or Villefranche, on our little fold up table and chairs, having a picnic.

We just drank in the atmosphere, the life of the working port and the way the colours changed the look of the buildings.

The shuttle craft, from the cruise ships, would dump the latest fifty day visitors who'd all go through the same sad procedure.

They'd film themselves stepping off the boat then ask the next couple to take a selfie who'd then ask the next couple.

They'd photograph everything they could, from the meal they sat down for to them getting back on the boat.

This isn't 1925, if you want a photo of St Tropez you can find thousands in a click ...

... and all miles better than you could take yourself.

As you say, just live for the moment ... whatever it is it'll never come again.

Those who Meslier's equaliser didn't miss one of the goals of the century, and it turned out to be insignificant ...

... but people will talk about it for years.