Being a football supporter

[Shaggy]

How would you define the role of being a supporter?

I thought the England fans last night were a disgrace. The counter-argument is that supporters pay their money and are therefore entitled to "criticise".

This quote is from an England fan on one of the BBC's pages today.

I spent my money to go out there and watch, if the team aren't coming up with the goods I've got every right to complain

Do you think they had every right to complain? To start abusing the manager and the players after 15 minutes? No goals in the first fifteen minutes so it's okay to spew all kinds of vitriol?

I don't think so.

Being a supporter isn't about complaining if you don't feel you're getting value for money. As our song suggests, it's about SUPPORTING the team through the wind and rain. Through thick and thin.

England fans began a torrent of hate because it was 0-0 after 15 minutes. Isn't it a good job Liverpool supporters don't behave like that? How would your average travelling England fan have reacted in Istanbul?

I understand their ire. McClaren is out of his depth and the team are playing incredibly poorly. A few boos I could forgive, but the snarling, contorted faces of rage, and the hateful chanting (en masse) went way beyond the pale in my opinion.

A supporter's role is to lift the team. To lift the players, especially in times of adversity. You don't destroy their confidence after fifteen ****ing minutes. The likes of Downing and Lennon looked like they wanted the ground to swallow them up, and I felt genuinely sorry for them.

Or am I talking complete bollocks and McClaren and the team deserved every ounce of the hate aimed their way?

[Marky]

I think the England fans have been sucked in by the media in terms of the so-called crisis in the Enngland team with McClaren in charge.

Once a few fans starts having a go, the next thing is the whole lot of them join in as every England move breaks down and it just escalates from there.

[lfc4ever]

A supporter is whoever you want it to be and however you want it to be, who has any right to tell anyone on how to support, who to support, when to support or on how to spend their money even?

It takes allsorts to make the world what it is and some ofwhat you don't like will be bread and butter to others.

Live & let live and leave be, as long as we can do it safely and without fear.

[Draxdor]

My question is, is there a different standard of support between club and country?

I would never dream of screaming abuse at Liverpool...wouldn't even enter my mind.

But should we expect the national team to consistently entertain us? These are meant to be the cream of the crop, playing at the top of their game. Is there a different level of entertainment expected here? And if these "all-star" teams play like a sunday pub squad...well, is the booing deserved?

I guess it comes down to where you put your priorities. My only concern watching England play is that none of our lads picks up a knock. I guess, if viewed that way, there is no inherent "betrayal" in venting at an underperforming group of footballers.

[Shaggy]

A supporter is whoever you want it to be and however you want it to be, who has any right to tell anyone on how to support, who to support, when to support or on how to spend their money even?

It takes allsorts to make the world what it is and some ofwhat you don't like will be bread and butter to others.

Live & let live and leave be, as long as we can do it safely and without fear.

Well I'm obviously not advocating some kind of fascist implementation of a football supporters rulebook, I'm just asking people how YOU think supporters should behave. How do you support your team? (Not you specifically Del, everyone )

[Rocket]

i generally don't agree with booing the team off the pitch, if liverpool, wales whoever were losing 5-0 at half time, as long as the team looked like they were trying etc.

its when they look like they can't be ****ed to be there, is when i think why am i bothering to pay the ticket price and transport costs to be there.

[knockers]

I think supporters should support the team.The fans reaction last night really kick started the team into a vastly different performance second half, especially Stevie G who seemed to take it personally. I'm not sure the players would of reacted the same if they had been clapped off.

The big problem will be the move to Wembley with wispy wig McLaren in charge. Remember prior to Euro96 when England games at the home of football would just be some nutters booing all game. A couple of draws and the same old crowd turning up each match could be too much for the F.A. I hope it's not like that and supports get behind the team.

The F.A should never of employed McLaren as coach, he's average at best.

[Shaggy]

I think supporters should support the team.The fans reaction last night really kick started the team into a vastly different performance second half, especially Stevie G who seemed to take it personally. I'm not sure the players would of reacted the same if they had been clapped off.

I don't get it? So do you think they should support the team or boo the team?

I beg to differ anyway. The fans, IMO, were partly responsible for that dire first half. The first 15 minutes were poor but the following 30 mins were even worse - because the fans went into 'hate overdrive' and the players were playing with genuine fear. Even Stevie said it was the most difficult 45 minutes of his career.

There's no way the slightly improved 2nd half performance had anything to do with the fans. They regrouped and won by a margin that should have been the bare minimum expectation. There was no way, even at half time, that England wouldn't win the game so, IMO, crediting the fans with the marginal improvement is a bit wide of the mark.

[knockers]

I don't get it? So do you think they should support the team or boo the team?

I beg to differ anyway. The fans, IMO, were partly responsible for that dire first half. The first 15 minutes were poor but the following 30 mins were even worse - because the fans went into 'hate overdrive' and the players were playing with genuine fear. Even Stevie said it was the most difficult 45 minutes of his career.

There's no way the slightly improved 2nd half performance had anything to do with the fans. They regrouped and won by a margin that should have been the bare minimum expectation. There was no way, even at half time, that England wouldn't win the game so, IMO, crediting the fans with the marginal improvement is a bit wide of the mark.

The should always support the team not boo them.

I'm sure when the players were in the dressing room they would of been saying to each over that they need to improve to get the fans back on side and they did (some anyway). The second half players were making movements that just were not their in the first half and the fans reacted by supporting the team. I'm sure the second half would of been better as the part timers tired but I'm also sure that the reaction of the crowd and the player wanting to turn that round had an affect.

I would never boo Liverpool (nearly fell a sleep watching the Villa match mind) but England with that mix of players I hate i.e Rio, Cole, Rooney I do tend to get a bit more critical.

[lfc4ever]

It would have been a laugh if the players stood in the circle and faced the fans, then started singing
"you're not fit, you're not fit
you're not fit to be a fan
you're not fit to be a fan"

[Shaggy]

It would have been a laugh if the players stood in the circle and faced the fans, then started singing
"you're not fit, you're not fit
you're not fit to be a fan
you're not fit to be a fan"

[Rocket]

It would have been a laugh if the players stood in the circle and faced the fans, then started singing
"you're not fit, you're not fit
you're not fit to be a fan
you're not fit to be a fan"

not really, because at the end of the day, if it wasn't for the fans, there would be no professional football

[lfc4ever]

Well I'm obviously not advocating some kind of fascist implementation of a football supporters rulebook,

But you are, you are advocating:

"Being a supporter isn't about complaining if you don't feel you're getting value for money. As our song suggests, it's about SUPPORTING the team through the wind and rain. Through thick and thin."

I'm happy that they at least turn up in the wind & rain and shout something.

It should be left each person as to how they show commitment to the cause, and if they are not happy then they are still supposed to sing and clap?

As you say, there are no rules and what floats your boat sinks others.

[Shaggy]

Yes, clearly that's my opinion but I haven't said I wish to force it on everybody who just wants to boo and abuse. That's up to them. I think they're ****s, but it's still up to them.

[Kronenburg1892]

Generally I'd say no, you support the team, but last night was different. This has been esculating for years now. When you play for England, you're playing for your country, you're picked because you are the best the country can produce.

But too many times over the years we've seen the national squad give up after the first twenty minutes, with the exception of when England went down to ten men against Portugal last year. But it is the norm for players to go through the motions, and that is by no means unique to this current crop of players, it's been the same for decades.

I think it's about bloody time the England fans let the FA, manager and players know what they think, because actually it's what we all think.

Politely clapping changes nothing.

The crowd did get behind the team, once they actually started to show some spirit.

Last night was unique, I doubt we'll get the same reaction with a larger crowd. But it was a wake up call all the same.