Blind Loyalty

[bazzer9461]

With only 5 days until the team walks out at Sunderland, even I can understand why so many are frustrated with our progress this summer. But what I can't understand is those who talk about throwing in their season tickets, or some of the anger that plays out on social media. On Saturday I saw someone on twitter calling Tiger's wife a c***! We have the bazzer thread about our "foreign contingent" and many telling Tiger and co. to f*** off. We even had those who boo'd our board members at the end of last season! Now I know that I might be the Positive Fairy in some eyes, but I really think others need to get a bloody grip of themselves.

I started watching football in the early 80's as a kid. I was spat on by away fans at my first game, saw fans getting kicked in the head after fighting at my second game, and spent most of the 80's caged in and treated like an animal because it was football.

We had the successes of the 80's, Milk Cup final and top flight football. But we also had the Thames Valley Royals and the fire sales at the end of the decade when Maxwell got bored of spending other people's money. The 90's had their ups and downs on and off the pitch. 96 and Massey hanging off Wycombes crossbar was amazing, but there were also so awful sides and the slippery slope started before we left the Manor.

The Kassam should have been our new hope, but saw some of the worst football I have seen before we inevitably dropped out the league. Bizarrely the conference gave us some of the best days at the Kassam. Friday night games, taking 70% of the fans away to little grounds in the middle of nowhere. But the novelty wore off when these little teams started beating us. Wilder, for all his faults, probably saved the club with the promotion, but even then we tried our very best to screw that up!

League 2 also had its moments. For all the highlights of our promotion season, there were also some pretty unforgettable moments playing boring football. I remember going 2 nil down after 20 minutes in one game and about 40 lads got up and left from the North stand! I thought that no one should leave that early, but then spent the rest of the game wishing I had as even the away team gave up knowing that it was the safest result they'd get all season.

League 1 has seen a solid start from MApp, a truly bizarre 6 months from Pep and the start of some kind of recovery from KR. We've only ever sold a handful of players from more than £1m in our history. Roofe, O'Dowda, Johnson and likely Whyte will all have gone for way beyond that figure in the last few years. We might not be where we want to be, but there's no denying that we have finding, developing and selling some really good players. In addition we've had the likes of Lundstrum, Ledson and now Brannagan, Dickie and Sykes. The youth set up in bringing results that we haven't seen since the days of Joey and Chrissie in the 90's, and if rumours are to be believed we may one day get a solution to the stadium problem that is strangling the clubs development.

So over nearly 40 years, there have been many reasons on and off the pitch not to support Oxford. Plenty of games I wish I hadn't gone to, players who shouldn't have worn the shirt, managers who were hopeless and owners with differing agendas. But not once have I considered giving up on this club, not going to games or not giving the team my full support for 90 minutes. I'll back the manager who's giving it his all, and I'll back the owner until it becomes clear that they're damaging the club and I really don't think that's the case with Tiger.

So whilst I respect the concerns that others have, my loyalty is to the club and everything else is secondary. I appreciate others will label this as blind loyalty, but is that the whole point of supporting a mid table league 1 side? And in 5 days time we'll head to Sunderland expecting nothing but a win with goals from an unknown 14 year old and Sam Long as a makeshift centre forward!!! Bring it on!!!

“Bazzers foreign contingent”? How else was I supposed to address it “ overseas board members?
You’ve been supporting since the 80’s wow....I’ve been supporting since the late 60’s but that don’t matter, we’re all OUFC supporters. Yes I’ve seen people getting the boot in their face, have had my share not a lot but som, not been spat ( thank god)

But I read your passionate post and I do agree with everything. On here people have a right to moan and praise and yes I do praise.

But frustration rears it’s ugly head in football. I get frustrated over things that are said from within our club and then it doesn’t seem to materialise.

Who knows by Saturday our starting 11 May have 7 new faces in all and we come away from the SOL with 3 points and think Will Grigg? No thanks we’ve got Joe Bloggs thank you very much, however at the moment it’s 3 new faces and a wonder how we will fare because compared to the last half of the last season we are woefully short, things like this do frustrate fans, some fans criticise fans who have voiced an opinion ( opinions do vary ) but near the start of the season when those criticisms seem to bear fruit they then start to moan.

I know I moan and I am entitled to. This is not a conspiracy between @Mellowyellow and @greatunclekip but they like me are OUFC supporters passionate to the core.

@Scotchegg points out he has supported since the 80’sbeen spat on ( disgusting ) and seen someone get his head kicked in, unfortunately that happened up and down the land and to a smaller point still does, but today I don’t look upon them as supporters as it seems organised or in the BRFC game at the Grenoble road lads just turned up looking for a scrap, now that’s not old skool.

No doubt there will be those who may criticise this post and they’re entitled to.

At the end of the day I respect everyone on here whether I agree/disagree with their posts,

More important we are all Yellows through thick and thin we will be there praising moaning but we support the mighty U’

COYY

 

[Gary Baldi]

Hi @Gary Baldi miserable sod here. Just saying based on what I’ve seen preseason and I’ve been to nearly every game. Right now, now now. We are going down!

Our defence looks awful and lacking any sort of leadership. Plus one injury to Dickie and and we’re screwed.
Midfield looks good and solid centrally and has some depth and options. But out wide we have Fosu who looks okay but he’s no Whyte so far. And hall who hasn’t kicked a ball in anger in a season.
Then up front we’ll there we’re as weak as bambi on ice!

So call me miserable but all the evidence point to me being more righter than you.

How do you know we are going to down? The evidence doesn't show anything near that. The evidence shows an incomplete squad that at this point has little depth, but some talent. We've not played 5 games, we've not played even 1. If is not evidence of anything but a frustrating off season.

I am sure Accrington or Rochdale would love our problems.

 

[Scotchegg]

If you're all so upset by this behaviour why not challenge it at the time? Whinging on an obscure website will do fukkk all to change the behaviour

You are right, whinging on an obscure football forum will make no difference whatsoever. Yet every day there are hundreds of posts doing just that! People choose to go to games knowing that the language may be bad, that the game might be bad, that we might get beat. We would all love to see great games, great experiences and, most importantly, win every game. But when it doesn't happen what is gained by whinging?

 

[Shaun Rice]

How do you know we are going to down? The evidence doesn't show anything near that. The evidence shows an incomplete squad that at this point has little depth, but some talent. We've not played 5 games, we've not played even 1. If is not evidence of anything but a frustrating off season.

I am sure Accrington or Rochdale would love our problems.

Okay mate we’re going to win the league sorry for being negative.

 

[Mellowyellow]

You are right, whinging on an obscure football forum will make no difference whatsoever. Yet every day there are hundreds of posts doing just that! People choose to go to games knowing that the language may be bad, that the game might be bad, that we might get beat. We would all love to see great games, great experiences and, most importantly, win every game. But when it doesn't happen what is gained by whinging?

Did you not read what Bazzer wrote above. We all have opinions, call them what you will. Why do you try to dictate what people should say?
Has anyone told you to stop coming out with your knowledge someone inside the club seems to be feeding you?
Has anyone told you to get a little bit ore of a perspective on what is actually going on surrounding the club, rather than using rose tinted specs?
If they have, f**k em, it's your opinion. I wish I had your optimism, I don't, like others I'm truly concerned that something is clearly wrong with our transfer dealings.
Yep like you I'm a boy of the 1980's, and did things I shouldn't have like many others, saw the Zulu's run down the track towards the London Road end, went to THAT Coventry away game early 1980's.
What it proves, is like Bazzer said, we are all Oxford fans, simply with differing opinions. Now is the time we should be behind what KR can achieve, and direct any anger elsewhere.

COYY

 

[Scotchegg]

Did you not read what Bazzer wrote above. We all have opinions, call them what you will. Why do you try to dictate what people should say?
Has anyone told you to stop coming out with your knowledge someone inside the club seems to be feeding you?
Has anyone told you to get a little bit ore of a perspective on what is actually going on surrounding the club, rather than using rose tinted specs?
If they have, f**k em, it's your opinion. I wish I had your optimism, I don't, like others I'm truly concerned that something is clearly wrong with our transfer dealings.
Yep like you I'm a boy of the 1980's, and did things I shouldn't have like many others, saw the Zulu's run down the track towards the London Road end, went to THAT Coventry away game early 1980's.
What it proves, is like Bazzer said, we are all Oxford fans, simply with differing opinions. Now is the time we should be behind what KR can achieve, and direct any anger elsewhere.

COYY

I'm really not sure that you've grasped anything I've actually said! Has the club tried to nobble me? Seriously? Does it look like I've turned into Kip?? I'm sure many will think that my glasses are still well and truly rosey!

The references to the trouble in the 80's or football in the conference wasn't for any kind of bragging rights, but just to say that there has always been reasons not to go to football. The cages around the ground, the violence inside and out, the standard of football, the financial mismanagement several times etc. But most of us can see through all of that and focus on the game we love at the club we love.

I'm glad that you're going to get behind KR and the team, but why direct the anger anywhere? Move on. Live is too short to be angry all the time, and you are one of the worst for seeing the glass half empty! We are still 3 or 4 players away from being a team that can really challenge this season. Of course we would have loved to have kept Gavin Whyte. We would have also liked Nelson and Browne and Sinclair. But they've gone and we will build with our next generation. Ben Woodburn could be incredible at this level, the lad from Forrest, players from Cardiff or elsewhere. We will be bringing in more players and that is down to Robinson, Tiger and everyone behind the scenes. So why be angry, and what do you gain from directing that anger at anyone?

Just chill out and enjoy the ride no matter how bumpy it might get!

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Hi @Gary Baldi miserable sod here. Just saying based on what I’ve seen preseason and I’ve been to nearly every game. Right now, now now. We are going down!

Our defence looks awful and lacking any sort of leadership. Plus one injury to Dickie and and we’re screwed.
Midfield looks good and solid centrally and has some depth and options. But out wide we have Fosu who looks okay but he’s no Whyte so far. And hall who hasn’t kicked a ball in anger in a season.
Then up front we’ll there we’re as weak as bambi on ice!

So call me miserable but all the evidence point to me being more righter than you.

Sorry maybe I’m an idiot and a blind optimist but there’s just no way we’re going down in my opinion. Won’t Bolton and Bury both be on minus points? And we will surely sign at least 2-4 players before the window shuts. Don’t get me wrong I could see us having a poor season, or flirting with relegation, but actually going down? Surely not

 

[Shaun Rice]

Sorry maybe I’m an idiot and a blind optimist but there’s just no way we’re going down in my opinion. Won’t Bolton and Bury both be on minus points? And we will surely sign at least 2-4 players before the window shuts. Don’t get me wrong I could see us having a poor season, or flirting with relegation, but actually going down? Surely not

Okay I’m trying to be contentious. Frankly I’m bored by the whole situation. I normally love preseason. I check the website and social media probably 10 times a day every day trying to get a snippet of a player coming in. Sad I know but I do. This summer has been a joke. Again!

I said right now. Meaning as things stand today, I think we’ll be relegated. Leaking defence and nothing up front means it doesn’t matter that we have some good players. They can’t do it on their own. Yes we’ll sign some players, which should change things. So fingers crossed eh, it’s not like it’s important to any of us.

KR said he doesn’t expect anything to happen before Sunderland! FFS. It’s basket case stuff.
So if the money is there from tiger, which KR said himself it was. Our facility is better than ever then who is to blame for our lack of activity? KR?

If I was to put my mortgage on the results of our first 2 matches I wouldn’t be betting on us getting anything. So that 12 point gap could be down to 6 within a week. In fact right now I think it’s more likely we’ll start as we did last season than be up there in the playoffs!

 

[Foley]

If I was to put my mortgage on the results of our first 2 matches I wouldn’t be betting on us getting anything. So that 12 point gap could be down to 6 within a week. In fact right now I think it’s more likely we’ll start as we did last season than be up there in the playoffs!

Come on. There is being miserable and having a glass virtually empty.
You would put your mortgage on the first 2 matches (with Sunderland away the bookies would be massively on your side on that one!)
But gap down to 6 points in a week?
Would you put your mortgage on Bolton or Bury getting 6 points in 2 games ? Seriously? An awful lot of people would take your bet on that one

 

[Gary Baldi]

Okay mate we’re going to win the league sorry for being negative.

At the moment, we have an incomplete squad and that will likely mean we have a hard start to the season, harder than we thought it would be 2 months ago. But it's not a precursor to us going down as for one, the transfer window is still wide open. Saying we are going down is such a arbitrarily negative thing to say when little consideration is given to what else is going on in L1 at the moment.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Come on. There is being miserable and having a glass virtually empty.
You would put your mortgage on the first 2 matches (with Sunderland away the bookies would be massively on your side on that one!)
But gap down to 6 points in a week?
Would you put your mortgage on Bolton or Bury getting 6 points in 2 games ? Seriously? An awful lot of people would take your bet on that one

For one Bury aren't even playing this weekend, as it stands. And Bolton have few players. How are they going to win both games as presented?

 

[Shaun Rice]

Come on. There is being miserable and having a glass virtually empty.
You would put your mortgage on the first 2 matches (with Sunderland away the bookies would be massively on your side on that one!)
But gap down to 6 points in a week?
Would you put your mortgage on Bolton or Bury getting 6 points in 2 games ? Seriously? An awful lot of people would take your bet on that one

Good point, no I wouldn’t put money on that.

 

[Shaun Rice]

At the moment, we have an incomplete squad and that will likely mean we have a hard start to the season, harder than we thought it would be 2 months ago. But it's not a precursor to us going down as for one, the transfer window is still wide open. Saying we are going down is such a arbitrarily negative thing to say when little consideration is given to what else is going on in L1 at the moment.

Sorry but to win football matches you have first stop the opponent scoring, which as things stand we’re going to struggle to do. Even Solihull carved us open. Secondly you need to score a goal which we are also struggling to do.
I think we’ve been terrible at times in preseason so I’m not being negative for the sake of it, I think we’re going to struggle.
I hope I’m wrong and you’re right and there are worse teams than us.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Sorry but to win football matches you have first stop the opponent scoring, which as things stand we’re going to struggle to do. Even Solihull carved us open. Secondly you need to score a goal which we are also struggling to do.
I think we’ve been terrible at times in preseason so I’m not being negative for the sake of it, I think we’re going to struggle.
I hope I’m wrong and you’re right and there are worse teams than us.

Of course, but it doesn't mean we are automatically going down though. It suggests we will struggle to keep a clean sheet, but we've not seen a competitive game either.

 

[Neville60]

Come on. There is being miserable and having a glass virtually empty.
You would put your mortgage on the first 2 matches (with Sunderland away the bookies would be massively on your side on that one!)
But gap down to 6 points in a week?
Would you put your mortgage on Bolton or Bury getting 6 points in 2 games ? Seriously? An awful lot of people would take your bet on that one

I was thinking the same thing, similar comments we're also made by people last season.....we are all doomed.

 

[Shaun Rice]

I was thinking the same thing, similar comments we're also made by people last season.....we are all doomed.

Errr and they were right. Don’t you remember last season? We spent the majority of time in the relegation zone. Yeah after some good business in January we managed to break free but we were awful for the most part.

 

[IsleofWightYellow]

Errr and they were right. Don’t you remember last season? We spent the majority of time in the relegation zone. Yeah after some good business in January we managed to break free but we were awful for the most part.

Surely where you finish is most important though? In fact, if I had to choose one (finishing say mid table both times) I’d rather get all the losses out the way first then go on an amazing run than start the season unbeaten then end by going on an awful run which drops you down to mid table - even though technically the latter scenario has you ‘challenging for promotion’ at some point, while the former doesn’t.

 

[Shaun Rice]

Surely where you finish is most important though? In fact, if I had to choose one (finishing say mid table both times) I’d rather get all the losses out the way first then go on an amazing run than start the season unbeaten then end by going on an awful run which drops you down to mid table - even though technically the latter scenario has you ‘challenging for promotion’ at some point, while the former doesn’t.

Of course where you finish is what’s important. But what you’re saying is it’s okay to have a crap start lose a load of games and then come good at the end. Sorry but I expect more. I want to start well, and end well oh and be good in the middle too.
The target as Tiger said is the play offs minimum and our current situation has more of a ring of relegation than it does promotion.
Yeah we’ll sign some players so fingers crossed eh.
Personally I’d rather be a well run football club getting deals done like almost every other club. Be 90% there with perhaps a few key high profile players added late.
Hit the ground running and smash Sunderland.

 

[Essexyellows]

We will have a poor spell, we will have a great spell. Whichever is the larger will define the season.
I`ve seen us start like a un-beatable express train.
I`ve seen the wheels fall off after Christmas.
I`ve seen roller coasters.
I`ve seen us holding our own at the top.
I`ve seen us battling to the wire to stay up.

And everything in between............ its why we are addicted..

 

[Neville60]

45 league games to go, not a bad start, let's see how we go. I would like a good cup run as well please.