Speechless and Embarrassed

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

no not by the on the pitch activities, but by the last 5 minutes of chanting in the stands.

 

if you must bring a drum along to the game to create an atmosphere , please use it to support the team and not accompany some of the more misguided amongst us.

 

Good job we didn't have little band alongside us when we were fighting in the trenches !!

[The Doctor]

I was appalled by the size of the crowd!! And also for the pointless, ever increasing insults hurled at the players, im sorry but this demoralises the team and they play bad which means some supporters look for an innocent scapegoat, eg, andy ford!

[new to the game]

here here

[Gordon T]

Well firstly im sad to say this but attendences will continue to drop due to the fact that a lot of people will lose faith or have already lost faith. Secondly I believe the second half singing was better then Telford and people cant help slagging off the team when they are playing badly.

[Graham S]

Yes, Gordon, they can.

 

It's one thing to criticise, quite another to single people out for personal abuse. It's pathetic and childish to vent one's own petty frustrations on an individual who is in no position to do anything about it.

 

For example, today (and as I sit in the centre satand, this will be an extremely mild version of what was happening elsewhere.) Score 0-2. Early 2nd half. Ball falls in Fleet half. Justin Skinner goes to clear, hesitates & looks up to see if a pass is on, before opting for safety. As he makes his decision, a voice to my right, in the wing stand, shouts out, "Clear it, you idiot!"

 

I was furious & made my fellings clear ( as all around me will testify.) Why? Surely the guy is entitled to his comment. Yes - to "Clear it." Absolutely not to "You idiot." Why not?

1. Justin is not an idiot & has been an integral part of our team for several seasons.

2. He certainly would have heard the comment & recognized that his own supporters were getting on his back. Would this inspire you to play better?

3. In any case, his hesitation was justified, there was no immediate danger & had a pass been on, it would have been infinitely preferable to a blind hack upfield.

4. The person who called it out was an inveterate coward. He certainly didn't answer my comments. More to the point, would he have the nerve to tell Skins he thinks he's an idiot to his face? Sorry, pointless, rhetorical question.

 

And that's the whole point.

 

There are pathetic, inadequate individuals who repair their own damaged self esteem by directing personal abuse at other people in an environment where they are guaranteed there will be no come back.

 

Criticise, by all means, but never shout, chant or sing anything from the safety of the stands that you wouldn't be prepared to say, toe to toe, on your own, to the person you are criticising.

 

Otherwise, you're just a sad individual, better off locked away on your own, diligently building up blisters on the palms of your hands and other parts of your anatomy.

 

Graham S

[majorman6]

True i agree fully. the end of the day they are humans we all make mistakes! A groan etc .. when a bad pass is played is more then acceptable but full blown abuse wont help.

[John@TheFleet]

I believe it was one of the 'Canvey Three' who said " Don't write anything about a player that you wouldn't say to him in the bar". I believe that applies to chanting and shouting as well. I spoke to a few of them after the game & they can hear all this stuff .Do you think it motivates them? Would you tolerate someone shouting obsenities at you? I believe you know the answer to both questions.

[Trevor]

Re "Clear it, you idiot!"

 

I was in the wing stand and this remark was made by one of about six school-boys sitting at the back.

 

When the 4th goal went in they started cheering for Chester!

 

I don't think we should take them too seriously.

 

[The Doctor]

Yeah i stand in front of that stand throughout the game, and they werent Fleet fans, I think they were just there for a laugh! But they were getting on my nerves throughout the game!