NOW is the time...

[TrickyTrev]

After sitting through yesterdays gutless performance I resisted coming on here and posting as I thought I'd just start commenting through frustration and anger and so wanted to wait before posting again. You know, sit back, have a think about things and just get some perspective on the whole situation at Hillsborough.

Now that I've had time to think about it, I'm still angry at the manner of the defeat in what was a relegation "6 pointer" and I'd be lying if I said that it hadn't ruined my entire weekend. Even sitting through You've Been Framed, Harry Hill and Take me out with the mrs couldn't lift my spirits! Just the thought of the very real and ever more likely possibility of playing League 1 football next season hanging over me like a shadow was occupying my mind far too much.

Even if the unthinkable did happen and we were to slip back into League 1 again, would I regret having already purchased my season ticket for next season... NO!!!! Will I be asking Lee Strafford for a slight deduction on the £468 that I've forked out for it because we're in League 1... NO!!! Surely not, after all, I go to watch Wednesday and not the opposition, don't we all??

I'm not going to come on here adding to the dozens of investment threads that seem to appear everytime we lose (it'll either happen or it won't, simple!!!) nor am I going to join the few idiots (most of whom I suspect are sad little grunters pretending to be Owls fans) calling for the chairman to be sacked. Seriously, what good would that do?? Would THAT make us stay up?? Would it bring Tudgays form back??

At the end of the day the vast majority of us on here are all Wednesday fans aren't we and inspite of our differing opinions we all want what's best for OUR club!!! We go to support the club which is bigger than any group of players who we believe may or may not give a poo about Sheffield Wednesday, it's still the same Sheffield Wednesday that it was 20 years ago and it'll be around long after this current crop of players has retired. If we win on Saturday against a poor Reading side (which isn't beyond the realms of possibility in such an unpredictable league) there could well be 4 points between us and the drop zone!! Yes i appreciate fans are worried, frustrated and angry (rightly so might I add) but surely we are not so fickle as to start pulling it to pieces after a couple of poor performances.

It's come to a point where we are faced with a choice. We can either get behind the players, the manager and the chairman in supportring Sheffield Wednesday and doing all we can to keep this club in the Championship OR, we can just not bother, stop going to games, try causing unrest amongst the fan base with constant digs at the club and watch the club slide back down into the lower leagues.

I however prefer option one. Only by getting behind the club, OUR CLUB together will we ever do anything and so I think NOW is the time for us to give the team all the support we can!! We've lost 2 (two) games FFS sake, but we go to Reading next week and who knows, there is a chance we might actually win!!!

We're all Wednesday aren't we?? It's time for us to show it.

WTID, UTO!!!!!

[Wednesday-Wonderland]

I agree with the gist of your post.

But, the current crop of players don't deserve our money or support. That's the problem. It's what conflicts the people like me who go no matter what, no matter how crap we are and whatever league we're in.

[TrickyTrev]

I agree with the gist of your post.

But, the current crop of players don't deserve our money or support. That's the problem. It's what conflicts the people like me who go no matter what, no matter how crap we are and whatever league we're in.

I know where you're coming from mate and like you I'll always go regardless of how poor the current team is or what league we're in.

Indeed the last 2 performances have been very poor, but this current crop of players aren't bigger than the club and Sheffield Wednesday will be around long after they've all hung up their boots, but the club does deserve our support. It's our club.

I know with fans such as yourself I'm preaching to the converted, but there are far too many fans who just don't seem to see that nothing good will come from constant negativity, in fighting and general apathy.

Only by pulling together will Sheffield Wednesday stay in this division and only by showing our loyalty, love and support for the club will it ever move forward.

[blueandwhitematt]

A big part of us staying up a couple of seasons ago was that the fans got 100% behind the team, and turned out in their droves to actually back us, not just turn up and sit there. It seems at the minute we are still ambling along, and many think we will be ok and things will sort themselves out. I'm as guilty as the next man, that I have been going to games thinking we'll be ok, there have to be at least 3 worse teams than us.

Hopefully yesterday was a wake up call to us all. Our players are not looking good enough to keep us up, and while most them are work-shy t0ssers, unless we get behind the team like we did a few seasons back, I think it will look very grim come the end of the season.

This isn't a 'have a go at the fans' post, its more that I think yesterday may actually make people think we need to back the team like we did to help them beat the drop before.

[Wednesday-Wonderland]

But how exactly do we show our love for the club but at the same time let the players know that their contribution disgusts and angers us? The only suggestion I have is that we're showing our love for the club just by turning up (it's amazing that so many of us still do after a decade of dross), and then we let the players know what we think by booing at HT and FT if the performance has been gutless.

Booing our side during the game is for idiots, I think we can all agree on that. But HT and FT are the only moments in time we get to communicate our true feelings to the players. I don't know about you, but all I ask for is 100% passion and commitment from our squad. I can accept losing if every player has died on that pitch fighting for our club. But far too often this season that's been lacking, which is why it seems we're going to be relegated.

[TrickyTrev]

A big part of us staying up a couple of seasons ago was that the fans got 100% behind the team, and turned out in their droves to actually back us, not just turn up and sit there. It seems at the minute we are still ambling along, and many think we will be ok and things will sort themselves out. I'm as guilty as the next man, that I have been going to games thinking we'll be ok, there have to be at least 3 worse teams than us.

Hopefully yesterday was a wake up call to us all. Our players are not looking good enough to keep us up, and while most them are work-shy t0ssers, unless we get behind the team like we did a few seasons back, I think it will look very grim come the end of the season.

This isn't a 'have a go at the fans' post, its more that I think yesterday may actually make people think we need to back the team like we did to help them beat the drop before.

Spot on mate, you've hit the nail on the head there!!

[Guest ReginaldBlinker]

I know where you're coming from mate and like you I'll always go regardless of how poor the current team is or what league we're in.

Indeed the last 2 performances have been very poor, but this current crop of players aren't bigger than the club and Sheffield Wednesday will be around long after they've all hung up their boots, but the club does deserve our support. It's our club.

I know with fans such as yourself I'm preaching to the converted, but there are far too many fans who just don't seem to see that nothing good will come from constant negativity, in fighting and general apathy.

Only by pulling together will Sheffield Wednesday stay in this division and only by showing our loyalty, love and support for the club will it ever move forward.

I agree mate. This is what I was trying to get at on another thread.

[blueandwhitematt]

The players don't deserve our support to be honest, BUT if we want to stay up, we've got to take the higher ground and get behind them and hope it rubs off on at least couple of them. It may be hard, but if it somehow keeps us up, then its worth it. No Wednesday fan wants us to go down, and yesterday made me realise we fans are going to have to play a collosal role in the relegation fight, because the players aren't good/bothered enough on their own.

[Guest utOwlz]

Iv been a season ticket holder for 10years and watched us finish just 3points from relegation to LEAGUE2! I like many others have seen some utter crap served up at hillsborough, but this last year iv lost my patience and will not be putting my money for a season ticket next year as i dont fancy wasting it this time.

Tired of spending vast sums of money home and away watching players that dont appear to care or put 110% in for that blue and white shirt, this is the minimum we supporters deserve! I dont think that season ticket prices are value for money. Im tired of promise of investment and nothing happens as per...

I still love wednesday the club the same, but i hate the players representing us and the fact we have nothing to look forward to in the coming years without investment. It is all these reasons and more that has drained me personally and i have gone without things in life because iv "bought a season ticket" or "away ticket and travel" and now im going to keep that money to myself to use for things that cant let me down time and time again.

What have we got to look forward to next season really? If we stay up we will have another "nothing" season garanteed, and LS saying other clubs wont have as much money next season doesnt exactly get me excited for next season, we will still be nothing more than average without investment in the team.

Im just fed up and have lost all faith in where the club is going in the long term. People can say im not a true fan if they like, but tbh i dont really care anymore, and its not just me that feels like this unfortunately.

Edited February 21, 2010 by utOwlz

[brucew]

The players don't deserve our support to be honest, BUT if we want to stay up, we've got to take the higher ground and get behind them and hope it rubs off on at least couple of them. It may be hard, but if it somehow keeps us up, then its worth it. No Wednesday fan wants us to go down, and yesterday made me realise we fans are going to have to play a collosal role in the relegation fight, because the players aren't good/bothered enough on their own.

think that sums up how most of us feel

[TrickyTrev]

The players don't deserve our support to be honest, BUT if we want to stay up, we've got to take the higher ground and get behind them and hope it rubs off on at least couple of them. It may be hard, but if it somehow keeps us up, then its worth it. No Wednesday fan wants us to go down, and yesterday made me realise we fans are going to have to play a collosal role in the relegation fight, because the players aren't good/bothered enough on their own.

Couldn't agree more. I was as frustrated and angry as any Wednesday fan at the final whistle yesterday but if we are to turn this thing around we need to support our club. It's the only we'll ever get anywhere.

Not bothering going, booing the team during the game and starting silly little Strafford Out threads on here aren't going to achieve anything other than cause inrest and increase the likelyhood of League 1 football next season.

We've turned in 2 bad performances, we CAN beat Reading next Saturday. Sheffield Wednesday staying in this division is do'able, we as supporters however need to play our part by showing our support for our club!!

[Essix Blue]

TT

I admire your passion.

But it gets bloody tiring to hear time and time aain 'we need to get behind the club / support the players'. What the flip were 21000 doing there yesterday? We've paid our money - most of us year on year - we've followed them down to division 3 and supported them home and away - we took 40,000 to a third tier playoff final (which we were a dodgy penalty away from losing) and now here we are AGAIN 5 years later with the threat of doing it all again.

The fans at this club are brilliant - always have been whilst I've followed them (nearly 40 years). We enjoy the good times and, when the bad times arrive, usually sing our way through them with some sarcastic humour which hides our hurt.

The situation we are in is NOT down to the fans, not one single bit. Look at the majority of clubs through the leagues and the simple basic formula applies = Get it right on the pitch and the fans will follow. Get it wrong and they will save their hard earned cash. That's where LS really irritates me. Yes he's done some brilliant stuff at the club, the majority of which his staff already wanted to do but weren't given the chance under the old regime. But the moment he started having a sly dig a the fans - and urging us to spend on ST to help with the planned squad improvement - IMO he was on a loser. Fans won't invest on a dream / promises that good will come. They WILL invest when they see improvement on the pitch and the club begin to succeed in what is a very average CCC.

So please, get off the fans backs. We're doing our bit 21000 times over.

[Guest utOwlz]

Couldn't agree more. I was as frustrated and angry as any Wednesday fan at the final whistle yesterday but if we are to turn this thing around we need to support our club. It's the only we'll ever get anywhere.

Not bothering going, booing the team during the game and starting silly little Strafford Out threads on here aren't going to achieve anything other than cause inrest and increase the likelyhood of League 1 football next season.

We've turned in 2 bad performances, we CAN beat Reading next Saturday. Sheffield Wednesday staying in this division is do'able, we as supporters however need to play our part by showing our support for our club!!

I agree we can with abit of luck, but dont think we will. Reading are a better football team than us and i can see us getting beat comfortably

[Guest utOwlz]

TT

I admire your passion.

But it gets bloody tiring to hear time and time aain 'we need to get behind the club / support the players'. What the flip were 21000 doing there yesterday? We've paid our money - most of us year on year - we've followed them down to division 3 and supported them home and away - we took 40,000 to a third tier playoff final (which we were a dodgy penalty away from losing) and now here we are AGAIN 5 years later with the threat of doing it all again.

The fans at this club are brilliant - always have been whilst I've followed them (nearly 40 years). We enjoy the good times and, when the bad times arrive, usually sing our way through them with some sarcastic humour which hides our hurt.

The situation we are in is NOT down to the fans, not one single bit. Look at the majority of clubs through the leagues and the simple basic formula applies = Get it right on the pitch and the fans will follow. Get it wrong and they will save their hard earned cash. That's where LS really irritates me. Yes he's done some brilliant stuff at the club, the majority of which his staff already wanted to do but weren't given the chance under the old regime. But the moment he started having a sly dig a the fans - and urging us to spend on ST to help with the planned squad improvement - IMO he was on a loser. Fans won't invest on a dream / promises that good will come. They WILL invest when they see improvement on the pitch and the club begin to succeed in what is a very average CCC.

So please, get off the fans backs. We're doing our bit 21000 times over.

100% agree with this Essix, my thoughts exactly

[Weshallovercome]

Well said, Tricky.........WE as a collective got us out of league 1, we were the perverbial 12th man that season......we need to do it again.

[WadsleyOwl]

TT

I admire your passion.

But it gets bloody tiring to hear time and time aain 'we need to get behind the club / support the players'. What the flip were 21000 doing there yesterday? We've paid our money - most of us year on year - we've followed them down to division 3 and supported them home and away - we took 40,000 to a third tier playoff final (which we were a dodgy penalty away from losing) and now here we are AGAIN 5 years later with the threat of doing it all again.

The fans at this club are brilliant - always have been whilst I've followed them (nearly 40 years). We enjoy the good times and, when the bad times arrive, usually sing our way through them with some sarcastic humour which hides our hurt.

The situation we are in is NOT down to the fans, not one single bit. Look at the majority of clubs through the leagues and the simple basic formula applies = Get it right on the pitch and the fans will follow. Get it wrong and they will save their hard earned cash. That's where LS really irritates me. Yes he's done some brilliant stuff at the club, the majority of which his staff already wanted to do but weren't given the chance under the old regime. But the moment he started having a sly dig a the fans - and urging us to spend on ST to help with the planned squad improvement - IMO he was on a loser. Fans won't invest on a dream / promises that good will come. They WILL invest when they see improvement on the pitch and the club begin to succeed in what is a very average CCC.

So please, get off the fans backs. We're doing our bit 21000 times over.

Great post, agree with you 100%

[TrickyTrev]

Iv been a season ticket holder for 10years and watched us finish just 3points from relegation to LEAGUE2! I like many others have seen some utter crap served up at hillsborough, but this last year iv lost my patience and will not be putting my money for a season ticket next year as i dont fancy wasting it this time.

Tired of spending vast sums of money home and away watching players that dont appear to care or put 110% in for that blue and white shirt, this is the minimum we supporters deserve! I dont think that season ticket prices are value for money. Im tired of promise of investment and nothing happens as per...

I still love wednesday the club the same, but i hate the players representing us and the fact we have nothing to look forward to in the coming years without investment. It is all these reasons and more that has drained me personally and i have gone without things in life because iv "bought a season ticket" or "away ticket and travel" and now im going to keep that money to myself to use for things that cant let me down time and time again.

What have we got to look forward to next season really? If we stay up we will have another "nothing" season garanteed, and LS saying other clubs wont have as much money next season doesnt exactly get me excited for next season, we will still be nothing more than average without investment in the team.

Im just fed up and have lost all faith in where the club is going in the long term. People can say im not a true fan if they like, but tbh i dont really care anymore, and its not just me that feels like this unfortunately.

I know where you're coming from mate and there have been a fair few occasions over the past 10 years where I've been tempted to do exactly the same.

I know we've had this argument put to us on numerous occasions however but it is true... this clubs future IS in the hands of it's supporters!! We can either do all we can to get behind the club (not necerssarily the players!!) and give it all the support we can in an attempt to help keep Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship (in the short-term) and help move the club forward (in the long-term) or we can choose not to and hope things turn out ok.

Whether you choose to renew your ST next term is entirely your decision and I would never be so narrow minded as to label you as "not a true fan" for not doing so, indeed the past 10 years have tested an awful lot of us fans love and loyalty to the club. What I would say however to all Sheffield Wednesday supporters is that if we do want our club to stay in this division, we are all going to have to pull together and get behind the team!!

As for the long-term development and progress after that, it is largely dependent on how many of us are willing to back the club. I know this is an argument that we've heard many times from Lee Strafford and I know some of you have grown tired of it, but it is true. Without the support of it's fans, the club will never achieve anything.

UTO, WTID.

[Owls12387]

I'll commit to a new season ticket when I see the commitment mirrored on the pitch from the players

No effort or fight yesterday

[Guest wednesday_lass]

I've got my season ticket paid for next season, couldn't care less what league we're in. In a way League 1 may give us a chance to re-build the squad and prepare them for life in the championship. In all honesty I don't think that last time we got promoted we we're ready financially and were not ready on the pitch, it was a pure stroke of luck that we got promoted at all in my opinion.

Give us a season or two in league 1, build around the core of our team which in my opinion have to be Grant.Purse.JOC.Tudgay - thats an experienced core of the squad. Then buy in league 1/2 ,lower championship players and then get a couple of reserve prem players on season long loans. 'The only way forward for us is to go backwards, start from scratch and build upwards.

[airborne_rat_of_s6]

I agree with the gist of your post.

But, the current crop of players don't deserve our money or support. That's the problem. It's what conflicts the people like me who go no matter what, no matter how crap we are and whatever league we're in.

I agree - you want to support them, but more often than not you come away feeling cheated that the required levels of effort and professionalism have not been given by the players. Yesterday was shocking - they were not worthy of any support. Tactically smashing the ball as hard as possible in the general direction of the opposition's goal is not going to achieve anything at this level, let alone sunday league! Yesterday we made the following observations:

1) Awful passing, of which 95% were high balls or literally smashed at each other - no composure.

2) As soon as we were in possession no one was making a run beyond opposition players - no one was making an easy ball - so we resorted to hitting long and high each time. Why is it, every time we receive the ball there is not one of our players anticipating a move starting and make an easy pass?

3) Spurr was more awful than normal. We counted at least six times he played the ball out when under little or no pressure - drop him now and replace with Gray or the new loanee.

4) When we went to playing three up front they bunched up - if you play that way you need to work the channels and create space that way, rather than waiting in the area for a cross.

5) The midfield pair of JOC and Potter hardly had a touch of the ball - any decent play we had was down the flanks and they did little to break down opposition attacks.

6) Sad to say this but we missed Purse at CH - the whole back 4 looked shaky and they were too often left exposed by the

In summary AI has a massive task if we are to turn this around quickly.