Sorry to bore you all, but here goes anyway...
Well, having been offline through the Christmas break, this is my first chance really to post since Wycombe on Boxing Day. I listened to most of the Colchester match but none of yesterday's match, so can't comment on the Yeovil match, but...
Frankly I was astounded at some of what I witnessed behind the goal at Wycombe. While I applaud the efforts of the "Siege" mob in terms of what they did (I couldn't join them on account of having a rather frightened daughter in attendance who only brightened up in the second half when we were sat with Al Crockford and young ECFC), it was the other stuff that really got my goat.
I have oft referred to "targets", the City "support" (and I use the term advisedly) seems to pick one and will have a go at them regardless. This isn't a new thing - I remember the day we lost at Tamworth in, I assume, 06/07, where it was the height of the anti-Buckle nonsense, and he was getting it in the neck for doing no worse than other players who were "praised for the effort".
In recent times the target has been Marcus Stewart - he was out of the side pre-retirement so the target became Paul Jones. He buggered off so the target became his namesake Billy. He got injured so the cycle turns back round to David Noble.
Case in point at Wycombe. Noble is surrounded by blue shirts. Sercombe, instead of spreading the play, whacks the ball shin-high 5 yards to him. All Noble can do is attempt to get the ball down before the three oppo players rob him. You'd think if anyone were to be berated it would be Sercs for the ridiculous poor pass, but no, a cacophany of "F***ing RUBBISH, Noble!" rang out from most of those around me.
Come the end of the game and a bunch of fans start berating Tisdale - those around me as we walked out were yelling about getting rid of Noble and getting a new captain. Notwithstanding the fact that IMO Noble was probably our best player - driving forward with purpose and the heartbeat of a lot of the good that we did that day. Not his fault Tully was torn apart by their winger and in Trotta they had someone who knew how to find the net with aplomb. Three chances, three goals. For the rest of the match I thought we pummelled them and had Bauza not faffed around for the penalty we'd have won. Ho hum.
Come Colchester and again we seemed to enjoy (by the evidence of the radio comms) the lion's share of possession, only to be undone by a combination of a couple of well-worked goals and the cynicism of the home defenders, unchecked by inadequate officials. Then Danny Coles (who in the games I've seen has barely put a foot wrong) gets himself sent off, suddenly it all comes out that he's the worst defender in christendom. People on FB mentioning that Exeweb has gone into meltdown.
And now today I come online after the break to find thread after thread berating individuals, the team, the management, the tea lady.
I never thought I'd get to the stage where I saw visiting Exeweb as a chore rather than something to look forward to, less so the stage where I saw watching a City match amongst the City "support" to be something to rile me up rather than be enjoyed. I have in recent years made a conscious decision not to visit Exeweb at least until the Monday morning after a Saturday game or the next morning after a midweek game, as the site becomes unbearable whether City win, lose or draw at that time.
If we win, it's "City are the greatest, take that you negative sods!" to which the negative sods reply about how lucky we were, or one win doesn't change things, or whatever.
If we lose, it's "City are the worst, take that you rose-tinters!" to which the rose-tinters reply about how unlucky we were, or one defeat doesn't change things, or whatever.
If we draw, repeat cycle for a defeat. Add in something about Target A, Coach B, Director of Football C, Atmopshere D, Crowd E, Youth policy F, etc.
In this dawning of a new era for Exeweb, is it too late to hope that there may be a modicum of rational thinking in the future? No? Shame.
Anyway, if you have made it this far, bravo, you obviously are as sad a git as I am. Just to summarise my views:
1. Let's think about our "targets", why are you targeting them for abuse? Do they justify it? Why? Do you think that yelling at them (especially when it isn't their fault) isn't counter-productive in the slightest?
2. Positivity breeds positivity. In 09/10, when relegation stared us in the face, a simple suggestion to get behind the team from the moment they stepped off the bus helped generate a positive atmosphere and, lo and behold, we lost only one more match all season. Same to an extent this season - Al Yates calls for a siege mentality, fans get behind players, lo and behold an upturn. Sadly my belief that the "organisation" of the siege into something of a "club" having diluted the impact somewhat holds firm.
3. What were people's expectations this season? We lost, through being a tiny fish in a comparatively big pond, several of our key players. People have complained that we haven't replaced them with players of equal quality. Well, duh! Ryan Harley has emerged as a top end Championship player. Paul Jones has been playing in the Championship and earning decent reviews. Matt Taylor rightly took the money and ran and is now a very good bet to be playing in the Championship next season. Cureton rightly took the money (and security of a long contract) and ran - although his return has been less than that of another current City "target", John O'Flynn. We lost these players by dint of having been successful last season, attracting the vultures with a lot more money than we can offer. Them's the breaks.
Anyway, apologies again. Off my chest now. Do carry on.
Well, having been offline through the Christmas break, this is my first chance really to post since Wycombe on Boxing Day. I listened to most of the Colchester match but none of yesterday's match, so can't comment on the Yeovil match, but...
Frankly I was astounded at some of what I witnessed behind the goal at Wycombe. While I applaud the efforts of the "Siege" mob in terms of what they did (I couldn't join them on account of having a rather frightened daughter in attendance who only brightened up in the second half when we were sat with Al Crockford and young ECFC), it was the other stuff that really got my goat.
I have oft referred to "targets", the City "support" (and I use the term advisedly) seems to pick one and will have a go at them regardless. This isn't a new thing - I remember the day we lost at Tamworth in, I assume, 06/07, where it was the height of the anti-Buckle nonsense, and he was getting it in the neck for doing no worse than other players who were "praised for the effort".
In recent times the target has been Marcus Stewart - he was out of the side pre-retirement so the target became Paul Jones. He buggered off so the target became his namesake Billy. He got injured so the cycle turns back round to David Noble.
Case in point at Wycombe. Noble is surrounded by blue shirts. Sercombe, instead of spreading the play, whacks the ball shin-high 5 yards to him. All Noble can do is attempt to get the ball down before the three oppo players rob him. You'd think if anyone were to be berated it would be Sercs for the ridiculous poor pass, but no, a cacophany of "F***ing RUBBISH, Noble!" rang out from most of those around me.
Come the end of the game and a bunch of fans start berating Tisdale - those around me as we walked out were yelling about getting rid of Noble and getting a new captain. Notwithstanding the fact that IMO Noble was probably our best player - driving forward with purpose and the heartbeat of a lot of the good that we did that day. Not his fault Tully was torn apart by their winger and in Trotta they had someone who knew how to find the net with aplomb. Three chances, three goals. For the rest of the match I thought we pummelled them and had Bauza not faffed around for the penalty we'd have won. Ho hum.
Come Colchester and again we seemed to enjoy (by the evidence of the radio comms) the lion's share of possession, only to be undone by a combination of a couple of well-worked goals and the cynicism of the home defenders, unchecked by inadequate officials. Then Danny Coles (who in the games I've seen has barely put a foot wrong) gets himself sent off, suddenly it all comes out that he's the worst defender in christendom. People on FB mentioning that Exeweb has gone into meltdown.
And now today I come online after the break to find thread after thread berating individuals, the team, the management, the tea lady.
I never thought I'd get to the stage where I saw visiting Exeweb as a chore rather than something to look forward to, less so the stage where I saw watching a City match amongst the City "support" to be something to rile me up rather than be enjoyed. I have in recent years made a conscious decision not to visit Exeweb at least until the Monday morning after a Saturday game or the next morning after a midweek game, as the site becomes unbearable whether City win, lose or draw at that time.
If we win, it's "City are the greatest, take that you negative sods!" to which the negative sods reply about how lucky we were, or one win doesn't change things, or whatever.
If we lose, it's "City are the worst, take that you rose-tinters!" to which the rose-tinters reply about how unlucky we were, or one defeat doesn't change things, or whatever.
If we draw, repeat cycle for a defeat. Add in something about Target A, Coach B, Director of Football C, Atmopshere D, Crowd E, Youth policy F, etc.
In this dawning of a new era for Exeweb, is it too late to hope that there may be a modicum of rational thinking in the future? No? Shame.
Anyway, if you have made it this far, bravo, you obviously are as sad a git as I am. Just to summarise my views:
1. Let's think about our "targets", why are you targeting them for abuse? Do they justify it? Why? Do you think that yelling at them (especially when it isn't their fault) isn't counter-productive in the slightest?
2. Positivity breeds positivity. In 09/10, when relegation stared us in the face, a simple suggestion to get behind the team from the moment they stepped off the bus helped generate a positive atmosphere and, lo and behold, we lost only one more match all season. Same to an extent this season - Al Yates calls for a siege mentality, fans get behind players, lo and behold an upturn. Sadly my belief that the "organisation" of the siege into something of a "club" having diluted the impact somewhat holds firm.
3. What were people's expectations this season? We lost, through being a tiny fish in a comparatively big pond, several of our key players. People have complained that we haven't replaced them with players of equal quality. Well, duh! Ryan Harley has emerged as a top end Championship player. Paul Jones has been playing in the Championship and earning decent reviews. Matt Taylor rightly took the money and ran and is now a very good bet to be playing in the Championship next season. Cureton rightly took the money (and security of a long contract) and ran - although his return has been less than that of another current City "target", John O'Flynn. We lost these players by dint of having been successful last season, attracting the vultures with a lot more money than we can offer. Them's the breaks.
Anyway, apologies again. Off my chest now. Do carry on.
