I've been giving some thought as to how we have gone from "shopping at Harrods" in 1987 to our current homelessness and destitute state. OK, along the way there has been a few highlights (cup quarter-final, final day survivals, Speedie's chips, Keane's step overs, Dublin and Huckerby) but overall it has been a period of constant decline, both on and off the pitch.
Throughout these 25 or so years, the majority of fingers have been pointed at various owners, chairman and executives; some at landlords; a minority at the manager and staff but no one has (to my recollection) ever pointed a finger at the clubs mains investors.......us.
Maybe we should look at ourselves and consider what we could of done to stop the decline and more importantly, what can we do to rectify our current plight.
How many of us have turned up at Highfield Road or the Ricoh and thought 'There should be more in here today'? I know there has been many times when the team has been playing well or just won a scintillating game the previous week and there is no marked improvement in attendance. Maybe if a few more fans turned up to cheer on the team the finances would be better and maybe even the results...it's a self perpetuating spiral that works in a positive way and as we have seen over the last 25 years.....a negative way.
How many times have we not delivered on our promise? "I'll go when they start winning", "I'll go when they show me they're any good", "I'll go when he's sacked" etc etc.
The problem we've had throughout the years has been in turning fans and followers into supporters and maybe if more kept the promise, we would not be in the situation we find ourselves in today.
There is a high degree of self guilt in writing this post as I have now moved from a supporter to a fan. Yes I still want to go this afternoon and watch my team but I shall listen on the radio and make no investment in my club.........further adding to the clubs decline.
Throughout these 25 or so years, the majority of fingers have been pointed at various owners, chairman and executives; some at landlords; a minority at the manager and staff but no one has (to my recollection) ever pointed a finger at the clubs mains investors.......us.
Maybe we should look at ourselves and consider what we could of done to stop the decline and more importantly, what can we do to rectify our current plight.
How many of us have turned up at Highfield Road or the Ricoh and thought 'There should be more in here today'? I know there has been many times when the team has been playing well or just won a scintillating game the previous week and there is no marked improvement in attendance. Maybe if a few more fans turned up to cheer on the team the finances would be better and maybe even the results...it's a self perpetuating spiral that works in a positive way and as we have seen over the last 25 years.....a negative way.
How many times have we not delivered on our promise? "I'll go when they start winning", "I'll go when they show me they're any good", "I'll go when he's sacked" etc etc.
The problem we've had throughout the years has been in turning fans and followers into supporters and maybe if more kept the promise, we would not be in the situation we find ourselves in today.
There is a high degree of self guilt in writing this post as I have now moved from a supporter to a fan. Yes I still want to go this afternoon and watch my team but I shall listen on the radio and make no investment in my club.........further adding to the clubs decline.