Still not warming to the Bulls

A couple of seasons ago a group of us had a great chat with a couple of Hereford fans at their local Wetherspoons.  They were about to be handed the Southern League Trophy (the team, not the fans) having won that league in rapid succession to winning their previous few division.  The Hereford fans we chatted to were pleasant, dedicated, passionate yet still self-effacing in that way only non-league fans can be.  Years before I'd had a chat with a Hereford United fan at Rockingham Road when their previous incarnation had been dumped briefly out of the Football League.  He, too was good company.  Last season I got into a long chat with the guy who ran the (world's smallest) snack bar in the away end at Edgar Street.  Also a top-bloke.

So why is it, when my personal dealings with Hereford-folk has been so positive, that my overriding sense of Hereford FC is "what a bunch of c*nts?"

It's always easy to take against clubs who give off the impression that any division they are playing in is ALWAYS at least one level lower than they should be.  Or clubs that claim the achievements of a previous incarnation which they were happy to rid themselves of when it was expedient.  Or employ Managers, teetering on the brink of the sack who get games called off because they aren't up for the battle.

Or crassly write about upcoming opponents using, without equivocation, phrases like -

"The Poppies are hopeless, and look to be heading back down to the Southern League"

"The Bulls are playing Kettering and should win this encounter"

Over the years Patgod has very occasionally discussed the opposition in less than flattering light.  I know, difficult to believe.  But we like to think that we wrap our barbs in a layer or two of irony or light sarcasm. Perhaps the writers of these lines above might try to flower-up their imagery and still get their point across?

For example, and they can borrow these and insert into the previous articles absolutely free of charge!

"The Poppies have had a bad start to the season, with most of their own fans admitting they've been hopeless so far.  If they don't extract their digits pronto a swift return to the Southern League surely beckons...."

We KNOW we've been hopeless.  We just don't need a smug arsehole telling us.  In the same way we KNOW our town centre is the worst in the UK.  But woe-betide any outsider who has the nerve to tell us the same fact.

Also, feel free to use this correction -

"The Bulls are playing Kettering and should win this encounter.  Because we're so great and they are so rubbish.  Proven by the fact we are a MASSIVE 4-points better off than them and won one whole game more than they have.  Because they're hopeless and we're the greatest team ever.  And we are sure to be back in the Football League any day soon if it wasn't for the fact that (A) we've never actually played in the Football League, and (B) we can't quite seem to stop being lower table National North fodder."

There you go.  All sorted.