Once upon a time, people had opinions on players, oppositions, performances, management, officials, grounds, crowds, food, programmes and any of dozens of other subjects.
A lot of you aren't going to like to read this, but, today, far too many supporters spend far too much time criticising just two things.
(1) The fact that we don't hammer out of sight with perfect, flowing football every team we play against.
And, (2) Slagging off any supporter who suggests that, considering where the club was just 12 months ago, being top of the league after half a dozen games, is actually a GOOD thing!
The fact the club could, and perhaps should have folded several times in the past couple of years seems to have been conveniently glossed over by too many people lining up to moan. Sorry, offer opinions. One senses that the majority of those who are complaining about the performances so far this season probably weren't around much during the final days at Non Park. Nor attended many games at the permanently freezing Steel Park. There were times when you genuinely attended games knowing that you were going to be well beaten, AND it could easily be the last game the club played. A time when it would have been very easy to give in and walk away. Most did.
More than likely, those complaining loudest now had given up on the club during this period and have little inkling of what those who chose to actively try to save the Poppies actually did during these darkest of dark days. It they did, I'm sure they wouldn't belittle their efforts by trying to paper over our very recent past, and shout down anyone who dares to mention this period.
Yes, I chose to wade through all the "End of Days" horror of the fall of the house of Non Park. I stumbled out of that cursed place, numb, after the Bashley game, when the few players and supporters who turned up knew that was, baring a miracle, our last ever game.
I huddled up on an empty, frozen terrace at Corby, often watching several goals per game fly into our net. I chose to stick with the club until the bitter end. I'm not looking for praise or a medal. Psychiatric help maybe.... But, I tell you what, I am really taking pleasure in seeing my team do well again. I don't even really care that the games we are winning are in reduced circumstances. We are winning. We are top of our league. We don't look like going bust every week. The club is being run by people I trust. I'm not even finding Cyril at the games that annoying!
I feel far less inclined to offer piffling, petty criticism of the manner of our winning, or whether our managers gee up the players enough. Having looked into the abyss of the club's oblivion I have learned to take pleasure in seeing the Poppies bloom. And if someone who has moaned and whined through the paper and electronic pages of PATGOD for much of the past 25 years or so, can start to feel happy about the Poppies, surely there is a chance for everyone else?
And if you don't like what I've written - well tough! It's my opinion!
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| Dirty Harry cuts though the sh*t |
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